Core instinctively knew where Markham would go. A wounded animal often retreats to its den, and the room where Markham had brought him earlier was the only place Markham truly felt invincible.

He climbed the stairs, pausing briefly to watch as Avery began searching for the remaining soldier. He felt her soothing touch in his mind. She no longer sought to prevent him access. Today had demonstrated that when they were connected, they were a powerful team, a true power couple.

He refocused his attention on Markham. When he reached the top of the stairs, he turned to the open doors at the end of the corridor. The room’s interior was dim, the only light coming from a few displays on the wall above the large desk.

His lips twitched in amusement. Prime warriors had very good night vision. Thanks to living deep in the forest, his clan had evolved and were well adapted for moving through the forests at night.

It didn’t take long for his eyes to adjust. He paused and listened. He heard a foot scrape against the floor to his left, and picked up the barely audible twang from the release of a string. He twisted to the right just in time to evade the short arrow.

He moved with the agility of a cat when several more arrows were released in rapid succession. Darting forward, he launched himself through the open door and rolled. He stopped near the corner of Markham’s desk.

“Rockman was right when she concluded your species had excellent night vision,” Markham commented.

Core’s eyes narrowed. Markham was using an audio enhancer. His voice echoed throughout the room, making it difficult to pinpoint where he was.

“So this is how a human hunter fights his prey, by hiding in the dark,” Core taunted, pushing up until he was in a crouch.

“You would agree that there are some areas where your species has an advantage. I’m merely leveling the playing field,” Markham replied.

Core jerked to the side when Markham fired a powerful weapon. The flash of the report briefly blinded him. Bits of wood shattered, sending small slivers into his left arm. He moved farther behind the desk.

“I see that the lovely Ms. Lennox is taking care of my last remaining soldier,” Markham commented.

Core frowned and looked up. On the monitors, he could see Avery moving along the dim corridor downstairs. His attention moved to the last monitor which displayed the soldier watching the same feed.

Avery, be careful. There is a man in one of the rooms. He is watching your approach on the security monitor, he warned.

I’ve got this. You focus on not getting yourself killed, she replied before adding a soft thank you.

Core forced his gaze away from the monitors. A slow smile curved his lips as a new idea came to him. He couldn’t tell where Markham was when he spoke, but he could sure as hell hear him when he moved.

Gripping the large office chair, he suddenly rose to his feet and flung it as hard as he could down the room toward the array of display cases. Markham’s loud curses followed the sounds of shattering glass.

Core reached down and gripped the desk. He was going to lift it up and use it as a shield when his finger pressed the hidden button under the edge. The grating sound of metal on metal filled the air at the same time as light from the late afternoon sun flooded the room.

The sudden light blinded them both, but Markham made a sound as he instinctively moved backward and Core charged toward it.

Markham flung his night vision goggles off and lifted his hands to brace against Core’s forearms. Twisting to the side, Core pulled Markham around, gripped his neck, and pushed him up against the partially destroyed display case holding the remains of Markham’s mother and the two lions.

“Stop!” Markham ordered, raising up the detonator he was gripping tightly in his hand.

Core’s eyes glittered with malicious triumph.

“Release me or she dies,” Markham threatened.

Core took a moment to scrutinize the man’s face. Disgust for such cruelty coursed through him.

In the reflection of the glass, he saw a shimmer of light.

“Core!” Merrick called, stepping through the Gateway.

“Release me,” Markham hoarsely repeated.

“You have the right to demand justice,” Teriff quietly stated. “Both of you do.”

A smile curved Core’s lips. He held Markham trapped against the glass display case with one hand while he reached into his pocket with his other. He pulled out the small capsule he’d removed from Avery’s body, and held it up so Markham could see it.

“How—?” Markham started to ask.

The man’s words ended in a choked gag when Core suddenly shoved the capsule into Markham’s mouth and released him. He wrapped his hand around Markham’s and stared down into the man’s eyes as he pressed Markham’s thumb down on the detonator.

Markham’s mouth opened in a scream that never sounded. The acid was already burning its way down his throat to his vocal cords. Core pushed Markham backwards, and the glass wall of the display case, already weakened, collapsed inward. Markham’s writhing body fell over one of the lions. Seconds later, he lay motionless, sightlessly staring up at the face of his dead mother.

“That was nasty,” Cosmos said.

Core slowly turned his head to look at the men who had come to help him and Avery. “He was going to use it on Avery,” he quietly said before his eyes moved to the monitors. A smile curved his lips when he saw the slumped figure of the soldier in the security room and Avery calmly walking up the stairs with the faint but very familiar figures of RITA and FRED by her side. He turned to look at the three men with a raised eyebrow.

“What took you so long?” he finally demanded.