CHAPTER 3

Beau felt weird. Like the earth shifted and then everything was different as he followed Rider down the street. He didn’t know why something wasn’t right. Everything felt off. He frowned as he tried to remember when he had left the hospital and why. They had been in a rush for some reason. He stopped and stared at himself in the glass window of a building and the rifle carrying case that was behind his back.

“Stop fucking around. We have to move. It’s getting late. We have to get to the store before long and be careful with the rifle.” Rider said interrupting Beau’s thoughts.

Beau ignored Rider as he stared at the image of his mired face in the city street window. He didn’t recognise the image staring back at him as his own face.

Beau’s skin was a tanned navy blue color. His hair was gone but strangely for his eye brows that were black now. His eyes were still a dark chest nut brown and his lips and rest of his face were the same but he was changed completely.

The more he stared at his image the more he wanted to hide it. He was disgusted by it and then suddenly he was faceless. His eyes, nose and lips gone as a faceless mask spread over his face. He was a monster.

Beau screamed falling to the ground holding his face. Trying to find his lips and nose again.

Rider grabbed his shirt collar pulling him to his feet. “Get it together we got trouble around us. I said get it together asshole. You want to find that girl of yours don’t you. Focus on the mission and block every else out of your mind. Stop being a bitch and get it together, soldier!” He said.

Rider’s words snapped Beau out of it as he focused on his task. “Yes. Yes.” He gentle pushed Rider away and started breathing in and out until he felt in control.

“What do we have here boys?” A male voice said.

They turned as they suddenly found themselves surrounded my a gang people spiky white hair blue men in dressed in jerseys and shorts and carrying metal bats. They all moved as one trying to crowd in one Beau and Rider.

“Nice rifle case. We’ll be taken the case and whatever else you got on you.” Another man said.

Rider put his back close to Beau’s back. They were being surrounded by a group of men. Rider blasted them with a round of lighting. That only pushed them down to the ground.

The men started laughing as they rose up to their feet and their bodies began to change and morph to blue sliver-back large ape sized all blue and with bulging muscles.

Rider’s body lite up with electricity and then went out..”Shit out of energy. We’ll have to do this the old fashioned way.” He said.

“Take out the faceless freak, first.” One of the ape men said.

Beau was the smallest of the group with no weapon in hand but his hands. He looked down at his hands as he felt his hands they felt smooth and tapped them together. They clicked like metal clicking together. Hmm.

One of Ape men charged at Beau from the right. Beau swung at him connecting with his jaw. Beau heard a crunching sound and the ape man fell back holding his bleeding jaw and crying out.

“Fucking freak!” The ape man screamed.

One of the men pulled out a Glock 17 and fired at him. Beau threw up his hands. The bullet hit his head. His head snapped back as it felt like jab punch against a mental headgear protection. It made Beau realise that it was some type of layer of protection for his face under it. He saw the glock on the ground move as he stared at it.

Beau held out his hand and the glock and it flew into his hand and he held it up aiming it at the group. “Get the fuck on or stay and die.” He said.

The ape men were already turning around and started running away fast in a panic.

Beau checked the pistol’s magazine. It had seven rounds left. “Damn. I’m going to need more ammunition.” He said and blinked as felt the mask retract back from his face and he could see and touch his face again. “Fuck. This shit is weird.” He said.

Rider fell to his knee and looked shaky. “We have to find a place to rest for the night. I’m out of energy and I’m about to crash out soon enough.” He said.

Beau nodded looking at Rider’s shaky form. Rider was breathing heavy and his eyelids were half closed as he fought to keep on his feet. “How long have you gone without eating food or drinking?” He asked.

Rider gave him a shaky smile shaking his head to clear it of the dizzy look on his face. “Twelve hours. Maggie made me breakfast in bed for my birthday before everything went to hell. My brother showed up at our apartment to surprise me. I thought it was going to be a great day. I never realise how many great days I had before…” Ridder said and then paused for a few seconds with a sad smile on his face and then he shook his head and grimaced. “Maggie was my wife.” He said.

Beau said nothing and helped Rider to his feet. He looked around and recognised the area. “Yeah. There’s a restaurant and convenient store in this area. We can hold out the night in the store and stake up on supplies.” He said.

Rider nodded putting his arm on Beau’s shoulder. Beau handled his weight easy and half carried him to the store. It was broken into but the shelves weren’t completely empty as they head into the back of the store.

Beau kicked the back door open and carried Rider inside. Rider was half asleep when Beau put him down. He looked around the store found some canned corn and beans. He opened one can up pulling back the metal easily and downing the corn down his throat.

He found a backpack in the back and started gathering supplies and headed to the back to find Rider still sleeping. He snored softly.

That strange weird feeling followed Beau into his sleep. He dreamed of a beautiful young girl staring at him with tears flowing down her cheeks. He wondered who she was and then remembered he had met her at the hospital just before Rider had come to take him away for the mission.

Beau frowned and tried to remember when he had left the hospital or when he had met the doctor. His memory was out of focus. Something was wrong. He stared at the girl’s face as she began to become afraid of something she saw.

“Wake up! Mr. Lucas. You have to get up now to see what happens. In the dream. Wake up!” The girl ordered him.

Beau woke up the next morning next to Rider who wasn’t snoring anymore. Rider was motionless. No. He wasn’t breathing.

Beau frowned and slowly turned Rider over on the floor. Rider’s face was ash grey and his eyes open and pure black. He stared at him and then felt something attach itself to the back of his neck and immediately started feeling his energy being pulled out of him as female laughter was behind him.

He gasped and fought a fruitless battle as his he felt his energy being drained out of him until it was all but gone…..…