The alien spared its fallen comrade a single glance before charging.  It swung its rusted metal club as it got close.  Ryan bent over backwards and the blow passed inches above his stomach.  Bracing his hands against the ground, he brought his legs up and sent both feet crashing into his opponent.  Bundled fibers in his suit’s legs twitched and the alien launched into the air.

The metal rebar clattered on stone as it hit the ground.  Rolling his spine, Ryan shot up into the air.  Hooking one foot under the weapon, he kicked it up into his waiting hand.  The alien recovered quickly and charged him again.

The metal bar was a blur as Ryan twisted it through his hands and around his body.  The alien struck at him again and again, but each time he blocked with his makeshift staff.  The unnaturally hard alien skin and bones didn’t break against the metal, but it couldn’t be comfortable.  The alien wouldn’t let up though.  Ryan’s suit was building up too much of an electric charge.  His whole body felt like it was being pricked with needles.

Just when he thought his opponent would outlast him, the alien sprung back.  Warning lights flared in the corners of Ryan’s vision.  The suit was almost critical, he needed time for it to cool down and bleed off its charge.  Ryan brought his hands together at one end of the rebar and threw it.

The metal rod spun through the air.  The alien dodged, reacting faster than Ryan would’ve thought possible.  The rebar still clipped it though, turning its graceful spin into an out of control tumble.  It landed on all six of its limbs and skittered towards him, low to the ground.

Ryan’s suit was stiff and unresponsive.  He hadn’t bought enough time.  He blocked the first blow, but the second got past his guard and hit him square in the chest.  The layered armor in the suit absorbed most of the impact, but his breath was still forced out of his lungs.  He didn’t even know he was flying through the air until his back slammed onto the broken concrete.

The alien was on him before he could react, using the two short arms coming out of its chest to keep him pinned while one of the larger ones drew back for another blow.  Ryan closed his eyes, knowing this one would hurt.

After a moment, he opened them again.  The alien’s eyes, half human and half something else, were going in and out of focus.  It reached up and grabbed a small cylinder coming out of its neck.  A needle pulled free, but it was already too late.  The potent neurotoxin was in its system.  If a human got a dose like that, it’d cause his lungs and heart to stop.  This alien would just be paralyzed for the better part of an hour.  Ryan looked past the collapsing alien to see Theo standing on a mound of rubble, one arm still out where he’d thrown the dart.

“Thanks,” he thought to his partner.

“Don’t mention it.  I was finished with mine and didn’t feel like waiting around for you.”