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ing her。 The giant red tongue licked at his face。
They took a break。 The dog alongside him； panting happily； Rockson sat on his haunches looking at the shallow； fifty…foot…wide stream that was the winter version of the Rio Grande River coursing by idly。 Not ten yards from his position was some rusty pipe stubs in the ground。 The border fence of a century ago。 If you looked carefully； the ground was discolored a bit … to the color of ocher。 It was the red dust of all the barbed wire gone to corrosion。 Rockson thought about how it must have been a century past： the wetbacks； struggling dirt farmers； peons by the millions trying to get across that border to join their wealthy neighbors to the north。 How desperate they had been to get into the United States。 How they'd envied the U。S。 citizens … until the thousand flashes brighter than the sun glowed in the northern sky … until the nukes fell。 Then they hadn't envied their northern neighbors anymore。
As a matter of fact； in the first few days after the blasts； new fences had been erected on the Mexican side of the border for a change。 Wave after wave of starving diseased radiation victims poured south； desperate to get into Mexico。
Of course； those that had constructed Eden had done so before the nuke war； and therefore most of the Edenites were already in the vast underground biosphere when N…Day came。 All except a handful。 And that handful included the brains and pocketbook behind the whole project … Edward Renquist。 He had not made it。
Perhaps Renquist had died in the first flashes of atomic hellfire。 Danik had told that Renquist was in Austin； Texas； at the fatal hour； trying to effect a reconciliation with his wife； Sandra。 Rockson saw other pathetic reminders of that day … there were white things … torn and rotted human bones … amidst all that rust on the ground。 Perhaps Renquist had survived the blasts； made it to this border； and like thousands； millions of other Americans had been shot down by the Mexican Border Police； or been killed in the crush of bodies。 God what a horror it must have been right on this tranquil spot！
And the Mexicans had succumbed too； by the millions … they could keep the desperate masses streaming south from crossing over； but they couldn't keep the radiation clouds in the north。 And Mexico； too； became a haunted corpse of a country。 Even though she had nothing to do with the great psychotic contest between the Eastern and Western blocs of nations。 Mexico too suffered the results of that culminating madness…of…all…madness that is nuclear war。。。
Class Act seemed anxious to go on。 She stood up and rushed back and forth on the dusty surface。 Rockson petted her； pulled her ears。 The tongue slipped out and ran over his wrist。 〃Nice wolf…doggie； nice。〃 He turned to the group； who were already putting on their black helmets and heading to start their bikes。
〃Class Act has the right idea。 Let's get traveling。 Prepare to cross the shallows；〃 Rockson ordered； struggling from his reverie。 〃But I'll go first … with Detroit。 We'll cross at that lazy bend … it's just inches deep； I hope。。。 I don't want all of us to be out there together at the same time； that's too vulnerable。 I don't expect any danger； but just because it looks okay； doesn't mean it is。〃
There was a sandy but firm bottom under the half foot of the gently moving warmish water； and so there was no need to improvise a way of keeping their vehicles dry。 They easily waded their cycles across。 First Rockson went across； then Detroit crossed the twenty yards of shallow water； steering his cycle with his meaty hands。 Rockson and Detroit took up position in a scrubby copse of trees on the other side before the Doomsday Warrior waved the rest of the party onward。
They were in Mexico。 The terrain was prairie…like； the vegetation consisting mostly of sagebrush and scattered cacti。
The motorcycles were again showing their stuff； and the group were making a good 150 miles per hour。 Danik was now keeping up； and； though he had nearly failed his trial spins at Yumak City； was no longer a bit afraid。
〃There wasn't much need for speed in Eden；〃 he had explained。 〃The whole city…world is ten miles long by a mile wide。〃 They slowed down。 It was getting a bit muddy。 There wasn't a bit of snow on the ground anymore； and a gentle rain was beginning。
They saw a purplish mountain range。 Six bumps on the horizon。 〃That's it … I remember now；〃 Danik shouted。 The tallest one … that's where I came from。〃
Rockson urged them onward。 It was nearly night…fall； the purplish sky melding with blackness to the east that was already filled with stars。 The atmosphere had been thinner ever since N…Day； so even before the sun was set； you could see many of the brighter constellations。
The mountains loomed larger and larger； the terrain grew rocky； and they lost time。 The last rays of sun flickered over the worn…down peaks of brown sandstone。 They were more barren hills than full…fledged mountains。 Rockson ordered headlamps on。 They roared toward the central peak … Mt。 Obispo。 When the way got precipitous； Rockson raised a hand。
They stopped； and in the light of the headlamp of his big Harley； which stood up leaning on its kick…stand on the gravelly surface； Rockson took out the map。
Danik concurred with Rock's assessment of their position。 〃We are upon the entranceway to Eden。〃 He looked nervous； and stated； 〃I hadn't…I hadn't realized we were so close。 We must pull back for a time。 I must explain something to you。〃
〃Are we at Eden City？ If we are； let's get into your tunnel。 We have a date with this madman Stafford。〃
〃No；〃 Danik insisted。 He was silhouetted in the light of the headlamps； looking impossibly tall and wraithlike。 He said； 〃We must not advance to the entranceway until I explain … please； let us retreat behind that hill at least； until I explain。〃
Rockson begrudgingly agreed。 They turned their cycles around and retreated behind the hill。 Rock got quickly off his vehicle and put the kickstand down。 〃Now； why the hell can't we go in？ Time is passing； every second counts …〃
