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which he would wait for hours or days—as long as necessary。 One thing； Lorenzo did not doubt：
wherever Marbo was； he could look after himself。 He would be back。
The Jungle Fighters broke into their standard rations； because they were tired and because none
of them had the spirit to go hunting or gathering anything better。 Anyway； their trust in what they
knew about this jungle had been shaken； and no one was especially keen to sample its wares right
now。
The night brought with it the fluttering of leathern bat…wings； the soft chittering of a new type of
ground…based insect； and—at one point—the footfall of something bigger and heavier； which
nevertheless slipped away before it could be seen。 The fire drew curious moth…like creatures—and；
although they seemed non…aggressive； Armstrong pointed out their barbed fangs and the Jungle
Fighters took to swatting them when they could； just in case。
There were snakes； too。 Storm found one； about a metre long； slender and black； coiled around a
tree trunk； slithering its way down towards the roots。 He glared into its slit eyes； challenging it； and
the snake glared back。 It hissed and struck； and—having ascertained that it was hostile； as if there
had been much doubt—Storm caught it by its head； squeezing its mouth shut with his fingers。 He
yanked it from its perch； swung it over…arm and smacked its body hard into the ground like a whip。
Lorenzo glimpsed a distinctive silver triangular pattern on the snake’s back。 Then Storm casually
tossed its lifeless body to Donovits； who would probably spend his watch teasing venom out of its
glands for analysis。
Lorenzo was loath to lie down； to close his eyes on an environment about which he still knew so
little。 But he had no choice； and he trusted his comrades to protect him。 So； he lay down on the
damp earth and slept。
He was woken by Trooper Storm。
He reached for his fang； and started to push himself to his feet。 Storm clapped a steadying hand
on his shoulder； and a bright grin broke through his now ragged…looking black beard。 “Easy
trooper；” he laughed。 “There’s no fire。 It’s time for your watch； that’s all。”
Lorenzo nodded and relaxed。 He glanced at the small patch of sky immediately above him。 It
had been pitch black when he’d gone to sleep； but now it was showing just the earliest signs of
lightening。 If Rogar III had a moon； Lorenzo hadn’t seen it yet。 He threw on his jacket and his
bandolier； and checked that his lasgun was locked and loaded。
37
The only other light source in the Catachan…made clearing was the embers of the fire。 They
popped and cracked as Myers poked them with a stick； keeping them alive but torpid。 There was a
slight chill in the air； and Lorenzo drew closer to the glowing coals； to soak up their scant warmth。
“Steel Toe was right； by the way；” said Storm。 “The lizards really don’t like fire。 Even this is
enough to keep them away； though we’ve heard them hissing out there。 You want steak for breakfast
this morning； you’re going to have to go get one。”
Dougan greeted Lorenzo with a nod。 They were to share the last two…hour watch。 Typical of
Greiss； thought Lorenzo； to pair him up with a veteran； as if he still needed watching over。 The rest
of his squad were shadowy mounds in the darkness—though he could identify the sergeant by his
quiet but distinctive snore； like a grox breaking wind。 Presumably； it was Braxton who was
twitching in his sleep and sometimes letting out a quiet whimper—while Muldoon； of course； was
the one tied to the tree。 “Keep an eye on him；” advised Storm； nodding toward their unconscious
comrade。 “Woods says he woke during his watch； muttered all kinds of gibberish about daemons
and monsters。 Hotshot had to slug him one to put him back under。”
Lorenzo was disappointed to hear it。 He’d hoped that time； or maybe one of the herbal remedies
Donovits had forced down Muldoon’s throat； may have dispelled his hallucinations。 For all that
Greiss and Woods had said to Mackenzie； the Catachans knew they couldn’t lug Muldoon around
with them indefinitely。 There would come a time when they’d have to accept that he was lost。
Myers and Storm lay down； and soon their heavy breaths joined the sleeping chorus around
Lorenzo。 He sat on a tree stump； left behind after Armstrong had unpacked a machete and made
firewood。 It was a little too small for him； and he was uncomfortable—but then comfort was hardly
desirable when the lives of your comrades depended on your staying alert。
Dougan knew that too； and he was circling the camp slowly。 His soft footsteps were barely
