Pulse

FIFTY-FIVE

It started with a startled "What the?" then descended into horrified screams of "Oh my God" and "What the hell is that!" The Gen-Y security team engaging Knight had seen the scaly green creature writhing at the center of the room. The loudest screams came from those, who, like Knight, were on the far side of the lab. Getting back meant getting past the creature. And as it reared up not one, but three heads, everyone realized how difficult that might be.

Each head held serpentine yellow eyes, split down the middle by black diamond-shaped pupils. Sheets of flesh, like thick insect wings, extended from slits on the sides of its heads, where the skull met the neck — like gills… or possibly ears. Rows of small horns rose up from its snout and tailed back across its face, splitting into two rows that rose up over the perpetually furrowed eyes. Its greenish brown body was covered in reflective scales except on the underside of its neck and belly, where large, hard plates overlapped all the way up and under its many chins. Muscles rippled on its legs as they hefted the now horse-sized body off the floor. A stubby tail grew down to the floor and twitched like an agitated cat's. Last but not least, its four feet held four toes, all connected by thick, webbed flesh and bearing sharply curved talons. Once caught in the creature's grip, nothing would escape.

Knight stood, knowing that everyone was too distracted to fire a round in his direction. They stood in awe of the mythological monster. Reinhart realized what it was just as Knight did. "The Hydra," he said.

The creature stood on four legs and stretched its still lengthening necks toward the ceiling. It gurgled — fleshy — as though its vocal cords were still forming. As the wet sound escaped all three sharp-toothed mouths, the sound came together, loud and clear. It was like a combination of an ocean-liner horn blast and a peacock's blare. Both high-and l ow-pitched, with each head producing a unique sound. The vocalization was accentuated by a sharp rattling sound that came from its winglike ears as they vibrated madly, slapping against the thick necks. The shriek made Knight's hair stand on end. It also sprung Rein-hart into action.

The head of Gen-Y security drew his Metal Storm weapon, shouted "Kill it!" and began pulling the trigger. Knight ducked down, content to wait and watch while his enemies fought it out. If Gen-Y got the upper hand, he'd start dropping bodies. If the Hydra took control, he'd make a stealthy, and fast, exit.

Firing rapid, three-round bursts, the Gen-Y team riddled the Hydra with bullet holes. Chunks of flesh burst onto the walls, floors, and men's bodies. The water still rolling across the floor becoming red. The beast roared and twisted, flailing its tail. Computer terminals exploded from the impact. Desks shattered. Equipment flew across the room. One of the Gen-Y guards nearest Knight was caught in the face by a gene sequencer. The heavy metal unit compressed his skull upon impact. The man dropped his weapon. Knight snatched it up.

Bullets continued to pound the Hydra in a relentless assault. Then, one by one, the Gen-Y guards ran out of ammunition. Several hundred rounds had been fired, nearly all of them striking the large target. Silence filled the room as the men frantically reloaded.

Knight peered over the granite tabletop. The Hydra was bent inward, all its heads facing the floor. It shook. Blood oozed from hundreds of small holes and a few large ones. But despite the wounds, the body grew larger. Knight's eyes widened as the wounds began to heal.

The small wounds disappeared within seconds. The large ones began to fill in from the inside out. But the Hydra didn't wait for its body to become hale again before lashing out. Two of its heads snapped out like striking snakes, snagging men on either side of the room, pulling them screaming toward the ceiling and then smashing them down to the wet floor. Their screams cut short as powerful jaws opened and closed, peeling away chunks of flesh, bone, and organ and swallowing them whole.

Gunfire began to ring out again as the Gen-Y team tried to make their way back toward the exit. But it appeared the Hydra had no intention of letting any of them escape. It launched itself across the room, smashing one man against the wall and bashing another into the air with its tail. Seeing an opening, Knight ran for the exit side of the room, but a burst of gunfire sent him to the floor. He caught sight of Reinhart standing by the exit, aiming his weapon at him while the two remaining Gen-Y guards continued to pepper the Hydra with Metal Storm rounds.

Knight looked up as the two men ran out of ammo and fled out the doors. The Hydra roared at them as they left and as it did, Reinhart pulled a grenade pin and tossed it into one of the creature's open maws. He ran from the room, closing the doors behind him. Knight ran for the doors again. Being the only human being left living in the room, he wasn't concerned about being shot. He leaped over desks, rounded columns, and did his best to move quickly without getting too close to the Hydra. But it had other plans. One of the Hydra heads shot out toward him, snapping shut a moment too early. It missed clamping down on his arm, but managed to knock him to the floor.

