Tunnels 05 - Spiral

they’ve already gone out of view — but I’m pretty certain that one was speaking on her cell,” Will said.
    “I’ve picked them up in the main warehouse. Keep the playback at that speed,” Parry said. “This is interesting. They’re moving rapidly . . . but what are they up to? See that — they’re hauling a couple of the Styx women out with them!” He struck the floor with his walking stick. “They’ve taken them out of the warehouse!”
    “Now I’ve got a Rebecca with a Styx woman heading toward the front entrance,” Will said.
    Elliott took over. “And I’ve got one of the Rebeccas around the back. She’s got a Styx woman with her, too.”
    Drake squinted up at the big screen. “Styx women? You’re sure about this?”
    Elliott’s voice was uncharacteristically flat as she replied, “Yes. I had a clear view of her insect limbs.”
    Will spotted more activity in one of his scenes. “Me, too.”
    Drake shook his head. “This isn’t good. Keep your eyes peeled — we need to know what else went on before we pitched up.”

    “Mum? Tell me what’s the matter. Are you upset because Dad was injured?”
    Chester laid a hand on his mother’s shoulder, but she shuffled sideways along the work surface, to the next piece of buttered bread. She began to spread even more butter on it. “Isn’t that overdoing it a bit?” Chester said gently.
    She remained silent.
    “Because if you’re cross he got hurt, it wasn’t Drake’s fault — he did his best to keep us out of any danger.”
    Chester craned his neck, trying to see her face. She certainly didn’t appear to be anxious.
    “Why don’t you go and join Dad? Mrs. Burrows is putting a new bandage on him, and I’m sure he’d really like it if you were there,” he said softly to her.
    “. . . made it back . . . made it back . . . made it back,” Mrs. Rawls mumbled, like a stuck record.
    “What?” Chester couldn’t understand it.
    He thought for a second. “They’ve forecast showers of chocolate frogs for tomorrow,” he declared confidently. “We should catch ourselves a few and eat them. What do you think of that? Chocolate frogs?”
    Mrs. Rawls sounded normal enough as she replied — only Chester had heard the same phrase too many times before. “I’m just so glad you made it back safely,” she said.

    Several of the monochrome views faded to black while others were filled with a seascape of wavy interference. “That’s where we came in,” Drake said. “The camera sensors are maxing out with the light from the explosions.”
    Parry turned to him. “So we’re pretty sure the twins bugged out.” He shook his head as if appalled with himself. “No pun intended. And they extracted two of the Styx women.” He looked at Drake. “Their timing was very convenient. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
    Drake raised his eyebrows.
    Parry went on. “The call on the cell could have been to warn them that we were about to enter stage left.”
    “So there’s a mole in the Old Guard?” Will thought aloud. “Or one of Eddie’s Limiters is a traitor?”
    “That’s not possible,” Eddie said.
    As everyone had been talking, Chester had emerged from the kitchen and was standing beside Drake. “I need to speak to you,” he said, with a concerned expression.
    “Hold on a minute, Chester,” Drake replied, rewinding to the moment when Will had seen the Rebecca twin enter the corridor, then freezing it. “You’re right — she’s definitely on a call. If the system clock on the security camera has been set at the right time, we’ll be able to tell roughly when the call took place. Danforth can try to trace the incoming number through the nearest transmitter.”
    “Drake,” Chester said, his voice shaky with desperation.
    “Where is the Prof, anyway?” Drake asked as he resumed his typing on the computer.
    Chester slapped the screen of the laptop shut, almost catching Drake’s fingers. “Why won’t you listen? Something’s not right with my mum.”
    “What do you mean?” Drake said, only now realizing how upset the boy was.
    “She’s acting weird and just saying the same thing over and over again when I speak to . . .” Chester was gabbling, then trailed off as Drake and Elliott exchanged urgent glances. They both seized their weapons and began to move rapidly.
    In an effort to catch a glimpse of Mrs. Rawls in the canteen, Will had edged toward the center of the Hub. But instead, he’d spotted something