Dwayne slightly smiled as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Your dear old dad is glad you’re coming along.”

“Not when you hear what I have to say,” Caitlyn warned him.

Sighing, Dwayne suspected he was going to get an earful about Maria. Fear and desperation tore at him as he thought of Maria facing down the creatures he had briefly glimpsed on the monitors. He had faith in her abilities and those of the other soldiers, but he worried about Maria’s safety.

The sooner they were back at the Constabulary, the quicker they could find out what exactly was going on.

* * *

The Aberration fell to its knees, blood exploding out of its torn throat. Maria’s next shot sheared off its head.

There were at least fifty yards between the attacking Aberrations and remaining Anomalies and the building. And they were advancing quickly.

Maria ejected the cartridge from her gun and reached for another one. She was shocked to find only one left. “I’m running low on ammo,” she called out.

“We all are,” Denman grunted, firing at her side.

Maria slammed the cartridge home and aimed at another Aberration. Stillson was as fast in his new incarnation as he had been in life. He moved swiftly from cover to cover, darting between the stone benches and massive empty cement planters where lush decorative foliage had once bloomed. Maria kept trying to get a bead on him, but he seemed to know she was tracking him and kept dodging out of view.

The Anomalies called out to the Aberrations, ordering them to move in. Maria had lost track of the Anomalies once her father had been killed. She still didn’t know who had fired the shot, but she suspected it was Omondi. As the gunfire echoed around her, she tried not to think of her father’s broken body on the ground. Her squad depended on her.

“That fucker is fast,” Denman grunted, trying to pin down Stillson.

Maria was about to answer when Aberrations attacked from a flanking position. They had swung around to pin the Boon into the building. Maria redirected her aim, Denman following her example. They opened fire, their guns unloading their precious ammunition.

Her helmet screen was full of information. Omondi’s voice echoed in her head. His orders were precise and wise. The squad was barely keeping the Aberrations at bay.

“The gunfire is going to draw the Scrags,” Maria said, carefully aiming at the charging Aberrations.

There were more than they had realized. Many more. She tried not to fire randomly, but to make every shot count. Yet, the Aberrations were closing in as the Anomalies continued to shout out orders. As the Aberrations’ weapons clicked empty, they discarded them and charged the Boon, wicked blades in their hands.

Several Aberrations reached a window on the far side and leaped through the ruined facade. Holm cut them down as McKinney continued to cover her. Another breach further up the line had the Boon pinned down

Maria saw her ammo counter was going to reach zero soon, and she felt her heart accelerating. “Almost out.”

“So am I,” Denman said grimly.

“Fuck.” Maria fired her last shot and swung her rifle around onto her back. She was reaching for her bolt weapon when Stillson darted out from his nearby position, charging her. He, too, was out of ammunition, and tossed his makeshift weapon as he ran. Even without the projectile weapon, he was incredibly dangerous.

“Hungry!” he roared.

Snagging the dagger she had tucked into her armor, she took a deep breath and leaped out of the window. She met Stillson head on. Ducking under his first blow, she swiped her dagger at his hamstring. The rusted blade slipped across the hard casing of his armor. Allowing momentum to carry her, she rolled past him, tumbling onto her hip before pushing up with her hands. He twisted around and swung his huge fist down at her helmeted head. The power of the blow sent her reeling, falling onto her hands and knees. Another blow to the back of the helmet jarred it loose as the feed and readouts went dead. Maria kicked out, slamming her boot into his kneecap, knocking him off balance. As he fell, she whipped the broken helmet off her head and got to her feet.

The chatter of weapons dissipated. Now the Boon and Anomalies fought hand-to-hand, blades flashing, bolt weapons wielded like clubs, and curses and howls filled the air.

Before Stillson could get to his feet, Maria battered his head with her helmet. Blood splattered her as she brought the helmet down repeatedly. Stillson growled an ungodly noise and snagged her arm as it descended toward him again. Yanking her off her feet, he tossed her to the ground. As she tumbled, Maria lost the helmet, but managed to hold onto the dagger. She rolled to her feet.

