Page 77

Zeke nodded.

“Can you give us a description?” General Stillman asked.

I shook my head. “No, it stayed in the darkness. It didn’t come out of the shadows and it didn’t fight. It was watching.”

Zeke crossed his brawny arms. “It was tall, humanoid, and looked like it had wings. That’s all I could tell.”

General Stillman pressed her hands to the table. “Was it one of the monsters that created the cocoons?”

I shook my head. “No, I don’t think so.”

“I’d like to get my hands on those ugly fuckers,” North muttered.

“We’re calling them threaders,” General Stillman said.

“Catchy,” Jameson grunted.

“The monster with wings,” Marcus asked in his gravelly voice. “Could it have been scared off by the fighting?”

“It wasn’t scared,” I said. “Sorry, that was just a feeling I got. I don’t have any evidence.”

“Gut feeling has saved our lives more than once,” Uncle Cruz said.

“Okay, I want everyone to keep an eye out for this winged monster and the threaders,” General Masters said. “Our priority is stopping them snatching people and putting them in cocoons.”

“We think it’s best that you capture a threader,” General Stillman continued. “Alive.”

I straightened and looked at my squad mates.

“Alive?” Marc pulled a face. “Great.”

Jameson nodded. “We’ll make a plan to do that.”

“We’ll have to find one first,” North said.

“Oh, we’ll find one,” Jameson said. “Humanity survived the Gizzida, and have built a new life, and now it’s up to us to do our bit to protect it.”

General Masters nodded. “I never doubted for a second that Hunter Squad wouldn’t be able to handle this. Now, I believe you’re all off the clock. Go. Enjoy your well-earned days off.”

Marcus and Cruz stayed to talk with the generals. The rest of us headed out into the corridor.

“I think we all need to blow off some steam,” Marc said. “And celebrate North and Jess losing their minds and shacking up together.”

North shot his friend the finger.

“You don’t need much of an excuse for a party,” I noted.

Marc winked and slung an arm across my shoulders. “Life’s too short, Ms. Ramos.” He glanced at the others. “Everyone’s invited to a barbecue at my place this evening.”

“Wait,” Colbie said. “We already have a girls’ night at Hemi’s planned. Me, Sash, and Jess.”

“So, have your drinks and come for dinner afterward, lark,” Marc said. “We’ll have steak, chicken, prawns.”

“Prawns? Those ones you marinate in butter and garlic?” The pilot looked torn.

“Those are the ones.”

Colbie huffed. “Fine, I’ll be there, after cocktails.”