Read Online Threshold by Jeremy Robinson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jeremy Robinson
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they should have been straight. This creature, who could make short work of any living human being, had been mauled and folded up like an origami puzzle. “It’s a hybrid,” he said. “It’s been mauled something fierce.”
He looked over at Queen. She had found a body buried in the remains of a small structure. “This is one of the old mothers. Same story.”
Rook shook his head. For all the strength, speed, and instincts the hybrids had, the old mothers had double. “I think it’s safe to assume we were beat to the punch.”
Queen stood and activated her throat mic. “Deep Blue, this is Queen.”
She waited for a reply, but none came. “Deep Blue, do you read?”
“We’re too deep,” Rook said. “Go topside and warn the others. I’ll poke around here and try to figure out what happened.”
Queen didn’t like the sound of that and said so with a look.
“This place is a ghost town, twice over,” he said.
“It’s a bad idea.”
“If I get into trouble I’ll yell.”
“From a hundred feet below a mountain?”
“I’ll yell real loud.”
Queen shook her head, but couldn’t hide her grin. She headed for the exit. “I’ll be back in five minutes.” She paused at the large archway leading to the tunnel. “Hey, Rook, good to be back in the field with you.”
He nodded. “Likewise.”
Then she was gone, running up the slope.
Rook sighed, still concerned for Queen’s well-being, but also concerned over his own distraction. Queen took up too much space in his mind. As they had studied, sparred, and trained over the past year, he sometimes found his thoughts off target and on her. And in the field, that could get him killed.
Of course, they all had their distractions. Knight’s grandmother’s health was failing. Bishop was only sane because of a crystal around his neck. Queen had a cherry red stamp on her forehead. And King now had a foster daughter. “Course, none of the guys look as good in fatigues,” he mumbled to himself.
Shuffling through a sea of green-glowing bones, Rook made his way deeper into the city. He stopped occasionally to listen as every step he made created a cacophony of noise. He would be simple to find. If anyone were looking.
After counting fifteen bodies strewn throughout the ruined city, he decided that all the Neanderthals were either dead or had fled. But he’d still found no evidence of what happened. The bodies were crushed, dismembered, or impaled with bones, but it was as though something huge and blunt had been used to kill them.
The clunk of bone on bone spun him around, M4 tight against his shoulder. “That you, Queen?”
No reply.
He waited just a moment before an off-balance bone slipped from one of the half destroyed walls and fell. He relaxed for a moment, but another clatter of bones turned him around again.
Something was making the loose bones fall.
Then he felt it. A vibration.
Something big was approaching.
Bones rattled again, but Rook didn’t turn this time. He remained focused on the shaking beneath his feet, trying to determine its origin. It wasn’t until the rattle of bones turned into a crunch that he turned to look. And when he did, his head craned up as his mouth fell open.
“Holy mother … Que—!”
Rook didn’t get to finish his shout as something massive struck him in the side and sent him flying into and through the wall of one of the bone huts.
TWELVE
Uluru, Australia
AS KNIGHT AND Bishop arrived at the mouth of the valley, the sun had just begun peeking up over the horizon. The sandstone surface of Ayers Rock was well known for its ability, some believed supernatural ability, to change colors under certain conditions, most frequently at sunset and sunrise. Removing their night vision goggles, the pair saw the stone was beginning to glow red.
They paused at the valley opening, hoping to hear or see something that would give some hint about what they were about to run into. But only minutes after the
He looked over at Queen. She had found a body buried in the remains of a small structure. “This is one of the old mothers. Same story.”
Rook shook his head. For all the strength, speed, and instincts the hybrids had, the old mothers had double. “I think it’s safe to assume we were beat to the punch.”
Queen stood and activated her throat mic. “Deep Blue, this is Queen.”
She waited for a reply, but none came. “Deep Blue, do you read?”
“We’re too deep,” Rook said. “Go topside and warn the others. I’ll poke around here and try to figure out what happened.”
Queen didn’t like the sound of that and said so with a look.
“This place is a ghost town, twice over,” he said.
“It’s a bad idea.”
“If I get into trouble I’ll yell.”
“From a hundred feet below a mountain?”
“I’ll yell real loud.”
Queen shook her head, but couldn’t hide her grin. She headed for the exit. “I’ll be back in five minutes.” She paused at the large archway leading to the tunnel. “Hey, Rook, good to be back in the field with you.”
He nodded. “Likewise.”
Then she was gone, running up the slope.
Rook sighed, still concerned for Queen’s well-being, but also concerned over his own distraction. Queen took up too much space in his mind. As they had studied, sparred, and trained over the past year, he sometimes found his thoughts off target and on her. And in the field, that could get him killed.
Of course, they all had their distractions. Knight’s grandmother’s health was failing. Bishop was only sane because of a crystal around his neck. Queen had a cherry red stamp on her forehead. And King now had a foster daughter. “Course, none of the guys look as good in fatigues,” he mumbled to himself.
Shuffling through a sea of green-glowing bones, Rook made his way deeper into the city. He stopped occasionally to listen as every step he made created a cacophony of noise. He would be simple to find. If anyone were looking.
After counting fifteen bodies strewn throughout the ruined city, he decided that all the Neanderthals were either dead or had fled. But he’d still found no evidence of what happened. The bodies were crushed, dismembered, or impaled with bones, but it was as though something huge and blunt had been used to kill them.
The clunk of bone on bone spun him around, M4 tight against his shoulder. “That you, Queen?”
No reply.
He waited just a moment before an off-balance bone slipped from one of the half destroyed walls and fell. He relaxed for a moment, but another clatter of bones turned him around again.
Something was making the loose bones fall.
Then he felt it. A vibration.
Something big was approaching.
Bones rattled again, but Rook didn’t turn this time. He remained focused on the shaking beneath his feet, trying to determine its origin. It wasn’t until the rattle of bones turned into a crunch that he turned to look. And when he did, his head craned up as his mouth fell open.
“Holy mother … Que—!”
Rook didn’t get to finish his shout as something massive struck him in the side and sent him flying into and through the wall of one of the bone huts.
TWELVE
Uluru, Australia
AS KNIGHT AND Bishop arrived at the mouth of the valley, the sun had just begun peeking up over the horizon. The sandstone surface of Ayers Rock was well known for its ability, some believed supernatural ability, to change colors under certain conditions, most frequently at sunset and sunrise. Removing their night vision goggles, the pair saw the stone was beginning to glow red.
They paused at the valley opening, hoping to hear or see something that would give some hint about what they were about to run into. But only minutes after the
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