Palmer Strength

With incredible force Palmer exploded out of his seat straight toward Macready, dragging the couch with Garry and Childs still tied to it along with him. His face was splintering as something fought to get out from behind the fleshy human mask. He barreled into Macready and knocked him clear over the other card table.

"Copper!" the pilot screamed as he went over backward. The room was filled with shouts and curses as men fought their restraints. Shouts and curses and a deep, inhuman bellowing.

The doctor tried to fire, but mishandled the unfamiliar controls of the blowtorch. By that time the steadily changing thing that had been Palmer had burst its bonds and jumped on the older man.

Macready dove onto Palmer's back and the three of them went rolling across the floor. He pounded at the head until a huge, not quite formed arachnid arm split out of the shirt and sent the pilot skidding across the linoleum.