A soldier raised his rifle.
SWOOSH!
Francis vanished from his spot.
The man's eyes widened — just enough to show he understood what true fear felt like.
A claw punched through his chest and tore sideways. Armor, ribs, and flesh came apart. Blood misted the concrete.
Francis didn't slow.
Another came from the left with a combat blade already drawn, angling low for his gut.
Francis dropped beneath it, twisted past the attacker's guard, and drove his elbow into the spine. The body folded forward and hit the ground without another sound.
More gunfire erupted from both directions as the two sides resumed their exchange.
BRRRRT—
Rounds tore through the smoke behind him. He paid them no attention.
By now, the soldiers understood a terrifying truth. Whatever they were dealing with, it was not something their training had accounted for.
"NEW HOSTILE! NEW HOSTILE!"
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?!"
"KEEP FIRING!"
Nobody moved for half a second.
