Fallout: Nature's Gears- Chapter 20 (Preview)

This is an early access preview of Nature's Gears- Chapter 20. This one's been cooking for awhile now with a few changes to how I'll tell future chapters.

I want to see if these changes are worth while, before going public.

(Edit) I upped the size of the font so it's easier to read on here.

(Subject to change depending on feedback)

...

Fallout: Nature’s Gears- Chapter 20

Somewhere in the Storage Building

A Glowing One Broods

“Bloood… Smell fresh blood.”

The Glowing One thought in its heavily irradiated brain, letting out a few dry coughs.

It resembled others of its zombie like kind, but unlike its more common kin, this one’s body contained so much radiation it literally glowed a bright toxic green. It had very little in the way of clothing covering its near translucent emaciated body, with only a few rags covering its pelvic region and bits of aged plating that once resembled Combat Armor, covering its chest, forearms and legs.

Even though it had long forgotten how it came to have this armor, it still remembered enough to know the plating protected it from harm. Like stray bullets from human weaponry, or the glancing blows from the waste’s array of large predators and dangerous wildlife.

That same armor clinked and clacked, as it lowered itself on all fours to the cold concrete floor and inhaled wetly through its exposed nasal cavity. The sweet tangy taste of Human blood filled its lungs, seeped deep into its throat and provoked its stomach to cough up bile.

“It comes from below. Through cracks in the stone… Scent so strrrong… So SWEET… Can taste it… Make mouth drool!”

It took a quick snarling nibble of one of its glowing hands, the scent making its stomach desperately gurgle, sparking its rotten mind to a near frenzy, tasting acid at the back of its tung!

“Gut hurt with hunger… No more glowing storm to sate the pain… NEEEEED MMMMEAT, to silence roaring PAIN in GUT! So close, SO CLOSE… I wants it…NEEDS IT!!

But Metal Creature down below too…”

The Glowing One’s bioluminescence briefly increased in brightness at the thought of the Metal Beast that slew so many of its kin.

“It threat to family… Already killed so many. Chest aches with something…something not felt in long time.

I…hate… HATE, Metal Creature! Want to kill… Make it SUFFER!”

Then the glow from its body dimmed, as a more reasonable part of its damaged psyche warned of the dangers of succumbing to such reckless emotions. It hadn’t survived this long by being reckless and The Glowing One knew it.

“No… Not give in to anger. Must wait… Must be… Patient.”

Its thoughts were interrupted, when it heard movement from behind its back, making The Glowing One lift its skull like head to find several of its regular kin bunched up near it. They were visibly agitated, no doubt by the smell of fresh blood seeping through the cracks in the floor.

They began chuffing and snarling at The Glowing One, challenging it. They were normally more passive than this, but the smell of blood was driving their simple minds into a frenzy! But they were soon put in their place however, as the Glowing One roared right in their collection of skeletal faces as loud as it could manage, its body glowing brightly with nuclear rage!

He was their Alpha, and they will show him respect. They coward under his intense glow and powerful voice, showing complete submission. Once The Alpha was satisfied with their submission, did he become more welcoming, opening his arms to them so they could embrace him and passively feed upon his glow.

“They must wait…”

The Alpha thought.

“I make them WAIT!! Ease their pain with glowing light.

Too much danger for now… Metal Creature too strong… Others no see danger… Think Metal Creature one of them. It walked among family, took what it wanted without challenge.

They no see, but I see… See through lie. It smell like us, fool others… But I no fool… I smarter, use eyes… See Metal Creature for what it is.”

The hunger pains became more intense now, forcing The Alpha to lessen his glow; much to the disappointment of its starving family.

“Not know how long I can wait… Must eat soon…or hunger pains worsen.

Attack now? Tempting… Hunger voices scream in head, PAIN GREAT!!

But pain better than dying… Metal Creature kill more kin if attack now… Need to wait… Good things come to one who waits…

This… I know.

Yes… We wait… Time will come to feast soon… Very…very SOON!!

…

Back in Hideout

Kat-042

I’d lost track of how much time had passed since I made the first incision. God there had been so much blood. The trapped fluid had come pouring out like a god dammed congealed waterfall, but thankfully most of us had kept our cool.

Alice, Frank and Abby had been understandably freaked out at the sight; and honestly, I had freaked a little too. I just hadn’t shown it, because they were counting on me to keep a straight head. Still, this whole situation was nerve racking and fuckin’ stressful as hell! For now I was glad my body was mechanical because if it wasn’t, I think I’d be a trembling mess!

