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The tentacle crept out onto the dam wall, feeling its way along the concrete.

“Jameson?” Zeke murmured.

“Don’t fire yet.” I touched my ear. “Sasha, we have contact with the monster. Tell Kai to get the drone in the air. I want you monitoring the feed.”

“On it, J,” she replied.

A moment later, I heard the whirr of the drone as it whipped by overhead. The creature was swimming along the wall.

“It’s just…looking,” Zeke said.

It was after something.

I got the feeling it was smarter than we gave it credit for. I’d learned never to underestimate the monsters. Some were mindless and ravenous, others… Others were smart and cunning.

“What’s it doing?” Greer’s voice behind me.

“I’m not sure. It’s just looking around.”

“Why?”

“We’re going to find out. Stay behind me.”

“Well, I wasn’t going to take a swim,” she said tartly.

Zeke snorted, and I shot him a look.

More ripples appeared in the water.

“It’s leaving,” Zeke said.

It was swimming away from the dam wall. I walked to the edge of the wall. It was moving fast and picking up speed.

I turned and ran along toward the far end of the wall, heading to the far bank. I leaped off and onto the grass. Zeke was right behind me.

“Let’s see where it goes.”

He nodded and followed.

I touched my ear. “Kai, Zeke and I will see where this thing is going. Keep an eye on the dam.”

“Acknowledged,” Kai said over the comm line.

Then Greer leaped off the wall as well.

I frowned at her and held up a hand. “You stay here.”

She lifted her chin. “No, I’m coming.” She marched forward, and that’s when I saw her hand on the blaster holstered on her belt.

Damn, she was stubborn. I knew there was no point in arguing. “Then stay between Zeke and me. No arguments.”

She looked like she wanted to argue, but finally she nodded.

The three of us set off through the trees, sticking to the edge of the water. I could see the bulk of the monster just beneath the surface.Where was it going? Did it have a lair nearby?

Then it sank down into the water and out of sight

“Dammit.”