We emerged from the room and Rellik clicked on his walkie-talkie. "Ayuda, where are you?"

  A chilling chuckle crackled through the speaker. "Hallo alter Freund. Ayuda is no more."

  "Who are you?" Rellik demanded.

  "You don't remember setting me on fire?" Ron's voice dripped with malice.

  "What do you want?" I cut in.

  "I want to meet you, at the Statue of Liberty... see you there."

  "You're going down."

  "Have fun." The connection clicked off.

  "Estúpido," I muttered. As we left the hospital, a thunderous boom shook the ground. The city's protective wall was crumbling. The familiar, terrifying screech of leapers filled the air.

  Chaos erupted as people fled their buildings, pursued by the lizards. A jeep crashed into a building ahead of us.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "Hey boys!" A voice called from a subway entrance. A middle-aged man with a neat goatee, glasses, and slicked-back hair stood there in a light brown trench coat. "Follow me quickly!"

  We raced down the stairs. "Who are you?" Rellik asked.

  "Beto Reynolds, but you can just call me Beto."

  "Why are you saving us?" I questioned.

  "You can stop this, right?" Beto's eyes locked onto mine.

  "Yeah..." I exchanged confused looks with Rellik.

  The subway platform held trains covered in black armor, each marked with numbers. "We need to get you to the Statue of Liberty," Beto said, opening a door.

  "How do you know?"

  He pulled out a walkie-talkie. "Been listening."

  The train's interior glowed with menacing red lights. Beto disappeared into the control room, locking us out. "Stay out there, don't want you messing this up."

  Rellik and I sat together, his hand resting on my leg. "I'm glad you're still alive, Jason."

  The train lurched forward. "Me too... thank you," I smiled.

  Through an open window, I watched the burning city scroll past. Leapers swarmed the streets where the mysterious walls had vanished. Then the Statue came into view – decapitated, one arm missing, only the torch-bearing limb still reaching skyward.

  "What's your story?" I called out over the walkie-talkie.

  "I used to work at Noir's lab with Ron before," Beto replied.

  "What was the point of using Werewolves?"

  "Stronger, smarter, and faster."

  The train ground to a halt. "We're here." Beto emerged from the control room. "You'll have to go by yourselves. I'll wait for you."

  Rellik and I stepped onto Liberty Island. Sunlight pierced the toxic haze as I looked up at the mutilated statue. A dark figure stood at the torch, waiting.