Author's note: *blushes* Thanks for all the reviews ...
Leann: oh yeah ... poor Street; stuck with two sick psycopaths ... *gives him a hug* ... and he's at the mercy of this writer too *evil grin* Thanks
IceDragon3: Thanks so much ... :) *is chuffed* (I love your name, btw – where's it from?)
Kat: 'What if's' are the best kind of story ... I'm glad you like this one!
Katie: Thanks :) ... it means a lot, to have people say that about my writing.
Captain Vocke: :) And here is more! Hope you enjoy ...
Fun Fish: Thanks – I'll try not to; we're about to get to the next stage ... probably late this chapter, or early in the next.
Dolly: :) Here's the next update ...
Capt. Cow: Glad you're enjoying it … hope this chapter satisfies.
Kathy: Here it is! :-) Thanks!
Laura Mulway: interesting in a good way, I hope? :-p Thanks for reviewing
A/N – Oh yeah, there is quite a bit of violence in this chapter – you have been warned. :-p Personally, I don't particularly like this chapter ... but I've had major writer's block, and this was the best I could do. Let me know what you think.
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Chapter 3: Through the Underground
Hondo stared down the train tracks. "Where the hell did they go?" he exclaimed angrily. The passengers on the train had told them that four men – two fully armed, one in prison uniform, and one who appeared to be a prisoner – had stopped the train and got off, running back down the track. "Spread out," he called to Sanchez and Deke. "Deke, you take the left, Sanchez, take the right."
"What are we looking for?" Deke asked.
"A door, a corridor, anything they could escape down ... not too far down, else we would have run into them."
Sanchez found an opening first – it was narrow, barely large enough for her to squeeze through, let alone Hondo, who gazed at it incredulously.
"Ladies first," he said ironically; Sanchez grinned.
"Thanks Hondo." She began to try to reach into the opening, feeling the surface and trying to gauge whether it widened or got even more narrow. Deke, standing on the other side of the tracks, was nervous – a horrible idea was starting to occur to him. It's far too narrow for Street or TJ to fit through, he thought, which means ...
"Chris," he said slowly, eyes widening in horror, "Chris step away from that opening right now."
"What?" she said, turning to face him. "Deke – what's wrong?"
As she turned, her hand hit a small black box that had been attached to the wall ... a red light was flashing, faster and faster ...
An explosion rocked the tunnels, throwing Gamble and the others off balance. "What the hell was that?" Street yelled, turning to stare back down the tunnel.
Gamble merely grinned. "Didn't their mothers ever teach them not to reach into dark holes when they couldn't see what was in there?" he said, watching Street with the eyes of one who knows that with every word he is striking a mental blow with far more effect than physical pain. Street turned his head away, wide-eyed, struggling to think properly, to comprehend. Oh Jesus, he thought, oh God they're dead. The look in his eyes changed slowly; anger building inside him. He looked up, and saw Gamble's arrogant eyes staring into his face. He only dimly noticed TJ walking a little way back down the tunnel; his whole being was centred on Gamble, and his mind made up: revenge.
With a cry of rage and pain, Street lashed out with his foot, striking Gamble square on the chest, knocking him backwards into the wall. He felt Alex grab at him, but he struck out again, sending the Frenchman to the ground. Montel grabbed his ankle and tripped him; Street shoved himself backwards, at the same time slipping his bound wrists under his legs so that they were in front of him.
Gamble – groaning – was starting to get to his feet; Jim lashed out at his head, and caught him a glancing blow across his cheek, and Gamble went down again.
Street grabbed Gamble, pulling him up and slamming him against the wall of the tunnel. He lashed out, taking out all the anger he had felt about Gamble out in this moment, punching him until TJ grabbed him from behind and threw him into the ground.
Street's rush of emotion came to an abrupt end as he stared down the barrel of TJ's gun. "Don't move," TJ told him. He glanced over towards Gamble, who was slowly pulling himself to his feet, blood dribbling down his face from a cut across his forehead. Montel too rose to his feet, glaring malevolently at Street.
"I am going to make you pay for that, you son of a bitch," Gamble said, his voice rising to a yell as he slammed his heel into Street's stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Street coughed, gasping for breath as Gamble struck him again.
Nice one, Street, he told himself, as Montel too approached. Now you're about to get beaten up by two psycho bastards with anger management problems. Full marks for conflict management. Still, he didn't regret it – Gamble had killed his colleagues – his friends. Street knew he could not have let him get away without being in some way punished.
TJ grabbed Gamble's arm, hissing "Wait!"
Gamble turned to face him, anger in his eyes. "What?"
TJ leaned forward and whispered something in Gamble's ear; while they were both occupied, Montel came up from behind Street and grabbed him by the throat, his eyes glittering dangerously; but Gamble forestalled him. "Come on," he ordered. "Let's keep moving."
Street followed – his breath still coming in ragged gasps – but his mind reeling. Gamble's pretty keen to keep moving ... maybe ... maybe they aren't dead afterall ... he thought, allowing himself to have boosted hopes for a second, before dragging his mind back to his situation. I'm unarmed, handcuffed, and trapped with three well armed and fit men, two of which happen to be psychopathic, and one of them holds a major grudge against me, Street thought with a wry grin as he realised exactly how much trouble he was in. OK – first thing to do – GET OUT OF HERE. he thought.
His body protested at the thought; Street's chest was badly bruised, and breathing was difficult. Street forced himself to think rationally – I won't get far if I run, and I can't exactly fight them ... what I need is a diversion. 'Like your teammates were supposed to be?' part of his mind enquired sarcastically.
Street realised with a start that they were coming to the end of the tunnels; he gave vent to a tiny sigh of relief. He hated the feeling of claustrophobia that being underground for long periods of time invariably invoked.
Gamble lead him out of the tunnels, and gestured towards the four-wheel drive waiting about thirty metres away from the tunnels. TJ moved off towards it, pulling Street with him; Alex followed a few metres behind.
"Nice one, Jim," TJ remarked drily.
Jim snapped. "That maniac just tried to blow up my friends!" he exclaimed. "What am I supposed to do, pat him on the back and say 'Thanks'?"
"Keep your voice down," TJ told him levelly.
"Why?"
"Because there may be other people around, and we don't want the party starting early, do we?" Gamble said, coming up behind them. He pushed Street forward. "Move."
AN : let me know what you think ... thanks :-)