The gate swirled, a mesmerizing vortex of blue light condensing in the center. I could feel the energy pulsing from it, a low hum that vibrated in my teeth. The trees behind it had a vibrant glow, as it pulsed with life. As dusk settled in, the ordinary park lights flickered on, casting a pathetic yellow glow over our junkyard barricade.

  A timer materialized in my vision.

  Next dungeon break in: 00:15:34.

  “Fifteen minutes, Ryker!” I called out.

  He nodded, already moving to get his team ready. “I see Gideon and Flynn are in position, but where’s Travis?”

  “If you see him, tell him his job is to protect the gunners in case we get overrun.” A shit job for a shit attitude.

  I walked the line, taking stock of our defenses. The hope was that a heavy volley of gunfire would drop the next wave before they even reached us, creating a new crop of Players in the process. If not, we were the firewall. Our job was to cripple the monsters, maim them, and leave them for the gunners to finish. A gruesome, bloody assembly line for creating soldiers.

  I watched the SWAT team take their places, a grim determination on every face. I spotted Jamie, looking small and fragile, taking up a position in the bed of a pickup truck, second from the gate. He was gripping his AR-15 so tightly his knuckles were white, staring at the portal like it was the gates of hell. He was so focused he didn’t hear me approach.

  “Jamie? You okay?”

  He startled, whipping around with wide eyes.

  “Breathe, kid,” I said, my voice softer than I intended. “We need you in this fight. Just watch my back, and I’ll watch yours. We do that, we get through this.”

  He looked down at the truck bed, fear a palpable aura around him.

  “Jamie.” He looked back up at me. “We got this. At the start, just shoot. Fast and hard. When we engage, wait for a clean shot. I don’t feel like getting hit by friendly fire.” My attempt at a joke fell flat, hitting the ground with a dull thud. His eyes were still darting around in a panic.

  “Listen,” I said, my voice firm but gentle. “I can’t send you back. We don’t have a working vehicle. Our only way out is through. If you can’t do this, you find a place to hide, and I’ll come get you when it’s over. Understood?”

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  Hurt flashed across his face, quickly burned away by a spark of defiance. “I’ll fight,” he said, his voice shaking but firm. “I won’t abandon you.”

  “Alright then,” I said, relief I didn’t know I was feeling washing over me. “I’m trusting you with my back.” I held up a fist. He hesitated for a second, then met it with his own shaky one. I wished I could have said more, done more. God, he’s just a kid.

  Not now, I berated myself. Get your head in the fight, or you’ll get everyone killed.

  I turned back to the gate. Its blue light seemed to pull at me, drawing me in. Inside the swirling energy, shadows began to form, stretching and solidifying.

  One. Two. Three… six. Six distinct forms materialized at the edge of the portal.

  Fuck. Seriously. Six.

  The lizards had barely solidified before the world erupted in a symphony of violence. The air cracked with the overlapping reports of dozens of rifles, the muzzle flashes painting the dusk in strobing, frantic bursts of light. The sheer concussion of the gunfire was a physical force, a hammer blow against my chest that vibrated through my bones.

  Then, a sound deeper and heavier than the rest—a deafening CRACK—tore through the air from a truck behind the main line. It wasn't just a sound; it was a pressure wave that washed over us. I glanced back and saw Shanira, braced against the truck’s cab, the massive barrel of the .50 cal still smoking. Downrange, one of the charging lizards didn’t just die; it detonated, its upper torso vanishing in a red-green mist.

  Another creature stumbled, its legs tangling as a volley of rounds tore into its softer underbelly. It collapsed in a heap, green ichor pooling beneath it. A third, its leg shredded and useless, broke from the charge, dragging itself toward the barricade. My eyes tracked the limping beast as two figures detached from the main group, Flynn and Charlie, their blades glinting as they moved to cut it off.

  That left three of them, a wedge of muscle and teeth barreling straight for Logan.

  As if that wasn't enough, my eyes caught a distortion in the gate behind them. A shadow, larger and denser than the others, was beginning to coalesce. A cold knot of dread tightened in my gut.

  Later, I snarled internally, forcing my focus back to the immediate problem. Deal with the teeth in front of your face first.

  The three lizards lowered their heads to charge. Logan met them not with fear, but with a roar of his own, a savage, joyous sound that ripped from his throat. He hefted his axe, the massive weapon seeming to drink the eerie blue light from the portal.

  Surely he’s not thinking—

  The thought died as Logan’s powerful legs churned, launching him at the charging monsters. A broad, insane grin was plastered across his face.

  Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. The crazy bastard was actually charging them.

  And now I was, too. The decision wasn't a thought; it was a command from my bones to my muscles. I coiled and sprang, the ground churning under my boots. The world became a blur of motion, the distance between the barricade and the fight disappearing in a handful of powerful, ground-eating strides. I was a closing blade, my sword held low and ready, flanking the monster to Logan’s left.