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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 ran over and lifted Danik； who was only up on one elbow； off the ground。 〃You skinny weird bastard；〃 Detroit threatened； pulling back his left hand in a fist。 〃Your lies have resulted in Rona being taken。 How do we know you aren't one of these Cultists yourself？ I know you had something to do with this … you led us into a trap。〃
〃No； no； I swear。。。〃 Danik stuttered。 〃I didn't。〃
〃Sure you did。 You already admitted not telling us about Death City … now your friends have taken away Rona … you set this up … and you're gonna admit it。 Spill it … where'd they take Rona？〃
Chen stayed Detroit's fist the second it started traveling for the albino's nose。 〃Stop； Detroit。 He doesn't know … he didn't set us up。。。〃
〃How the hell do you know that？ He lied to us … he admitted it。〃 Detroit didn't let go of Danik's collar。
Rockson was the only one taking effective action。 He had crawled up on the rise and peered over to the mountain。 He pulled up his electron binoculars … equipped with a night…vision mode … and scanned the area。 There was no sign of the woman he cared so much for。 He looked for tracks。 The ground was rocky； and there were none。 He scrambled back down to the arguing Freefighters and Danik。
He passed a burst…open metal thing … one of the sleep…gas shells； half buried in the soil。 He touched it。 A strange canister … soft metal。
As Rockson approached the noisy Freefighters； he heard the gist of the argument； which was continuing。 Then he saw the position of the three … Chen holding Detroit's arm； Detroit threatening Danik； having lifted the poor man off the ground by his coat collar。 Chen was saying； 〃Detroit； your reasoning isn't logical。 If Danik did set us up； why did he warn us about the Cultists； why did he tell us to be on guard just before the attack came？ We were about to take precautions。 Why was only Rona taken； why are we still alive？ Why is Danik still here with us？〃
〃I don't know the answers； Chen； but I'll bet I can beat some answers out of …〃
Rockson intervened。 〃Chen's right； Detroit。 Let Danik go。 We have to find Rona。 There's no sign of her。 Danik；〃 snapped the Doomsday Warrior； 〃where's the entrance to the tunnel。 We're going in after her。〃
Danik said； 〃I … I think I can find it。 Just over the hill near the three big boulders。〃 Then he added most pathetically； 〃I didn't plan this … I'm sorry。 It's all my … It is all my fault … please forgive me。。。 I will do what I can to help you free her before she is sacrificed。。。〃
〃Never mind that；〃 said Rockson。 〃Find me that hole in the ground； Danik。 If we run into them； and the Cultists object to releasing her immediately。。。〃 Rockson unholstered his shotpistol and raised it； 〃this will take care of them。〃
The team was all together on this sentiment。 It was time for manly action。 Archer growled and lifted his steel crossbow over his head； Chen wooshed his nunchaku sticks。 McCaughlin lifted his Liberator rifle； joining in the tumult of anger。
Within minutes； the Edenite had led them through a bizarre jumble of oddly shaped rocks； looking for strange symbols that were drawn on certain stones。 He found them。 They paused at the tunnel entrance。 It was wide enough for one man at a time to squeeze through。 Class Act； sniffing madly； on the scent from the hat Rockson had let her smell … Rona's hat … led them on eagerly。
Rockson； then McCaughlin； squeezed through； they helped the others drop down the six feet to the floor of the tunnel。 It was Scheransky's turn。 〃I feel like we're going down the rabbit hole … and I'm no Alice；〃 said Scheransky。
〃Never mind the allusions to literature； get down here。〃 Rock said； pulled on the Russian's dangling legs。 McCaughlin had his flashlight on； so they could see。
One by one they cautiously dropped into the hole； lighting their torches when they hit the floor。 Archer and McCaughlin had to crouch to stand inside。 Slowly they advanced down the narrow passageway hewn from the living rock of Mt。 Obispo。
Rockson let the mutant canine go ahead of them。 There were twists and turns in the tunnel Danik admitted that he didn't remember； and forking passages。 He did his best to keep them on the right track； but in a matter of ten minutes； despite his best efforts； they were lost in the maze。 Rockson had been dropping little torn pieces of notebook paper behind them； in case they had to retrace their steps。 He said there was no danger of being lost； and all should push on。 It was growing warmer； and they opened their bat parkas and loosened their shirt collars。 〃Archer；〃 Rock whispered； 〃stop clanking your cross…bow against the damned walls。〃 〃Meee tight …〃
〃Shhh；〃 Rockson implored。 〃Class Act has frozen in place … there is something ahead。〃
Sure enough； in a short time the dog's instincts had proved correct。 Shuffling noises； mutters of male voices。 〃Douse the lights。〃 But Rock had them turned on again when he realized there were no lights ahead in the direction of the noises。 The floor vibrated； they were very close to the enemy。 Rock was the first to figure it out。 〃We're not in the right tunnel； but this tunnel is right next to the correct one…feel along the walls； everybody。 Find out where the vibration is ing from。〃
By the time the marching feet faded； they had decided that the footfalls and voices were to the right of their slow descent。 The Freefighter team started digging with the sharp ends of their metal batons。 The walls were porous rock here； and came out in chunks。 〃Keep the hole just wide enough to crawl through；〃 Rock admonished。
It took two hours to go the six feet and reach the other tunnel。 First just a little hole showed light； then； cautiously； they widened their opening。 Rock crawled through to find himself up on a ledge above another tunnel； a bigger one。 There was a dull flickering light and some footfalls far off。 The others were advised to slip through。 They packed along the shelf of rock； nearly turning over some small barrels and boxes。
