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The American Scavenger Wasp has the most toxic venom on the planet. A single sting from a Lesser of the family was more than enough to kill a fully grown elephant six times over. They were also known for being increasingly lethal as the species progressed from Lesser, to Feral and then Southern.

I'd been stung by various wasp species before, what they varied in pain and seriousness they made up for with sheer annoyance. If you get a welt you can't scratch at underneath your scales, such may be one of the activities on the list during your eternal torture in hell should you die having not repented from your offenses against God, you heathen. The American Scavenger Wasp? Hoo-boy, I'd only heard about the pain and damage they could inflict. I'd read somewhere that a single sting from a lesser of the species could kill feral elephants. Wasp in general though got so dangerous as you went from Lesser to Feral and Southern that in the 1920's after a Southern Yellow Jacket stung and instantly killed someone out of complete mistake the Federal Government passed a law declaring Southern Wasp must permanently disable their stingers, either by encasing them in resin, or by cutting the tips off and sealing them with medical cement. Some states even went a step further and declared that all Feral and Southern wasp had to have their venom glands and stingers removed, applying the law retroactively. For a good long while, this law went unchallenged, but in 2017, a Southern Mahogany Wasp that had been brutally raped fought the law saying wasp couldn't have working stingers all the way to the supreme court and won, and I had just happened to get the one guy who hadn't given two shits about removing his stinger before all of that had taken place.

It was a different kind of pain than being shot. Scavenger Wasp were known for their venom being potent enough to melt flesh, and while a sting from a Lesser was enough to kill any mammal, Reptiles were a different story. I'm sure Shannon could explain exactly why I wasn't dead yet, but all I knew was that all Reptiles had a mineral in their blood that interfere with any kind of Venom to the extent where a single sting from anything could never be lethal, but that didn't mean I wasn't in deep shit. The venom itself couldn't shut down anything vital or even really destroy enough tissue to be fatal, but, out here in the wastelands where medical help and sanitation are in short supply, Gang Green would a death sentence, as would any kind of infection. What actually happened was I ended up losing consciousness for about 10 or 20 seconds and woke up sitting up against the side of the Ford, Ben and Zack gathered around me, James standing guard. The pain in my chest was unlike anything I'd ever felt, I can only describe it as feeling like my internal organs were melting from the inside out, it was this disturbing, slick, throbbing feeling, like what happens when you get oil on your hands and rub them together, mixed with a painfully intense throb that made me feel like each spurt would have something explode out of my gut or chest. I could hardly see straight from dizziness and felt like I was going to puke again. All of that was before you added the burning feeling in. Pre-War, my old friend Luke, sweetest back hills wolf kid you'd ever meet, got into a pretty serious wreck, lost limbs, lost his sight and and was burned to such an extent that a few of his organs and most of his muscle were literally cooked. Faraday Medical, the same company that built Zack's cybernetics had managed to help him come back from it, and he'd told me what it felt like to be on fire. He described it as, "taking that feeling you get when just a little bit of hot oil splashes on you frying chicken strips, multiplying it by a million and jumping right in head first." What I was feeling coursing through my veins seemed to hit that nail on it's head.

"Arien?", Zack asked rocking me, "talk to me brother."

I groaned and stood up, using the Ford as support, holding my paws up on my chest like I had bad heartburn.

"Gotta talk to us man", James said, "Scavenger Wasps are the most deadly in the world."

I took a deep breath, the pain was spreading, "that thing packs a_wicked_ punch", I said, particularly dwelling on the world wicked, "Gahh! It's worse than a point blank slug from a shotgun!"

I tried to take a step forward, only to collapse to my knees, unable to catch myself, Ben had to keep me from face planting into the sand.

"This isn't like anything I've ever felt!", I snarled, "it's just a question of...no...no wait!", I hissed as the burning feeling seemed to start to spread to the insides of my bones, "Argh! IT'S GETTING WORSE! STOP BURNING!"

Benjamin and Zack picked me up.