audible； but Lorenzo could tell that his artificial foot fell a little more heavily than the real one。
Dougan didn’t like to sit on duty。 He didn’t like to take the risk of his leg seizing up at a critical
moment。
It was about forty minutes later that Lorenzo saw the light。
He wasn’t sure what it was at first： a faint blue glow； somewhere between the trees； lasting just
an instant。 He couldn’t pinpoint its location； he had no idea how far away it had been。 He had been
sharpening his Catachan fang； but now he froze—and Dougan； though he was somewhere behind
Lorenzo on his latest circuit； picked up on his body language and did likewise。
It could have been a trick of the approaching dawn。 The sky was now a deep indigo。 But no；
there it was again。 Too soft； too muted to be a torch； it wasn’t the kind of light you could see by。
And yet too wide； too sustained to be an accidental glint off a weapon or a suit of powered armour。
Lorenzo grabbed for a stick； and brushed it across the embers of the fire； smothering them in
their own ashes。
The blue light was clearer to him now； but still maddeningly undefined； still seeming to lurk at
the edge of his vision； never quite in focus。 One second； it was at ground level； the next； it
glimmered through the branches at head height； and every time he moved his eyes to find it； it
slipped away from him。 Some sort of glowing creature； Lorenzo wondered？ What was that word
Brains had once used？ “Bioluminescence”。 He wondered if he should wake the others； but he
pictured their faces if he did and they found he’d been spooked by a swarm of fireflies。
Anyway； the light was coming no closer。
He watched it a moment longer。
It blinked out。
A second ago； there had been a wisp of smoke coiling up from the ashes of the campfire。 Now； it
was gone。 The sky was a little lighter—wasn’t it？ Lorenzo frowned； and crouched by the ashes。 He
touched them tentatively。 They were still warm； but cooler than they ought to have been。 His mind
was straggling to catch up with what his senses were telling him： that some minutes had passed
38
without him knowing it。 It took some time for the message to get through—but when it finally did；
Lorenzo stiffened in horror。
The light had hypnotised him； dulled his mind。 Anything could have happened while he’d been
distracted。 Anything could have crept into the camp； and dragged his comrades away while they
slept。
There was something。 A shape at his shoulder。 Lorenzo whirled around； but it was only Dougan。
“It’s alright； son；” the veteran assured him in a whisper。 “We zoned out for a minute or two； that’s
all。 Everyone’s alright。”
“Old Hardhead said something；” Lorenzo recalled； “in the mess hall yesterday。” Why was it so
hard to remember？
“Something about… about ghosts。 Lights that lured Guardsmen into… ambushes； I guess。 I
didn’t realise… I didn’t feel it； but that thing must have got inside my head。”
Dougan nodded gravely。 “I’m going out there；” he announced。
“But—”
“We need to know what we’re facing。 Don’t worry。 We’ve seen what it does now； and we’ve
shaken it off once。 It won’t fool me again。 It’s just a question of focus。 It won’t even see me
coming。”
“You’re right。” Of course he was right。 Lorenzo wished he had realised it sooner； then he could
have been the one to volunteer； to have gone out there alone。 To have made a name for himself；
perhaps。 “I’ll come with you；” he offered。
Dougan shook his head。 “You need to stay here； watch the camp。 Could be this light’s meant to
lure us away while something worse creeps up from behind。”
“I can wake one of the others。”
“No need to panic them just yet。 It’s best I go alone。 You could be right about there being an
ambush。 Any trouble out there； I’ll shout a warning。 Then you can wake the others； and point them
in my direction。 I’m counting on you； Lorenzo。”
Lorenzo shook his head。 “I’m coming with you。”
Dougan laid a hand on his shoulder； and looked him right in the eye with an unnerving intensity。
“Let me do this；” he said。 “I need to do this！”
Lorenzo was left in no doubt that he did。 He nodded glumly； and Dougan smiled and clapped
him companionably on the arm。 Then he slipped away into the jungle； in the direction in which the
blue light had last been sighted。 After only a few seconds； Lorenzo could neither see nor hear him。
Why did Dougan need to do this？
He’d had his share of glory。 Why couldn’t he have let someone else have a taste of it； this once？
Why had Lorenzo accepted what he’d said？ Why hadn’t he spoken up； persuaded Dougan that his
need was greate