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.To the right, it continued half again as far before dead-ending at a closed door.Somewhere in the distance was the sound of a door closing.He paused, listening, but there was nothing else.He pulled out the Yellowhammer blueprints from his backpack and located their position.This particular section was at the north end of the facility.The corridor to the left that made the ninety-degree turn ended in what appeared to be a storage room.The rest of the base lay to the right, through the closed door.The map showed that just beyond the door was the main east-west corridor.Compared to the passageway they were in, there was a much greater chance it would be occupied.He folded the printout and put it into his pocket."Stay here," he mouthed to Nate.He could see the reluctance in his apprentice's eyes, but Nate nodded anyway.Quinn approached the door at the end of the hallway.The handle was a lever, not a knob.Down to unlock, up to lock.Quinn pressed his ear against the door, his free hand resting on the handle.Quiet.Slowly he pressed down on the lever.There was a muffled groan as the bars holding the door in place moved out of their sockets.Once they were free, Quinn paused.If anyone had heard the noise, they'd show up any second.When no one did, he pulled the door back a few inches, testing the hinges.They were smooth and silent.The corridor beyond was much like the one he was in, only larger.Again he listened for sounds of life, and again he was greeted with silence.He pulled the door open farther, then stepped over the threshold.He knew from his examination of the blueprint that there was another corridor about twenty yards to the east that led to the elevator.It was the only way to the facility's main exit.Beyond that, the hallway he was in disappeared around a bend to the left.To the west, there was another intersecting corridor running to the south.No elevator down this one; it led to living quarters from when the base was fully staffed.The majority of the facility was to the west, so if there was any activity, that's where he would find it.Quinn ducked back into the hallway where he'd left Nate, then motioned for his apprentice to join him near the door."I'm going to see if I can find Peter's friend," Quinn said."You want me to come with you?""No.Stay here and watch my back.Let me know if anyone comes down the hallway."Nate didn't look happy with the answer."Problem?" Quinn asked."No.It's fine.""Good," Quinn said."I'm not sure how well our radios are going to work down here.If we lose contact for more than twenty minutes, get back into the tunnel.Give me another fifteen, then get the hell out of here."As Quinn started to open the door again, he heard a metal groan somewhere in the distance.Immediately he pulled the door closed, leaving the barest of cracks so he could hear what was going on.A door farther down the hallway shut, then there were steps moving toward Quinn's position from the east.The person's pace was steady, not rushed.Quinn soon became aware of a voice, too.".him now.Have two men meet me there, then the rest of you should go downstairs and help get things ready to go." Male, with an accent.Australian, and unforgettable.Leo Tucker.Just like Hardwick had promised."Okay," a second voice said.It was tinny, coming over a radio.Tucker was close now, within twenty feet.Just keep walking, Quinn willed him.Just keep walking."Once I finish with him, I'll join you in the lab," Tucker said."Petersen and Linden are on their way to you.""Good."Quinn wanted to peer through the crack to see if he could get a look at what was going on, but he resisted the urge, and instead held the door steady so that Tucker would have no reason to notice it wasn't closed.Tucker continued past without breaking stride.Quinn waited until the footsteps began to recede, then pulled open the door and looked out.Tucker had almost reached the west end of the hallway where it turned to the south.Quinn looked back at Nate."Twenty minutes," he whispered, then began following the Australian.Tucker couldn't help feeling a bit of respect for his captive.The man was good.He'd clammed up tight and was refusing to speak again."Torture, is that what you're waiting for?" Tucker asked the man."Maybe some bamboo shoots under the fingernails? A few good kicks to the kidneys?"The man did what he'd been doing for the last fifteen minutes.He smiled, a grotesque fake smile that made Tucker want to pistol-whip him."Well, hate to disappoint," Tucker said."But torture's not something I'm into."This time he was the one who smiled, then he moved his gun away from his side and shot the man in the knee."Oh, wait," Tucker said as the man howled in pain."I forgot, I am into torture.I just don't like to work at it."He shot the man in the other knee.The prisoner screamed, then fell off the chair onto the floor."Who the fuck are you?" Tucker said.The man writhed in pain, unable to respond."Perhaps I'll do your elbow next.Is that what you want?""No," the man gasped."Please.""You answer my questions, and we'll bind those up for you.Give you a little something for the pain, too.How's that sound?""Please," the man repeated."Who are you?""Furuta," the man said, his voice labored."Kevin Furuta.""All right, Mr.Furuta.This is progress.Who do you work for?""Please.My legs.Help me.""You answer my questions first, remember? Questions with an s.That makes it plural.You know what plural means, right?""The Agency," Furuta said."I work for them.""Now, that's interesting.Why would the CI-fucking-A have an interest in us?"Furuta said nothing.Tucker raised his gun and pointed it at the man's arm."Come alone, did you?" Tucker asked."No," Furuta said.But the answer came too fast, and Tucker knew it was a lie."There's a strike team waiting close by.If they don't hear from me soon, their orders are to attack.""Oh, Jesus Christ.Where did you get that line? Out of some fucking Bruce Willis film? You're alone, Mr.Furuta.And you're royally screwed.""No.Really, they're there.""Enough," Tucker said.He shot the man in the left elbow.Furuta screamed again, then fell silent.Tucker kicked him to see if he was still conscious, but the man had passed out."Patch him up?" Petersen asked."Fuck no," Tucker said."Let him bleed out.He's no use to us anyway.Even if the CIA is interested in us, we'll be gone before they can do anything about it.You've got to love bureaucracy."Linden opened the door and let Tucker pass through first.Once they were all in the hallway, Tucker glanced back at the room Marion Dupuis was in."Are we bringing her along?" Petersen asked."No," Tucker said."Leave her to rot.She's caused us enough problems.""You're in a generous mood tonight," Linden said."Thanks for noticing."They exited the short hallway and shut the door behind them [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]