The Lamia lifted one limb skyward, then brought it back to the ground.

  Erika paused.

  The Carnifex might be the most dangerous creature aboard the Ark, but the Lamia was a close second. The Lamia were aggressive creatures. They hunted and killed smaller animals for sport, and they constantly fought each other.

  The Lamia’s skin pulsed, but it made no more movement. The anesthesia did its job.

  Erika followed Luther through crushed foliage, toward a piece of equipment in the back. Luther unlocked the door with his keycard, and everyone spilled through.

  The room’s walls were full of mechanical equipment that Erika was unfamiliar with. She always knew the environmental controls were held within the enclosures, but never had a reason to investigate further. She didn’t think that even Luther ever stepped into the enclosure control rooms.

  Aymeric stepped up to a console and tapped away at it. His features scrunched together as he concentrated.

  “Do you need any help?” Luther asked.

  “I could use a back massage.” Aymeric navigated to a new screen. “I’ll let you know if you guys can do anything. For now, sit tight and eat a snack or something.”

  Erika busied herself by figuring out what the machines did. The metallic box with the rounded end was the air dispenser–air dispensers were a thing, right? And the large machine making a gurgling noise mixed particles so the enclosure was a close facsimile to the Tartarus air.

  You’ve been breathing that alien atmosphere just fine.

  Erika realized that the group had gone into the enclosure in their normal clothes instead of enviro-suits. The Tartarus air had low toxicity, from what the scientists gathered, so they wore enviro-suits when they had to travel to the planet. The air shouldn’t have caused any damage, long term or otherwise, but Luther erred on the side of caution when it came to topics like breathable air. The enclosure’s air was fine though, or at least didn’t immediately kill everyone. Erika logged that detail in her mind.

  “Okay, we’re good!” Aymeric beat his fist against the console.

  “What did you fix?” Luther asked.

  “The Lamia fucked up the main air shaft, so I shifted over to some aux lines; that should be fine for now.” Aymeric said.

  “Good thinking,” Luther said. “Let’s get out of here.”

  The scientists stepped out of the control room.

  The Lamia was still in a heap, as the scientists last saw it. The Lamia moved its limbs drunkenly, trying to plant them to the ground, but lacking the strength to succeed.

  Erika adjusted her spear grip. She didn’t plan to lunge at the Lamia, and she didn’t expect it to lunge at her, but Erika was never punished for being careful.

  Erika and the others hurried for the airlock.

  “Naoki, do you read me?” Luther said into his IRIS. “The enclosure should be back in working order. Please open the airlock now.”

  “I’m on it,” Naoki responded.

  The Lamia groaned.

  It found its footing on shaky limbs. It was six or seven meters away–too far to attack–but it was getting to its feet.

  And the airlock hadn’t opened yet.

  “How do I open the door?” Naoki asked.

  Oh. Those were not words Erika wanted to hear.

  “You have to disengage the locks, then press the button. My credentials should already be in the system, so you don’t need to input a password on the locks,” Luther said.

  “I have that done, but the doors aren’t opening,” Naoki said.

  The Lamia was on its feet.

  Erika stepped back. She figured that the creature wouldn’t have seen anyone yet. A second later, she remembered that the Lamia saw through its skin. If she could see the Lamia, it could see her.

  Erika’s chest tightened.

  “We need those doors open!” Aymeric snapped.

  “I know! I can’t get it!” Naoki shouted.

  “Are the passwords through?” Luther asked.

  “I think so, yes. I can press the button to unlock the doors, but they aren’t working.”

  The Lamia lurched toward the scientists.

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  Everyone held their spears ready.

  “Aymeric, is there a chance you unpowered the door?” Luther asked.

  “The door controls aren’t even linked to the environmental controls,” Aymeric hissed.

  The Lamia shot forward.

  Erika stabbed with her spear. Electricity arced across the Lamia’s skin. The creature slammed into the airlock doors.

  A limb shot out for Erika’s chest. She stumbled to the side, and whacked the limb with her spear. More electricity danced over the Lamia.

  This was when the alien would writhe around and lose its footing. The Lamia stayed on its feet.

  The shock spears worked well against the Lamia when the scientists captured it, so why didn’t they work now?

  The Lamia took another swipe at Erika. She held the spear up to block.

  The Lamia struck so hard the weapon shattered. Its limb continued, and smashed Erika in the chest. She was launched backwards, feet leaving the ground.

  The Lamia adapted to shocks.

  Erika stumbled to the ground. Her chest burned, but she didn’t think anything was broken.

  Luther rushed to Erika’s side and helped her up.

  “We can’t hurt it,” Erika mumbled.

  “We’ll get out. Aymeric’s found a way,” Luther said.

  The Lamia growled.

  Luther ran, pulling Erika with him.

  Aymeric was on the other side of the enclosure, where the Lamia had tore a hole. Aymeric squeezed through the opening.

  “Go!” Luther ordered.

