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〃Then either I've been double…crossed or we've both been。〃 He pulled her up by her elbow。 〃It's time to get some answers。〃
At that moment； they heard a sound。
〃Someone's ing！〃 Bay whispered。 She extinguished her flash。 〃Quick； this way！〃
They slithered backward into a pile of loose dirt； rubble； and bones。 The stench was as indescribable as it was unpleasant Nicholas； lying close beside Bay； was aware of the extreme tension gathering in her frame。 It was then that a dull metallic gleam caught his attention； and shifting slightly； he saw the knife in her left hand。 It was a Marine ka…bar； a large…bladed； wicked weapon； capable of cleaving through both sinew and bone。
She was staring fixedly； and following her gaze； he saw what she saw： the figure moving stealthily down the tunnel。 Even in the darkness； even with it hunched over； he could tell that it was a soldier。 So she had been wrong： they weren't afraid to e down here。
A flash of her rage； like being spat at； bloomed in his mind。 He felt her intent in the split second before she moved。 He could have stopped her； but to what purpose？ He was ing to know her； and he knew she would only fight him and； in doing so； give their position away。 He let her go； then launched himself after her because his tanjian eye had picked up something that she could not as yet see。
She was like a cat； silent and small； and the Vietnamese soldier was not aware of her until the blade of the ka…bar was buried in his bowels。 She ripped the knife upward with tremendous strength； and her victim screamed； the blood spurting out of him like a river。
He pitched sideways； against the wall of the tunnel； and that was when Bay saw the ugly muzzle of the submachine gun leveled point…blank at her。 Her only weapon was still hilt…deep in flesh； and her eyes opened wide in astonishment and fear。
Then Nicholas was barreling into the second soldier。 A string of explosions rocketed down the tunnels as the submachine gun went off。 Nicholas drove his fist into the soldier's solar plexus； momentarily paralyzing him。 The heel of his hand smashed into the man's larynx； crushing it。 The soldier went down and stayed down。 A soft gurgle of blood and saliva came from him。 Then silence。
〃What the hell is going on？〃 Nicholas snarled。 〃You told me …〃
〃I know what I said。〃 Bay nicked on her flashlight。 She began to hurry down the tunnel。 〃Something's gone terribly wrong。 This place has turned into a death trap。 We've got to get out of here now。〃
Every few feet she reached up with her bloody ka…bar and tapped the ceiling of the tunnel。 The fourth time； she stopped； pushed aside a pair of false wooden beams。 A trapdoor dropped open and she levered herself up through the hole。 Nicholas followed； looked around。 Bay was already several yards down the tunnel。
He heard her curse softly in Vietnamese。
ing up beside her； he saw that a fairly new cave…in had blocked the way。 They went back up the tunnel。 Several hundred yards from where they had emerged； she discovered another trapdoor and up they went onto the next level。
The air was thin here； more musty than down below； leading Nicholas to believe that even Bay and her contacts hadn't explored this section of the labyrinth。
They made no sound as they went。 Consequently； the noise from behind came to them clearly； chillingly。 Bay put on an extra burst of speed。
Nicholas turned back； opened his tanjian eye in order to locate the source of the noise。 That was when he heard Bay give a little cry。 Immediately； he ran toward her。
Her mini…flash was on the floor of the tunnel； giving an eerie half…light to the scene。 She lay stretched on the floor； a tapered cylinder beneath her legs。
〃Don't e any closer！〃 she cried。 〃Don't move！ For the love of God； don't …〃
There was a soft thwop！ and an intense whitish green light burned into his retinas。 Heat like a raging sun blasted him。 〃Ah； Buddha；〃 she moaned。 〃Buddha； no。〃 He thought at first that she had broken a leg； but she sprang back； almost colliding with him。 She was staring with a mixture of horror and panic at a large patch on her left thigh that appeared to be burning。
Sensing Nicholas； she turned her head； thrusting the ka…bar into his hand。
''Quick！〃 She was breathless with fear。 〃Cut it out！〃
〃What？〃
〃I stumbled over this unexploded artillery shell。 It's filled with white phosphorus； what the Americans called Willy Peter。 I've gotten it on me。 If you don't cut it out； it'll eat right through my leg！〃
He had heard the horror stories about phosphorous burns； air itself causing an incendiary explosion； and he knew she was right。
〃Put your arms around my neck and hold on！〃 He placed the edge of the blade obliquely against her burning skin； bore down hard on the hilt。 Bay gasped； and tears rolled freely down her cheeks。 She grabbed him； held on tight。
An eerie keening burst through her clenched teeth。 He sliced into her； using deft； efficient strokes to scoop out the phosphorus and the burning flesh。 Bay's eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed against him。 All in all； he thought that was the best thing for her now。 He used the blade tip to flick the gobbet of blackened flesh into the pyre of the leaking Willy Peter。 The heat was almost unbearable。 He wished they were back by the Dien Bien Phu kitchen so he could cauterize the wound。 Using strips of his shirt； he fashioned a tourniquet； then wrapped the raw wound as best he could。
Where had she been headed？ Without Bay to help him he was lost within this labyrinth of the dead。 He could sit here with her and wait for the soldiers to find them and execute them； or he could retrace the path they had taken from the moment they had entered the tunnels from beneath the river。
It took him almost two hours to make it back to the point where the skeleton of the Alsatian lay just in front of the shining booby…trap wire。 For most of that time he had carried Bay across his shoulder； aware that she was going into shock even before her flesh became chill and her muscles contracted spasmodically。 He wished he could do something immediate for her； but he was helping her the only way he could； by getting her out of there as quickly as possible。
Once； when they got near the area of the Dien Bien Phu kitchen； he had considered wrapping her in its warmth； but his tanjian eye； questing through the darkness； encountered the presence of more soldiers； so he carefully skirted the area； acutely aware of the need for both speed and caution。
He set her down near the Alsatian； as close to the wire as he dared。 There was almost no color in her face； and she had not regained consciousness。 Extending his psyche； he probed inside her。 Her loss of blood had been considerable； the shock of the impromptu surgery was massive； and he knew that sepsis would set in unless the wound was thoroughly cleansed and she got significant doses of a powerful antibiotic within twenty…four hours。 By concentration； he was able to reduce the level of pathogenic microorganisms reproducing at the wound site； but he could not heal her。
He turned toward the wire； went carefully over it。 Then he reached back； lifted her up and across。 He froze。 Out of