Bill however was completely unphased. Out of the two of us he acted more robot than me, controlling the blood flow, locking the cut open and providing the tools I needed at any given moment of the operation, while showing very little if any emotion while doing it. He might have a lousy attitude, but I had to admit. He was calm under pressure.

Once Anton’s spine was exposed, came the real tricky part. The 5.45x39 bullet had not only embedded itself in the T-12 vertebrae, it had also shattered the left side of its spinal wall. This resulted in many bone fragments getting stuck in the surrounding tissue and causing excess bleeding. I’ve had to painstakingly pluck them out one by one. Then I had to burn them closed with a Heat Pen, before I could move onto what I was doing right now.

I was in the middle of getting to the bullet in Anton’s spine, my enhanced vision showing me it was lodged inside the Spinal-Cord itself. But I had to get to it first, and since we didn’t have any tools for surgically chipping through the jagged Dura, I’ve had no choice but to resort to using my own robotic fingers. It was a desperate move, one that held many risks if I was not careful. But for the most part my brute strength was getting the job done, chipping away at the Dura at a steady, but delicate pace.

Just as I finished breaking away the last of the jagged bone blocking my progress, without warning…

My HUD flatlined!

All the visual overlays, vitals and zoom functions all vanished; leaving me staring at a blood soaked spinal cord with my naked sight.

“Oh no… This is bad!”

…

[What’s bad?]

Bill questioned, his tone anxious.

…

“Shit… How was I going to put this?” I thought in a slight panic, Bill’s visored gaze bearing down on me. “Well… I have to say…something! Damn… Here it goes.”

“Uh… I don’t want to alarm anyone, but… My HUD’s gone offline.”

…

[Offline?!]

Abby spoke up now, her voice full of shock.

[As in, ya can’t see what you’re doin’ now?! Is that what you’re sayin’?!]

…

“Well, I’m not blind, if that’s what you’re thinking. But…all my enhanced HUD properties are gone.”

Outwardly I was trying hard to look in control, but in my head… I was screaming! “Oh God, OH GOD!! This can’t be happening, not NOW!! Of all the lousy times for my hardware to malfunction… WHY NOW??!!”

…

[Well what the fuck are ya gonna do NOW?!]

Abby began yelling, her voice full of desperation and dread!

[Can you still do it?! Can ya perform the surgery?!]

…

“Uh…I… I don’t know. Maybe?”

…

[MAYBE??!!]

Abby shouted so loud through her radio, the edges of her words crackled with static!

[The FUCK is that supposed to MEAN??!! Ya got his goddammed spine exposed an’ NOW ya don’t think you can DO IT??!!]

…

“I…uh… That’s not what I…um… I mean…uh… Well…!”

Shit, I was babbling now! Everything is starting to fall apart! Oh God OH GOD I’m WAY in over my head!

…

[Hey, lay off her will ya!]

Alice now butted in, trying to angrily defend me. She seemed a little out of sorts however, her words sounding heavy; as if she was struggling to speak.

[She’s doin’…the best she can! So why not cut her… A FUCKIN’ BREAK… YA EDJIT!!]

…

[Hey, watch yer language young lady!]

Colin now suddenly decided to chip in too, adding more noise to my already over worked mind!

[Ah might be tied up an’ the last voice people want to hear. But am still yer Father an’ I won’t tolerate ya talkin’ to the Sargent that way!]

…

[Stay out of this PA!]

Alice snapped at her Father.

[If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t be in this here FUCKED UP MESS!! This…is all yer FAULT!! GOT IT??!!]

That looked like it hit Colin hard, as I noticed him visibly recoil. If this was any other time or place, I might have felt pity for him. But right now, their voices were starting to grade on me, filling my head with so much irritating NOISE!!

But I have to stay calm! If I lost my composure now, Anton would die and all this effort to save him would have all been for nothing.

So calm… The fuck… DOWN!!

…

[This ain’t helpin’ no one right now!]

Bill tried to reason.

[So how ‘bout we all take a deep breath and…]

…

[Did ah ask for your fuckin’ opinion, Bill?!]

Abby shouted again, interrupting Bill and getting on my last nerve.

[How ‘bout you shut yer mouth before Ah…]

…

“SHUT UP!”

