treacherous yet high enough to reach the remaining stairs. And that wasn’t all—a rising column of steamy vapor was being pulled toward it, swirling into a vortex that disappeared into the shadows of a higher level.
Air was being drawn from the volcanic shaft through a second lava tube, newly opened by the tremors. There was another way out!
All they had to do was reach it.
He looked back at the two soldiers in his way. Both had been knocked down by the meteorite’s impact—
Eddie hurdled the wreckage of Poseidon and snatched up the metal trident, then ran as hard as he could. The ground shuddered with every step, almost throwing him off balance as he readied the ancient bronze weapon.
The mercenary sat up, astounded simply to be alive as he took in the devastation all around him. He breathed a sigh of relief—
Three metal prongs burst out of his chest.
Eddie slammed a foot against the dying man’s back to tear the trident free with a trio of bloody spurts. “Nina!” he yelled, jabbing a hand at the ramp. “Climb up, over there!” He hefted the trident and charged again. If he killed Stikes, that would only leave Sophia to worry about.
Stikes saw him coming. He twisted and raised the Jericho—
The trident slashed through his sleeve, one of its points gouging a deep rent in the muscle of his forearm. He screamed—but still managed to pull the trigger.
The bullet caught Eddie’s right biceps, tearing out a chunk of flesh the width of a finger. The pain made him recoil reflexively, throwing off his aim as he thrust the weapon down at the other man. The trident skimmed the side of Stikes’s body, ripping clothing but not skin, and hit the stone floor—and the entire three-pointed head broke off.
Stikes fired again, but Eddie jumped sideways and the bullet seared past him. He swung the trident’s shaft, catching Stikes a blow to the hand that fractured one of his fingers and sent the Jericho whirling toward the temple.
Nina had seen the new exit and started to run for the makeshift ramp, Larry behind her, when she heard the gunshots. “Eddie!” she cried, turning—
Larry yanked her back as Sophia emerged from cover and opened fire with Eddie’s gun. Exposed, they seemed doomed—but the quake threw off Sophia’s aim. The aristocrat’s expression grew more furious with each missed shot. She started after her targets as they ducked back toward the alcove … only for the automatic’s slide to lock back as she exhausted its ammo.
The two women glared at each other—then Sophia fled for the ramp, throwing away the empty gun. Nina looked back at her husband as he smashed the metal shaft down like a baseball bat onto the prone Stikes with a clang that was audible even over the volcano’s rumble.
Eddie appeared to have the upper hand; she made a snap decision and ran after Sophia. The Englishwoman was already halfway up the pile of shattered stones; once she reached the top, the second lava tube would be just a short distance away. Nina pounded after her, Larry following.
Eddie swung at Stikes again, the shaft cracking off the other man’s elbow as he tried to shield his head. Stikes screamed. “Yeah, how’s it feel to be the one getting hurt for a change?” Eddie yelled as he delivered another blow. “This is for everyone you killed in Afghanist—”
Another tremor made him lurch—and Stikes took advantage, sweeping his legs around to hook a foot behind Eddie’s knee, making his leg buckle. The Yorkshireman stumbled, the metal spear jolting from his hands. “You talk too much, Chase!” Stikes shouted as he jumped up. “You always did!”
Eddie sprang to his feet as Stikes charged at him. The two men crashed together, clawing and punching and kicking. Stikes slammed a balled fist against his opponent’s bullet wound, making him roar in agony—only to cry out himself as Eddie gouged his thumb deep into the ripped flesh of his forearm. They backed apart, sizing each other up once more.
Sophia reached the top of the slope and looked down to see Nina still in pursuit. She snatched up a lump of debris and hurled it at her. Nina yelped and ducked aside, the missile barely missing Larry. Sophia picked up another stone …
Part of the meteorite, a ragged purple chunk from the heart of the disintegrated rock. She stared at it for a moment, expression calculating—then shoved it into a pocket and ran along the tier.