Page 44

He handed it over and my hands closed on the cool metal. I felt a low pulse coming from it.

“I have the control.” Maxim held up a small remote control. “I’ll stand up here on the dam wall and when it’s in position, I’ll activate it.”

Zeke and Marc had the cow by the edge of the water. Kai and North stood nearby with carbines in hand, watching for the monster.

I walked to the cow, then I glanced back. Greer and her team were high on the wall. She nodded.

“Let’s ring the dinner bell,” I said.

The Talon appeared overhead, the wash from its rotors catching my hair. Colbie flew out over the water.

“Releasing cargo,” she said across the comm line.

Cow blood tipped from the cargo hold and hit the water. Then the Talon flew back toward the dam wall, leaving a trail that led right to Bessie.

“I have movement in the water,” Sasha said on comms.

“It’s coming,” Kai murmured.

There were ripples far out in the water. The monster was arrowing right toward the chum. It moved through the trail of blood like a heat-seeking missile.

“Look sharp.” My hands tightened on the electro weapon. I reached over and tied the device to the cow’s collar.

The monster reared out of the water.

Fuck me. It looked bigger than it had seemed yesterday. Six tentacles were waving, and that huge sucker mouth in the center of the black, oily body came into view.

Bessie went crazy, snapping the rope.

Shit. I grabbed for her, but she rammed into me. I managed to rip the electro device off her, just before she ran off along the dam wall.

Okay. Plan B.

Clutching the weapon tightly, I zeroed in on the monster’s sucker mouth and pulled my arm back. I tossed the device.

It sailed toward the creature’s mouth.

Yes. Come on.

A tentacle whipped through the air. It hit the device, and I watched as the electro weapon hit the water with a splash. It bobbed there like a beach ball.

My gut clenched.No,dammit.

The tentacle changed direction and sailed right at me. I dropped to the ground, and it swung past my head. I heard Kai and the others open fire.

I looked up, and saw the tentacle reaching farther than it ever had before. Jeez, how long was it?

Then my chest locked. It was aiming right at Greer and the other engineers.

I leaped to my feet. “Watch out!”

The engineers all scrambled. The tentacle curled around Lisa, and I heard Greer shouting. She kicked at the tentacle.

Then Lisa was yanked off the wall and into the air. Her screams were piercing.

The tentacle pulled her into the water with a splash.

Hell. I ran. I didn’t stop to think. I dropped my carbine and then I dove off the wall and into the water.