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need to know number and their condition。 I've got a guy back at the exhibition entrance； Bailey； who can help you。 He's got a flashlight。 We also need a volunteer to help collect some candles。〃
A young； lanky fellow in a wrinkled tuxedo came out of the gloom。 He finished chewing； swallowed。 〃I'll help with that；〃 he said。
〃Name？〃
〃Smithback。〃
〃Okay； Smithback。 You got matches？〃
〃Sure do。〃
The Mayor stepped forward。 His face was smeared with blood and a large purple welt was emerging beneath one eye。 〃Let me help；〃 he said。
D'Agosta looked at him with amazement。 〃Mayor Harper！ Maybe you can take charge of everyone。 Keep them calm。〃
〃Certainly； Lieutenant。〃
D'Agosta's radio squawked again； and he grabbed it。 〃D'Agosta； this is Coffey。 D'Agosta； do you read？ What the hell's going on in there？ Give me a sit…ref！〃
D'Agosta talked fast。 〃Listen up； I'm not going to say this twice。 We've got at least eight dead； probably more； and an undetermined number of wounded。 I guess you know about the people caught under the door。 Ippolito can't get the fucking door open。 There's about thirty； maybe forty of us here。 Including Wright and the Mayor。〃
〃The Mayor！ Shit。 Look； D'Agosta； the system's failed totally。 The manual override doesn't work on this side； either。 I'll get a crew with acetylene to cut you guys out。 It may take awhile； this door's built like a bank vault。 Is the Mayor okay？〃
〃He's fine。 Where's Pendergast？〃
〃I don't have a clue。〃
〃Who else is trapped inside the perimeter？〃
〃Don't know yet；〃 said Coffey。 〃We're taking reports now。 There should be some men in the puter Room and Security mand； Garcia and a few others。 Might be a few on the other floors。 We got several plainclothes officers and guards out here。 They were pushed out with the crowd； some of them got messed up pretty bad。 What the hell happened in the exhibition； D'Agosta？〃
〃They found the body of one of my men stuffed on top of an exhibit。 Gutted； just like the rest。〃 He paused； then spoke bitterly。 〃If you'd let me do the sweep I requested； none of this would have happened。〃
The radio squawked again and went silent。
〃Pound！〃 D'Agosta called。 〃What's the extent of the injuries？〃
〃We've got one man alive； but just barely；〃 Pound said； looking up from an inert form。 〃The rest are dead。 Trampled。 Maybe one or two heart attacks； it's hard to say。
〃Do what you can for the live one；〃 D'Agosta said。
His radio buzzed。 〃Lieutenant D'Agosta？〃 said a scratchy voice。 〃This is Garcia； in Security mand； sir。 We got 。。。〃 The voice trailed out in a burst of static。
〃Garcia？ Garcia！ What is it？〃 D'Agosta shouted into the radio。
〃Sorry； sir； the batteries on this mobile transmitter I'm using are weak。 We got Pendergast on the honk。 I'm patching him over to you。〃
〃Vincent；〃 came the familiar drawl。
〃Pendergast！ Where are you？〃
〃I'm in the basement； Section Twenty…nine。 I understand the power is out throughout the Museum； and that we're trapped inside Cell Two。 I'm afraid I've got a little more bad news of my own to add。 Could you please move to a spot where we can speak privately？〃
D'Agosta walked away from the crowd。 〃What is it？〃 he asked in a low tone。
〃Vincent； listen to me carefully。 There is something down here。 I don't know what it is； but it's big； and I don't think it's human。〃
〃Pendergast； don't play with me。 Not now。〃
〃Vincent； I'm entirely serious。 That isn't the bad news。 The bad news is； it may be headed your way。〃
〃What do you mean？ What kind of animal is it？〃
〃You'll know when it's near。 The smell is unmistakable。 What kind of weapons do you have？〃
〃Let's see。 Three twelve gauges； a couple of service revolvers； two shot pistols loaded with capstun。 A few odds and ends； maybe。〃
〃Forget the capstun。 Now； listen； we have to talk fast。 Get everyone out of there。 This thing went by me just before the lights went out。 I saw it through a window in one of the storage rooms down here； and it looked very big。 It walks on all fours。 I got off two shots at it； then it went into a stairwell at the end of this hall。 I've got a set of old blueprints here with me； and I've checked them。 You know where that stairwell es out？〃
〃No；〃 said D'Agosta。
〃It only has access to alternate floors。 It leads down into the subbasement； too； but we can't assume the thing would go that way。 There's an egress on the fourth floor。 And there's another one behind the Hall of the Heavens。 It's back in the service area behind the platform。〃
〃Pendergast； I'm having a hard time with this。 What the hell exactly do you want us to do？〃
〃I'd get your men…whoever has the shotguns…and line up at that door。 If the creature es through； let the thing have it。 It may have already e through； I don't know。 Vincent； it took a 。45 metal…jacketed slug in the skull at close range； and the bullet grazed right off。〃
If anyone else had been speaking； D'Agosta would have suspected a joke。 Or madness。 〃Right；〃 he said。 〃How long ago was this？〃
〃I saw it a few minutes ago； just before the power went out。 I shot at it once； then followed it down the hall after the lights went。 I got off another shot； but my light wasn't steady and I missed it。。 I went down to reconnoiter just now。 The hall dead…ends； and the thing has vanished。 The only way out is the stairwell leading up to you。 It may be hiding in the stairwell； or maybe； if you're lucky； it's gone to a different floor。 All I know is that it hasn't e back this way。〃
D'Agosta swallowed。
〃If you can get into the basement safely； do it。 Meet up with me here。 These blueprints seem to show the way out。 We'll talk again once you're in a more secure place。 Do you understand？〃
〃Yes；〃 said D'Agosta。
〃Vincent？ There's something else。〃
〃What now？〃
〃This creature can open and close doors。〃
D'Agosta holstered his radio； licked his lips； and looked back toward the group of people。 Most were sitting on the floor； stunned； but a few were trying to help light the armload of candles the lanky guy had scrounged。
D'Agosta spoke to the group as softly as he could。 〃All of you； move over here and get down against the wall。 Put those candles out。〃
〃What is it？〃 somebody cried。 D'Agosta recognized the voice as Wright's。
〃Quiet。 Do as I say。 You； what's your name； Smithback； drop that and get over here。〃
D'Agosta's radio buzzed into speech as he did a quick visual sweep of the Hall with his flashlight。 The remote corners of the hall were so black they seemed to eat the beam of his light。 In the center of the hall a few candles were lit next to a still form。 Pound and somebody else were bending over it。
〃Pound！〃 he called out。 〃Both of you。 Put out those candles and get back over here！〃
〃But he's still alive…〃
〃Get back now！〃 He turned to the crowd that was huddling behind him。 〃None of you move or make a sound。 Bailey and Ippolito； bring those shotguns and follow me。〃
〃Did you hear that？ Why do they need their guns！〃 cried Wright。
Recognizing Coffey's voice on the radio； D'Agosta switched if off with a brusque movement。 Moving carefully； flashlights probing the darkness ahead of them；