Madeline makes a fighting retreat, trying to break clear of the attackers.

The men rushed suddenly. All was chaos. Only a few of the men carried battered guns while the rest rushed forward with what looked like spears, swords, and clubs. They were nearly on the party in an instant. Ward dropped one to a shot in the head then wounded another who darted away in pain.

Dr. Giles broke and ran. Sam moved too slowly away from the rush and Madeline saw a spear hurl through the air and crumple Sam, his lower jaw and mouth a bloody mess as he convulsed on the ground. Madeline had pulled out her pistol and fired. It was frantic and she shot one man haphazardly in the leg.

He fell slumped to the ground wounded. Madeline turned her pistol to another and fired every shot at the oncoming attacker in a frenzy. The first few rounds missed but the rest of the magazine landed true and he stumbled, whirled, then toppled over dead. She scrambled to move away and ready another magazine.

She had taken precautions to get more gear or was simply lucky; she readied her next magazine quickly--even as she ran. She fired at the men who chased her. She grazed one and pinned another who was wise enough to leap for cover. She made a break over a short clearing then through a number of rocky crags. She had never run so fast in her life. She didn't dare to look back.

Eventually, when her lungs could carry her no further she looked back, saw no pursuers and collapsed in a sweaty heaving mass.