"Zack you drive, I'll ride shotgun with Arien's 1200", Ben said, "James, can you work rear security?"

"Got ammo?", James asked, "I'm kinda out."

"Here", Zack said, "three mags, make 'em count."

James took the magazines from Zack and then helped them haul me into the back seat of the Ford. James helped me get off my plate carrier and belt as Zack started back towards the house. The Ford was noticeably sluggish with the extra weight of the trailer, but Zack seemed to deal with it just fine. I pretty much writhed in the back seat in agony for the entirety of the ten or eleven minute trip home. Even though it didn't take more than three extra minutes to drive back, I felt like the trip had been going for hours when the Ford finally bounced to a stop. The engine died and the girls ran out to meet us. I could hear Shannon start to bark orders as Ben and Nat hauled me out of the Ford and carried me up to Jame's spare bedroom where they put me in a bed.

"The fuck happened?", Shannon asked

"Scavenger Wasp", I half snarled, half hissed through gritted teeth, "bastard got me straight past the carrier and shirt."

Shannon turned white as a sheet of paper, "oh dear. What were it's colors?"

"I didn't see."

"Black and Blue", Zack said.

Shannon breathed a half relieved sigh, "Well the good news is the venom won't kill you, Jewel Scavengers just agitate nerves, but you could be on some real trouble if we don't clean and close that hole."

I laid back on the bed as Shannon started ordering everyone around to gather up medical supplies to close the inch wide gash in my chest. Eirren stayed by my side, taking my hand.

"God, you're on fire."

All I could manage was a week laugh, "the Executioner has been dethroned, the Scavenger is king."

Eirren chuckled, glancing at the floor, then back at me, "taken a sting form an Executioner have you?"

"Houston Zoo", I said, "they got out of the insect exhibit, I got too close to them by mistake."

"Bet you didn't do that again", Eirren smiled as Shannon and the others came back, setting to work on my wound. She didn't even give me a warning she was about to just pour a cup of rubbing alcohol right into the hole and then dry it out with a rag before gluing it closed while getting the others to hold me down. I had never experienced more pain in my life than I did during the ten minutes it took to close that hole. It was so bad I ended up passing out again, waking up some hours later, Eirren next to me. My head was turned away from her and towards the bedroom window, and I could see it was still dark out. My entire body was now sore and stiff to the point I could hardly move.

"Fuckin wasp", I groaned.

"Oh good, your alive", Eirren sounded relieved, "you literally haven't moved in almost 24 hours, I was starting to think you were paralyzed or something."

I sighed, trying to roll onto my side, "I guess I've just been out, been almost a day?"

She nodded, "yeah. James said we're welcome to camp here as long as we need to until you can get back on your feet...which hopefully won't be too long."

With some effort, I managed to turn onto my side and look her in the eyes.

"What's bothering you?", I asked.

"Nothing", she answered.

"Something is", I said, "I can hear it in your voice."

"Just worried about you", she told me, "I mean, you basically got stabbed in the heart. Shannon said she's seen wounds like it before, but I'm not sure I believe what she said when she told me that no one's ever died from it. I mean, how do you not die from an inch wide hole in your chest?"

"Same way you don't die from a bullet through it", I said, "I've had worse injuries that didn't hurt nearly as much."

"I can't say I disbelieve you", She grinned, "We've all been through hell."

"Was it Shannon's idea to strip me before getting into bed? Or did you do that yourself?"

"That was my idea", She admitted sheepishly.

"Why though?", I asked, barely managing a week smile.

"I thought it might put some ideas in your head", Eirren smiled.

"I mean it's not like I mind it", I said.

"I didn't think you would", she said, "but I take bare scales aren't helping you feel any better are they?"

"If it were anyone other than you? It wouldn't, only thing on my brain right now is the pain. My bones feel like they're melting and I've got this...this burning feeling, like bad sunburn going on underneath my scales. I'd rather be shot than take another sting from a Scavenger wasp."

