Cody held his hand up. The major stopped behind him and waited. From the shadows near the office he could see several sets of headlights approaching the camp.
Three small units and two official-looking black cars with flags on the hoods pulled into the compound. Cody had seen cars like these and men like the ones stepping out of them before.
It was a surprise inspection. Sidoron’s superiors came several times a year to make sure everything was in order. This time they would be especially interested in two things. One would be how the indoctrination program was working and the other—Cody glanced back at the major—was hiding with him here in the bushes.
Lights started coming on in the headquarters and the guardhouse. Cody looked at the moon. It wasn’t quite up all the way.
They couldn’t stay where they were. There was no choice but to head for the sewer pit.
The major stayed right behind him. When he jumped into the pit, she didn’t falter. He went to work frantically, clearing the tunnel entrance. Without a word the major slipped into her boots and used her good arm to help.
When the opening was clear, Cody went to the edge of the smelly pit and peeked out. If Luther didn’t get here soon, they’d be forced to leave without him.
A furtive movement caught his eye at the side of the toolshed. Cody ducked so that whoever was out there wouldn’t see him. Then he heard a noise like someone crawling in the dirt on their belly.
Luther dropped quietly into the pit beside him. “We got big trouble, kid. We’d be better off to try for another night. The whole place is crawling with …” He saw the major still in her hospital gown kneeling near the tunnel entrance. Luther rubbed his chin and paused. “Just tell me one thing. Has she given them the location of the base?”
Cody shook his head.
Luther threw up his hands. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s get out of here.” He took a small spade out of his belt and darted into the tunnel.
Cody and the major followed. Luther had done an excellent job of digging. The tunnel was deep and it went out under the wire for a good twenty feet. Now all he had to do was punch out an opening through the topsoil.
Dirt fell on them as Luther dug but no one talked. In a few minutes he had a hole wide enough to crawl through.
An alarm went off.
They could hear shouting and people running.
Luther crawled over the major and grabbed Cody’s shoulders. “Listen to me and don’t argue. You were right to bring the major. We can’t let them have her information. Now it’s going to be your job to help her get away. I’m going back to draw their attention. It’ll take their minds off of her for a while and buy you some time.”
“Wait.” Cody grabbed at Luther’s foot but he was already halfway back to the pit.
“Go on,” Luther whispered. “If I’m going to play the hero, I don’t want it to be wasted.”
Numbly Cody followed the major down the tunnel to the opening and helped her out. Then he squirmed up behind her and started running.
They could hear more shouting. In moments the sound of machine-gun fire came from the camp. Cody turned. The spotlights were focused on the fence and he could see the outline of Luther’s lifeless body hanging from the top of the barbed wire.
Cody felt a hand slide inside his own and pull him along. “Come on, kid. He didn’t die so that we could stand around. We need to keep moving.”