Major Wu abruptly punched her hard in the stomach. Nina folded in breathless pain. Hui gasped. ‘You will do as we say,’ the major hissed. Two of Gadreel’s guards hurried over and grabbed Nina’s arms, then Wu held the key up before the American. ‘You will power up the fortress.’

‘Fuck you,’ Nina wheezed.

Wu drew back her arm as if about to hit her again, then scowled and gave another order. The soldiers hauled Nina to the central altar. Like the one in the first fortress, it had a recess in the ornate surface. Wu Shun placed the metal disc into it. She did not even offer her prisoner an ultimatum, instead forcing her hand towards it. Nina struggled, but the soldiers were too strong. She clenched her fist to stop her palm from being placed against the key—

It made no difference. Her knuckles were pressed against it – and she felt the almost electric shock of contact as earth energy was channelled through her. She jerked back. The men pushed her hand down again, but Wu Shun spoke, and they released her.

She had served her purpose, providing the spark that would re-energise the ancient structure, bringing its deadly secrets back to life. Fear rose inside her. If the Chinese decided she was no longer necessary, they wouldn’t need to keep Eddie or Macy alive either . . .

Wu Shun’s cold eyes were fixed upon her. Nina retreated from the altar, expecting a fatal order to be snapped out—

It didn’t come. The major gave her a last dismissive sneer, then turned to the qi tracker. Its operators began to set it up.

With nowhere else to go, Nina rejoined Hui.

‘I – I am so sorry,’ the scientist said, appalled. ‘I did not know any of this would happen!’

‘Cram it,’ Nina growled. ‘What did you think was going to happen? The Chinese army was going to use all this to spread love and harmony around the world?’

Hui seemed about to protest, then sagged in defeat. ‘I . . . Yes, you are right. I should have known. I . . . did know. But I denied it to myself.’ She straightened, drawing in a determined breath. ‘I will try to make it right. Colonel Wu!’ She turned to the commander and spoke in firm Mandarin.

Nina noticed Zan talking quietly to Gadreel, but her attention was dominated by Colonel Wu’s fiery response to Hui. The officer did not like what she said, nor was he shy about letting her know. She tried a couple of times to reply, but his verbal steamrollering could not be stopped. Only when he paused for breath did Hui manage to interject, the word ‘Beijing’ the only one Nina understood – she guessed the scientist was threatening to take the matter to his superiors.