rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第22章

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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。　Scar