Lana blushed slightly. “Thanks. My mind sometimes likes to take trips on its own and it sometimes comes up with strange ideas. Especially when I’m trying not to think about monsters jumping at me out of every shadow we pass.”

“Well, you can ease up,” Nori said, pointing at an old, two-floor stone structure in the distance. “We’re nearly there.”

“The county library?” Lana frowned. “Are you sure that’s Bulco’s hideout?”

“Yes. I overheard a couple of his guys mentioning the place when …” her face clouded. “When they dragged a man out of a shelter I was staying in.”

Lana swallowed hard. “Maybe we should reconsider our plans?”

Nori shook her head. “No, there, look - see those tire marks - they drove the Hummer straight through the main entrance.” She took a step forward, and Nathan let out a shriek.

Without them noticing, a winged Warped the size of a pony swept down from the sky, diving straight at the young man.

“Nathan!” Lana screamed.

The young man cried in fear and his hands flew up instinctively to protect his face. The bird-like monster’s sharp talons sliced up his thigh and its beak snapped forward, locking onto his shoulder.

Nori lifted her weapon but realized she would be risking hitting Nathan. So she dropped the Disruptor, jumped, and grasped the bird-Warped from behind. The monster thrashed and let out a high-pitched screech. It let go of the wounded man and tried turning on the woman who was hanging on its back. Nori grabbed the thing’s neck with all her strength, trying to keep the snapping beak from reaching her face. The monster shook violently, flapping its wings and nearly managing to tear the unintentional rider off its back. In desperation, the woman let go with one hand and grabbed at a wing. She pulled, putting her entire body into the motion with her legs straining to provide leverage. The exoskeleton’s mellow hum rose to a metallic screech and, little by little, the giant wing gave out. With a tremendous effort, Nori pulled, tearing away the flapping limb completely. The Warped screamed in pain and fell to its side, thrashing against the floor.

Nori let go, arched backward and kicked out, and propelled herself backward. One of her hands touched the ground, balancing her entire body, while the other swept up the Disruptor. The momentum carried her over to do a complete somersault, and she landed on both feet with the weapon drawn out, pointing at the monster. An instant later, a blue ray shot out, hitting the creature and reducing it to a smoking heap.

Lana ran to Nathan. “Are you alright?”

The young man looked up at her weakly. His hands clamped on the terrible gashes on his thigh and shoulder.