按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
le cover overhead。
Gil places a finger over his lips； then points up toward the manhole。 I make out two figures standing above us in front of Edwards Hall。
〃Bill's trying to call me；〃 Paul says； holding his pager toward the light。 He's clearly agitated。 〃I have to get out of here。〃
Charlie gives Paul a puzzled look； then gestures for him and Gil to step away from the light。
〃He won't move；〃 Gil says under his breath。
Paul is directly beneath the metal lid； staring at the face of his pager as melted snow drips through the holes。 There is movement above。
〃You're going to get us caught；〃 I whisper。
〃He says he can't get reception anywhere else；〃 Gil says。
〃Bill's never done this before；〃 Paul whispers back。
I pull at his arm； but he jerks free。 When he lights up the silver face of the pager and shows it to us； I see three numbers： 911。
〃What's that supposed to mean？〃 Charlie whispers。
〃Bill must've found something；〃 Paul says； losing patience。 〃I need to find him。〃
Foot traffic in front of Edwards mashes fresh snow through the manhole。 Charlie is getting tense。
〃Look；〃 he says； 〃it's a fluke。 You can't get reception down he…〃
But he's interrupted by the pager； which begins to beep again。 Now the message is a phone number： 116…7718。
〃What's that？〃 Gil asks。
Paul turns the screen upside…down； forming text from the digits： BILL…911。
〃I'm getting out of here now；〃 Paul says。
Charlie shakes his head。 〃Not using that manhole。 Too many people up there。〃
〃He wants to use the exit at Ivy；〃 Gil says。 〃I told him it was too far。 We can go back to Clio。 It's still a couple minutes before the proctors switch。〃
In the distance； tiny sets of red beads are gathering。 Rats are sitting on their haunches； watching。
〃What's so important？〃 I ask Paul。
〃We're onto something big…〃 he begins to say。
But Charlie interrupts。 〃Clio's our best shot；〃 he agrees。 After checking his watch； he starts to walk north。 〃7：24。 We need to get moving。〃
Chapter 3
The shape of the corridor remains boxy as we keep north； but the walls； which were once concrete； are increasingly of stone。 I can hear my father's voice； explaining the etymology of the word sarcophagus。
From the Greek meaning 〃flesh…eating〃 。 。 。 because Greek coffins were made of limestone； which consumed the entire body…everything but the teeth…within forty days。
Gil's lead has grown to twenty feet。 Like Charlie； he moves quickly； accustomed to the landscape。 Paul's silhouette blinks in and out of the uneven light。 His hair is matted against his forehead； tamped down with sweat； and I remember that he's hardly slept in days。
Thirty yards up； we find Gil waiting for us； his eyes shifting from place to place as he shepherds us toward the exit。 He's looking for a backup plan。 We're taking too long。
I close my eyes； trying to see a map of campus in my thoughts。
〃Just fifty more feet；〃 Charlie calls to Paul。 〃A hundred at most。〃
When we arrive below the manhole near Clio； Gil turns to us。
〃I'll pop the lid and look out。 Get ready to run back the way we came。〃 He glances down。 〃I've got 7：29。〃
He grips the lowest step iron； lifts himself into position； and raises his forearm against the manhole cover。 Before applying pressure； he looks over his shoulder and says； 〃Remember； the proctors can't e down here to get us。 All they can do is tell us to e out。 Stay down and don't say anyone's name。 Got it？〃
The three of us nod。
Gil takes a deep breath； shoves his fist upward； and pivots the cover against his elbow。 It cracks open half a foot。 He takes a quick inventory…then a voice es from above。
〃Don't move！ Stay right there！〃
I can hear Gil hiss； 〃Shit。〃
Grabbing his shirt； Charlie pulls him back； catching him as he loses his footing。
〃Go！ Over there！ Turn your flashlight off！〃
I stumble into the darkness； pressing Paul in front of me。 I try to remember my way。
Stay to the right。 Pipes on the left； stay to the right。
My shoulder glances the wall and tears my shirt。 Paul is staggering； exhausted by the heat。 We manage twenty paces stumbling over each other before Charlie stops us so Gil can catch up。 In the distance a flashlight enters the tunnel through the open manhole。 An arm descends after it； followed by a head。
〃e out of there！〃
The beam twitches in both directions； sending a triangle of light sharking through the tunnel。
Now a second voice； a woman's。
〃This is your last warning！〃
I look over at Gil。 In the darkness I can see the contours of his head as he shakes it； warning us not to speak。
Paul's breath is wet on the back of my neck。 He leans against the wall； beginning to look faint。 The woman's voice es again； deliberately loud as she speaks to her partner。
〃Call it in。 Post officers at all the manholes。〃
For a moment the flashlight retracts from the opening。 Charlie immediately presses at our backs。 We run until we reach a T in the tunnels； then continue past it and veer right around a corner into unfamiliar territory。
〃They can't see us here；〃 Gil whispers； out of breath； clicking on his flashlight。 Another long tunnel retreats out of sight； toward what I take to be the northwest of campus。
〃What now？〃 Charlie says。
〃Back to Dod；〃 Gil suggests。
Paul wipes his forehead。 〃Can't。 They padlocked the exit。〃
〃They'll watch all the main grates；〃 Charlie says。
I begin pacing down the westward tunnel。 〃Is this the fastest way northwest？〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because I think we can get out near Rocky…Mathey。 How far is it from here？〃
Charlie hands the last of our water to Paul； who drinks it eagerly。 〃A few hundred yards；〃 he says。 〃Maybe more。〃
〃Through this tunnel？〃
Gil considers for a second； then nods。
〃I got nothing better；〃 Charlie says。
The three of them begin to follow me into the dark。
For some distance we continue through the same passageway in silence。 Charlie trades flashlights with me once my beam grows too weak； but keeps his focus on Paul； who seems more and more disoriented。 When Paul finally stops to lean on a wall； Charlie props him up and helps him on； reminding him not to touch the pipes。 With each step； the last drops of water plink in empty bottles。 I begin to wonder if I've lost my bearings。
〃Guys；〃 Charlie says from behind us； 〃Paul's fading。〃
〃I just need to sit down；〃 Paul says weakly。
Suddenly Gil directs a flashlight into the distance； bringing a set of metal bars into view。 〃Damn it。〃
〃Security gate；〃 Charlie says。
〃What do we do？〃
Gil crouches to look Paul in the eye。 〃Hey；〃 he says； shaking Paul's shoulders。 〃Is there a way out of here？〃
Paul points at the steam pipe beside the security gate； then makes an unsteady downward swoop with his arm。 〃Go under。〃
Scanning the pipe with my flashlight； I see insulation worn away on the pipe's underside； just inches above the floor。 Someone has tried this before。
〃No way；〃 Charlie says。 〃Not enough room。〃
〃There's a release latch on the other side；〃 Gil says； pointing to a device by the wall。 〃Only one of us has to go。 Then we can open the gate。〃 He lowers his head to Paul's level again。 〃You've done this before？〃
Paul nods。
〃He