The mission

Part 11

Stelvio has been searching for Grim and Reyes almost all day. She had already lost hope, but she was comforted that she had not found any bodies even though she had heard someone screaming.

She wandered through the woods for a long time, hoping to find them, but nothing. To see any of them now would be the best thing in the world. She also hoped not to come across any hungry animals.

As she walked with her head down she suddenly heard a scream, now she could recognize it. It was a woman's scream, Morgan's. The same second, she started running to where she heard the scream. In about ten minutes she jumped from a dense part of the forest to a small forest meadow.

She saw the biologist and the engineer staring at the ground with a terrified expression on their faces. They both turned their heads toward the bushes from which Noah had appeared. "Morgan, Tom!" She thought she would never see them again. ˝Noah! You're alive!" They both rushed into her arms. "You look awful," Grim commented with a grin. "You should have seen the cat." They both laughed, and Morgan still held her in her arms, shedding happy tears. "Don't do that anymore! I was scared to death!" So she started punching her. ˝Alright. I won't do that again, just stop hitting me." Reyes realized she was hurt and immediately started apologizing. "I'm sorry, let me see." Noah began to say she was fine, not letting Reyes see her wounds. When Morgan picked up Stelvio's T-shirt she could see nasty cuts. They were from claws.

"What is..." She wanted to know what Grimm and Reyes had looked at before, and when Noah saw Richard's massacred body lying lifeless, she almost felt sick, had to turn around and cover herself with a T-shirt. The traitor got what he deserved.

They buried the captain, then picked up their belongings and headed for the signal they saw a few days ago. Noah returned the device on which the route had already been set.

However, the lieutenant felt very exhausted. That's what both Grimm and Morgan noticed. She could barely walk and every step she took was visibly painful as the wound was getting nastier and she didn't let Morgan clean and examine her.

"Noah, we'll stop. You need rest." Morgan grabbed her shoulder. As they were nearing the end of the route the meadow began to fill with rocks and some dry bushes and low trees. That's where they decided to settle. At least to get some rest and prepare for the next attack if it happens, although they now have weapons so they can at least calm their nerves. They did not put together a tent but decided to just lie on it.

Grim set shockers around them just in case. Noah was ordered to take off her shirt. Morgan deliberately commanded her that way. She wanted her comment. "Take me on a date first, woman!" Noah grinned. The lieutenant was lying down, staring at Morgan with her hands on her head as she cleaned her wounds. She hissed here and there, but she couldn't help but react to the pain. "Grim? Do we have alcohol or something to disinfect the wound?" she asked anxiously. "No, we don't. It was left in the flyer." Grim was worried now, Reyes's expression suspicious. She cleaned her wound with water and tried to remove dry parts. The wound was somewhat clean, and she hoped it wouldn't get infected. Noah followed her all the time and admired her beauty. The lieutenant raised her eyebrows as the engineer lowered her trouser belt. "What are you doing?" she asked mischievously. "Stelvio, don't flatter yourself, I'm just making sure you're not scratched somewhere else." She pushed Noah against her bare chest, also laughing. The second after the smile disappeared from her face. She began to gently touch her upper body. She felt her skin get warmer. "What?" The lieutenant asked when she saw Morgan's worried expression. "Nothing," she smiled. "Now lie down and sleep. You need to rest." She sounded like she was giving her a serious order. "I know." Noah nodded.

When Noah fell asleep Morgan did not decide to keep the panic to herself. "We need to go to the flyer. Her wound needs to be disinfected, otherwise it will... ˝Grim felt the concern in her voice. "We have to go back." "Hey. Calm down. How bad is it?" He tried to calm her down and reason with her. ˝Not good. If she gets a fever, she could die." Grim grabbed his head. ˝Now it is within normal limits, but we need alcohol and antibiotics. For all of us." They talked silently, so they didn't wake Noah. "We can't go back," Grim said. "It would take too long. We have to slow down the infection somehow," he thought. "I have an idea. I collected some herbs and I think one of them has medical purposes." They had a plan B. Reyes has never been so afraid for someone in her life. That was a reason for her to wonder why she cared so much about the lieutenant.