Heroic Measures (continued)

It remained upright, almost rigidly so. Walter wished he could see its face—and partly grateful that he could not—for some clue as to what was happening to it. Ahead, he could see Osprey staring up at it. He was too far away to make out her expression through the shadows, but something in her posture told him that she was as puzzled as he was by the behemoth’s sudden change.

A deep frown formed on Walter’s face. His stomach formed a renewed knot as a flood of fresh possibilities filled his mind—none of them good.

He took a cautious step forward, ready to leap back at the slightest sign that the behemoth was preparing to attack again. His eyes studied the enormous creature, trying to understand what was happening—what be about to happen. He paused, staring, trying to decide if he should believe what his eyes seemed to be telling him.

Is it trembling?

The notion was too absurd to consider seriously, but Walter’s eyes persisted in reporting it.

Had Westin finally appeared again? Or were other heroes now on the scene?

Walter had trouble believing that either of those events would have caused the creature to stop and quake with terror. He doubted that it would be the least bit fazed by even the appearance of Kenniston at his fiercest. Yet, the creature remained nearly motionless, abruptly stopping during its destructive rampage.

As he watched, the creature moved again. Walter tensed, ready to leap back into action. It proved unnecessary, though. The creature toppled forward, its body still held rigid by whatever force held it. Walter saw Osprey leap upward, using her wings to lift her to a safe distance above the still form of the creature.

The sound of its collision with the pavement echoed throughout the alleyway. It was not as loud as Walter expected. Probably deadened by the thickly cushioned outfit it wore, he guessed.

He watched the behemoth’s still form for several long moments, waiting to see whether the impact with the ground might bring it back to its bestial senses. Nothing moved other than for the dust and debris settling back to the ground around it.

Walter stepped tentatively forward, watching for even the slightest hint of movement from the still creature. He doubted that this was a feint. Nothing he had seen so far indicated that the creature possessed more than a primal intelligence. He could be wrong, of course.