Ben Hammott - Siberia

Richard caught up with Krisztina by the exit door she yanked open. The blast slammed him against the door as shrapnel struck the walls. Feeling something strike him, Richard looked at the piece of Black on his chest. Without thinking, he instinctively brushed it off. It shattered on striking the floor. It was dead.

Richard glanced across the room at the Black pouring from the elevator roof like a waterfall formed of melted tar. When it started forming into a monstrosity he had no wish to see completed, he rushed through the exit.

Colbert, Sullivan and Mason sprinted over to investigate the explosion.

“What happened?” demanded Colbert.

“Good to see you, too,” quipped Richard.

“The alien’s here. It ripped Dalton’s head off,” explained Krisztina breathlessly.

Richard thought it was good that Krisztina wouldn’t be reporting the man’s demise to his family.

Saddened and shocked another of his men was dead, Colbert probed them for more information, “What do you mean it’s here, and where’s Ramirez?”

Richard headed for the helicopter and cocked a thumb at the building he walked away from. “Alien’s in there, and you’re welcome to it.”

Though he didn’t know for certain Ramirez was dead, he thought it probable. He couldn’t risk Colbert delaying their escape while the man was searched for, so he added, “Ramirez is also dead.” He glanced at Krisztina. “Come on, Sweet Cheeks, our work is done.”

Krisztina shrugged at the shocked SEALs and followed Richard. She had done all she could.

“What do we do?” asked Mason, his eyes fixed on the entrance strange slithering sounds came from.

“Nothing we can do except continue with the EVAC and hope the blast incinerates the creature.”

When they turned towards the waiting helicopter, the side of the building exploded outwards. A creature, black, bulbous, and with a body all mouth and teeth, thumped to the ground in a mass of tentacles between the SEALs and the helicopter.

Richard looked fearfully back at the alien. “That thing sure is persistent.”

“What do we do?” asked Krisztina, wondering if they’d ever escape the alien’s clutches alive.

“We get on the helicopter,” Richard climbed aboard and looked at the pilot. “Time to leave. All your buddies are dead.”

Kelly dragged his eyes away from the tentacle-waving monster his three teammates backed away from. “They’re not dead. I can see them.”

“Semantics. They soon will be, so let’s leave while we still can because when it’s finished feeding on them, it’s going to come after us.”

“A little over four and a half minutes to detonation,” warned Krisztina, glancing at her watch.

“I’m not leaving my teammates while they are still alive,” stated Kelly firmly.

Richard held up his rifle. “It would be merciful if I gave them a quick death.”

Kelly leaned into the back and snatched the rifle from Richard. “I’ll shoot you before I let you shoot my friends.”

Richard humphed. “If that monster comes our way, I’ll be begging you to.”

“Why wait?” threatened Kelly, shooting Richard a frosty glare before directing his gaze back upon his buddies. “We have to help them.”

Krisztina nudged Richard. “Go on, think of something.”

Richard roamed his eyes around the helicopter. “Okay. I have an idea. Buckle up, Sweet Cheeks, it’s going to get hairy. Kelly, get us airborne.”

Kelly shot Richard a suspicious gaze. “I’m not leaving without them.”

“Do as I say and we’ll all be leaving together, or we’ll all die here.”

Indecisive as to what he should do, Kelly looked at his friends who desperately needed help.

“Trust him, he’s good at this,” advised Krisztina.

Having no ideas of his own to save his fellow SEALs, Kelly increased the power to the turbine and lifted the helicopter off the ground.

Richard shouted into his mic. “Colbert, I’m coming to save your ass, again .”

Wondering what Richard was up to, Colbert glanced at the rising helicopter. “Then I suggest you do it fast.”

Gazing out the open door, Richard grinned at Colbert. “Get ready for the fastest EVAC of your life.”

“Put the headsets on, so you’ll be able to communicate more clearly,” instructed Kelly.

Richard and Krisztina picked headsets hanging from the ceiling and slipped them on.

“Where’s the abseiling ropes?” asked Richard.

“Under the seats,” replied Kelly, grasping an inkling of Richard’s plan.

Richard crouched and pulled a thick, black rope from beneath the nearest seat. While he hooked the locking clamp attached to one end of the neatly coiled ropes over one of the locking catches above the door, Krisztina pulled out another and passed it to him. When three ropes were attached, Richard gazed down at the men firing at the tentacled creature. To avoid the onslaught of bullets, it climbed over the top of the Russian transport truck and dropped to the ground.

“Do we have any more grenades?” Richard asked the pilot.

“You and Krisztina took the last ones,” replied Kelly.

Richard turned to Krisztina. “How much time do we have?”

Krisztina looked at her watch. “Three minutes and twenty-one seconds.”

“Kelly, how long to get us clear of the blast?”

“Three minutes, minimum.”

“Then we need to hurry. Take us around in a circle and approach them from the front so they can see us coming.”

Richard gripped the handle attached to the doorframe when the pilot swooped around the compound. He looked down as a grenade thrown by Sullivan at the creature atop the Russian truck, exploded. Tentacles swiped the air chaotically as it tumbled to the ground. Colbert, still limping from his leg wound, and Sullivan and Mason dashed for the smoldering remains of the tanker, probably planning to use the smoke to conceal themselves. Waving tentacles at the fleeing men, the creature emerged from behind the truck and gave chase.

“Colbert, I’m going to drop ropes for you three to grab when we pass. We don’t have time for a second try or to hover, so make sure you grab them on the first pass.”

“Understood,” affirmed Colbert. “We’ll be ready.”

Richard kicked the three coils of rope out and watched them unravel. “Ropes are down,” he informed the pilot. “As soon as we have them, lift up and get us out of here.”

“It’s already on my to-do list. Let me know as soon as they’re on the ropes.”

“Two minutes fifty,” warned Krisztina.

“Crap,” cursed the pilot. “It’s going to be damn close.”

“Seems to be the story of my life lately,” commented Richard dryly.

Colbert slammed fresh ammo in his rifle and glanced up at the helicopter moving into position. When ropes dropped, he turned his attention on the approaching monster and pulled the pin from last grenade they had. Giving it a kiss for luck, he released the priming clip and lobbed it at the creature.

Though she could survive being struck by bullets, EV1L feared the explosive things they threw. Seeing one sailing towards her, she quickly changed direction to avoid it. When it had exploded too far away to cause her any harm, she refocused on her hunt of the humans.

Cursing when the creature dodged the grenade and continued towards them, Colbert sprayed it with bullets.

“I’m out,” shouted Sullivan.

Mason’s weapon clicked on empty. “Me, too.”

Saving what precious ammo he had left, Colbert stopped firing and directed his gaze at the helicopter that lowered until the ropes touched earth. “Get ready men. Here comes our ride out of here.”

Colbert kept his weapon trained on the creature and fired short bursts at intervals to slow its progress. Flicking his eyes from the creature to the ropes, when they were near enough, he shouted. “Let’s go.”