going for an extended walk around the lake." Gelmann was anticipating the
forthcoming excursion.
"We'll need some rope," Hawkins grumbled. "To haul Vic's butt out if there
really is some kind of ditch or hole."
"I will take care of everything." Hands clasped behind him, Follingston-Heath
turned to gaze out across the lake. "Yes, it will be a jolly picnic."
VI
HAWKINS was grousing even before they started out, but Follingston-Heath was
in fine spirits, shortening his stride to match that of his less athletic
companions. The sun turned the surface of Lake Woneapenigong to shards of
broken glass. Ignoring Hawkins's sotto voce curses, jays and cardinals sang in
the trees. It was a beautiful morning for reconnoitering.
Everyone carried a small satchel or pack containing an assortment of personal
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items and other supplies. A phone hung from Follingston-Heath's belt, though
Iranaputra had warned him it was unlikely to work deep within the tunnel. The
Colonel had simply smiled patronizingly and brought it anyway. Clearly he did
not expect to get very far underground.
Ksarusix trundled along in front, amusing Iranaputra's companions no end by
forging the path. Iranaputra had persuaded it that this was the way to
proceed: reveal the secret to one, then to several, later to many more. Though
dubious, the robot had seen the wisdom of taking human advice where human
doubt was involved. It said little as it retraced a by-now-familiar course
through the trees.
Though Village residents were allowed to request Ksarus for picnics,
Supervisor Ibrahim was still reluctant to give up even the addled number six
for an entire day. He argued the matter loudly with Iranaputra, but gave in
fast when Mina
Gelmann joined the discussion. It was, as Follingston-Heath pointed out, a
strategic and sensible retreat on the part of the kitchen supervisor.
Even Hawkins eventually had to admit that on a day like today a walk through
the woods could qualify as invigorating. His perpetually sour expression
gradually softened, and he even betrayed some honest excitement when they
spotted a bobcat darting through the undergrowth. It flashed yellow eyes at
them before vanishing into a rustle of greenery. Like potentially dangerous
larger local predators, the bears and catamounts, it had been frightened off
by the small electronic critter repeller attached to Follingston-Heath's pack.
Startled murmuring was the order of the day when they reached the opening.
Not that anyone had openly accused Iranaputra of lying, but it was still a bit
of a surprise to find that there actually was a cave.
Surprise gave way to astonishment when they reached the tunnel proper and
switched on the lights they'd brought with them. It was obvious to the least
sophisticated of them that the passage they stood in was of artificial origin.
Iranaputra let them examine the walls and floor for a few minutes before
directing the robot to lead them onward.
"Are you sure there are no missiles or bombs or anything down here?" Gelmann
kept her light on the floor in front of her.
"No. I am not certain of anything, Mina. All I can say is that when I was
here before, I saw nothing like that."
"It's awfully big for a ventilation shaft." Shimoda's light bobbed alongside
his robe-clad belly. "And why the gentle angle? Maybe it's an access tunnel of
some kind."
"Good thought, old chap." Follingston-Heath's beam played over the walls and
ceiling. "A military installation would have need of such. Certainly this is
big enough to allow the passage of small service vehicles, whether powered by
maglev or even fossil fuels. I'm not entirely sure which they used back in the
aboriginal days."
"This might have been a secret place," Gelmann commented. "They were so
paranoid then, the poor things. All that tribal nonsense, it gives me a pain
in the stomach just to remember it."
Twenty minutes later she sidled up to Iranaputra. "There certainly is a
tunnel here, Victor dear. But I'm afraid I don't see any sign of your buried
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city." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]