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The son of a bitch was going to pay。 No Miranda rights； no call to a lawyer； just two loads of double…ought buck in the chest and then a third to the brainpan。
There was such a confusing welter of footprints that Hazen wasn't sure what trail he was following anymore； or even if it was fresh。 But he knew the killer couldn't be far away； and he didn't care how long it took or where he had to go to find him。 The corridors couldn't go on forever。 He'd find him。
The rage prickled his scalp and made his face feel hot and flushed despite the clammy air of the cave。Tad 。 。 。 It was like he had lost a son。
His grief was checked； at least for now； by a tidal wave of anger。 He felt tears streaming down his cheeks but didn't feel the emotion behind them。 All he felt was hatred。 He was crying with hatred。
The tunnel suddenly ended in a rocky cave…in。 There was a black hole above from which the boulders had fallen。 His infrared beam revealed a little trail； winding up through the debris and disappearing into what looked like an upper gallery。
Hazen charged his way up the debris slope； head down； shotgun pointed ahead。 He came out into a soaring vertical space。 Overhead； feathery crystals hung on long ropes of limestone； swaying slightly in an underground current of air。 Passageways wandered off in all directions。 He scanned the ground； fighting to get his breathing and his emotions under control； found what looked like a fresh track； and began following it again； threading his way through a maze of tunnels。
After a few minutes he realized something was wrong。 The tunnel had curved back on itself somehow； and returned him to where he'd started。 He set off down another tunnel； only to find that the same thing happened。 His frustration grew until the red wash of his goggles seemed to dim from sheer rage。
After returning to the chamber yet a third time； he stopped； raised his shotgun； and fired。 The blast rocked the room； and feathery crystals tinkled gently down on all sides like giant broken snowflakes。
〃Motherfucker！〃 he screamed。 〃I'm here； e show your face； freak！〃
He fired a second time； and a third； screaming obscenities into the darkness。
The only answers that came back were the echoes of the blasts； rolling insanely through the honeyb of chambers； again and again。
The magazine was empty。 Breathing raggedly； Hazen reloaded。 This wasn't helping； hollering and shooting like this。 Just find him。 Find him。Find him。
He plunged down yet another passageway。 This one looked different： a long； glossy tunnel of limestone； little pools of water dotted with cave pearls。 At least he had escaped the merry…go…round of endless returning passageways。 He could no longer remember where he had been or where he was going。 He simply plunged on。
And then； off to one side； he saw a dark； hulking figure。
It was the merest glimpse； just a shadow flitting across his goggles； but it was enough。 He spun； dropped to one knee； and fired…long practice at the range paying off…and the figure dropped； tumbling to the ground with a crash。
Hazen followed immediately with a second shot。 Then he scuttled forward； ready to pump out the final round。
He stared down； the red glow of the night…vision goggles revealing not a dead body but a lumpy stalagmite； cut in half by his gun； lying shattered on the cave floor。 He resisted the impulse to curse； to kick the shattered pieces away。 Slowly and calmly； he raised the shotgun and continued down the echoing tunnel。 He came to a fork； another fork； and then he paused。
He saw movement ahead； heard a faint sound。
He moved forward more carefully now； gun at the ready。 He swung around a rocky corner； dropped to his knee； and covered the empty tunnel ahead； and in doing so he never did see the dark shape that approached swiftly out of the shadows behind him until he felt the sudden blow to the side of his head； the brutal wrenching twist； but by then it was too late and black night was already rushing forward to embrace him and he didn't have enough air left in his lungs to make any sound at all。
Seventy…Five
Perhaps； Corrie thought； it was all just a dream： this breathless； desperate dash through an endless gallery of caverns。 Perhaps Agent Pendergast had never arrived and she hadn't been rescued； after all。 Perhaps she was still down at the bottom of the pit； in a nightmarish half…doze； waiting to be awakened by the return 。 。 。
But then； the ache in her wrists and ankles； the throbbing pain in her temple； would remind her that this was； in fact； no dream。
Agent Pendergast raised his arm； signaling for them to stop。 His flashlight bobbled as he consulted the strange； soiled map。 This hesitation seemed to greatly agitate the man who was acpanying them。 It had taken Corrie several minutes； in her near…stuporous state； to even notice that somebody besides Pendergast had been running along with them。 He was a little man with a high voice； sandy hair； and a scraggly goatee。 His police fatigues were splattered with mud and clotted pieces of something else she didn't want to think about。
〃This way；〃 Pendergast whispered。 Corrie roused herself to follow； feeling as she did so the vague； dreamlike sensation return。
They passed through a low； chilly cavity that took a series of turns； first to the left； then to the right。 And then quite suddenly； the ceiling rose into blackness。 Corrie sensed； more than saw； that a large chamber lay ahead。 Pendergast hesitated once again at its mouth； listening。 When he had satisfied himself that there was no noise besides their own； he led the way forward。
One step； then another； as the walls fell away from the beam of Pendergast's flashlight。 Despite her shock and exhaustion； Corrie looked wonderingly around at the extraordinary space that was revealed； in bits and pieces； by the FBI agent's flashlight。 It was an immensely tall chamber； of blood…red stone so wet and slick that it appeared in places almost to be polished。 Pools of shallow water dotted the floor。 Near the top of the chamber； the rock face was broken by a series of horizontal cracks； through which the long seeping action of water had built up veils of calcite。 These immense white veils； draped over the red stone； gave the uncanny appearance of a richly appointed gallery in a theater。
The only problem was there wasn't any exit at the far end。 The dazed sense of relief that had been settling over Corrie was suddenly lost beneath a fresh wash of fear。
〃Where now？〃 the man in uniform said； panting。 〃I just knew it。 This shortcut of yours led us to a dead end。〃
Pendergast peered at the map another moment。 〃We're no more than a hundred yards from the public area of Kraus's Kaverns。 But a portion of that will be along the Z…axis。〃
〃The Z…axis？〃 the man said。 〃The Z…axis？ What are you talking about？〃
〃Our route lies up there。〃 Pendergast pointed to a small arched opening that Corrie had not noticed before； situated about forty feet up one of the curtains of stone。 A stream of water poured from it； splashing down the huge masses of flowstone and disappearing into a yawning crack at the cavern's base。
〃Just how are we supposed to get up there？〃 the man asked tr