Surviving Demon Island Part 8

'Nance, stay here with Lou as guard,' Derek said to one of his men, then turned back to Lou as he buckled on his ammo belt and grabbed his eyeshades. 'Lou, you gotta tell them. You can't let them go on thinking this is a game.'

'I'll handle it,' Lou said, studying the laptop. 'I've already closed the signal to the new people and alerted our hunters out there.'

's.h.i.+t, our hunters have no weapons.' What a G.o.dd.a.m.n disaster. Derek glanced over Lou's shoulder. Imagery was showing the locations of the team and their own demons. So far no sign of anything else. 'Where are they? Nothing's showing up on imagery.'

'I don't know. But I'll signal you. Get going.'

'I'm already gone.' Six others followed as he hightailed it into the jungle, his heart racing madly.

What the h.e.l.l were they doing here? How had they found this location, and more importantly, how had they gotten here without Lou knowing?

'Okay, hunters. We've gotta move our a.s.ses and get to these people before the demons do.'

Now they were talking actual life and death, and if Derek and his team didn't get to the others in a hurry Game over.

Something wasn't right. Gina had gotten in two more kills, and after that the demons had justdisappeared. No matter how deep in the a.s.signed area she searched, she couldn't find them.

'Anyone see anything?'

'No,' Shay replied. 'It's gone dead quiet. Are we out of time or something?'

'I didn't hear Derek call time,' Jake answered.

Gina looked at her watch. No, they still had twenty minutes left. 'We're not done yet. Wonder what's going on? Derek, can you hear me?'

No answer.

'Derek, this is Gina. We've got nothing going on out here.'

Again, no reply.

'I don't like this,' Ryder said.

'Ditto,' Trace shot back.

An eerie sense of foreboding crawled over Gina's skin, making goose b.u.mps pop out despite the overwhelming heat of the night. 'I think we all need to meet up and head back to base,' she suggested.

'Good idea,' Ryder said.

'This is Lou. I need you all to remain calm.'

Finally! 'Lou, what's going on?'

'We have a problem. A big one. I need you all to stay quiet, meet up with the men a.s.signed as demons, and follow them back to camp as quickly as you can.'

Gina frowned and kept walking, following the lighted torches and marked tape. 'What kind of problem?'

Suddenly, there was a demon in front of her. She gasped and raised her gun, which he grabbed away from her. She was about to object when he lifted his finger to his mouth. 'Shhh, this isn't a game anymore and you're talking way too loud.'

Okay, what the h.e.l.l was going on? He lifted his sensor mask off, his hair spiked out all over and his expression ominous. He stepped closer and whispered, 'We need to get back to camp ASAP. So just shut up, stay close, and follow me. Lou will explain when we get back.'

Now she was really feeling wonky. Was this part of the game?

'I've got Bliss, Derek,' he said into his mic. 'Heading toward base now.'

Why wasn't she getting this conversation in her headset? 'Can you please tell me what's going on?'

'We'll fill you in when we get back. G.o.ddammit, I wish I had a weapon.' He cast a worried look to the camera guy standing next to Gina.

A weapon? What did he need a weapon for? Just then a flash of light blinded her as the camera turned directly in her face. She pulled off her night-vision goggles. 'What is that camera doing in my face?'

As soon as she said it, the camera dropped to the ground. She heard it shatter and everything went black. A high-pitched scream rent the air next to her. Something warm splattered across the right side of her face and arm, but in the darkness she couldn't make it out.

's.h.i.+t,' the demon guy said. 'Get down, Gina, now!'

He shoved her, hard, and she went flying several feet, her goggles and weapon flinging from her hands. When she hit the ground, instinct drove her to her belly and she put her hands over her head, expecting gunshots or explosions.

Instead, she heard noises. A grunt, a thud, scuffling around her, leaves and twigs snapping as if something was being dragged.

Then, nothing.

'h.e.l.lo?' she whispered, almost afraid to speak.

No response.

'Anyone there?'

