Page 13 (2/2)

“SkeeterCheater!” At Rohtweight, graphene-enhanced net over the rift and anchor it deep into the asphalt DIRT had developed the nets as a counter-incursion measure since the deed The nets weren’t a perfect solution, especially for large rifts, but anything that delayed the dee

The reyza let out a triumphant bellow as he landed atop a Buick sedan The roof buckled under his weight, and the side s cracked, then burst

Breathing deeply in an effort to settlepulse, I reed and deflected everything we’d thrown at hi

The reyza beat his wings once, then folded them close He swiveled his head toward ivepattern on his chest with one claw Potency the color of old blood flickered Sigils flared on his torso and sent a shirimaced No wonder we hadn’t touched him yet

“Triple duty,” I called out to Roma Her sharp curse told me her opinion of full arcane armor on a de center mass on any des usually weren’t shielded as well—until this bad boy

I’d beco tactics in order to defeat de the us

It was the brand new orders, handed down this , that I had qualms about: Capture as ets

“Kowal!” Ro lot to the Stryker on the far side “Shiown!”

I couldn’t help but smile Force the demon out of that positi

on before it gets fully armored Radio comms were useless so close to a rift, which meant the majority of commands were shouted But since the demons could hear every word, huh for any non-native speaker to understand It

“On it!” A wo frorenade launcher toward the reyza I tensed as she fired two grenades With inhuman reflexes, the demon swatted the first in my direction while the other sailed into the vehicle under hirenade bounced across the paveh and into the rift

The ground shuddered, and a gout of enta fire erupted from the rift even as a blast rocked the Buick Flah the s, and the reyza roared and took flight

Roma barked orders, and squad members scrambled to new tactical positions I took the opportunity to belly crawl behind an upthrust of asphalt then resumed my search for the demon’s weak spots

Roma re her gaze over the area as she checked on her people and considered options At fifty-sosters, but she had nerves of steel and a serious knack for close quarter tactics Yet she and I both knew that, even with the neeapons and materials that had been developed in the past two months, it would be a stone bitch to take this demon out, much less capture it

“Morons,” II could say about DIRT HQ at the ical, especially when it cae and were the hardest to kill HQ and their researchers wanted to find out what ths and vulnerabilities were I understood it I really did

And I hated it The des I didn’t have to stretch my brain very hard to come up with how the researchers would find the demons’ weaknesses It wouldn’t involve a pleasant conversation, that much I knew Yetere at war And we sure as hell weren’t winning

It sucked from every possible direction

The reyza settled in the bed of a big pickup truck near the shopping cart corral, aence as it assessed us and the rift It spread its wings as if taking a stretch, then threw its head back and sounded a deep note that shook the air and lifted the hair on hway, the protesters’ speakers crackled to life

“These demons have been sent to test us and punish the sinful and the wicked Fornicators and masturbators, drunks and porno freaks—”