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“Soon as I see a thing；” Landon promised； “I’ll yell my lungs out。”
Greiss considered the proposal； and finally nodded。 By the time he passed it on to the rest of the
squad； however； two men at a time； in a quiet growl； he’d made a few alterations。 He approached
Mackenzie last—but by this time； the commissar had heard what was afoot。 “If you’re asking for my
permission to proceed； Greiss；” he remarked acidly； “then consider it granted。”
A short time later； they came to a mournful…looking tree with branches that sagged almost to
ground level； dripping with water…bearing vines。 It was almost too perfect。
They gathered round and set to work with their knives； teasing out what liquid they could。
Lorenzo stopped Braxton from putting his thirsty lips directly to a vine； pointing out that the skin
was probably poisonous。
After a few minutes of this； Landon worked his way to the centre of the group； and was handed a
lasgun by Donovits to replace the one he had lost in the river。 He stepped onto Muldoon’s cupped
hands and was hoisted onto the tree’s lowest branch； his camouflage uniform and dubbin…streaked
face immediately lost among its leaves。 Lorenzo heard the faintest of rustles above his head as the
rookie climbed higher； and he resisted the urge to look up。
“Right； men；” announced Greiss； in what was maybe a slighter louder voice than usual； for the
benefit of any eavesdroppers； “time we made a move。 We’ve still got lost time to make up。”
As the squad set off again； the Jungle Fighters spread out more widely than they would normally
have done； yet contrived to cross each other’s paths frequently。 An observer would have been hardpressed
even to count them； let alone to work out which of them might be missing。 They also moved
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more slowly than before—because； although nobody said anything； each of them was reluctant to
leave his inexperienced comrade too far behind。 Indeed； the further they strayed from Landon’s
position； the slower； the more reticent； their steps became—and Lorenzo noticed a certain amount of
jostling for the rearmost position； the man who would be able to respond first to the alarm call when
it came。 Woods； of course； came out on top。
Lorenzo had been counting out a minute in his head。 As he reached sixty； Greiss gave a nod； and
Muldoon disappeared into a bush。 Myers provided a distraction； this time； by yelling “jungle
lizard！” and firing into the undergrowth before professing； with mock sheepishness； to have been
mistaken。
They proceeded at length； expecting Trooper Landon to reappear before too long； at which point
somebody else would slip into hiding。 After twenty seconds had passed； though； Lorenzo saw that
Greiss was getting worried。 Another five； and he came to a halt； and drew breath to give the
prearranged signal that would call off the operation。
That was when Landon yelled out； at last。
Only this wasn’t a yell of discovery。 It was a yell of fear。
Lorenzo was running before the echoes had subsided。 They had come too far； because Landon
was still all the way back where they had left him； and Lorenzo was pushing his muscles as hard as
he could； willing himself forward； and yet still the path to his comrade seemed to stretch a nearinfinite
distance。 He concentrated on what he could do： pumping his legs； faster than he could think；
so fast that he was sure only sheer force of will kept him from falling。 There were sounds ahead—
ugly sounds； full of foreboding—but they were almost drowned out by his heartbeat； by the crashing
footsteps of comrades around him and of Woods in front。
Every second counted。 Every fraction of a second。
And there weren’t enough of them。
Landon yelled again： a terrible gurgling scream； which was cut off in mid…flow and could only
have meant one thing。
He came into sight at last； limp and no longer straggling in the grip of a figure that was
humanoid in shape but a mockery of a human in its aspect。
The monster was caked in dirt； centimetres thick； and it bristled with grass； dead leaves； living
flowers and the severed roots of larger plants as if a whole section of the planet had been scooped up
and wrapped around its frame。 Lorenzo thought the monster was flora； at first； but he could make
out patches of suntanned skin； and human fingers around Landon’s neck。 Woods had already
charged it； a lasgun fanfare presaging his arrival。
Lorenzo had brought up his weapon but hadn’t fired； fearful of hitting the monster’s captive—
but Woods had seen what he hadn’t； or rather accepted what he didn’t want to accept。
It must have waited for Landon； he realised。 It was right under the tree in which the Guardsman
had concealed himself—but he wouldn’t have come down from there unless he was sure it was safe。
The monster had discovered the Jungle Fighters’ trap； and set its own in return。
As Woods hit the monster； it dropped Landon； and he fell to the ground； his head coming to rest
at an acute angle to his body。 Lorenzo was halfway to him when he realised there was no point。 He
changed course and leapt at the monster instead； along with Myers and Storm； whose howl of rage
echoed in Lorenzo’s ears。 Woods could probably have handled the monster on his own—and he
would have enjoyed bragging about it later—but Lorenzo wasn’t thinking about that right now。 He
was thinking about Landon。
The monster； it turned out； was stronger than they had expected。 It dislodged Woods and Myers；
and sent them flying with a sweep of its arm。 As the two troopers fell； however； Muldoon and Greiss
appeared in their places。 The monster was borne down under the combined weight of four
Catachans； but showed no sign of slowing or weakening as they pounded at it with their fists。
Lorenzo drew his fang； and plunged it into the monster’s heart with a snarl； but the blade came out
encrusted with muck and no blood； and still the monster fought on。
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It shifted beneath his knees； and he realised with a start that it was sinking… as if the monster lay
in quicksand； though the earth around it felt as hard as it ever had to the touch of Lorenzo’s foot。 He
was scrabbling at the monster； desperate to stop it； to hold it here； because all he could think was
that it was getting away—it had killed Landon and it was getting away—but the pull of the earth
was inexorable； and the monster was gone； leaving Lorenzo with only two handfuls of mud and an
empty feeling in his heart。
He staggered to his feet； and stepped back from where the monster had been； from the spot
where the jungle grass still grew as if it had never been disturbed—and he looked at Greiss； with
bewilderment in his eyes； as he realised that the sergeant had claimed a souvenir； wrenched it free
from the monster’s mass even as it went under。 He was just staring at it； the first time Lorenzo had
seen him speechless； as the rest of the Jungle Fighters gathered round。
Greiss held up his find； and one by one they realised what it was； and then they had no words
either。
It was a bionic leg。
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CHAPTER TEN
Lorenzo couldn’t sleep。
This was highly unusual—at least when he was planetside； out in the jungle。
They had set up camp before the sun had gone down。 They were resting in preparation for their
passage by the ork encampment—a trial in which the night would be their ally。 Lorenzo could feel
the distant sun on his face； and its red glow penetrated his eyelids—but he was used to that。 He was
used to making the best of sleep whenever； wherever and for however long he could grab it。 It
wasn’t just the sunlight that kept him awake。
Nor was it just the death of a trooper he had hardly known； to whom he didn’t remember saying
a word； a young man who could have become a good comrade； even a hero； had he lived to earn his
name。
The monster—Lorenzo couldn’t think of it as Dougan—could sink into the ground； and rise
from it as silently。
Little wonder； then； it had proved so elusive so far。 Little wonder Landon hadn’t seen it coming。
Lorenzo was feeling the same discomfort； the same restless itch； as he had on the carrier ship。
That creeping realisation that the world around him didn’t bow to the edicts of nature； to the
physical laws he had t