Max thinks that sounds like a really dumb plan and is about to say so to Crematia, because Max is the kind of person who thinks pissing off a flaming carnivorous hell-lizard the size of a building is a solid course of action. But she doesn't give him a chance to say anything sarcastic: suddenly she moves and his vision is full of teeth and the long, dark tunnel down her throat.

Fear claws at Max's belly, but he doesn't let it control him. Reflex takes over and once again the world seems to slow down into bullet-time. Max jumps backward, lying down in mid-air, hurtling away from the dragon's maw. Her teeth slash by close enough to rip at the soles of his shoes, slicing away rubber and leather. He can feel her hot breath travelling up the legs of his pants.

The dragon is so close and Max is so fed up. As he flies backward, arcing down toward the ground, he points his pistol straight at her blazing red eye and pulls the trigger. If there's any vulnerable spot on this thing, that might be one of them.