Maria stumbled back as Yeger plummeted down the steps, a string of unintelligible curses following his descent.

  All movement slowed as her instincts sensed danger and triggered reflex. Looking up, she saw the cause, a stubby bolt lancing through the air from above. A gas rifle bolt.

  Its course? Her head.

  Eyes wide, she ducked sideways, Matvei and Nika also dodging.

  Yeger slammed into the ground feet first, the wooden deck splintering beneath his bulk. “Run!” he bellowed, shoving her down the corridor as another volley of shots rang out from above.

  As one, they turned and sprinted. Nika lead the way, followed by Matvei. Yeger took up the rear behind Maria. His broad shoulders spanning the corridor.

  Boots thudded on the deck behind them as whoever was above dropped through the hatch.

  Maria’s skin crawled. While her back was to the danger, reflex wouldn’t activate. They were exposed.

  As if to punctuate her concern, Yeger let out a cry followed by an insult that if Maria weren’t scared for her life, would have left her blushing.

  They rounded a corner, and Yeger crashed into the wall behind her. Maria glanced back at him.

  Fury burned in his eyes as he stepped out of the Alchemists’ line of fire. He reached up to his left shoulder, fingers brushing the torn coat, blood staining his fingers. With a growl, he unslung his own gas rifle. “Keep moving.”

  Maria nodded and continued down the door-lined corridor, following Nika and Matvei as they retraced their footsteps to their exit.

  Concern festered in her gut. They’d exposed themselves by venturing so deep into the zeppelin. The original plan had been to bunker down near the exit with a way to block anyone from following as they made their retreat.

  Would they have time to set those defences in place now they were being pursued?

  “Welcome to the depths!” Yeger said from behind, his gas rifle roaring.

  Chink!

  Maria frowned. Had Yeger hit steel? She hesitated, looking back. Two of the four Alchemist soldiers had rounded the corner. Yeger reloaded and fired again. The bolt bounced off one of the Alchemist soldier’s chest with a metallic clink.

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  What?

  Both soldiers raised their own gas rifles.

  Yeger swore and threw his gas rifle down.

  The soldiers fired.

  The world slowed.

  Yeger slammed into Maria, knocking her through a closed door and into a side room, separating them from Nika and Matvei.

  The bolts whistled past the door as she and Yeger fell in slow motion, splinters of wood drifting in a slow arc with them; the remains of a once proud door.

  Senses returning, she squirmed free of Yeger’s grip before they both hit the floor and he crushed her.

  Thunk.

  Maria groaned and rolled to her side as the world speed back up.

  Already Yeger was on his feet, helping her up. “We need to find another way out, those muckers aren’t going to let me kill them.”

  “So it seems,” Maria said, looking around a large, unlit room. Shadows of long rows of shelves ran from the inner to outer walls of the room. Crates and containers lined the shelves, all strapped down. A storage room?

  Maria and Yeger sprinted down the rows, speed and reflex giving them unnatural balance as they headed to the farthest and darkest corner of the room. A series of portholes ran along the exterior wall, the inky blackness of midnight the only thing visible through them.

  “Outside,” Yeger said, pointing to the portholes.

  “We’re on the opposite side of the zeppelin to Vera’s Revenge, how are we going to get back?”

  “Grappling pistols.”

  “They only have one shot. It won’t work.”

  Yeger grunted and stepped up to one porthole and punched it out, glass exploding around his gloved fist. Freezing air flooded the room, along with the roar of the zeppelin’s giant engines.

  Ignoring the wind, Yeger grabbed the rim of the porthole and braced a boot against a thick beam running up the wall. His giant biceps bulged beneath his coat, straining the leather. Maria could almost hear it creak as it stretched. Yeger heaved. Wood splintered and Yeger tipped back. With inhuman speed he regained his balance and braced again, continue to rip the wall open.

  Frustrated, Maria faced the door, now hidden behind shelves, and watched, waiting for the Alchemists. Yeger’s plan was foolish. There had to be a better option.

  But what?

  Yeger continued to strain behind her. How long is he going to take? The soldiers should be here already…

  Or didn’t they have speed or reflex extract? They had never made a move to dodge any shots, and why needlessly reveal a hidden defence like steel skin?

  She drew her grappling pistol, taking small comfort in the useless weapon. It’d never pierce their skin.

  An idea sparked in her mind. It didn’t need to pierce their skin…

  “Yeger,” she whispered.

  He grunted as he continued pulling at the wall.

  “When you’re done, hide,” Maria said. “I have a better plan.”

  “Right,” Yeger said, “let me guess, surrender?”

  Maria took a breath, calming the anger boiling in her chest. “No, you lumbering pile of muck, one that involves killing these Alchemists.”

  All sounds of Yeger’s assault on the wall stopped. “Go on…”