Two tubes? What were you up to, Beach?
“Interesting,” Beverly remarked. “This is the first time we’ve seen a second tube. Up until now, it’s been only markings. Beach must’ve drilled his uptown tube first and then swung back to drill the downtown one.”
I shifted my light from side to side, illuminating the two separate tubes. One of them, blocked by a large metal grating, continued straight ahead. The other tube veered off to the west. Strangely enough, the metal tracks at our feet followed suit.
I glanced at the other side of the platform. “Maybe not. See those markings on the wall? They look like plans for another tube.”
“Three tubes?” She cocked her head, confused. “Why would Beach plan for three tubes?”
“Maybe he planned to build another branch.”
“But wouldn’t he build four tubes then?”
“Yes.” You should’ve built four tubes, Beach. So why didn’t you?
I walked over to the two existing tubes and quickly studied them. Other than the grating, they looked identical. I shone my light into their recesses but was unable to see anything of interest.
“Which way do you want to go?” Beverly asked.
My ear caught a noise. Putting my head up against the grating, I listened closely. It sounded like water lapping against some sort of hard surface. “Let’s go this way.”
“But the tracks go the other way.”
“Someone blocked this one off for a reason.” My gaze hardened. “And I want to know why.”
With Beverly’s help, I untied a couple of long, metal wires that held the grating shut. Then I flicked my light into the tube and proceeded forward.
As I headed into it, it began to morph before my eyes. First, the paint on the bricks gave way. Then, the bricks themselves disappeared, leaving just a crumbling passageway chiseled through the rock.
Abruptly, I walked into a natural grotto. A deep, ten foot wide river cut across the floor in front of me. Its water flowed rapidly to the east, crashing loudly against the rear wall in the process.
Is this the same river as before? Or a new one altogether?
“Cy…”
Ignoring Beverly, I strode forward and stopped next to the river. “Beach didn’t know about the water. His tunneling shield must’ve broken right into this cavern. That explains the extra tube. He built it to circumvent the river.”
“Cy…”
I turned around. “What’s wrong?”
Her eyes were wide, her face frozen in a mask of fear. I followed her gaze to the far end of the grotto.
Something rose upward, out of the water, like some kind of demon from hell.
The alligator’s eyes burned red. They showed no concern. No emotion. Nothing but pure animalistic instincts.
Like how to kill.
And how to eat.
Chapter 48
More than thirty years of anger and angst. Thirty years with nothing to show for his troubles. Thirty years.
It was a long time to wait.
Jack Chase climbed over the broken wall and stepped into the passage. He’d spent half his life seeking the Omega and the Bell inside it. The search had cost him much…his health, his wealth, perhaps even his mental state.
For years, the Bell eluded his grasp. He’d scoured the world, paid off private investigators, and even leaked the existence of Red Mercury to the press. But none of it worked.
And then, in the blink of an eye, decades of secrets began to unravel. For the first time in thirty years, he knew he was on the right trail. The realization thrilled him.
But someone kept his excitement in check. Someone named Cyclone Reed. First, the bastard had turned Beverly against him. And now, Reed threatened to derail all of his plans. The very thought of failing so close to the end caused Chase’s stomach to churn.
Chase couldn’t help but admire the man. In just a few days, Reed managed to make more progress toward finding the Bell than generations of ShadowFire’s finest minds ever did.
But underneath that admiration, Chase felt a searing, intense hatred toward Reed. Reed was, after all, supposed to be just a little part of a gigantic project. But thanks to a little luck and incredible resourcefulness, he now threatened to destroy everything.
Chase grimaced. He hated thinking of himself as a follower. And yet, Reed continued to stay well ahead of him. The man had already discovered the underground river and penetrated Hartek’s laboratory. Now, it looked like Reed had tracked the Omega to the passage as well.
His nonstop success was exacerbating. Maddening.
Infuriating.
Chase clenched his fists. Rotating his body, he took his time examining the interior of the passage.
Temporary light fixtures had been installed on the ceiling, sending fresh light to all corners of the room. A set of rusted metal tracks ran through the center of the space. On one end of the tracks lay a device consisting of two large subway wheels that held up a small piece of wood. Pencil markings on the wood indicated that the existing tracks were perfectly spaced to accommodate the Omega’s specifications.
Chase walked to the far end of the passage. Portable lights, positioned on the ground, shone brightly on the wall. The beams provided extra depth to the etch marks. Chase examined the strange map of Manhattan. His mind raced, trying to understand its purpose.
“Your engineers completed their analysis. The lines on that map don’t correspond with any existing tunnel system, subway or otherwise.”
Standish’s voice rolled into Chase’s ears. Chase didn’t turn around, choosing instead to keep his attention focused on the map. “Did they run cross-patterns? Maybe we’re looking at a combination of different types of tunnels.”
“Some tunnels and pipes are close to the lines and some even intersect them. But nothing follows those routes for more than a few yards.”
“Maybe it’s a false lead. Cyclone could’ve drawn it to throw us off the trail.”
“It’s possible.” Standish shrugged. “But unlikely. The detail is stunning. It would’ve taken hours, if not days to complete. If Cyclone wanted to mislead us, he could’ve chosen a much simpler, easier way to do it.”
“Are we sure that he didn’t find the Omega in here? Maybe he discovered it and moved it.”
“Without a third rail?”
“Okay, so he didn’t move it. Can we at least prove conclusively that the Omega was stored in here?”
“Not conclusively. But it’s a safe bet. The engineers told me the tracks were barely used. However, pressure marks indicate that something heavy once sat on them.”
“So where’d the Omega go?”
Standish thought for a second. “Well, it seems clear that it was stashed in here at one point. And since Red Mercury never appeared on the global market, I doubt it was ever taken to the surface. No, I’m betting that it’s still down here somewhere.”
“So you think they dug out a new tunnel.”
“More likely, they stuck to their pattern. They found an existing, out-of-service tunnel and exploited it.”
“How do you think we should proceed?”
“Our best chance to is to locate Cyclone and Beverly. If anyone has the knowledge to find the Omega, it’s them.”
Chase sighed. “I don’t like it. I agree with you. But I don’t like it.”
“We have one other ace up our sleeve.”
“What do you mean?”