"We could take him with us, as a bargaining chip, but I don't think
he's worth the bother." Vance reached over and turned his face up. "How
about it? Do your buddies out there care whether you live or die?"
His eyes betrayed his fear they did not.
"Didn't really think so," Vance revolved back. "I say we leave him.
They'll probably execute him anyway, for being a screw-up and losing
these." He tucked the box under his arm, then turned back one last
time. 'Tell your chief we're going to take good care of them. They're
the world's insurance policy." He pointed toward the opening into the
wiring shaft. "Want to go first?"
'The conduit?" She frowned.
"You get used to it. It's just--"
"I really can't believe any of this is happening." She turned, walked
over, and--with only minor hesitation--began climbing through.
At that moment, the Pakistani suddenly rolled to his feet and lunged
for the sealed door. Vance whirled to try and catch him, but it was too
late. He had already thrown his body against the release button. The
seal clicked off, and in an instant their security evaporated.
"Go!" he turned back and yelled, but she was already through.
What now? he wondered fleetingly. Stay and shoot it out, or disappear.
The second option had more appeal.
He dived for the open grate of the conduit, but the door was already
opening. The Paki couldn't yell, but when the door slid back, he pushed
through . . . and was cut down by a fusillade of automatic-weapons
fire. The impact blew him back into the room, sending his riddled body
full length across the floor.
Vance swung around the Uzi and laid down a blast of covering fire
through the doorway, which had the effect of clearing the opening for a
second. He got off a couple of last rounds, just for good measure, then
turned and hurled himself into the communications shaft.
No sooner had he pulled himself inside than rounds of fire began
ricocheting through behind him. The aim, however, was wide, and he
managed to flatten himself and stay out of the way.
Then the firing abruptly stopped.
They must have seen what's in here, he realized, all the wiring.
"Are you all right?" It was Cally's voice, somewhere in the dark ahead.
"I'm doing fine." He paused, hating the next part. "Only one small
problem."
"What--?"
"I managed to drop our insurance policy on the floor in there. They're
back in business."