Knight hit the floor, rolled back to his feet, and unloaded the Metal Storm weapon. He got off four three-round bursts, pegging the central Hydra head square between the eyes. The head reared up with an awful shriek. But the sound was cut short as an explosion in the head on the right blasted it clean off, halfway down its neck. Reinhart's grenade.

The Hydra staggered back, shrieking while its ears vibrated. Knight made for the door and slammed into them, gun at the ready in case Reinhart had stayed behind. But the doors were locked solid and sent Knight sprawling back to the floor. He stood quickly and began kicking the door. They weren't budging. He turned to face the Hydra. What he saw made him forget all about escaping for a moment. The severed neck was not only regenerating, it was splitting, like a cell dividing. The flesh stretched, split, and continued to grow two separate necks. The myth was true. As the nubs of two new heads began to form at the end of each new neck, Knight focused on the door again. He kicked at it, then fired his weapon at the lock. That proved just as fruitless. As he slammed a new clip into his non-Metal Storm handgun, Knight turned again to face the Hydra, and just in time. He dove to the side, narrowly avoiding one of the new heads striking out at him. The impact sent the door flying into the outer hallway. As the head pulled up and a second prepared to strike, Knight dove for the door. When the second head lunged at Knight, he twisted in the air, aimed, and fired a single shot. The head snapped crazily to the side as Knight's round smashed into its eye. Knight landed on his back, sliding to a stop on the floor. He moved to stand but a third head struck out for his legs.

The teeth snapped just short of his feet as he was pulled away from the door. It shrieked at him as the other heads still inside the lab joined in the rattling roar. Yanked to his feet, Knight found himself standing next to a wide-eyed and petrified Anna Beck. "Which way!"

"Follow me," she said, dashing through the hallway. He ran behind her, looking over his shoulder as three Hydra heads spilled into the hallway writhing back and forth. The floor shook as the creature slammed its large body into the door frame, tying to break free of the lab. The slamming continued as they rounded a series of corners and approached an elevator.

"Where's Reinhart?" he asked.

"Saw him head in the other direction when I came down. We're safe."

"I'll need to find him when we get topside. Ridley, too." Beck nodded.

The elevator chimed as the doors opened. Weapons raised. Fingers gripped triggers. But no one fired. King lowered his weapon. Bishop, too. Knight smiled. "'Bout damn time." A boom and roar echoed through the hallways. King's brow furrowed. "What… was that?"

Knight and Beck entered the elevator. "You remember the artifact recovered from the Nazcan desert?"

King cocked his head to the side, eyes widening. The Hydra.

"Yea, well, it got wet… and now it's pissed."

A corner wall burst into chunks of plaster as the four-headed Hydra slammed into the hallway. Heads searched in every direction. When one saw them standing in the elevator, side by side like sardines ripe for the eating, all four heads snapped in their direction and roared. The sound hit them like an explosion. Then the beast launched forward, bearing down on them.

Beck was already pushing the floor button, then she hammered the close door button. The doors began to close as Hydra closed the distance. They slid shut and the elevator began ascending. Elevator music replaced the Hydra's roar for a moment before a massive force struck the doors below them. The elevator shook and screeched but continued to rise. A second, but less powerful blow shook them again. Then silence and the music returned.

King turned to Beck. "Are there any other ways up?"

"Four stairwells." Knowing where King's questioning was leading, she added, "All big enough for the creature. I doubt it will be contained."

Knight slouched against the wall, out of breath. "And it can't be killed. King, it can heal faster than any regen, and its heads… the legends are true. If you take one off, two grow back. If we try to fight this thing on the ground it's going to make a quick meal out of us."

Bishop knelt down in front of Knight and drew his knife. He cut a small slice into his thumb and held it up for Knight to see. A drop of blood slipped away and fell to the floor. By the time it struck the wound was healed.

Beck saw this and moved away from Bishop. Knight just stared at the healed thumb.

"Leave the fight to me," Bishop said. "You could die, but I won't."

Knight looked at King, who said, "We have an agreement. If he loses control—"

"Shoot me in the head," Bishop finished. "It won't grow back."