Twenty-FourThey found themselves in a rickety stairwell similar to the one they had come down to get in here, but with more height. Several flights of steps teetered above them. They plunged up the first set, rounding the corner to the next level in a frantic energy surge.
Just as they got into the second set John heard the door below them crash open, and a bullet pinged off the banister and plugged into the rock wall in a trajectory of fire just above his shoulder, sending up a spray of stone fragments. He felt the sharp sting of debris hitting his face. He flung his hand up for protection and pulled it away covered in blood.
He spun around and fired back down the stairwell in one swinging movement before charging on after Sebastian. Someone howled from below. Good, that might slow them
