“We brought three fully loaded rifles,” Nori said. “Are you telling me you can’t find three people willing to risk their neck for the chance to save everyone?”

Diamond shrugged. “Well, you have me. As for the other two, you’ll have to recruit them yourself.”

“Get your pansy-ass guards together, and I’ll beat some sense into them,” Bulco growled.

“I’ll call them, but I need a favor: don’t tell them about Lou’s Yard and the presence of the Warped-mother. There’ll be panic and chaos if people think they’re not safe. I can’t have that—we’re barely holding on as it is.”

Bulco nodded slowly. “Alright, we’ll keep our mouths shut.”

They waded back through the maze of impromptu huts. Twenty guards were waiting for them at the shelter’s exit, exchanging nervous glances.

“We’re going out to hunt us a few Warped,” Bulco declared in his booming voice. “I got alien-augmented rifles for the first three volunteers, who’s with me?”

Diamond stepped forward smoothly. “Count me in. I’m ready to do a little monster-dicing.”

Bulco nodded. “Anyone else?”

The guards looked at each other with uncertainty, then looked away.

“Really? No one else?” Bulco’s voice was full of contempt.

No one dared to look him in the eyes.

“Then volunteering time is over. Time for the mandatory draft. Who was the racist asshole that fired on our shuttle?”

Nori put a hand on his shoulder. “You’re going at it the wrong way,” she said softly. “They’re scared and need reassurance, not more violence.”

“We can’t have people refuse to fight when they are offered a chance,” he said loudly, staring coldly at the fidgeting guards. “In case you haven't noticed, Earth’s gone to shit. I refuse to believe only the cowards survived. It was bad enough when they allowed the gangs to push them around, but now they won’t fight even when faced with annihilation?” He spat. “Why are we risking our neck for them again?”

“What do you mean ‘faced with annihilation’?” One of the women stepped forward. “We’re safe as long as we stay inside the shelter.”

Bulco snorted and looked at Diamond. The older man shot him a warning look.

Nori moved smoothly to face the other woman. “I’ll show you why. Open the gate.”

The guards looked at each other, but none of them moved.

“Do as she says,” Diamond ordered.

Reluctantly the guards moved to the gate. They lifted the heavy meal beam and slowly swung the gate open. Nori stepped outside and looked around, searching. She put her hands to her face and shouted: “Come out, come out, wherever you are.”

As if answering her wishes, a single Warped rose between the parked cars and howled to the air.

Warped, level 3

The guards behind her stirred in panic. “Close the gate! Hurry, before it gets inside.”

Three men jumped and started pushing it closed. Bulco moved to intercept and easily held it open with one hand.

“What are you doing?” the woman who spoke earlier shrieked at him. “You’ll get us all killed!”