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labs； they had to do that on the outside of the building。 Had the tunnelers had the same thought？ If so； what had stopped them from reaching the exhaust vents？
〃What were you up to here？〃 he asked。
〃By accident I stumbled upon one of Abramanov's piggybacked transmissions to Serman。 I followed up on it and discovered what the two scientists were working on。 I reported to Okami。 By that time； he knew that Abramanov was inside Floating City； and he became intensely interested about the transuranic isotope Abramanov had created。 It was a terrible stroke of fate that it had fallen into the hands of Rock and Mick Leonforte； and Okami knew he had to do everything in his power to stop them from turning element 114m into a weapon。 We were monitoring them every step of the way。〃
〃Until the very end； when Serman here failed to deliver his final report。〃 She turned to the scientist。 〃Why did you do that？〃
〃Once I discovered that I couldn't create element 114m； I saw the reprieve I had been given。〃 Serman looked at Vesper。 〃I knew it couldn't be long before your people； who were reading my reports； would have asked me to re…create a similar isotope。 If it wasn't to be 114m； then it would be 115 or 116 or 117 until I found a stable transuranic isotope that would provide as clean a fission event as 114m。 I want no part of that because the destructive possibilities are too alluring for most men to ignore。〃
Croaker saw Vesper's eyes glittering in the semidarkness。 Neither of them were in a position to contradict Serman。 They continued along the shaft； the noise of the exhaust generators being ever louder。 At length； the shaft split in two。
〃Which way？〃 Croaker asked。
Vesper listened； then shook her head。 〃I can't tell。〃
〃To the left；〃 Serman said。
〃Are you sure； Doctor？〃 Vesper said。
〃I know this lab better than you do； my dear。〃
They took the left fork。 It was being increasingly hot as the way narrowed。 They were obliged to turn sideways in order to make any headway。
〃If the shaft narrows any more；〃 Croaker said； 〃we'll have to turn back。〃
〃We can't；〃 Serman replied； shivering。 〃This is the only way。〃
Vesper； who was leading； came up short。 〃Look。〃
Croaker peered over her shoulder。 A rectangular beam of light glowed； emanating from what appeared to be a gap in the shaft； after which it continued into darkness。
〃I think the gap's too wide for us to span；〃 Vesper said。
Croaker shook his head。 〃I think I can stretch across it。〃
〃You won't have to try；〃 Serman said from behind them。 〃We have to go down。〃
〃What？〃 Croaker turned around。
Vesper looked at Serman。 〃But I can hear turbines from ahead of us。〃
The doctor nodded。 〃That's because there was a set of internal exhaust fans in that direction； but we daren't even get close to them。 They vent the hot cells where we use plutonium and the transuranic isotopes。 The fans direct the contaminated air into water chambers。 Within minutes of inhaling the radioactive particles； we'd be so sick we'd be unable to go on。 Within hours we'd be dead。〃
Vesper and Croaker exchanged glances in the glow of the light rising up through the vertical shaft Peering over the side of the abyss； she said； 〃It's a helluva long way down。 I can't see where it ends。〃 She turned to Serman。 〃Are you sure about this？〃
〃I only know there's no other place for us to go but down；〃 Serman said； but staring over the side； he looked dubious。 〃Maybe this was why the test subjects never made it out of here。〃
〃It doesn't matter。 We have no choice；〃 Croaker said； and Vesper nodded her mute agreement。
The problem was the humidity。 He was in the tropics； and even in winter； the dampness had saturated his clothing。
It wouldn't burn； and that meant a major reassessment of the situation。 He had figured to set his clothes on fire with the cigar butt Mick had dropped。 That would have brought the guards； and they would have had to haul him out of the cage； and that was all he would need。
He knew what he had to do； of course； but part of him was rebelling。 He was not at all happy with the prospects and had to force his reluctance down into a deep hole。 He kept the reverberations of kokoro echoing in his mind。 He hoped it would be enough。 He had to direct his mind from the ing pain as well as the fright。 He had the added distraction of Kshira； the dark side of Tau…tau； twining its tendrils deeper and deeper through his Akshara training。
At the corner of his cage where the human bones were piled were desiccated feces。 He squatted down； and while he urinated； he scooped up the dried material and smeared it along his right arm； shoulder； and that side of his chest Then he rose and； pressing the smoldering cigar butt to his forearm； watched as the dried feces flared into flame and crackled and flickered up his arm。
He began to burn。
He dropped the butt and let out a piercing shout。 But the guards； alerted by the initial flare…up； were on their way。 One unlocked the cage while another stepped in to pull Nicholas out of there。
Sunk deep into Tau…tau； he felt the heat but not the pain。 At first； it was only the feces burning； then his hair caught fire； and below； the flesh began to curl and crisp。
He smashed an elbow into the solar plexus of the guard who had stepped inside the cage； then shoved his naming arm into the face of the guard who had unlocked the door。
The first guard made a lunge for him from behind。 Nicholas swiveled and； grabbing the man's right wrist with his left hand； pleted the circle； pulling the man's upper torso out and down。 He bent his knee； following the man down in the direction of the attack； using the man's momentum against him； turning his wrist over in an irimi。 The bone cracked and the guard collapsed。
The second guard； slapping at the sparks that had caught on his clothes； had pulled his handgun。 Using the callused edge of his hand； Nicholas struck him at the point where the nerve bundle gathers at the side of the wrist。 The guard dropped the gun； and Nicholas slammed the heel of his hand into the guard's neck just beneath the chin； crushing the cricoid cartilage。 The man went to his knees； unable to breathe。
All this happened in the space of a heartbeat。 The remaining two guards were still heading toward the cage； but had not yet overe the shock of their two fellow guards going down。
The third guard had his AK…47 leveled at Nicholas； but he was unprepared for his target to launch himself directly at him。 His finger froze on the trigger as； at that instant； Nicholas stepped inside his defense and； pivoting on his lead foot； broke the guard's ribs with a vicious kite。
The fourth guard； panicking； began to fire in rapid； irregular bursts。 Nicholas grabbed the guard with the broken ribs and； using him as a shield； threw him into the line of fire while he ducked his head and shoulders and； rolling into a ball； made an oblique approach。
The firing continued until the fourth guard； realizing he was shooting his patriot； abruptly pulled the muzzle of the AK…47 into the air。 Nicholas's foot smashed into the side of his leg； fracturing the kneecap。 He went down just as Nicholas struck his collarbone with a teeth…rattlin