Silver rose to his knees, blood soaking through his ceremonial garments.His eyes, reflecting the flickering firelight, locked onto Kari with unnerving intensity.He clutched his wounded shoulder, his breathing labored.
The sound of movement reached them from the cave entrance—backup arriving at last.Kari maintained her aim on Silver, unwilling to look away even for a second.
"Tribal Police!"Ben called from the passage."Coming in!"
Silver's hand moved to his pocket.Kari tightened her finger on the trigger."Don't," she warned."Hands where I can see them."
Silver hesitated.Then, sighing, he pulled his hand out again.His fist was closed.
Was he holding something?
"Open your hand," Kari commanded, approaching cautiously."Slowly."
Silver's fingers uncurled, revealing what appeared to be yellow powder in his palm—the same substance, no doubt, that had been found on Jennifer Holbrook's face and hair.
Before Kari could react, Ruth suddenly lunged forward with unexpected speed, shoving Kari sideways just as Silver blew the powder into the air between them.
The fine yellow dust billowed in a cloud, catching both women but missing its intended concentration.Kari staggered, her vision instantly blurring at the edges, a wave of dizziness threatening to overwhelm her.Through watering eyes, she saw Ruth and Silver grappling near the altar, her grandmother displaying a strength and agility that belied her age.
"Ruth!"Kari called, struggling to maintain her balance as the substance took partial effect.Her weapon felt suddenly heavy in her hand, her coordination compromised.
Silver broke free from Ruth's grip, reaching for the blade that had fallen nearby.Ruth kicked it away, sending it skittering across the cave floor.Silver backhanded her, sending the older woman stumbling against one of the ceremonial fires.
Fighting through the disorientation from the powder, Kari raised her weapon, trying to find a clear shot that wouldn't endanger Ruth.The two figures spun in a macabre dance around the central altar, Silver trying to reach the blade while Ruth blocked his path with determined ferocity.
"I won't let you finish what your father started!"Ruth shouted, her voice more ferocious than Kari had ever heard it.
"You were always meant to be the vessel," Silver snarled, lunging toward her again."Fifty years ago and now."
Ruth caught his wounded arm and twisted, earning a howl of pain from Silver.He retaliated by sweeping her legs out from under her, sending her crashing to the stone floor.He scrambled toward the knife, his fingers closing around the handle.
Kari forced herself forward, fighting the heaviness in her limbs."Silver!"she shouted, drawing his attention away from Ruth."It's over!"
He turned, the blade raised, his face contorted with rage and pain."The Shadow Walker must cross!"he cried, charging toward Kari.
She fired twice, the shots thundering in the enclosed space.Silver jerked as both bullets found their mark in his chest, his momentum carrying him forward another step before he collapsed at her feet.
Ruth pushed herself upright as Ben burst into the chamber, tactical officers close behind him.Silver lay motionless on the cave floor, the knife still clutched in his hand, his eyes staring unseeing at the ancient ceiling.
"Kari!"Ben rushed to her side as she swayed unsteadily."What happened?Are you hit?"
"Some kind of powder," she managed, blinking through the disorientation."Same thing he used on Jennifer Holbrook."
Medical personnel swarmed into the cave, some rushing to check Silver while others attended to Ruth and Kari.A paramedic used a penlight to check Kari's pupil response, which confirmed that Silver had used some form of incapacitating agent.
"Powder appears to be an organic compound," the paramedic reported."Likely containing plant-based sedatives.Effects should be temporary since you got only a partial dose."
Across the chamber, a medic looked up after checking Silver's pulse."He's alive," the man said as the medic beside him began bandaging Silver's wounds.Then several more medics gathered around the wounded man, blocking Kari's view.
Kari looked away, and her gaze landed on Ruth, who sat calmly on a stone outcropping as a paramedic cleaned a cut on her forehead.Her eyes met Kari's across the busy chamber, a silent communication of shared understanding passing between them.
"You doing okay?"Kari asked as she made her way to Ruth's side, still fighting the lingering effects of Silver's powder.
"I will live," Ruth replied simply.There was a bloom of red on her cheek from where she'd been backhanded, but otherwise she appeared unharmed.
Ben approached, holstering his weapon."Medical team wants to transport you both to the clinic," he said."Ruth should get checked for potential injuries, and you need to be monitored while that substance clears your system."
Kari nodded, the lingering dizziness making the motion uncomfortable."We'll go," she said, glancing at Ruth who appeared uncharacteristically subdued."What about Silver?"
