There were humans behind it, fit and aggressive, so probably STFU operatives. They were dressed in plainclothes, but they were carrying long arms. It was difficult to tell what kind since they’d activated their weapon-mounted flashlights. He needed a bigger gun, and sure enough, they’d helpfully brought some.

They were moving quickly, crouched, weapons shouldered and ready, but it was easy to get tunnel vision and focus in on a charging, rampaging, terrifying ogre, so the first man didn’t even see Franks step out of his hiding space right behind him. Franks drove the Emerson’s blade into the base of his skull and twisted. He let go of the knife so he could shoot with a two-handed grip. He swung around and put his sight on the next weapon light. The second man died half a second later. The third and final had time to turn and engage, but the only shot he got off missed Franks by several inches before Franks ended him with a pair of 10mm bullets.

There were more men coming, but he’d gotten what he needed. Franks stepped back as the others reacted and opened fire on his position. Franks stuffed the Glock back into the bellyband, then picked up the M-4 carbine belonging to the man he’d stabbed in the spine. If he had time, he’d come back for the Emerson. It was a good knife.

The ogre had realized it had gone too far, had turned, and was lumbering back. Its arms were so long that its knuckles nearly dragged on the floor. It was wearing a big blue blanket with a head hole cut out like a poncho. Its red eyes narrowed when it saw Franks. “I smash bad thing. Get a shiny to keep in my pocket, says I’m no monster. Hunters can’t hunt Biggest no more!” Then it saw the eyeless man. “The bad thing broke Putlack!”

“Broke the shit out of him.” He aimed the stolen weapon at the ogre. It lifted one huge paw to shield its eyes from the blinding weapon-mounted flashlight. He flipped the selector to full auto and dumped a magazine of 5.56 rounds into the monster. Ogre hide was tough, but it wasn’t that tough, and some of the high-velocity bullets pierced through it. The monster bellowed in pain and charged.

The bolt locked back empty. The ogre was almost on top of him. Its hideous face was scrunched up, squinting because of the blinding light. Thinking quickly, Franks placed the carbine on a workbench with the light still pointing at the monster, and then stepped aside.

Sure enough, it had zeroed in on the light. The ogre crashed through the bench, and then through the wall behind it and out into the open platform. STFU operatives had to dive out of its way to keep from being crushed. The ogre tripped and fell, rolling through the construction site.