Creepers

"A lot of questions," the voice said.

"You destroyed two fathers-the one you hated and the one you wanted."

"Questions that don't have answers."

Balenger peered into the surveillance room. Wisps of smoke squeezed their way past the towels around the trapdoor. I've bought enough time, he thought. The morphine should be working by now. He crouched next to Vi

"Better. Floaty."

"Good. Because we need to get you on your feet."

Vi

"No choice," Balenger said. "We can't stay here. The fire will get to us if he doesn't."

Which trapdoor? Balenger thought. If we use the staircase in Danata's suite, Ro

The staircase from the surveillance room was in flames. The one in the kitchen was flooded. Balenger took for granted that the elevator was a death trap. As soon as Ro

Balenger crept to the library. When he raised its trapdoor, he heard water, the equivalent of another cistern being filled. He shut the trapdoor, locked it, and eased through the kitchen into the dining room. Opening the trapdoor there, he exhaled when he didn't hear water.

He moved back to the bedroom. Vi

"Just go along for the ride, Vi

56

"Always," Amanda said.

Her spirit reminded him so much of Diane's that for a moment, in the smoke haze, he thought he was actually looking at his wife. He shook his head to clear it.

"You're hurt," she said, pointing toward his right arm.

Balenger was surprised to see that his Windbreaker sleeve had blood on it. "Shotgun pellet, I think."

"And your left cheek."

He touched it and felt blood. "Flying wood splinter maybe. Here." He unstrapped the spare night-vision goggles from his belt. "You'll need these."

As she put them on, he told Vi

In pain, Vi

Balenger switched off the lamps on Amanda's and Vi

Amanda took Vi

"Lean on us," Balenger whispered. "Don't try to walk. Let us carry you."

But the moment they started, Balenger knew it wasn't going to work-Vi

They paused.

"Maybe if he puts his arms around our necks," Amanda murmured. "If he helps to lift, we can support him with our arms around his back and our other hands under his thighs."

They tried it, raising Vi

Balenger aimed as Amanda unlocked and opened the hatch. His goggles detected only a green-tinted stairwell. The only sound was the rain outside.

He studied the opening. It wasn't large enough for two people, so he descended the stairs until his head was below the trapdoor. Amanda went to Vi

The stench of scorched flesh made him gag. He set Vi

About to descend, Balenger suddenly thought, No, we're doing this wrong. "Squeeze past me," he whispered to Amanda. His voice was almost inaudible, but it made him cringe, as if he were shouting. "Wave the hammer in front of you. Check for wire."

Her goggles hiding whatever apprehension was in her eyes, she took the hammer from his belt and edged past him. Vi

Ahead, Amanda stopped. They were almost at a corridor on the sixth level, and Balenger stared down past her shoulder. Her hammer tapped on something.

Razor wire.

Balenger saw it tremble.

He leaned back and set Vi

Without hesitation, she proceeded, then turned, and this time did hesitate when she understood that she'd be reaching for Vi

But Vi

He shoved his hands under Vi

Then Vi

Amanda continued downward, using the hammer to check for more wire.

Suddenly, the stairs wavered. Bolts popped from the wall, the staircase pulling loose from its moorings. Balenger swayed. As the bolts clanged onto the lower stairs, he grabbed the unsteady railing. The stairs were a huge bobbing coil anchored at the top but not at the sides, banging against the walls.

Vi

"Upstairs!" he shouted to Amanda. "Now!" Pellets blasted through the wall. More bolts popped, the staircase wobbling. Sweat dripping from his face, Balenger groped for the trapdoor's opening. Grateful to touch something that was solidly anchored, he scurried up and yanked Vi