The leader of the Skinwalkers picked up the body of the recently killed soldier and threw it at a French soldier, knocking over a group of them like bowling pins. She then picked up a table and hurled it at the British soldiers in front. Some people were pounced on and mauled on the spot. Screaming and pandemonium erupted as everything happened so fast. Chaos and panic surged throughout the room. It wasn't until the soldiers remembered they were carrying guns that they opened fire on the Skinwalkers.
Commander Connor stood at the forefront, barking orders to his troops. He tried to hastily organize an evacuation, but it failed as people trampled over each other. Some even pushed others out of the way, causing them to trip. At that moment, everything began to fall apart, including the lighting, which the Skinwalkers took full advantage of. Moving like shadows, they swiftly maneuvered through the dim, flickering lights, fading in and out of sight like phantoms. The rapid flashes of gunfire only added to the chaos.
"Open fire!" Connor yelled, his voice barely audible over the cacophony. Bullets ricocheted off the metallic walls, with some finding their mark in the agile attackers. However, this hardly stopped them. A few were hurt, but most kept going, the bullets either bouncing off or sinking harmlessly into their skin. Some bullets even ricocheted, hitting other people in the room. The shots were so ineffective that they might as well have brought flashlights.
Amidst the fray, the leader of the Skinwalkers, the yellow ghostly hollowed eyes locked on with Connor. With a swift, almost casual motion, it picked him up and hurled him across the room. Connor's body hit the wall with a sickening thud, and he slumped to the ground, incapacitated.
For the first time in a while, Jamie found himself frozen like a deer in the headlights, questioning whether what he was seeing was real. His body felt like it was being pricked by a thousand needles; he couldn't move or fully process what was happening. He just stood there helplessly, watching the horror unfold. The leader of the Skinwalkers sneered, "Well, he didn't last long. Years of training, and that's all it came to-thrown against the wall like a bitch." She turned and looked at Jamie. "I hope you're going to put up a much better fight. I didn't travel all this way for nothing.
Jamie was about to speak, but the first words that came out were desperate and frantic. "I need to transform, Koda! I need to, right now!" His voice was barely audible over the chaos. Blood-curdling screams echoed around them as civilians were dragged into the darkness, kicking and screaming. Soldiers were falling rapidly, their bodies hitting the floor with sickening thuds.
Jamie couldn't transform; the drugs from earlier were preventing him from doing so, leaving him as helpless as everyone else. He began to plead, "Koda, you need to shoot me in the head to restore my healing process. It's the only way to get rid of the drugs."
Koda yelled back, "We're not doing anything like that! The last thing you're going to do is transform!"
Panic spread even more like wildfire. A stampede erupted as people trampled each other in a frantic bid to escape, realizing the soldiers couldn't stop them. Amid the turmoil, the female Skinwalker sneered at Jamie, her eyes glinting with malice. "Go ahead and transform. It won't mean anything. You'll just die as a bastard wolf instead of a bastard man," she taunted, her steps slow and deliberate as she advanced. Her massive, elongated claws were covered in blood, and she licked them like she was sampling a tray of food. Then she added, "It doesn't matter to me how you die. The choice is yours.'"
Koda grabbed Jamie's arm, his grip tight with urgency. "Don't do it, Jamie. Trust me, you don't want the world to know!"
In one swift motion, Koda pulled out a pistol and shot the female Skinwalker in the eye. She let out a blood-curdling scream, clutching her face. "Damn you!" she roared, Koda took advantage of the moment and threw a flash grenade right at her. The explosion of light temporarily blinded her.
Luckily, at this moment, even more specialized units poured in, like a marching band of elite SWAT teams, all carrying much larger weapons than the usual soldiers. Some of them wielded weapons Jamie had never seen before. One of them, standing in the middle, shouted, "Concentrated fire on the big one!"
Koda grabbed Jamie and began to run as the room temporarily turned into a Fourth of July display, a massive barrage directed at the leader of the Skinwalkers. But many of the weapons had no effect on her whatsoever. She began to laugh. "Fine, you'll do for now," she said and rushed at the men as if she were on fire.