Again, nothing.

Dammit, where did her goggles go? It was pitch-black and she couldn't see a d.a.m.n thing. Where was everybody? Her headset was gone, too. Great. No way to even contact anyone.

Dead silence. Okay, this was not not good. And she was almost afraid to move. Something had just happened around her, there was wet stuff on her face and she didn't know what it was, and the two guys who'd been with her a few seconds ago were now gone. good. And she was almost afraid to move. Something had just happened around her, there was wet stuff on her face and she didn't know what it was, and the two guys who'd been with her a few seconds ago were now gone.

But the quiet maybe meant whatever bad thing was around had now left. Or at least wasn't standing right next to her. G.o.ddammit, where was Derek? She couldn't very well lie there on the ground frozen with fear all night, and she wasn't about to hope someone was going to come out there and find her. Especially if it was the wrong someone.

Rising up on her haunches, she felt around the ground near her feet in search of her goggles or headset. No such luck, considering the guy had pushed her so hard. Now she was alone and blind as a bat. She couldn't even see the torches or the glow-in-the-dark tape marking the playing field.

She was lost. Alone and lost. With something really bad happening. She stood and looked around, hoping for a sign, a light, something that would give her a direction.

Nothing.

Pus.h.i.+ng fear and frustration to the back of her mind, she focused on what she needed to do. If she chose a direction and started walking, she could end up heading miles in the wrong direction, or walk right into whatever mess she was trying to avoid.

No. Common sense told her to stay put before she ended up hopelessly lost. She couldn't be that far from the main path. Eventually someone would come along and find her, or she'd see lights or hear noises from Derek or one of the others.

She'd just stand here. In this spot. And not move at all. She wrapped her arms around herself, chilled despite the oppressive heat.

Dammit, she was scared. And Gina was never, ever scared. Even the normal jungle sounds of bugs chirping and birds squawking had gone quiet. It was as if she was suspended in some kind of time warp, and she was isolated.

Maybe she was the only person left alive. Maybe some thing horrible had happened and she'd been the only one to escape.

And maybe you watch too many movies, Gina.

G.o.d, the things her mind could conjure.

She stared out into the darkness, turning herself around in a circle over and over again until she got dizzy and made herself stop. But dammit, she was afraid of something coming up behind her and grabbing her.

Wonderful. She'd just given herself a wicked case of the heebie-jeebies.

How long had she been out here?

Her watch! She scrambled to push the b.u.t.ton, illuminating the numbers on her watch. It wasn't enough light to guide her, but at least she had something to look at be sides utter blackness. It was ten minutes past the time the game would have ended, so she'd been standing out there roughly a half hour. It seemed a lot longer.

Where was everyone?

Somebody please come get me. Memories washed over her of another night spent alone in the dark. Years ago, the night her mother disappeared. She tried to block them out, to forget, but there they were, as fresh and as painful as they'd been twenty years ago. Memories washed over her of another night spent alone in the dark. Years ago, the night her mother disappeared. She tried to block them out, to forget, but there they were, as fresh and as painful as they'd been twenty years ago.

She'd been only eight years old at the time, and when she woke up thirsty in the middle of the night and went in search of her mother, she was gone. Not in her bed, or in the bathroom or kitchen. Nowhere. She'd panicked, not knowing what to do, with no one to call, and had ended up huddled in her mother's bed with the covers tucked to her chin. Every creak in the old house was a monster coming to get her. She waited all through the night, shaking and crying, hoping and praying her mother had just run to the store or something. She'd be back. She wouldn't just up and leave like that. Not without taking Gina with her.

She'd never seen her mother again.

Now the darkness closed in on her, that same clawing fear surrounding her. But this time she wasn't eight years old, and she refused to give in to the terror. She straightened her shoulders and reminded herself she was a grown woman now. A strong woman. Not an abandoned child.

They would come for her. Someone would come for her this time.