I suddenly snapped at the top of my robotic voice, eyes briefly flashing red!

“Just shut up already DAMMIT!

Panicking does nothing but waste time! So unless you all want me to fail, shut the fuck up and let me think!”

It felt as if the whole room had taken one nervous step back, the change in color of my eyes and the general threat in my tone gave everyone pause. But this silence was just what I needed, as I asked Traci in a deadpan voice.

“Trace, can you get my HUD back online?”

…

//Analyzing: Scanning hardware and software related to Heads Up Display systems. One moment please.

Scan complete.

Answer: It appears the issue is hardware related. Due to the damage your body is still recovering from, your central optic has overheated through the imbalance of power distribution. It can be restored, however you will need to…\\

…

“Yes or no answer!”

I snapped, my patience wearing thin.

“Can you bring it back online, or not?”

…

//Answer: Inconclusive.\\

…

“Then there’s no other option.” I thought. “I just pray I get it right.”

“I’m going in blind then.”

…

//Cautionary: Is that wise? Without AR overlays, the chances of successfully removing the projectile; is 40 to…\\

…

“I know what I’m doing!”

I stated firmly, cutting her off. I couldn’t see where the bullet was anymore, but the image of its where abouts was still burned into my mind’s eye. It was now or never.

“You, light right here. Right now.”

I said to Bill with no emotion in my robotic voice. I simply pointed at where I wanted the light to be; and Bill wordlessly provided, shining a flash light into the hole in Anton’s back. I didn’t recognize myself right now, it was as if I was a different person. I briefly saw flashes of disturbing images in my sight. At first I thought it was the after images made by the light reflecting back in my eyes, but a few flashes stood out to me.

I was standing in a dimly lit room, with one bright light above me casting its wide beam down on a  naked person I couldn’t quite make out. They appeared to be strapped down on some sort of surgical table; and around this table; and next to my sides, were more people but in white clothing, seemingly all waiting for me to do… Something.

Then the images were gone before I could properly make sense of them. I didn’t let this random event distract me, packing it away with all the other bits of fragmented thoughts and possible memories. All that mattered right now was what was right in front of me and the task I had to complete.

Slowly, methodically; I hovered the edge of a scalpel over the exposed spinal cord, till I saw the slightest bump in its smooth white surface.

That had to be the bullet, but there was only one way to be sure now.

I cut into this bump as delicately as I could muster, for if I went too deep, I risked severing the spinal nerve. Clear fluid mixed with blood came seeping out of the new wound I had created and for just a moment, I thought I had made a grave mistake when at first I saw nothing inside but veins and the spinal nerve itself. But then, there it was, a grey lump of metal glinting in the glow of the flashlight.

I’d found the bullet.

“Forceps.”

I stated, still deadpan; as Bill took away the scalpel and replaced it with a per of long metal tweezers. There was tension in the air, as the surviving humans watched on in silence; as I began to slowly and very…VERY, carefully insert the tip of the forceps into the spinal cord and grip onto the body of the bullet. I tested the forceps hold on the bullet and when I was satisfied with its firmness, I began to remove the projectile.

Inch by inch the extraction was slow, being careful not to take it out too quickly, just in case the bullet had any jagged edges. Bit by bit, more of the bullet cleared the spinal cord, till finally, the bullet popped out and was now exposed to the open air, free at last.

I stared at it for a long time, silent and unmoving. I was waiting for something to happen, for something to ruin this moment. I was worried I was imagining this, that it wasn’t real, that this was all a dream and I would wake up to find I failed, that I hadn’t removed the bullet and Anton was dead, had been for a long time.

But nothing changed. I was still here, sitting in a metal chair, my body wrapped up in plastic, rubber and an old camo blanket… with a 5.45x39 bullet still clamped firmly in a per of forceps.

…

[You… Ya did it!]

Alice said, breathless.

…

[I’ll be dammed… She has!]

Bill stated…and for the first time… I heard positivity in his voice. Then all of a sudden, he slapped me on the back, hard enough to rock me on my seat, as he yelled.

[Well holy shit!! Ya did it Tin Head!!]

…

[You got the bullet!]

Abby added, her voice trembling. Was she… Crying?

…

“I… I did it?”

I mumbled, not quite believing it myself. But then it began to sink in and I fully realized what I had managed to do!

“Oh my god! I…I did it! I actually did it!”

…

[Right, let’s seal him back up.]

