Although the Classic Predator stood only a head taller than Nick, it remained defiant. The moment it got up, it lashed out and seized Nick by the throat.
The other four immediately surrounded it. If they had not been warned beforehand, Hanzō's machete and Stan's Wristblade might already have plunged into the Predator's body.
But after letting out a series of threatening roars at Nick, mixed with strange clicking sounds, the Classic Predator finally released its grip.
It rummaged through the clutter beneath the Totem Pole, retrieved its helmet and wristband from a metal box, and put them on. Then it opened the Personal Computer mounted on the wristband and entered a series of commands, bringing up a Holographic Image.
It was an animated image of a complex binary star system, showing the very interstellar coordinates where they now stood. As the images rapidly shifted, a familiar planet appeared before them.
"Earth!" Nikolai, the Russian, cried out involuntarily.
"That's it! Hurry up and send us back." Stan, in his prison uniform, was so excited that his voice trembled. The others reacted much the same way.
As the Classic Predator continued operating the device, a black, egg-shaped spacecraft above the treetops not far from the camp slowly shed its cloak, started up with a rumble, and rose into the air.
"Whoa!" Even Nick, who had been forcing himself to remain calm, lost his composure at the sight. Once they boarded that alien spacecraft, would that mean his and Dahlia's mission was complete, and they could finally leave this awful world?
What happened next left them dumbstruck. Before the spacecraft could approach the camp, an ominous light suddenly flared inside it, followed by an explosion.
The alien spacecraft carrying all their hopes blew apart before their eyes.
"No!" Stan dropped to his