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.His foot kicked acandy bar wrapper aside, and his next step generated the crunch of a beetle ora roach being ground into the cement.Benny wasn't about to stop and decidewhich.After another few minutes, Lucky actually had to stop and consult a small mapbefore pointing into a tunnel that seemed to slope perceptibly downward.At the other end of the tunnel was a junction where six tunnels met, and Bennycould feel vibrations through the soles of his shoes."Here," Lucky said as he unshouldered his pack and started to put it on theground.At the last minute, he hung the strap on a bolt holding a pipe atchest level.Benny acted as a nurse to Lucky's doctor impression as Lucky requestedmaterials from the packs and he carefully set them into position."Packet,"meant Lucky wanted another greasy, plastic-wrapped brick of explosive."Glue," meant lucky wanted the glue gun to fasten something into place, once afuse, once a timer.This part of the trip made Benny the most nervous.Not many of Benny'sfriends called him things like "imaginative," but he sure was.He could seehimself and Lucky getting blown to bits by just a quick accident.The wrongthing dropped, the timer begin defective.For all he knew, accidentallyputting the explosive next to a hot pipe would trigger it.If Lucky shared Benny's fears, he kept them to himself.Seconds later Lucky finished his work, and they moved down another tunnel.Acouple of minutes later, Lucky was again at work."Okay, that just about does it," Lucky said finally.Benny realized he was sweating."You're sure that'll do it?""Sure I'm sure.That huge pipe there? It's the one of the tunnel ventilationtubes.When this baby goes--poof--it starts suckin' air from right here downinto the tunnel.And that first job, back in the other tunnel? That'llrupture the biggest water-line for blocks around.This whole tunnel will beflooded, and guess where the water's gonna want to go?""So, how much time do we have?"Lucky looked at his watch."About two--two and a half minutes.""What? Let's get the hell out of here!""Fine by me."Lucky hoisted his pack and started moving back the way they had come.Bennywas right behind."Hurry it up, will you?" Benny said."Keep your pants on.Oh, did I say two minutes? I meant twenty minutes."Lucky laughed his screwy laugh, sounding like something halfway between ahiccup and a belch."You moron.""Had you going.Am I right?"Page 96 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"Get outta' here."For an instant, Benny considered tipping Lucky into the trough of scummyliquid flowing along the bottom of the tunnel,but he knew he'd never find his way out on his own.He followed Lucky through turn after turn, thinking of ways to get even.Apair of red eyes illuminated by his flashlight took his mind off the problemtemporarily."Hold up," Lucky said suddenly.He stopped so abruptlyBenny almost bumped into him.Lucky turned so Benny could see he was lookingat his watch."Should be just about now."Benny listened carefully, suddenly too aware of the creaks and slitheringsounds and the soft buzzing that could have been flies caught in a big spiderweb nearby."Why should I believe you this--""Shhh!"And then it came.Two dull cracks, then silence, then a slow thundering noiseas the rumbling made the tunnel walls vibrate.Grit fell from the ceiling,and somewhere a pipe clanked three times."Yes!" said Lucky."All right!" Benny turned to face the way they had come, and the rumblingseemed a little louder.He visualized the water flooding into the BatteryTunnel.That should give the mayor second thoughts about whether she shouldhave people down there."You're a wizard," he said softly."Tell me somethin' new," said Lucky.The two men moved off into the tunnel.Occasionally Benny looked backnervously, a little worried that he'd see a wall of water coming toward them.If that happened, it probably wouldn't even matter that he couldn't swim.#Blood pounded in Matt's ears."Their entire population killed?" he said,disbelieving.Abby looked from the alien diplomats to Matt."Yes.They heard the dyingscreams of a planetful of their race.A lot of what they heard wasn'tcoherent, but they got the strong impression of the whole atmosphere being onfire.From a live person there's always a residual amount of noise.Onlywhen someone of their race dies does that person go completely silent.And silence is what they heard afterward.I'm amazed they haven't all gonemad.""God above," Matt said slowly."How sure are you that you're correctlyunderstanding them? And is there any chance that the bubble being in place iswhat cut off the rest of the transmissions?"Abby said, "I'm virtually positive I'm understanding them correctly, but I'lltry to go at it a different way to make absolutely certain."As Abby started drawing on the tree dwellers' slate again, Rudy leaned forwardand caught's Matt's attention.Softly he said, "As horrific as that sounds,we do already have some evidence that suggests what they're telling us istrue."Matt thought for a moment."You're talking about the flashes of light overthe horizon in the transmission we received? What we figured was a hugelightning storm?""Yes.If our captors really do destroy the planet after a city they take isoff the surface, that lightning storm could have been caused by them.Thatlightning storm could have been something far worse."Abby exchanged several more drawings before she said, "WhatI've already told you has to be the right interpretation.These people couldbe lying to us, but I really think that's what they're saying."Matt nodded."Do these--people--'hear' anything from our captors?"Page 97 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlMoments later Abby said, "No.They've never been able to communicate withanyone who's not a member of their race.Apparently they can 'hear' electrical noise when it's generated, but to themthat's all it is: noise." Abby hesitated."God, Ihate to even think this, but it's the obvious conclusion
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