They continued in the low-ceilinged hallway and down several steps, deeper into the fort’s labyrinthine universe. On a lower level the curved walls were chalk white, and lit chandeliers with electric bulbs hung from the ceiling.

“How can the lights be on?” Anette pointed to the ceiling, confused.

“There must be a generator somewhere running.”

“But… chandeliers? In a fort?” The feeling of having crossed a threshold between reality and dreams grew stronger and stronger. This place gave her the creeps.

On one wall hung a row of sinks, enough for the members of a whole Boy Scout troop to brush their teeth at the same time. Anette turned one of the faucet handles, and a thin stream of water came out and darkened the gray basin.

“There’s running water.”

“We’ve been all over now.” A crackling sound, and a glow in the dark told Anette that Mads Teigen had lit a cigarette.

“Wait, there must be pressure relief passageways here like at Fort Middelgrund. My husband says they built passageways to prevent the forts from collapsing if they were attacked by antiaircraft guns.”

“He’s not here, Anette, and I can’t stand anymore. Come on, we’re taking the boat back.” Mads turned and walked off without waiting for her.

Anette stood there for a second. Damn it if she had come this far, just to give up at the last minute!

She went on through the darkness, along the damp walls deeper into the fort. The air grew colder and damper, rougher and dustier with every step she took. On the bottom level she discovered an opening in the wall she had walked by before. This time she stopped and shined the flashlight in. The opening was almost tall enough for a person and protected by a metal grille door. The light from her flashlight didn’t reach the end, just vanished into a bottomless blackness.

She opened the grille door, ducked, and walked in. The space was so narrow that her shoulders touched on both sides. With every step into the passage, it seemed to close in behind her, triggering her claustrophobia. She counted her steps, and when she reached twenty-five, she hit the end wall. The passageway was empty. She turned around carefully so as not to hit her head, and found her way back to the main hallway. When she finally reached it, she breathed in deep like a free diver who’s broken the surface.

After a second she continued down the main hallway, until yet another side passage appeared ten yards farther along. The grille door was open.

Her footsteps made a crunchy sound, and she resisted the urge to shine her light down to see what she was walking on. If it was something revolting, she might not be able to keep going by herself, and oh, hell no, there was no way she was going to admit to Mads that she was feeling jittery.