A Touch Of Lightning (COMPLETED!)

Chapter 5 Lab Puppet?

"Cursed wind. If there were any tracks around here, they're erased by now." One of the men muttered in frustration, scanning the yard as they walked around the side of the house, towards the front door.

Callin knew then they were from the lab. He wondered what he should do. He didn't want to kill them here. It would simply attract more attention to this peaceful house in the woods. How had they tracked him down? He had been in this house overnight, recovering from his wounds and exposure. Had Mary called the cops, then, and the lab had intercepted the call? She hadn't mentioned it, and her body language had never told him she was expecting company of any sort. He doubted she had called the police. So the lab had to be tracking him some other way.

The knock on the front door of the house was so loud, so sudden, it nearly made him twitch in surprise. He hadn't expected that. Judging by the weapons these men wore, and by the way they moved, he was expecting them to simply burst in and grab Mary and her children. While the men were waiting for Mary to open the door, he crept towards their car. It was always best to move when your prey was focused on something else.

The truck seemed to have a back door that would open upwards, like a big gate. Callin could see the hinges on the top, and he could see the handle in the middle of the door. He had never been in a car before, but he had seen pictures of them before. He pulled the handle, surprised to find it unlocked. The big door swung open easily and quietly, and he pulled himself in and gently pulled the door shut. These fools were in for a very nasty surprise soon.

He heard them load Mary and the children into the truck. They simply bodily tossed them into the back seat of the big car. Callin listened intently, catching the sounds of their breathing, relieved to hear deep and even patterns. They were relatively unharmed, then. Callin could scent the powerful sedative they had been injected with. He bared his fangs in the darkness as the car pulled out onto the road, beginning to plan on how he was going to make these fools pay for hurting this innocent family.

The ride was hours long. Callin dozed lightly, staying aware of all he heard and sensed even as he slept. He wanted to be fully rested and ready.

When the car stopped, Callin tensed, his heart beginning to pound in anticipation. He heard the passenger door open, heard the one on that side get out. Then, the faint jingle of keys, a metallic click, and hinges creaking. They were passing through a gate. He risked sitting up ever so slightly, peering out the window.

He was surprised to see a plain, large metal building, with a helicopter sitting out front. It was midday now, and the sky was piercingly clear, a deep blue color that seemed to stretch on forever. Dusty swirls of snow danced and spun across the pavement, fading away as the wind gusted harder and blasted them apart. It looked bright and peaceful. Callin knew it was possible this peaceful scene could take the edge off the men, make them believe they were safe, and he flexed his hands in anticipation, his claws burning in their sockets, ready to be unsheathed.

He heard the driver get out and open the back doors, pulling Mary out. The gust of chilly air flooded into the vehicle, carrying Mary and her children's scent with it, and Callin narrowed his eyes as he caught the scent of blood.

He heard the helicopter begin to start, a high-pitched whistling that stabbed into his skull and made him wince. It was an alien sound, warbling with countless harmonics, confusing him as to its direction, even though he knew it was the helicopters jet engines. Then, as he heard the clumsy footsteps of the driver shuffling away, weighted down by carrying an unconscious body, he opened the back door just enough to slip out.

Now, as he crouched behind the car, the bitter open air flooded into him, combining with the adrenaline coursing through him, making him feel invincible. He abruptly decided to no longer sneak around, instead wanting to see the fear in the eyes of his prey as he approached. He stood up straight and walked around the car, striding across the blacktop after the driver.