The door opened easily as Erik and the few remaining soldiers stepped into Gabriel’s tall base of operations.  The stairs stood in front of him, illuminated by two emergency lights on each side of the current row.  Two large men stepped forward, forcing Erik to step back.  “Hey, a-holes,” Erik shouted but quickly closed his mouth when he heard steps banging down the row of steps above his head.  The two men placed their weapons upon their shoulder and walked in deliberate, jerky movements.   Erik followed slowly behind as Ambrosia took the rear of the small formation.  Two more soldiers stood at the read entrance as Erik began up the stairs.

The two large men fired quickly and in short bursts and several bodies fell, with a thud, upon the stairs.  One rolled down the stairs and Erik stepped to the side and let the small man tumble downward…