A rapid search of the Chinese gave him both the M2010 and an MP7, as well as a couple of hand grenades. He looked between the two guns, then unlocked the thermal sight from the larger weapon’s Picatinny accessory rail and slotted the device into place on the compact MP7’s matching mount. There was no way to test that the sights were correctly centred, but at close range it wouldn’t matter. He collected an extra magazine, then moved back into the smoke.

The other sniper’s rifle boomed. He had spotted another Nephilim – but also given away his position. Eddie snapped up the MP7 and looked through the scope. The shooter stood out clearly, his M2010’s barrel glowing hot white. A sweep revealed the other soldiers, clustered in two groups flanking the sniper as they advanced.

He quickly turned to check nobody was coming up behind him. Two figures were holding position; one was Major Wu, the only female team member. Neither had thermal sights, meaning they couldn’t see him.

Another rifle shot, then a third. An inhuman scream from the mist. If the Nephilim hadn’t yet been wiped out, there could only be a few left in the cathedral.

Eddie located the other soldiers again, then rapidly shouldered the MP7 and hefted both grenades. He pulled the pin from the first with his teeth and lobbed it in a high arc at the nearer of the two groups, then armed and threw the second at the further before ducking.

The first grenade bounced off the stone floor about ten feet from the Chinese. They whirled, knowing instantly what it was, but couldn’t find cover in the smoke—

The bomb went off. Razor-edged steel blasted outwards at supersonic speeds, tearing bodies apart. The second grenade detonated a moment later. Men were hurled screaming into the air.

Eddie jumped up. The sniper had been caught between the two explosions, staggering. The Yorkshireman snapped his gun’s fire selector to single shot for precision and sent a round at his head. It hit slightly below the crosshairs, but the result was still lethal. A chunk of the man’s lower jaw spun away amidst a spray of white, and he fell.

Eddie clicked the MP7 to full auto and swung it towards the nearer group. Only two were still moving. Brief bursts of fire corrected that. He found the other squad. More had survived the second explosion. They did not live long enough to be grateful.

The magazine ran dry. He ejected it and slapped in the replacement as he spun back towards Wu and her companion. Macy and Sandra weren’t with them, so there was at least one more soldier somewhere . . .

Wu ran for the tunnel. Eddie tracked her, but just as he fired, her bright blur vanished behind an obstacle. The bullets cracked against stone.