Apex

Chapter 11

•Asher•

The Syes had finally fallen asleep in a large field not far from our own camp. From what our scout told us, they hadn't be carrying any cages with them, but we couldn't be certain until we had a closer look.

In this jungle, they'd been easy to follow. The arrogant monsters hadn't bothered to try and be quiet. They were almost at the top of the food chain.

Almost.

It took a us a while to catch up, but gratefully we were able to make up time when they'd stopped for the night. By the time we caught up they were half asleep. We waited another hour after they'd stopped moving just to be sure.

No one needed to die tonight.

I caught movement to my right. Zoe signed to me expressively.

Will advance from other side of clearing, then circle back to you.

I signed back.

Understood. Let's go.

Zoe nodded and motioned to her group. The 4 of them started walking the perimeter to search the other Sye. I addressed my group.

No noise, no taking without approval, no touching either of them. We search for ten minutes and retreat. Understood?

The three men with me nodded. We pulled out our guns, ranging in models and sizes, and crept into the clearing. Our weapons didn't do much against the Syes, but a well-aimed bullet could occasionally slow them down. We all knew the reality. If we were caught, they'd end us easily.

The one closest to us slept on his side, breathing steadily. His socked feet faced us as we progressed through the waist high grasses. His pack was a few yards from his legs. I motioned for Kye and Owen and pointed tat the pack. They promptly changed their course.

We'd learned early on that the Syes had advanced senses. It made hiding from them increasingly difficult as more survivors joined us. Catching them by surprise in closed quarters was nearly impossible. That's why we had to develop a makeshift form of sign language for precisely these types of situations. It wasn't perfect, but too much whispering would only get us caught.

Other than the pack there was nothing to be found besides some discarded food wrappers and a pair of boots, all in ridiculous proportions. The things they carried were similar to ours, just several times bigger. That being the case, it was easy to figure out what was here and what wasn't, and a cage of captured humans certainly was not here. Disappointing, but not unexpected. I caught Hudson's eye.

Meet with Zoe's group and check their progress.

He nodded and broke away from us. To my left Marcus and Owen had managed to open the Sye's pack just enough for one of them to slip through. They better make it quick. I wanted us gone in five minutes.

Now on my own, I walked parallel to the Sye's legs. His red uniform was wrinkled and stained, but it identified him as one of their soldiers. I frowned, they usually travelled in groups and the other Sye looked nothing like a soldier. What was this one doing out here?

Near him was a lone container sitting upright in the grass. While their other supplies was haphazardly scattered around the area, something about this seemed deliberate. It was within reach of the Sye, making it a risk to further investigate. A feeling in my gut told me that it was worth taking the chance. Walking more slowly, I watched the Sye's face for any signs of disturbance. The rustling of the grass seemed loud even as I tried my best to move silently.

A few feet away from the container I noticed something sitting at the bottom of it slightly hidden by the tall grass. When I was in front of the container my breath caught.