Eirren put her wing over me and pulled me closer to her.

"You know...before the war, I used to see all of the shit going on in the world, with the idiots in the government and the moronic leftists in the streets, I would rant about how I never wanted a mate, or kids. I used to think the odds of finding a dragoness that I was compatible with were non existent. And I supposed, even if I did, I wouldn't be able to keep my cubs away from the madness of the real world, not for long anyway. Then, I met you."

Eirren purred in satisfaction, "I used to think the same thing. Except I've always wanted to find a dragon to spend my life with, for a while, I thought that was Mark. When he passed away, I was ready to give up, then I met you."

I closed my eyes, "I wonder if, all in all, the wastelands might be a better place to grow up than society was. Maybe, once we get back to Texas, we can start something new, and build it from the ground up."

Eirren giggled, "Sounds like a plan to me."

I leaned against her, throwing up the white flag to my fatigue and falling back to sleep.

I awoke sometime after sunrise that next day. Eirren was still asleep, and I could hear the others moving about and talking downstairs. My entire body was still stiff, I felt like a two by four, and maybe that wasn't a strong enough euphemism. Stiff as I was, I managed to sit up. The room was kinda chilly, given the fact it was rather small and there was a vent right next to the bedside. My chest was still killing me and the insides of my bones still felt like they were on fire, melting and solidifying at least a coupe of times a minute. I still can't really describe how bad it was because I can't even compare it to a bullet wound, I'd rather be shot a dozen times than deal with a sting from Scavenger wasp. At the foot of my bed was my pack, buttoned up tightly in typical me fashion, and damn did the thing take some work to get into. I could barely move my arms, only a little motion was in my elbows and my shoulders were completely seized, it hurt way to much. I couldn't bend my knees, trying to made me feel like someone had melted the joints together. I couldn't even bend over from the pain in my spine and hips. Now, I was stuck naked at the foot of the bed, almost unable to move and barely able to use the foot of the bed for support, and to resolve this I was supposed to do...what? Exactly?

"Damnit!", I whined. Never in my life had I been so helpless as to not even be able to get clothes out of my pack, much less put them on myself, "what the fuck! Like what the actual fuck!?"

"Arien?", Eirren asked in her sleep, she cracked open one eye, looked around, then rolled onto her back, spying me at the foot of the bed and sat up, not even bothering to cover her bare chest with the blankets, "you shouldn't be out of bed."

"I just wanna get dressed", I whimpered, "I can't move!"

Eirren slid out of bed, "here, lemme give you a hand."

I'm not sure what made me feel worse, hurting so bad I could hardly move any of my limbs, not being able to get dressed myself like I was a two year old, or having to lean up against my mate while she did it for me. Fucking wasp. Never in my life had something as simple as getting dressed taken so long and been so painful, just putting on my shirt drove me to tears and almost had me collapsing, if it hadn't been for her being right there, I would have. Eirren helped me get back into bed, and once I was settled she put on a fancy looking bra and panties. I think she was just trying to screw with me a little bit, because she was doing it a little provocatively, but I can't say that I minded.

"Is it wrong that I like looking at you in your underwear?", I asked, not able to keep the smile off my lips.

She giggled, "I wouldn't say so. See anything you like?"

"I see a few things I like", I grinned as she slithered back into bed next to me, "I find it odd that I prefer to look at it covered than exposed."

Eirren giggled the most girly giggle I'd ever heard.

"Now you're just taunting me", I shook my head.

"Maybe a little", She said.

"I hope this shit doesn't last too long", I said, "I hate being this helpless."

"Shannon said it shouldn't last more than three days, it's already been two", Eirren informed me.

"Good, shit can't end soon enough."

She and I lay there for another hour or so, the melting feeling in my bones didn't get worse, but it didn't hardly get any better, only recovering enough for me to slide out of bed with a little help from Eirren and get to the bathroom across the hall. Never been such a chore in my life. We ended up just hanging around in bed for another hour or so when Zack came upstairs and stuck his head in the door, "hey guys, James is cookin dinner, you hungry?"

