Chapter 1550
[ 676 words ]
He had also managed to drive his tactical blade into the creature, buying him the necessary second to escape.
“That thing is an apex predator. It hunts humans, and its lethality parameter is off the charts.”
Jace wasn’t easily rattled, but he recognized a genuine threat when he fought one.
“The pool is isolated deep within the restricted zone. It doesn’t pose an immediate threat to civilian populations. Honestly, unless absolutely necessary, I strongly advise against engaging it.”
As for the soldier it had killed? What were they supposed to do?
Launch a full-scale assault just to execute a fish?
The only viable tactical options were dropping high-explosives into the cavern or draining the aquifer entirely.
In the water, the beast was practically unstoppable.
But if you removed the water, it was just a bizarrely mutated, suffocating fish flopping on the rocks.
“That’s a negative. If we are establishing a permanent forward operating base here, an apex predator in the water supply is an unacceptable liability,” Colonel Harrison countered, his mind set on securing the perimeter.
“That’s your call. My team won’t be involved in the extermination protocol,” Jace replied flatly.
He was merely providing a professional threat assessment.
The military had plenty of specialized kill-teams perfectly capable of neutralizing a localized aquatic threat.
“I was actually hoping we could rely on your expertise again, Jace.” Harrison had heard Miller’s men raving about Jace’s terrifying combat efficiency.
He genuinely wanted to recruit Jace for the kill-team, but quickly swallowed the request.
Jace wasn’t a soldier; he was a private security asset bound to a VIP. The military had zero jurisdiction over him.
Furthermore, Jace had already risked his life pulling one of their men from the water. Asking him to dive back into the meat grinder was entirely out of line.
Seeing Jace’s cold detachment, it was obvious he had zero interest in hunting the creature.
Harrison dropped the subject, and Jace inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
He had absolutely no desire to go back into that black water.
The entire pool radiated a sickening, unnatural aura. Even the water felt inherently wrong.
Sensing Jace’s unease, Claire offered a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Jace. If the military decides to neutralize it, they have enough ordnance to glass the pool. They won’t send divers into a suicide trap.”
Her words snapped Harrison back to reality.
She was right. There were a dozen ways to exterminate the beast without risking another diver’s life.
He had been thinking too narrowly.
There was also the matter of recovering the remains of the young soldier who had been dragged under.
They owed it to his family to bring him home.
Since Claire and Dane had only
tagged along to harvest botanicals, and the military was now
entrenched waiting for
Millers
logistics convoy, their mission was
complete.
Claire’s unit prepared to extract.
Refusing to let them navigate the hostile terrain alone, Harrison dispatched a heavily
armed escort squad to guide them out.
Despite a few minor skirmishes with
the environment, Claire’s team
successfully broke through the treeline and exited The Alla
Highlands.
The brutal expedition had lasted five days, and the physical toll was obvious. Claire had lost weight.
Dane looked equally exhausted, his usual polished edge worn down by the elements.
They set up a staging point at a small border town on the outskirts of the mountain range to sleep.
Because The Aila Highlands attracted extreme trekkers, the local economy was decent, and the accommodations were surprisingly modern.
However, a massive logistical hurdle presented itself at the front desk.
It was peak tourist season, and the hotel was completely booked.
They only managed to secure three rooms.
~
Elias Sterling had already parted ways with them, highly satisfied with
his ow
botanical harvest. Before
leaving, he and Claire had
exchanged contact info
He desperately wanted to maintain a dialogue with her once they were all back in Cabinda.
He viewed her as a peerless medical mind and wanted to debate advanced surgical theory.
Claire found Elias entirely tolerable and hadn’t shot him down.
Unlike the disgraced Sloane Sterling, Elias was the true prodigy of the Sterling dynasty.
His character was flawless, and discussing medical science with a man of his caliber required zero political maneuvering.
Now, all Claire had to do was survive one night in this crowded hotel before catching
a flight back to Cabinda.
If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.