Bill stated.

I worked quickly, burning each of my incisions closed one by one. This was to help hold the damaged flesh and muscle together long enough for the Stimpack, which I just finished injecting; to repair the rest of the damage in an orderly fashion. Once the process was complete, there was nothing more than a 4inch scar trailing a white line between Anton’s upper and lower back.

It was as if the operation never happened.

[Well…that was an ordeal.]

Bill said with a crack in his neck, as he detached the tube that fed blood from Alice to Anton. He dabbed the spot on her thin arm where the needle had been, with a sterile cloth; and asked her.

[Hey kid, how ya feelin’?]

…

Alice didn’t speak for a few seconds, as her head rolled slightly. Then she spoke up, and said groggily.

[Ah… Ah think am ok? Though…everythin’s a little… Wavey.]

She tried to stand and nearly lost her footing.

…

[Woah! Easy there.]

Bill stated, catching her before she fell.

[Looks like ya might have given a little too much.]

…

[Too… TOO MUCH?!]

Alice stated with worry and possible dread in her strained voice.

[Shit! Am… Am Ah gonna die?!]

…

[What?! No!]

Bill stated, exasperated.

[Ya’ll just feel a bit tired and maybe sick for a while. A few hours of sleep will fix ya right up.]

…

[Oh… Ok then…]

She looked to be drifting off now, limbs going limp.

…

“She’s going to be ok? Right?”

I asked in concern, watching on as Bill picked up the now unconscious Alice.

…

[Stop askin’ me dumb questions.]

Bill said offhandedly, as he turned to face Frank who stood behind him.

[She’ll be fine! Just needs some bed rest is all! Besides, she’s young. She’ll bounce back in no time.]

He then offered the limp teen to Frank.

[Lay her down somewhere while Ah finish up here. Well don’t just stand there like an eajit. TAKE HER ALREADY!!]

Frank clumsily put down the metal tray he was holding and awkwardly took Alice off Bill’s hands. Now with his hands free, Bill went over to Anton’s bedside and began checking him over. He removed the once blue, now blood stained sheets from around the area I had operated on, wiped away any leftover blood and so on.

Then he removed the rubber glove on his right hand and pressed two bare fingers to the side of Anton’s neck. He was checking his pulse and even though I couldn’t see Bill’s face due to his gasmask, something about his body language caught my eye. He suddenly stiffened up, head tilting to one side; as if listening for something he couldn’t quite hear.

…

“What is it?”

I asked, my own body now starting to stiffen as Bill said nothing. He continued to feel around the side of Anton’s neck, his movements becoming more and more agitated. Something was wrong, something was terribly wrong!

“Bill, say something! What’s going on?!”

…

[Ah can’t find a pulse!]

Those four words hit my core like a shotgun blast! Did…did I hear him right?

Did he say… No Pulse?!

…

I sprang to my feet, blue eyes darting from Bill to Anton and back again! This was a joke, this had to be a joke!

But somehow… I knew it wasn’t.

“What do you mean you can’t find a PULSE??!!”

…

[AH AIN’T SPEAKIN’ IN FUCKIN TONGS YA EAJIT!!

He’s got no goddamned PULSE!!]

He shouted in alarm, as he quickly moved Anton’s body onto its back. Then he put one of his hands over the other, interlocked his fingers and began pressing down on Anton’s bare chest over and over again!

[Abby, keep pumping air into his lungs!]

…

[I’m tryin’ goddanmit!]

Abby yelled, as she steadily, but in clear distress; pumped air into Anton’s body with the white egg shaped thing attached to a nozzle that went down his throat!

[Come on Anton! Don’t do this to me now! Come on baby, BREATHE!!]

I had a faint idea of what they were trying to do. Pump the heart to get blood flow going again, and add oxygen to reoxidize the brain and organs. But that was it, nothing else that could help popped into my scrambled brain.

I was lost.

I didn’t know what to do!

…

“Uh… Bill?”

I said, timidly; slowing approaching his side.

“Is… Is there anything I can do to…”

…

[YA’VE DONE ENOUGH!!]

He raged, still pumping Anton’s chest!

[NOW GET THE FUCK BACK!!]

…

Not knowing what to say or do, I backed up till my backside bumped up against the table in the center of the room. I staggered past it, nearly falling to the ground! But even as I righted myself and continued to back up, I never took my eyes off of what was happening.

