Peering over Hardcoe’s shoulder, LeMarck saw Connrad run a big hand over his face.
“I said they’re also forfeit,” Hardcoe stated in a harsh voice. “Do you agree?” Satisfied that LeMarck wasn’t going to move, the baron turned to face his foe.
“Yeah,” Connrad answered, but LeMarck could tell it wasn’t an answer he wanted to give.
LeMarck let out a tense breath. The die had been cast Now it only remained to be seen who exactly came up with snake eyes.
THE AIR SHAFT BENT again another ten feet up. Dean followed it with difficulty, aided by the adrenaline surging through his body and urged on by Louis cursing at his heels.
He crawled another seven or eight feet, then his forward hand encountered a mesh screen tightly set into place. “It’s blocked,” he called back to Louis. The shaft had also narrowed, barely passable even if Dean flattened himself.
A self-light flared to life, throwing slashes of illumination over Dean’s shoulder. The vent in front of him was about two feet wide by eighteen inches high. The self-light framed most of the rectangle on the carpeted floor on the other side of the vent.
Tables and chairs were scattered across the room, joined by a few skeletons dressed in the tatters. Rodents and insects scattered at the sudden illumination.
“Get the damn thing out of the way!” Louis ordered. “Those monkeys will be here any second!”
Now that he could see what was blocking the way, Dean slipped a long-bladed hunting knife free of his belt and shoved it under the vent frame next to one of the top screws. Once the knife was in place, he twisted with all his strength. The screw popped with a screech.
Before Dean could slide the knife beside the next screw, he heard the double whumpf of grens going off somewhere nearby in the building. He twisted the blade, popping off another screw. One more and he had the top of the vent loosened.
“Hurry, Dean!” Louis urged. “They’re having trouble getting up the shaft, but I don’t think it’s going to hold them very long!”
When the two side screws had been popped free, Dean put the knife away, then rested his shoulder against the vent and put his weight into it. The self-light went out as the vent popped loose. It banged on the carpet below, lost in the darkness.
Dean slithered through, falling out on his head but managing to block the impact with his hands. Louis came out right behind him.
Monkey feet drummed against the sides of the shaft, the screeches and jabbering growing louder.
“Go!” Louis said, reaching out in the darkness and shoving his companion forward.
Dean made his way as quickly as he could across the debris-strewed floor, nearly tripping over unidentifiable objects. He caught himself four times before he made it to the opposite wall where he’d seen the door.
Light burned to life in Louis’s cupped palms. The boy’s blond locks were plastered to his head, his cheeks reddened by blood. “Damn door’s got to be here somewhere.”
“There,” Dean said, spotting the door five feet from their position.
The first monkey dropped to the carpeted floor.
Dean spun and brought up the Hi-Power, banging out three shots. The bullets hit the monkey, and bounced it backward against the wall. “Go on,” he yelled. “I’ll follow you.”
Louis didn’t waste time arguing. He needed both hands to keep the self-light alive.
Shifting his aim, Dean pumped rounds into the vent area. A couple of the large eyes winked out. Two more monkeys dropped from the vent and charged forward. Dean heard Louis open the door behind him.
A third monkey launched itself from the vent, wings spread out to catch the air.
“Dean!”
Turning, the boy raced for the door.
Louis held it open. Weak illumination from the hallway windows took the place of the self-light Louis dropped at his feet. The boy had his pistol in hand and was firing over Dean’s head and shoulders.
Once in the corridor, Dean helped Louis slam the door shut, both boys resting their weight against it as the flying monkey slammed against it hard enough to open it almost an inch. The monkey slid blunt, hairy fingers through the crack, angling to gain enough purchase to shove the door all the way open with its incredible strength.