Revan's sigh died in his throat. A new sound drowned it out: the shriek of thick steel bending under impossible pressure.
Behind the rear carriages, the four surviving saboteurs froze. Their leader was already yelling at them to retreat and waving toward the ridge. None of them moved, because none of them could look away. All four were staring at the cargo car. Revan understood why. He had heard those claws scraping a minute ago. Now whatever made them wanted out.
Its iron doors had started to bulge outward. Thick metal bent like cheap tin under blows from inside. Each blow came louder and harder than the last.
On the doors, the sealing rune flashed bright red. Then the blood boiled off the metal with a hiss. Red steam rose and drifted where the seal had been. Nothing was holding the doors shut anymore.
BOOM!
Something hit the doors from inside so hard that the hinges snapped.
The youngest saboteur broke first. He dropped his rifle and ran across the frozen mud, crying.