Reaching the door, Jamie glanced back at the woman Skinwalker tearing through the soldiers, her movements a blur of unnatural speed and ferocity. Without wasting another second, he began kicking at the door, but it wouldn't budge. "Come on, damn it!" he muttered between kicks. Seeing it was hopeless, Koda stepped up, pulled his gun, and fired at the glass. It shattered messily, and they both clambered through, scraping against the jagged edges. They hit the ground hard, knocking the wind out of them.
"This is a hell of a time to drug myself," Jamie groaned, pulling himself up.
Koda let out a breathless laugh. "Well, this is the finest door the U.S. could provide, so don't don't feel bad."
Stumbling into the next room, they spotted a group of people brawling over parachutes, their faces twisted with panic and desperation. Someone was dragged screaming across the floor by a skinwalker lurking in the shadows-only the Skinwalker's yellow eyes were visible, glowing like embers in the dim light.
Jamie watched the poor chef being dragged into the darkness, his screams fading as the Skinwalker pulled him further away. Jamie's instincts screamed at him to help. He took a step forward, but Koda grabbed his arm. "Damn it, you know you'd just get yourself killed!" Koda hissed.
Jamie clenched his teeth, muttering under his breath, "Fuck!"
Koda's eyes darted around the room until he spotted a parachute hanging from a hook nearby. "Come on, now! No use watching the man die-we have to go!" Koda urged.
Jamie shot Koda a look filled with hatred, his heart pounding with frustration and fear, but he knew Koda was right. He reluctantly turned away from the darkened hallway and followed him.
Jamie grabs the parachute off the wall next to a cluster of panicked people fighting over the dwindling supply. Elbows flew, and desperate hands clawed at the straps as everyone scrambled for a chance to survive. Nearby, a soldier in full gear lay motionless on the floor, his body still gripping a parachute. Jamie quickly pried it free from his lifeless fingers and threw it to Koda. They sprinted down a chaotic hallway that was now catching fire, ignited by one of the soldier's stray shots. The walls groaned under the strain, and the air was thick with smoke and the acrid smell of burning metal. "People on the ship already know, Koda! Let me do it!" Jamie shouted, his voice hoarse.
Across the hallway, the leader of the Skinwalkers bellowed, "Jamie, come on! Transform and let's have a little fun." Her voice was a taunt, dripping with dark amusement, as she watched the chaos unfold.
Jamie and Koda made it to an escape hatch, frantically trying to open the door, breaking the emergency seal, and preparing to make a jump. As the door swung open, a powerful rush of air flooded the room, knocking over papers, opening doors, and nearly sucking the two out.
In the midst of the chaos, Jamie heard a faint cry for help. It was the young French engineer he had seen earlier, a woman in her early twenties with brown hair, blue eyes, and an air of innocence. He saw the helplessness in her eyes as a Skinwalker, three times her size, grabbed her. The creature's sadistic voice grated on Jamie's ears. "I'm going to skin you and wear you when I'm done," it said, as if it had just discovered an exciting new t-shirt.
Koda grabbed Jamie's arm, his voice urgent. "Trust me, don't be a hero. You don't know what the hell you're going to unleash. Once she tells people what happened, it never ends well. Please, listen to me. Don't do it!"
Jamie felt the effects of the drug finally wearing off, his senses sharpening as he realized he could transform again. He fought tooth and nail to unleash the Beast within, his muscles straining with the effort, until he finally snapped.
"Fuck this!" he yelled. His eyes turned pitch black, and a strange, dark fire erupted around him, engulfing his body in an instant. The flames twisted and coiled, growing larger and more intense, forming a new, towering shape. As the fiery silhouette solidified into a monstrous, tangible form, the other Skinwalkers in the room froze, staring in stunned disbelief.
The black fire dissipated, revealing a towering werewolf. He stood over seven feet tall, covered in jet-black fur that glistened like obsidian in the dim light. His eyes, now a piercing yellow, glowed with a predatory intensity. His muzzle was elongated, resembling that of a true wolf, with an impressive array of razor-sharp teeth bared in a snarl. Massive claws tipped his powerful hands, and his muscular form. His fur was dense and sleek.
