SNAFU: Wolves at the Door

Rolf and Sully made their way from cover to cover until reaching the downed doctor. A trickle of blood ran from the top of her head. “Is she breathing?” he asked the technician attending her.

The technician—her badge identified her as Mara Leitch—nodded.

“Cover us,” Rolf said to Sully.

Sully cocked his shotgun as Rolf slung the unconscious doctor over his shoulder. He hustled for the inner door; the experiment paid him no attention.

“P-please,” the skinny technician stammered from across the room. He held out a hand toward Peretti, pleading.

The experiment let a clawed hand fly. With a sickening crunch, the cowering technician’s neck twisted sharply, three long lacerations running the length of his face. He slumped to the floor a moment later staring through unblinking eyes.

Peretti and Kang opened fire.

A hail of automatic gunfire filled the experiment with holes. The thing turned, seemingly more annoyed than injured. It dove over Peretti and Kang, cleared a work station, and was halfway across the room. As Kang turned, he barely had time to react as the creature closed in from behind. It clubbed him in the chest, swatting him aside as if he were a child. With a wheeze, Kang slammed into the wall before sliding down to the floor.

Peretti strafed sideways as he fired, moving toward the exit. Sully fired from across the room hoping to draw the thing’s attention. It didn’t work.

In a blur of hair and teeth, the experiment closed in on Peretti much faster than anything any of the ex-soldiers had ever seen. Peretti barely managed to avoid the chomp, teeth as sharp as knives snapping shut where a moment ago his head had been. Another inch and he would have seen the inside of the experiment’s mouth up close and personal. Peretti rolled aside and squeezed off another three shots. The experiment staggered back, crimson lines running from multiple wounds along its arms and torso. Anything else would have died ten times over.

Still, the thing advanced.

Rolf could only watch from the observation window as Peretti grabbed Kang by the BDU top and pulled. They didn’t make it very far before a claw punched a hole clean through Peretti’s chest. Still unconscious, Kang remained oblivious to the shower of gore.

From the doorway, Sully peppered the experiment with another shot. It focused on him with yellowed eyes, little trace of the human it had once been. Sully looked from the experiment to Kang. The thing raised its head, issuing another howl.

Dot pounded on the window.

Rolf slammed a fist on the red button and wasted precious seconds waiting for the door to fully open. He charged into the lab guns blazing, coming to a stop by the table where the experiment had been strapped. Sully seized the opportunity and hurried toward Kang.

The experiment growled, flexing its clawed hands. In an impressive display of strength, it ripped an entire workstation out of the floor and hefted it across the room. Instead of retreating, Rolf dove forward. He landed on his stomach and carefully aimed at the one spot he knew would hurt any male. Three bullets hit the thing between the legs. It dropped to its knees, clutching at its bloody meat.

Sully had Kang at the door. Dot was there helping to pull the wounded guard through the hallway and outer door to safety.

Rolf got to a knee and emptied his clip in the thing’s head. Fifteen bullets made fifteen new holes. It finally dropped. After a raspy gurgle, the thing stayed silent.

Even though he didn’t want to, Rolf knew he had to confirm the experiment was dead. After a quick reload, he approached with caution, stopping an arm’s length away. His gun remained fixed on the body, finger tensed over the trigger.

The experiment’s chest didn’t rise.

Rolf inched closer, sweat chilling his brow. He nudged the thing with his foot. It didn’t react. He eased a hand down and felt for a pulse. “Clear!” he shouted over a shoulder.

Even though the thing was dead, Rolf backed out of the lab without taking his eyes from it – he couldn’t shake the feeling the thing would get up. A hand on his shoulder made him jump. “Stand down. We’re clear.” Dot’s voice was composed, more like her normal, efficient self.

Rolf took a moment and exhaled a long breath. He wiped the sweat from his brow on a sleeve. “Anybody injured?”

“Dr Sturgess has a bump on her head. Nothing serious as far as I can tell,” Cruz said.

“Dot, get on the horn and see if you can get Doc Brogan up here to take a look at Kang and Dr Sturgess.” Rolf leaned against the wall and relaxed despite the jolt of adrenaline spiking through his body. “Somebody want to tell me what the fuck just happened in there?”

“I second that,” Sully said, looking at the two technicians and their unconscious leader.