Davidson reached out and was snagged by Alexander, who easily pulled the physicist out of harm’s way and into the hallway. King crawled out behind him and stood in what little remained of the office. He instinctually reached for his weapon before remembering he was unarmed.

Shuffling forward through the sea of glass, he chanced a peek out of the window. While twenty feet of the obelisk had impaled the building, its remaining sixty-two feet were jutting out the side, like a giant spear. A large chunk of concrete clung to the end, where it had been ripped out of the ground. Gravity began to work on the protruding end, pulling it down. The force both bent the obelisk and caused the tip to tear into the ceiling. Flakes of plaster crumbled down on King’s head.

“I don’t understand,” Davidson said with a shaky voice. “Why would someone want to destroy the obelisk?”

“They weren’t trying to destroy the tower,” Alexander said.

Davidson fell silent, wondering what he meant.

“I didn’t see anything outside,” King said.

Alexander twisted his lips. “They’ve most likely assumed he’s dead.”

King agreed, but he knew they were far from safe. “They’ll check to be sure.”

“What are you talking about?” Davidson shouted. “Who are ‘they’ and who will they assume is dead?”

King reached down and pulled Davidson to his feet. “I was trying to tell you before, Professor. You’re a target now.”

The man’s eyes went wide behind his thick glasses, but not from King’s statement. He was looking beyond King, down the hallway. King spun and saw what appeared to be a large reptile. Something about it seemed familiar, but he couldn’t place it. The creature was built similarly to a komodo dragon, but its back was tan with brown stripes and its underbelly was white. Aside from its eight-foot length, sharp teeth, and clawed toes, what bothered King the most was the look of menace mixed with intelligence in its eyes.

A long forked tongue flicked out of its mouth—tasting them from a distance. Knowing it was here for Davidson, King looked for an escape route. The only door between them and the lizard was another office. The hallway behind them was blocked by the obelisk.

As a breeze tickled King’s cheek he turned toward the broken window. The ribbed obelisk continued its slow bend toward the ground five stories below. It was the only way out.

He turned to Alexander. “Take him through the window.”

“I’ll fight the beast,” Alexander replied, rolling up his sleeves.

“Sorry, Herc,” King replied. “I’m not strong enough to carry him.”

Davidson blanched. “Carry me?”