The werewolf's transformation complete, Jamie let out a thunderous roar that shook the walls.
The massive roar shattered windows and caused havoc throughout the ship, bringing most of the Skinwalkers to a halt. A sea of glowing eyes fixed on Jamie, their bodies elongated and slender, resembling horrific creatures with fleshy masks slowly peeling off. Light from the torn-open door flooded in, casting eerie shadows.
Despite their grotesque appearances, confusion was etched across their faces. One blurted out, "The sun's still out and he can transform?" Another hissed, "That's not possible! They can only transform at night!
This werewolf shouldn't be here right now." A third voice, dripping with malice, questioned, "The boss didn't say anything about this. Is she lying to us?" Their voices sounded like demons with severe smoking problems.
The Skinwalker holding the French mechanic lost interest in her altogether, dropping her carelessly. "I'll be back for you later, sweetie," he sneered. Jamie heard this and bolted like a burst of lightning. Before the Skinwalker knew it, Jamie pounced, ripping his jaw off in one swift motion. With a casual strength, he picked the creature up and tore him in half as easily as someone would rip a piece of bread.
Jamie stood over the remains, his towering wolf form radiating menace. "The look on your face right now is fear," he growled, his voice deep and commanding, a mixture of his own and something demonic. "This is what it's like to be mortal, to be hunted by monsters. In the next few minutes, you will understand what it's like to be human."
One of the Skinwalkers then yelled at the top of his lungs, "Everybody snap out of it! He's going to kill us all! Rush him!" Some were bigger than others, all wearing various versions of animal skins and even some human skins. They tried to tackle Jamie like he was a quarterback for the opposing football team.
Jamie quickly thought to himself, *Really? That simple of a strategy?*
He went to work, moving far faster than any of them. He kicked one in the knee, a creature resembling a humanoid form of a deer, then ripped off its antlers and stabbed another with them. Grabbing one, he hurled it two rooms across, smashing it through the steel frame of the wall. Despite their scratches and bites, Jamie fought back fiercely, using expert punches, kicks, and even managing to bite one in the throat, ripping it out. Though outnumbered, he still put up a hell of a fight.
Koda, still holding a parachute, ran over to the French mechanic who was huddled in a corner, trying to stay out of sight. "Do you speak English?" he asked urgently.
She shook her head. "Français," she replied.
Annoyed, Koda tried his best French. "Je besoin que tu mettes le parachute et qu'on saute." (I need you to put the parachute on and we're going to jump.) She looked at him in confusion, as if she had just heard a bad joke. Koda then gestured like a game of charades until she got the point. Fear began to grip her as she frantically began to say, "Non, je ne vais pas y aller!" (No, I'm not going!)
Jamie, still battling the other creatures, yelled out in French, "Fais-moi confiance, Koda est l'un des meilleurs sauteurs que je connaisse!" (Trust me, Koda is one of the best jumpers I know!)
In English, he repeated, "Trust me, Koda is one of the best jumpers I know!"
The French mechanic had a look on her face like she was going to regret this as she said in English, "Yes," as if it were the first time she had ever used the word. Koda grabbed her arm. "Come on," he urged. They ran towards the hatch, dodging bodies of both humans and Skinwalkers littering the floor. Smoke filled the ship, and debris and papers flew out the open hatch. They were less than ten feet from the exit when it slammed shut.
A Skinwalker, its legs torn off by Jamie, had closed it. The creature resembled a bear, but from its mouth, a human face with glowing eyes peered out. "You're not getting away that easy," it snarled. "You think I forgot about you? If I can't kill him, I'll kill you."
Koda pushed the woman behind him, muttering to himself, "Damn it, I don't have a weapon." He pulled out a grenade. "I have one, but I don't think it's going to work." As the creature continued to crawl towards them, its legs painting a trail of crimson, Koda heard the sound of a gun reloading.
"Get down!" a voice shouted. Instinctively, Koda grabbed the woman and dove to the side. Bullets tore through the Skinwalker, ricocheting around the room. One of the bullets hit Jamie in the leg, causing him to pause and exclaim, "Hey, I'm on your side!"
