'Kill them,' repeated Rekrap. 'All of them.' Polly threw herself on top of the three little dogs.
Captain Bean was in shock he didn't want to kill the dogs or Polly, but he had never disobeyed his superior officer before. He froze, what should he do.
'Bean, I said kill them Bean. NOW.' Rekrap screamed.
'I don't think so, Captain Bean,' Commander Pope said and held out his hand.
Bean was so thankful he sagged at the knees. He saluted and handed, with a great deal of relief, the killer ray unit to the Commander.
Rekrap went red in the face with anger. 'Commander how dare you?'
'Captain Bean, will you please take Commander Rekrap to the dining room for a cup of tea, and leave me to deal with this lot.'
Commander Pope looked back to where the Freeflyers had been standing, and they were gone.
'Oh no! Search the grounds!' Pope yelled.
Rekrap giggled. 'Who Commander? You, me, Bean here? Or all three of us?'
'Bean, follow me! Quick! Down to the crypt! We have to stop any rescue attempt. Rekrap, call for reinforcements at once, man.' Pope started to run. 'Bean come with me. NOW.'
Commander Rekrap was left alone on the steps of the church, and it was freezing cold. All he wanted was a warm fire and cup of tea and maybe a nice digestive biscuit. Yes, he thought, that's what I want. 'Now what did Old Nitty ask me to do? Umm… I can't remember' He tottered around the church steps. 'I don't like it here, it's too cold. And when I find that Polly girl, we can talk about the movie again.' He took a last look round, walked back in and headed for the dining room.
~
Event was not happy, he had a gaggle of girls with him, making as much noise as they could, as he helped them through the church kitchen window. What was it about the word quiet they did not understand?
'Polly, Polly, come here.'
'Yes, Event.'
'Which way is it?'
'I don't know, Event. I was literally zapped both ways.'
'Then that's a problem. Turn on the transparency watch and have a scout round. We will hide here and protect the girls. The last place the Rebels will think of looking is the kitchen.'
'I'll do my very best.'
'Synchronise times. Okay Polly, be back in the kitchen in one hour, okay? And stay invisible at all costs.'
Event went back to the kitchen, leaving Polly alone in the main hall. She decided to go back outside and see what was round the back. She tiptoed past the kitchen, being invisible was good fun. She crept to the front door.
As she went past Fifi the dog put up her head. I know that smell, Fifi thought, and without waiting a moment, she happily trotted out after whom she knew was Polly.
The minute Polly stepped outside, she realised the transparency watch also protected her from the cold. Wow! I'm going to keep this watch. It's fabulous. A nipping at her heels broke into her thoughts.
'Fifi, what are you doing out here? You'll freeze to death, you silly dog.' Fifi leapt up as Polly bent to pick her up. Polly felt happy till she remembered why she was there. 'My brother and Lucy… I have to rescue them.' As she walked round, she realised how much the back of this church reminded her of the back of Byzantine Crescent. She looked up. That looks like the ambry window. If I find a ladder, I could get up to there. And, with any luck, I should be able to find my way around. 'Fifi, you're the dog genius. Find me a ladder.' Polly put Fifi down, and the dog ran to a work shed. She started barking happily. Polly ran after her, and sure enough, there was a ladder. 'Fifi, you are marvellous.'
Polly dragged the ladder and set it up against the wall. She checked her watch. Ten minutes were already gone, and she had discovered nothing. She clambered up the ladder and peered in. The room was empty, so she opened the window and climbed in. It was dark and a little bit creepy. She crept to the other side of the room and listened at the door. It was deathly quiet. 'I'm so glad I have you with me Fifi,' Polly said as she opened the door. Fifi growled and tried to pull her back by her jeans. Polly trusted Fifi and stepped back. As her eyes became accustomed to the dark, she saw she was standing on the edge of a precipice.
She peered over and could not see the bottom. 'Oh no,' she said. She tried to step back further, but the door was in her way, it must have moved forward. She felt behind her for the doorknob and nearly cried when she found it. She turned it one way and then the other, but hard as she tried, it would not budge. 'I must not panic, there must a way out of this, a lot depends on me.' Fifi started to struggle. 'Fifi, Fifi, keep still or we'll fall off.' But the little dog kept struggling, and Polly was finding it very hard to hold on to her. Then it happened: One foot slipped, followed by the other. 'Nooo!' she screamed as she toppled over the edge, holding on tighter to the little dog.
