12. Into the Shadows (Little Red)

The hum of engines died as Little Red and her crew pulled off the main road, the forest swallowing them in a shroud of darkness. She parked her bike under the low-hanging canopy of trees, the others following her lead. The tension in the air was palpable, the lingering echoes of battle clinging to the night like smoke.

Dismounting, she took in the scene before them. The soldiers were still scrambling to clean up the aftermath of what looked like an all-out war. Vehicles lay battered and scorched, their once-pristine military finish marred by deep gouges and blackened edges. Craters dotted the ground where explosions had torn through the earth. The air was thick with the smell of burned metal, blood, and something acrid and alien - monstrous ichor that refused to fade.

Little Red tilted her head, her eyes narrowing as she watched the soldiers bark orders and haul wounded comrades away from the field. They looked rattled, their movements sharp and hurried. It was clear the battle hadn’t gone as planned.

“Looks like we missed one hell of a party,” Little John rumbled, stepping up beside her. His hulking frame loomed like a mountain in the dim light, his gaze scanning the chaos with practiced precision. “Think they were expecting company?”

Molly snorted softly, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. “Doesn’t look like it. Those uniforms scream ‘unprepared.’ I’d say whoever they were up against, they didn’t stand a chance.”

Rando leaned casually against his bike, his habitual smirk in place. “Bet it wasn’t the Boy Scouts that tore through here. What do you think, boss?”

Little Red didn’t answer immediately, her gaze fixed on the soldiers as they worked. Something about the scene unsettled her, a gnawing unease prickling at the back of her mind. She couldn’t shake the feeling that they were supposed to be here - that the chaos before them was connected to their abrupt change in plans.

Her fingers slipped into her jacket pocket, pulling out the object their employer had given them. It was small and round, no bigger than a compass, its polished surface etched with intricate runes. The Rift Locator, he’d called it, a device designed to detect distortions caused by dimensional breaches. She turned it over in her hands, its weight oddly comforting despite her growing uncertainty.

“Well?” Big Red’s voice broke through her thoughts, his steady tone grounding her. “What’s the call, sis?”

She exhaled, slipping the Locator back into her pocket. “We’re not going through that mess, that’s for sure. These guys are barely holding it together, and the last thing we need is to get tangled up in their red tape.”

Little John grunted his agreement. “So, we find another way in?”

“Exactly,” she said, turning to face the crew. “A rift this big? There’s bound to be branches nearby - secondary entrances that’ll get us where we need to go without the hassle.”

Molly nodded, already scanning the tree line. “Makes sense. No way something this massive doesn’t have offshoots. The question is, where do we start?”

Little Red pulled the Locator from her pocket again, flipping it open. The runes glowed faintly, pulsing in rhythm with her heartbeat. She traced her thumb along the edge of the device, her brow furrowing as she felt a faint pull, like an unseen thread tugging at her senses.

“This thing better work,” she muttered, more to herself than anyone else. She glanced up at the others, her expression firm. “Hide the bikes. We’re going on foot.”

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Without hesitation, the crew moved into action. Big Red and Little John dragged fallen branches and undergrowth over their bikes, while Molly and Rando scouted the area for a suitable hiding spot. Within minutes, the motorcycles were concealed, their sleek frames blending seamlessly into the forest’s shadows.

“All set,” Big Red said, brushing dirt from his hands as he rejoined her. “Lead the way, sis.”

Little Red nodded, holding up the Locator. The runes pulsed again, brighter this time, and she felt the pull intensify, drawing her toward the southeast. She turned in that direction, her boots crunching softly against the underbrush as she led the way.

The forest closed in around them, the towering redwoods casting long shadows that danced in the faint moonlight. The air grew cooler, and the faint hum of the Locator became a steady vibration, guiding their steps. Little Red’s grip on the device tightened, her instincts sharpening as they pressed deeper into the woods.

“You sure about this, boss?” Rando asked, his voice low but tinged with curiosity. “We’re not exactly where the job told us to be.”

She didn’t slow, her gaze fixed ahead. “I know. But this feels right.”

Rando fell silent, his smirk fading into something softer. He trusted her, even if he didn’t always understand her instincts. They all did. That’s why they’d followed her south instead of heading for the incursion they’d been assigned. And now, here they were, chasing shadows in a forest that felt like it was holding its breath.

Molly moved up beside her, her voice quiet but steady. “You think this has anything to do with what we saw on the news? That other incursion?”

Little Red hesitated, her thumb brushing the runes again. “Maybe. Or maybe it’s something bigger. I don’t know. I just… I can’t shake the feeling that we’re supposed to be here.”

The redwoods loomed taller as they walked, their gnarled roots twisting across the forest floor like ancient veins. The air grew colder, and the faint hum of the Locator turned into a steady vibration in Little Red’s palm. Shadows danced at the edges of her vision, teasing her with phantom shapes that vanished when she turned to look.

“This place feels wrong,” Rando muttered, clutching his weapon tighter.

“You’re just spooked,” Rando said, though his usual bravado sounded hollow. “It’s just trees.”

“Quiet,” Little Red snapped, her voice sharper than intended. The pull was stronger now, a magnetic force that seemed to guide her every step. She glanced back at her crew, their faces illuminated by the faint light of the Locator. “Stay close. We’re getting close.”

Big Red’s voice rumbled from behind them, calm and reassuring. “Well, we’re here. No point second-guessing now.”

The crew pressed on, their steps careful but purposeful. The Locator’s glow grew stronger, the vibrations turning into a faint hum that resonated in Little Red’s chest. She glanced back at her crew, their faces illuminated by the device’s eerie light.

“We’re close,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

The forest thinned, revealing a narrow clearing where the ground dipped into a shallow ravine. At the center of the depression was a jagged fissure, its edges glowing faintly with the same crimson light they’d seen on the battlefield. The air around it was heavy, crackling with the faint hum of dimensional energy.

Little Red stopped at the edge of the clearing, her crew fanning out behind her. She held up the Locator, watching as its runes flared to life, confirming what she already knew.

“This is it,” she said, her tone firm. “Secondary entrance.”

Molly crouched beside the fissure, her sharp eyes scanning its edges. “Looks unstable, but passable. We’ll have to move fast once we’re inside - no telling how long this thing’s been here.”

Little John joined her, his massive frame looming over the fissure. “Could be worse. At least it’s not crawling with those bug bastards.”

“Yet,” Rando muttered, earning a glare from Molly. He raised his hands in mock surrender. “Just saying.”

Little Red knelt beside the fissure, her fingers brushing its edges. The crimson glow pulsed beneath her touch, and she felt a faint pull, similar to the Locator’s. Her instincts flared, and she looked up at her crew, her expression set.

“Gear up,” she said, rising to her feet. “We’re going in.”

Big Red nodded, unslinging his weapon as the others prepared their gear. The crew moved with practiced efficiency, their movements swift but deliberate. Little Red checked the Locator one last time, its runes casting a faint glow across her face.

She didn’t know what awaited them on the other side, but one thing was certain: they were here for a reason. And whatever that reason was, they’d face it together.

“Let’s move,” she said, stepping into the fissure. The shadows swallowed her whole, and the others followed without hesitation.