  Erika slipped through the ragged metal. It bit at her exposed arms and tried to snag her shirt, but Erika made it through the gash.

  Luther came in next.

  The Lamia slammed against the wall and dented the metal. A limb slithered into the gash and wriggled around like an oversized maggot. It grabbed the edge of the metal and tore it back. The metal squealed as it came away.

  Erika was left exposed once again.

  She hurried further along the tunnel. Luther followed, then paused.

  “It’s going to keep attacking unless someone distracts it.” Luther was planning something. Erika knew it was bad, but she couldn’t figure out what the plan was.

  “I’m going to keep the Lamia busy. You and Aymeric escape,” Luther said.

  “I’m not leaving you–”

  Luther shoved Erika forward. Before Erika could protest, Luther slipped out of the hole and into the Lamia enclosure.

  Erika’s instinct was to follow.

  You don’t have a weapon. And what will Luther do if you pop out and try to help?

  Erika hurried through the tunnel, but she wasn’t giving up. The shock spears might have no effect on the Lamia, but something would slow the alien down. Erika was going to find that weapon and come back to help Luther.

  Hold on for me.

  ? ? ?

  Euphoria glided through Luther’s veins.

  The Lamia struck.

  And Luther wasn’t there. He moved faster than he should. He felt more alive than he should.

  “Luther, you’re still in there?” Naoki asked. “I’ll keep working on the door. And I’ll let you know when Erika and Aymeric are safe.”

  Luther had stepped into the enclosure believing he was on a suicide mission, but that feeling was long gone. He was going to win.

  The Lamia flicked its limb out.

  Luther sidestepped.

  A second limb screamed forward.

  Luther dropped to the ground. The Lamia’s attack cut the air above Luther’s head.

  He scrambled back to his feet, and kited the Lamia. The creature moved toward Luther, and away from the gash in the enclosure.

  That’s right, keep your focus on me.

  The Lamia lunged. Luther intercepted the attack with his shock spear.

  The weapon did nothing, and though Luther knew he couldn’t hurt the Lamia, he was still surprised. Shock spears should hurt.

  A second limb came out.

  Luther held his spear too high.

  The Lamia struck Luther in the arm, and he was sent spiraling to the ground.

  Luther’s arm throbbed with pain. The golden haze of euphoria snapped off.

  Luther was an old man with useless tools fighting a threat the human race had never seen before.

  Luther tried to pick himself up. Pain stabbed down his arm. Something was broken.

  The Lamia struck Luther across the chest. He went through the air and landed on his back.

  “Luther!” Naoki shouted over the radio.

  He picked himself up. His chest burned, too.

  The Lamia lurched to the now defenseless Luther. There was nowhere to flee.

  This is bullshit.

  Luther had kids and grandkids waiting for him at home. He needed to see them again.

  You made your decision though, haven’t you?

  Luther took a deep breath, and pushed the negative thoughts out of his head.

  Erika and Aymeric were good friends. If Luther had to die so they could be safe, he would gladly make that sacrifice.

  Luther stared at the Lamia. He took steady breaths.

  ? ? ?

  Erika caught up to Aymeric. Surprise darted across his face.

  “Luther’s still in the enclosure; we have to hurry,” Erika said.

  “Fuck, really?”

  Aymeric went further through the tunnel, and Erika kept up.

  She had already inventoried everything that could be used as a weapon, and so far, her best bet was the net gun. It didn’t rely on electrical damage, or chemical burns, or blunt force. Whatever the Lamia could shrug off, Erika doubted it could shrug off a net. At least, not quickly.

  Erika and Aymeric reached an access door. Aymeric shoved through it, and Erika hurried after. The two punched through a panel and found themselves back in the lab.

  Erika rushed in and snatched up the net gun in the corner.

  “Find anything else that can be a weapon!” Erika shouted while she ran for the enclosures.

  Naoki was still at the console. He furiously tapped at the screen, bringing up random menus and commands.

  The Lamia appeared in the observation glass. Luther was there, too. He stumbled toward the window. His arm jutted out at an awkward angle.

  “Naoki, open the door!” Erika screamed.

  “I still can’t,” Naoki said.

  Erika rushed to the console. Naoki had opened a billion useless windows. Erika pushed them aside, and tried to open the airlock doors. She waited for the telltale hiss of the doors, but nothing happened.

  Something thumped against the glass.

  It was Luther wrapped in the Lamia’s arm. His face was twisted in pain.

  Erika yelped and jumped back.

  “Oh my God.” Naoki covered his mouth.

  The arm yanked Luther back, then slammed him against the glass again.

  Something snapped.

  Luther shouted.

  The Lamia threw him to the ground.

  There’s still time.

  The Lamia slammed a limb down.

  A sickening crack.

  The Lamia lifted its limb. It came up with a string of bloody intestines stuck to the bottom.

  “Oh my God!” Naoki turned away.

  Erika stumbled back, and slammed into Naoki.

  The Lamia’s limb came down once more.

  Blood splattered against the window.