Tunnels 03, Freefall

perhaps he also wanted to believe in her because with his father gone, he felt that she was all that remained of his Highfield family. Apart from Mrs. Burrows, of course, who was a vague and distant figure in his memory.
    "Right now, I'm more worried about Martha," Chester said, breaking into Will's thoughts. They both peered at her rotund outline up ahead. "She's not herself at all," Chester continued. "She's hardly said a word since we left the shack. I know it was wrong of her to lie to us, but I can kind of understand her reasons."
    Will gave a half-articulated 'yes' in response. He wasn't going to forgive the woman in a hurry. "What she did was selfish. She chose our lives over Elliott's. How can that be right?" he said.
    "It's not," Chester replied slowly, as if he was still weighing up whether to remain angry with Martha or not.
    "Talking about Elliott," Will said, "isn't it time for another dose of aspirin?"
    "I'm sure we could al do with a pit stop," Chester agreed.
    Having shouted to Martha to come back to them, Will slipped off his rucksack and extracted the canteen containing the aspirin solution from it. He passed this to Chester who shook it thoroughly, then removed the top and began to tip a few measures into Elliott's mouth.
    "It's definitely doing the trick," Chester said, placing a hand on her forehead as he poured a little more of the liquid between her cracked lips. "She's much cooler."
    They all froze as they heard a screeching in the distance -- the call of the spider-monkeys.
    "That's all we need," Will said, as his eyes met Martha's.
    "It's her," she whispered, pointing at Elliott. "I told you... they can sense weakness. She's drawing them to us like a magnet."
    "We'll just have to use the Aniseed Fire and keep going," Will said flatly.
    "I want my crossbow back," Martha demanded abruptly, staring at the weapon and the quill of bolts which were slung over Chester's shoulder along with his rifle.
    Getting to his feet, Chester looked at Will for guidance, who remained silent. He wasn't in favor of the idea.
    "Er..." Rebecca said softly, then shut her mouth.
    "You were going to say something," Will prompted her.
    "Well... it's just that Martha's the only one of us who's familiar with the terrain and the sorts of dangers we could face along the way. She really should be armed, because if you lose her, you lose your guide, and you'll never find the ship."
    Will looked undecided.
    "Hey, it's your show, Will, but that's how I see it," Rebecca said almost apologetically.
    "No, good point," Will conceded. He turned to Martha. "So... do I have your word that we can trust you?"
    Martha nodded grimly.
    "Then you can have your crossbow back," Will said.
    "Oi! Hold on a sec," Chester exploded furiously. "You'll listen to what that bloody Styx has to say, but you don't want my opinion." He gave Rebecca a resentful glance.
    "Chester, I'm sorry," Will said. "Go on... tell me what you think."
    Chester dithered for a moment. "Yes... she should have it back."
    Will shrugged one shoulder. "So you're agreeing with the 'bloody Styx' anyway. So why did you make such a fuss?"
    Chester turned away, mumbling. "I should have my say -- that's all."

    * * * * *

    "First you're all gung ho for searching round the Pore, then -- I'll be blowed -- it's all change and we're following him," Dr. Burrows said, pointing his thumb at the Limiter up ahead. "Anyway, where the heck does he think he's going? Aren't we getting ourselves completely lost?"
    "Not as long as he's finding the signposts," Rebecca replied.
    They had just turned into a new stretch of tunnel and she was scanning the ground for one of these 'signposts' she'd referred to.
    She spied the three small pieces of fungus arranged in a line to her right, counted ten paces in her head, then played her light on the other side of the tunnel floor past where Dr. Burrows was walking. There at the base of the opposite wall and easily missed unless you happened to know the Limiters' operating procedures -- were another three objects -- small rocks this time. These markers were the confirmation sequence that the first Limiter had left behind so the one leading them could follow in his tracks.
    Dr. Burrows was, of course, unaware that there was a second Limiter working behind the scenes and so was thoroughly confused.
    "Signposts? I haven't seen any signposts," he said.
    "Trust me," the Rebecca Twin replied.

    * * * * *

    Martha made them stop at regular intervals to eat and rest.