And seeing in Luchov’s mind the nuclear solution to the threat from beyond the Gate, Savinkov had told him: Then you know what to do, Viktor.
‘Do?’
Yes, for They are coming, through the Gate, and you know how to stop them!
‘Coming? Who is coming?’
You know who.
Luchov had understood, and answered: ‘But those weapons may not be used until we are sure. Then, when we can see the threat – ‘
– It will be too late! Savinkov cried. If not for us, too late for Harry Keogh. We’ve all wronged him and now must make amends, for he suffers needless agonies. Wake up, Viktor. It’s in your hands now.
‘My God!’ Luchov had tossed and turned, but Savinkov had seen that he wouldn’t wake. Not yet. But . . . there were others sleeping here who would. And then, when Luchov heard the telepath talking again – to whom, and what he asked, begged them to do! – that was when he’d started awake.
Now he was dressed and almost in control of himself, but still breathless, still alert and listening, tuned in to the Projekt’s heartbeat. The dull throb of an engine somewhere, reverberating softly through the floor; the clang of a hatch, echoing distantly; the hum and rattle of the ventilation system. In the old days the Direktor had been accommodated on an upper level, much closer to the exit shaft. Up there, it had seemed quieter, less oppressive. But down here, with the magmass caverns and the core almost directly underfoot, it could be that he felt the entire mountain weighing on his shoulders.
Still listening intently, Luchov’s breathing and heartbeat gradually slowed as it became apparent that all was in order and it really had been a dream. Only a terrible dream. Or had it?
That sudden clatter of running footsteps, coming closer in the corridor outside. And voices shouting hoarse warnings! Now what in the world . . .?
He went to open the door to the corridor, and heard in the back of his mind, like an echo from his dream: But Viktor, you already know ‘what in the world’! Paul Savinkov’s telepathic voice, and clear as a bell. Except this time it was no dream!
A hammering at his door, which Luchov opened with hands which were trembling again. He saw his guards, astonishment written in their drawn, tired faces, and a pair of gaunt technicians just this moment arrived here from the core. ‘Comrade Direktor!’ one of the latter gasped, clawing at his arm. ‘Direktor Luchov! I … I would have telephoned, but the lines are under repair.’
Luchov could see that the technician was stalling; the man was terrified to report what must be reported, because he knew it was unbelievable. And now for the first time there sounded the sharp crack! crack! crack! of distant gunshots. At that, galvanized, Luchov found strength to croak, ‘It’s not. . . something from the Gate?’
‘No, no! But there are . . . things!’
Luchov’s flesh crawled. ‘Things?’
‘From under the Gate! From the abandoned magmass regions. And oh God, they are dead things, Comrade Direktor!’
Dead things. The sort of things Harry Keogh would understand, and which understood him only too well. And according to the warnings of a dead man, the worst of it still to come. But hadn’t Luchov tried to warn Byzarnov what could happen? And hadn’t he advised him to press that damned button right there and then? Of course he had, even knowing at the time that the Major didn’t fully understand, and that in any case circumstances didn’t warrant it. Also, Byzarnov was a military man and had his orders. Well, circumstances had changed; maybe now he would put his orders aside and take matters into his own hands.
Luchov had experienced and lived through similar disasters before. Now he felt torn two ways: should he make his escape to the upper levels and abandon the Projekt entirely, or should he see what could be done down below? His conscience won. There were men down there after all – just following bloody orders! He headed for the core.
As he ran along the angled, split-level steel ramp through the upper magmass cavern to the steep stairwell leading down to the Gate, the Projekt Direktor heard the first shouts, screams, and more gunshots from the core. The technicians were right behind him; his own men, too, armed with SMGs and a flamethrower. But as he approached the actual shaft where it spilled light from the Gate up into the cavern, so Major Alexei Byzarnov’s voice echoed from behind, calling for him to wait. In a moment the Major had caught up.