Dark Zone

105

The woman kicked and bit and punched at him. Donohue struggled, but her ferocity had caught him off-guard; he tripped and fell backward, managing only to push her away. He leaped backward, took two, three steps, and set himself for her attack.

Fortunately, she didn’t follow.

“Who are you?” the woman hissed between breaths. The accent was American.

“Who are you?” he answered.

“Why did you blow up the train?”

“I didn’t,” he said, surprised. “You’re not one of the terrorists?”

She was silent.

“Were you a passenger?” he asked.

“Yes. Are you one of the policemen?” she asked.

He considered how to answer the question. A policeman would have more authority, certainly, and pretending to be one now was tempting. But it might be difficult to explain later.

If it mattered.

“No. I’m just a passenger. I jumped off the train,” he said. “Terrorists blew it apart.”

“I know,” said the woman. “Why did you attack me?”

“I thought you were one of them,” he said. He wasn’t lying. “I didn’t see you until you were just about on me — I didn’t think anyone could be alive.”

“We have to get to help,” she said.

“How?” Donohue asked.

“Maybe there’s something inside this tunnel. Through the passage. There’s a service tunnel in the middle of the two tubes.”

“What about the people who blew up the train?” he said.

“They unhooked the engine. I think they left.”

“They left?” Donohue felt his anger flare, then drain away — Mussa had managed to escape.

Escape!

Better than he would do, unless he figured something out.

“Come on,” said the woman. “Let’s see if this entrance goes anywhere.”

“You’re hurt,” he said, noticing that she was limping.

“I’m all right.”

There were probably dozens of ways out of the service tunnel. If he lived, he would get Mussa. For that he would trade his life. He would strangle the bloody bastard with his bare hands. Oh, that would be delicious.

Who would blame him? He’d be a national hero. The Queen might even knight him… before throwing him in prison for the rest of his life.

“I’m sorry I hit you,” he said.

“You almost killed me,” said the woman, moving ahead in the passage. “I have a penlight on my key chain. Come on.”