Back at the mouth of the tunnel, Marlene and Tran hunkered down as the wall behind them was hit by another spray of bullets from the men twenty-five yards beyond them. They knew where the men were because they received regular reports from Lucy, whom Grale had taken to the viewing area above the tunnel.
Before launching their attack, Jojola had asked Grale, "Is there a way to come at them from behind?"
"The leader's escape tunnel," Grale said. "It comes out in the basement of the Red Sea Lebanese restaurant on Sixty-fifth. But it is well guarded, and not just by the terrorists."
"Who else?" Jojola asked.
"The only way to come at the escape route other than from the restaurant is to swim through a flooded sewer and beneath an iron grate," Grale said.
"That doesn't sound pleasant but I've done worse," Jojola said.
"Yes, but it passes through what we call an unsecured tunnel," Grale said.
"What's not secure?" Tran asked impatiently.
"The others…my people refer to them as morlocks…or rajim, the cursed ones, as our Muslim friends like to call them. For some reasons known only to them, they seem to guard certain areas in down-world more than others, and that is one of them. We know about the sewer and grate, but no one can go there."
"I did it once," a small man in a hooded robe said, stepping forward.
"Roger, I'm glad they didn't kill you," Jojola said.
"I am too tough though I've had a headache ever since."
"No more than you gave me."
"Call it even," Roger said. "Back to this, I've been to that end before. It was some time ago, when the others weren't as numerous, but I know the way."
Jojola smiled. "Are you willing to be my guide again?"
"Six of one, half a dozen of another," Roger said and shrugged. "There are going to be a lot of ways to die down here tonight. It's pick one, and this is as bad as any."
"Take one of my men," Tran said. "In case you have to fight your way through."
Jojola shook his head. "You're going to need all of them if you're going to have any chance. The Mole People may be brave, but they're going to be up against well-trained fighters and a superior force. You'll have to at least keep them occupied long enough for Roger and me to get through."
"I'll go," Ned said. "I'm not going to be any more good here than I would be there, and besides, us cowboys and Indians need to stick together."
"I'm going, too," Lucy had said.
"No, you're not!" Tran, Jojola, Ned, and Grale shouted.
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
Five minutes later, Lucy found herself lying on top of Beach's tunnel peering down as the terrorists made their preparations. Jojola patted her on the arm and left. "Hasta la vista," he said.
"Hasta luego," she replied. "Until we meet again."
Jojola left her alone with Ned. "I love you, Ned Blanchet," she said. "You be careful."
"I love you, too, Lucy Karp. See you a little ways down the trail."
Lucy let herself sigh loudly. "You're such a cowboy."
"Vaya con dios."
"Yes, go with God."
For some reason there'd been no word from Jojola shortly after he and Ned left. Now things were looking bleak. Tran's men were dead, as were the Mole People who hadn't already faded away. Even Gilgamesh, who'd accounted for several terrorists, lay bleeding from a gunshot wound in his side.
The terrorists apparently had a side entrance to their tunnel and had used it to come around behind Marlene, Tran, and the remaining Mole People. Grale crawled over to Marlene and Tran. "There's still time to flee. We can get Lucy and retreat to our cavern where we can wait for the end."
Marlene shook her head. "We have to hold out here as long as possible and give John a chance to get to the bomb."
"He may already be dead," Grale said.
"I know, but as long as there's a chance, I have to remain."
Just then Lucy's voice came over the radio. "I see the leader; he's got Zak with him. He's almost right below me."
Marlene looked at Grale, who answered the look. "I'm going. If I can save Zak, I will." Then he was gone.
Tran popped up to give him cover, shooting until his clip was empty. He dropped down again. "I have one clip left."
"I have most of one," Marlene replied.
"Well then, I guess this is it, my friend," Tran said. "The end for you and me."
Marlene smiled and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. "I could not wish for better company to take this path with."
Tran nodded. "There is one good thing. As a Buddhist, I believe we will be reborn in forty-nine days, and since we will die at the same time, we will be reborn together. I can only hope that this time you return as a Vietnamese woman."
"I think you'd make a pretty cute Italian," Marlene laughed.
"Well, shall we do this," Tran said.
"Ready when you are."
On the far end of the tunnel, John Jojola, Ned Blanchet, and Roger were also fighting for their lives. At first their trip through various tunnels large and small had progressed without incident. But as they neared the end where Roger said they would come to the sewer, they'd suddenly been attacked by the others.
The first warning had been the sound of scurrying in side tunnels and the occasional glimpse of luminous eyes through holes in the walls and thin white arms that reached out for them as they passed. They'd conserved their ammunition until a large group suddenly blocked the tunnel in front of them, charging them with spears and clubs.
Jojola's Mac-10 had killed the first three with a sound like corn popping, and Ned's.45 had accounted for two more, by comparison blasting away like a cannon. The others had melted away, but the sound of scurrying and the shrieking of insane voices grew behind.
They rounded another corner only to find the way blocked by more. Spears jabbed at them from the sides. Looking behind, they saw a large crowd-some of them gamboling forward on all fours, others sort of hopping. Jojola shot those in front, and Ned two more who reached at them from a side entrance, but it was clear that those coming from behind were gaining.
"Go on," shouted Roger. "The sewer is just ahead. Jump in and dive down about five feet until you reach the end of the grate. There is just enough room to get under. I'll hold them off."
Jojola looked at the small man and noticed that part of a spear protruded from his side. "I'm finished," Roger said. "But don't worry, I'm going to meet my God."
"Take the gun," Jojola said. "I will see you on the other side someday."
Roger smiled and took the machine gun. "I've always wanted to shoot one of these," he said. "Now go."
Jojola and Ned ran forward and had just reached the edge of the sewer when they heard the gun go off behind them. It fired over and over again until it fell silent.
"Go," Jojola shouted to Ned who plunged into the water and disappeared beneath its fetid surface. He waited a moment and jumped in after. Feeling along the grate, Jojola squeezed beneath the bottom when he felt a pair of hands and then another grab him from behind and start to pull him back. He felt himself running out of air and suddenly he saw his body floating in dark, filthy water…away from the sun.
"Come on, Jojola, are you going to let some half-wit morons finish you after all we went through," Charlie Many Horses said. "I believe you have a son waiting for you to come home."
Well, how about a hand, Jojola thought back. He extended his arm and felt a strong grip take his hand and pull him beyond the grasp of his would-be killers.
He came up on the other side, held firm by Ned Blanchet, gasping for air. "I thought you'd decided to go back and help Roger," the young man said.
"Roger's beyond our help," Jojola said, standing and drawing his knife. "But I believe he's at peace. Now, let's finish this."