I turned back puzzled by her words. She was at the fallen beast's head. I watched as she reached down and gripped the beast's metallic skullcap at the back edge and then with a crumple of metal bending force she peeled it up and over exposing the brain cavity of the mixed up ape.

"A bit gruesome don't you think?" I said, as I was a little sickened by the sight.

The gore didn't seem to bother Flicker, as she rooted around with one hand pulling first one item and then another from the bloody open skull.

"Well would you look at that. Two for the price of one." Flicker said holding up the two devices that she'd pulled free.

One device I recognized as the device I had been tasked to find on this little jaunt into the monster's lair. The other device was the third one we were in search of.

"Great! That means I can cross one of these fun little excursions off my list!"

Flicker looked troubled though and I asked, "What is it?"

"The device that Jane is building for you. I have never known of such a device needing more than just these three components. I don't think you need a fourth component."

I nodded grimly. Jane had a lot of explaining to do when I got back.

We started off for the aircraft, as the snow thickened in its dissent upon the island. The red line of the scratch on Flicker's cheek stood out against the whiteness of her skin around it. I leaned to the side to kiss it as we walked.

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I abruptly stopped in the snow and brushed at my lips before exclaiming, "You smell like rotting fish!"

Flicker laughed, "This is a thing I know." She bent down and scooped up some fresh fallen snow to wipe at her face where the bear had licked her.

Flicker glanced back at the whiteness, which concealed the surface buildings from view now, "Are we just going to leave the facility open for others to find?"

"Oh that." I said, as I pulled a detonator out of my pocket and activated it.

The ground shook and flame and debris blew sky high behind us lighting up the snow all around.

"Problem solved." I said.

We were at the aircraft and I stared longingly at it for a moment. Flicker voiced what she knew I was thinking, "You want to drive don't you?"

"You have no idea!" I may not be big on flying, but this thing was more like riding a motorcycle than it was like flying a plane.

"Well hop on then." Flicker said in open invitation.




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