Chapter 10
Assaulting an enemy position with a pack of hyenas as a diversion hadn’t been covered at the Farm during her tactical training, but Amira didn’t care. Her only concern was for the hostages in the barracks ahead of her.
Her approach had been shrouded in darkness, and since the rebels’ attention had been fixed on the tree line and the snarling threat hidden beyond, she knew they’d never detect her until it was too late. The only variable had been the sole rebel near the entrance to the command center, but once the bloody hyena attack had started, he’d been transfixed on the horrifying fate of his men. It was the perfect moment amidst her own fear of the wild animals to commence her own assault.
Now, as she sprinted for the barracks building, she maintained a path at least thirty feet away from the four men who lay dying as they were devoured alive. The only one still screaming was the man who’d had his wrist crushed into tiny fragments, but his suffering would be short-lived as another hyena left its fresh kill to help its packmate finish him.
As she ran, she spotted the large female and smaller male nonchalantly move towards the hyena kill zone. She’s big and no doubt she’s mean. Steer clear. While she considered herself an apex predator in the jungle of her career field, Amira had no intention of tangling with the matriarch.
With her SIGSAUER held to her chest, her right elbow bent as she ran, she turned back to the sole rebel still alive and discovered he’d finally spotted her, fifty feet from the barracks and the door on its end. Six dead hostiles. Let’s make him number seven.
Without breaking her stride since she wanted to get past the hyenas as quickly as possible, she fired several shots in his direction. She knew they’d missed when he crouched down and fled towards the steps that led to the command center. No worries. I’ll deal with you later.
With the sounds of tearing flesh and snarling, ravenous hyenas behind her, she ran hard, eager to not be their next meal. She reached the northeast corner of the barracks, a single-story building with a door that opened directly at ground level. She glanced back at the command center but no longer had a line of sight to the entrance, as the command center was slightly offset to the left of the barracks.
She crept forward, her pistol held in her right hand, her back near the wall but not touching it to avoid additional noise. The door lay less than ten feet in front of her. She wasn’t sure what the layout inside was, but she knew one thing which gave her the confidence required – she was a fast and lethal shot, especially when engaging multiple targets.
The door flung outward, slammed into the wall less than three feet in front of her face, and bounced off, providing a small area of cover. Amira hid behind the door and waited. A rebel holding an AK-47 burst from the entrance, his assault rifle scanning the area for targets. He took two steps forward and stopped, and a second man emerged just behind him but froze instantly. Both men’s gazes were fixed on the opposite corner of the building. What is it?
A low growl answered the question for her, which was the only cue she needed. She stepped out from behind the door, aimed her pistol at the back of the first man’s head, fired, transitioned to the second man – who’d begun to turn – and fired again. In less than a second, both men lay dead on the ground, but Amira ignored them and kept her eyes on the enormous female hyena that moved out of the shadows and into the cone of the flood light mounted over the door. She circled around the building. Clever beast.
The beast was less than fifteen feet away from Amira, and her eyes glinted in the light like dark gems, staring at Amira. For the first time, Amira felt fear creep into her stomach. Her pistol was in the ready position, aimed at the dirt. She knew she had enough time to raise the barrel, fire, and hit the creature, but if she could avoid it, she would. She maintained eye contact and stood her ground.
The monster chuffed, and spittle flew from her wide head. The beast took a single cautious step forward, assessing Amira. The stench of blood rose into the air between them. Amira moved to her left, slowly, but kept the pistol pointed in the direction of the matriarch in case she had to make a quick adjustment. A game of chicken with an African hyena. My dad won’t believe this one…if you survive to tell him.
The monster took a second step forward, and Amira followed with another step to the left. The hyena continued to stare at her and moved its head up and down, as if in consultation with itself as to the threat Amira posed.
Amira wondered if it knew that she was also a predator like the matriarch, a hunter of men. Can she sense that? If so, maybe she’ll respect it. She stayed calm and waited for the hyena to make a decision. She realized she’d been so focused on the beast in front of her that she’d forgotten about the hostages inside. Voices and shouts leaked out through the doorway.
As if sensing her thoughts, the hyena took another step forward. Amira shuffled left one more time, but before she could react, the hyena aggressively bounded forwards…but not towards her.
In three strides, the monster hyena disappeared through the doorway, leaving Amira to fend for herself outside. Oh no.
