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“Come to papa,” Marc said.

We all aimed our carbines and fired.

The monsters shuddered under the laser fire, and several broke off, running for the nearby sand dunes. One got clear of the carbine fire and jumped at us.

Jess lunged forward, dropping to one knee, and fired up at it. The back of the monster burst, greenish-yellow goop hitting the sand. I tensed, but Jess rolled to the right and out of the line of fire. The creature’s body hit the ground and twitched on the sand.

“Oh, gross,” Marc said.

The sand sizzled. The stuff in its back was like acid.

“Follow the others,” Jameson barked.

We turned right and ran toward the sand dunes. I heard two loud grunts, and two of the creatures rushed at us.

“No, you don’t.” Jess fired her carbine, jogging up the sand dune, focused and calm.

The creatures dodged, skittering backward.

“There’s another one still on the beach,” Zeke said. He diverted to attack it.

“I’ve got your six, bro.” His brother followed him.

Ahead of me, Jess crested the small sand dune, then froze. “Oh, fuck. Back up!”

She ran back toward me, her boots skidding in the sand.

“Hunter Squad, I’m picking up a huge bunch of signatures ahead,” Sasha said. “They appeared out of nowhere. Watch out!”

A swarm of the creatures came over the dune.

Fuck.

“They were hiding in the sand,” Jess yelled.

We sprayed them with laser fire, and I heard Jameson curse. I ripped a grenade off my belt, touched the button, and tossed it.

Jess was almost back to me. I kept firing at the crest. The closest monster to her nipped at her heels. Weirdly, its body was shaking uncontrollably.

What was wrong with it?

“Hurry up, Jess.” I aimed my carbine at it, just as it exploded.

Green-yellow goo flew everywhere.

I ducked. Some fluid splattered on the sand centimeters away. I watched the sand dissolve with a hiss.

Hell, Jess had been too close to it.

I lifted my head and saw her fall to the sand. She rolled down the dune. Jameson and Kai kept firing on the last of the pack.

Pushing up, I raced over to her.

She rolled over, her face panicked. “Shit, it burns.”

The goop was eating into her armor on her back and side. I unbuckled the straps on her chest armor and ripped it off her. “You’re okay. It’ll be okay.”

I saw her shirt had been burned through, and there was a nasty burn on her side and under her ribs. It extended around her back.