Shark roars, leading the break for our only hope of survival. We pound after him, but I see within seconds that we haven’t a snowman in hell’s chance. The werewolves are closer to the helicopter than we are, and they can run faster. Alert to the danger, James starts to take his Farrier Harrier up, out of the reach of the onrushing werewolves. But he’s not quick enough. One of the larger beasts takes a running leap and grabs hold of the skid on the pilot’s side. Marian levels her gun at it, but the weight of the werewolf causes the helicopter to lurch and she’s jolted off target. The werewolf hauls itself up onto the skid and drives its fists and head through the pilot’s window. It locks its jaws on James’s terror-stricken face and savages him. James battles hopelessly against the werewolf, tries to thrash free, fails, then goes limp. The helicopter spins out of control, swishes left then right, then banks and smashes into the compound wall.