Back in the cavern
'I can't believe it! Rhettnor has dropped us on the wrong side of the tunnel.' Piers hit the wall with the flat of his hand. 'This is how it was when I was left. It's rock solid.'
'There must be another way to the tunnels.' Miles looked round the cavern.
Piers looked up for the trap door. 'Christ, even the trap door is gone. What else can go wrong?'
'Get real, Piers. Commander Rhettnor would not put us anywhere that would trap us. We are supposed to be the Rebels Zack and Knox don't forget.'
'True.'
'So what would they do?' Miles started pressing every knob on his suit.
'Stop that, Miles. Let's see what we can do down here first.' Piers yelled.
But Miles still kept pressing the knobs and eventually he pressed the right button and out of nowhere, they were in the hut, but it was pitch black. As for Piers, history repeated itself, as someone fell through the roof of the cavern, knocking Miles to the floor. Not being able to see a thing, Piers fell on the body, throwing punches. A cacophony ensued - a girl screaming and a dog yapping. It ended with Miles screaming. 'Get off me and stop punching me Piers you're hurting me! You're hurting me!' Piers got up and found and turned on his torch. There was no one in the cavern except Miles.
'What was that?' Miles said. 'What fell on me?'
'I don't know,' Piers whispered. 'Did you hear a dog yapping?'
'Yes, and a girl screaming.'
Polly had shrunk back in the darkest corner, holding on tight to Fifi. She was scared to breathe. How did this happen? She was in a black hole with Zack and Knox.
'Strange things happen here, Miles. I found that out before. Anyway, we have to find a way out of here, so let's regroup, and try and find out what the rest of these buttons do.'
'I would like to know what fell on me, Piers,' Miles said.
It was Piers and Miles dressed as Rebels. She couldn't believe her luck. She turned off the transparency watch. 'It was me,' she said, as she jumped up.
Piers and Miles backed up to the other side of the cavern.
'What the hell? Polly, is that you? Where did you come from?' The boys could not believe their eyes.
'I was sent to find you,' Polly said. 'I thought you were Rebels.'
'Find us? We were sent to rescue you. Oh and yes, they thought we stood a better chance dressed up as Rebels.'
'Dressed as Rebels?' Polly questioned.
'Who sent you?' Piers said.
'The Rebels.'
'The Rebels?' Piers said, 'what are you saying Polly?'
'Wait a sec. I'm not on their side. The Rebels told me to capture you to save the lives of Hamish, Lucy and Steve.'
'How?' asked Miles.
'According to them, immobilise you and hand you over.'
'Immobilise us?' asked Piers. 'That's ridiculous. How could you possibly do that?'
'They gave me a watch that has some sort of superpowers. And Event and Salute have come here to help. They are hiding in the church, which I think is at the back of this shack.'
'Hiding? Why didn't they come with you?'
'Well, because Alison, Lily and Gemma are with them, and they wanted to keep them safe.'
'What?' Piers and Miles
said. We have to try and get into those tunnels, come on Polly this way. And the boys jumped into the cavern and helped Polly down.
Fifi jumped out of Polly's arms, and started to sniff at Miles.
'Fifi come here.' Polly tried to drag Fifi off, but she was staying. She jumped up at Miles, and sniffed his tunic.
'Four beautiful eyes with exceptionally long eyelashes appeared under Miles chin.
'It's the Liddles,' Polly said, her eyes wide open with surprise.
Piers looked at Miles, and the four little eyes looked at him. 'You brought those animals?'
'I forgot I had them.'
'Where did you get them from?' Polly asked.
Miles suddenly decided it was time to change the subject.
'Any idea how to get out of here?' Miles smiled.
'Don't change the bloody subject, Miles, you are good at that,' Piers said. 'Tell me the whole story.'
Miles sat on a rock. He was about to tell the story of how he got the Liddles, when the wall started to move. They heard the rumbling under the floor and look down to see a slither of light beamed into the cavern. Slowly, the light widened, and right there were the three tunnels.
