“Yeah. We’re in here. It’s clear.”
Soon Avril, Galen, and the others crawled through the opening in the door. Avril stood just inside the entryway, her jaw falling open. “Oh, my stars.”
The others had equally shocked looks on their faces, their gazes moving between the artifacts and the body of the creature. Except for Gunn, who looked like he’d sucked on something acidic.
“That dead?” Solomon nodded toward the mutant cat.
“Yes,” Nik said. “But it wasn’t a minute ago.”
Galen moved closer, snapping images. “Some sort of mutated creature. We need to stay on the lookout for more.”
“I’ll arrange for a second team from theDrake,” Avril said. “I want a team in here to prepare for loading the artifacts. And more security.” She beamed. “Well done, Nik.” Her gaze shiftedto the Sun Stone. “I’d hoped we’d find the Sun Stone, but I guess I never really believed we would. These finds are simply—” her voice cracked and she cleared her throat. “You’ll go down in history as the discoverer of some of the most important Terran artifacts in the galaxy.”
“And Nera, too,” he said dryly.
Avril’s eyes flickered. “Of course.”
“I’m sure you’d like to see what Gunn and Solomon found.” She glanced at her timepiece. “We still have time. We can check on the team loading up their find on the way out. Agent Ryant, please have some of your team secure this room until the secondary extraction team arrives from the ship.”
“Sure,” Galen answered.
The rest of them headed out into the corridor.
“You are going to be amazed by the artifacts we found.” Avril’s boots echoed on the floor. “There’s an Olmec head, a crystal skull of some kind, and a collection of Aztec jewelry—armbands, ear plugs, and rings.” Her cheeks were flushed.
Nik couldn’t fault her for her love of history and artifacts. In fact, she was starting to make him believe that not everyone in the Institute was rotten. They stepped back into the domed entry, and she waved them toward the wing where Gunn and Solomon had searched. The doorway to the hall was ahead, wedged open by a rock.
Suddenly Nera reached back and pulled her sword out of its scabbard. It made a distinctive sound as the metal slid against leather.
Avril’s eyes went wild. “Darc, I don’t think?—”
Nik waved a hand to silence her and focused on Nera. “What is it?”
“I smell blood.”
Blood?Nik swiveled and eyed the doorway. He didn’t smell anything. He strode forward, heard Nera curse and then jogged a few steps to keep up with him.
The stench hit him at the doorway.
“Damn.” He took the room in with a single glance and his stomach hardened.
Beside him, Nera stared impassively, but her gaze swept the room.
“By the gods.” Avril pressed a hand to her mouth, her face pale.
The team she’d left behind to start preparing the artifacts had been slaughtered.
“They’re all dead,” she whispered.
Nik and Nera moved inside, cautiously.
“I don’t sense anyone,” she said quietly.
Nor did he. His grip tightened on his laser pistol as he knelt beside the first body. The kid was young, maybe twenty-one. His throat had been practically torn out and blood had soaked into his uniform.
Nera checked the next one. “Slashes. Looks like claw marks. Whatever it was, it went for the throat.”
Five of them. Dead. Nik stood. “The creature that attacked us?”
