Leviathan(55)
Connor jumped into the debate. “Why don't we evacuate the entire cavern and shut the vault door at the entrance, Chesterton? That door is seven feet of solid steel and it's got to slow this thing down a little! Then we'll dynamite the elevator shaft and bury it alive!”
“Connor,” Chesterton shouted, “that's the best idea I've heard yet!”
Thunderous, the tank advanced.
Leviathan stood, glaring, growling.
With a volcanic roar the beast lowered its dragon-head, and fire exploded from the fanged mouth in a blast that trembled the steel-plated Observation Room. Instantly the mushrooming flame impacted the tank's reactive armor like cosmic lava, igniting the plates until the exterior exploded in ravaging shards that lanced the cavern with burning steel splinters and still Leviathan continued the flaming torrent.
A devastating internal detonation shredded the rear of the Abrams as the engine erupted. Fire spiraled out to claim three hundred feet of cavern, and for a moment there was only consuming flame, incandescent conflict, with Leviathan hovering on the edge of the white holocaust, screaming in rage, rising high on hind feet with clawed forelegs extended wide toward its foe, attacking with gaping fangs and claws.
Tolvanos shouted above the conflict raging over the speaker. “Is the tank's cannon still locked on the creature?”
“Yes!” the controller responded. “The interior temperature of the tank is 250 degrees but the cannon is still locked on—”
“FIRE!”
The controller hit the command, and the tank's 105-millimeter cannon discharged—a blinding white blast that encompassed Leviathan, bathing it, enveloping it at point-blank range—and the creature vanished in the inferno, lost in the smoke and fire and rage.
Thunder, rumbling, echoed over the speaker. Nothing could be seen in the cavern, flames quieting. “Where is the creature?” shouted Adler. “I ... I cannot see it. Is it dead? Has it ... has it been killed?”
Tolvanos stared intently at the screen, peering through the smoke. “We shall see, Mr. Adler. But... no. I do not think that the creature has been killed. Wounded, perhaps. But not killed.”
Slowly, from the other side of the cavern where granite had been crushed by the titanic impact, a dark reptilian shape staggered and rose to its feet, vengeful and wounded.
Enraged, the Dragon turned again to face its foe. With a scream its fangs parted to vomit a blazing plasma arc that poured over the superheated Abrams tank. In a deafening ball of flame, the tank disintegrated in a blinding, roaring white in the war-torn cavern. Shells exploded to scatter debris across the expansive floor and the mushrooming explosion filled the entire cavern, flooding over Leviathan in a molten sea-wave.
Leviathan defied it, shrieking.
Rage to rage, fire answered fire.
The Dragon continued to spew flame, standing, standing...
Then in a surreal white moment, Leviathan halted the plasmic deluge, flames passing over it, beyond it, fangs distending as it paused to inhale a single deep breath. For a split second the armor scales of its battered chest could be glimpsed, clearly dented and torn from the impact of the cannon. And although blood could not be seen against the black-green scales, the creature had obviously been wounded by the direct hit. Yet it was still standing, armor scales healing even as they watched.
“That cannon would have destroyed a bank vault,” Adler whispered. “The beast can survive anything!”
“Yes, Mr. Adler.” Tolvanos smiled, eyes wide as if mesmerized by the black-green Dragon. “Yes, Mr. Adler. Quite probably Leviathan can survive anything at all.” He hesitated a moment, glancing at the panel controller. “All right, I have seen enough. Lock down the video transmission for Stygian Enterprises. Our tests are now complete. And initiate nitrogen pheromones. Put the creature to sleep once more.”
The command was sent, and inside the cavern and within the wall nitrogen pheromones could be heard rushing through the pipes. But at the sound the Dragon turned, focusing fully on the observation camera with an unearthly, malevolent intelligence.
Glaring, blazing eyes vengeful beyond human belief locked on the viewing port to communicate a pure intent utterly blood-dark and hate-filled.
Then Leviathan bent forward ...
Shrieking.
* * *
Chesterton staggered a step as the walls trembled, and they understood together the source of the Shockwave. The Colonel straightened as if a demon loomed in his path.
“No!” he shouted.
Frank released a wild, remorse-filled protest, as if trying to pull back everything he had ever done in the cavern. Connor instantly picked up his speed, passing the scientist with five hard strides to pull alongside a charging Chesterton.