“No,” Connor shook his head. “I want you to stay here, Barley.”
The big man's brow furrowed.
“Why?” he asked angrily. “We'll stand a better chance if we go out together.”
“Because this is personal, Barley. That thing took something from me and now I'm going to take it back. And one of us needs to stay here and take care of things in case it finishes me.”
Barley, strong and wise beyond whatever was visible, turned to stare at Beth and then Jordan, positioned high above the floor on the gazebo. “All right,” he said, turning back to Connor. “I understand.”
Connor stared a moment. “You're a good man, Barley. Like Thor.”
Barley's grim face bent, his expression turning to pain. “The big man was a hero,” he said. “We should all die like that.”
A short nod and Connor spoke more softly. “You'll take care of my family for me?”
A solemn pause and Barley nodded. “With my life, Connor.” He reached up and ripped down the Velcro flap concealing the detonator of the C-4, still wrapped around his chest. “With my life.”
Connor blinked and nodded, touched by the friendship they'd forged. But there was no time for anything else. He glanced at Beth and she looked up, rising, knowing. Then, together, they mounted the steps of the gazebo, moving toward Jordan.
To say good-bye.
* * *
“What are you going to do?” Beth asked carefully.
Connor bent over her, staring at the soft brown eyes. “I'm going to lure it through the cavern. Hit it as many times as I can. And if everything fails, I'll have to bring it in here.”
Beth reached up, brushing back the hair from his forehead. “You're too hard, Connor. You always have been.” She stared at him. “Please, please don't push it. I'm asking you. Please ... be careful.”
Connor laughed. “I'm—”
“I know,” she said, grimacing. “You're always careful.” She paused a moment. “But you're not.”
Connor met her gaze, grimacing.
“When are you leaving?” she asked.
“In a few minutes. As soon as Frank tells me that it's coming this way. And one way or another, it's got to come this way. It's either going to come for us or it's going to try to make it to the lake.”
Beth lowered her face and Connor hugged her. Then he reached out and drew his son closer, holding him strongly in his arms, communicating strength. “I've got to go out for a little while, buddy,” Connor said softly, separating to stare his son in the eyes. “But Mommy's going to stay here with you. And everything's going to be okay. I'll be back in a few minutes.”
Jordan was hushed. Trembling.
“Are you going to kill the monster?” he asked quietly. “Like you promised?”
Connor blinked, stunned, “Yeah, buddy. I'm gonna kill it for you.” He felt himself choking. “I promise.”
“I know. ’Cause you're my daddy.”
Connor hugged the boy so that he wouldn't see his tears, then he kissed his forehead, his eyes. Finally they separated, holding the small, pale face in his scarred hands. Eye to eye, Connor whispered.
“I'll be back for you, son.”
Jordan nodded, blinking a tear.
“I know,” he whispered. “'Cause you're my daddy.”
* * *
Chapter 37
How much time do we have?” Connor asked. “Probably half an hour before Leviathan closes on the power plant,” Frank replied, leaning back from the computer panel. “Leviathan is still trying to stabilize its life-support system. It’s hurt really, really bad.”
“How bad is that?”
Frank shook his head. “It’s hard to tell. But GEO says Leviathan’s vital statistics are thin. Its EEG activity is spiked, like it’s on the edge of stroking out. Clearly, it’s starving. Blowing the freezer was a killing move because it would have found the food eventually and used it for strength.”
“So if it’s starving,” Connor mumbled, “and it’s hurt so bad, how can it still be moving?”
Without hesitation Frank said, “Right now Leviathan is emptying storage cells located in its vertebrae to generate acidic blood-heat, trying to compensate for energy loss. It’s a last-ditch defense to stay on its feet. Which means it’s dying. Fast.”
“So it’s going to try to reach the lake.” Connor didn’t say it as a question.
“Probably, Connor.” The scientist stared at him. “But it’s going to have to come through this power plant to reach the lake. It’s going to have to come through us.”
“How much strength does it have left, Frank? What’s your best guess? Can it still use flame?”