Chapter 1.
There was a flash of gunfire and the silhouette of something big behind them. At this particular moment McCloud had forgotten which way they were heading. They were deep in the maintenance tunnel. He could feel someone's hand through the sleeve of his coat.
"Fox it's come for us!"
McCloud hesitated, he felt at a loss. Since their journey Fox had been undaunted, absolutely determined to lead them out of Abel Township alive. Now as his confidence leaked a kind of confusion fell over him.
Fox was closer to losing his head than he had ever been before. At his side Cadonis stood-apparently waiting for direction. Except there was no clear direction, only chaos. They were frantically bolting about as something considerably larger than they were moved clumsily among them. Fortunately neither he nor Cadonis or Nagy had moved directly into it's path.
Fox and Cadonis reunited in the darkness. He could sense a desperate air about him that verged on an angry impatience. To his surprise though he seemed less frightened than the others.
"What do you suggest?" asked the Lt.
A burst of blaster fire ensued. One round sailed between them. If it had been any nearer it would have clipped Cadonis' shoulder. Then came the terrifying screams as someone among them was torn to pieces. It was followed be an even eerier silence.
"Run!" cried Nagy.
As they went further down the piping system Fox struggled keeping his wits. It was getting darker, more cramped and stagnant. Here there wasn't a draft to be felt and it perturbed him not knowing where they were heading.
Eventually their luck would run out. Then what would be left of them? He tried not to think about it. But a smart soldier figured the odds, devised a plan ahead of time in case of an emergency. That was the difference between a brave soldier and a smart one.
Their bodies were being pushed together by the tunnel. It was Dr. Nagy ahead of them now, she was still as a glass plated window. Fox didn't bother to turn around, he thought she was looking behind them rather than himself.
"Spooner?" she asked.
McCloud turned, he was no where to be found. Water was pouring down from some place high. There. A faint glimmer of light hitting the surface of water gave him hope. It was in fact the little stream Volgairuh about ten feet wide. It seemed like a major river to them.
The lot of them stood dead, staring out at the sheer edge of the bank. The maintanence tunnel had caved in here allowing the river inside. But for some reason it wasn't coming their way. No. It went directly below them.
One by one the others came up, stopped at the edge of the bank and looked at the water without speaking. Fox realized wearily that they'd have to climb on either side of the tunnel to get out and avoid the water.
He felt Kilpan brush up against him from behind "Can we start, Fox?"
McCloud turned to Cadonis, who had moved just slightly enough for him to see the gun in his paw. They were looking at him, waiting, watching. Fox shrugged off the apparent daze he'd been under previously.
He roused "Go. I'll wait for Spooner."
"You idiot! Lot of good you'll be to us dead." Cadonis replied.
Despite the abruptness of that comment Fox wasn't about to hold it against him. For although the Lt. seemed anxious he was in no hurry himself to leave Fox behind. McCloud reluctantly admired his sand.
A pause fell over the others "Well, get on with it!" Cadonis shouted.
Dr. Nagy lost her footing, splayed her claws and grunted. The water coming down made it difficult, impossible even to climb. But nearly all of them had made their way out of the tunnel when another body appeared.
It was Spooner, shaken up but alright. He had a kind of horror on his face, with great big staring eyes. They rushed him over to the river.
"Cmon, cmon! Hurry!" Nagy and Kiplan pulled Spooner out.
Fox startled again and again while Cadonis was wondering-not for the first time-if he had heard sounds of pursuit. A cold stiff breeze came rushing down on them. They trembled but managed to escape. Even though the embankment had given them a thin time.