Operation Phoenix: The Hunt for Samhain


Part 3


 
	The lead X'hirjq moved off to the right of the intended path, 
avoiding the tripwire one of his fellow scouts had spotted.  He was pleased 
that he had not fallen into the trap, and was just thinking how clever they 
were to avoid such a trap, and how foolish their prey must be to think he 
could escape, when he stepped on another, different, tripwire without even 
noticing it was there.

	He never got the chance to notice his mistake.  The tripwire pulled 
through a couple sticks set up for the purpose, and pulled back the trigger 
of the rifle Samhain had stolen and set up as a trap.  Another stick, 
cleverly arranged, slipped into the trigger guard and held the trigger 
back in the full-auto position.  The rifle fired wildly, swinging back and 
forth, its barrel suspended by a vine and weighted against the recoil with 
yet another vine and rock.  Slugs sprayed the area, and the first 3 out of 
the barrel caught him dead in the chest.  He slumped to the ground, a pool 
of blue-green phosphoescence growing underneath him.

	Several of her sisters slumped similarly to the ground, catching 
slugs as they sprayed the area.  The commander himself had to hit the 
ground as several slugs whizzed past his head and ripped into the tree next 
to him, and he instinctually pulled his own rifle and began to return 
fire.  The others followed his lead, and finally the fire stopped coming... 
had they hit him?

	A scout was sent forward to investigate, and roared with rage upon 
finding the rifle hanging there, barrel smoking, and clip empty.

	The commander came forward, and was not pleased at all with what she 
found.  8 of their number had just been slaughtered... by a simplistic, yet 
cleverly laid out trap.  She said not a word, but her reptilian eyes 
sparkled with rage.  She would kill this Samhain himself, if she had 
to... she would NOT be so humiliated by her prey...



	Samhain continued forward, and found a place to rest and come up 
with some more surprises for his "friends" behind him.  They had to be 
plenty pissed by now, and moving very cautiously.  "hmm, what else can I 
do?  for that matter, what do I have to work with?"

	Samhain did a quick inventory of what he had left.  A few feet of 
monofilament.  A few feet of fishing line-like material.  His Katana.  A 
rather large hunting knife, similar to a bowie, but larger and uglier.  His 
Jihadlinker.  A small power pack of unknown power output.  A clip of 
conventional ammunition.  A swiss army knife.  Last but not least, his wits.  
Well, it wasn't much, but he'd have to make do with what he had.

	The Jihadlinker could be helpful, if not for the fact that all 
transmissions in and out of the area were undoubtedly snuffed.  And 
besides, anything sent out from his location would just bring them right to 
his...

	And with that, a plan formed in his scheming little brain...
There was a river not far from here... he had to get there...

	And with that thought, Samhain started towards the river...



	The X'Hirjq commander was fuming.  The going was way too slow.  It 
had to be--he had no idea what other surprises could be waiting.  So, he 
had to come up with a better way.  He started analyzing his opponent, and 
his path...  They'd come across a spot he'd paused in just a bit ago... but 
he was moving again.  Moving...

	..Towards the river.  Time for a new tactic.

	He barked his orders to his group.  "Move to the river.  We'll work our 
way upstream towards him and avoid whatever traps he left behind him.  GO.  
NOW!"



	At long last, Samhain reached the river.  It hadn't been easy, and 
he knew this plan was risky at best, but he had to try it... it may be his 
only chance.

	When he got to the river, Samhain found some long large, reedlike 
plants.  It was an old gag, and one of the best known, but he was going to 
give it a new twist.

	He paused, and found several freshly fallen limbs... the kind that 
would float well.  He guesstimated their weight, and tried to match their 
weight with a matching amount of rock, which he lashed, along with his 
Jihadlinker, to the logs.  He didn't have much time...

To be Continued...
 

"The Hunt for Samhain"
Copyright 1995, David R. Hibbs
All Rights Reserved.