Replacing her rising panic with concentration, Connelly ran for the opposite end of the cavern as quickly as she could. She'd seen the approaching swarm and wanted nothing to do with them. She'd had entirely enough of alien creatures trying to make a snack of her crew. No more distractions, no more wonderment, they were getting the hell out of these caves.

The Europhids on either side of the path that led to the nearest tunnel slowly closed in, narrowing the space through which they could run—or frantically bobble in their case. A barrage of stingers launched from either side of the Europhid patches, swiping across the PMS suit's impervious skin.

Connelly realized that all Europhids were equipped with such weapons. The sample they'd put in the incubator had simply grown. No mutation had occurred. It also meant that what had happened to Peterson could happen to any of them if the Europhids found a chink in their armor.

As the pathway continued to constrict, the number of swiping stingers increased to the point where from her feet to her elbows Connelly felt a constant sharp rubbing. If her body hadn't developed on Earth, where muscles grow stronger to compensate for the increased gravity, the net of Europhid limbs might have held her tight. But she and Robert plowed through the mass of scratching arms, now only feet from the nearest exit.

As they grew closer to the exit, Connelly felt a pain in her chest. It felt like what most people imagine a heart attack feels like, but she'd felt the pain before. Her anxiety was mounting to the breaking point. The onset was so subtle that it went unnoticed, especially during stressful situations when her mind was distracted by other events. She might be able to deal with the situation like any normal person, but when other people reached their emotional cap, her psychological pressure point continued to rise, even after the stressful situation had subsided.

The ache in her chest was the first warning sign. If things didn't calm down soon it might be days before she felt the anxiety subside. A surge of anger pushed the pain away.

I've gone years without having an anxiety attack, Connelly thought. I won't have one now!

"How are we doing, guys?" It was Willard. She hadn't looked back since she and Robert started running. She was glad to hear he was still there.

"Okay," she said. "We're about to enter the cave system."

"I know," Willard said.

A shape landed next to Connelly, catching her off guard and squeezing a shriek from her lungs. Her eyes opened wide with fright and she twisted her head toward the figure.

"Whoa, boss," Willard said as he took Connelly's arm. "It's just me."

A surge of pain like someone driving a railroad spike into her heart tore through her chest. The attack was growing worse.

"Guys," Robert said. "We might have a problem."