Bill pushing Anton’s chest, Abby pumping air into his lungs! But even though they were giving it their all, I knew…

I just knew it wouldn’t be enough. He was gone…Anton was dead! Despite all my efforts, everything I risked and despite stopping the bleeding, removing the bullet and completing the operation… I still failed.

I FAILED!!

…

//WARNING: Power levels fluctuating! Core temperature at unsafe levels!

Concerned Response: Kat, your mental state is unstable! Take yourself out of this situation now! There’s nothing more you can do for Anton!\\

…

“I failed…”

I whimpered, hands trembling and core temp rising.

“I did everything right and I still failed!”

…

//ALARM: Core temperature becoming unstable! Kat, you must leave this room!

Go… GO NOW!!\\

…

My survival instincts kicked in, realizing if I didn’t calm down now; I would overload! Without word or warning, I turned tail and ran!

[Wait! Where ya goin’?!]

A voice that sounded like the Old Man called out after me. But I didn’t listen, as I stumbled toward the door, gripped its handle and pushed my way through! Darkness greeted me, as I scrambled out the opening and slammed it shut behind me!

The glow from my eyes was enough for me to find the zip to open the airlock flap, and once I was out; I only managed to take a few more steps before I fell to the floor flat on my face! I don’t know if I blacked out or not, but after what felt like forever; I lifted myself up and looked around.

…

It was mostly dark, with only small traces of sunlight managing to snake its way down the blocked off stairs to the surface. But with what little light there was, it was more than enough to see where I was and where I came from.

The airlock lay open, the plastic door flap hanging limp from its zip. I thought about closing it, but my legs refused to cooperate, when my memory kicked back in and remembered why I was out here in the first place.

It came flooding in, all the pain and guilt piling on top of me, driving me mad! I started to hear whispers, voices taunting me from the shadows.

Weak they called me, said I am a failure. I was a failure; and I destroyed everything I touched!

“Stop! Shut up! I did all I could… IT’S NOT MY FAULT!!”

…

“Oh come on now. You know that’s not true.”

A familiar gruff voice said to me. I looked up to find, floating above me; the round ghostly shape of Patrick and Wilbert hovering over me. Black liquid dripped from the hole in their dome like body, hitting the floor next to my hands.

They twitched and sparked, then Wilbert spoke; his posh accent full of contempt and venom.

“Everything’s your fault Miss Kat. You’re practically a wrecking ball with legs. All who come into contact with you, either suffer; or die.

This…unsightly hole in my body is proof of that. I was your friend, and you KILLED ME!!”

“Killed, us you mean!”

Patrick now spoke, his gruff accent full of anger.

“You killed the both of us, an’ we only wanted to help your dunderhead ass!”

…

“That, was an accident!”

I snapped at the apparition.

“You know it was. You even said you forgave me before your lights went out.”

…

“AH, but did you feel like you deserved that forgiveness?”

Wilbert asked and his question left me speechless.

“I thought as much. Face it Kat. You’re a failure and no matter how hard you try or how good your intentions are…

You will always, FAIL! Because that’s who you are and you’ll NEVER…”

…

[Uh… Kat?]

The sudden sound of a static filled voice suddenly snapped me out of my crazed hallucination, and in the blink of an eye, Patrick and Wilbert was gone.

I propped myself up on my elbows and twisted my upper body around till I could see who had spoken. Someone in a green and brown hazmat suit stood before me, with an M9 Berretta held in a two handed grip. At first I thought the gun was for me, and for a few seconds; I didn’t care if they used it on me.

But they didn’t aim the pistol at me. They just held it close to their body, while they looked in the direction of the stairs while they spoke. Their voice was male, old and quickly I realized who it was.

It was the Old Man.

[Ye don’t look so good there Miss Metal. Has yer legs malfunctioned or somethin’?]

…

“Huh? N-No…my legs are working fine.”

I moved myself into a nonchalant sitting position, one leg crossed over the other and one hand pressed to the ground, while the other rested lazily on a raised knee.

“That for me?”

I asked in a deadpan voice, while also casually waving my resting hand in the direction of the pistol held in the Old Man’s grasp. He looked at the M9, then back at me and said with confusion.

…

[Huh? Did a screw go loose in that metal head of yer’s? Why would Ah use this on ya?]

…

I shrugged with no emotion.

“I don’t know. You’d probably be doing me and everyone else a favor though if ya did.”