"I could go for something hot to eat", I said sitting up, "give us a few minutes."

Zack nodded and disappeared around the corner. I looked over to Eirren, she was snoring lightly, on her side facing away from me. I reached over and gave her a nudge.

"Hrmm?", she mumbled, turning around, opening her eyes once she was facing me, "something the matter?"

"Help me up?", I asked, "Zack said James has dinner ready for us."

"Gimme a second to get dressed", she said stretching, "how you feeling?"

"Still can hardly move", I said, "Pain ain't gotten worse, but it hasn't gotten any better."

"Do have any kind of movement back?", she asked.

"Yeah. I don't feel like I have spikes through my joints any more", I told her, "doubt I'll make it down stairs in one piece though."

"Yeah, me either."

She pushed aside the covers, pulled on her pants and old sweater while I struggled just to sit up. Once she was dressed, she helped me into my BDU's and then put my left arm over her shoulder.

"Baby steps", she said as struggled to help me stand. Footing almost all of my weight, Eirren helped me out of the room, down the hall and down one stair at a time, until eventually we made it to the dining room, where Ben and James helped me sit down so Eirren could go eat.

"Hell of a day huh boss?", Zack asked.

"Apparently it's been longer than that", I stated, leaning back in the chair, "Eirren told me I was motionless for almost an entire day?"

"You were", James said, "we were starting to think the sting had paralyzed you because we couldn't get a response out of you."

"Gave us all a hell of a scare brother", Shannon said.

"How do you think I feel?", I asked, "my bones are melting and solidifying a few times a minute. That shit ain't pleasant, I assure you."

"I bet not", Shannon said, "Besides the general pain, how do you feel? Don't be a smartass, just tell me, because I need to know."

"I feel like I did for the first couple of days starting this trip", I said, "my plate carrier and pack were murdering my shoulders."

"Any fever? Chills?", Shannon asked.

"Chills yes, but that could just be from being semi cold blooded and being right under the vent of a 7 ton package unit."

"Yeah, I wouldn't worry about that", Shannon said as James put a bowl in front of me. I could tell it was an MRE, but you know, it was chicken soup, so I wasn't about to bitch and complain.

"Ah thanks James", I said.

"Don't mention it", he sighed sitting down, "so Zack, should you drop the bomb or should I?"

"What bomb?", I asked quickly.

My friends all exchanged glances, no one said a word.

"Someone gonna tell me what fucking bomb!?", I asked, raising my voice just slightly.

"That trailer we found? The one we kind of needed to keep on going further South?", Zack said, "yeah, we started to tear into it yesterday morning while you were out. The damn thing is rotten, from the inside out. I'm amazed we made it back to the house with it in one piece. It's not something we can repair either, if we try and do anything with it, it'll cave in."

I sighed, "Don't scare me like that. James? Any other places around here we can get a good trailer from?"

He shook his head, "not off the top of my head, I'd have to run some outings to near by towns before I could say for sure."

"I'm not asking you to stick your head out for us", I said, "you've done enough for us as it is."

"Doesn't bother me Arien", James said, "I enjoy helping you, makes my days interesting."

"You know", Zack said looking towards me, "after seeing the way you tore into those Rabids, having you on the team could be a hell of a help."

"Nah, you guys don't need another mouth to feed and water", he grinned downing half of his bowl of soup in one gulp, "and that's why, but also because I'm an unhinged lunatic who needs to smoke four packs a day to keep from going batshit crazy. Plus if you get any more Animals on the team you'll need something larger than a Ford Excursion."

"Four packs?", Shannon asked, "aren't you worried about what you're doing to your lungs?"

"Of course, very much", James said, "and trust me, if I could defeat my Demonic urges another way, I'd quit tomorrow."

"That's not a good idea either", Shannon said slurping a spoon of soup.

