I squinted. "Where?"
"I …" Graham craned his neck. "I could've sworn I saw something."
I frowned. "Fenrir?"
"Maybe."
I studied the opposite shore. "What is Fenrir?" I asked Baxter.
"I don't know," he replied. "But it's definitely not of this world."
I arched an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"
"Look at the evidence. This place was abandoned decades ago. What kind of animal survives that long? And where does it get food? A beast of its size can't live off fungi alone."
The sound of banging metal brought me back to reality. Turning around, I stared uneasily at the sloping tunnel. "That door won't hold them forever."
Beverly hurried back to the lower door. She swung it shut and bolted it. "It looks like we've got two choices. The vault or the tunnel."
"We can't keep running," I said. "Sooner or later, we're going to run out of room."
"Maybe not. You saw the barricade up there. Fenrir never broke through it. And yet, it still managed to get outside."
I nodded slowly. "You're right. There must be another exit."
I directed my beam to the side. Iron cages of all shapes and sizes were stacked against the near wall. Some of their gates hung from broken hinges. Other gates lay on the ground. Still others had been ripped into multiple pieces.
Beverly swallowed. "Animal testing?"
"Sure looks that way," I replied. "The Nazis must've used them as extra test subjects."
"So, it wasn't just Fenrir that escaped." Graham stroked his jaw. "The Nazis fled. The animals gave chase. At least one of the Nazis escaped. He ran to the grotto and bolted the door. Then he stacked up the furniture to keep the animals from breaking it down."
"I wonder what happened to him."
"I'm betting he's the dead soldier we found at the gas chamber," Graham said. "Fenrir escaped via the back route and tracked him down. Killed him and all the others too."
I glanced at Baxter. "You know, this might explain the food question. After the animals escaped, they took up residence here. They formed their own ecosystem."
"Maybe," he said. "But that still doesn't explain Fenrir's size and strength. I'm telling you it's not like other animals."
Metal smashed against metal. The sound echoed through the cavern.
"Come on," I said. "This way."
I turned toward the long passage. Then I stopped.
Those eyes …
The red eyes emerged from the darkness. A cloak of mist surrounded its face but I could make out other details. I saw its silhouette. Its slinky body. Its long, powerful muscles. Its thick matted hair. It was Fenrir.
And it was hungry.
Chapter 85
The massive beast coiled up its body and bared its teeth. Drool dripped from its jaw. Foam bubbled up at the corners of its mouth.
I grabbed my machete. The beast leapt at me. I didn't have time to swing my blade. So, I threw my arms in front of my face, hoping to ward it off.
Three quick blasts reverberated in the cavern. The air zinged. I heard multiple thudding noises.
The beast faltered in mid-air. One second later, it crashed to the ground just inches from my boots. It shuddered a few times. Then it went still.
I breathed softly through my mouth. "Nice shooting."
Baxter kept his pistol aimed at the beast. His right eye twitched rapidly. "Is it dead?"
I crouched down. The beast lay on its side, with its head facing away from me. It was difficult to see, even with my flashlight beam. The heavy layer of snow stuck to its fur didn't help. "It's not moving."
"That doesn't mean anything."
Holding my breath, I crept toward the beast. I passed around to the other side, keeping a safe distance from it. I worked my way around its hind legs. Its chin was tucked into its body so I couldn't see its face. I was forced to move closer.
My breaths came short and fast. A little bit of its face came into view. I extended my machete. Carefully, I used the blade to lift the creature's head off the ground. "Where'd you shoot it?"
"The head," Baxter replied. "Three times."
"Are you sure? Because I don't see any …" My heart froze as the beast's eyes opened wide. "… bullet holes."
The beast lunged at me. Its jaws snapped at my hand.
I reeled backward.
Its teeth latched onto my blade. They ripped the machete out of my fingers. Moments later, it clattered against the floor.
"Shoot it," Graham yelled.
Bullets crisscrossed the air.
The beast grunted.
I twisted around. My beam illuminated the metallic blade. I scrambled across the floor and scooped it up.
Claws clicked swiftly against the rock.
I whirled around. The beast was almost on top of me. I smelled its wet fur. Its breath reeked of blood and grease.
It lunged at me.
I rolled to the side.
Its paw ripped into my parka. The beast tried to slow itself, but its claws slipped on the concrete. It slid to the side and crashed into one of the broken cages.
I ran to the beast. Plunged my machete into its fur. My hand kicked backward. Shockwaves shot through my body.
Its hide is like armor. No wonder the bullets didn't hurt it.
The beast lifted its head. Its red eyes stared right through me.
Baxter darted forward. He swung his gun like a club.
The air cracked. The beast recoiled a few inches. Then it shook its head. A low-pitched growl escaped its mouth.
"Aw hell." Baxter winced. "I think I just made it mad."
The beast veered to the side. Its huge body smashed into him. Baxter sank to a knee and clutched at his stomach, gasping for air.
A plan formed in my brain. "Run Pat."
Baxter scrambled forward.
The beast tried to run after him. But its paws slipped on the floor.
I ran to the cages. Grabbed one of the broken iron gates. Straining my back, I hefted it into the air. "Lead it back this way."
The beast's paws caught hold of the rock. It raced forward.
I climbed onto a cage. Then I placed my left foot onto a second cage, straddling the gap between them.
Baxter increased his speed and turned in a wide circle, narrowly skirting the edge of the lake.
So did the beast.
My gaze shifted from Baxter to the beast and back to Baxter again. "Faster," I shouted.
He dove through the gap.
I dropped the gate.
The beast smacked into the iron bars. The gate shifted backward, colliding against the cages.
I leapt to the floor.
The beast weaved away. It shook its head a few times. Then it growled again.
This thing's unstoppable.
Pistol in hand, Baxter strode forward.
"Get back, Pat," Graham shouted.
"Someone's got to stop it," he said through gritted teeth.
"Are you crazy? What about Liza?"
Baxter hesitated, but only for a second. Then he rushed forward.
The beast opened its jaws.
Baxter ran right up to it. Shoved his pistol under its throat. A loud bang rang out.
Blood rushed from the beast's jaw. It toppled backward and crashed into the lake. Its paws paddled at the water for a moment. Then it sank beneath the surface.
Graham took a deep breath. "Is it …?"
"I think so," I said.
Baxter keeled over and dropped to his knees. I ran to his side. His shirt had big teeth marks in it. So did his stomach.
"Pat?" I exhaled softly. "Are you okay?"
Baxter lay perfectly still. Then sweat started to bead up on his forehead. It gathered into tiny pools and ran down his cheeks like waterfalls.
Abruptly, he recoiled. His body twisted. His head swung violently to the side. Then he went still again.