Leviathan(111)

“We've got to try!” Frank was screaming. “We're dead if we try to reach Brubaker through this tunnel! It's too hot!”

Connor grimaced, trying to decide.

“Make a decision, Connor! If we don't use Omega we'll have to retrace our steps back through the Housing Cavern!” The scientist choked on the smoke billowing up the passageway. “Come on! We're running out of time!”

Connor glared at the flames before them, weighing the options. But it was clear to him. There was no way. There was no way they could get through the tunnel before them. And there was no way they could retreat back through the Housing Cavern. Not with that kill-or-be-killed firefight in full force. He knew that much, for certain. Just as he knew that Thor and Barley and Chesterton would be dead themselves if they stayed in there much longer.

“We'll take Omega!” he shouted, angling instantly toward the entrance. “We'll have to take our chances that the nitrogen hasn't poisoned the air!”

“The nitrogen should have dissipated by now!” Frank re-plied, moving quickly ahead of him. “But we can't be sure of the wiring! GEO told me that Leviathan used flame down here, and it could have melted the steel plating. We could have lines down!”

Jordan stirred in Connor's arms, crying. “Shhhh,” said Connor, hugging him closer. “It's okay, boy. We're going to get out of here. Just a little longer and we'll get you out of here. Daddy's going to get you out of here ...”

Grimacing against the flame, Connor hugged his son close.

* * *



Collapsing to one knee, Barley shouted and centered an LAW rocket at the chest of Leviathan.

The beast was surreal and titanic in the cavern, fully enraged. Its tail swept right and left, shattering everything within reach. Nothing could resist it—wood, steel, and wiring surrendered like smoke to the monstrous might of the beast, scattering and disintegrating wildly at its touch. Emerging fully into the cavern, Leviathan screamed hideously, shaking, dropping on all four legs to charge.

Grim and cold, Barley depressed the trigger of the LAW and the flame-bolt struck Leviathan hard in the chest, staggering it solidly. It reared back, aflame and firing flame from its mouth that shot uncontrollably to the roof of the cavern, exploding in a hellish, mushrooming white cloud that set the entire complex ablaze.

Heat, heat ...

Heat!

Fire rained from the roof.

Thor fired the M-79e.

The grenade struck Leviathan in the chest, exploding violently against the armor plating. But the beast took the shock almost in stride, leaping forward and lashing out. A long foreleg missed Thor by a hair, cleanly severing the main support beam of the Housing Complex.

Damaged by the flame and collision of forces, the entire housing structure began to cave in, falling over Leviathan. It struck back maniacally, vaporizing steel and plywood with a continuous white stream of liquid fire, fangs, and claws. On and on it raged, slashing and striking at everything, at nothing, raging at the air, the cavern. Then Chesterton let loose with an M-16, screaming for Barley and Thor to retreat but they stood their ground.

Thor broke open the M-79 and shoved another grenade in the tube. He quickly snapped it shut as Leviathan's dragon-head again lashed toward him. With a shout he fired into its face. Blinding, the point-blank blast hit at less than forty feet and only the concussion threw Thor out of range as the monstrous jaws snapped shut on smoking air.

Barley was firing, screaming, “Thor! Crawl out the vault! Crawl out the vault! Get out of there!”

Staggering, Thor tried to obey, to retreat. But as he gained his feet he saw the beast atop him. He took a single, frantic step backward before he tripped over a shattered computer frame, sweeping black claws slashing out to tear the computer into splintered steel shreds and then Chesterton was running forward, screaming vengefully and firing the M-16 in a blinding, suicidal rage. He centered on the head, the eyes of the creature and Leviathan blinked, enraged, turning toward the object of its pain.

“Get out of here you fools!” Chesterton screamed, firing upward.

Barley reached Thor as Leviathan turned its full attention to Chesterton, rising up, snarling, growling. Despite its injury and its weakened condition, the beast seemed to glory in the moment.

“Colonel!” screamed Barley, leaping forward, but Thor snatched him by the shirt as he leaped, hauling him back. Then Leviathan's jaws descended, meeting the gladiatorial hatred of Chesterton who kept firing, firing to the last.

“Colonel!” Barley screamed again as Thor threw him hard beneath the narrow space of the vault door. Then in a rage Thor spun back to see the beast with its head and neck raised high, almost twenty feet above the ground, swallowing.