Chapter 126

Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Six

Elise pressed against the panel of the smoking alien communications system. She seemed incapable of accepting that it was dead, as if she thought the technology should have lasted forever.

And some of it was: The other sections still gave off the green glow as well as a soft hum.

Centuries—millennia—seemed pretty substantial for anything. For a prison that was already overrun by rancid, horrific monsters created by the supposed prisoner?

It was a miracle to find anything running.

Connor set a hand on her shoulder. “It’s gone.”

“That’s not good.” The archaeologist backed away, waving a hand in front of her face. “It smells like it melted.”

“Feels like it, too.” There was still serious heat coming off the device.

“If that device failed, I don’t know about this other one.”

“Did you get it working?”

“Not yet, no. It doesn’t seem to be responding to me.”