'Bloody hell, it was the rock I sat on that closed the entrances - that simple.' Piers shook his head.
'I don't think we should go down there,' Polly cautioned. 'Terrible things happen.'
'Polly, we have no choice if we want to rescue Hamish, Lucy and Steve. Anyway, why don't you want to go down there?'
'Because I've been down there before. If we get to the end - and that's a big if - the Rebels will be waiting for us.' Polly looked very uneasy.
'That's okay, you're supposed to be bringing in Piers and Miles. They will think we captured you, after all right now we are Zack and Knox. Then we can rescue everyone and take them back home.'
Polly looked doubtful.
'Well what else do you suggest, Polly?' Miles asked.
'I think we should go back to the church.'
'Church? What church?'
'That's where I came from, and Event and Salute are there with the girls.'
'I still think we should go down the tunnel.' Piers was obstinate. He had been locked out of the tunnel before and was intrigued by what was down there.
'I know! Let Fifi decide,' Polly suggested.
'Definitely not,' Piers said, remembering what happened when the bear cub chose. 'Look, we've wasted enough time. Come on let's get going Miles, I'll go first, and you bring up the rear. Polly, you go back to the church.'
'No, I'm coming with you, and I should go first,' Polly said.
The boys were about to object, and Polly turned on her watch and turned it off again.
'A watch that makes you invisible. Well that changes everything,' Miles said. 'If we follow you, will we be invisible too?'
'Yes. But you have to hold on to me. What fun.'
Piers took the opportunity to hold Polly's hand. 'I'll go second,' Piers pushed past Miles.
'Okay,' Miles said, 'if you say so. But give me your other hand Piers, even though I'm not in love with you.'
Piers chose to ignore him as Polly checked the time. 'Forty minutes to go, and I have to be in the kitchen.'
'What kitchen?' Miles asked.
'The church's kitchen,' Polly said. 'Anyway, I know the way. Just follow me.'
The Kitchen
Commander Rekrap was seriously fed up. Commander Pope had taken off with Bean to de-pneuma the Freeflyers Hamish and Steve, and more seriously before Bean had made his lunch. He wandered into the kitchen.
Before Event or Salute could react, Rekrap said, 'Thank goodness, kitchen staff. Now who is the chef?'
'Me, sir,' Alison, knowing that Event and Salute could possibly be recognised, pushed forward and walked towards the Commander.
Event and Salute turned away and pretended to be washing up.
'Oh, I am glad. Now my dear, can you make me a nice cup of tea? I have so much to do. Commander Pope asked me to do something, and I seem to have forgotten what it was. I'm sure a bite to eat with the tea will bring back my memory.'
'Of course,' Ali said. 'Gemma, would you find a nice comfortable seat for this gentleman by the fire in the dining room?'
Gemma took Rekrap's arm and led him out of the kitchen.
'That was close,' Event said. 'What's the time? How much longer before Polly's due back?'
'Forty minutes.'
'Contact her and see what's happening.'
Salute tuned in. 'It's dead. Hang on, I'll look in the location finder.' Again, no response. Things were not looking good, and Event and Salute were more than worried.
'What could possibly have happened to her?'
'I'm going to try and find her. You stay here and protect the girls.'
'No Salute. Leave Polly till nearer the end of the time limit. You know what she's like. If you check up on her too soon and everything is going well, she'll throw a tush.'
'Better throw a tush than throw a life,' Salute retorted.
'True, but let's meet in the middle. Give her twenty minutes more.'
'Right. Let's make that silly old bugger in there some scones and tea and put in a bit of brandy. Maybe it will render him sillier than he normally is.'
Event suppressed a giggle. 'Right, here goes: One part tea - Five parts brandy.'
Ali came running into the kitchen. 'That Rebel just told Gemma, that Polly, Piers and Miles are in the Death Tunnel. They are walking into a trap - a monstrous trap, he said.'
'Event, we have to question him. We have to find out where the Death Tunnel is. We can't expose them to that much danger.'
Event was really stuck. He did not want to let Commander Rekrap know they were there, let alone the girls.
