บท 33: It's Vermin Time

Nica revealed herself, towering over the tall cornfield, and ran fearlessly into the three Bugmen. Her silenced handgun shot one Bugman's forehead, dropping the body lifeless. Surprised, the other two ran away from her, elbowing against the crops.

They were fast.

Nica's shots had missed their marks and she rarely missed. Kristo squeezed his silenced semi-automatic rifle and dropped one, almost lucky. One concealed himself from the vastness of the yellow cornfield, farther away from the intruders.

Non-combatant Bugmen could be dangerous but also had inherited human fears. As a farmer Bugman, the primary instinct of escape drove the superior being into hiding.

"We can't let it escape," Nica said.

"Kristo! Carry me!" Luke said, his crossbow with neurax worm-filled arrow.

Kristo bent over, as if reading Luke's mind for the first time, and carried Luke on his shoulder. Kristo mustered strength and groaned as he elevated a 165-pound adult.