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Ratty counted four beasts.

One of the dogs had run in front, blocking the way and Ratty quickly ducked as it launched itself on powerful, muscular legs, teeth snapping angrily at empty air as it sailed over his head and crashed into a tree trunk, infuriating it more. Another shot rang out and Ratty saw Adam aiming the gun, his hand shaking as he pulled the trigger again, the shot going wide of the mark and splintering a branch. He had the guards machine gun slung over his shoulder, having refused to give it up to anyone else, especially Mat, which Ratty was grateful for.

To allow himself to fire the gun with both hands, Adam had dropped Mandy, and as though they smelled the blood, the pack of dogs circled around her like a tornado, whipping up leaves in their wake. Adam loosed off a couple more shots, and whether by luck or skill, he hit one of the dogs in the flank. The animal howled and pitched over, but it didn’t stop. It dragged itself on its front paws toward its quarry. It was relentless, but as it was moving considerably slower, Adam was able to fire another bullet into it, causing it to roll over and play dead.

While Adam concentrated on the animal he had shot, he didn’t notice one of the remaining three slink up behind him and launch itself at his back.

“Look out,” Ratty shouted.

But he was too late. The dog landed on top of Adam and knocked him to the ground, sending the pistol flying out of his hand. The animal’s powerful jaw clamped down on his shoulder, and Adam screamed, striking blindly at the beast.

“
Help
,” he shouted, his arms flailing uselessly as he rolled on the ground.

Adam’s screams seemed to incite the dogs more and the remaining two attacked.

Another shot rang out as Chase opened fire, cursing as she missed. Ratty watched her momentarily tilt the weapon, frown and then flick a switch on its side. When she next pulled the trigger, a stream of bullets arced through the air, the gun bucking in her hands. Two of the bullets hit one of the remaining dogs, smashing through its skull and spreading bone shards like mystic runes.

Jane gave an encouraging whoop of joy. “Go girl.”

The remaining loose dog changed direction and bounded off into the foliage. Chase sent a hail of bullets in after it. Adam was still shouting and cursing and Ratty ran over and started kicking the dog that was attacking him as hard as he could, but his efforts seemed ineffectual. A deep snarl emanated from the dog’s throat, but Ratty continued kicking it, joined by Chase until it eventually let go of Adam, leaving him writhing on the ground, his features scrunched up in agony.

The dog stood its ground, snarling, bloody saliva dripping from its maw. Chase raised the gun, and as if instinctual, the dog performed a standing leap, its powerful leg muscles powering it through the air and away into the trees.

Chase bent down. “Adam, are you okay?”

Between gasps of pain, Adam shook his head. “What do you think?” He sat up, his shoulder a bloody gash, the skin hanging in tattered strips like a grotesque zip had been pulled open to reveal the bone beneath.

“What the hell are they?” Jane asked, warily watching the trees.

From the foliage came the sound of growls and barks, although there was no way of pinpointing the source, as it seemed to be moving, circling.

“I think they’re taking stock, biding their time before they attack again,” Ratty said.

“Don’t talk stupid. Whatever they are, we scared them away,” Jane replied. “Or at least Annie Oakley here did.” She grinned at Chase like a proud parent.

Ratty shook his head. “We can’t scare them away. They aren’t scared of anything. Can’t you tell?”

“Then why did they run off?”

“Because they aren’t stupid. They saw what guns could do, so they’ll wait.”

“That’s ridiculous because that would mean they were intelligent.” Jane gave a derisory laugh, “And apart from fetching sticks, dogs are
not
intelligent.”

Shaking his head and ignoring the implied ridicule, Ratty said, “Didn’t you notice? They weren’t exactly poodles.”

“Don’t be stupid.”

“No, I think he’s right.” Chase placed a hand on
Ratty’s
shoulder. “I only wish I’d listened to what he’d said earlier.” She smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

Ratty blushed slightly and he noticed
Izzy
scowling. Was she jealous? He couldn’t believe it.
 

“Where’s Mat?” Chase asked, her expression turning anxious.

Ratty looked around. “He was here, wasn’t he?” He couldn’t actually remember the last time he had seen him.

“And where’s that pistol gone?” Jane asked, staring at the spot where Adam had dropped the gun.

Chase called his name, cupping her hands around her mouth, but there was no reply.

“I knew we should have locked him up,” Ratty whispered as darkness crept in to steal the last of the daylight.

***

“So what’s your excuse this time?” Moon asked as Drake stood arrogantly before him, unflinching and seemingly calm under Moon’s close scrutiny.

“The men you’ve hired are worse than useless.”

“So you’re saying that it’s my fault, is that it?”

“I’m saying that if you’d let me hire the team I wanted, then we wouldn’t have these problems.”

“And I thought you were a professional,” Moon spat.

“Have they escaped yet?”

“No, but I’m not taking any chances. They are now armed and dangerous which is why I’ve let the dogs out. They
cannot
be allowed to get away.”

“They won’t. But I thought you wanted the girl alive? The dogs can’t make that distinction.”

