Page 206 of Silent Target

Caleb pulls Rook to his feet.

Mac takes his other side.

Together, they carry him toward the construction shaft.

Behind us, Victor steps through the smoke.

The floor is collapsing between us.

He comes anyway.

47

CALEB

The mountain roars.

Not thunder.

Rock.

Thousands of tons shifting above us.

The sound follows us into the construction shaft as the command room collapses behind our backs.

“Keep moving!” Rook orders.

He’s bleeding badly.

Still giving orders.

Mac supports his injured side as we climb.

The shaft angles upward through raw stone. Steel reinforcement ribs line the unfinished passage. Some have already twisted beneath the pressure.

Maverick and Reef take point.

Rogue follows with Cobra and the evidence case.

Fathom keeps one hand on it as though Cobra might drop it.

“I’m not letting this go,” Cobra says.

“That case contains half the First Circle’s history.”

“Exactly. Nobody touches it.”

Falcon climbs beside Shark, his injured arm secured against his chest.

Evie remains behind me.

Close.

Every few seconds, I look back.

“You keep checking,” she says.

“Yes.”