Cassia had only gotten louder in her mind when she entered the gate.
Something landed hard on the roof of the car, and a chill swept through her.
Jenna slammed on the breaks. The creature rolled off the top and landed on his feet before them.
"What the fuck is that?" Val shook as she spoke.
The pale humanoid monstrosity hissed at them. His eyes were not quite right, feral, and glowed brightly, without the beauty she'd seen in Apollo's eyes. The sight chilled her to the bone. Jenna hit the gas, but the monster only jumped onto the hood of the car.
He stared down at them and licked his lips. He raised his hands, which were tipped with elongated nails, almost claws really.
Jenna slammed on the breaks again and again, he rolled off on to his feet.
Her heart kicked up into her throat as something jumped onto the back of the car.
"We're surrounded," Val whispered.
She screamed when gunshots again sprayed the area near car. The women grabbed one another and ducked. It was the only thing they could do.
The gunfire halted, and the monster dropped off the car, landing on the ground with a thud. After several seconds, she was pretty sure it was dead.
"Jenna?" someone called out.
They sat up. Jenna climbed out of the car.
Major Carter stood there, a pistol in hand.
"Uncle Dave," she said and wrapped her arms around the older man. His face was pale, and Val wondered if he had been shot.
"My own damn men," he mumbled into her hair.
Val noticed that not all of them had jumped ship, given that several were close by and hadn't opened fire on Major Carter, Jenna or Val.
"Sir!" they called out, hurrying toward Major Carter. "Orders, sir?"
"It will be fine," Jenna said and hugged him.
"No," he said and shook his head. "It won't be."
His words echoed in Val's head, and she knew he was right.
"Here," he said and thrust his gun into her hand. The men surrounded him as he collapsed to the ground.
"Uncle!" Jenna shouted.
The older man held up a hand to stop her. "They need you. They could use another sharpshooter."
His eyes closed, and he slumped to the ground.
Val could tell that she didn't want to do this.
Jenna stood tall and looked at a soldier standing next to her. "Corporal, you take him to the clinic, and don't stop until you find Doctor Miller."
The man nodded, and it was clear he was loyal. These men would follow Major Carter to the ends of the earth.
"The rest of you need to spread out," she shouted. "We've got to take out as many of these traitors as we can."
The soldiers all exchanged glances. For a second Val wondered if they would balk at taking orders from Jenna, but given the insane situation, she was gratified when they all nodded.
"We'll make 'em pay for Major Carter," a younger soldier said.
Val stared at the men. From a distance, they would never be able to tell who was on their side.
"Your shirt sleeves," Val said loudly. "Roll up the left one. Shoot any bastard without it that way."
They hesitated for a moment, as if she was asking them to tear off their arms, before they nodded and rolled up their left sleeves.
Val turned to road and froze.
"Val?"
Chapter Fifteen
Apollo gulped in deep breaths of air as she ran to him. She was safe. That was all that mattered. She was there in his arms and not dead on the side of the road.
"What's the assessment?" Rem cut in.
His reunion was far less warm with Jenna.
He glanced around, a faint frown on his face. The grinning playboy was completely gone now, replaced by the alpha.
"The guards at the front have turned," Jenna said. "There's a fire at the school. My uncle is down." Her voice shook.
"Glycons?" Rem stared at her.
She pointed to the ground.
"Others?" he asked.
Apollo frowned. "Others?"
"What's a Glycon?" Val asked.
"You've seen some of those pale mutant hybrids? More beast than man?" Apollo asked.
She nodded.
"Those are Glycons. Horatius Group killers."
Rem shrugged. "There might be others."
Jenna shook her head, and Apollo let out a sigh.
"The children?" Val asked.
He looked down into her pale eyes and nodded.
"Safe," he said. "They are hidden away with Sol. Titus was going to the school. Lucius and Marius sent in a call that they were by the hospital. We should make our way to the gate and take these things out."
They nodded. He pulled a gun out of his pants and placed it into Val's hands.