?Let him scream.?He waited while Rains lit another torch. Reluctantly, Golic repacked his remaining food and rose. All three stared back down the tunnel, back the way they’d come. Whatever was snuffing out the candles remained invisible.

?Must be a breeze from one of the vent shafts. Backwash from the nearest circulating unit. Or maybe a storm on 104

the surface. You know what those sudden downdrafts can do. Damn! If all the candles go out, how’re we going to know where we are??

?We’ve still got the chart.?Rains fingered the sturdy printout.

?You want to rely on that to get us back??

?Hey, I didn’t say that. It’s just that we’re not lost. Only inconvenienced.?

?Well, I don’t wanna be inconvenienced, and I don’t wanna be stuck down here any longer than absolutely necessary.?

?Neither do I.?Rains sighed resignedly. ?You know what that means. Somebody will have to go back and relight ‘em.?

?Unless you just want to call it quits now??Boggs asked hopefully.

Rains managed a grin. ?Huh-uh. We finish this tunnel, then we can go back.?

?Have it your way.?Boggs crossed his arms and succeeded in projecting the air of a man intending to go nowhere fast. ?It’s your call; you get to do the work.?

?Fair enough. Guess I’m nominated.?

Boggs gestured at Golic. ?Give him your torch.?

The other man was reluctant. ?That just leaves us here with the one.?

?There’s nothing wrong with it.?Boggs waved the light around to illustrate his point. ?And we have the rest of the candles. Besides, Rains’ll be right back. Won’t you, buddy??

?Quick as I can. Shouldn’t take too long.?

?Right, then.?

Reluctantly, Golic passed the taller man his light. Together, he and Boggs watched as their companion moved 105

105

off up the line of candles, pausing to relight each one as he came to it. Each rested where it had been set on the floor. There was nothing to indicate what had extinguished them.

Just a sudden downdraft, Rains told himself. Had to be. Boggs’s voice reverberated down the passageway, faint with increasing distance.

?Hey, Rains, watch your step!?They’d marked the couple of vertical shafts they’d passed, but still, if the other man rushed himself in the darkness, disaster was never very far away.

Rains appreciated the caution. You live in close quarters with a very few people for a comparatively long time, you learn to rely on one another. Not that Boggs had reason to worry. Rains advanced with admirable care.