'Theycould easily have teleported if they ran into trouble,' Darkness said.'Butwe’re overlooking something. Your agents are all unaccounted for, except for the two with you who were killed. I knew there was something I was forgetting! If all three of them were taken out, it suggests the possibility that our friends from the alternate timeline have a means of tracing warp discs. Probably by scanning for them in the same manner Search and Retrieve units conduct their sweeps.'
'Whichmeans they could have taken out the adjustment team,' said Phoenix.
— Perhaps not. Drakov was going to turn you over for interrogation. An adjustment team would clearly be more valuable to them alive than dead, for the same may have taken your agents prisoner, as reason. They as well. ‘
'Assuming they’re alive,' said Phoenix, 'what are the chances they’re still in our timeline' '
'Impossible to say.' said Darkness. 'If there are soldiers from the alternate timeline active in that area, they must have a base of operations somewhere. I’d guess it would be close to the confluence, which narrows the area down to the vicinity of the Khyber Pass. I’ll conduct a search. Meanwhile, do you think you could infiltrate Drakov’s forces without being recognized''
'No problem, long as I don’t get close enough to Drakov so he can get a good look at me. He’s got thousands of men. I’ll just blend in with the crowd as an Afridi.'
Good. Here’s the plan then. I’ll take you back there, then tach to Plus Time and warn Director Vargas. Then I’ll try to find the confluence point and the enemy base of operations. I’ll simply search the entire area of the Khyber Pass at light speed. I’ll give you a replacement warp disc and a molecular disruptor. Try to get close to Drakov without being spotted.'
'And the moment they make their m* ove, I hit him,' Phoenix said
''Exactly.'
''Okay, what are we waiting for' Let’s go.''
Mulvaney groaned and rolled over. 'Where in the bloomin’ blazes are we''
'Sahib Firin!' cried Din.
'I’m coming, Din,' Delaney said. Andre followed him down the stairs, back into the tomblike chamber.
'A fine bloody state of affairs this is,' said Learoyd, sitting up slowly. 'How did we get here' Wherever ‘here’ is.'
'We’re being held prisoner in an old temple high above the Khyber Pass,' said Finn.
'The Khyber'' said Learoyd. 'Have we been out so long then''
'Look ‘ere, sir,' Mulvaney said to Finn, 'what’s appened to us' What’s goin’ on ‘ere''
'We’vefallen into the hands of enemy soldiers,' Finn said. 'Soldiers who are using the tribesmen for their own purposes.'
'What’s their aim'' said Learoyd.
— Apparently they’re out to undermine our control of the frontier,' Delaney said. He had to improvise. He tried to think how much he could get away with telling them.
'Thatone officer was American,' Learoyd said. 'It makes no damn sense. Why would the Americans do such a thing''
'Some of them might be Americans,' said Delaney, 'but I don’t believe it’s an American unit. They weren’t wearing American uniforms. They seem to be a mixed bunch. Soldiers of fortune, perhaps.'
'The Russians,' said Learoyd. 'That must be it. They’re in the pay of the Russians.'
'I shouldn’t be surprised,' said Finn. 'However, knowing that won’t help us much right now.'
'What do they intend to do with us'' Ortheris said.
'I don’t know,' said Finn. 'Question us, most likely. Find out about troop strength and the like, I should imagine.'
'Well, we’ve got to figure some way out of here,' Learoyd said. 'Where do those stairs back there lead''
'To a parapet overlooking the Khyber Pass,' said Finn. 'Forget it. There’s no way down. And the door’s too heavy for us to break through.' -
'We’ll have to try and jump them when they come for us,' Learoyd said. 'There’s nothin’ else for it. We haven’t anythin’ to lose.' I doubt they’ll give us a chance,' said Finn. 'They know what they’re doing.'
'Well, we can’t just sit ‘ere!' said Mulvaney. 'We’ve got to do something! C’rnon, mates, we’ve been in tougher scrapes than this!'
‘, The best thing we can do is bide our time and wait fo r an opportunity, — Delaney said, worried that the headstrong Mulvaney might do something foolish. 'I’m in command here, and I won’t have any man throwing his life away trying to be a hero. Getting ourselves killed won’t solve anything.'
'He’sright, you know,' Learoyd said. 'We’ve got to keep our heads cool. Lieutenant, you say there’s no way down off that balcony. Might there be a way up''
Delaney shook his head. 'We’d have to stand on each other’s shoulders to reach the rocks above, and we’d never make it without climbing gear. It would be suicide. '
'Itcould be worth a try,' Learoyd said. 'If one of us could make it-'
'Isay we give it a go!' Mulvaney said.
'What do you say, Lieutenant'' said Learoyd. 'What have we got to lose''
'Aman’s life,' Delaney said.
Learoyd shrugged. 'That’s not so very much, now is it' Let’s have a look.'
Theywent up the stairs and stood out on the wind-swept parapet high above the pass. Learoyd looked up. 'Lord, 1 see what you mean,' he said. 'We would in-deed have to stand on one another’s shoulders for one of us to reach that overhangin’ rock up there, and then there’s no tellin’ what’s beyond.'
Mulvaney spat into his hands and rubbed them together. 'Well, who’s first then''
'Ithink I’ll have to go,' Learoyd said. 'I’m the lightest.'
''Sahib,' 'said Din. 'Let me. I am smallest, no' Din good climber.'
' You’re sure you want to try it, Din''' Learoyd said.
'‘E is the lightest, — Ortheris said, 'and I ain’t much good with me sore arm.'
'All right, Din,' said Finn. 'Be careful.'
'Up you go, Lieutenant,' said Mulvaney. He braced himself and Finn climbed up on his shoulders. Ortheris stood beside Mulvaney to brace him and Andre took the other side as they started to form a human pyramid. Finn stood up on Mulvaney’s shoulders, only too aware of the yawning abyss beneath them.
'All right, Learoyd, you’re next,' said Finn.
Learoyd carefully climbed up, balancing himself on Mulvaney’s shoulder and Ortheris’s good shoulder. Slowly he stood up and placed an arm around Delaney for support.
'Don’t look down,' said Finn.
Learoyd, of course, looked down at the drop below them, and quickly shut his eyes. 'On second thought, perhaps this wasn’t such a very good idea,' he said.
'You all right'' said Finn.
Learoyd swallowed hard and nodded. 'Right. Next man.'
'Come on, Din,' said Finn.
Carefully Din climbed up Mulvaney’s back, holding onto the Private’s burly shoulders for support.
'Come on, old son,' Learoyd said, holding out his hand, — you’ll make it.'
Slowly, ever so slowly, so as not to upset their precarious balance, Din stood up and Ortheris groaned, gritting his teeth from the pain as Din put his weight on his bad shoulder.
'Forgive me, Sahib!-
'Nevermind that,' said Ortheris, — just get on up there!'
Carefully, Din climbed up to the next level of the pyramid, putting one foot on Delaney’s knee. Transferring his weight slowly, he moved to sit astride Delaney’s shoulders.
'Can you reach it, Din'' said Learoyd.
Din looked up and swallowed hard. 'Must stand, Sahib. '
'Allright, then, stand. But slowly, mind!'
Moving as slowly as he could, Din placed his knees on Learoyd and Delaney’s shoulders. He could see, directly below him, the dizzying drop to the bottom. The wind whipped at them and the human pyramid swayed slightly.
