We have an early preview of an upcoming Apocalypse Prevention, Inc. sourcebook from Third Eye Games.

API Worldwide: Canada Preview

Gabriel gritted his teeth and pulled the belt tight. Pain flared up in his shattered leg as the tough leather bit down, but soon settled back into a dull throb. He positioned his makeshift crutch under one shoulder to keep as much weight off the limb as possible, fixed the rubberized part against the snow and levered himself upright. The leg positively shrieked with agony as he rose, but the splint held. He’d have thought himself lucky to have found it if it hadn’t come from the twisted wreckage of his snowmobile.

Wearily, Gabriel produced a cigar. The heavy tar did nothing to dull the pain, but it gave him something to do while he thought. At least he was partially mobile again and he could turn his attentions to more pressing matters. The massive glistening bulk behind the vehicular remains shifted slightly, reminding Gabriel of the first order of business. The abominable snowman – it almost sounded jolly, for heaven’s sake! Strange how people forgot the true meanings of words over time. He’d smashed into its face at top speed and still did little more than stun the brute and write off his ride home. But he knew a better way.

The injured operative picked through the metal fragments until he found the gas tank. Still plenty left there, if he was careful there’d be enough for a few molotovs when he was done. Doing his best to keep out of reach of the wicked icicle-like fingers just in case the beast was playing possum, Gabriel circled his wounded foe kicking away as much of the snow as he dared. The acrid stink of the fuel stung his sinuses, already raw from the freezing cold. In retrospect that’s probably what awoke the beast.

With a roar and a lurch the Amautalik launched toward him, the snow erupting from its icy skeletal frame in a miniature blizzard that stung at the eyes. Gabriel fell backward into the snow with just enough presence of mind to fling the fuel canister to one side away from his smoldering stogie. The beast lunged again, and now Gabriel saw why the sure-footed creature had missed the first time. One leg, ironically the same as his own, was shattered into semi-transparent splinters. His foe seemed eager to make the most of it though. The stump reared up above him, its tip as sharp as daggers, waiting to fall.

At times of mortal peril, a little introspection is inevitable. All Gabriel had time to wish is that he had an able partner to appear in the nick of time and distract the Amautalik before the deadly blow could fall. But operatives in Canada are usually lone agents. Too much distance to cover, too many secrets hiding under the snow. Abominable snowmen, as immediate a danger as this one currently was, were still one of the lesser problems on his to-do list. This one in particular could be disposed of without effort.

Gabriel spat out the cigar.

He wished for a second that there was room for an expression in his enemy’s skull-like face. It would have been satisfying to see it change from rage to terror as the red-hot cheroot flew toward it. As it was, he had to make do with seeing its eyes following the fiery arch of tobacco and ash as it spiraled into the middle of a large patch of gasoline. Gabriel rolled madly to one side as fire leapt up and consumed the Amautalik. It was clear that it wouldn’t last long, as its joints melted and fused together. The howl that bellowed from its arctic throat had a ring of death about it.

His broken leg was thumping with pain right the way up his spine as he hurled himself into a deeper snow pile. Most of the little fires in his clothing went out and he flailed madly at the remainder, until they too were extinguished. Then he shuffled up as close to the fast-thawing corpse of the Amautalik as he dared to enjoy what little heat remained in the fast-burning petroleum. Out here in the snowy wilderness you had to get your heat wherever you could find it, and rolling around in snow wasn’t a great method of warming up. Time to plan his next move. The front skis from his snowmobile looked serviceable, maybe he could throw together a crude sled… but then how would he pull it? He turned his back into the harsh wind and set to thinking.

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