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towards her back once more。 Rona cursed and strained at her bindings； twisting in a frenzy every time a blow was launched； but to no avail。 Why were they doing this to her？ Why？ She screamed as loud as she could； which was plenty loud； every time a telling blow of the rod was delivered。 Maybe somebody would hear； maybe Rockson was looking for her。 He would； he would e … somebody had to e。
Manion paused to inspect his handiwork。 And was pleased。 Sandra's tightly stretched nether…globes were crisscrossed with red weal marks。 Hardly an inch of her firm flesh had escaped the horizontal scourges he'd delivered。
Now it was time to change position and deliver the vertical blows。 The job would not be over； and the Goddess not properly prepared for her sacred trust； until there was a red crosshatch pattern on her lovely posterior。
The blows began anew； this time up and down。 They fell so many times in the next few minutes that Rona thought she was going to be beaten to death。
On the hundreth blow； a dizzy； half…conscious Rona heard Manion say； 〃The scourging is over。〃 Manion turned to the statue and bowed。 〃Oh； Renquist； your bride is properly chastised。 As it was written； pain and the anger aroused in a chastised bride will increase the chance that a male child will be born of this sacred union。 So be it。 Now let the insemination proceed。〃
Rona twisted her head； shook the blurriness from her eyes。 What were they doing over there？ They were chanting and moving about the statue of the snake。 Oh God； they don't mean to …
〃Praise be to Renquist；〃 the acolytes； the handmaidens； and the soldiers shouted。 The two maroon…robed acolytes went forward from the group of chanters； over to the ice…covered votary that was the carved cobra snake。 They took up flickering torches and played the flames under the snake statue's head to gradually melt the ice seal around the long； slender cylindrical object that was hidden in the snake's stone mouth。 Slowly； once the long cylinder was freed of its ice； the torches were played along its bottom； until the frost was burned away。 The sixteen…inch…long green glass tube was a straight glass snake； a sealed catheter with a milky fluid in its narrow interior。
〃The honeymoon vessel has been prepared；〃 Manion intoned； ringing the gong again。 〃Let the insemination of the honeymoon begin。〃
Insemination？ 〃No；〃 Rona gasped； twisting her tear…stained yet defiant countenance around to see the green glass vial as it was passed to Manion's meaty hands。
Rockson had heard the frantic screams for several minutes； and had run at all the speed he could muster； setting himself far ahead of his panions。 Rona was being tortured … somewhere in this maze of tunnels。 He went up two dead ends； and then retracing his steps； tried a third tunnel。 And found the snake temple。 He blasted the door open with a burst of fire … explosive 9mm bullets from his Liberator auto…fire rifle tearing the huge brass doors off their hinges。
Rockson burst into the Temple of the Snake； and immediately took in the situation。
The priests。 Rona … bound and naked； the long green…glass cylinder poised between her spread legs。 The awful streaks of red across her backside。
He leveled his weapon on the man with the vial； the one closest to Rona。
〃Drop whatever the hell you're holding； mister； or die。〃
McCaughlin and Chen flew into the doorway behind him； to back up his words。 The soldier…monks around the temple who had started to lift their weapons were cut down by a sweep of hot lead from three Liberator rifles； their bodies jerked back and slammed against the altar of their false god； spurting hot streams of blood。
The blue…robed man at Rona's side dropped the glass vial and it shattered at his feet。
Detroit came in next； shotpistol up。 Ready。 Danik； panting from the run； came in behind him。 It was a tense moment。 They were in time to hear Rockson yell； 〃Away from her； priest。〃
Manion made to reach the trank…stick on his belt … and never made it。 Rockson fired on full automatic。 The priest's head； severed by a sweep of hot lead； spun across the darkness。 The body that had belonged to Manion's head sank to the floor like a sack of potatoes； the neck…opening pumping out a fountain of blood。
Through the cordite smoke of the weapons； the Doomsday Warrior stepped over to his beloved。 Rockson approached the beaten nude figure stretched out on the mound with trepidation。 Was she alive？ Yes。 But her eyes were bleary。
〃Rona； are you …〃
〃Untie me。 Rock；〃 she groaned in a soft voice。
Rockson used his balisong knife to cut the bindings off。 He threw his coat over her； she zipped it up。 It was large and went down halfway to her knees。 It would do … Detroit was stripping the headless corpse of its shoes … they were about right for Rona's feet。 Rockson slipped them on her and lifted her to him and hugged her。 〃Rona； are you …〃
〃I'm basically all right； though I don't want to spend any time sitting real soon。〃
She had spunk。 That was for sure。
〃Can you walk？〃
〃Walk？ Hell； I can run。 Let's get out of here。〃
There wasn't much left of the enemy down the long ice corridor； Rona quickly saw that。 Stumped bodies were everywhere。 The Freefighters had gotten only so far in their Cultist disguises； and had finished off a good number of their enemy on the way to rescue Rona。
Rockson had grabbed one of the surviving soldier…monks from the temple and was pushing him along the corridor； a gun in his back。 〃You find us the passageway to Eden … the old construction tunnel … or else。〃
〃The construction tunnel？ Why； that was blown up； sealed off last week。 There is no way to Eden anymore。〃
Rockson spun the cowed man around on his heels； and cocked the shotpistol and placed its cold barrel against the captive's forehead。 〃Then； you find us another passageway to Eden。〃
CHAPTER 18
The captive； the pupils of his colorless eyes pinned in fright； stuttered out； 〃There … there is a passage … to the Caverns of H…Hell。 They say th…that those caverns e out in…in Eden。 But …〃
Rockson said； 〃You take us to this passage … now。〃
The captive plied； leading them down a series of corridors； then down some steps with an inch of dust on them。 〃God； Rock；〃 said Detroit； 〃no one must have been down here for a long； long time。〃
〃That's because；〃 Danik gasped； keeping up the pace down the curving wide stairs with great effort； 〃because the Caverns of Hell have legends of horror。〃
They reached the bottom of the stairs； their flashlights played along a wide crack in a stone wall。 There was darkness beyond； and a cool wind ing from the hole。 〃This is it；〃 said the captive。 Now let me go … you said。。。〃
Rockson let go of the man's arm。 〃Get the hell out of here； jerk； and don't tell anyone …〃
〃I won't；〃 the man yelled； taking off back up the stairs two steps at a time。
〃Now； what's the story on these caverns； Danik？〃
〃In Eden we know them as the place of horrors。 A natural series of caves with strange voices in them … and death。 The man that led us here was correct； though。 They do e out in Eden。 Through a fissure。 It isn't sealed because a fresh wind es from it。 The whole ecosystem of Eden would o