“When it comes to the security of the project, I’m afraid she’s as expendable as the rest of them. Like chess, you sometimes have to sacrifice pieces to win. We can always get more test subjects and carry on with what we’ve learned here, but if the project is unveiled, then that’s it. Our backers will leave us to carry the can, and I do not intend to carry anything. Do we understand each other?”

Drake nodded.

“Now gather up your merry band and good hunting.”

Drake strode out of the room, and after a moment of contemplation, Moon pressed the button on the intercom. “Miss Coombs, I think it’s time we prepared to shut up shop. Have my car ready will you, and put a call through to all the necessary parties. Tell them ...”

“Yes,” Miss Coombs prompted when Moon went silent.

“Tell them Project Evolution is a success.” He let go of the intercom button and leaned back in his chair. Wars were not won by the weak and in the back of his mind, an idea was taking shape. He looked at the framed photograph of his wife on the desk and nodded his head. He had to be strong. God had created man on the sixth day; it was up to Moon to correct the faults.

***

Chase shouted until she was hoarse. Where the hell had Mat gone? She couldn’t believe she had found him, only to lose him again so soon. She knew that because of the food, he was ill, changed, but she still hoped there was a cure, that Moon could correct whatever he had done. But deep down, she had her doubts. And even if he did have a cure, he wasn’t likely to administer it to people he was now trying to kill. Why else would he have released the dogs?

Mandy looked pale, the blood draining from her body and taking the colour with it. Adam was not much better. He kept shivering, though from shock or pain, Chase couldn’t tell. Even though she was cold herself, she had taken her jumper off and wrapped it around Adam who mumbled incoherently. Jane ministered to Mandy, rubbing her in an attempt to warm her up.

Ratty and
Izzy
sat huddled together, sharing body warmth. Chase envied them their bond. She ran a hand over her belly. She had tried not to think too much about the baby she was carrying because the more she thought about it, the more distressed she became. Was Drake right? Was she carrying a monster? Would it be born deformed? And could she love it if it was? The questions she pondered only led to more questions, and she didn’t have the answers. She had always intended to have a family one day, but not like this. But she knew there was another option. But could she take it? Could she have a termination? What if there was nothing wrong with the baby and she had gotten rid of it. Then she would be no better than a murderer, and hadn’t she told Moon that she couldn’t kill.

“We can’t just sit here,” Ratty piped up, bringing Chase out of her reverie.

As though in response, one of the mutated dogs howled from somewhere close by. The sound sent a chill down Chase’s spine. She gripped the gun tightly, her knuckles going white.
  

“He’s right, Chase,” Jane said.

But what could they do? They had two wounded people to consider and it didn’t look as though Mandy could go any further. Her life was ebbing away, the sands of time almost run dry. But Chase couldn’t just leave her to die. Not like this. Not out here in the middle of nowhere on her own. Especially not after she had inadvertently saved Chase’s life when Eric had attacked her in the lane. Chase knew Mandy had been under the influence of the change at the time, but she had still saved her. That counted for something more than being left to die on her own.

Adam was also a problem. Although he was in a sort of comatose state, he wouldn’t let go of the machine-gun he had taken from the guard. He seemed to hold onto it with a religious zeal, as though it was the Holy Grail and no one else was allowed to touch it.

But Ratty and Jane were right. They couldn’t stay here. With the advent of nightfall, noises were amplified and distorted, the dogs howls, barks, whines and growls given a hollow, soulless inflection as they circled their prey.

Chase knew that before they went anywhere, she had to get rid of the immediate threat.

“What are you doing?” Ratty asked as Chase opened the tobacco tin.

“Going fishing.”

CHAPTER 31

As the moon came out from behind a cloud, the clearing was bathed in luminescence. A breeze tickled the surrounding foliage, causing rustling, papery laughter.

Chase stood in the centre of the clearing, scanning the shadows. She flinched at every sound. Every movement. Separating herself from the group, she had made herself more vulnerable and she had never felt so exposed in her life. Her heart did a little fandango as an owl hooted somewhere above her, its wings sweeping the night air with little
whumps
. Further overhead the lights of an aircraft gave a conspiratorial wink, the roar of the engines sounding like a distant roll of thunder. Chase gave a tremulous shudder as something brushed through the undergrowth, the foliage sighing in response. A twig snapped like a wishbone; but Chase only had one wish, and that was to be far away from the nightmare in which she was embroiled, perhaps on the aircraft overhead, flying to a tropical destination where she could laze on a beach. She tried to imagine being up there now, looking down on the fog-shrouded village as she flew toward her destination. Would it look like a cloud fell to earth, a gossamer sheet beneath which the land slept in eternal slumber? Or would it look like a malevolent cloud of gas, a poisonous blot on the landscape?

Without her jumper, she shivered. But it wasn’t just because of the chill breeze. The things brushing through the undergrowth chilled her more than the climatic conditions. She knew they were stalking her, watching her, smelling her scent, tasting her on their tongues in anticipation of the kill – how she wished to be on that aircraft and not here, prey to the beast.