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Bay showed him how to avoid contact with any of the buried triggers； and they clambered over the trip wire； keeping to the center of the passage。
Bay paused。 Her beam illuminated the partial skeleton of a large dog； long ago stripped of all flesh by the small scavengers of the Cu Chi tunnels。 Nicholas recognized the skull as the one he had glimpsed before。
〃An Alsatian；〃 she told him as she stepped past the pile of bones。 〃The Americans used the dogs to ferret out the tunnel entrances。 Didn't work； though。 The VC used pepper and uniforms from dead grunts to throw the dogs off。 They also started washing with American soap； a smell familiar and friendly to the dogs。〃 She kept the light on the skeleton until Nicholas was past it。 〃Poor beasts。 They couldn't smell the booby traps the VC laid； and so many of them died or were maimed their handlers eventually refused to send them down here。〃
She led him steeply upward； along a rough staircase of packed； claylike earth and rotting timbers。 There was a sickly…sweet smell that deepened as they rose。 At one point； Bay paused； turned back to him； said softly； 〃This is not a pleasant place； which was why it was chosen。 The current authorities have only a limited knowledge of this warren。 It's widely believed that American B…52 carpet bombing effectively destroyed the majority of the tunnel network； but that's not true。 Lower…level tunnels were protected by this hard…packed earth and by limestone。〃
They emerged onto what Nicholas assumed was one of these lower levels。 It was like a city in one of the inner rings of hell。 Everywhere Bay swung her small beam of light it struck human remains； not littered about as if after a fire…fight； but in all the myriad poses of everyday human existence。
This was the true horror of what he saw； not the bones of the enemy； but the remains of a banal day where people squatted speaking together in intimate groups； or lay napping in mean berths； crouched cooking a meal； or leaned； exhausted； against an earthen wall。
And with his tanjian eye open he was aware of not just what Bay illuminated with her mini…flash； but of all the skeletons packed into the darkness of this vast necropolis。 He became dizzy with the welter of images； as if these soldiers； so long dead； still possessed weight and energy； instead of merely history。
〃We're safe now；〃 Bay said； moving ahead through the tunnels。 〃Neither the police nor the army would e down here even if they suspected where we were。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Because they know this is a labyrinth in which we could survive for months without them ever finding a trace of us。 Besides； it's too dangerous； even for them。 As you've seen； these unexplored tunnels are still riddled with booby traps。 Live ordnance； as well。〃
〃What about tear gas？ They could flood the runnels …〃
〃It wouldn't cross their minds。 They know this place is riddled with trapdoors and baffles to keep gas from spreading through the system。〃
Nicholas shook his head。 〃All in all； I'd rather be back at the lice…ridden Anh Dan Hotel。〃
Bay smiled。 〃Speaking of which。。。〃 She turned the flash on him and； bending down； began to peel leeches from his ankles； elbows； the back of his neck。 〃You would have bee aware of these in a couple of moments。〃 She nodded。 〃You'd better strip。〃 He did as she asked； his gaze locked on her dark； luminous eyes。 She inspected him with all the studied professionalism of a physician。
〃You have a beautiful body； an athlete's body。 The muscles are long and lean like a swimmer's； perhaps。〃 She had a bemused expression。 〃This is not the body of a shady businessman or someone engaged in corporate espionage。 So now I have seen beneath your mask； Chu Goto。 I know what you really are。〃
She reached out； lifted a leech from the inside of his thigh。 The hairs at the base of his neck stirred when he felt her fingertips there。
When she finished； she stood up。 〃You are not shy about your body so I know you won't object to seeing mine。〃
She peeled off her soaking clothes and handed him the flash。 She was younger than he had thought； perhaps just twenty。 Her body was beautifully formed； but it was not unblemished。 Scars crisscrossed her lower back and the tops of her buttocks。
Nicholas peeled a leech from the base of her spine； then gently pressed a fingertip along one of the scars。 〃What happened here？〃
〃Do you really want to know？〃 Bay had her back to him； and her voice was partially swallowed up by the pulsing darkness of the tunnels。
〃Not if it's difficult for you。〃
〃I was thinking about you。〃 She took a breath； let it out slowly。 When he made no reply； she went on。 〃Someone turned。。。 What word would I use？〃
〃Violent？〃
〃Ardent。〃
Nicholas thought this over for some time。 〃Then it was done。。。 deliberately。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃By a lover。〃
Bay swiveled around so that her eyes locked on his。 〃Are you judging me again； Chu Goto？〃
〃I hope not。〃
〃Really？〃 Her head moved a little； the beam of light streaming past one eye； firing it； leaving the planes of her face in shadow。
〃You made a convincing man；〃 Nicholas said； 〃I can only admire you for that。〃
That smile came again with its sardonic edge。 There was nothing world…weary about her； nevertheless there was sometimes in her expressions the sense that she had been exposed to too much of life too soon。 Her eyes had the look of someone who has gazed for too long into the fiery heart of a blast furnace。
〃If worse es to worst；〃 she said； crushing the leeches one by one beneath her heel； 〃we can eat these。〃
Nicholas did not want to think about the leeches。 〃Did you agree to allow your lover to maim you？〃
〃It will sound strange if I say yes； and yet the answer is much more plex。〃 She turned her head into the darkness； as if hearing a distant sound。 At length； Nicholas realized that she was listening to the past。 〃It was the pain； you see。 The physical。。。 evidence。 The scars really have nothing to do with it。〃
〃What did the pain do？〃
''It made us real。〃
In the deathly silence he could hear the last of the river water dripping off them； running into the red clay earth； past the bones of the dead； beneath the clawed feet of the rodents that scampered along the tunnels。
She chilled him； this young woman； not so long out of her teens； because she had needed such a terrible extreme in order to feel and to remember。
He felt sorry for her； but keen instinct warned him that any portent of this emotion in him would only enrage her。 She did not want his pity； would； in fact； see it only as an enemy that required extinction。
They dried their clothes on an odd stovelike contraption called a Dien Bien Phu kitchen； where decades before the VC had cooked their food。 A plex network of flues vented the smoke far away from the area。 Kindling and wood were plentiful； and thankfully； Bay's metal lighter had not been damaged by immersion in water。
Naked； they squatted in the darkness； feeling the spirits of the dead； restless and inchoate。 Nicholas； all too aware of her breasts as they rose and fell； said； 〃Why did you bring me here？〃
〃This is a kind of halfway point。〃
He waited for her to continue； hut when she remained silent；