Tunnels 04, Closer

to bring up a dressing and tend to his injury," she said, inclining her head toward Will.
    "I'll summon a medic," Colonel Bismarck confirmed, already moving toward the edge of the pyramid.
    "No way!" Rebecca One intervened. "You stay put, Colonel."
    "Oh, really," Elliott retorted. "You're in no position t--"
    "Nothing -- I repeat -- nothing happens until we agree on a way forward," Rebecca One interrupted her.
    Elliott surveyed the two dozen Limiters spread out along the side of the plateau, every one of them waiting for the order to attack her. They were like coiled springs, ready to burst into action. Their numbers were steadily increasing as additional Styx soldiers scaled the sides of the pyramid. Despite the fact that these gaunt faces, so full of violence, were quite terrifying, Elliott shook her head with a dismissive chuckle.
    "Ha! Just look at you! You're all longing to kill me, aren't you? But the boot's on the other foot -- I've got your lives right here -- right in the palm of my hand," she declared, raising her fist. "If I let go of this, every one of us will be blown to kingdom come." Maintaining a safe distance from the Styx soldiers, she began to parade in front of them, waving her fist in their faces.
    "You're enjoying this a little too much," Rebecca Two said. "How very Styx of you. By the way, you told us your father was a Limiter, but we're not sure we believe you. Who was he, exactly?"
    "Why, it was the Crawfly," Elliott replied, a mischievous glint in her eye.
    "No, it couldn't..." Rebecca Two began.
    "My father's dead, and don't try to distract me," Elliott said, making straight for the twin.
    "You haven't got what it takes to blow yourself up," Rebecca One leveled at her.
    "No?" Elliott replied. Without a moment's hesitation, she unfurled her little finger. "Well this little piggy has. He's bored and wants to come out to play."
    There was complete silence as the sun beat down on the top of the pyramid. Everyone there was transfixed by Elliott as she straightened out a second finger. "Oh, look at that -- another little piggy's joined him," she said matter-of-factly. "Can you see the device now?" She was peering at the black object just visible in her hand now that two fingers were clear of it. "And I think you're forgetting what happened a the submarine the last time we bumped into each other? Remember how I set off a shed load of Drake's explosives? I didn't hesitate then, and I'm sure as h--"
    Will chose that moment to speak up. "Just do it, Elliott!" he shouted, without even bothering to turn around. "Fry those little bitches."
    Elliott and Rebecca locked eyes, their expressions uncompromising. "As I was saying, you're in no position to dictate terms to me," Elliott sneered.
    Rebecca One didn't respond.
    "That's a first. I don't hear any of your snide little comebacks?" Elliott taunted her. "Stalker got your tongue?"
    From behind her sister, Rebecca Two was regarding the cable coiled around Elliott's arm that led from her clenched fist and into the Bergen. She nodded. "Let's all just calm down. You can have your medic for Will," she said to Elliott.

20

    As Drake left the bedroom area to return to the main room of the warehouse apartment, Eddie was at his desk and working on one of his model soldiers. He was peering through a large magnifying glass mounted on a retractable arm as he carefully dabbed paint on the soldier, but stopped the moment he heard Drake enter.
    "How's Chester doing?" he asked.
    "Not so good," Drake replied. "I did warn him about any approach to his parents. It was never going to have a happy ending."
    Eddie nodded as he pushed the magnifying glass to one side. "Is it a good time to talk about how we're going to move things forward? Chester's appearance on the scene has sidelined our plans, and my people will doubtless be doing all they can to find us, so there's an additional pressure." Eddie rested his brush on the plate he'd been using as a palette and wiped some paint from his hand. "I want to fulfill my side of the bargain and help you in whatever you're intending to do, then we need to go after Elliott."
    "Funny you should say that -- I'm putting something together, and I've got a meeting on it, right now," Drake replied, as he consulted his wristwatch. "I need to see a man about a snail."
    Eddie looked at him askance. "What?" he asked.
    "My pesticides supremo is cooking up something special for me," Drake answered, as he took his car keys from his picked and