“Can you help with the rocks?” Cade asked. “You’ll be no good in the shield wall.”

They did not look happy to take his orders, but moved to help the legionaries. Watching them go, Cade dragged the gun deeper into the cave. By now, he was exhausted.

But then, he had just been chased by two enormous dinosaurs less than an hour ago.

When the gun was finally in place and he had gone back for the ammunition, he was glad of the light of the timer, for the torchlight was dim. He counted down the seconds as the legionaries shuffled into position.

00:30:02

00:30:01

00:30:00

It was time. He could almost feel the force field on the other side of the tunnel descending. By his guess, some two hundred ants would be pouring into the tunnel, and there would be no rockfall to decimate them.

There were over thirty soldiers in the cave behind Cade, talking in panicked voices as Cade worked his futuristic magic.

Gritting his teeth, Cade stared down the tunnel and set himself up at the machine gun. Peering down the corridor of perfectly smooth rock was like looking down the barrel of a gun, and Cade was tempted to fire a few shots to test the accuracy.

Instead, he waited. Better to do it when the ants were in the tunnel.

Cade centered the gun, balanced precariously on the tripod, and he hoped he’d have the strength to hold it steady. As if his mind had been read, Quintus appeared at his side, crouching in front of the gun and letting Cade rest it upon his shoulder. Cade raised his shield and called out in a strong voice:

“Testudo!”

Cade did not turn, but he heard the clatter of men moving into position. The world darkened as a shield was lifted over his head, protecting him from who knew what. Men took their places on either side of him and Quintus, and Cade elbowed himself a little space so they would not jostle him.

Then … they waited.

CHAPTER

60

Cade heard them first. That clicking sound, rattling down the tunnel like macabre maracas. Then the darkening of the tunnel mouth as figures crisscrossed in front of it.

Time ticked by, and with each second Cade rejoiced. There was a chance … a slim one, that they would not need to kill every ant to win. That the time would run out before the battle was over.

He didn’t know what would happen then. If they would be immediately transported to Earth. If Abaddon would make a little speech before sending them on their way.

By Cade’s estimation, he had to make a decision before the timer ran out, in case of immediate teleportation. And it was a decision; He didn’t have to go through with Song’s plan.

In the back of Cade’s mind, he knew he could take the coward’s way out. Go home. See his family again. Let some other poor souls pick up his mantle. Let humanity dance to Abaddon’s tune until they could dance no more. Perhaps they would dance forever.