[SFT]: Unsolutioned

Chapter 28

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON STATE

Monday 16h23 PST

"Okay guys, here we go." Eddie said. It was just Max, Lennie and Eddie that bright afternoon. They were poised to open the bunker lid. The three of them were armed with tranquilizer shotguns courtesy of ever-generous Uncle. Lennie's clinical tranquilizers provided them with the fluid. The cartridges were filled to the brim. They all carried the three pistols as well in case things went awry.

Max pulled the lid up and crept down the ladder. It was dark and the doors to the rooms were closed. He padded down to the ground while Ed and Lennie positioned themselves at the middle and top of the ladder, respectively, to cover him. Len was partly outside as an extra lookout, but the sky was cloudless and so the risk of an external surprise was small.

The tall, sturdy librarian tried the guest bedroom door first. He turned the handle, pulled and then jumped back, ready to fire. The door swung open silently on well-lubricated hinges. It was dark inside. And empty.

After a few heartbeats, he moved along to Ed and Len's bedroom. It was empty, too. If the three creatures were still in the bunker, they would be where Horace had last seen them. Lennie's heart pounded in her ears. She trained her gun towards the living room door entrance, trigger finger trembling. The blonde top of Eddie's head reflected the shaft of sunlight that penetrated into the top of the dark bunker entrance.

She heard Max exhale sharply, then saw him open the door and spring back, ready to shoot. His gun cracked a shot into the room in the space of the blink of an eye. He scrambled back further to reload just as a creature sprang out of the room with impossible speed for its size. Eddie rapidly fired at the flying creature, who crashed into Max. Lennie didn't have time to see what was happening to their friend; she took careful aim at a second creature rushing through the open doorway and fired.

Shit. They should have had at least another one of the gang with them. The second creature took the dart right in the jugular and stumbled, falling into a heap in front of the door. A third creature hurdled over the prone figure and lunged towards Eddie. Len cursed, fingers fighting to get her second bullet into the chamber. Uncle only had shotguns. Damn.

The third creature growled and grabbed at Eddie's ankle as the researcher scrambled up the ladder to safety.

"No!" Len yelled, hoping to the gods that there wasn't another one in the room – she had clearly counted three on Friday. She clutched at Eddie, dropping her trank cartridge and pulled at her pistol. Ed screamed and kicked at the creature, trying to dodge its grip, but the thing grabbed firmly onto his calf and pulled hard, bringing the two of them down in a heap on the ground.

Another shot rang out in the entry chamber and the red fletching of a trank dart thumped right into the creature's neck. It collapsed on top of Eddie.

Len almost cried in relief. There, at the other end of the room sat Max, heaving. He was half pinned to the ground by the first mega-sized creature. He lay back on his elbows and let the shotgun clatter to the concrete floor. It had taken two direct hits of maximum-sized trank arrows to bring it down.

"Eddie!" She said, jumping down that last few rungs and landing roughly by Eddie's side. She grabbed at the hulk lying on top of him and shoved it away. Gathering Eddie in her arms, she held him close. No one spoke.

"This... This scientific banner is getting a little heavy," said Max finally. The three of them laughed nervously and composed themselves. Len and Eddie helped get the last giant off of Max. Then they caught their breaths and took stock.

"A single dose of that was large enough to put a mammal three times their size to sleep," Len said. She shook her head as she wiped her brow.

"How long do they last?" Asked Eddie, rubbing his leg.