The two agents of the Paradox Institute stared at the monitor in disbelief. After the tremors finally subsided, Cleo said, “What was that? Does the thing have a cannon?”

Doctor C'thulhu answered, “I think it was a bone spur. It may have been growing such a thing for a long time, or more likely it moved one from another location to this spot. With the muscle power this creature possesses, it was able to push that tower-sized fragment out of the ground with the velocity of a bullet. I expect that it achieved escape velocity as well.”

Cleo regained her composure somewhat. “Doc, what about the structural integrity of this city?”

“Compromised. Breaking free was the entire point of that shot. I doubt it knew that it was destroying our vehicle in the process, but we cannot rule that out.”

Cleo flipped a switch inside her head and focused on her responsibilities. She got onto the comms again. “Attention anyone within range of this broadcast. This is the Paradox Base Leonidas calling. Our transport has been compromised, and we are in desperate need of a ride out of here.”

The two figures skulking in the back of the room watched with nervousness. Still near the floor to speak with Isis, Morgan said, “These commoners cannot save themselves. They are of little use to us. We should leave and take the survivors with us.”

Cleo spun and addressed the two visitors. “You're omnis! They say you have the most powerful spaceships in the universe. Why don't you blast that thing and save us all?!”

Morgan challenged, “Mind your tone, peasant. You address the Lady Isis, a figure most mystical and your better by all measures.”

Isis answered, “I do have a nice ship, but it's not here. We came here on a stealth ship with no weapons. It's parked over the ridge to the magnetic north of the city. Feeling frisky?”

Cleo shook her head. “You're mad. You're enjoying this chaos while good people are being eaten.”

Isis told her, “Aw, don't fret, Cleo. You'll put worry lines on your pretty little face. I'll give you your ride out of here if you ask nice.”

“What?”

“Ask me nicely, Cleo.”

“Please!!!”

C'thulhu interjected, “I insist that we do not leave without Freeman. In a worst case scenario, we will be eaten and digested. He would be swollen and remain stuck alone inside the planet's digestive tract for centuries while his mind deteriorates and his power reserves dwindle.”

Morgan looked at the octopus incredulously. “When you crawled to this room, Doctor Ka-Thool, you moved with no swiftness. Need you someone to carry your girth?”

“Agent Freeman is quite capable of that, I assure you. I hear him coming now.”

The sound of thunder-like blasts of plasma super-heating the air was difficult to miss. Even from across the city, he could be heard. The next clue was the wind of hot air that proceeded from dark catacombs. The crunching of gravel underneath his titanium legs was the next clue. Finally, a glow in the darkness gave away his arrival. As the cyborg Freeman backed into the room, his entire frame was glowing red with excess heat.

C'thulhu said, “Agent Freeman, you are far past your heat capacity. You must be cooking your own brain.”

Freeman said, “Yeah, I noticed. The goo just keeps coming. I'm not even holding it back anymore, Doc. Do we have an exit strategy?”

Cleo stepped forward. Her small human frame in a simple gray uniform was dwarfed by the huge crab-shaped cyborg. She interjected, “Yes, an omni is here. We just have to reach her ship.”

Isis said, “You aren't riding on that hot plate, Doctor Calamari. Do you have a bicycle or something.”

C'thulhu snapped, “A patient in my care is baking himself alive, so that is not my primary concern.”

Cleo said, “Freeman sounds okay for the moment, Doc. We have to leave now while we still maybe can get out. Where is your exo-skeleton?”

“It was in the ship that fell down the hole,” C'thulhu bemoaned.

Morgan chanted a message in the old Odgin tongue. “Shidhe glasmossa pooka gossimure.” With a flourish of her arm, she commanded a spirit to materialize. A set of ghostly white points appeared in the gravel floor beneath the uplifted octopus. Then a misty white head appeared and shoulders. A spectral deer, a large and powerful stag, stepped up from the ground. It lifted Doctor C'thulhu underneath it. From it's back, the doctor wrapped tentacles around the phantom's neck and torso to stabilize himself.

“My word!” shouted C'thulhu.

Freeman asked, “Are my cameras glitching, or did a freaking deer just crawl up out of the dirt?”

Cleo said, “I'm seeing it too, but I don't believe it.”

Isis said, “Abracadabra, suckers. My girl, Princess Morgan, has the touch.”

Cleo said, “Doc, can you explain this?”

C'thulhu said, “Woah” as the large animal shook underneath it. “I do not have a scientific explanation, and I do not require one. We make our egress now and seek intel later.”

Isis teased, “I could explain it, but I can't make you understand, silly.”

Freeman said, “Good enough, which way is that ship?”

Cleo answered, “North” and pointed in a general direction.

Freeman said, “Straight line!” and charged through the northern wall of the room. Ancient stone crumbled around him. A huge hole was left in his wake, but the room did not collapse. With a leap, the stag ran forward through the opening. C'thulhu yelped and held as best as he possibly could.

Next, Isis leaped up into Morgan's arms. “Forward march, Princess! Wheeee!” With one arm holding up the large rabbit, Morgan le Fay ran.

Cleo looked around the room, giving a last look at her monitors which showed the systematic loss of the entire city happening around her. Tightly gripping a gun of her own, she tucked her low and sprinted after the others.