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The lead melted quickly at the touch of Sam’s probing fire. Liquid lead dribbled down the wall and pooled, instantly igniting anything it touched.
But now the file room was too hot for anyone. The air was gone, and Sam was woozy, unfocused, forgetting what he was doing.
“Orc! Grab him!” Dekka yelled as she dove back outside, gasping for breath.
Sam felt himself lifted off his feet. It was curiously pleasant. Outside, the shock of cold air on his face snapped him back to reality.
He glanced to his right. Gunfire still kept the turbine room doorway clear. Edilio was flattened against the wall, unable to do anything but reload and keep firing blindly. His soldiers had been ordered back to safety behind parked cars.
The attack was failing.
Sam stood up, fighting nausea and dizziness. He faced the wall again. He could shoot through the outer wall, through the room beyond, and hit the lead shield. But his deadly light was diffused at that distance. And he had no room to ply the blowtorch back and forth and widen the hole.
He raised his hands and unleashed the power. The lead sheath melted quickly. But too late, Sam knew. Too late for surprise. Too late.
And in the end, too little.
A red-rimmed hole about the size of a manhole cover dripped melted lead like tears.
Then a familiar voice cried, “Sam!”
Sam ignored it.
“Sam, in three seconds I’m pushing one of my hostages into this hole you’ve made,” Caine yelled. “One!”
Sam widened the gap as much as he could, working the edges, melting lead.
“Two!”
He couldn’t stop, Sam told himself.
But if he didn’t stop, he had no doubt, none, that Caine would make good on his threat. Caine could literally hurl one of the hostages into the fiery hole Sam was burning.
Sam dropped his hands. The light died.
“That’s better,” Caine yelled.
“Come out now, Caine, and maybe I let you walk away in one piece,” Sam blustered.
“Here’s the thing, brother,” Caine called back. “I have two of your people. Give a shout-out, kids.”
“It’s me, Sam. It’s Mike Farmer! Mickey’s here, too. And Britt, she’s…she’s hurt.”
Sam shot a look at Dekka. She stared back at him, stone faced. Caine had said two hostages. So he was counting Brittney as dead.
And no mention of Brianna. The Breeze was not a hostage. At the same time, Sam told himself, Mike hadn’t listed her, either. So at least she wasn’t lying defeated in that room.
The gunfire at the doorway had ceased. Edilio still stood ready, but not knowing what to do next.
“Let them go, Caine,” Sam said wearily.
“I don’t think I’m going to do that,” Caine answered.
Sam ran his hand through his hair, beside himself with frustration.
“What is it you want?” Sam asked. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“I have the power plant, that’s obvious,” Caine said. “Stupid of you to lose it, Sam.”