Flipping her braid back over her shoulder, Maria crouched on the ground. Near her, Stillson’s dropped blade glinted in the fading sunlight. Keeping watch on Stillson as he wiped the blood from his eyes and clambered to his feet, Maria reached out and snagged the blade.

“Hungry!” Stillson howled, then charged.

Heart thundering, Maria sprang into action, avoiding his desperate, angry blows. She was faster than he was and used it to her advantage. His ruined face bayed in anger as he thrashed about, trying to snag her as she darted around him. There was no way she could cut through his armor. His exposed head was her only hope.

Another Aberration clutched Maria’s arm as she attempted to slip past Stillson to attack from behind. Punching the female Aberration in the face, Maria knocked her back. Another swift kick to the chest sent the female Aberration sprawling. Maria barely twisted out of the way of Stillson’s mighty fist and fell beside the stunned Aberration. Shrugging off the bolt weapon and rifle harnesses, she spun onto her knees. Stillson kicked her in the chest, toppling her to the ground. He dove forward, trying to pin her, and she skirted away just before he impacted with the earth. The blades still clutched in her hands, she scrambled onto Stillson. The huge Aberration started to push upward as the female scrabbled at Maria, trying to grip her.

Digging her knees into Stillson’s sides, Maria rammed the dagger in her left hand into the woman’s neck. She ripped the blade out through the flesh, tearing out the Aberration’s throat. With her other hand, she thrust the knife into Stillson’s meaty neck. The female Aberration attacked again. Maria slammed the dagger down into her skull. The creature fell as Stillson rose fully to his feet, Maria riding his back.

She clutched the empty rifle harness attached to his chest armor and wrapped her legs around his waist to secure herself. Yanking the knife out of his neck, she hacked at it as he twisted around, yowling in rage. Concentrating on killing him, Maria couldn’t allow herself to think of the man he used to be.

Denman tackled both of them to the ground. Stillson landed on his side, pinning Maria partially under him. His huge hand closed on Denman’s throat as the med-specialist rammed his small bolt gun into the side of Stillson’s throat. Bucking wildly, Stillson dislodged Denman. Maria yanked the knife out of Stillson’s flesh and pounded it into his skull over and over again. She didn’t even note when he stopped moving.

“He’s dead,” Denman gasped, pushing the heavy man off Maria. He gripped her blood-slicked hand and dragged her to her feet.

Breathing heavily, but not feeling truly winded, Maria’s eyes scrutinized the battle scene around them. Most of the Aberrations were dead. Only a few remained fighting. Some of the Boon were also dead. A few Aberrations were crouched over one fallen Boon, tearing at his face. Omondi dispatched them with mighty blows from his bolt weapon.

Maria could hear the swelling cries of the Scourge as they rushed toward the station. Gripping Denman’s hand, she gazed at him with frightened eyes.

“You’re not human,” Denman said with certainty.

The last of the Aberrations finally fell and the remainder of the squad stood in the blood drenched entrance of the building. Holm was badly wounded and leaned against McKinney. Cruz was barely standing. Omondi stood covered in blood and gore, a somber expression upon his face.

The howls of the Scourge grew louder.

“We should get in the carrier and get out of here,” Maria finally said.

“No need.” Omondi pointed toward The Bastion.

Maria turned to see tiltrotors rising above the city walls.

“They’re coming to get us,” Omondi said, relief in his voice. “This is nearly over.”

* * *

As soon as Commandant Pierce and her entourage arrived at the Constabulary, she dispatched most of the staff to the Constabulary Command Center.

“We need Special Sergeant Rooney,” Dwayne said, motioning for Lindsey to stay. He knew Lindsey would be able to find out the status of the Inferi Boon soldiers. He kept assuring himself that Maria could handle herself out on the field and that she was fine. But he wanted confirmation.

“Very well,” the commandant answered, then directed her focus to Dr. Curran. “You and I need to speak.”

Dr. Curran’s mouth twisted into a sour shape, her eyes staring at her pad intently.

“Dr. Curran, are you listening to me?”

“Yes, I am, Commandant Pierce. But I don’t know how I can help you. I am SWD.” She added as an afterthought, “At least I think I still am.”

“Don’t be so sure,” the commandant said.