CHAPTER 17: CH 17: A SIDE.

The jungle lit up like a stage.

Floodlights burst through the canopy, slicing the dark into jagged beams. The mansion’s windows glowed—dozens of them—like eyes opening all at once.

~REEE-RAH REEE-RAH.~

The deafening alarm continued to blare.

They covered their ears trying to mute the sounds, except Levi and Jace.

Jace tugged at the roots of his hair, pacing in a panicked circle, "The element of surprise was the one thing we had and that’s why we had such a small squad..."

The recon guy spoke up, "Uhm... What if we just turn around and leave before they come for us."

"NO!" Jace came to a halt as he snapped a finger in their direction, "on no account whatsoever do we return without a completed mission file and never—"

"Then let’s finish the job, we avoid the lights, rely on the scanners for sight and we finish this," Levi didn’t let him finish.

The lady soldier swallowed hard, sweat pouring down her forehead despite the freezing cold, "How are we supposed to get rid of a hive of vampires and a new variant?"

"Simple, remember your training, rely on your squad and stay behind me..." Jace loaded another round into his rifle, "Recon, make the way, soldier by my side and Levi... Watch our six."

They all gave agreeing nods as they got into position.

Recon tapped on his sensors like someone dialling a lifeline.

~Beep.Beep.Beep~

It finally lit up again as they began to move.

The lights raged above them as they moved low and tactical— smart.

Until they finally reached the side entrance of the building— the human entrance.

They marched on—

Before spotting one, no two guards at the entrance, rifles hot and teeth gritted.

The squad turned to Jace in front.

He raised his rifle— two shots, precise and quick.

The guards slumped to the side in unison as the squad continued to move.

Through the corridor, boots tapping lightly yet echoing all around them.

Levi looked around him, dimly lit, stone walls yet scratches on the wall— claw marks and fresh.

He let them walk forward as he shut his eyes, and took a deep breath.

Focusing on his hearing— heartbeats, all around them, not humans.

Human heart beats in two rhythmic pumps, but vampires heartbeats are erratic— their body constantly needs blood so their heartbeats are nearly four times ours.

~Pheeep!~

Levi gave a sharp whistle for Jace in front.

The squad’s collective heads snapped back to Levi a few metres behind.

Their collective breaths hitched in their throats.

Jace said nothing but arched a brow at Levi— a silent question.

"What do you sense?"

Levi whispered softly, "They’re here."

"Where and how many?"

"At least four and all around us, they’re watching us." Levi’s hand moved for his handgun.

The corridor ran an eerie silence.

Then—

~BOOM.~

Five vampires burst from the walls, ceiling, and shadows—feral, fast, coordinated. Claws out, fangs bared, eyes burning red.

Stone, dust and debris scattered into the air.

~SCREEEE!~

The squad barely had time to react.

One slammed into the female soldier, driving her into the wall with bone-cracking force.

She screamed, fired blindly, but the creature tore into her throat before anyone could reach her.

Levi spun, fired two rounds into its spine, then drove his knife into its neck. It dropped—but she was already dead.

Jace roared, unloading his rifle into two vampires charging him. One fell. The other tackled him, claws raking his vest.

He rolled, grabbed a stake, and tried to drive it into its chest but it fought—

He pulled the handgun— riddling its body with holes.

Recon guy panicked—his sensor blinking red, his hands trembling.

A vampire lunged at him, but Levi intercepted, slashing its leg and kicking it into the wall.

The fourth vampire leapt from the ceiling, landing on Levi’s back. Its claws tore into his shoulder, but he twisted, slammed it against the wall, and drove his knife into its eye.

Blood sprayed. The creature shrieked, flailed, then collapsed.

The fifth vampire didn’t attack.

It stood in the center of the corridor, watching.

"Ha, you really think you can win this."

Then it bit into its own wrist—dark blood pouring—and grabbed Recon by the jaw.

"No!" Levi shouted, but it was too late.

The vampire forced the blood into Recon’s mouth. He gagged, convulsed, eyes wide with horror.

Jace fired—but the vampire moved fast, using Recon as a shield.

Levi didn’t hesitate.

He charged, tackled the vampire, and drove his knife into its throat. Again. Again. Again.

The vampire dropped Recon and tried to flee—but Levi grabbed its leg, dragged it back, and slammed it into the floor.

Then slammed it into the adjacent wall.

As dust bellowed like a canopy.

Levi didn’t stop—

He whipped out his blade, breathing heavily as he stood above the vampire.

"I’m fucking done with these things," he spat as he drove the blade into its head with a wet crunch.

Jace wasted no time dropping to his groun, knees raised slightly while sweat dripped continuously off his brows.

At the corner of Levi’s eye—

He saw it twitch— Recon guy who was caught in the crossfire between the Vampire and Jace.

Levi took a step back, watching it as it slowly gathered itself.

It moved to all fours, wiping the dust and blood off itself before turning to them, "what— what happened?"

Jace didn’t hesitate— he pulled out his gun in an instant.

Aimed at his former teammate and ready to fire.

Levi stepped between them, arms slightly raised in surrender, "Jace, what the hell are you thinking, he’s part of our squad—

Jace cocked the gun, "No, Levi he’s not, he’s a vampire... Look at her..."

His eyes shifted to the female backup lying dead on the ground, "She— she’s even better than him... I once told you the worst thing that could happen to you was dying here right?"

His gaze darting back to recon.

Well I was wrong, that’s the worst thing that can happen and I have a job to kill all vampires and so do you...

Now pick a side, humans or those things?"