〃I regret to say；〃 admitted the Eden City citizen； 〃that I omitted some detail about Eden when I spoke of it。 There is a danger … a real danger … in that tunnel。 I said it is an old construction tunnel that no one uses … but the reason is not fear of it collapsing。 There is a more fearsome reason。 There are two parts to Eden。 The tunnel； the only way in； skirts along a second underground settlement。 It is called Death City。 It is called that because to be near it causes death。 We were faced with execution； so my party took the chance and went through that tunnel； and we made it by the skin of our teeth。 There are patrols of…the Cultists。〃
〃What exactly is this Death City？〃
Danik sighed。 〃About twenty…five years after Eden was sealed off； there was a secession of a sort by a thousand followers of a sect of people that worshipped Renquist。〃
〃 Worshipped Renquist？ The millionaire who set up the city？〃
〃Exactly； Rockson。 Renquist had assumed the dimension of a god to those who attributed their safety to his forethought and planning； to his choosing them to survive when the world was plunged into nuclear war。 Naturally； the other inhabitants thought this group a bit odd； but they were tolerated。 The sect grew as troubles beset Eden … and when the women of our world became barren； after the thirtieth year of being sealed off； then the cult really grew。 They demanded the worship of giant statues they erected of Renquist。 They said we should sacrifice a human being to the statue； so that Renquist would forgive us and all would be well again。 The government refused。
〃The Cultists said we would all die if we didn't worship the correct god … Renquist。 They went off on their own … further into the natural caverns。 This mountain is much like the Carlsbad Caverns of Virginia； which I saw pictures of in Century City。 The mountain is honeybed with giant chambers。 The Renquist cultists sealed off their cavern and have seldom been seen since。 But there were incidents of our women being carried off if they came too close to the Death City side of Eden。 Women … our women … used to go to the area of the 'fresh winds；' near the waters of Eden； to drown their deformed babies。 These hideous creatures started to be born shortly before the women of Eden became entirely barren。
〃The babies were spirited away almost instantly。 We know that because some of the women changed their minds and returned to the area to find the hideous children gone。 Sometimes the women did not return； either。 There were screams； the women's clothes were found。 No amount of searching ever turned them up。 We believe that they were sacrificed to the statues of Renquist in Death City。〃
〃Why didn't you tell me that before？〃
〃The memories were vague。 And then as I remembered about Death City； I was afraid you would abandon the journey。 For there are thousands of these fearsome Cultists。 They are even more dangerous than Stafford。 The cultists know of the passageway to Eden。 We were in the tunnel； and we heard marching feet … we froze in position； but weird greenish lights played over us … possibly some sort of detector ray … and then gas came rolling at us。 We ran … we were but a short distance from the surface … I could see the blue afternoon sky。 We were lucky。。。 I am not brave。 I am not a warrior。 I am sorry …〃
Rockson said； 〃Men； we must immediately post a guard。。。〃
The bald stocky man with the muttonchop moustache peered over the rocks。 His name was Manion。 He gazed with interest at the group of strangers。 One of them appeared to be an Anasazi Indian … Indians had been seen before on these patrols on the surface。 But the others； dressed in military khaki； they were unusual。 Wait … one of them was a woman。 Manion watched the tall woman excitedly。 A surface woman。 A necessity for breeding purposes。 And there was something about … the woman sat down and started going through a pack of supplies。 She took off her big insulating jacket and the black helmet。 She shook loose her long red hair。 That aquiline nose； those high cheekbones … the hair … she looked like。。。 It was the Goddess Sandra。 It was。 Manion had seen her photos a thousand times in the Temple； memorized her every nuance； her every gainly move； on the videotapes。 He had seen the Sandra； and the God Edward Renquist to whom she was consort； strolling the streets of Dallas； Texas； in those most sacred videotapes。 Yes； Manion was sure it was her； The Sandra。 She had returned。
Excitedly the blue…robed figure that was Manion scurried back down the defile and told his rades of the discovery。 In whispered excitement he told them his decision。 He decided that the sleep gas had to be used … the Goddess was among an odd group … perhaps she had been intercepted on her way back to the Faithful Ones of Death City。 Perhaps the Sandra was a captive。 Or perhaps they were merely her earthly panions； demigods appearing to be humans。 〃Nevertheless；〃 Manion said； 〃we can't go wrong to use the gas。 And we must hurry before the breeze shifts … if their vicious…looking mastiff gets our scent； we will be consumed surely。〃
Each of the shaved…headed followers … ten in all … loaded their silvery tube weapons with something like bazooka shells； only made of transparent plastic。 The liquid inside the shells had been originally developed to handle the rioters in the late 1980s。 It was still effective； though a century old。 The great Renquist had stockpiled these weapons and many others knowing in his mind that the day would e when they must be used by the Devout to protect the Faith。
〃Quickly； up to the top；〃 the muttonchopped bald man said to his minions。 〃Fire in a circle around the intruders。 Make sure you do not hit our Goddess。 Anyone who harms the Sandra will be added to the Snake Temple's Mound。〃 With that admonition the flock stealthily crawled up to the edge of the ridge and； on signal from Manion； fired their silent weapons。 The gas shells exploded in a perfect circle around those below； and even their strange animals succumbed instantly。
CHAPTER 15
When Rock and the others awoke it wasn't long until they realized that the one person missing was Rona Wallender。
Detroit Green r