Daniel stayed up on the terrace. Through the open door he had line of sight on Nazari, in a chair by the stairs. From there she was close enough to the cavern entrance. I told Daniel to keep back against the house. No reason to make an easy target of himself. Once in the caverns there wouldn’t be any communication between us, which is why I wanted them to hold the fort and guard my rear.

I turned the knob on the Vaugeois’ bedroom door and opened it a crack. Gilles was asleep. The curtains half drawn, letting in soft light. The oxygen pump in the corner wheezed with each labored breath. I figured Madame was upstairs napping. I pulled the door closed and turned to Miriam, who had already opened the door to the cavern entrance.

Miriam was quiet and eager. She went first with Daniel’s click wheel and started measuring from the door, straight through the alcove with the wine collection, into the big cave. I was close behind her. We hugged the right side wall. I dragged a hand along it. The scored stone was cold and pale. The wheel clicked every meter, and each time it did that, a little display ticked over a new number. At the end of the big cavern the wheel clicked to one hundred and fifty.

Beyond that the tunnel entrance extended into darkness.

I unslung the H&K and tore off five strips of duct tape. Three went on my tactical vest just in case, the other two secured the mini-mag light under the H&K’s barrel. I looked at Miriam, she looked back. Her eyes were clear and confident beneath the ruler-straight brow line. She looked positively dangerous. The mini-mag from Vaugeois’ desk drawer spread light in a cone. The click wheel ticked rhythmically as we chased after the light, pushing into the black. Took us a couple of minutes walking before the wheel ticked over and Miriam whispered, “Three hundred and twelve.” I raised a finger to my lips, we were close to the Marbot caves. I gave it another half meter and ran a hand along the wall. It felt solid, but we’d see just how solid it was real soon.