Nano Z by Brad Knight Page B

challengers, our brave hunters found them outside of Lawton, the undead horrrrrrrrde!”
    Mack heard something coming from the pens in the gate behind them, high pitch screeching. He held out one arm in front of Amber and they both backed up into the middle of the pen.
    In the shadows beyond the gate, Mack and Amber could see shambling silhouettes. There were several pairs of red glowing circles. Not until the meat puppets came out onto the dirt that they realized the dots were eyes.
    That’s new. Mack thought he’d seen it all. He’d seen meat puppet dogs, bears, a bull and even birds. But seeing puppets with glowing red eyes was a new and unsettling development. And it didn’t end there.
    One of the meat puppets stayed back as the other four meat puppets advanced on Mack and Amber. In life the creature was a security guard. Its tattered beige uniform was covered in human and puppet blood. Both of its metallic eyes with glowing red irises stared at what it saw as dinner. Then its left arm started to jerk around wildly.
    What the hell is it doing? Mack kept retreating towards the far wall of the rodeo arena. That clearly angered, annoyed and disappointed the crowd, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was survival. But he was at a loss as to how they could survive. He kept Amber behind him as he back peddled.
    I-23. You took them on without a weapon. Then again, you were in better shape. Fuck it. I don’t have much of a choice.
    “Stay back. Stay alive,” said Mack before he walked forward to meet the meat puppets. If the bastards in the audience wanted a show, they were going to get a show.
    Any illusions that Mack had about his ability to take on the meat puppets hand-to-hand dissipated when his fist met one of their faces. It was like hitting a brick wall. He felt the damage to his knuckles immediately.
    Mack dodged meat puppets attempts to grab and claw at him. Even with their changes, the creatures still weren’t nimble or fast. With that said, all they had to do was surround him and he would be screwed.
    What-the-fuck? As he avoided the hands and metallic finger nails of the meat puppets, the actions of the monster in the security outfit caught Mack’s attention. The skin, muscle and fat that covered the creature’s arm split open and fell away.
    Metal tendrils spilled out of what was previously the security uniform clad meat puppet’s right arm. They squirmed in the dirt before coming for Mack, with the locomotion of a nest of snakes.
    Just when Mack and Amber were backed into a corner of the rodeo arena, with no escape, gunshots rang out. At first no one seemed to notice. Then came the first scream from the crowd. That was followed by a growing panic in the spectators that seemed to build à   la the domino effect.
    The crowd at the pit started to break apart. Their savage nature was turned against them. People got trampled and stepped over. All that mattered was escape while the gunshots continued. Over their yells, Mack heard what sounded like a fire fight.
    “This is our chance.” Mack got down on one knee. He cupped his hands and held them just low enough for Amber’s foot to reach.
    Amber didn’t hesitate. There were five meat puppets coming for them. And one of them looked like a nightmare from a science fiction movie or an anime. It was all the motivation she needed.
    Mack boosted Amber up. She grabbed the top of the wooden wall behind them and lifted herself onto it. With her diminished physical condition, it was difficult. The fear of being mauled by meat puppets lent her the necessary strength.
    Once on top of the wall, in the lowest tier of seats in the rodeo arena, Amber reached down. She intended on helping Mack up. He knew that there was no way she could help lift up all of his two hundred plus pounds. So he jumped up and grabbed the top edge of the wall.
    The meat puppets in the pit reached and shrieked for Mack and Amber. But they were out of the creatures’ reach. That didn’t mean