Vermillion Destroyer sent a volley of shots at the Jawal, backing up as it took a swipe at him. Jason, Tabitha, and two new heavy-set interceptors had been deployed to take down two colossal class Jawal in the Chihuahuan Desert.

Tabitha grabbed the tail of the Jawal and threw it into a tower of rocks. The ten-story tall creature crashed on the ground.

The new interceptors, an Elemental Immune and an armored demolitions expert, didn't wait for the second beast. They controlled the battlefield. Both of them had military experience and handled the tempo of the battle with ease.

Bombs were already set when the Jawal was herded into the kill zone.

"Magnol, it's all you!"

Magnol, suited in steel-gray and green, drove his hands into the packed earth. With a surge of power, he manipulated the elements; the desert instantly liquefied.

The hard ground melted into a churning field of quicksand. The Jawal roared as it sank.

"Cinder, you ready-?" he comm’d the bomb-bearer.

A dangerous grin flashed on her face. Cinder slammed her thumb on the detonator.

The resulting explosion was a shockwave that ripped through the desert. Dirt, pulverized sand, and shredded cacti kicked up in a blinding cloud.

Once the dust settled, Tabitha piped up, “How’d a coyote get by and sneak by in this quicksand without us knowin’?” Tabitha asked, pointing at small tracks in the now-hardening sand.

Jason shook his head, "These tracks are Jawal prints, but smaller."

They followed the dirt track until the trail halted at the edge of a lush ravine. A low snarl got their attention.

The beast was a Jawal, identifiable by the reinforced claws and ropes of visible muscle on its legs.

But this one was different: it was smaller than average, lithe, sleek, and covered in a dark fur.

It exploded from its hiding spot. Cinder's green ballistic shield turned spear flew, striking the creature mid-jump. Its unexpected agility made her aim at the shoulder, but a follow up shot from Vermillion dropped the beast into a twitching heap.

He pointed a gloved hand past the dead form. "Another set of prints, and a faint set of wheel treads. Seems like traffickers beat us to the punch."

Later, the mission debrief went down the I.T. practice room. Kiera pulled out a tablet, and twin holograms flickered to life above the screen. A still-shot of their earlier mission, and another image of the mystery Jawal chained and muzzled inside a cramped cage. The hooded face in the latter image was unmistakably the Black Snake, confirming Jawal traffickers’ involvement.

“We’ve recently picked up new activity on the market - this is what you all met.”

Tabitha, Jamie, and Anastasia listened attentively, halting any sparring or simulations.

“What is it?” Anastasia inquired, leaning forward.

"They aren't using these for muscle. They're most likely scouting and reconnaissance Jawals—always caught alone or in small groups of two."

“Which means no more skirmishes like we’ve seen. It’s going to be war. More massive operations like the Kentucky Farm.” Jason concluded.

“How are the traffickers even catching these- these stealth Jawal?” Jamie asked, arms folded and eyebrow cocked.

Kiera showed them a series of files. Traffickers had infiltrated cleanup crews, robbed research facilities, and hiding areas often attacked by Jawal. Black Snake and Dog’s name were prominent in the files, their reach extending internationally.

Their resources said Black Snake had even gained abilities as an Immune, and was now more dangerous than ever with superhuman smell, flexibility, and enhanced agility.

‘Snake’, indeed. Kiera thought.

Black Snake's piercing eyes were still on the projector when Kiera received a notification.

"You've got to be kidding me - Black Snake just contacted us." The words were barely out of her mouth before she bolted from the room, leaving her teammates in confusion.