Marius nodded grimly. “The second wave, then,” he growled. He patted a whistle upon a string around his neck. “Or whenever I sound the retreat.”

The timer ticked on, and Cade picked up the gun and dangling belt, leaving Quintus to take the tripod and box of remaining ammunition.

Together, they staggered into the tunnel.

“If we live,” Quintus said, stopping for a rest. “And we attack the … ants … we will go home?”

Cade groaned and set down the weapon.

“Yes, Quintus,” he said.

Quintus bit his lip and stared vacantly, and Cade saw tears on his cheeks in the ethereal light of the Codex’s timer.

“Will you…,” Quintus began, struggling to find the words. “I … I don’t belong in your world.”

Cade stepped close and embraced his friend, pulling him tight to his chest. Tears, hot and bittersweet, burned a trail down Quintus’s dust-streaked face.

“You don’t belong in this one either,” Cade said. “And you did pretty well here. You’ll just come stay with me, okay?”

Quintus pulled away, a smile upon his face.

“My mum would love you,” Cade said. “She’d pinch your cheek and say you need fattening up.”

Quintus laughed and embraced Cade once more.

Cade could imagine it now. Quintus, eating dal and pakoras with his family for dinner. Watching his first movie. Playing his first video game.

But it was all a lie. Should he survive the next hour, and there was time to set off the EMP, he would condemn his friends to this world forever. Even now, he was betraying his friend’s trust.

Quintus, who had stuck with him through it all. Who had saved his life more times than he could remember.

“Come on,” Cade whispered, releasing Quintus. “Let’s get this where it needs to go.”

CHAPTER

58

Cade made it to the ramparts just in time, the timer ticking ever closer to the first release of ants.

00:00:56

00:00:55

00:00:54

All along the walls Romans bristled, javelins, slings, and piled rocks at the ready. And in the heat of the moment, Cade realized he didn’t have a sword. He had left his own in the mouth of a dinosaur, miles away.

“Thought you could use this,” came a voice to his left.

Scott gave him a half smile, and passed Cade a blade. A Japanese sword. One of their spares.

“Thank you,” Cade whispered.

Scott shrugged.

“Not worth staying angry,” he said. “We’ve got a chance to go home now.”

“And the others?” Cade asked.

“They’ll come around.” Scott forced a smile. “Just … you know. Make sure we all live through this.”

00:00:35

00:00:34

00:00:33

Cade looked down the rampart, where the contenders had gathered behind the Romans, their long blades poised above the legionaries’ helmets.

Amber caught his eye, then turned away. Cade set his teeth and faced the enemy, blade sweaty in his palm. Behind, Quintus rattled up the stairs, having sloped off to put on some spare armor.

This was the unknown. There had been no time to prepare for this enemy. There was no knowledge of what they faced, for humans had never been high enough on the leaderboard to face them.