Adams knew it was near before he saw it
Every few seconds, something heavy was crashing in the distance. Not the sound of gunfire or an explosion, but something even heavier; the sound of a building collapsing and steel groaning in protest. The occasional explosion would follow, sending shockwaves through the earth.
As he slowed down at the end of the street, he saw thick, gray smoke rolling between the buildings ahead. He was not alone either. There were people running towards him; some screaming, others lifting the wounded and dragging the unconscious. A man stumbled past him, a thick stream of blood covering one side of his face. Adams saw others behind him, their faces lit with panic.
"Run!"
He turned around and looked past the man. Through the smoke, he saw a large shadow moving in the distance. It was followed by a loud impact against the ground.
BOOM!
The ground gave beneath Adams’ feet and cracks snaked across the pavement. He quickly gripped the metal pipe in his hand, steadying himself.
He took another look at the buildings ahead and then at the strange figure in the distance. A sudden thought occurred to him and he turned back to the buildings behind him. He could hear people trapped inside. He could also hear the panicked cries of a woman on the upper floor of one of the buildings.
Adams ran towards the nearest building. As he ran, he heard the distant impact of the figure slamming one of its limbs against the road. When he reached the building, he turned back and saw it slam another limb against the ground. The impact sent him flying sideways and he landed painfully against a wall. He ignored the pain in his shoulder as he pushed himself upright. He kicked the broken door open with his boot.
"Anyone inside?"
"Help! Up here!"
Adams climbed the stairs two at a time. One section of the ceiling had collapsed across the hallway in front of him. He ducked beneath some hanging debris and saw three people crouched behind a slab of concrete blocking the doorway. He knelt down next to them.
"Move back."
"There’s no way we can move that!"
Adams planted his feet, bracing himself. He flexed his left hand and strengthened his muscles with Kinetic Reinforcement. His skin had stretched over his knuckles, revealing prominent veins.
He grabbed the edge of the slab.
His body screamed in protest immediately, his knees buckling under the sheer weight. The muscles in his arms burned. "Come on."
He pushed himself upward, his feet sliding across the floor. The slab slid backward a few inches. His arms shook. The pain in his shoulder was becoming unbearable.
"Come on!"
He pushed again. The slab moved. Just enough.
"Now!"
The three people behind it scrambled forward. They crawled through the opening and out of the building. Adams dropped the slab and his right arm went limp.
"You’re awakened?"
"Apparently."
Adams barely heard them. Another impact sounded from the street below. He looked up at the window. The figure had moved closer. Its massive shadow loomed over the road.
"Get out through the back."
"What about you?"
Adams reached for his pipe. "I’ll catch up." He climbed back through the broken window. His boots landed against the hood of a destroyed car. He crouched low. The figure turned around. He could see the large, pale eyes watching him.
"Yeah." Adams lifted his pipe. "You’re the problem."
The figure charged. Adams jumped aside as a massive claw tore through the pavement. He darted between two abandoned cars. Another swing came down and he jumped. The claw passed under him, close enough that he could see the air rushing past. Adams landed on the creatures’ arm and jammed his pipe into its elbow.
CRACK!
Its metal bent and the creature barely seemed fazed. It jerked its arm back and sent Adams flying through the air. He twisted over his shoulder and landed on his back. His legs slid along the street and his cheek pressed against a car. He wiped some blood from his nose and looked down at his hands. "Right." He pushed himself up and stood, swaying on his feet. "Can’t fight it head-on."
The creature turned and charged again. Adams waited until the last possible second and slid beneath the swinging claw. He drove his left fist into one of its knee joints. Kinetic Reinforcement. He felt the power building in his arm, the energy flowing through his bones as he transferred it into a sudden burst of strength.
BOOM!
He hit the creature in the knee and it stumbled, off balance. Adams staggered after it, feeling his wrist crack. He almost fell over again.
"Too much."
He took a step back, clutching his left arm. The creature steadied itself and shook its head. It let out another deafening cry that sent shivers down his spine. He covered his ears, trying to block out the sound.
The creature charged once more and this time he wasn’t fast enough. He felt the impact against his ribs and was thrown sideways. His body flew through the air and landed with a jarring impact against a store-front. Glass and concrete rained down around him. He didn’t move. He could barely breathe. His ribs might have been broken. His left arm hung limp and useless. Blood pooled against the pavement under his body.
Outside, the creature roared again.
Adams pushed himself up onto his knees. He could still hear people screaming. They were still outside. Still trying to run. He looked up at the broken entrance and then at the broken piece of pipe in his hand. He was suddenly very aware of the fact that his gauntlet was cracked down the middle and the metal was splintered. He gave a short laugh. "Of course." He stood on unsteady legs. His eyes were focused on the group of civilians running from a nearby building. A mother clutching her child, an old man limping behind them. "That’s not happening."
The creature raised one of its massive arms. Adams reached them just in time. "GET DOWN!"
The civilians dropped to the ground as the creature’s claw came down in a loud smack. Adams raised his arms, bracing for the impact. Kinetic Reinforcement. He felt a massive impact against his chest and nearly tore out his ligaments as he forced his feet to dig into the pavement. His knees nearly gave out. The pain in his back and shoulders was incredible. He held on for a count of three. Then his body gave in. The force pushed him over and sent him flying backwards, right over the creature. "Adams!"
His eyes snapped open at the familiar voice. Through the smoke, he could see two figures running towards him. Riven and Elena.
For the first time since the outbreak began, Adams felt something in his chest loosen.
"Elena..."
She was the first to reach him. Her hands came up and cupped his face, her fingers brushing over the blood and debris. "You’re bleeding everywhere."
"I noticed."
"You idiot."
"I’ve been called worse."
Riven reached him next, breath coming in slow pants. His eyes flicked over Adams’ wounds. The broken arm, the cracked gauntlet, the blood that soaked through his shirt. "Can you stand?"
"Barely."
"Good enough." Riven’s gaze moved to the creature. It was picking itself up, shaking loose pieces of debris from its body. His expression darkened. "That’s bigger than anything before."
Elena looked up at Adams. "We can’t beat it."
"I know."
"Then we’re leaving."
Adams looked at the civilians behind them. The mother, still clutching her child. The old man. Others crouched in the street. "Not yet."
Elena followed his gaze. She didn’t say anything for a long moment. When she did, her voice was unusually quiet. "Fine."
Riven raised an eyebrow. "You two are insane."
"You’re still here," Adams said.
Riven looked at him. "Unfortunately."
The creature charged again. All three of them moved.
Riven drew a weapon from the fabric wrapped around his back. It was a sharp, curved blade. The moment his fingers brushed against it, it vibrated in his grasp. He frowned. "What the hell?"
Elena took a step forward. "I don’t know!" Riven’s grip was firm, but the weapon jerked in his grasp and his fingers slipped. "No, no, no..."
It tore free of his hands and shot across the battlefield. Riven stared, stunned, as it flew over Adams’ head. He barely had time to push off the ground before it slammed into his ribs. Adams’ body flew backwards and he hit the ground, the pavement stinging against his cheek.
The weapon hovered a moment before settling against his chest.
Across the battlefield, Riven stared.
He went pale. "That’s..." He turned back to Adams and stared at the weapon in his hands. "No."
Elena turned to look at him. "What?"
Riven didn’t answer. His gaze was fixed on Adams, on the weapon in his hands.
It had chosen its wielder.
Somehow, impossibly, it had chosen Adams.