〃Death City。〃 gasped Danik。 〃Now that we are here； it's six of us and the dog against a thousand fanatical Cultists。〃
〃Let me worry about that … you just keep up with us。〃
〃Yeah； and keep quiet；'' McCaughlin added。
They huddled down as soldiers … or at least what looked like soldiers … bald tall men in blue uniforms bearing long silver tubes on their shoulder straps … passed underneath them。
〃We need some of those uniforms；〃 Rockson said。 〃We don't have a prayer of rescuing Rona unless we get some disguises。〃
They watched the ten soldiers； who seemed to patrol this part of the tunnel； pass underneath the rock shelf six times； and the Doomsday Warrior timed their movements。 There was only once course of action … attack the ten men； silently； without use of the rifles or shotpistols。
On Rockson's approval； Chen handed to both Danik and Scheransky one shuriken。 Only Chen and Rockson were proficient in throwing the lethal little five…bladed knives； but they might get lucky。
Rock and Chen poised their own star…knives。 〃Aim for their Adam's apples。 If we get more than two； that will help。 Archer … you use your arrows。 Hit them someplace that will avoid their crying out。 You too； Danik。 Then we jump the ones still standing … before they can call out。 I hope this works。 Try not to make it too bloody either … we have to use those uniforms。〃
〃I'll throw； but whether I hit one or not； I'll jump down and use my cudgel；〃 said Scheransky。
Archer silently lifted his bow into the air and smiled。 〃I will doooo twoooo；〃 he growled。 〃You really think you can skewer two at a time？〃 Archer nodded up and down vigorously； and removed the longest barbed arrow Rock had ever seen from his quiver and set it in the steel crossbow's slot。 〃We're counting on everyone scoring。〃 Danik whispered； 〃But I never killed …〃 〃This will be your first time then； Danik；〃 Rock said； and winked。 〃You can do it。〃
They waited till the right moment。 Right after the guards had passed； they let fly with the star…knives。 Rockson's and Chen's made target； bringing their men down gurgling out blood。 Scarcely a noise passed their lips。 The Russian's swooshing blade hit his man in the temple and that shut him up。 He didn't even flop around； just fell dead。
Archer's huge arrow flew with a hiss and went right through the neck of the next man in line and out his throat； and； remarkably； right back into the man in front of him。 Skewered together； gasping out quarts of blood； they tumbled to the side； their eyes wide and staring at darkness。
The Freefighters were upon the remaining Cult soldiers before they had a chance to whirl around。 Scheransky bludgeoned down his prey with ease； cracking open the man's skull and spilling his brains on the stone floor。 Detroit slammed his baton into the base of his man's skull。 Scratch one more Cultist。 Smokestone's massive tomahawk spilled brains right and left。
Rockson smashed the last man a mighty blow to the solar plexus with his balisong knife handle as the soldier was already raising the long silver tube and squeezing the trigger on the thing。 Rockson winced； expecting a shot； even though the tube wasn't pointed at him … and never would be。 But instead of a report； the tip of the silver tube glowed red。 A section of the wall it was facing started smoking and glowing red…hot。 The man stopped pulling the trigger when his eyes rolled up and he fell。
They had managed to get them all without making more than some scuffling noises； a few gurgles； and death rattles。 〃Now； quickly； put on their uniforms … let Archer and McCaughlin use the outfits of those two big guys； the rest catch…as…catch…can。〃
CHAPTER 16
Meanwhile； deep in the earth。。。 a strange torchlit procession descended。 Six pale loin…clothed figures carried a sedan chair on their massive shoulders。 In front of the figures was the short swarthy man with the characteristic muttonchop beard and moustache that designated him as a Renquist high priest。 Manion had switched from his coarse outer…world garment； and now he wore a heavily ornate blue silk robe。 Those carrying his captive on the sedan chair behind him were the servants of his exalted being。 Behind the bearers of the ornate sedan chair were the six soldier…monks who had so accurately fired the sleep gas。
They have done well； they will be rewarded； Manion thought。 The Sandra has been acquired； the destiny of the people of Death City； and her exalted destiny was about to be fulfilled。 Renquist； Mightiest of All will have his Queen once more。 And the Blessed Renquist will reward his people。 Manion； when he first had peeked over the rocks of the outside world and had seen the Goddess and her panions； had known at once。 The Goddess was exactly as she eternally appeared … beautiful； red flames for hair； tan of plexion； long of limb。 Haughty； and buxom。 She was the Sandra； consort…wife of the Renquist。 She had been sent back to them； so that destiny could at last be fulfilled。 Manion had no doubt of that。 She was Sandra。 And she belonged to his people。
But what of the others with her … those strange men？ Couldn't they have been messengers that heaven sent to deliver Sandra to Death City。 No； they must have been a group of surface people that had seized the Goddess； and were about to take her for their own。 Manion was not entirely sure； so he had thought it best to not kill them where they lay overe with the gas of sleep。 They would awaken and they would be afraid and leave the area。 Yes。 They would not try to follow … and even if they found the entrance； there were patrols in the tunnels。 Still； he was uneasy。 Perhaps he should have killed them。。。
The entourage bearing the sleeping woman reached a cavern； and a huge brass door with carved figures of a titanic bear stood before them。 Manion； as was his duty； went to the gong and took up the stick and rang it twice。 Responding to the sonorous ringing； the doors slowly opened。
In the flickering flame…lamp's light； twenty meters beyond the door； stood the ten…story…high solid gold statue of Renquist。 Manion made a prostration； and then those behind him set down the sedan chair and also made obeis