‘Sorry. But I need you to catch up with Macy. I told her to run downstairs and get to the park. I want you to stay with her until I get there.’

Cheng stood and headed for the door. ‘I’ll look after her, Eddie.’

‘I know you will. Get going.’

The younger man hurried off. Eddie returned to the window. The first soldier was making a rapid descent. If the last man was as quick, they might all escape before both towers collapsed—

The fortress slid into view from behind the burning skyscraper, descending. Dismay as Eddie realised where it was going.

Towards the park – where he had just sent Macy.

He froze, torn between the urge to save his daughter and his duty to help the soldiers. They might be from an unfriendly nation, but right now, they all faced a common enemy. His mind found a reluctant compromise: wait for the man to arrive, then go after Macy while the soldier assisted his comrade.

Frustrated by the forced inaction, he waited for him to traverse the final stretch. The soldier soon arrived. Eddie helped him in. A hurried round of charades explained that the Englishman wanted to catch up with his daughter. The man nodded and smiled in understanding, waving for him to go. Eddie clapped him on the shoulder, then scooped up the rocket launcher and ran for the exit.

Chapter 36

36

‘Macy!’

Macy had just reached the fourth floor. She looked back up the debris-strewn stairwell to see Cheng several levels above, pounding breathlessly downwards. ‘Are you okay?’ she called out.

‘I’m having several heart attacks at once, but yes!’ he gasped. ‘Your dad told me to get you out of here! No, don’t stop,’ he said as she halted. ‘I’ll catch up with you.’

‘Only if I slow right down,’ she warned, but she kept going. Three floors to go, two. She eased off to let him get closer. ‘Come on! We’re almost there!’

‘I’m . . . so glad,’ he panted as he caught up at the door.

Dust swirled in as she opened it, making them both cough. They saw why as they hurried into the lobby. The decapitated top of the larger tower had fallen outside, the main exit blocked by hundreds of tons of rubble. ‘Over there,’ said Macy, pointing. ‘We can get out through the parking lot.’

Another set of doors led into an adjoining structure. ‘Is it safe?’ Cheng asked.

‘I don’t know,’ she admitted. ‘But if we stay in here much longer, we’ll get squashed!’

‘We definitely don’t want that,’ he agreed.

They both ran for the exit.

The vimana hovered over the park, turning so Gadreel could regard the two towers. His warriors were on the way with the key, but he warned them to give the broken-backed building a wide berth. When Sidona finally brought it down, the destruction would affect a large area . . .