Read Tunnels 06 - Terminal for Free Online Page A

glass, deep enough that it could hang from the partition. Then it struck at the glass again, as if it knew itwouldn’t take long for it to break through.
    ‘Burn out!’ Parry yelled at the top of his lungs.
    ‘Burn out?’ the orderly stammered, frozen into inactivity by the huge spider’s head with compound eyes that were staring straight at him through the window.
    Parry didn’t wait for the orderly, instead flipping up the cover on a panel under the intercom, and twisting the key in it. Then he slammed his palm against the large button beside the key.
    The isolation chamber was instantly filled with a solid wall of fire. It was a safety feature installed to sterilise it in the instance of a mishap with a biological sample.
    Parry and the orderly watched as the Armagi turned black, and fell back into the inferno.
    ‘Christ, oh Christ,’ the orderly was whimpering.
    ‘The severed arm was affected … even though the current was being applied to the Armagi’s body,’ Parry said.
    The orderly could barely cope with what he’d just witnessed, let alone understand what Parry was trying to tell him. ‘But the Major …’ he gasped.
    Parry seized him by the shoulders. ‘Pull yourself together, man. If there’s a similar form of communication between the Armagi themselves, then our specimen might just have compromised our location. There might be others on the way!’ He grabbed the radio from his belt. ‘EVAC!’ he yelled into it.

 
     
     
    Chapter Two

    ‘ I look a right wally in this,’ Will said, catching his reflection in a shop window as they laboured along in the intense heat, their Bergens stuffed with all the bedding and towels they’d helped themselves to.
    ‘Yes,’ Elliott replied absently, her nose buried in a map that she’d found on one of the Limiters.
    ‘Oh, thanks,’ Will muttered. He paused to adjust the canary-yellow hat with a floppy brim that Elliott had picked out for him in the department store.
    ‘No, I mean it looks just fine,’ she said. ‘It does the job and keeps the sun off your face … and, anyway, who’s going to see even if you do look like a willy?’
    ‘ Wally ,’ Will corrected her quickly, then surveyed the bodies in the street. ‘Can’t we go back to our base? This place gives me the creeps, and it’s just crazy to spend so long out when it’s so bloody hot.’
    Elliott gave him a sympathetic nod, then dangled the map in front of him. ‘Okay, but I just want to check something first.’ She glanced at the map again before pointing straight ahead. ‘It’s this way.’
    She strode off, not only laden down by her Bergen and long rifle, but carrying an additional two rifles she’d insisted on taking from the Limiters. For a moment, Will watched her go, and the way her hips swayed as she walked. She was growing up so quickly, and with her tanned skin and her long black hair, she’d never looked more beautiful. In the same way as the Styx seemed to be able to adapt to any environment they were in, Elliott was flourishing in their new home in the inner world.
    And Will had her all to himself.
    He allowed himself a smug smile, then the sweat running down the small of his back reminded him where he was. He wasn’t happy about spending any longer in the city than was absolutely necessary, but he always found it difficult not to let Elliott have her way.
    Will happened to glance at what appeared to be a luxurious hotel judging by the canopy over the entrance. A flock of the most obnoxious-looking vultures was perching on the red-and-white striped awning, their mean little grey eyes intent on both him and Elliott. ‘You’re out of luck, boys – I’m not dead yet!’ Will yelled at the birds. Wiping his brow, he indicated Elliott up ahead. ‘Though if she has anything to do with it, I should stick around!’ he added.
    There was no way that Elliott could have missed the comment, but she kept doggedly leading them both on. Soon they found themselves in an area