Deadrise 2: Deadwar by Steven R. Gardner Read Free Book Online

stopped advancing up the trail, and had taken several side steps into the trees.
    “Get that animal back in line Private.” Larsen didn’t hide his irritation.
    “I’m trying, sir.”
    Lt. Larsen was about to order Pvt. Potter to try harder when his own horse suddenly went skittish, and he had to muster all of his riding skills just to keep it in place on the trail. A cold chill ran up Larsen’s spine. He had played the game of life and death long enough to know when he was being hunted…but by what?
    Pvt. Potter's horse gave a loud scream and reared up, Potter did his best to stay in the saddle, but he was not an experienced rider, and he tumbled backwards out of the saddle and landed hard on the forest floor. There was a loud crack, like a branch breaking, and Potter gave a scream of pain. Free of its rider, his horse turned and bolted back up the trail the way they had come.
    “What the hell is going-“ Larsen caught a flash of motion in the forest to the left, moving in Potter’s direction. “Potter! Heads up!” Before Lt. Larsen could say another word a lion pounced from the forest, coming down on Pvt. Potter full force, its jaws seeking his throat.
    Larsen’s horse reared, but he managed to stay in the saddle, and when it came back down to all fours, it respected his control. Pvt. Law’s horse tried to rear, but he managed to fight it under control. Cpl. Wilcox had slipped out of his saddle, letting the horse flee while he brought his M-16 to bear.
    The lion had tried to tear out Potter's throat with its massive jaws, but he'd somehow managed to roll aside, and it had him by the shoulder, shaking him around violently.
    Cpl. Wilcox stepped forward, taking aim with his M-16 and squeezed off a single shot. The bullet tore into the big cats ribcage and it instantly let go of Potter and leapt free, snarling in furious pain and anger. Wilcox squeezed off three more bullets, each one finding a target in its torso. It took two loping strides toward the forest before it collapsed to the ground, blood pouring from its mouth and nose. It gave a final gurgling snarl, choking on its own blood before it shuddered and died. As the roar of the gunfire faded from their ears, it was replaced by the agonized wails of Pvt. Potter, who was still alive and conscious despite the terrible mauling he had suffered.
    Lt. Larsen climbed off his horse. “Law! Radio Home Base and tell them we have engaged hostiles and Potter is down!” As he barked orders he un-slung his M-16 and rushed to Potter. Meanwhile Cpl. Wilcox continued to hold his rifle at the ready, circling about, searching for more lions.
    Another lion charged out of the foliage in a blinding rush, snatching one of Potter's feet in its jaws and began pulling him backward towards the trees. Wilcox had already taken aim and his first bullet creased the lion’s face. It roared in pain and dropped Potter's leg, fleeing back into the forest. Both Wilcox and Larsen fired at the fleeing beast and one of them did find their mark, the bullet smacking into the cats hindquarters, spinning it out of sight into the trees.
    Larsen and Wilcox rushed to Potter. He was lying on his back, his eyes blinking rapidly. His right shoulder was torn from its socket, exposing meat, bone, gristle and fat awash in blood.
    “Gha-Gh-k-k-Gha-“ He was trying to say something, trying to sit up.
    Larsen knelt beside him and pressed his shoulder to the ground. “Stay down Potter!” Lt. Larsen’s head began to swim, and as he looked around, the forest had taken on a deserts appearance, his vision clouded with smoke and battle haze, his ears still ringing with gunfire. For a moment he lost track of where he was, one battlefield crossing with another…but only for a moment. He shook his head and took a deep breath, and he was back in the forest of northern Utah. A man under his command, Pvt. Brad Potter, had been attacked by lion’s, and was critically wounded.
“Law! Have you contacted