CHAPTER 16: CH 16: ARROGANCE.

The cold was thick enough for them to see their breaths fog.

His boots sank with every step, the weight of the ocean still dragging at his limbs.

The jungle loomed.

Thick vines hung like nooses. The canopy above was so dense it swallowed the sky, leaving only slivers of moonlight to guide them.

But it didn’t stop them, they marched through the forest— slowly, observantly.

Using their rifles as night vision goggles while they moved through the thick night sky.

No birds. No insects. Just the sound of their own breathing and the occasional snap of a twig beneath their feet.

Recon guy—pale, twitchy—kept glancing at his wrist sensor. It blinked once. Then again. Then went dark.

"False positives," he muttered. "Or something’s jamming us."

He said as he repeatedly tapped the sensor.

"Regardless. It doesn’t matter, we move on"

Jace said, his demeanor completely different from the plane.

~Krk.~

A twig snapped far left as they all swerved their heads.

Guns cocked in seconds— they all lowered their centre, preparing for anything.

’This is absurd,’ Levi thought as he stepped in front, pushing the branches to the side to get a better view.

There was nothing, until—

~Arrgh!~

Something lunged at him— fast.

Pinning him to the ground as its wide jaws made way for Levi’s head.

Feeling it’s hot putrid breath engulfing his senses.

He gritted his teeth, tensed his muscles and tried to overpower the beast.

~Pfft.Pfft.Pfft.~

Jace’s gun lit up as the sound of muffled bullets tore through the beast’s mane.

It jumped back.

It’s frame was huge— roughly the same as a black bear, wet fur that stood on its skin, bloodshot eyes that seemed eager for the next kill.

Before their guns could meet it again— it disappeared into the woods.

Levi rolled over— getting back on his feet, the rest of the soldiers stood back to back.

Formed in a circle as they waited—for even a pulse to hear.

~Krrk.~

A twig broke in the woods around them.

"Jace, what’s the plan here?"

Levi whispered down low.

"It’s a known variant, mostly silver bullet proof so your rifles do nothing but slow it down" Jace said but his eyes fixed in the jungle around them.

"Grrrh."

The low guttural growl was heard from what felt like all directions.

"I don’t like this guys," the male backup said as his gun trembled in his arms, "I feel like I’m being watched."

Jace tried to relax him, "Shhh— calm down and remember your training, think of this just like your training—"

"Calm down? This is nothing like training" his voice barely cracking and inaudible,"I feel it watching me everywhere."

The other soldiers said nothing, Jace ignored him holding their positions.

’That bastard actually thinks it can stalk me.’

Levi finally spoke up, "That’s what it wants, it’s baiting one of us to lose control."

The backup’s breathing turned erratic. His rifle trembled in his grip, eyes darting like prey sensing the predator.

"I—I can’t," he whispered, stepping back and out of formation. "I need to get out. I need to—"

"No!" Jace snapped, but it was too late.

The soldier turned and bolted into the trees.

~THUMP.~

A blur of wet fur and claws slammed into him from the side, dragging him into the dark with a sickening crunch. His scream was short. Cut off. Final.

"What type of soldiers do you guys train," Levi surged forward, rifle raised, eyes scanning the shadows. "Eyes up! It’s circling!"

~Grrrh.~

The growl rose again—closer, deeper.

Then it lunged.

The variant burst from the underbrush, jaws wide, claws slicing through the air. Jace was already moving— he ducked low, rolled, and fired three rounds into its flank. The beast staggered but didn’t fall.

Recon dropped to one knee, fired a UV burst that lit up the jungle like lightning. The creature shrieked, blinded for a second.

"No! That gives away our position."

Jace roared.

The female soldier flanked left, launching a stake from her underslung launcher. It grazed the beast’s shoulder, embedding deep— just not enough.

Levi moved like a bullet.

He closed the distance, ducked under a wild claw, and drove his combat knife into the creature’s side. It roared, twisted, slammed him into a tree.

"Argh!"

He yelled as the all too familiar taste of blood filled his mouth.

~Pfft.Pfft.Pfft.~

Jace was already back in, firing point-blank into the beast’s chest. "Silver won’t kill it—aim for the spine!"

Levi dragged himself back onto his feet.

Levi grabbed the embedded stake, twisted it, then drove his knife upward—into the base of the neck.

The variant convulsed.

Jace stepped in, pressed his pistol to its temple, and fired.

~Pfft.~

The beast dropped.

Silence.

Levi staggered back, panting, blood dripping from his brow. The others gathered, eyes wide, weapons still slightly raised.

He leaned against a tree, trying to catch his breath, "so..."

He chuckled a bit, pointing at Jace, "That’s the type of soldiers the all mighty L.U.X division makes, pussies too weak to stand and fight."

Jace turned to him, raised a brow slightly, "So someone died and that’s what you got from his death... That he’s a pussy, how can someone be so smart and yet so idiotic."

Levi pushed off the tree, slowly closing the distance between them, "You know if it were you to me, I would’ve probably been able to take that thing out all by myself."

A sarcastic smile tugged on Jace’s cheeks, "I’m not gonna engage with you Levi, we finish this mission and then we go home nothing more, nothing less...

I’m not Selene and I hate babysitting narcissistic egomaniacs who can’t keep their pride in check long enough to save their own lives."

"Repeat that" Levi’s gaze tightened as he stood face to face with Jace, "Just one more time... I fucking dare you."

"You heard exactly what I said Kane, you’ll never avenge your family’s death if you have the thinking faculty of a child and—"

~REEE-RAH REEE-RAH.~

The raging alarm from the mansion snapped them out of their conversation.

They all swerved their heads, turning to the sky, as the lights of the numerous windows lit up.

Jace dragged a hand across his face, "Fuuuuck. They know we’re here."