'Rekrap is an old idiot Event,' Salute said. 'He could be exaggerating. I still say wait.'
~
As Polly and the boys crept silently down the death tunnel, Fifi was desperate to run on ahead. She wriggled and wriggled, and as Polly could see a fair way ahead, she let her get down.
'How much farther does the tunnel go?' Miles complained. 'I'm getting claustrophobic.'
'Miles, we've only been going ten minutes.'
'Shush, quiet,' Polly said,
'What is it?' Piers whispered.
'Some sort of running water. Shush.'
They stood still and listened.
'Its only water,' Miles said. 'What do you want to do?'
Polly took a few steps forward. 'Where's Fifi? Fifi! Fifi!' She started to run down the tunnel and disappeared. The boys heard a scream.
Piers and Miles started after her. 'Where did she go? Polly, Polly, turn off your invisible watch thing!' Piers shouted.
Miles joined in the yelling as they kept running. The sound of running water was getting louder. 'Polly!' the boys were both yelling.
Piers stopped dead, ahead of them was a huge waterfall. He put his arm out to stop Miles and they both peered over the edge.
'Wow,' said Miles.
'Miles, you go that way. See if there is a way round.'
They walked to the edges. Not only was the water right to the edge of the tunnel path, but the sides of it were starting to crumble.
'How the hell could Polly get round that?' Miles said. 'Maybe she didn't.' Miles did not want say what he was thinking - she had fallen in.
'What now?' Piers was beside himself. He looked over the edge of the waterfall, it was a long way down.
'Can Rebels swim?' Miles asked.
'I don't know. Where the hell is she? I can't believe she would run so far ahead. Bloody stupid thing to do.'
'Shall I call the dog?' Miles suggested.
'Why not?' Piers returned. He looked at the buttons and levers on the Rebel suit. 'Rebels can fly. Is it the suit or them?'
'Shall we jump over the edge and see?' Miles suggested.
'Any other suggestion that won't kill us?' Piers said. 'All I hope is she got across before that waterfall appeared in the Tunnel of Death.'
'Seriously, Piers, shall we go back?'
'I really don't know, Miles. I hate to give up, and after what we have both been through. And go back to what or where?'
'Right, fools rush in Piers, so what are we waiting for?' Miles put out his hand, Piers grabbed it and they ran to the edge of the waterfall and jumped.
Zack
'Two hours left before Knox is free. I wonder if he will think to come here.' He looked at the small window. 'I could have escaped but didn't want to break Commander Rhettnor's heart or put him on guard.' He started to sing, 'How much is that doggie in the window?' He looked at his time watcher. These last two hours were dragging. Then the door flew open, and in walked a high-ranking Freeflyer, followed by three others.
'Good afternoon, Zack. Your turn.'
Zack yawned. 'Not that I'm overly interested, but my turn for what?'
'Well your mate Knox was very chatty… with a little persuasion, of course.'
Zack could not have cared less, it was Miles they were torturing, and it seemed he had held out. They still thought he was Knox. So, in a very short time, Knox would have a totally free hand. Whoopee doo.
'Please don't hurt me,' Knox said, and he lifted his hands like little paws, made rabbit teeth, sucked his bottom teeth and squatted begging them for his life.
'Very funny Zack. Strip him of his powers.'
Zack realised he had better cooperate. He had no idea what Miles had said. He stood quite still as all of his powers were either taken away or disconnected. The Freeflyers were thorough, nothing was left, except one. He held his breath. Then he was frog marched to the soundproof room and thrown in.
'Sugar-fish! Knox will never find me in here, I have to get out.' He looked around - no windows, energy protected walls twelve inches thick. And time was ticking away. What to do…? Hidden in a contact lens in his left eye was an initiator, but this was only to be used in an extreme emergency. Death could result if The Creator felt it was used for something that was not an extreme emergency. What would the creator deem an extreme emergency? Zack could only guess. He looked at his time watcher - one hour to go. I'll leave it till the very last minute.
The door opened again, and the Commander walked in.
Zack got up and bowed. 'The Commander again? To what do I owe this great honour?'
Polly Pippin and The Tunnel of Death Page 19
