The Descent

The  mutineers carried the rafts  down to  the  sea  and  loaded  them  with  the  expedition supplies. This was done in full view  of  their  commander,  whom  they  had  bound  into  a wire  cocoon  and  hung  raving  from  the  wall.  'Neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor depth, nor any other creature  shall be able to separate  us from the  vengeance  of  God,' he shouted at them.

In  their  side  room  the  prisoners  could  hear  Walker.  Love,  not  vengeance,  thought Ali, lying on the floor. The  colonel had it wrong. The  quotation was Romans,  and  it  had to do with the love of God, not His vengeance. A moot point.

Their  guard  left  to  help  load  the  getaway  vessels.  He  knew  the  civilians  weren't going anywhere.

The  time  had  come.  Ike  had  given  her  all  the  advantage  he  could.  She  was  going  to have  to improvise from here on.

Ali drew  out the knife.

Troy  lifted his head. She laid it against her wrist bonds and the blade was sharp. The rope practically disintegrated. She rolled to face Troy.

Spurrier  heard  them  and  looked  over.  'What  are  you  doing?'  he  hissed.  'Are  you crazy?'

She  flexed  her  wrists  and  shoulders  and  got  to  her  knees  to  unravel  the   wire leashing her neck to the wall.

'If you make them mad, they  won't take  us with them,' Spurrier  said. She frowned at him. 'They're  not taking us with them.'

'Of course they  are,' Spurrier  said. But she had shattered  his hope. 'Just wait.'

'They'll be back,' Ali said. 'And we don't want to be here.'

Troy  had the knife, and went over  to Chelsea and Pia and Spurrier.

'Get away  from me,' Spurrier  said.

Pia grabbed Ali's hands and pulled her close. She stared  at Ali, eyes  wild.  Her  breath smelled  like  something  buried.  Beside  her,  Spurrier  said,  'We  shouldn't  make  them mad, Pia.'

'Stay,  then,' Ali said.

'What  about  her?'  Troy  was  kneeling  by  the  captive  girl.  Her  eyes  were  on  his, unwavering, watchful.

The   girl  might  bolt  for  the   entrance   or  start   screaming   or  even   turn   on  her liberators.  On  the  other  hand,  leaving  her  was  a  death  sentence.  'Bring  her,'  said  Ali.

'Leave  the tape on her mouth, though. And  keep  her  hands  tied.  And  the  wire  around her neck, too.'

Troy  had the knife blade under  her  rope,  ready  to  cut.  He  hesitated.  The  girl's  eyes flickered to Ali. Tinged with jaundice,  her  eyes  were  catlike.  'You  keep  her  tied,  Troy. That's  all I'll say.'

Spurrier refused to escape. 'Fools,' he hissed.

Pia started  out the door, then turned back. 'I can't,' she said to Ali.

'You can't stay  here,' said Ali.

'How can I leave  him?'

Ali grasped Pia's arm to pull her, then let go.

'I'm sorry,'. Pia said. 'Be careful.' Ali kissed her forehead.

The  fugitives  stole  from  the  room  into  the  interior  fortress.  They  had  no  lights,  but the walls' luminescence fostered  their progress.

'I  know  a  place,'  Ali  told  them.  They  followed  her  without  question.  She  found  the stairs Ike  had shown her.

Chelsea was limping badly from whatever  the mercenaries had done.  Ali  helped  her, and  Troy  helped  the  girl.  At  the  top  of  the  stairs,  Ali  led  them  through  Ike's  secret entrance into the lighthouse room.

It  was  dark  in  the  room,  except  for  one  tiny  flame.  Someone  had  pried  open  the floor vault  and emptied it. And left a single  clay  lamp  burning.  Ali  lowered  herself  into the   vault,   and  helped  Chelsea   descend.   Troy   lowered   the   captive   girl.   Ali   was surprised at how light she was.

'Ike's been here,' she said.

'It  feels  like  a  tomb,'  said  Chelsea.  She  had  started  shivering.  'I  don't  want  to  be here.'

'It was a storage vault  with jars,' Ali said. 'They  were  filled with oil.  Ike's  taken  them somewhere.'

'Where is he now?'

'Stay  here,' she said. 'I'll find him.'

'I'll go with you,'  said  Troy,  but  reluctantly.  He  didn't  want  to  leave  the  girl.  He  had developed  some  kind  of  obsession  with  her  during  the  past  few  days.  Ali  looked  at Chelsea:  she  was  in  terrible  shape.  Troy  would  have  to  stay  with  them.  Ali  tried  to think the way  Ike  would.

'Wait  in  here,'  she  said.  'Keep  low.  Don't  make  any  sounds.  We'll  come  back  for  you when it's safe.'

The  tiny flame lit their drawn faces. Ali wanted  to  remain  here  with  them,  safe  with the light. But Ike  was out there,  and he might need her.

'Take  the knife,' Troy  said.

'I wouldn't know what to do with it,' Ali said.

She cherished Troy's  and Chelsea's looks of hope. 'See you soon,' she said.