THERE WAS NO time to plan.

The Fletchers had us trapped between the twisting branches of the cedar. It’d be over in seconds.

I don’t remember reaching, but my canine double helix suddenly took charge.

SNAP.

The flare burned like a brush fire out of control.

My senses exploded, battering seams at every level of my brain.

Raw energy sizzled through my body, stronger than ever before. The deluge nearly overwhelmed me.

Full moon.

We had only moments. I scanned our attackers, seeking an opening.

Sallie’s chest rose and fell. She licked her lips. Often. Too often. My eyes read “Walther P99” stamped on the barrel of her gun.

Chris’s muscles were taut as piano wire. His knuckles bulged white on the handle of his Glock.

They’d do it. More, they’d enjoy doing it. I knew this with bone-deep certainty.

The Fletchers would murder us all to safeguard their chance at celebrity.

As before, I closed my lids and plumbed the depths of my subconscious.

In my mind’s eye, I stood on an empty black field. Ben appeared beside me. Then Shelton. Then Hi. I felt Coop in the distance, disturbed, tossing in his sleep.

Fiery cables linked the five of us, connecting the group like flashing puppet strings. I reached out and touched the closest one.

Immediately, I heard Ben’s thoughts. Racing. Furious. It was the same connection we’d shared in the underwater tunnel, only clearer and sharper.

Excited, I grabbed the lines running to Shelton and Hi. Their minds opened. Their thoughts flowed to me.

Then, for the first time, I noticed myself. Golden light haloed my body, encircling me in a ring of yellow fire.

Why was I gleaming, but not the other Virals?

In a flash, I understood. And didn’t waste time. My dream self gathered the fiery cables together. Tugged. The glow spread outward from me to the other Virals.

Focusing all my strength, I willed a message to them.

Chris and Sallie are about to shoot! Prepare to scatter!

The boys tensed as the flares took hold. Ben clenched his fists. Hi dropped to one knee. Shelton moaned softly as tremors wracked his thin frame.

In seconds, six golden eyes blazed like mine.

“What are you doing?” Sallie waived the Walther. “Nobody move.”

Chris was staring at Ben. “What’s wrong with your pupils?”

Chance turned and met my gaze. His eyes widened, then darted to Shelton and Hi. “Golden eyes!” he whispered. “They do glow!”

“Enough.” Sallie raised her pistol and took aim at my head.

Time slowed.

Now!

I was coiled to spring when a blood-curdling howl split the night.

Sallie started in surprise.

Chris cast a nervous glance toward the dunes at his back.

A second howl sounded. A third. The noise seemed to come from all around us.

A foreign presence entered my mindscape. Unconnected. Not a Viral.

The aura was alien, yet somehow familiar. I tried to make contact. Primal thoughts brushed against my psyche.

We come.

Images flashed in my brain. Ancient memories from another species.

Stalking a deer through a stand of sea oats. Wrestling with littermates on a chalky white dune. Sleeping surrounded by the warmth of a pack.

A red-brown form appeared in my mind, four-legged, snout up and sniffing the breeze.

White Muzzle.

I sensed the red wolf and his pack racing down the beach.

We come, brothers.

Sallie and Chris were moving with short, jerky motions, unnerved by the baying all around them.

Stooping quickly, I grabbed the shovel at my feet.

The movement caught Sallie’s attention.

“Time’s up, Little Miss.” She aimed the Walther with one trembling hand. “In your next life, remember to mind your own business.”

Blood pounded in my ears. No place to run. No chance to dodge.

A brown streak burst from the shadows and clipped Sallie’s legs. She screamed as she went down, firing wildly.

Crack! Crack!

Bullets struck a branch above my head.

More howls sounded in the night.

Chris whipped right, then left, unsure which direction to face.

Two blurs shot from the dunes and knocked Chris to the sand. He rolled, futilely searching for targets.

I sent another message to the Virals.

Ben! Take out Chris! Hi and Shelton, distract Sallie!

Moving like quicksilver, Ben dove and tackled Chris before he could stand. The Glock flew, dropped. The two rolled, scratching and clawing to retrieve it.

“Get away from him!” Sallie rose to her knees and leveled the Walther on Ben.

Two more red-brown shapes buzzed close. Sallie cowered, eyes fearful.

Then a fist-sized rock winged past her face.

Sallie spun, cursing.

Shelton chucked again, then ducked behind the treasure chest.

“Bastard!” Sallie screeched.

A conch shell zinged through the air and struck her shoulder. She swung the gun quickly and caught Hi in the crosshairs.

“Blaaah!” Hi dove headfirst into the pit.

“Bad move, you little prick!” Sallie scrambled to the edge and took aim. “Enjoy your final resting place.”

I sprang forward and swung the shovel at Sallie’s head. The blade connected with a sickening thud. “Nighty night, bitch.”

Sallie’s eyes rolled backward. She wobbled a moment, then collapsed and lay still.

Hi’s voice floated up from below. “Nice cut, A-Rod!”

Ben was still struggling with Chris on the beach.

“Claybourne!” he gasped. “A little help!”

The words snapped Chance from his shock.

Racing forward, he jumped on Chris from behind. Momentarily freed, Ben kicked Chris in the stomach, driving the wind from his chest. Then Chance’s fist connected to Chris’s temple and he crumpled to the sand.

Shelton scuttled forward and scooped up both guns. “Anyone know where the safeties are?” Then he threw up on the beach.

“Your eyes.” Chance was panting, staring at Ben. “Why do they glow like that?”

Ben turned his back.

Chance’s gaze shot to me.

“Yours too!” Chance stumbled to his feet. “All of you!”

“Chance.” I had no idea what to say next.

“What are you, some kind of cult?” Chance backpedaled, face swiveling from Viral to Viral. “I saw this before. That night, in my basement! It wasn’t a dream. I’m not crazy!”

“If you’d just—”

“Did you summon those animals here!?!” Chance’s voice was taut with horror. “How did you all move so fast!?!”

“Relax.” I reached out to calm him. “There’s nothing to—”

“Stay away!” Chance turned and bolted down the beach.

“Wait! The boat’s in the other direction!”

But he was gone.

“We have to go,” Ben said. “Right now.”

I spread my arms. “And leave Chance out here?”

“No choice.” Hi was already gathering tools. “Shots were fired. We don’t know who heard, or if these two psychopaths came alone. Time to make tracks.”

I groaned, frustrated. But the boys were right.

Working quickly, we broke down the work site, keeping a close watch on the unconscious duo sprawled on the sand. In minutes we were packed and ready to go.

“We just leave them here?” Shelton asked. “They tried to kill us. Twice.”

“You have a better idea?” Ben grabbed the chest by one handle, motioned for Hi to take the other. “We can’t both escape with the loot and deal with police. I choose the treasure. Otherwise, what was the point?”

“Seconded,” Hi said.

“Agreed.” I shook my head to clear it. “We can plot our next move once we’re safe.”

“Okay.” With two semi-automatics tucked in his belt, Shelton looked quite the gangster.

“Ready?” Ben hoisted his end of the chest.

“Ready.” Hi lifted the other.

Shelton and I shouldered the remaining tools, buckets, and other equipment. With our flares still burning, we had strength to spare.

The boys started off down the beach.

I paused, concentrated hard, and fired one last message into the ether.

Thank you, brothers.

Moments later, canine voices yipped in the night.