I shaped my right hand into the impression of a gun and pressed it to my head.

“Bang! Lights out.”

I can’t believe I said that, and neither did the Old Man, as he put away his sidearm and said in shock!

…

[What kind of crazy talk is this?! Ya want me to shoot ya or somethin’?!]

He knelt down in front of me.

[Is this about that boy, Anton? Ye did everythin’ ya could… More than what any of us could have done on our own!]

…

“But I still failed…”

I stated coldly.

“I did everything right! I got the bullet out! I stopped the bleeding, I healed the wound!

It should have worked… I had everything I needed! WHY DIDN’T IT WORK?!”

…

The Old Man was silent for a while, orange visor tilted toward the ground. But then he put a hand on my right shoulder and said.

[Ah want ye to listen here an’ listen good. Yes, ya had all ye needed, yeah ya did everythin’ ya knew how, an’ yes…ya failed.

But that’s just how things go sometimes. Ah know it sucks big time, to have gone through all that effort, an’ still come out last to the finish line.

Yes, ya failed… But that’s life. Anton was already far gone by the time ya tried to save him. Most of us would’ve just sat by an’ let him pass without a fuss. But not you. Ya took the chance no one else was willin’ to take!

By all rights, it should have worked. But it seems Anton’s heart just couldn’t take the strain, even after closin’ him up. His body was too weak to recover, an’ that’s just poor luck on his part.]

…

“But…but it's not fair…”

I wept, unable to hold back my grief one minute longer.

“I just wanted to do something right… And I couldn’t even do… Oh god!”

I started crying uncontrollably, overwhelmed by the weight of… Everything! Everything that had happened then and right now. I curled up, knees pressed to my chest-plate, arms wrapped around my shins.

“No more! Please…I can’t take much more of this! It’s too much! Make it stop! I BEG OF YOU!!

Please make it stop!!”

…

[That’s it…]

The Old Man said, wrapping his rubber covered arms around me and hugging me close. The gesture and physical contact was unexpected... But I didn't try to move out of it, as he continued to speak in a soothing way.

[Let it all out. Just let them digital tears flow. Whatever makes ye feel better.

Just know am here for ya.]

…

“Wh-Why??”

I stammered.

“I’m… I’m just a machine… A... A monster!”

…

[Ah don’t believe that.]

The Old Man stated, detecting one of his hands patting my head.

[Ye might look cold and unfeelin’ on the outside. But Ah can tell yer all warm an’ fuzzy on the inside. You ain’t no monster, Kat. Just misunderstood.

A notion Ah know, all too well.]

Something was happening inside me. His embrace was having a profound effect on me. I couldn’t explain the cold yet pleasant sensation that washed over me, but whatever it was... I didn’t want it to stop!

I wrapped my own arms around the Old Man’s midsection and held onto him tight, but not too tight that it would hurt him. Even in my distraught state, I still had enough self-control not to crush him in my mechanical embrace.

…

“Thank you…”

I sobbed, my face buried in his chest.

“You’re a good person…”

…

[Nah, Miss metal.]

The Old Man huffed, still patting my head.

[Am just a tired old man.]

…

“I… I never… (sob) Asked for your name… before…”

…

[The name's Ostin.

Ostin Buckle.]

…

The Glowing One

Just out of sight, peeking through the wall of metal shelves blocking the bottom of a flight of stairs, the Alpha watched as the metal beast cried in the arms of a human male.

The Alpha, managing to dim his body’s glow to near nothing, couldn’t understand what was happening in front of him. His withered mind had long forgotten the true meaning of the sounds that came from the metal creature.

In his world, there was no room for such behavior, such weakness. Yes, he knew enough to know these sounds where only made by something in distress. Wounded, trapped; it mattered not. Even so, the metal beast was still a grave threat and if it was in distress; he had to be extra cautious.

Sometimes, a wounded animal is more dangerous than a healthy one. The will to survive pushed to its limits.

Now was still not the time to strike, not with the metal beast still in the Alpha’s way. Need more time, need to wait a little longer. Something was changing inside that shelter, he could smell it.

Death had claimed one of the humans, the stink of it filled the Alpha’s withered lungs.

“Need to wait. Attack come soon now… Very…very soon now.”

He watched the human and the metal beast rise and when they had entered the shelter once more, did the Alpha sneak away; back to his kin and prepare for what might happen, next.

…