Read Online Clickers III by Brian Keene, J. F. Gonzalez - Free Book Online Page B

corner. The mayhem outside was growing louder. The sound of trees being broken down
    cracked loudly in the distance and grew closer, along with another sound.
    CLICK-CLICK! CLICK-CLICK!
    Jennifer took a step toward Susan. “Susan, come on, we’re going into the basement!”
    Susan shook her head. “Uh-uh, no way. We’ll be trapped down there.”
    Wade called out from the communications area. “The trapdoor to the cellar is something these things won’t be able to find! We can hide down there!”
    Susan shook her head more vigorously. She backed herself farther into the corner, her long brown hair hanging over her face. “No, I can’t…I…I—”
    Forcing herself to stay calm, to not snap at the woman, Jennifer summoned all her courage and stepped into the lobby. Outside, the carnage grew closer amid the sound of more falling and cracking trees. There was a loud, guttural roar that Jennifer recognized as the war cry of the Dark Ones. “Susan, I know you’re scared. I’m scared, too. We can’t stay here and we can’t run out the back. They’ll catch us and kill us if we leave.”
    “And we’ll be sitting ducks in the basement!” Susan shouted. She cast a frightened gaze at Jennifer. “I won’t go down there.”
    CLICK-CLICK! CLICK-CLICK!
    A loud crack split the din outside as another tree fell. This one sounded closer.
    Behind her, Ed and Wade were stepping down the wooden ladder into the basement. Keoni was standing beside the open trap door to allow the men down, waiting for Jennifer and Susan. “Susan, Jennifer, come on!”
    Jennifer reached out and gently grasped Susan’s elbow. “Come on, Susan—”
    Susan jerked her arm away violently. “ Don’t touch me! Leave me alone!”
    Jennifer felt a sense of panic at her dilemma. Her instincts were telling her to leave Susan to fend for herself, join Keoni, and head downstairs. But a part of her could never live with herself if she did that. Especially if Susan was killed. “Susan, come on, please! ”
    Susan shook her head. Tears streamed down her face. The woman was absolutely terrified. “No! I can’t !”
    “Ah, fuck it,” Keoni yelled. “Leave that palagi there, Jennifer. Come on!”
    Suddenly furious, Jennifer grabbed a fistful of Susan’s hair and pulled the woman toward her. Susan howled. Jennifer grabbed Susan by the shoulder and half-dragged, half-shoved her out of the corner toward the communications area. “Shut the fuck up and move !”
    A loud thump sounded from outside, followed by another ear-splitting crack. This one sounded like it was directly in front of the command center. Another minute and—
    Susan struggled with Jennifer, digging her heels in and shouting, “ No! Leave me alone! You can’t make me! ”
    “Shut up!” Jennifer grunted as she shoved Susan toward Keoni.
    Keoni grabbed Susan and tried to steer her toward the trapdoor that led down to the basement. Susan resisted, teetering over the edge. Below them, Wade and Ed were looking up expectantly. Wade held his arms out, trying to urge Susan to come down. “Susan, it’s okay, it’s safe down here!”
    “ No! ” Susan shouted.
    CLICK-CLICK! CLICK-CLICK! CLICK-CLICK!
    Louder, and getting closer…
    “Screw this,” Jennifer said, feeling panic set in. “Keoni, let her go.”
    Keoni let Susan go. The second he released his grip on her, Jennifer pushed the woman through the trapdoor.
    Susan screamed as she fell through the trap door, bumping her way down the wooden steps. Wade and Ed shouted in surprise. Susan’s scream cut off abruptly, then she started crying.
    Keoni looked at Jennifer in surprise. “Damn, girl, you don’t play around, do you?”
    “Not in a situation like this. I’ve seen these things first hand.”
    “I know. But here’s what I don’t understand. I thought the Livingston Administration said this species was exterminated.”
    “Obviously, they missed a few.”
    CLICK-CLICK! CLICK-CLICK! CLICK-CLICK!
    Jennifer took a step down into