Tunnels 05 - Spiral

Drake. “Sorry, Emily, that’s quite close enough. You may have been Darklit,” he said. “Will, keep your weapon on her.”
    “Hello, Mrs. Rawls,” Will mumbled awkwardly as he swiveled his Sten toward her. “How are you?”
    “Very well, thank you, Will,” she replied.
    “She hasn’t been Darklit. At least not by me,” Eddie spoke up.
    They stood there, the only sounds the gurgle of the stream and the odd bird call in the distance.
    “OK, where are the others?” Drake asked. “You didn’t run the surveillance on the house or a full recon on the surrounding area without more manpower.”
    “Absolutely correct,” Eddie answered, beginning to raise his hand. “If you’d permit me?”
    “Be my guest,” Drake said.
    Eddie clicked his fingers.
    There was a rumble as engines roared into life from both up ahead and behind on the track.

    With the cracking of crushed undergrowth, two large American military vehicles trundled into view.
    “Humvees?” Drake said, looking alarmed.
    They ground to a halt, blocking both ends of the track. They were painted a matte green and the windows were tinted. As their engines fell silent, their doors swung open.
    Styx dismounted from the vehicles. Others emerged from among the trees. Will could count eight in total.
    “Limiters?” Drake asked, even more alarmed.
    “They are,” Eddie replied.
    None of the Styx soldiers were in their dun-colored combat uniforms, but instead wore an assortment of Topsoiler clothes: Barbour jackets, parkas, and walking boots. One was even in jeans. But with their craggy faces and hollow eyes, the soldier elite were unmistakable as they came nearer. None of them were carrying weapons, but that didn’t make them any less threatening to Will. His stomach churned with fear. The last time he’d encountered them in such numbers, his father had been brutally gunned down by one of the Rebecca twins.
    “Where do you want us?” Eddie asked.
    Drake inclined his head in Eddie’s direction. “By you, where I can keep an eye on everybody.”
    The Limiters dutifully marched to the bank and formed up in a line behind Eddie. Will noticed that one of the Limiters had bandages across much of his face, and his left eye seemed to be stitched shut. It made him look all the more gruesome.
    “Is that the lot?” Drake said, his handgun pointed at the group.
    Eddie seemed hesitant as he inspected his men behind him. He was about to speak when Drake interrupted him.
    “Sparks — you can come out now,” he said, barely raising his voice.
    “Aw, and I was just getting into my stride” came the response, and a low chuckle echoed around the trees. Sweeney swaggered onto the track. He had two Limiters with him, one on each shoulder. “Bagged myself a pair of Stickies. Bit slow off the mark, aren’t they?” He was carrying them as if they weighed nothing.
    Eddie jerked his head in the stocky man’s direction.
    “You didn’t hurt them?” Drake asked.
    Sweeney grinned. “Nah, they weren’t armed, so I didn’t think I ought to. They’re sleeping the sleep of the fairies.” He considered each of the insensible Limiters on his shoulders in turn. “Pig-ugly fairies.” Then he looked across at Drake. “So where should I put them? Next to Big Chief Sticky?”
    “No, just drop them there,” Drake said, smiling at Eddie, who was peering at Sweeney with interest. “Say hello to Sparks, an old friend of mine. I’ve got more friends like him.”
    Eddie raised his eyebrows, clearly astonished that the Styx soldiers had been taken unawares. “One is still unaccounted for,” he said.
    “Jiggs,” Sweeney put in.
    “Jiggs is here?” Drake asked, amazed.
    “Sure. He knocked another of these bozos out for the count.”
    “Good man,” Drake said. He gave a dry laugh as he surveyed all the Limiters standing patiently in line. “What’s with the big turnout, Eddie? Nature ramble?” he asked coldly. “I can only assume all these Limiters have come over to you now? But how do you know you can trust them?”
    “They are loyal to me,” Eddie confirmed, no trace of doubt in his voice. “Remember I told you that there were others who feel the same way I do. These men have all defected to me because of their convictions. They believe that the current escalation isn’t right, and must be stopped.”
    As Drake’s gaze passed over Will, he noticed that the boy’s face was strained. “Are you OK, Will?” he asked.
    Will wasn’t. He was wondering