The room was silent except for the steady hum of the containment unit. The Void Stalker lay inside, sedated but alive. Its black, chitinous body barely moved, except for the slow rise and fall of its breath.
Ray stood across from me, arms crossed. His sharp eyes flicked between me and the creature.
"This is a mistake, James."
I exhaled, running a hand through my hair. "We need information."
Ray scowled. "We should've killed it the moment we had the chance. You saw what these things can do."
"I did." My voice was calm, but my mind was racing. I had already decided. Killing it wouldn't help us—not now. Not when I had the chance to do something bigger.
No one else knew what I was thinking.
No one could.
Lily's voice broke the tension. "What if the others come looking for it?"
I met her gaze. Smart. She was asking the real question.
Ray sighed. "They will come looking. You don't just steal a predator from its pack and expect no consequences."
I nodded. "Then we prepare."
The Real Reason
They thought I was keeping the Void Stalker alive for research. That was only part of the truth.
The real reason?
I wanted to turn it.
The system had already given me a path forward—one that no one else could know about. A way to disrupt the creature's instincts, override its natural aggression, force it to see me as something other than prey.
The risks were high. If I failed, I'd be locked in a room with an apex predator ready to kill me.
But if I succeeded?
We wouldn't just be defending against these things anymore.
We'd be using them.
The idea sent a chill down my spine, but I shoved the thought away. First, I had to deal with the more immediate problem.
The others.
Ray and Daniel were already discussing base defenses. Lily was checking supplies. The group trusted me to make the right calls. That meant I had to sell this plan—without letting them suspect anything deeper.
The Enemy Moves First
A sudden beep from the security console made my stomach drop.
Daniel frowned at the screen. "We have movement outside."
I moved fast, stepping up beside him. The motion sensors had picked up six heat signatures approaching from the treeline.
Void Stalkers.
Ray cursed under his breath. "Shit. They're already here."
Lily's face paled. "They're coming for it, aren't they?" She pointed at the containment unit.
I didn't answer.
I was already thinking ahead.
They weren't charging in. They were waiting.
Testing us.
Ray adjusted his rifle. "If we let them make the first move, we're dead."
I nodded. "Then we make it first."
The System's Silent Advantage
I had already planned for this.
The system had provided me with more than just the ability to disrupt the Void Stalker's instincts—it had given me insight into their hunting patterns.
I knew how they thought.
How they tracked.
And most importantly—how to turn their tactics against them.
I didn't need to tell the others how I knew. I just needed to lead.
"Daniel, set up the perimeter explosives," I ordered. "Ray, get the snipers ready. We control the fight."
Ray smirked. "Now you're talking."
Lily hesitated. "And what about that one?" She gestured at the captured Void Stalker.
I met her gaze. "It's staying locked up."
For now.
The First Strike
The moment the Void Stalkers made their move, we were ready.
The first one stepped into range—silent, nearly invisible against the ice.
I pressed the detonator.
An explosion ripped through the snow, sending shards of ice and debris flying. The Void Stalker shrieked, its camouflage failing as it staggered.
Gunfire followed. Ray's team took their shots, hitting another one in the flank.
The pack reeled.
And then, as I had predicted—they adapted.
The remaining Stalkers split, flanking, learning from the attack.
But so had I.
I was already moving to counter, adjusting our positions, setting new traps—always one step ahead.
Because while they were evolving, so was I.
The War Begins
The battle raged for what felt like hours, but in reality, it was minutes. The pack eventually retreated, disappearing back into the ice.
But they wouldn't stay gone.
They would return.
Stronger.
Smarter.
I looked back at the base, then at the captured Void Stalker.
If we wanted to survive, we needed more than walls and weapons.
We needed an edge.
And I was going to get it.
No matter what it took.
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The tension is building! Do you think James is making the right choice keeping the Void Stalker? What do you think happens next? Let me know in the comments!