pocket, I poked the power switch
and watched the screen light up. The Sprite, according to
the
software, was directly below us. Looking down through the grate, I spied its glowing body darting back and forth over the machinery. I tapped Karl's shoulder and pointed down through the grate, but he was already ahead of me. Eyeing the Sprite warily, I'm sure he was planning to tear its wings off or some other equally graphic torture.
Shouting on the far side of the warehouse caught my attention. Adjusting my view, I spotted two Trolls escorting a prisoner toward the machine. I couldn't make out who the leggy blond prisoner was but I did recognize the glowing purple amulet around her throat. She was a Seeker. The Trolls were laughing and grunting as they pushed her protesting toward the machine. Out the corner of my eye, I saw a great, dark form shoot down from the rafters sending the Trolls spilling to the floor. With a throaty roar, it was on the Trolls clawing, ripping, and biting.
"Toby.” I sighed.Why hadn't he stayed with me in the first place? No, he had to act all macho and play the hero. He was going to get himself killed in the process, though. Pushing the vent out with a crack of metal, I grabbed Karl and slipped my legs through the hole. "What the hell are you doing, suckhead?” Karl protested. "Sorry,” I apologized as I shimmied through. Grabbing Karl, I pushed off with my free arm. “Time to go."
We sailed into the space between the machine and the tubes. Immediately wishing I had rethought my attack plan, I glanced off one of the tubes and landed hard on the machine's chain-driven conveyor belt. My shoulder screamed in protest, but I couldn't let it slow me down. Rolling to the right, I barely avoided the powerful metal clamps that latched onto the tubes as they dropped into position. As the clamps snapped closed with a loud clang, I tossed Karl down to the floor. The tiny Goblin hit with a thump and skittered to his feet. Ducking beneath a robotic arm, I pushed off the conveyor belt and dropped down. Landing on the balls of my feet, I drew my weapon and charged toward Toby and the Trolls. I couldn't see the blond Seeker. She had probably fled after Toby knocked down her captors. She could've stayed and helped us, but the point was moot. I had to get to Toby. An undulating ball of gray fur and blue skin rolled along the floor and finally smashed into the side of the machine. The force of the impact knocked several of the robotic arms out of position. The sound of bending metal and grinding steel began to fill the air as a shower of glowing, golden embers erupted like a geyser and rained down over us. Further down the warehouse, I saw several more Trolls charging angrily toward Toby's position.
Reinforcements. Crud.
The Werewolf stood to full height with one of the Trolls in his massive paws. Tossing his head back with a howl, Toby ripped the Troll in two and tossed the pieces to the floor. The second Troll, apparently unhappy his buddy had just become half the man he used to be, leapt onto Toby's back and wrapped his powerful arms around the wolf's throat. Toby clawed at the Troll with all of his strength, but the Inhuman's hide was too thick. The Troll repositioned his hands as Toby bucked and writhed. The wolf howled in agony. He was trying to break Toby's neck. I felt my eyes glaze over black. Leaping straight ahead, I caught one of the Troll's tusks with my broken hand and swung it onto its back. The Troll snorted and tried to bite me, but loosened its grip on Toby. Pressing the barrel of my Beretta into the side of the Troll's fat head, I pulled the trigger. The muzzle flash sizzled its flesh and singed its purple hair, but I didn't see any blood. Cursing under my breath, I fired
software, was directly below us. Looking down through the grate, I spied its glowing body darting back and forth over the machinery. I tapped Karl's shoulder and pointed down through the grate, but he was already ahead of me. Eyeing the Sprite warily, I'm sure he was planning to tear its wings off or some other equally graphic torture.
Shouting on the far side of the warehouse caught my attention. Adjusting my view, I spotted two Trolls escorting a prisoner toward the machine. I couldn't make out who the leggy blond prisoner was but I did recognize the glowing purple amulet around her throat. She was a Seeker. The Trolls were laughing and grunting as they pushed her protesting toward the machine. Out the corner of my eye, I saw a great, dark form shoot down from the rafters sending the Trolls spilling to the floor. With a throaty roar, it was on the Trolls clawing, ripping, and biting.
"Toby.” I sighed.Why hadn't he stayed with me in the first place? No, he had to act all macho and play the hero. He was going to get himself killed in the process, though. Pushing the vent out with a crack of metal, I grabbed Karl and slipped my legs through the hole. "What the hell are you doing, suckhead?” Karl protested. "Sorry,” I apologized as I shimmied through. Grabbing Karl, I pushed off with my free arm. “Time to go."
We sailed into the space between the machine and the tubes. Immediately wishing I had rethought my attack plan, I glanced off one of the tubes and landed hard on the machine's chain-driven conveyor belt. My shoulder screamed in protest, but I couldn't let it slow me down. Rolling to the right, I barely avoided the powerful metal clamps that latched onto the tubes as they dropped into position. As the clamps snapped closed with a loud clang, I tossed Karl down to the floor. The tiny Goblin hit with a thump and skittered to his feet. Ducking beneath a robotic arm, I pushed off the conveyor belt and dropped down. Landing on the balls of my feet, I drew my weapon and charged toward Toby and the Trolls. I couldn't see the blond Seeker. She had probably fled after Toby knocked down her captors. She could've stayed and helped us, but the point was moot. I had to get to Toby. An undulating ball of gray fur and blue skin rolled along the floor and finally smashed into the side of the machine. The force of the impact knocked several of the robotic arms out of position. The sound of bending metal and grinding steel began to fill the air as a shower of glowing, golden embers erupted like a geyser and rained down over us. Further down the warehouse, I saw several more Trolls charging angrily toward Toby's position.
Reinforcements. Crud.
The Werewolf stood to full height with one of the Trolls in his massive paws. Tossing his head back with a howl, Toby ripped the Troll in two and tossed the pieces to the floor. The second Troll, apparently unhappy his buddy had just become half the man he used to be, leapt onto Toby's back and wrapped his powerful arms around the wolf's throat. Toby clawed at the Troll with all of his strength, but the Inhuman's hide was too thick. The Troll repositioned his hands as Toby bucked and writhed. The wolf howled in agony. He was trying to break Toby's neck. I felt my eyes glaze over black. Leaping straight ahead, I caught one of the Troll's tusks with my broken hand and swung it onto its back. The Troll snorted and tried to bite me, but loosened its grip on Toby. Pressing the barrel of my Beretta into the side of the Troll's fat head, I pulled the trigger. The muzzle flash sizzled its flesh and singed its purple hair, but I didn't see any blood. Cursing under my breath, I fired