Now at the massive structure, Reeve and his team braced themselves as the creature closed in on their location. The colossal building, with its open gate at the entrance, loomed ominously over them, casting eerie shadows with its faint yellowish glow. Reeve quickly assessed the structure, realizing it could be their best chance to trap the beast as it pursued them through the ruined streets of the Soomite city.

“This is it,” Reeve muttered, his eyes narrowing as he examined the entrance. “We’ll lure it in here and trap it. Then, when Kara shows up, we let it loose.”

Vek nodded, his sniper rifle still trained on the creature, which lurked just out of sight, circling the team like a predator waiting for the right moment to strike. “It’s fast, but it’s predictable. We can use that.”

Lira, her blade drawn and her eyes darting around for any sign of movement, stepped up beside Reeve. “What if it doesn’t follow us in?”

Reeve’s lips curled into a smirk. “It will. Creatures like this thrive on instinct. We’ll make it think we’re cornered.”

The plan was simple but risky. The creature had proven difficult to kill, but they didn’t need to destroy it. They just needed to trap it—at least long enough to use it as a weapon against Kara’s team.

“Let’s move,” Reeve ordered, his voice calm but urgent.

The team made a calculated dash into the open gate of the massive building, the heavy, ancient steel doors creaking as they pushed them inward. Inside, the space was vast and dark, with tall ceilings and narrow corridors that led deeper into the heart of the structure. The air was damp, and a faint hum of forgotten machinery echoed from the walls.

Vek stationed himself near the gate, his sniper rifle at the ready, while Lira and Reeve moved to the other side, where a set of rusted controls stood dormant against the wall.

“Think you can get this working?” Lira asked, eyeing the old mechanisms skeptically.

Reeve knelt beside the panel, his fingers quickly tracing the alien symbols etched into the console. “We don’t need it working,” he said. “Just enough to close the gate once it’s inside.”

 

Vek’s voice cut through the tension. “It’s coming.”

The creature appeared at the entrance, its form now fully visible in the dim light of the building. It was larger than they had realized, with limbs that seemed to stretch unnaturally and claws that shimmered with an otherworldly glow. Its eyes, if they could be called eyes, were empty voids, fixed entirely on the team.

Reeve gave the signal.

“Now!” Vek fired a round at the creature, a well-placed shot that grazed its side, drawing it into a frenzy. It charged forward, exactly as planned.

As it entered the building, Reeve and Lira sprang into action. Reeve slammed his hand against the control panel, forcing the ancient mechanisms to grind into motion. The massive steel doors began to creak shut, the creature only meters away from them.

With a final groan, the doors slammed closed, trapping the creature inside.

It howled in rage, slashing at the steel gate with its claws, but the team was safe—for now.

Reeve grinned, stepping back from the panel. “Perfect.”

Lira’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “Now what?”

“Now we wait,” Reeve said, his voice low and dangerous. “When Kara gets here, we give her a little surprise.”

The creature’s furious roars echoed through the building, but Reeve barely noticed. His mind was already on the next phase of his plan—using the beast as a weapon to eliminate Kara’s team and claim the city’s secrets for himself.

As they settled into position, waiting for Kara’s inevitable arrival, Reeve couldn’t help but feel a sense of triumph. He had the upper hand now. The creature was his to control, and soon, so would the city—and everything within it.

 

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