I suddenly became aware of Cage babbling to me, cupping my face in his hands, trying to make me meet his eyes. “Kenzie, please,” he said, his words a mixture of Mandarin and English and something in between. “Please. Don’t do this, not now. I need you. I’m sorry, but I do. Look at me. Please.”

I drew a deep breath, forcing myself to meet his gaze. Relief surged through him, so powerful and profound I almost cried. “Is he dead?” I whispered.

“Yeah. I’m sorry. But if we don’t get moving, we’re going to be dead too.”

I knew. I knew that. I knew both of those things. I simply couldn’t make myself believe them.

The alien shrieks tripled in volume and another creature leaped over my dad, ignoring the other alien crumpled beside him. I threw up a hand to shield my eyes as Hallam opened fire. The alien shrieked, recoiled, but shook off the gunfire, shifting on unsteady feet before seeming to recover.

“I’m out!” Hallam shouted, throwing the big gun aside. He yanked a second laser rifle off his back and braced it against his shoulder. “You, girl! Whatcha at?”

If Mia bristled at being called ‘girl,’ she didn’t show it. “Quarter charge,” she replied as she opened fire. Jasper lunged into action at the same time, jerking an entire console free of the wall and slamming it into the creature. “Eighth charge,” Mia amended as the alien slumped.

“Self-destruct in three minutes,” announced the computer.

“Let’s move,” Priya ordered.

“What about the other ship—Sabre?” Reed demanded. “If he was telling the truth . . .”

“You want to stay here? Be my guest! Everyone else, go!” Priya spun for the door behind us. At the same moment, claws slashed through it. Alexei and Mia attacked in the same instant, and the alien released a shrill scream.

Mia pivoted and fired another shot at the far door, where a creature struggled past Dad’s body. It howled in pain but didn’t drop. Mia threw the weapon aside. “I’m out!” she shouted.

Another strike on the far wall. This time, the tips of claws emerged through the shielding. Shrieks came from all directions. Three of the aliens charged through the gaping hole behind Dad and paused, sniffing the air, calling to one another. More claws burst through the door behind us. And at last, the aliens tore through the wall.

We all stood frozen, silent. For a heartbeat I wondered if the aliens knew where we were. Maybe they thought we were all dead. If we stayed very still, didn’t even breathe, then maybe . . .

An alien charged through the door behind us, flailing wildly. Alexei and Jasper dove to either side just in time, but they collided with the floor in a giant racket, and every one of the creatures—five in the room, and two more tearing through the walls—spun in our direction and screamed. They leaped, and we scattered. Cage swept me out of harm’s way. But there was no escape, not anymore. The creatures closed in.