The Hunted by Val Tobin

Author:Val Tobin [Tobin, Val]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781988609102
Publisher: Val Tobin
Published: 2019-10-05T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Four

Janes was as good as his word. He pressed a button, and a monitor descended from the ceiling. The screen faced the prisoners, as if it had been purposely set up for viewing from the cages. At first, Rachel had a vague idea that they kept prisoners entertained by watching television. Then, in dawning horror, she realized they wanted prisoners to watch what happened to those going before them.

The monitor activated, showing a forest scene. Trees grew close together, and a large shelter made of leaves and twigs nestled in the branches of a large maple. It resembled a giant squirrel nest, but Rachel recognized it for what it was: a grendel habitat.

None of the creatures were in it, but she spotted one in the nearby branches. Since the creatures typically hung out in pairs, she assumed the other one hid in the nest. If this was a group of three, then a third one would be close. If it was a group of four, another pair would be around somewhere.

Soon, Foot-Long and Code Master would appear on the screen. How much area did they have to work with? She recalled Isabelle Marie. Jeff. The grendels who’d behaved strangely.

What had Stefan said? A vaccine that repelled grendels without killing the subject. But to test it with live subjects? She shuddered.

“Rachel,” Peter called out.

She met his gaze across Hound Dog’s cage.

“Yes?”

“We’re in trouble.” He gave her a rueful grin. “We have to leave. If no one else has reported this, we have to do it.”

She returned the smile, remembering the first time he’d said those words to her. Then, as children, they didn’t understand what they faced. Now, they were adults and trained to fight these creatures—at least, Rachel and Hound Dog were. If the three of them were tossed in the ring together, she and Hound Dog would have to protect Peter.

“Frosty!” Hound Dog said. “They’re unarmed. Those bastards.” He rattled the bars of his cage. “I’ll kill them for this.”

Rachel turned to face the monitor in time to see Code Master and Foot-Long spot the nest in the tree. Each held a thick stick, which she assumed they’d picked up en route to this destination once the guards had left.

“The girl we found”—Isabelle Marie—“was unmarked. But she was dead,” Rachel said.

“What do you think that implies?” Hound Dog asked.

“My father said the dose she got killed her. Grendels prefer fresh kills so they left her alone.” She paced her cage while watching the screen. “Maybe that was the problem. They wouldn’t know if the grendels rejected her because they didn’t take her down or because the vaccine worked.”

“My God. They’re testing a vaccine?” Hound Dog rattled the doors of his cage. His muscles bulged. Curses streamed from his lips.

“Dog!” Rachel shouted. “Not helping.”

“I’ll kill them, Frosty. I’ll kill them.”

“You and me both.” Tears leaking from her eyes, she watched the screen in horror as the two grendels slipped from the trees and approached the men.

“Oh, God, what if they can’t kill all four?” Rachel whispered.

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