Then she heard it. Footsteps crunching on leaves. To her left. Hope warred with abject terror. Was it a good guy or a bad guy? She didn't know whether to call out or hold a deathly silence.

'I thought I'd never find you out here.'

She didn't recognize the voice. G.o.d, she could hear her own heart pounding in her ears. Could he hear it, too?

'Are you okay? Louis sent me.'

Exhaling, she said, 'Yes! Oh my G.o.d, I thought you'd never find me.' She stepped toward the voice in the darkness.

'It's okay. I'm here now. You're safe. Come with me.'

'Where's your light? Your weapon? How can you see out here?'

'Great night vision,' he said, moving in close enough now that she could make out his features. Tall, well built, with a nearly shaved head and pale blue eyes, he smiled at her, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. They were almost vacant. Weird as h.e.l.l. Maybe it was just the shock.

'Take my hand and I'll get you out of here,' he said.

She slipped her hand in his, then jerked it back. G.o.dd.a.m.n. His hand was ice cold. She s.h.i.+vered, her entire body freezing.

No. Something wasn't right. She backed up a few steps.

'Come with me,' he said again.

She shook her head. Her gut instinct told her this wasn't one of the good guys.

His smile died and he frowned. 'You're supposed to come with me. Now. I won't hurt you if you cooperate.'

Oh, s.h.i.+t. He definitely wasn't one of the good guys.

'Get away from her, you sonofab.i.t.c.h.'

She whirled around at the sound of a familiar voice. Derek's. He hit her with a flashlight, illuminating the area around him. Tears filled her eyes and she choked back a sob. Without even thinking of the man behind her, she sprinted over to Derek. As dark as it was, he was wearing wraparound sungla.s.ses. And sporting one h.e.l.l of a futuristic-looking kick-a.s.s weapon in his hand. She'd never been happier to see anyone in her entire life. She wanted to throw her arms around him and hug him, but he hadn't yet taken his eyes off the guy.

'Do you know how many of us are here?' the blue-eyed man asked. 'The Realm doesn't have a chance.'

'Neither do you, a.s.shole.' Derek glanced at Gina. 'Get behind me, turn around, and cover your eyes. Don't ask questions.'

She wasn't going to. Not now, anyway. She hurried behind him, crouched down, and covered her eyes. In an instant a flash of intense light surrounded her and she heard a loud wailing groan, then a horrible sizzling sound, followed by the acrid smell of burning flesh.

Oh, G.o.d, what the h.e.l.l was going on?

'You can open your eyes now, Gina.'

Almost afraid to look but too curious not to, she removed her hands and stood, peering around Derek's shoulder.

There, in front of him, where the blue-eyed man had once stood, was a melted pile of flesh and bone.

She moved to Derek's side and saw a white trail of smoke coming from that strange-looking weapon in Derek's arms.

Holy h.e.l.l, Derek had incinerated him!

Chapter Seven.

D erek knew the expression of shock. Gina's eyes went huge, and even with his night-vision shades he could see her face whiten and realized she was going to drop. She was no sissy, but the scene before her was hard for even the strongest stomach to take. erek knew the expression of shock. Gina's eyes went huge, and even with his night-vision shades he could see her face whiten and realized she was going to drop. She was no sissy, but the scene before her was hard for even the strongest stomach to take.

'Oh, s.h.i.+t,' she whispered, her gaze riveted on the melted remains of the demon. 'Oh, s.h.i.+t.' She turned to him and grabbed his arm. 'One of your demon dudes!he was with me, along with the camera guy. Then everything went black. I heard scuffling, and it went quiet. I couldn't find either of them after that.'

That explained the dark spots on her face: blood. Which didn't bode well for either of his men, dammit.

When she started weaving, he tossed the laser over his right shoulder and slid his arm around her waist. 'Hang in there, baby, it's okay.'

'It's not okay,' she said, her voice shaky as she stared at the blob on the ground. 'Is that the guy?'

'Yeah. Only it's not a guy. Or it wasn't a guy. Not a human guy, anyway.'