Taking aim, he hurls the object at the alien’s open maw.

An eruption of pure energy—like a sun going nova.

Tezcatilpoca goes into spasms—as if struck by a billion watts of electricity.

Shielding his eyes, Mick falls to his knees, disengaging the array.

The lifeless alien being collapses upon the northern steps, its once-luminescent eyes melding into shades of gray, its open mouth coming to rest between the two limestone serpent heads, positioned along either side of the northern balustrade like bookends.

Mick collapses onto his back, his limbs quivering, his lungs fighting to catch a breath.

Her face pressed against the helicopter’s bay window, Dominique screams for joy, then leaps over the seat in front of her and strangles Chaney in a bear hug.

“Okay, okay. Take us down, Lieutenant. This young lady wants to see her man.”

General Fecondo has the radio receiver pressed to his ear, trying to hear over the shouting within the airship. “Say again, Admiral Gordon—”

The CNO’s voice crackles over the headphone. “Repeat—the alien vessel is still shielded. You may have killed the beast, but its power source is still very active.”

Eyes closed, Mick lies back on the hard, grass-covered esplanade, his exhausted mind struggling to reestablish the neural connection that had somehow allowed him to activate Guardian’s array.

Frustrated, he sits up, staring at the obsidian blade in his hand. I’m Hunahpu, but I’m not the One. I can’t access the Black Road. I can’t seal the portal. He turns to see a platoon of heavily armed commandos emerge from the jungle.

Ming-Ding Slayer drags him to his feet. “Sonuva bitch, Gabriel, how the hell you do it?”

“I wish I knew.”

Several commandos fire off rounds at the inanimate alien’s head, their bullets vaporizing before striking the target.

Michael …

Mick looks up—startled. The voice is different—familiar. Somehow soothing.

Guardian …

Closing his eyes, he allows the voice to guide his thoughts deeper into the depths of his mind.

Push aside your fear, Hunahpu. Open the portal and enter. The Under Lords left on Earth will come forward to challenge you. They will attempt to prevent you from sealing the cosmic portal before the Death God arrives.

Mick opens his eyes, focusing on Tezcatilpoca’s hideous mouth.

From the Guardian’s antenna ignites an electric blue beacon of energy, which locks on to the serpent’s inanimate skull.

The upper jaw begins opening—the startled commandos jump back, several futilely opening fire on the dead beast.

Mick closes his eyes, maintaining his focus. The alien’s jaws hyperextend, exposing hideous ebony fangs, surrounded by hundreds of needle-sharp teeth.

And then a second viperous head appears. Identical but slightly smaller, it juts forward to protrude from the mouth of the first.