Colonel Ramos and Storm took command of the chamber in short order. When Carly lifted her head from the glittering gravel, the Stingers were nowhere to be seen.

Colonel Ramos was shouting. He whisked his sword through the air and pierced a second large Saw through the forehead. The two large Saws writhed in agony. One plunged herself into the water, startling the small ones. The other crashed against a wall of mini tunnels, bringing down their walls. It coiled on the rubble, nursing its wounds.

They were not dead, Carly reminded herself. Only temporarily disabled. Not that she’d mind the colonel killing those nasty things.

Colonel Ramos waved urgently at the kids, gargling at the top of his lungs.

Gabriel twisted on the ground, reaching to tap his MTB to translate.

“He’s saying to run,” Chris said. “Get out of here while the Saws are disoriented. He’ll hold them off.”

The Alpha crew scrambled up to the mouth of the tunnel. They raced to the spot where they’d parked the Weavers. Thunder waited quietly, alone.

It took a second before it dawned on them what must have happened.

“No way,” Carly said. “Those jerks!”

“Left us behind AND took our ride?” Gabriel huffed. “Figures.”

“I can’t believe it,” Carly murmured. For a while there, it had felt good, working together with the Omega crew. It was how it should’ve been all along, Carly thought. And then they went and did something like this. Her chest ached with anger as she tried to catch her breath. “At least they left us our spores.”

“I bet they wouldn’t have,” Gabriel said bitterly, “if they’d realized what it was.”

“What do we do?” Carly wondered aloud.

“We’ll just all have to get on this one,” Gabriel said. “He should be able to carry all of us.”

Carly boarded Thunder, and Gabriel climbed on behind her. He scooted as close to her as he could, to leave room for Chris. But there wasn’t enough space—not with the Simu Suit strapped on Thunder’s haunches.

Chris told them, “No, you go ahead.”

Carly turned Thunder’s tail toward Chris. “We can fit.”

But Chris backed away. “I don’t want to leave the colonel,” he said.

“We’re safe now,” Carly said. “I’m sure he’ll be right behind us.”

Chris turned back, toward the cavern. The rest of the mother Saws were gathering. The split ones were regaining their strength too. The colonel and Storm fought nobly, but they were surrounded.

Then, all of a sudden, the elder Weaver wasn’t flying anymore. He landed in the middle of the chamber, and folded his wings. Astride his back, the colonel sat steady, swords in hand as the Saws closed in on him.

Carly felt a sudden jolt of terror. “Colonel! Come with us. Come now!”

But the path to the door was already blocked by a refreshed mother Saw. The colonel closed his eyes and raised his swords.

“Colonel Ramos!” Gabriel yelled.

“I’ll help him,” Chris said. He had the only remaining sword of the three. He ran on foot toward the chamber.

Gabriel nodded. “We’re coming with you.”

Chris called over his shoulder, “No. Return to the ship. For you, the mission must come first. Always.”

Carly and Gabriel exchanged a glance. No man gets left behind. The mission was to bring the elements back to Earth, but they needed to be able to do it with their heads held high. The Omega crew might be out for themselves, but the Alpha team was all for one.

Without a word, Carly wheeled Thunder around and swooped after Chris, back toward the Sawtooth den.