A Skinwalker without skin, its raw muscles and sinews exposed, laughed at Jamie's transformation. Without a second thought, Jamie turned and punched it hard, sending its teeth flying. Koda glanced back and spotted their savior-Talo-his rifle smoking and out of bullets. "I don't think that killed him. Do you have another parachute?" Talo asked, his voice tense. Then, a grin spread across Talo's face. "Well, the Great Spirit be damned! I never thought Jamie was a werewolf. I've known the bastard for two years, and I would have never guessed."
Koda muttered under his breath, "Shit."
Koda thought to himself, He must have seen Jamie transform. A chill ran through him as he realized what this could mean: I might have to kill him. I can't let him tell the world.
Koda looked over at the bear-skinned Skinwalker. Despite the numerous bullets that riddled its body, one arm still reached for them. Koda threw his parachute at Talo. "Borrow mine. Trust me, I'll stick the landing whether I want to or not."
It took Talo a second to understand. "You're also a werewolf, just like Jamie," Talo said out loud.
Talo said, "So why the hell aren't you joining him right now? I'm sorry, but your human form isn't really useful to us right now."
Koda replied, "I don't work like Jamie. He plays by different rules, so until nightfall, I'm about as human as you are. So let's just get the damn door open and get off this ship before it-"
Koda was interrupted by a yell of pain. Jamie was beginning to get overwhelmed, the bites and scratches turning him into a bloody mess. Talo pulled out a pistol and said, "I have to do something to help him."
Koda scolded him, "You'd just get in the way. Trust me, if there's one thing I can say about my nephew, it's that he's been through a hell of a lot more than this. He'll be fine."
Talo nervously agreed, "Yeah, let's just get this hatch open." The three of them grabbed the latch of the door and pulled, heaving with all their might until it was nearly open.
Suddenly, they heard a familiar voice, "Everyone, please be civilized for a moment." It was the female Skinwalker, the leader of them all. She had grown larger since the last time Jamie saw her, far bigger than any of the others, bigger than himself even. She now had no skin of her own, just a red, skinless body.
The Skinwalkers stopped fighting Jamie and slowly walked back to her. She held Commander Connor up with one hand, his body barely conscious. "I believe the commander would like to say something," she said, her voice dripping with sinister calm.
Connor coughed up blood, attempting to speak but failing on his first try. Finally, he managed, "I knew this was going to happen. It always happens to you, doesn't it, Jamie?"
Jamie, who had several visible wounds, bite marks, and scratches, was breathing heavily. "It's a curse," he replied. "I don't think I can escape it."
The leader of the Skinwalkers sneered, "Well, for once we agree on something. Now, would you mind telling me where the Ambassador went and the rest of the survivors? I don't have all day."
Talo whispered to Koda, "Let's get out of here."
Koda whispered back, "Not yet. Don't draw attention to us. I'll tell you when to open it."
Connor choked on his blood again and then said, "I've had enough of you all. I spent so long trying to convince the US and the rest of the world that we shouldn't use monsters... That's fine. I guess the only way to survive in this world is to become one. I'm going to have to kill you all and destroy the ship."
A deafening silence fell over the room before the Skinwalkers erupted into laughter. "Just how in the hell are you going to do that?" the leader Skinwalker mocked.
Connor pulled out a pen and clicked it. Beeps and flashes of red light sprang throughout the ship. He looked her in the eyes and said, "They all laughed at me when I said I wanted the ship to have a self-destruct mechanism with one click of a pen. They thought it was a waste of money. But the look on your faces is priceless."
Explosions ripped through the ship, causing it to shudder violently. The lights flickered as the ship began to tilt, turning upside down and plummeting toward the Earth. Chaos erupted; the skinwalker laughter turned into screams there filled the air, and the acrid smell of smoke and burning metal overwhelmed their senses.
The leader of the Skinwalkers, in a fit of rage, snapped Connor's neck, killing him instantly. The door to the escape hatch suddenly popped open, creating a powerful suction. Talo was immediately pulled towards it and out into the open sky, his screams fading quickly.