"Perhaps. Still though, the only way that stops is if someone finds a way to cure the Plague, and I don't see that happening. Even if you could, I've eaten enough other dragons that I don't trust the psychical state of my brain. What if the plague is the only thing keeping me from going completely crazy? Like when the rust is the only thing holding a metal object together."

"Well..", Shannon began, looking off into space, "shit, there's a question I can't answer..."

"It's nothing against you guys", James said, "I'm too unstable to come with you, if I do, I'll just end up killing one of you in one of my black rages."

"You seemed to keep your eyes on the prize when those Scourged were after us", I said taking another slurp of soup.

"I wasn't on a hunger induced psychosis episode then", James said, "I was just letting go of some pent up anger. Longer you guys are around the angrier I get, not against you, just the Plague trying to make me snap. It has to go somewhere eventually, last night, I had a place to put it."

"James, if we're bothering you", I said, "we'll find someplace else to hold up while we get shit figured out."

"Nah, I can't do that to you guys", James said, "I won't. I insist you stay as long as you have to, you won't meet another Demon as nice as I am, hell you won't even meet another Animal like me. And you can quote me on that."

"Well thanks for everything you've done for us so far", I said, "and thanks again for the revlover."

James grinned, "no problem. Now, if you don't mind, I'mma step out side and get a cigarette, or ten."

"Shit, I could use one too", Zack said.

"You smoke Zack?", Shannon asked.

"I did when I was in the military, never heavily though, maybe a pack a year."

"Don't you have lung problems too?", I asked.

"I'm not worried about that", Zack said finishing his soup and following James outside.

"I could use some fresh air too", Benjamin sighed pushing away from the table.

"You gonna join them?", Eirren asked looking at me.

"Why?", I asked.

She shrugged, "you guys can go sit outside and let us girls spend some times by ourselves."

"You go and get me my shotgun and I'll hide outside all you want me to", I said.

"Done", Eirren said.

She disappeared upstairs, coming back down with my 1200 and it's bandoleer, handing it to me and helping me outside. James had a small patio made out of concrete slabs with some chairs arranged in a circle around an expensive looking fire barrel with all kinds of fancy designs on it. He was sitting in the furthest chair closest to the edge of the patio with an entire carton of Pall Mall oranges at his feet, Zack was sitting on the ground next to him and Benjamin was sitting on the left hand side of the door with an old tablet that, though it had a Magpul case on it, was cracked, abused and all around broken and busted up. I sat down in the remaining seat, using my Winchester like a crutch, old thing was still sturdy as a piece of I beam, despite having all kinds of creaks and rattles on it.

"I love this shotgun man", I smiled sitting down, "what would I do without it."

"Well last night, probably just die", James smirked blowing a cloud of thick smoke out of his nose.

"Doesn't that sting?", I asked.

James shrugged and took another long draw, "It used to. Doesn't any more. You guys happen to listen to the Open Channel on the road?"

"Open channel?", I asked.

"On the Sat Phones", James said, "it was opened about six months after the last bomber landed from what I understand, and when tuned into that station, everyone online at a given time can hear everyone else. For like the past week I've been chatting up this group of Russians trekking from Moscow to what they're calling the Coastal Safezone. From what they've said, it sounds a lot like the Eire Colony up at the great lakes. Lots of farms and manufacturing going on."

"Is that so?", Zack asked curiously.

James nodded, "I've heard some talking between a dragon named Khen and some traders up in the CS that they were looking for ways to bring various meats, raw materials, Kalashnikov rifles and 5.45 and 7.62 into the states in exchange for fresh vegetables and bio diesel."

I grinned, "I'd always hoped I'd live to see the day when Russia and America would just get along. It sucks it took WW3. I just wish I could have seen Putin shake hands with the God Emperor himself."

Zack burst out laughing, "Man I would have loved to have seen the_meltdown_on CNN that would have followed that!"

"Hello America and welcome to Chode News Network. The place where we claim not to be biased, but are totally biased", Benjamin said, "today, absolute proof that the Russians influenced our election have surfaced as literally Hitler shakes hands with Putin and Russian bots everywhere cheer. This is absolutely horrifying."

