Page 5

At least she could tell them apart if it mattered.

A slight breeze kicked up wisps of smog at their feet. With it came the smell of copper and burnt rubber. Sheek broke from the group and raised her head.

“Strange…” she hissed. “Do you smell that?”

Morse tilted his head back and grunted. “Odd thing to smell,” he mumbled.

“The copper?” Dani asked.

“Must be the burnt wires,” Tom said.

Sheek shook her head. “No. Smells like that brown liquid humans crave so much that tastes like shit, especially when burned.”

Dani frowned. “Coffee?”

“I don’t smell anything,” Lex said.

“Me neither,” said Myrell.

“You wouldn’t,” stated Tom. “Humans’ sense of smell isn’t as good as otherkin. It must be too far away for us to sense.”

“But close enough for me,” said Sheek, turning toward a set of buildings to the east.

“You’re sure that’s what you smell?” Dani searched across the dark.

“I have to smell that smell every day in the break area. I’m sure.”

“What do you think it is?” asked Lex, suddenly more alert. “A chemical or something that’s giving off a similar odor?”

“I don’t know,” Sheek said. “But it’s getting stronger.”

A sudden shrill noise sounded far off in the distance. Almost like a cry or a shrieking howl. A chill ran down Dani’s spine.

“Welp, that settles that we aren’t alone,” said Myrell.

The soldier with the X on his helmet stepped forward, aiming his gun with the light attached to the top of it toward the dark.

“Ryatt, anything?”

The soldier with the scanner shook his head. “No movement around the buildings or up top. Could be inside.”

The soldier with the smiley face cocked his gun then aimed it toward the entrance of the buildings. A burst of flame came from the pointed end of the gun, brightening the area in warm orange light.

Nothing but shadows moved along the walls.

Didn’t matter. They knew how to deal with bugs and rats. If there was anything else, surely it was nothing too threatening. Nothing they couldn’t handle.

She started off toward the west gate. “Let’s get going. We need all the time we have.”

CHAPTER TWO

Dani

The manufacturing sector was a labyrinth of warehouses and rooms with all kinds of machinery, some as small as Phen—the shortest of the crew—others as large and as towering as the ship outside. There were assembly lines where materials were made, prosthetics of every kind—Marityne Industries’ signature product. In long rows, metal arms and limbs hung from wires and chains, abandoned. Just as Tom had predicted, there was a line of metal and plastic skeletons, all sizes and shapes depending on the species.

“There’s several human ones to choose from, Myrell.” Tom pointed at one hanging. “You could even grow a couple inches.”

“Haha,” Myrell commented as she eyed it. “I’ll pass.”