11am, the 1st of August 2016. The command centre beamed with life as everyone took up their places. Relaying information to one another and ensuring the mission against a monster would run smoothly. Roy decided to take the DragonFly for a spin, flying the tiltrotor-wing to the drop zone to get his men into the position and take on the reptile. Brian sat at the back, fiddling with a gold coin in his right hand while he watched. He needed them to succeed. If they did or didn’t know, or even cared for that matter. The future of humanity would be in their hands. Failure was not an option.

  Everything was going as intended. Air traffic was clear so the DragonFly could swoop in, the sky was clear so the satellite facing Jackson had a clear image, well, the most clear image a spy satellite could provide. With a bit of money well spent, traffic to the area of operation was cut off. Preventing any chances of civilians stumbling into the area. Territorial Ground had full control and the perfect conditions to win.

  ‘We have landed and we are a go.’ One of Roy’s men said as the chopper landed and every soldier hopped off to secure the landing zone. The engines of the stealth chopper went silent as it stayed in position with its pilot while everyone else rushed into the forest to get what they believed was the easiest paycheck.

  Roy glanced at the monitor, looking over Jackson. ‘Target is asleep. Proceed with caution.’

  ‘Understood, out.’

  Leo folded her arms, calculating the seconds when the first shot would be made. Jackson seemed asleep on his side, hugging himself with a blanket he most likely stole from some home. Unaware of the men and women of a mercenary army descending onto him.

  ‘That’s odd.’ She pointed to Jackson to get Brian’s attention. ‘We saw him setting up camp at different spots. Why did he move?’

  Brian grumbled, at first thinking she was seeing nothing. However, there was indeed something wrong. He didn’t like the feeling of everything going perfectly. ‘John!’ Brian called for one of the intelligence operators. ‘Has the target moved around by any chance?’

  The young man looked over his computer to skim over the footage of Jackson’s movements. ‘He has, sir. But all he did was just walk around for a bit, sitting down, and whatever. Before heading to the centre to rest.’

  ‘The target is suspected to have stolen a shotgun, a colt revolver, a shit ton of string, and a hammer from Home Depot.’ Roy said as he turned to face the old man with a cocky smirk. ‘Yes, I read the document. He won’t have any explosives or traps, but my men are prepared in case he somehow made a landmine with sticks and mud.’

  With a nod of approval, Brian smiled at Roy and waved for him to focus on his work. Removing the little aspects of doubt that Leo put into him. She kept quiet, not wanting to make another point as she focused on the monitors overlooking the area. The soldiers were close, just a few feet away from Jackson.

  Then, the soldiers stopped and took a knee. ‘What’s wrong?’ Roy said over the radio. Before the soldiers could realise that they stepped on Jackson’s early warning system. The reptile awoke and rose from his slumber, chain and gun in hand.

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  From the monitor, the reptile rushed into the group of soldiers. Closing the gap to get close to the intruders to slaughter them. Gunfire and blood curdling screams echoed through the speakers as Jackson tore anyone apart with his hook and chain. Everyone watched as he ripped limb and snapped bone like it was nothing.

  The massacre shown to everyone in the command centre from their best spy satellite didn’t have a clear image of Jackson’s brutality on display. Yet they knew what he was doing and who he managed to take those soldiers on without breaking a sweat. He pounced and eviscerated anyone who interrupted his sleep. One by one, the monitors showing the soldier's life signatures flatlined. A slaughter without end and without pause.

  Brian knew the mission was lost. He had underestimated the reptile and never imagined how ferocious Jackson could be against modern equipment and soldiers. Defeated, he placed a hand on his face and sighed.

  Roy tried to regain control, ordering the pilot to fly the DragonFly to Jackson’s location and light up the entire area in a hail of bullets. Trees were cut down as a hail of bullets fired upon the general area. However, Jackson noticed the flying machine and managed to wrap a chain around its tail and pull it down to the ground. The commander, a hardened killer. Watched how his entire team was butchered effortlessly and hopelessly. He knew it wasn’t some sort of experiment; it was something far more wrong than that.

  ‘Turn off the feed.’ Brian ordered, not bearing the sight of his failure anymore. ‘Roy, we…’

  ‘There is no “we”, old man.’ Roy slammed his headset onto the table in front of the old man. ‘My guys are leaving, find someone else,’ He said before leaving the command centre. He wanted to scream at Brian, demanding answers about what the reptile really was. Speed and raw strength alone are not factors, even if the spy satellite poorly showed what the fight looked like. Roy knew what efficient murder looked like, and he wanted nothing to do with it. Even if it meant he won’t get any of the money or any of ProTech’s best equipment and weaponry.

  Leo, feeling it is best to leave the room, wheeled Brian out of the command centre. ‘Doctor, I request that I look into hiring people to deal with the target.’ She said in a flat tone, maintaining her level of professionalism even after witnessing the slaughter.

  ‘I hired the best private army money could buy. If they don’t have a chance against him. What hope would the people you suggest have?’

  ‘A fair point, doctor.’ Leo responded. ‘But it is best to have people on our side to fight the reptile. We can’t do this alone. Give me till tomorrow to deliver you a report. I will compile a list of 200 names and how they will help you. However, none of them are cheap.’

  Brian laughed, thinking what she said was a badly told joke. ‘I have billions. I am not worried about the cost, not anymore, at least. What matters is I want the right people for the right job.’

  ‘Trust me, they will be right for the job.’ Leo said with a smile as they both entered the elevator.