“What now?” Cadence asked, checking her IAC to make sure he wasn’t alarmed at the progress of one of the other teams. His son, Brandon Keen, who also happened to be a good friend of Cadence’s, as well as her sister’s boyfriend, was out with another Hunter, Aurora Howe, so a few panicked thoughts flickered through her mind until she was sure he was okay.

“Rats,” Elliott said softly.

“What’s the matter?” she asked, assuming he was just using one of his old colloquialisms from the 1950s.

“No, rats!” Elliott repeated, and she realized he meant there were actual rats in the tunnel.

“What?” Cadence screamed. “Aaron said there wouldn’t...