Tunnels 05 - Spiral

neutralized the Phase, we’ve lost valuable time. The key thing now is that we cover all the bases.”
    Parry was looking at his son, waiting for him to continue.
    “We’ll split into two groups, one to conduct a search up here on the surface,” Drake suggested.
    “I’ll coordinate that,” Parry said. “I’ll call on the Old Guard again.”
    “And I’ll lead the second group to the inner world. We can’t take the risk that Danforth was spinning us a line about the Phase resuming there.” Drake abruptly wheeled to his father as he thought of something. “Those TNDs,” he said. “How many did you say there were?”
    “I didn’t,” Parry replied. “There are twenty in total, starting with a couple at one kiloton up to the largest, which used to be known in intelligence circles as the Party Stopper — a single fifty-megaton device.”
    “That’s way too much — a pair of the one-kilotons will be sufficient for what I have in mind. But I need a fast way to get them down to the Colony. From there I can take them on to your world, Colonel.”
    Colonel Bismarck had come over to listen, and his distress was evident as he nearly let Sergeant Finch slide from his back. “You intend to destroy it?” he asked.
    “Nothing that extreme,” Drake told him. “I just want to seal the two ways in that we know about.”
    “
Gott sei Dank!
” the Colonel exclaimed, looking at the ground.
    “Unless I’m left with no alternative,” Drake said, which made the Colonel’s head jerk up. “But time’s short and I need a really quick route down,” Drake continued, directing the request at Eddie.
    The former Limiter shrugged. “There are any number of ways down to the Colony. You can take your pick.”
    “We’ve got all the muscle we need,” Drake said, glancing briefly at Sweeney before he addressed Eddie again. “But I really don’t fancy lugging a pair of even the mini nukes down your usual convoluted routes. And, of course, the Norfolk river route is out of the question — there are just too many of us with too much equipment to risk shooting the rapids. No, something with an elevator would be perfect,” he joked.
    Will’s ears perked up. “I think I might be able to help there,” he said.



“HELLO," THE YOUNG woman said, as she answered the door.
    “Mornin’,” Drake replied. He took a laminated card from the chest pocket of his blue overalls and passed it to her. “I’m afraid there’s a major gas leak in your house. We’re the instant response team sent to locate it.”
    “A gas leak . . . I haven’t reported one,” she said, shaking her head. She pushed the laminated card back at Drake. “There’s no leak here, I can assure you. I’m surprised you people are still working — everybody seems to be on strike these days.” Her brow suddenly creased with annoyance. “Look, this isn’t a convenient time for me right now — I have to leave shortly to collect my son from my mother’s. Can’t you come back anoth —”
    “Madam, I don’t want to appear impolite, but our grid sensors flagged this problem overnight. And they’re rarely wrong about these things.” Drake planted his toolbox on the ground by his feet as if he hadn’t the slightest intention of leaving. “If you don’t allow us in to make our report, then we’ll have to close down the supply to this whole street and several others on the same grid. Then I’ll be back in an hour with a court order forcing you to allow us access.” He hugged himself, shivering a little. “You won’t be popular with the neighbors if there’s no gas for their central heating, particularly with this cold weather.”
    The woman immediately took a step back as if she’d decided to let Drake in, then looked curiously at Mrs. Burrows beside him, who was sniffing the air. “Do you both need to come in? Only I’m not comfortable w —”
    “We do, I’m afraid,” Drake replied. “I have my electronic sniffer in here,” he said, nudging the toolbox, “but there’s nothing like the human touch. My assistant, Celia here, is what we in the gas trade call a Nose. She’s a trained detector.”
    “Really?” The young woman inclined her head as if she was about to question this, then seemed to accept it and pulled the door fully open.
    “OK, Celia, tell me what we’re looking at here,” Drake said as they entered the hallway.
    Celia stuck her nose in the air. “The kitchen’s there,” she said, turning toward the closed