In one leap, Eric was to the door, now propped half open by Don’s body. “Help me, Nicky. I’ll cover the hall while you pull him in.”

He stuck the muzzle of his rifle around the door, fired two quick shots, then leaped over Don’s form into the hallway. His first shots had sent the two Guardians coming down the hall frantically back around the corner where they had been hiding. He pumped another shell after them, hoping the screaming ricochet would drive them even farther back, then whirled and helped Nicole drag Don back into the room.

“Stay clear of the doors,” Eric commanded. “Cover them from the center of the room.” Then he turned to where Chet was kneeling over Don Brownley. “Chet, how badly is he hurt?”

Chet Abernathy pressed his finger into Don’s throat just below his jawline, then removed his hand slowly and rocked back on his feet. “Dead.”

“No!” Nicole gasped, her face white.

“Yes. They’re using maximum power on the stun guns. He died instantly.”

“Shhh!” Clayne commanded, pointing at the main door of the Monitoring Room. The lock rattled almost imperceptibly as he raised the rifle. The blast was like the explosion of a stick of dynamite in the small room, and the heavy wood panel of the door shattered. There was a sharp, muffled cry and then a heavy thudding sound. The smell of gunpowder filled the room.

“That’s one for one!” Clayne said savagely.

“At that rate,” Eric snapped, “we don’t stand a chance. We’ve got to get out of here.”

Suddenly the overhead speaker blared. “Eric!”

The six of them jumped in surprise and then stared at the ceiling.

“Eric, this is Major Denison. You’re cut off in both directions. I can hear every word you’ve been saying. If you’ll flip the switch on the control panel, you can talk to us. Nicole knows where.”

Nicole swung around and stared at the switch in front of her but didn’t move.

“Eric, it’s foolish to go on killing each other. Let’s at least talk about it.”

Eric finally nodded, and Nicole stepped to the board and flicked the switch. “All right, Major,” he said wearily. “Talk.”

The Major shot Travis a look of triumph and covered the microphone. “Can you cut off the monitoring consoles from here?” he asked. They were in the confinement-cells section, sitting at the control panel Nicole had once used to trigger Eric’s wrist computer.

Travis shook his head. “No, this gives us access only to the public-address system. But we can cut off the power upstairs.”