Tags:
Fiction,
Science-Fiction,
Thrillers,
Horror,
Murderers,
Electronic Books,
Fiction / Horror,
Horror Fiction,
Horror - General,
American Horror Fiction,
Neurobehavioral disorders,
Parasites
even worked on the hatchlings, he had that covered with the ShockRounds.
Hed brought the less-lethals assuming that the hatchlings would behave the way they had in the last two engagementsonce the fighting began, they would rush the ground troops and force hand-to-hand fighting. He hoped the lead hatchlings could be taken down with a less-lethal, then the rest could be slaughtered with concentrated conventional fire.
But this time the hatchlings didnt attack.
Ogden watched the construct. The little monsters moved around the structure itself, scuttled across the ground surrounding it, but they didnt come out to engage. One by one they shuddered as bullets tore through their plasticine skins. Gouts of their purple blood looked gray through the night-vision goggles, spraying on the ground in stringy strands before the hatchlings collapsed into twitching heaps. If any of those bullets were ShockRounds, they punched through the hatchlings just like normal ammo.
Why the hell werent they fighting back?
He had a bad feeling he knew whyanother trap. Something new. He had no choice but to push forward and hope his attack plan allowed enough flexibility to react when that trap was sprung.
Corporal Cope lowered the handset and held it against his chest.
Colonel, First and Second platoons report no resistance. Nothing is coming out to attack. They estimate enemy forces are down to maybe five or six individuals.
Order immediate cease-fire of lethal weaponry, Ogden barked. Less-lethals move in slowly. Sticky guns first, but tell them to also try the Shock-Rounds and see if they have any effect. All squads are to try and take one alive. Tell the squad leaders no lethal fire unless they specifically order it.
The last shots echoed through the woods as soldiers stopped firing the M4 carbines and M249 squad automatic weapons.
Ogden turned to face Mazagatti. Sergeant Major, lets move in. I want to see this thing up close.
Sir, Mazagatti said, I wouldnt be doing my job if I didnt say that its a stupid idea for you to get that close. Again. Sir.
Understood, Ogden said. Im feeling lucky. Again. Proceed.
Mazagatti flashed hand signals to Ogdens personal squad. Ogden drew his sidearm and followed. Corporal Cope trailed a step behind and to the right, radio at the ready.
With the gunfire gone, Ogden heard the nonlethals: the whoosh of the foam guns and the normal-sounding reports of ShockRounds. He followed the platoon to within seventy-five yards of the construct before he ordered all platoons to halt. First Platoon was only forty yards away now; a quick sprint would take them right into the construct.
Ogden saw the hatchlings scurrying around inside the glowing arches. Triangular bodies, three tentacle-legs that looked like muscular black pythons. The point of the shortest hatchling would come up just to his knee, the tallest one to his chin.
The sticky foam seemed to be working, reducing two hatchlings to weakly wiggling lumps on the muddy ground, unable to pull those tentacle-legs loose. He counted another five hatchlings moving freely, but they didnt engage. Did they fear the weapons? Were they aware that the less-lethals might isolate them? If so, why didnt they at least run north? Why didnt they try something ?
Ogden again sensed a trapthe enemy wasnt behaving rationally or consistently with the previous two encounters. But trap or no trap, he had his orders.
Corporal Cope, tell First Platoon to move in. Capture the enemy by hand.
Cope spoke into his handset and relayed the orders.
Thirty-five yards ahead, Ogden watched a line of men rise up and silently walk forward. The three foam-gunners led the charge, each flanked on the immediate left and right by comrades carrying M4s. The rest of each respective squad fanned out on either side of this lead element.
Ogden watched. The hatchlings seemed to sense the advance. They clustered tighter around the base of
Learning to Kill: Stories