Dark Reckoning by James Axler

“Okay, you assholes, start digging!” he shouted. “We got a long ways to go if we want to reach the next dish by sundown!”

Grumbling unhappily, the weary sec men started to climb out of the turret of the wag and began the odious task of clearing a path through the debris.

STEPPING OUT OF THE WAY of the crumbling plaster, Ryan and the others looked across the chasm along the shattered remains of the granite bridge. The explosion had sealed the cave on the other side completely.

“No way we’re jumping that,” J.B. stated.

Keeping a hand on the wall for support, Mildred peered into the depths below. “Not even a splash or a crash.” she said softly., tilting, her head to listen. “How deep is that hole?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Ryan stated, flicking a butane lighter and studying the cave around them. Only it wasn’t a cave, but another tunnel identical to the one leading from the redoubtthe same smooth floor, arched walls, concrete braces supporting the ceiling, bare metal hoops for wiring not installed.

Going to the edge, Jak lifted the loaded crossbow from the floor and made sure the wooden arrow was firmly in place. This was their last weapon.

“Maybe the bridge was also part of this tunnel,” Doc suggested, sheathing his sword and locking the blade with a twist. “But a subterranean earthquake collapsed the area, and only the reinforced floor of the tunnel remained.”

Lifting a piece of plaster from the floor, J.B. inspected it closely. It was plain white on one side and painted to resemble rock on the other. Triple strange. “But why would anybody hide this tunnel?”

“Escape route?” Jak suggested. “Or no want runts find.”

Taking the torch from his belt, Ryan lit the oily rags and started forward. “Only one way to find out.”

There was no silvery moss on the tunnel walls, the darkness seeming to swallow the crackling light of the two torches. The drilled shaft echoed their steps as the companions walked along.

Reaching an intersection, Ryan held out his torch to try to see down the side passages. The right ended in a rockfall, slabs of granite sealing the tunnel completely. But the left side went on for a distance. Faint noise could be heard in the tunnel, voices, and some sort of dragging, moist sound. Frowning, Ryan covered his mouth and jerked a hand toward the main tunnel. Once they reached it, he walked away from the side tunnel a few yards before speaking.

“That sounded like the runts,” he said.

“Good news, bad news,” Mildred muttered, turning the knife in her hand nervously.

J.B. tilted back his fedora. “What the hell is the good news?”

“If they got here, then there’s a way back to the main cavern,” she explained. “We’re not cut off.”

“Do here,” Jak said, offering the crossbow to the woman. Mildred took the weapon and the teenager gestured, a knife sliding into each hand. “Never know what hit.”

“Not here. There’s no cover,” Ryan countered. “We need someplace to ambush the muties. Can’t go back to the bridge. The other side branch is blocked.” He turned and heading farther along the tunnel. “We keep going. Any ammo left?”

“Not a single round,” J.B. stated grimly, patting his clothing.

“Everybody got a knife?”

“I daresay yes, my dear Ryan,” Doc rumbled, sliding his sword free once more.

The tunnel continued for hundreds of yards, with the noise from the runts becoming fainter until it was lost completely. But the companions kept going. Just because they couldn’t hear the rants, didn’t mean the little muties weren’t still after them.

Suddenly, Ryan raised a hand for a halt. A faint blue star shone straight ahead of them. They waited a few minutes but the light didn’t move, or alter in any way. Ryan waved a hand forward, and as the companions cautiously advanced, the star became a beam of bluish light piercing the darkness. The companions kept to the side of the tunnel to offer as small a target for snipers as possible.

“That’s not daylight,” Ryan said, squinting against the smoky flames of the torch.

“More like a halogen light,” J.B. stated incredulously.