Tried & True (THIRDS 10)

A symphony of machine gun fire and bursts of light filled the night as all six teams moved in. Fierce roars shook the leaves in the trees as THIRDS agents and Makhai operatives charged one another. Destructive Delta rushed the cellblock, and Dex fired at everyone who moved who wasn’t one of their own. The bullets came hard and fast against his shield as he moved. The Makhai’s mercs came out of the woodwork like roaches. One rushed Dex from his right, and Dex spun, slamming into the guy with his shield and sending him flying back. Anger and adrenaline roared through Dex. There was no way these fuckers were keeping him from that cell.

Mercs turned in his direction from every angle, like sharks sensing fresh blood. They advanced and Dex’s senses went into overdrive. He released his MP5, letting it swing from its strap attached to his vest and drew out his claws. His fangs pierced his skin, and he let out a fierce roar as they rushed him. They had no idea who they were fucking with.

Dex ducked under one fist and used his shield to slam into another Therian, spinning and bringing his claws with him, slashing across another Therian’s throat. Blood splattered across his shield and the corner of his visor. A hard body slammed into him, knocking him off his feet, and when he hit the ground, he realized it had been two hard bodies. His shield was kicked away, and one of the Therians made to lunge, but then he was tackled by a huge ass lion Therian in his Therian form. It was Ash, and he tore the guy’s throat out with one move.

Scrambling to his feet, Dex faced the six Therians moving slowly toward him. In the distance, he could see Sloane fighting off another half a dozen or so Makhai with a ferocity Dex had never seen before. Sloane was pissed, and he was letting it all out on these assholes. Dex turned his focus back on the Therians in front of him.

“You waiting for an invitation?” Dex growled. “Come and get some.”

Dex didn’t bother with his shield. When the Therians advanced, he put his training to use. There was no holding back. It was him or them. They all rushed him at once, and Dex grabbed the guy closest to him, propelling him into the others to give him the advantage he needed. He ducked and dodged the fists coming at him, used his claws to slash at anyone stupid enough to get close enough. Snagging hold of one Therian’s tactical vest, he jumped and kicked out with both feet, getting another in the chest and knocking the guy onto his ass. Dex used a combination of swift moves to bring down the Therians, using his claws and swiping his Glock from his thigh rig and shooting. Any Makhai mercenary who went down would not be getting back up.

Four down, two to go. He didn’t have time for this. With a roar, Dex ran and scissor kicked around one huge guy’s neck, bringing him down. As he fell with the guy, he used his legs to snap the guy’s neck while firing at the Therian lunging for him. The guy’s visor splintered, red splashing from the inside, and he fell facedown onto the ground.

Dex jumped to his feet, returned his Glock to his holster, snatched up his shield, and ran into the cellblock. He took a sharp right turn and headed for the stairs. Three Makhai goons blocked his path, but before Dex could do anything, they crumbled, one of them rolling down the stairs. Dex’s head shot up in the direction the bullets had come from, and he grinned.

Calvin was up on the top floor, looking through his scope. He held a thumbs-up, and Dex gave him a salute. Calvin was clearing a path for him, and as Dex hurried up the rusted and crumbling stairs, hopping over the bodies of fallen Makhai, he spotted Sloane and the rest of the team down in the middle in a tight circle, shields up as they fired on the Makhai and anyone who tried to get to Calvin or Dex.

Several Therians in their forms scrambled into the cellblock building, but they were too busy fighting one another to pay attention to Destructive Delta. The battle was fierce, claws shredding, teeth tearing at flesh and fur. The roars of Felids filled the air. Dex made it to the third floor and slowed down. There were several cells, all open. There was no telling who or what would be lurking inside. Quickly, but cautiously, he checked every cell before walking past it. Just as he neared the cell Tony was supposed to be in, a jaguar Therian plowed into him, sending him crashing through the oxidized bars. The putrid bars gave way, and Dex landed on the walkway on the other side. He moved to get up when a loud crack had him going still. He looked down and realized the walkway was made of glass sections, each pane held up by rusted bars. The glass was so filthy, he’d mistaken it for concrete.

