However, Franks had been around a very long time. There had been so many gunfights in his life that he couldn’t remember them all. He’d started out when forming ranks and volley-firing muskets were still in fashion. He’d participated in gunfights practically since man had invented the concept. Gunfights were all about angles. It was simple really. He needed to be where his opponents’ bullets weren’t going to be, while simultaneously maneuvering himself into the best position to put his bullets into them first. It only took a second to analyze the layout of the room and every possible avenue of approach. Then Franks slowly walked backwards, keeping the pillar between him and the rifleman, pistol trained on where the werewolf would appear. Franks was as dispassionate about this sort of thing as a plumber unclogging a drain.

“Stop, Kerkonen!” the rifleman shouted. He understood what Franks was doing.

It was too late. The werewolf was young and impatient. She came out, shotgun shouldered, putting herself right into Franks’ sight picture. He had her dead to rights, but rather than kill her, instead he shot her in the right arm, shifted, then the left arm. She lost the shotgun and fell, screaming in pain. He hadn’t gone through all that effort having a conversation just to kill the person he’d conveyed valuable information to. Earl Harbinger was probably going to be upset that Franks had shot his girlfriend. Screw that guy. Franks used the opportunity to retreat further into the subway station, where hanging tarps provided him more concealment.

The massive, lumbering footsteps were getting closer. The thing that the werewolf had called the Biggest was here. He no longer had a line of sight on the stairs, but he heard the metal gate fly open with a crash. “Smash the bad thing! Smash it good!” It possessed an extremely loud, deep voice.

“The bad thing went that way, Biggest. Go get him,” the rifleman ordered. He was the one calling the shots. Franks made a mental note to pop the handler if he got a chance. Monsters weren’t nearly as dangerous when they lacked direction.

The ground shook as the huge creature started toward him. Tarps were torn down as scaffolding was knocked over. Whatever that thing was, it weighed a ton, plus it sounded like it had brought more human help with it. He couldn’t afford to get pinned down. There weren’t as many lights in that direction, and most things couldn’t see as well in the dark as he could. Franks turned and ran deeper into the maze of the partially erected structure.

The man with no eyes tackled him from the side.