Tunnels 04, Closer

something fishy about all of this."
    "Too bloody right," her sister agreed. She began to shout at the top of her lungs. "Bartleby, here!"
    Hearing her, the cat hesitated, then changed direction away from the helicopter.
    "Come on, boy! Come to me!" Elliott yelled.
    Rebecca One had a worried look on her face. Something didn't add up. Why would Elliott be bothering about the Hunter when so much depended on making good her escape with Will? Somehow, and the Rebecca twin couldn't figure out quite how, the animal was vital to Elliott's plan. She now began to shout in the Styx tongue, issuing a series of unintelligible words. She was attempting to control the cat by using the Dark Light programming he'd been subjected to during his time in the Colony. And she expected unconditional obedience. She was to be disappointed.
    Elliott, also able to speak the Styx language, repeated Rebecca One's words, adding, "Bartleby, I'm telling you to come to me."
    The cat stopped.
    It had come down to a battle over his will.
    Rebecca One made another attempt to summon the Hunter using the Styx trigger words.
    But Elliott called him again, and the tug of war came to an abrupt end as Bartleby made his choice. He bounded toward the her. He hesitated by the door to the helicopter, shying away from the wind from the rotors.
    "Get in, Bartleby!" Elliott ordered him. As the cat came on board in a single bound, she grabbed him in her arms. "And get us into the air!" she screamed at Colonel Bismarck.
    Too late to do anything about it, the Rebeccas noticed the length of rope looped around Bartleby's neck. Elliott tore a small bundle from it.
    "All this time... and she didn't have it on her!" Rebecca Two realized.
    "The Hunter was carrying the vial," her sister said.
    The helicopter was ten meters off the ground and rising.
    "Throw it to us," Rebecca Two shouted, stepping forward. "Or the deal's off!"
    Limiters had emerged from beneath the trees and others were poised on the pyramid, every last man of them with his rifle aimed on Elliott in the helicopter.
    Elliott dangled the small bundle enticingly in front of her. "Okay, it's all yours... you'd better not drop it," she said, tossing it down to the twins.
    As Rebecca Two caught it, the helicopter was gaining more height. "One of Will's stinking socks," the twin said in a disgusted voice, but nevertheless wasted no time in ripping the threadbare sock open. Inside was a single black-topped vial, which she held up to the light to examine. A massive grin spread across her face as she gave her sister and the Limiter General the thumbs up. "We've got it!" she howled triumphantly.
    The helicopter was some fifty meters from the ground as Rebecca One spun around to the waiting Limiters, about to give them the order to open fire on it.
    "I wouldn't recommend that," the Limiter General said, laying a hand on her arm. "Look over there."
    The New Germanian troops had come out to watch the proceedings. Sensing their commanding officer might be in trouble, many of them had their weapons drawn, and those around the remaining helicopters were pointing them loosely at the twins.
    "Don't worry," the Limiter General said. "These old whirly-birds guzzle fuel, so even if the Colonel doesn't take Elliott and the Burrows child back to the city, he can't get very far with them."
    Rebecca One nodded, then waved the Limiters to stand down.

    * * * * *

    "It's over," Elliott whispered as she lingered by the doorway to watch the pyramid retreating into the distance, the Limiters on it fast becoming harmless little dots. She exhaled with relief, and then sat back on the floor of the helicopter.
    "Was that the genuine article? Was that the Dominion vial they wanted?" the Colonel asked. "They seemed satisfied it was, but I need to know -- or I'm honor bound to take you back."
    "It was the real thing," Elliott confirmed. "I kept my side of the bargain."
    The Colonel nodded to the navigator, who let the pilot know he should continue on course. As the helicopter soared above the treetops, Elliott opened her clenched fist and put something on the floor, before using the same hand to wipe the perspiration from her brow.
    "What!" Colonel Bismarck exclaimed, as he leant forward to peer at the black metal device. "I thought that was a detonation device?"
    "I'm afraid not," she replied, picking up Dr. Burrows' compass and flicking it open so the Colonel could see. "I didn't have a dead man's trigger, so I had to bluff my way through with