Chapter 58

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Connor’s flashlight hit the scorpion-tailed monstrosity square in the face, revealing a blue-black mass of twitching mandibles and above those what must have been antennae. Shiny bug eyes as big as a fist clustered between mandibles and antennae.

The thing hissed, and wings flared out, then flapped loudly, blasting them with a hot wind that stank like ancient tombs being unsealed after millennia. Dust and dirt filled Connor’s mouth, foul and gritty.

Kalpana shouldered her sniper rifle and fired. The shot roared like a cannon.

That quieted the thing for a second, as its wings stopped.

Its head flicked side to side, mandibles and antennae testing the air.

Then it launched itself into the black sky, and the wings flapped with a crazy flutter.

More stones cracked and crumbled around them. Flapping echoed inside darkened rooms.

Aubriella made a wordless sound and staggered back.

Connor grabbed her arm and hauled her along as he ran. “Let’s go!”