Tunnels 03, Freefall

down the gravel path to investigate for himself.

    * * * * *

    Leatherman had just turned the handle on the rear doors as the wave of sound engulfed the van. Once Mrs. Burrows had used the trigger word, there was no question in his or Drake's mind that they were under attack.
    The van hadn't provided any shielding against the subsonic wave. If anything, it had concentrated the effect on its occupants. Within less than a second of Oscar Embers activating the device, Drake had passed out, with Leatherman and the two soldiers dropping beside him.
    So Drake didn't see the man wearing the twin earpieces that Mrs. Burrows had mistaken for hearing aids as he wrenched open the doors and climbed into the van. And he felt nothing as this man, who he would have identified immediately as a Styx, located his limp body from amongst those of Leatherman and the soldiers, and carried him to a waiting car.
    And Drake didn't know until later how fortunate he'd been. That he and Mrs. Burrows would be the only two to live out the day.

    Highfield Archive Office
    Omar Ashmi
    Ext. 2213

    Highfield Common Twenty
    released from hospital.
    Official statement issued.

    By T.K. Martin, Staff Reporter

    The Department of Health has issued a brief
    statement following the as yet unexplained
    Incident that took place last Monday on
    Highfield Common and in two adjacent streets,
    in which twenty people were discovered
    unconscious.

    At approximately 3:45 PM on Monday, the
    emergency services received the first calls to the
    area. Eleven members of the public were found
    to have collapsed on the Common itself and
    were immediately taken to Highfield General.
    After emergency personnel made house to house
    Searches of
    Broadlands Avenue
    and Denewood
    Road, both of which border Highfield Common,
    Another nine casualties were conveyed to
    hospital. In addition, a number of animals
    including starlings and pigeons, and the prize-
    winning Afghan hounds Tippy and Toppy were
    similarly affected. Reports have also been
    received that people out walking in roads close
    to
    Highfield High Street
    experienced bouts of
    dizziness and double vision. There were no
    fatalities except for a goldfish in a private home
    in
    Denewood Road
    , which appears to have
    drowned.

    The Highfield Common Twenty, as they have
    been dubbed, all regained consciousness within
    hours of being admitted, although some
    complained of severe headaches, which
    persisted for several days. The Twenty were
    confined to a quarantine ward in Highfield
    General where they underwent tests to determine
    if some form of radiation, or food or water
    contamination, was responsible, but these have
    now been dismissed as possible causes. Three of
    the Twenty also required treatment for bruising
    and minor injuries when the cars they were
    driving were involved in collisions with parked
    vehicles.

    The residents evacuated from the houses
    bordering the Common were allowed to return
    home three days after the incident. However, the
    presence of Department of Health scientists in
    their white safety suits, which has become an
    everyday sight on the Common, is likely to
    continue as the park will not be reopened to the
    public for several more weeks. A Police
    spokesman said hat it is believed that whatever
    caused the phenomenon originated on the
    Common itself, but was not able to provide any
    details in support of this.

    The Department of Health has staunchly
    dismissed the suggestion that a new mobile
    phone mast on the roof of the fire station in Pitt
    Street is to blame. A local pressure group called
    No Masts in Highfield has been campaigning to
    have it removed since it was erected last year.
    Mrs. Ruth Cook, spokesperson for the group,
    said, "Not enough research has been done on the
    shortwave emissions these masts are pumping
    into us and our children. What these mobile
    phone companies are doing is an outrage. It's
    criminal, and their directors should be put on
    trial."

    The Afghan hounds Tippy and Toppy have
    completely recovered and will be entered for the
    forthcoming Crufts dog show in March.

33

    "Halley was the first person to come up with the Hollow Earth theory," Dr. Burrows announced completely out of the blue. "And that was way back in 1692."
    "What are you on about?" Will asked, mopping sweat from his brow as they took advantage of the gradient to maintain a fast pace down the seam.
    "Edmond Halley, you know... the astronomer who discovered Halley's Comet. His premise was