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〃Sounds good to me；〃 said Marquez； relieved that someone else had suggested it。
Ambrose leaned against one wall。 〃I say we keep going until we get out of here。〃
〃You won't get my vote；〃 said Pat。 〃My legs are screaming with agony。 We must have stepped over a thousand railroad ties。〃
It was only after they all sagged to the floor of the tunnel； while Pitt casually remained standing； that they knew they had been tricked。 None of them plained； everyone happy to relax and massage sore ankles and knees。
〃Any idea how much farther？〃 asked Pat。
Pitt consulted his puter for the hundredth time。 〃I can't be absolutely positive； but if we can climb two more levels and are not blocked by another cave…in； we should be out of here in another hour。〃
〃Where do you reckon we'll e out？〃 asked Marquez。
〃My guess is somewhere right under the main town of Telluride。〃
〃That would be the old O'Reilly Claim。 It was a shaft sunk not far from where the gondola runs up the mountain to the ski slopes at Mountain Village。 You do have a problem； though。〃
〃Another one？〃
〃The New Sheridan Hotel and its restaurant now sit directly on top of the old mine entrance。〃
Pitt grinned。 〃If you're right； dinner is on me。〃
They went silent for the next two minutes； lost in their thoughts。 The only sounds came from their breathing and the steady drip of moisture from the roof of the tunnel。 Despondency gave way to hope。 Knowing the end was perhaps in sight； they felt symptoms of fatigue begin to wash away。
Pitt had always suspected that women had more acute hearing than men； from the times his various lady friends had visited his apartment and plained that the volume on his TV was too loud。 His suspicions were confirmed when Pat said； 〃I think I hear a motorcycle。〃
〃A Harley…Davidson or a Honda？〃 asked Marquez； laughing for the first time since leaving his house。
〃No； I'm serious；〃 Pat said firmly。 〃I swear it sounds like a motorcycle。〃
Then Pitt heard something； too。 He turned and faced the tunnel from the direction they had e and cupped his hands to his ears。 He made out the undeniable sound of exhaust from a high…performance off…road motorcycle。 He stared soberly at Marquez。 〃Do the locals ride around old mine tunnels on motocross dirt bikes for a thrill？〃
Marquez shook his head。 〃Never。 They'd bee lost in a maze of tunnels； if they didn't plunge down a thousand…foot shaft first。 Then there's the danger of their exhaust noise causing rotted beams to collapse and a cave…in to crush them。 No； sir； nobody I know is fool enough to joyride underground。〃
〃Where did they e from？〃 Pat asked no one in particular。
〃From another mine that's still accessible。 Lord only knows how they happened to be in the same tunnel as we are。〃
〃A peculiar coincidence；〃 Pitt said； staring up the tunnel。 He felt a sense of uneasiness。 Why？ He couldn't be sure。 He stood without moving a muscle； listening to the rattling sound of the exhaust as it grew louder。 It was a foreign sound in the old mine labyrinth。 It did not belong。 He stood still as the first flash of light showed far down the tunnel。
Pitt couldn't tell yet if it was one or more motorcycles ing through the tunnel。 It seemed a reasonable assumption that he should treat the biker or bikers as a threat。 Better safe than sorry。 As ancient and hackneyed as the words sounded； they still had meaning； and his cautious nature had saved him on more than one occasion。
He turned and slowly walked past Ambrose and Marquez。 Absorbed in the approach of the sound and lights； they took no notice as he slipped along one wall of the tunnel in the direction of the approaching bikers。 Only Pat focused on Pitt as he unobtrusively stole into the darkness of a portal leading into a narrow bore between the timbers。 One moment he was there； the next he had vanished like a wraith。
There were three bikers。 The front of their machines were packed with an array of halogen lights that blinded the exhausted survivors； who shielded their eyes with their hands and turned away as the engines slowed and idled in neutral。 Two of the intruders dismounted their bikes and walked closer； their bodies silhouetted by the bright lights behind them。 They looked like space aliens in their black； sleek helmets and two…piece jerseys worn under chest protectors。 Their boots came halfway to their knees and their hands were encased in black； ribbed gloves。 The third biker remained on his machine as the other two approached and raised the shields on their helmets。
〃You don't know how happy we are to see you；〃 said Pat excitedly。
〃We sure could have used your help earlier；〃 said Ambrose wearily。
〃My pliments on making it this far；〃 said the figure on the right； in a voice deep and sinister。 〃We thought sure you'd drowned in the Amenes chamber。〃
〃Amenes？〃 Pat repeated； puzzled。
〃Where did you guys e from？〃 demanded Marquez。
〃It doesn't matter；〃 said the biker； as if he were brushing off a classroom student's irrational question。
〃You knew we were trapped in the chamber by a rockfall and rising water？〃
〃Yes；〃 the biker said coldly。
〃And you did nothing？〃 Marquez said incredulously。 〃You didn't try to rescue us or go for help？〃
〃No。〃
A stimulating conversationalist； this guy； thought Pitt。 If he'd been a tiny bit suspicious earlier； he was downright convinced now that these men were not local daredevils on a weekend adventure。 These men were killers； and heavily armed。 He didn't know why； but he knew they were not going to allow them to escape the mines alive。 It was time to act； and surprise was his only advantage。 He slipped his dive knife from its sheath and gripped the hilt。 It was the only weapon he had； and it would have to do。 He took several slow deep breaths and gave a final flex to his fingers。 It was now or never。
〃We came within minutes of drowning in the chamber；〃 said Pat； wondering what Pitt was planning； if anything。 She began to wonder if he was a coward and simply hiding from danger。
〃We know。 That was the plan。〃
〃Plan？ What plan？〃
〃You all were supposed to die；〃 the biker said conversationally。
The words were greeted with a stunned； unprehending silence。 〃Unfortunately； your will to survive overcame the cave…in and the flooding；〃 the biker continued。 〃We did not foresee your perseverance。 But it is of no matter。 You merely prolonged the inevitable。〃
〃The dynamite blast；〃 muttered Marquez in shock。 〃That was you？〃
The answer was candid。 〃Yes； we set the charge。〃
Pat began to look like a deer staring into the headlights of an approaching truck。 She knew that the bikers were not aware of Pitt's presence； so she acted as if he didn't exist。 Marquez and Ambrose assumed he was simply standing behind them quietly； as stunned with shock as they were。
〃Why would you want to kill us？〃 she asked； her voice shaking。 〃Why would total strangers want to murder us？〃
〃You saw the skull and you saw the inscriptions。〃
Marquez looked like a man torn between fear and anger。 〃So w