Chapter XXII
In The East.
The small convoy moves alongside a large ravine which used to house a river, but no water has flowed through these lands for almost two thousand years. Inside the command vehicle Deryn Gibbs starts to speak through the communication links that connected them to the rest of the convoy.
“By my calculations we're about two days away from the location.” Deryn said looking back at the rest of the group inside the command vehicle, which comprised Charlie and the other three scientists: Jons, Greenville and Phil. As well as Arnold who had joined them inside the command vehicle twenty miles ago.
“Good, the last detour took us three days off route. Any more delays and we could be in serious trouble.” Arnold said, they had intended to take the most direct route to the site of the disturbance but none of them had ever ventured this far east, including the captain. There had been a massive argument between the soldiers and the scientists when they had reached the destroyed crossing as to whether to turn back or not, with the soldiers wanting to turn back and abandon the mission whilst the scientists had wanted to continue.
“Let’s just hope that the bridge is still intact, do we have any intel about that.” Jons said looking up from his screen.
“No, it's too dangerous out there to do a recon mission.” Arnold said, he had known this fact, but it had still been a shock, as he usually sent out a good dozen men to recon the surrounding areas but this far inland that would be suicide and the captain knew it, as did everyone else.
“So, we're effectively blind out here.” Charlie said, she had feared as much, but so long as they had food and more importantly water, they should be alright. At least she thought.
“Yes.” Arnold said coldly.
“And the further we go in, the more likely we'll encounter something that isn't friendly.” Deryn said, he seemed almost resigned to that fact but like everyone else on the mission was hopeful that they may be able to avoid the more serious predators.
“Like what?” Charlie asked. She had no idea what the eco system was in this land, she had only heard that monsters ruled this part of the world but had always dismissed that as common superstition. That was at least until they had been set upon by a pack of spiderlings and whilst they had come out of that skirmish unscathed it was a solemn reminder that out here, they were prey.
“If we're lucky, more spiderlings.” Deryn said, although he didn’t sound very hopeful.
“And, if we're not?” Greenville asked, he was the youngest of the group, and was seeming to regret his decision to join the expedition. “I mean those things that came after us were as big as cats.” He finished looking around and Phil nodded his agreement.
“Maybe a pack Aguar.” Deryn said. “Or...” He started, tailing off before he could finish.
“Or, what?” Charlie asked not entirely sure as to whether or not she wanted to hear the next part of the sentence.
“A dragon.” Phil said. Charlie laughs and looks at Deryn expecting the old scientist to contradict this last statement. But he only nods and continues.
“Hopefully that won't happen as we are hundreds of miles from its hunting grounds.” Deryn said.
“Wait, so there really are dragons out there? I thought they were just a myth.” Charlie said, if there were in fact a real fire lizard out there then she would take the auger and anything else the Badlands could throw at them any day of the week.
“Well fifty years ago bones were discovered about hundred miles from the boarder. Bones of a creature that had over a hundred-meter wingspan.” Deryn said.
“Yes, I remember seeing it, massive creature, we originally thought it was mammoth until we viewed the ariel photographs.” Arnold said, shivering slightly before continuing. “A pity that no dragons serve our side, wars would be won in days if they were smart enough to join us.” He tailed off. Charlie didn’t exactly know what to make of that last statement and could only hope that when he referred to ‘Their side.’ He meant the Imperials. However, she is brought out of her thoughts by a sound from the coming from the top of the command centre, where Jamerson, one of the soldiers who was up in the observation turret.
“We've got movement outside!” Jamerson shouted down. Arnold immediately gets on the coms and starts talking to the lookout.
What is it private?” Arnold asked looking out of the large windows but can see nothing, due to the dust that the large truck was kicking up.
“I don't know sir, some kind of giant wolf by the looks of it.” Jamerson said over the coms this time. Deryn gets up and heads towards the window to look out as well and could just about make out a shape in the distance. Outside perched on a nearby rock is an Aguar; a massive hairless wolf, the size of a bear and with two massive claws on each foot, looks at the convoy. It wasn’t just glancing at them, it was full on staring, watching as the convoy made its way steadily north east.
“What's out there? I can’t see a thing.” Arnold said continuing to gaze out of the window. As Deryn stops his search and pulls back from the window.
“Aguar, by the looks of it.” Deryn said looking over at Arnold who nods.
“Is it alone?” Arnold asked of the scientist who nods.
“For now.” Deryn said simply, returning to the computer monitor and bringing up their current location, as far as Charlie or any of the others could see they were still in the barren wastelands.
“For now?” Charlie asked, whilst she knew that they had some protection from the beasts that roamed these lands as long as they were inside their vehicles. It didn’t mean that she wanted more of these creatures on their tail.
“They hunt in pacts, that one out there, my guess is he's a scout for the rest of his pack.” Deryn said to Charlie who only nodded before he turned to face Arnold. “We need to keep moving. Odds are we've just strayed onto their territory, but if we stay here any longer, they'll be another ten or so on top of us.” Deryn continues and the captain nods and gets back onto the coms.
“Keep this convoy rolling. No one stops until I say you got it?” Arnolds said and there is a muttering of yes’ in response as the convoy continues to move on into the distance and the Aguar simply walks off in the opposite direction.
That night the convoy does eventually stop, it had been rolling almost nonstop for almost ten days and the crews needed time to rest and assess the damages to the vehicles. Charlie had wanted to get out into the fresh air, which she hadn’t smelt for all the time they had been rolling but Arnold had forbidden it and Deryn had agreed. Whilst she liked and respected the old scientist even, she knew that Arnold was not someone to be crossed lightly.
As the scientist’s rested, Arnold returned to command centre and closed the door behind him, before walking over to the computer and began logging their current location.
“Damn machine.” Arnold said angrily and Charlie thought she saw his eyes glow red for a split second. But guessed it was just a trick of the light, as when he turned around as Deryn spoke they had returned to their equally creepy black.
“What appears to be the problem.” Deryn said as he walked up.
“Nothing, the tracers are working, but we are struggling with the distance, the range on the communicators must be being effected by the dust somehow.” Arnold replied.
Charlie walked up to the window and looked out, whilst there was no dust at the present moment, they had kicked up quite a lot on the way out here and she guessed that some might have gotten into the computers. As she was thinking something caught her eye. A dark shape in the sky, that looked like a plane, was moving fast across the skyline. Charlie stepped back, rubbed her eyes and returned to the window, but when she looked out again, the shape was gone, and nothing was there.
She sighed and took a breath, as one of the soldiers out by the command centre came over the radio.
“All clear out here sir.” Bosc said through the coms.
“Good, return to your vehicle private and wait for…” Arnold started but was suddenly stopped by the sound of gunfire coming through over the communicator. Followed by the sound of screams. “Private report!” Arnold shouted and after a few moments a different soldier voice comes through the channel.
“We’re under attack, there’s something out here!” Thrain shouted before he to screamed and the communicator once again went dead. Charlie ran to the window and saw what she guessed was an Auger, but she couldn’t be sure, as the things jaws working hard to drag a screaming soldier through the dust and into the darkness. As more giant four-legged creatures come out from the darkness towards the stationary group of vehicles.
