rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第20部分

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t　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　obeisance；　their　foreheads　to　the　stone　floor　below　them。　The　Fir