The Harvester by Sean A. Murtaugh

crew members each step out of one. Standing several feet away from us, shocked, are the next four on my list. Two of them are Underworld spies, and the third is some sort of Hybrid, incredibly fast, strong, and without conscience. And the fourth is a Section 408 creature, strong and big like a gorilla, but quick, agile, and nimble like a spider-monkey. The Black Doors vanish into the ground, and now it looks like a scene straight out of a Spaghetti Western.
    “Shit. It’s Harvey and his crew of hitmen,” one of the Underworld spies says.
    I step forward. “You know why we’re here. Are you going to make this hard or easy?” I stare them down without fear or intimidation.
    The Underworld spies each pull out medium-sized swords. The Hybrid and Section 408 creature each pull out a gun and a long knife.
    Naes peers over at me. “I guess it’s the hard way, Harvey.”
    Simultaneously, we draw our swords from our backsides. A few humans see what’s transpiring and scatter behind vehicles for cover. Yet their morbid curiosity makes them stay to observe. The wind starts to howl, and nearby chimes hanging by a window sound off. Without saying a word or giving the slightest of gestures, both parties charge each other. Hybrid and the 408 fire upon us. Two of my crew are hit in the chest, but their bulletproof vests protect them, and they continue with the onslaught. I stand back on purpose to take notes on my crew to review their performance. The first Harvester makes three quick slash movements down one of the spy’s front side, then through his neck, killing him instantly. The Hybrid grabs the second Harvester and breaks his back over his knee. He hurls him through the air with ease, and he crashes through a car window. Naes slices the second spy across his neck.
    He drops to his knees and desperately clutches his wound.
    Naes smirks, and now, I know he’s really enjoying his job.
    I think to myself, Take that bastard’s head .
    He does just that. I guess he heard me. The Section 408 Creature is too fast for the third Harvester because he leaps over him to his backside and snatches him by the head. He pushes in his eyes, and he screams in pain as blood squirts out of his ocular cavities. The 408 snaps his neck like a toothpick, and he drops to the street, motionless.
    He’s a goner. The fourth Harvester sprints over and takes advantage of the 408’s lack of attention. He repeatedly stabs him in the back. The 408 turns around and giggles.
    “You’re gonna have to do better than that, Harvester.”
    The Section 408 creature punches him so hard on the nose that it knocks him into a coma instantly. I love the fight and Hunt too much to not be a part of it. I rocket onto the top of a van, leap off the roof with sword in hand, and come down on top of the 408 Creature, plunging my sword into the top of its head and all the way down into its stomach. I use its body as a guard against the Hybrid’s gunfire. The others turn their attention to him, and he knows he’s outnumbered. He escapes down an alley and vanishes. I rip my sword out of the Section 408 creature’s body. The others motion to pursue the 408.
    “No. Only I can keep up with the speed of any type Hybrid. He’s mine. You guys call in the Cleanup Crew.”
    I am able to run tripled the speed of a human, and I never tire. I sprint down the alley after the Hybrid.

D ue to my extra keen sense of smell, I find myself on the top level of a six-level parking garage. I know the Hybrid is up here, but I just don’t know exactly where.
    “I can’t believe Harvey himself has come all the way to San Francisco to gain his vengeance.” His voice comes out of the shadows with a cocky tone I don’t especially appreciate. I speed walk to where I think I know his voice emanated.
    “Cold. Cold. Colder,” the Hybrid jokingly says.
    I quickly move to where I think the voice came from, but he’s not there. Now I know what I’m dealing with: a Hybrid Class 4. Among his