Alice rose to a crouch, groaning in pain, and ran to the wall. She unslung and assembled her gun as she looked around. Where was everyone? There was nothing apart from the empty street and burning forest. The flames were louder, heat on her skin, smoke in her eyes and mouth. The dome had resealed itself, the central hexagon traced with yellow lines as its smart tech rebonded. The panel beside it had two small holes in its center: needle missiles fired from the Fucker. They wouldn’t have done that unless things had really gone to shit. For the first time Alice considered the possibility that all three drop-ships had come down. Smoke collected above her, thick and black, curling and twisting with the rising heat.