Project Genesis by Michelle Howard

finally mastered and sent a short electrical pulse from his
hands to the gun. The red light on the barrel blinked on. Vin keyed his com.
“On my count, Rock.” His finger curled around the trigger. “One,” Vin narrowed his
vision. “Two.” The alien pounded its frustration out in a drum beat. Boom,
boom. “Three.”
    This time, the
weapon functioned properly and fired at the same moment Rock dropped his
shield. Vin hit the alien in the middle of his sloped forehead. It froze in a
macabre display, body jerking and arms akimbo. At last, it fell landing only
inches from Vin’s hands. Green junk oozed from the alien to puddle on the
street.
    “Man, too close,
Vin,” murmured Bransen through his com.
    Vin rose to his
feet and glanced around. His men, with the exception of Harkum, surrounded the
last of the alien trio. Without its partners, the creature’s head swung left
and right, squeals and clicks coming from its mouth in louder frequency.
    Suddenly, it
lunged toward Curtis off to the right. Rock raised his weapon without
hesitation. Fire danced across the Rekabian’s torso. One long roar escaped and
it collapsed on itself, filling the air with its putrid smell.
    Vin let out a
breath and slapped his palm against his helmet release. When the visor rose, he
eyed Rock. “You added a flame thrower capability?”
    His man shrugged
his shoulders. “It seemed a good idea at the time.”
    “Shit,” Bransen
cursed and then snickered.
    Vin allowed them
the moment of laughter in release of the tension but his thoughts were
elsewhere. “Helen!” His heart pounded fast and hard in his chest. Vin spun on
his boot heels, frantically searching.
    Harkum
straightened from his kneeling position and relief jarred Vin. His hellcat was
unharmed though the stark wide gaze she sent around the street spoke volumes.
The shitty pony tail swayed losing its hold on the majority of her hair.
Somehow her clothing had come through unscathed.
    He’d never seen
her so disheveled yet look so incredibly beautiful. It was in the way she held
herself. Chin tilted at a determined angle, shoulders thrown back and spine
straightened like a steel rod. His hands clenched to touch her and his mouth
watered for a deeper taste than what he’d gotten in the lobby. Not bothering to
wait, his legs ate the distance between them.
    Harkum stepped
aside as Vin rushed to reach her. Uncaring that his men watched, Vin slid his
weapon to the side and grabbed Helen in his arms. He could only imagine what
would have happened if they weren’t here and she’d come out of the building
alone caught by those aliens.  His arms locked around her small waist at the
thought. She stiffened in his hold but when he refused to let go, she gradually
let her body relax.
    “Vin?” Her lips
moved over his shirt as she spoke.
    He leaned back to
brush at the stray strands of hair falling around her face. Brown eyes peered
back. “Yeah?”
    “I want a latte
and two aspirin. No, I need them.”
    Bransen started
laughing first. His low chuckle spread among the group. Vin’s lips curled up.
Hell on wheels and high maintenance. “I think I can make that happen
after the day you’ve had.”
    Unwilling to
release her hand, he led her to their black armored vehicle which remarkably
showed no signs of damages. Harkum hopped in the driver’s seat with Rock
climbing in next to him. The rest of the team scrambled in the back, leaving
the open seat next to Vin for Helen. Curtis landed in the seat directly across
with a deep weary sigh, leaned his head back against the chair rest and closed
his eyes.
    He’d pushed his
boy hard earlier but he’d come through. “Curtis, you good?”
    Curtis blinked
slowly as the truck began to move. “Ready and rocking, sir.”
    His friend’s eyes
were blood shot and his stoic expression faded to reveal a painful grimace on
his lips. As soon as they returned to base command, the doctors would fix
Curtis up with the vitamin supplements they all