The Pyramid Chronicles: Fortuna Guard (#2)

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Stalker

They were so close to being ready for the attack on Scorpion.

The upcoming week was packed. Several groups of altered were being sent on missions to fetch supplies for the Newmans and their team. As far as Eric knew, there was a rough plan in place, and the Newmans just needed to finish building a few pieces of equipment.

Today, he, Adam, and Summer would be picking up some fancy batteries from a manufacturer located in a forest up north. He and Adam had been there a couple of weeks earlier to pick up parts for the bomb.

Everyone had been on edge in the days since the fight at the warehouse. That, compounded with the Newmans' announcement that the equipment for the attack was nearly ready, had injected a heavy tension into the air.

One way or another, things were going to change soon.

"So, the manufacturer's located at the edge of Gamble Forest," Summer read off her phone. "It's pretty far north but still in California, so it shouldn't take more than half an hour to get there at our usual speed."

Eric nodded and glanced at Adam. "That sounds about right."

Sam, who was passing by on the way to another chopper, stopped. "Wait, what's the forest called?"

"Gamble Forest," Summer answered. Why?"

"Oh, that was in the news the other day!" Sam turned and waved to Veronica. "Didn't you send me that post about the forest, Veronica?"

Veronica walked over. She and Sam would be picking up medical supplies while Eric and the others were on their mission. "Oh, the one with the monster sighting?" she asked.

"Monster sighting?" Adam repeated.

"Are we sure it wasn't an alien?" Eric asked.

"People have been calling it a monster, a cryptid, and yeah some people are saying it's an alien." Veronica rested a hand on her hip. "It's mostly jokes, though. I don't think anyone actually believes the guy. He was wandering around the forest at night drunk."

Adam lifted an eyebrow. "Well, what exactly did he see?"

"He said a hairless pale creature with a lot of legs ran past him really fast. Too fast for him to get a good look."

"Adam and I didn't see anything weird when we were there," Eric said with a frown.

"Well, this was just the other day." Veronica shrugged. "But hey, if there is a monster running around, I'm sure you three can handle it."

Summer clasped her hands together. "Oh, I don't know. If there's a big scary monster, I might need someone to protect me."

Veronica rolled her eyes but couldn't stop a grin from crossing her face. "Just electrocute it, genius."

Eric managed a weak laugh, but he found Veronica's description of the creature unsettling. Maybe the guy had been drunk, but the details were too odd for him to brush off.

Veronica and Sam left to prep their chopper for takeoff, leaving Eric and the others to climb into theirs. Summer took the controls while Eric and Adam sat down by the open cockpit door.

Eric yawned. "I'm going to need a nap when we get back. I swear I woke up five times last night." He glanced at Adam. "How did you sleep?"

"Pretty well, actually." Adam sounded surprised.

"Lucky you." Eric laid on his back on the chopper's bench. "The closer we get to attacking Scorpion, the worse I sleep." The math didn't exactly bode well for his physical state.

The flight was uneventful. When they reached their destination, Summer brought the chopper down in a clearing next to the building.

The Newmans' contact met the three at the door and handed over a small box. "I have one more box for you, my coworker's just rounding up the last few batteries," the man said as Summer took it from his hands.