Hunted - Chapter 7

It was late in the afternoon when the trucks finally rolled to a stop. Martin looked out of the flap in the back of the last truck and wondered why they had stopped. Looking around, he saw that the mountains on both side of the road made a pinch point here. "This would be a perfect place for an ambush," he thought.1

Looking over at Fowler, he raised one eyebrow. Fowler shrugged and started looking out the back of the truck, too. The rest of the support personnel in the truck with them looked around nervously. They all knew that something serious had to have happened for the convoy to have stopped here. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>2

In the front truck of the convoy, Sgt. Henson looked at the three Battle tanks that sat on the road, and to either side. He had gotten no response on the radio when he had called them earlier. Now, he had a really bad feeling. Looking at the driver, he said, "Call back to the next truck and have them send up Hunter and Warlock."3

"Yes, sir," the driver responded and reached for the radio.4

Stepping out onto the black-top, Henson quietly closed the door on the deuce and a half. Looking up the steep walls on either side of the road, he felt trapped. He knew this was a perfect ambush point on the road to Tripoli; that's why Command had position 3 tanks here. He could hear nothing coming from the tanks, or the surrounding terrain. This caused him a lot of concern.5

Henson turned around as Hunter and Warlock ran up to where he was standing.6

"What's going on, Sarge?" Warlock asked.7

"Not sure. Things are WAY too quiet for three tanks to be sitting her. C'mon, we're going to go check this out."8

Hunter looked around at the area. He didn't like this place. It didn't feel right, at all. Looking at the middle tank, he started jogging towards it. Looking over to his right, he saw Henson heading towards that tank, and a look to the left confirmed Warlock was heading for that one.9

Catching a whiff of what he knew he was about to find caught Hunter up short. He finally noticed the blood spatters on and around the tank's hatches. He called out to the others, but when he looked their way, he knew they were seeing the same things he was.10

Crawling up on the front of the tank, Hunter looked down into the drivers compartment. The smell and carnage that greeted him actually caused his stomach to lurch. The wolves had caught these guys by surprise, and the metal monster that always protected them had become their tomb.11

Turning around and sitting on the front edge, Hunter looked over at Warlock who was standing in front of the tank he checked, leaning on one hand and holding the fingers of the other over his mouth. Their eyes never met. Turning and looking at Henson, Hunter saw him bent over the side and losing his lunch.12

Sliding down to the ground, Hunter called out, "Sarge! You okay?"13

"Yeah, " Henson gasped, "Just give me a minute."14

Hunter turned as Warlock walked up beside him. Looking around at the mountains, Warlock said, "We need to get out of here."15

Hunter looked around, too. Searching, it didn't take long for Hunter to pick up the movement of several dark shapes.16

"Sarge!" Hunter called out as he began to run towards Henson. He was already too late. Suddenly, a large black werewolf stood right in front of Henson, coming up from beside the tank. Hunter and Warlock stopped in their run as they watched the massive beast grab the big black man and sink it's fangs into his throat. Henson never made a sound.17

Hunter looked at Warlock, and then around them as a chorus of howls erupted from seemingly everywhere at once.18

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With every bounce of the truck, Holland’s mangled ankle screamed. In a light haze from the minimal painkiller they could give her in the field, she still struggled not to scream.20

“It’s okay, Slayer. We’ll be back at the aid station soon. Then we can give you some of the good stuff,” the big medic grinned down at her. She thought about Hunter, and hoped he was okay. The last time she saw him, he and Warlock had dropped her with the medics and headed back to their truck. Hunter had touched her hand and a look had passed between them. She knew he wanted to blame himself for her injury, but as soon as she was able, she would show him how much she DIDN’T blame him. She grinned to herself when the visions of their reunion floated through her head.21

She looked around when she felt the truck slowing rapidly. Catching the big medic’s eye, she asked, “What’s going on?”22

“Not sure, Slayer. I know we can’t be at the aid station yet. I’ll go check and be right back.”23

Opening the big doors in the back of the field ambulance, he stepped down and softly closed them. Looking to her right, she looked at the heavily bandaged face of the slayer lying beside her. He had been attacked pretty badly; a lot worse than she had. He moaned lowly as he drifted through the layers of morphine. She wished she could have just one shot of that. She knew that would soften the ache in her leg. Then, she felt bad for being jealous of someone who probably wouldn’t finish this trip.24

Suddenly, a loud scream came from outside. It was followed by a very loud thump against the outside of the truck. Sitting up, Holland heard the unmistakable sound of growling wolves.25

‘AMBUSH’, her mind screamed! She had seen the medic place her blade in the tray beneath her gurney. Leaning over, she saw it cradled in the remains of her uniform pants. Reaching as far down as she could, she could just touch the edge of the drawer. 26