Jamie, thrown back by the force, grabbed a parachute that was falling right next to him. As he flew through the air, he temporarily reverted to his human form, surrounded by the eerie Blackfire. The French woman, nearly sucked out, clung desperately to the edge. Koda lunged, grabbing her arm just in time.
The ship tilted more sharply, causing tables, chairs, and other debris to flip and crash around them. A metal table narrowly missed them, smashing into the wall with a deafening clang. Papers and equipment flew everywhere.
Koda, holding the French woman tightly, glanced over at Jamie, who was still in human form. Their eyes locked. Seeing the exhaustion in Jamie's face, Koda called out, "Come on, kid, I know you have enough fire for one more ." He added a warm smile to his words, trying to encourage him.
Koda said, "Don't worry about finding a parachute for me. I'm just going to fall with style. Find the Ambassador and convince them that you're not just some scientific experiment.
Just then, a Skinwalker fell right next to them. This one had the rugged skin of a coyote, its sinewy muscles rippling under the patchy fur. It bore an uncanny resemblance to Jamie in his wolf form but had an unnatural, elongated stance that gave it a grotesque appearance. The Skinwalker snarled, its eyes burning with hatred.
"You're all going to pay for what you did! You killed my brother!" it roared, its voice a guttural blend of human and beast. As it spoke, its mouth began to grow and transform, rows of razor-sharp teeth emerging from its distended jaws.
Jamie tried to transform, but his energy was depleted. "I'm out of stamina," he panted, desperation creeping into his voice.
Koda's eyes flashed with determination. "When night falls, I'll come and find you." He grabbed a grenade and, with a swift motion, thrust his arm down the creature's horrific throat. The Skinwalker's eyes widened in shock.
Jamie shouted, "Shit!" and, without a moment's hesitation, grabbed the woman. Together, they plunged out of the ship. Jamie hears the grenade explosion on the way out.
As they fell from the burning ship, debris rained down around them, pieces of metal and flaming wreckage creating a deadly obstacle course. Jamie struggled with his parachute, pulling the cord repeatedly, but it wouldn't deploy. He cursed under his breath and dived towards the woman, her terrified screams piercing the chaos.
With a swift, practiced motion, he managed to get her parachute undone. The chute billowed open, jerking them both upward. Jamie dangled from her leg, desperately clinging on as the wind whipped past them.
From beneath them, a massive Skinwalker, seemingly several of them fused together, emerged from the smoke. It sprouted a massive pair of wings, each beat creating gusts that rocked them violently. The monstrous fusion lunged at them, its multiple mouths snarling and snapping.
Jamie looked the woman in the eye. "Ne pars pas, s'il te plaît," she pleaded. (Please don't go.)
"Ne t'inquiète pas pour moi, chérie, je vais bien," Jamie replied in French. (Don't worry about me, sweetheart. I'll be fine.)
He let go, launching himself at the creature. Mid-air, Jamie's transformation erupted in a blaze of black fire, enveloping him completely. His human form melted away, replaced by a towering, jet-black wolf. His claws extended with a deadly grace, fur bristling, and eyes glowing with fierce determination.
As Jamie collided with the Skinwalker, the impact was explosive. He sank his claws into the creature's grotesque form, ripping through its twisted flesh with savage fury. The Skinwalker's monstrous body convulsed and thrashed as Jamie shredded its wings, each swipe of his claws tearing through the layers of fused bodies. Blood and gore rained down in a horrific cascade, staining the air with a metallic stench. The Skinwalker howled in agonizing pain, its cries echoing through the dawn as its once fearsome form disintegrated under Jamie's relentless assault.
With the creature finally falling apart, Jamie glanced downward and saw himself plummeting towards the ground. The world seemed to blur around him, the fiery wreckage of the ship now a distant memory. His senses were sharp, but the sheer velocity of the fall intensified his fear. *You've hit the ground from higher heights than this, so why are you so scared?* he thought desperately.
As the ground rushed up to meet him, a realization struck him: humans are instinctively afraid of heights due to their vulnerability and mortality. *Maybe I'm more human than I thought,* he mused.
Jamie hit the ground hard, the brutal impact sending shockwaves through his body. The force was overwhelming, and everything went black.