Tunnels 03, Freefall

homing in on something. Martha had been checking the darkness above the submarine for any sign of the Brights, but wheeled around to face the cavern. Raising a hand to indicate they should all stay put, she continued to scrutinize it, tilting her head as if she was straining to hear something. Will couldn't understand what she was doing. Weren't the Brights the biggest threat right now? Why wasn't she leading them away from the submarine as she'd said she would?
    Will and Chester glanced at each other, wondering what was wrong, when they both heard the murmur of distant voices.
    A light flickered from the mouth of the tunnel at the far end of the cavern as two figures wandered out from it. Will couldn't see them clearly. One of the figures was taller than the other, and he heard a voice -- it sounded angry.
    Martha remained statue-still. Hardly moving her lips, she spoke to them. "When I tell you to run, break in that direction. There's a passage down there," she said, glancing briefly to their left. "And don't wait for me." She brought her crossbow up.
    As the two figures came closer, making absolutely no attempt to conceal themselves, Will was able to hear what the voice was saying.
    "What's with this all this stop-start business, anyway?" it demanded. "We bat along for mile after mile, then -- for no apparent reason -- you say we've got to wait. We've wasted days just twiddling our thumbs. We could have used all that time for something constructive."
    "Dad?" Will gasped, loudly enough for the others around him to hear. "Is that my dad?"
    "Can't be," Chester said, shaking his head in disbelief.
    Will instinctively knew that it was Dr. Burrows, and his natural impulse was to run towards him, but for reasons he couldn't explain to himself, he found he was checking his rifle was loaded. Perhaps it was because he'd spotted Rebecca dumping her rucksacks and edging stealthily forward, as if she was about to make a break for the center of the cavern. Or perhaps it was because he also instinctively knew who the smaller figure accompanying his father had to be. An alarm bell was ringing in his head, and it was growing louder by the second.
    The taller of the two figures came to a standstill. Will saw the glint of his glasses.
    "Dad?" he yelled. "Is that really you?"
    The figure started with surprise.
    "WILL!" it cried, beginning to walk quickly towards him. "JESUS CHRIST! WILL! "
    "Oh, no," Martha breathed, switching her head from one side to the other.
    At either end of the submarine stood a man. With their tall, thin bodies they were unmistakable. They were Limiters. Emerging from the shadows, they were standing to attention like Topsoil soldiers, their spears held ready.
    "We're in big trouble," Will said.
    Bringing his rifle up, Chester made a whining sound.
    "We're in deep pooh," he muttered.
    Dr. Burrows was some thirty meters away from the submarine when the smaller figure at his side shouted. "That's far enough!" it ordered him. Will had seen by now that it was indeed the second Rebecca twin who was accompanying his father. The twin seized Dr. Burrows by the arm, bringing him just to an abrupt halt, then aimed a kick which struck him just behind the knee. His leg buckled and he dropped into a kneeling position. Before he had time to react, she had looped her arm around the top of his head and pressed a scythe to his neck.
    "What are you doing? Stop this nonsense, Rebecca!" he cried. "Stop it this moment!"
    Will still hadn't moved a step, but when he saw the Rebecca twin behind him had begun to creep forward again, he acted immediately.
    "Not so fast," he said. She shrieked as he caught her by the hair and swung her in front of him, forcing the rifle muzzle up under her chin.
    "Will! No! Please let me go," she begged. "It's her you want... not me!"
    "Yeah -- like I still believe you! You told me you were alone down here," Will growled. "Chester was right -- it was all a big act."
    Her whole demeanor changed in an instant. "You have to admit I was rather good, wasn't I? Had you eating out of the palm of my hand," she said smugly. "Drama was our favorite subject at school."
    The fact that the twin had stopped the pretense didn't make Will feel any better about the already horrendous situation. It was clear that the twins thought they had the upper hand, once again, and could do as they pleased.
    "Another Rebecca?" Dr. Burrows gabbled, having taken in the second Styx girl beside Will. "How--"
    "Poor old Dr. Buckwheat,"