The truck rocked as she heard several wolves along its sides and one even seemed to be on top. Just as she finally got the drawer to open, she heard something slam against the doors at her feet. Another scream split the air in the driver’s compartment above her head. The beasts had breached the driver’s door! They were already inside! 27

One of the doors at her feet screeched and ripped away. A huge brown werewolf stood in the opening, blood and drool dripping from its massive fangs.28

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BloodClaw could feel the blood lust crawling through his veins and causing his skin to tingle. Perched on a group of rocks above the sight of last night’s victory over the three tanks, he had watched as the group of trucks rolled into the trap he had set. The hills around this point in the road held the majority of the males in his pack. He knew that numbers would seal this victory over the cursed wolf slayers. He bared his fangs at the thought of that disgusting nickname.30

Still watching, he saw the big, black human step from the lead truck. ‘Cautious, this one,’ he thought. The human looked around the area, not seeing the wolves that were hidden under and around the dead tanks. He also couldn’t see the rest of the pack that was slowly moving to surround the entire convoy.31

The human shut the door and stood while two smaller humans leapt from the back of the second truck and jogged up to him. It was all BloodClaw could do to keep from howling the signal that would shut the jaws of this trap. His muscles twitched to spring as the humans split up and went to each of the tanks. He could tell when they realized what had happened and he wanted to laugh out loud when the big one started vomiting over the side of the tank closest to him. Even BloodClaw was surprised when a large black wolf appeared beside the tank and killed the human without a sound.32

‘NOW!’ BloodClaw thought. Lifting his snout, he howled into the bright afternoon sky, signaling the more than 800 wolves to attack. He howled even louder when he heard his pack begin to return his call. 33

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RisingMoon was pissed! He had never been as angry as he was right now. BloodClaw, setting his trap at the tanks, had made him take a group of females and backtrack. They had traveled many miles during the night and most of this day. Now, they had positioned themselves in a narrow bend in the road. He was supposed to keep anyone who may escape BloodClaw’s trap and flee back this way from reaching the large camp just a few miles away. 35

He had 40 females in this group and several younglings on their first hunt. He was beginning another round of barking them into proper ambush spots when he heard the vehicle approaching quickly. He looked out at the rocks and logs they had put across the road. Being surprised that something was already approaching their trap, he had to move quickly to get himself in the lead position.36

Peering from between two large pines, he watched as a large green truck slowed around the turn and then locked it’s brakes to stop before ramming into the roadblock. RisingMoon huffed at two of the larger females closer to the stopped truck. When they looked at him, he motioned for them to move up behind the roadblock. 37

The brown female and the black and silver one both moved at his command and were just behind the largest rock before the passenger side door opened. The human female stepped out and walked up to the barrier. She looked around the trees to either side of the road. RisingMoon could see realization dawning on her face. He barked.38

The two females sprang as one over the rocks and landed on the human. Blood misted and AutumnDawn looked at the truck. Standing and leaving the fresh kill to the black and silver female, she walked towards the side if the ambulance. Looking at the big red cross on its side, she tried to remember something that teased at the edge of her memory. 39

Suddenly, AutumnDawn heard the doors at the back open and a large male stepped out and shut them. He didn’t see her until he was almost on her. Looking up into her eyes, his jaw went slack. 40

Instinct kicked in and she raked her claws across his chest. Screaming, he slammed into the side of the truck. Looking back at her, she could see the anger and hatred that flamed in his eyes. Pulling a pair of suture scissors from his belt, he lunged towards her. He slashed and cut her across the snout. The pain blinded her for a moment and the human took advantage, driving the scissors deep into her neck.41

AutumnDawn dropped to her knees. She looked up at him and saw his grin of victory. She reached up and gripped the bloody scissors, slowly pulling them out of her neck. The slash across her nose had already healed and the gash in her neck closed as soon as she got the metal out of the way. The human’s grin turned to the circular shape that preceded the obligatory, “OH SHIT!” He never got the words out.42

Bringing her hand forward, claws first, she slid through the skin under his ribcage. Closing her fingers, she lifted him with the one hand as she stood. Hanging from her outstretched hand, he gasped, unable to breathe with his diaphragm and lower lungs shredded. Blood poured from between her fingers.43

Suddenly, she pulled her hand towards her, ripping his ribcage out. His blank eyes still looked at her as she dropped him to the road. The sound of something hitting the top of the truck caused her to look up. On the roof was a youngling, grinning down at her. She shook her head.44

She turned as SnowStone tore the driver’s door away and dragged him out. The black and silver female motioned to the youngling who jumped from the top of the truck and sloppily took his first kill. 45

Moving around to the back, AutumnDawn looked at the double doors. Both of them had smaller red crosses on them. Shaking her head, trying to dislodge the stubborn memory, she reached up to the door latch. Locked. She gripped harder and ripped the door away, letting it fall behind her. 46

Stepping up, she stopped when her eyes met the green eyes of the redheaded female inside.47