The jaguar who’d launched himself at Dex roared from the safety of the other walkway. Dex hissed back. He released his rifle and motioned at the jaguar to advance.

“Come on, asshole. Come get me.”

The jaguar roared again and leaped. Dex rolled out of the way, grabbing the steel frame as the glass shattered under the jaguar’s weight. Dex hung from one arm, the jaguar’s claws latched on to his tactical vest. It released a pained roar as bullets pierced its bulky frame, and Dex unhooked the claws with his free hand, watching as it fell onto the walkway below, the glass shattering, and sending the jaguar falling to the first floor with a thud.

This time it was Sloane who’d fired. While from above Calvin took care of anyone trying to get to Dex, Sloane covered Dex from below. Grabbing hold of the ledge to his right where he’d crashed through the bars, Dex climbed onto the more secure walkway. He pushed himself to his feet and ran up to the edge of the doorway one down from where his dad was supposed to be.

“Cal, any visuals?”

“Five armed hostiles. Three on the left, two on the right. Sarge is sitting in a chair in the middle.”

“Copy that.” Okay. Dex inhaled deeply and closed his eyes briefly as he released the breath through his mouth. He put his shield on the floor behind him, pulled his Glock from his thigh rig, and the backup tucked into the holster at his hip. There was no room for hesitation. No room for error. He crouched low, and ran to the wall beside the open cell door. The second he stepped foot in front of that door, they were going to shoot him. Or he could shoot first.

“Dad?” Dex called out. It wasn’t like the Makhai didn’t know he was out there.

“Dex? Don’t come in here!”

There was shuffling and noises, Tony grunted as someone hit him. Son of bitch was going to pay for that. Dex readied himself and reached for the flashbang clipped to his vest. “Remember the first time I watched the ending of Alien?”

“I remember.” Tony’s reply told Dex he was as ready as he was going to be.

Dex pulled the pin and tossed the flashbang into the room. He slipped into the smoke-filled room of stunned Therians, using his sharpened senses, pleasantly startled when he realized he could make out the Therians in the smoke with enough detail to take them down. The Therians fired wildly toward the door. They might have had experience with flashbangs, but so did Tony. He had been dealing with them since he was Cael’s age, and thanks to Dex’s warning, Tony had shut his eyes tight, covered his ears, and looked away just as Dex had the first time he’d watched the ending to Alien when he’d been eight years old.

In rapid succession, Dex fired both guns, one shot for each Therian. They crumbled to the filthy floor around Tony. They hadn’t even restrained his dad, knowing there was no way he could get out of there with the number of armed Therians. Tony was skilled, but as a Human, he was at a disadvantage, especially unarmed and in the dark.

Tony stood, wavering from his disorientation, but managed to throw his arms around Dex, hugging him tight. Dex allowed himself a couple of seconds to hug him back. He swallowed down his emotions and returned his guns to their holsters before he grabbed his dad’s arm and headed toward the door.

“I’ve got the Sarge,” Dex declared. “I’m going to need cover to get him out of here. Walking out the front door.” It was their only option. It also meant anyone who was left was going to come gunning for them. Outside on the walkway, Dex grabbed his shield and headed for the stairs, but his path was blocked. He turned and found the other end blocked as well.

“Fuck. Guys, I need an exit.” Dex ducked back inside with his dad. “Guys?”

“We got company. I think they called for backup,” Sloane replied. “We’re taking heavy fire. You need to get out of there, Dex. Calvin’s got his hands full.”

Shit. “Copy that. Cael?”

“I’ve got this. Get Dad out,” Cael replied, Ash’s roar echoing in the background.

Dex worried his bottom lip. They had to move. If they stayed in here, they were sitting ducks. An idea struck him, and he handed his Glock to his dad. “Be right back.” He didn’t wait for a reply. He ran out, using his shield to cover himself as he kicked at the rusted bar in front of him. It snapped off and rolled to the glass walkway. The top bar met the same fate. As the Makhai slowly approached from both sides, Dex ran in and handed his shield to his dad before turning around.