By now I was laughing so hard I pretty much couldn't breathe.

"Airen's red in the face Ben!", Zack laughed, "stop it man you're killing him!"

It took me a few minutes for me to calm down enough for the pain from laughing to subside. Once I'd collected myself, James actually took out his Sat Phone and turned it on, connecting it to a rather sizable blue tooth speaker. We were able to reach animals from all over the world. Some in South America, Alaska, Europe and even Asia, but what really stood out, was the guy from Russia that Zack evidently knew.

"Nice to hear from you again James", the male said in a heavy accent, I saw the look on Zack's face light up, "tell me, my American friend, what's happening on your side of the pond?"

"Scourged have been giving my new friends hell", he said, "their head honcho took a sting from a Scavenger Wasp and has pretty much been laid up. They're headed to Texas from Maine, stopped here until they can gather the equipment they need to keep headed south."

"You've told me about that desert, they happen to be around?", Andrew asked.

"They're right here", James said.

"Well good luck to you guys", Andrew said, "why not come trade places with me, you can have my swamp and I'll take your desert."

"You can't have my desert Red", Zack said.

"Blyat!", Andrew laughed, "Zachary is that you!?"

"Good to hear from you again Andrew!", Zack smiled, "what you've been up to the past few years?"

"Surviving, avoiding the mosquito in the swamps that used to be my beautiful Mother Russia", Andrew said, "were headed to a city on the coast. Sounds like a good place to start rebuilding our homeland to her former glory."

"Wish we could be there to help", Zack said.

"Feelings mutual my brother", Andrew said, "I owe you my life for your actions in France. I've never stopped thinking about it."

"We Americans take care of our own", Zack said, "just as we must look after our Soviet brothers on the firing line. How's your little one doing?"

Andrew didn't reply.

"Andrew?", Zack asked.

There was a long pause, then I spoke up, "Andrew? Brother are you still there."

Another short pause, "yeah...I'm still here."

Zack sighed, "Did I strike a nerve Andrew?"

"Today....three years ago", Andrew said, I could tell he was trying not to start balling.

"I'm sorry to hear you say that", Zack said, "we'll pray for you Andrew. Stay strong brother."

"Thank you Zack, I appreciate it, more than you know", Andrew said, "who was the other male with you?"

"That was me. Name's Arien Kyvart", I said.

"You've got a good animal there with you Arien", Andrew said, "I couldn't have asked for a better ally in the trenches."

"Yeah, He's a great friend", I smiled.

"Well, good to hear from you Zack, you happen to have a pen handy? I wanna give you my Sat Phone code", Andrew said, "maybe we can make something of this mess."

"yeah I've got a pad", Zack said, "what is it?"

"9721-3455-09-8012", Andrew said, "once we get to the Coastal Safezone, I'll give you a ring. We can make up for lost time. For now, It's like 7 in the morning here, we've got ground to cover, so I'll be seeing you."

Zack laughed, "good to hear from you again Andrew, stay safe brother."

James hung up the sat phone, "friend of yours?"

"Buddy from when I was in the military", Zack said, "he was with me during the battle of the Western Trench, and then again when they called me back in the Six Month Campaign. We used to get into all kinds of trouble together. We were even in the same room at Faraday Medical when we got our cybernetics installed to fix our injuries."

"Sounds like a good time", James said, "hey, I actually think that you and I...."

James was cut off when Nat shouted.

"WE'VE GOT HOSTILES!"

Suddenly I found I didn't hurt very much any more. I threw aside the plastic cup I was drinking out of, racked a shell into the shotgun and ran inside with the others right behind me, finding the girls trying to engage hostiles through the open door and some windows they'd pulled the broads off. Whoever was on the other side of the walls was aggressively suppressing the house with a very familiar sounding weapon.

