Diamond stepped back into the shack and then returned with two identical weapons for Clark. After Clark had taken them from him, Tony elbowed him in the side.
“I guess you’re special, too.”
“No,” Clark said, sighting the gun on a nearby coconut tree. “I’m just a good shot.”
After Tony and Clark were given extra ammunition belts, and the others had armed themselves, Diamond shut the door. For a moment, Tony was tempted to step forward and try the handle for himself—see if what Amethyst had said was really true. But then he heard the clicking sounds in the jungle, and thought of Jennifer.
“Okay,” he said. “What’s our next move, Amethyst?”
“Simple. We go out there,” he pointed into the jungle, “and stop the Dark Ones from bringing Dagon to this dimension.”
“And find Jennifer and the others.”
“I’m sorry?”
“We’ve got to rescue Jennifer and the other scientists, too.”
“Oh, yes. Doctor Wasco and her associates. Quite right.”
Tony’s voice became a low growl. “Don’t fuck around with me, Amethyst.”
The younger man smiled. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
He started forward across the clearing. Diamond fell in step behind him, followed by Tony, Clark and Ruby. Onyx brought up the rear.
“I’m surprised you’re all carrying firearms,” Clark said. “I’d have thought you’d just rely on spells or ESP or some-thing.”
“A bullet is a lot more accurate than a spell,” Ruby said. “Although before this is over, we might have need of both.”
Tony and Clark both slowed down as they neared the stone circle. They eyed the standing stones warily.
Amethyst and Onyx turned to face them.
“Come on,” Amethyst said. “Nothing to be afraid of. The circle won’t harm you as long as you’re with us.”
“Maybe the circle won’t,” Clark whispered. “But what about them?”
One by one, the others turned to see what he was looking at. Three Clickers emerged from the jungle. Each of the creatures was the size of a full-grown cow and their pincers were big enough to sever a man in two. Spotting the group, the monsters raced forward, claws scissoring as they skittered toward their prey. Their tails swayed back and forth, poison dripping from the barbed stingers. Tony and Clark both fell into a combat stance, raising their weapons and pointing them at the onrushing enemy, but Amethyst and Diamond stood in their way, seemingly unfazed by the attack.
“Drop,” Clark shouted. “You’re in our line of fire.”
Tony was more succinct. “Get the fuck out of the way!”
“There’s no need,” Onyx said from behind them. “Watch.”
The Clickers scuttled forward, their intentions clear. As they crossed between the standing stones, there was a dazzling flash of blue-white light. Tony flung a hand up to shield his eyes from the glare, but not before he glimpsed shadowy silhouettes of the three beasts superimposed against the light. There was no sound. The entire process was silent. When Tony looked again, the three Clickers had been reduced to piles of smoldering ash. The air smelled faintly of ozone, like just before a thunderstorm—and something else, as well.
Seafood.
“Holy shit,” Clark gasped. “What the hell just happened?”
“Exactly what we told you would happen,” Amethyst said.
Tony blinked his eyes, waiting for his vision to return to normal. There were dark spots floating in the periphery. He sniffed the air again.
“Too bad we don’t have any Old Bay seasoning on us,” he said, grinning. “I could go for some steamed crabs right about now.”
Ruby shook her head. “You never stop, do you?”
Tony shrugged. “I’ll stop when I’m dead.”
“We’re wasting time,” Amethyst said. “Let’s get moving.”
They walked toward the circle of stones. Nothing moved beyond the clearing, but they could still hear the Clickers rampaging out in the jungle. Diamond and Amethyst took the lead, followed by Tony and Clark. Ruby and Onyx brought up the rear. The two point men passed between the stones unscathed, and motioned at Tony and Clark to halt.
“That thing gonna fry us the way it did those Clickers?” Tony asked.
“No,” Amethyst said. “As long as you come through with Ruby and Onyx, you’ll be fine.”
Ruby took Tony’s hand and Onyx did the same with Clark.
“You guys go ahead,” Clark said, swallowing hard. “Ladies first and all that.”
Tony steeled himself. He wanted to ask Ruby to wait but she was already stepping forward, pulling him along. He had no choice but to follow. They entered the circle and the hair on his arms and head stood up with static. He heard an odd, faint ringing sound—like a chime had been struck. Then they were through the circle and standing on the other side. Clark and Onyx followed.