Chapter 58 Section fifty-seven

Pendergast put down the walkie-talkie and looked at Margot: "The monster killed most of a SWAT team. It sounds like Dr. Wright is dead too. Coffey withdrew the rest of the rescue team and he wouldn't respond to me. call. He seemed to think it was all my fault." "He's got to listen to us!" growled Flock. "We already know what to do. They'll just have to come in with the arc lights!" "I know what's wrong with him," Pendergast said. "He's overwhelmed and looking for a scapegoat. We can't expect him to help." "Oh my god, Dr. Wright..." Margo covered her mouth with her hand, "If my plan works, if I can figure it out earlier, maybe these people don't have to die."

"Then it might be Vice-Captain D'Agosta, the Mayor, and all those people down there," replied Pendergast, looking down the corridor, "I think it's my duty now to keep you two safe. Perhaps we should follow the path I suggested D'Agosta to take. Provided, of course, that these architectural blueprints do not lead him astray." He glanced at Flock. "No, I'm afraid not." "Go!" cried Flock, "don't stay because of me!" Pendergast smiled faintly. "Not because of you, doctor, but because of the bad weather. As you know, the lower basement floods during the rainy season. I heard someone on the police channel say that the rain outside this hour is approaching monsoon strength. Put the plants As the fiber was pouring into the lower basement, I noticed that the water was at least two feet deep, and the flow was very strong eastward. This meant that the lower basement was draining the Hudson River. Even if I wanted to go down, I'm afraid I can't go down now "Pendergast raised his eyebrows, "If D'Agosta hasn't gone out now, alas, his chances of escape are very slim."

He turned to Margo and said, "You two better stay in the secure holding area. We know the monster won't be able to break through this reinforced door. Crews will be able to restore power in a few hours. I'm sure there are a few more Individuals are trapped in the security command center and computer room. They are vulnerable. You have told me a lot about this monster. We know its weaknesses and we know its strengths. The security command center and computer room are adjacent to a road A long corridor with no obstacles. You stay here safely, and I can hunt it down with confidence."

"No," said Margot, "you can't go alone." "Perhaps not, Miss Green, but I intend to give it a good try." "I'll go with you." She said resolutely. "I'm sorry." Pendergast stood in front of the open gate of the secure storage area and watched. "That thing is very intelligent," said Margot, "and I don't think you can handle it alone. If you think I'm a woman, so—" Pendergast seemed taken aback. "Miss Green, you underestimate me. I'm shocked. Here's the thing: You haven't been through this scene. You can't do anything without a gun."

Margot looked at him with a murderous look, and said viciously: "I told you to turn on the light just now, and I saved your life." Pendergast raised an eyebrow. Flock said in the dark, "Pendergast, drop your silly Southern gentleman habits. Take her." Pendergast turned to Flock and said, "Are you sure we can leave you alone? Doctor, we must take both flashlights and miner's hat, or we shall have no chance of success." "Of course!" Flock waved his hand contemptuously, "I've been excited for so long, just let me rest." Pendergast hesitated for a moment, then fell into thought. "Very well," he said at last, "Margo, lock the Doctor into safe storage, grab his key and my poor coat, and let's go."

Smithback shook the flashlight vigorously.The lights flickered, brightened momentarily, then dimmed again. "If it's completely dead," D'Agosta said, "then we're dead. Turn it off, turn it on every once in a while, and check our progress." They moved forward in the dark, and the sound of water filled the cramped space.Smithback led the way, followed by D'Agosta, who, like the rest of his body, was nearly numb, clutching the reporter's hand. Smithback suddenly pricked up his ears.He became more and more sensitive to new sounds in the dark. "Did you hear that?" asked Smithback.

D'Agosta listened for a while, then replied, "There seems to be some movement." "I sound like—" Smithback fell silent. "The waterfall," D'Agosta concluded, "but whatever it is, it's still some distance away. The sound is coming along this tunnel. Keep it quiet." Everyone continued to trek in silence. "Light it up," D'Agosta said. Smithback turned on the flashlight, shone it on the empty passage ahead, then turned it off again.It got louder—quite loud now, in fact.He felt a rush of current in the water. "Damn it!" said D'Agosta.

Suddenly there was commotion behind them. "Help!" A woman's voice came from the darkness, "I slipped and fell! Don't let me go!" "Who's got her!" shouted the mayor. Smithback immediately turned on the flashlight and shone it backwards.A middle-aged woman was splashing in the water, her long skirt rolling over the jet-black water. "Stand up!" cried the mayor, "stand firm!" "Help!" she yelled. Smithback put the flashlight in his pocket and stood against the current.The woman floated straight towards him.He saw the woman flapping her arms indiscriminately, and felt her arms tightly hugging his thighs, and he felt that he was about to slip too.

"Wait!" he shouted. "Don't struggle! I've got you!" The woman's legs kicked out, wrapped around his knees, and knocked Smithback's grip off D'Agosta's hand.Smithback staggered forward a few steps, almost being dragged off balance, surprised at the strength of the woman. "You pulled me down too!" he said as he fell on his back into the chest-high water, feeling the current suck him deep.Out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of D'Agosta running towards him with difficulty.Frightened, the woman climbed blindly on top of him and pushed his head into the water.Smithback's head was exposed under the woman's drenched dress, which wrapped around his nose and chin, leaving him dizzy and unable to breathe.Fatigue is overwhelming.The second time he sank into the water, a strange hollow whistling sounded in his ears.

He suddenly returned to the surface of the water, coughing desperately.There was a terrifying scream from the tunnel ahead.A strong hand seized him: D'Agosta's hand. "The woman got swept away," D'Agosta said. "Follow me." The woman's screams echoed in their ears, and as she was pushed farther and farther away, the screams became weaker and weaker.A few guests shouted at her to give her directions, while others wept uncontrollably. "Hold on to the wall, everyone!" D'Agosta yelled. "Let's keep going, and don't let go." He whispered to Smithback, "Don't tell me you lost your flashlight." gone."

"Still," said Smithback, trying the flashlight. "We must move on, otherwise no one will survive," D'Agosta murmured.He smiled bitterly: "It seems that I saved your life this time. Smithback, we are even." Smithback said nothing.He tried not to hear the screams of terror and pain, which were now far away, distorted by the tunnel.The sound of roaring water became clearer and more menacing. What happened just now made everyone discouraged.Smithback heard the mayor shout, "We'll get through this together! Don't let the chain break!" Smithback squeezed D'Agosta's hand as hard as he could.They trudged downstream in the dark. "Light it up," D'Agosta said. Smithback turned on the flashlight.The world in front of me collapsed. A hundred yards away, the ceiling of the tunnel turned downward, forming a narrow semicircular vent.The greasy water roared and thundered beneath it, then plunged into the black abyss.A thick mist rose up, and black drops fell on the moss-covered opening of the abyss.Smithback couldn't help but grinned. His ideal of becoming a best-selling author, all his dreams, and even his desire to live, all disappeared in this vortex. He gradually realized that the cry behind him was not from panic, but from the crowd cheering.He turned around and saw the eyes of the people covered in mud passing over his head and looking upwards.Where the curved brick ceiling met the tunnel walls was a black hole about three feet square.There is a rusty iron ladder at the entrance of the cave, riveted on the ancient stone wall. The cheers died down quickly as the crowd recognized the horrific reality. "Too fucking high to reach," D'Agosta said.