"It's the guy with the fucking Lewis!", Zack said ducking into cover behind the wall to protect Nero and Mya. Nero was standing on top of Mya, as if his small body was going to shield her from a rifle round, his ears flat against his head with his teeth showing. Meanwhile, Mya was balling in fear, tightly holding into Nero's leg.

Nat tried to peek out to get a shot, but a bullet bounced off her mask, putting her on her back. She quickly rolled over and back into the cabby near the door and I found myself wondering why the guy didn't just shoot us through the walls. Taking cover behind a wall in the kitchen, the machine gun quieted, I shouted.

"Does anyone have eyes on?"

"No dice!", Nat said, "every time we peak out the guy with the machine gun cuts loose. I only caught a glance of two guys before he cut loose, so at least three!"

"They're flanking us", James said as he stuck a quad stack magazine into his bullpup AK, "Arien, what'll make anyone think very carefully about their next actions!?"

"A SALVO OF BUCKSHOT!", I yelled, "they come through that door I'll deck 'em! Someone get eyes on and push the guy with the Lewis and knock him out! Whatever you do, don't let them near the Ford!"

"Ben!", Nat said, "if I can get eyes on, can you nail him with a 203!?"

"If you can mark him I'll bash him!", Ben replied.

"Girls! Give him covering fire!", I shouted as the machine gun started again, "James! Can you paint a target!?"

"Yeah!", James said, "I was honors in Art class!"

"Good answer", Nat said, "Eirren, Shannon, let's make that bastard put his head down! 3, 2, 1!"

The girls then cut loose in the general direction of the guy with the Lewis gun and succeeded in making him keep his head down for all of five seconds before a second animal opened up on them. My popping out from cover and taking a quick glance at the situation revealed a large brown bear with some sort of makeshift belt fed. Yelling at Eirren to duck, I leveled my shotgun and let a full salvo fly. I swear I hit that guy right in the face with all eight pellets and he still lived, but I wasn't actually sure. It was at this point I heard foot steps behind me. Racking another shell into my shotgun, I spun around, meeting a bald eagle with a very basic AR-15 with a 20 round magazine. He stood no chance, well within point blank range, the blast from my shotgun put a basketball sized hole straight through his chest and smeared the patio furniture with blood and entrails as well as shredded skin and feathers. The eagle slumped over and twitched for a moment before going still.

"Eyes up!", I shouted, "I just killed one! There may be more than what Nat saw!"

Just as my words tumbled past my teeth, I heard the Ford start, and felt my heart stop.

"Push them! Push them now!", Nat said, "we _can't_lose the Ford!"

At that point, the guy with the Lewis cut loose again and the sounds of his weapon closed in on us as the Ford pulled from the driveway.

"No! No, no, no, no, NO!", I shouted sprinting out through the hail of bullets, catching the guy with the Lewis about to hop into the back seat. The Ford began to skid to a stop as he raised his weapon to fire, but I was slightly faster on the draw, getting off the shell which mangled his weapon into scrap metal and his hands into bloody hamburger. He fell to the ground screaming while a third animal pulled the door closed and the Ford launched off, heading back towards Marshal. Ignoring the screaming pain in my muscles I threw the shotgun over my back and bolted straight for him. He reached down with his good hand to pull out his revolver, but before he could get it on target, I slammed into him with every single ounce of my 485 pounds and put him on his stomach. Before he could stand, I took the 1200 off my back, racked it and put it to the back of his head, turning it into a smear on the sand with a click of the trigger. Racking the shell out of the chamber, gasping for breath at the same time as my friends came running out, weapons trained at the Ford in the distance, silence fell over us as the sound of the diesel eventually disappeared.

I turned to face my family. We all exchanged looks, James looked like he was the most shocked of all. There was a long silence as the wind began to blow, looking in the distance, the sun was beginning to go down. Sighing, I put the shotgun over my shoulder.

"So....", Nat paused. She let her M4 fall to her side, taking off her helmet so she could look us all in the eyes, "what the hell do we do now?"