In Hellraisers , he made a demonic deal. Now, in this sequel, The Devil's Engine: Hellfighters, it’s time to pay the price. Thrown into a relentless war against the forces of darkness, fifteen-year-old Marlow Green and his squad of secret soldiers must fight for control of the Devil’s Engines―ancient, infernal machines that can make any wish come true, as long as you are willing to put your life on the line. But after a monstrous betrayal, Marlow, Pan and the other Hellraisers find themselves on the run from an enemy with horrific powers and limitless resources―an enemy that wants them dead at all costs. Failure doesn’t just mean a fate worse than death for Marlow, it means the total annihilation of the world. And when all looks lost and the stakes couldn’t be higher, just how far is he willing to go? In the second book of The Devil's Engine trilogy, Alexander Gordon Smith has written another of his signature thrilling, fast-paced Faustian horror story that turns the tables on the battle between good and evil. “Adventure fans will be thrilled by the fast-paced, wall-to-wall action, and horror readers will delight at the supernatural terror and gore in the Engineers’ battle against chaos and pure evil.” ― Booklist “Smith takes readers on another twisted, twisting journey and―to paraphrase the narrative―leaves readers with 'images that belong in the sickest of horror movies' . . . This brings the same fear, fire, and comic relief as its predecessor, and readers will be happy enough with this sequel to the first Faustian tale to look forward to the next one.” ― Kirkus Reviews Praise for The Devil's Engine series: “A YA horror knockout full of nonstop action, populated by broken but beautiful characters, and blisteringly scary.” ―Emmy Laybourne, author of Sweet and the Monument 14 series “This Faustian tale is a hit for horror fans looking for a world of mystery, the macabre, and lots of fire and fighting.” ― Kirkus Reviews , starred review “Immediately immerses readers into a fast-paced, action-packed, epic good-versus-evil story.” ― The Bulletin “An epic conflict between good and evil . . . Full of dark imagery and unsettling descriptions as unstoppable demons face off against superpowered teens.” ― Publishers Weekly Praise for Alexander Gordon Smith: “Smith is an expert at balancing tension and hope, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.” ― Publishers Weekly “The Stephen King of YA horror” ― The Book Zone Alexander Gordon Smith lives in Norwich, England. "The Stephen King of YA horror," he is the author of The Fury; The Inventors; the Escape from Furnace series, which has sold nearly half-a-million copies; and the Devil's Engine series. The Devil's Engine Hellfighters By Alexander Gordon Smith Farrar, Straus and Giroux Copyright © 2016 Alexander Gordon Smith All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-374-30172-9 Contents Title Page, Copyright Notice, Dedication, Part I: Instigation, Keep Going, Dead Man Walking, Understatement of the Century, One for Sorrow, Abomination, Why Is There a House Growing Out of This Train?, Hang On, Nightfall, Prague, What's New?, He Would Have Said Yes, Part II: Retaliation, Bienvenue, Herc's Big Girl, Nope, Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned, City of Death, It's Over, The Liminal, Home Sweet Home, The Truth, Reunited, War, Let's Get the Hell Out of Here, Part III: Annihilation, Contracts, Breathless, Mirror, Mirror, Last Stand, Meridiana, Knock Knock, In the Blood, To Hell, Open Your Eyes, Also by Alexander Gordon Smith, About the Author, Copyright, CHAPTER 1 PART I INSTIGATION KEEP GOING Her foster mom had always said that hell was a place you walked to on your own two feet. It wasn't a lake of fire; it wasn't some fairy-tale land where sinners broiled in their own remorse, poked at by devils. No, it was just where you ended up when you went too far in the wrong direction, when you were too stubborn or too stupid to turn back, to admit you were wrong. Hell was right here, and she was about to walk in through the front door. Amelia stepped into the road, into the flashing neon lights reflected in the rain-slicked asphalt. The reflections blazed orange and yellow, like flames, but she was shivering as she bolted to the far sidewalk, to the building that sat there. It was a run-down walk-up, hunched against the night like a sleeping beast. The door was red. Bright red. It didn't belong here, the way that nothing belonged here, the way that she didn't belong here. She reached out for it and paused, the rain a cold mist that played with her fingers. From somewhere above her came a noise, something that was half shout and half scream. It was cut off with a dull thud, then silence again, like the building was trying to lure her in. She swallowed and glanced back over her shoulder at the street, at the lights of Astoria behind her. It was nearly eleven. Her mom wouldn't even know