Earth. Gravity fluctuated at this depth and speed, so they were alternately pinned to their chairs and straining to be free of their seatbelts. The chute’s blackness enveloped them like tar, except for the cone of light from the shuttle’s headlamps. Gigantic rock formations darted in and out of the cone, heading straight for their nose. Somehow, Holly steered them through without once tapping the brake.
On the plasma dash, the icon representing the gaseous anomaly that was Opal’s ship inched across the screen.
‘They’re on to us,’ said Holly, catching the movement in the corner of one eye.
Artemis’s stomach was knotted from flight nausea, anxiety, fatigue and exhilaration. ‘Very well,’ he said, almost to himself. ‘The chase is on.’
At the mouth of E7, Merv was at the wheel of the stealth shuttle. Scant was on instruments and Opal was in charge of giving orders and general ranting.
‘Do we have a signal from the charges?’ she screeched from her chair.
Her voice is getting really annoying, thought Scant, but not too loudly.
‘No,’ he replied. ‘Nothing. Which means they must be in their shuttle. Their shields must be blocking the charges’ signal. We need to get closer — or I could send the detonation signal anyway. We might get lucky.’
Opal’s screech grew more strident. ‘No! We must not detonate before that shuttle reaches a hundred and six miles. If we do, the orebody will not change course.
What about this stupid communicator? Anything from that?’
‘Negative,’ said Scant. ‘If there’s another one, it must be switched off.’
‘We could always return to Zito’s compound,’ said Merv. ‘We have a dozen more charges there.’
Opal leaned forward in her seat, punching Merv’s shoulders with her tiny fists.
‘Idiot. Moron. Halfwit. Are you in some kind of stupidity competition? Is that it? If we return to Zito’s, the orebody will be too deep by the time we return. Not to mention the fact that Captain Short will present the LEP with her version of events and they will have to investigate, at the very least. We must get closer and we must detonate. Even if we miss the probe window, at least we shall destroy any witnesses against me.’
The stealth shuttle had proximity sensors linked into the navigating software, which meant that Opal and company did not have to worry about colliding with the chute wall or stalactites.
‘How long before we’re in detonation range?’ Opal barked. To be honest, it was more of a yip.
Merv did some quick calculations. ‘Three minutes. No more.’
‘How deep will they be at that point?’
A few more sums. ‘Hundred and fifty-five miles.’ Opal pinched her nose. ‘It could work. Presuming they have both charges, the resulting explosion, even if not directed as we planned, may be enough to blow a crack in the wall. It’s our only option. If it fails, at least we have time to regroup. As soon as they hit one zero five, send the detonate signal. Send it continuously. We may get lucky.’
Merv flipped a plastic safety cover off the detonate button. Only seconds to go.
Artemis’s insides were trying to force their way out through his throat.
‘This heap needs new gyroscopes,’ he said.
Holly barely nodded, she was too busy concentrating on a particularly tricky series of jinks and loops in the chute.
Artemis consulted the dashboard’s readout.
‘We’re at a depth of one zero five now. Opal will be trying to detonate. She’s closing fast.’
Mulch stuck his head through from the passenger section. ‘Is all this jiggling about really necessary? I’ve had a lot to eat recently.’
‘Nearly there,’ said Artemis. ‘The ride is just about over. Tell Butler to open the bag.’
‘OK. Are you sure Opal will do what she’s supposed to?’
Artemis smiled reassuringly. ‘Of course I am. It’s human nature, and Opal is a human now. Remember? Now, Holly. Pull over.’
Mervall tapped the readout. ‘You’re not going to believe this, Op— Miss Koboi.’
The merest hint of a smile flickered across Opal’s lips. ‘Don’t tell me. They have stopped.’
Merv shook his head, astounded. ‘Yes, they are hovering at a hundred and twenty-four miles. Why would they do that?’
‘There’s no point trying to explain it, Mervall. Just keep sending the detonation signal, but slow us down. I don’t want to be too close when we get a connection.’
She drummed her nails on the hand-held communicator left behind by the dwarf.
Any second now.
A red call light flashed on the communicator, accompanied by a slight vibration.
Opal smiled, flipping open the walkie-talkie’s screen.
Artemis’s pale face filled the tiny screen. He was trying to smile, but it was obviously forced. ‘Opal, I am giving you one chance to surrender. We have disarmed your charges and the LEP are on their way. It would be better for you to turn yourself over to Captain Short than shoot it out with an armed LEP ship.’
Opal clapped her hands. ‘Bravo, Master Fowl, what a wonderful fiction. Now, why don’t I tell you the real truth? You have realized that the charges cannot be disarmed.
The mere fact that I can receive your communication’s signal means that my detonation signal will soon penetrate your shields. You cannot jettison the explosives or I will set them off in the chute, exactly as I had originally planned. Then I will simply fire a few heat-seekers at your craft. And if you attempt further flight, then I will follow and penetrate your shields before you clear the parallel stretch. You are not in communication with the LEP. If you were, we would have picked up your broadcast. So your only alternative is this pathetic bluff. And it is pathetic. You are obviously attempting to stall me until the orebody passes your depth.’
‘So you refuse to surrender?’
Opal pretended to think about it, tapping her chin with a manicured nail. ‘Why, yes. I think I will fight on, against all odds. And by the way, please don’t look directly at the screen, it’s bad for my skin.’
Artemis sighed dramatically. ‘Well, if we have to go, at least we’ll go on full stomachs.’
This was an unusually cavalier comment to make with seconds to live, even for a human. ‘Full stomachs?’
‘Yes,’ said Artemis. ‘Mulch took something else from your shuttle.’
He picked up a small chocolate-covered ball, wiggling it in front of the screen.
‘My truffles?’ gasped Opal. ‘You took them. That’s just mean.’
Artemis popped the treat into his mouth, chewing slowly. ‘They really are divine.
I can see why you missed them in the clinic. We’re going to have to work really hard to eat all we took before you blow us to smithereens.’
Opal hissed, catlike. ‘Killing you will be so easy.’ She turned to Merv. ‘Do we have a signal yet?’
‘Nothing, Miss Koboi. But soon. If we have communications, it can’t be long now.’
Holly squeezed her head into the viewfinder. One cheek was swollen with truffles. ‘They really melt in the mouth, Opal. The condemned crew’s final meal.’
Opal actually poked the screen with her nail. ‘You survived twice, Short. You won’t do it again, I guarantee it.’
Holly laughed. ‘You should see Mulch. He’s shovelling those truffles down his gullet.’
Opal was livid. ‘Any signal?’ Even now, with certain destruction only moments away, they were still mocking her.
‘Not yet. Soon.’
‘Keep trying. Keep your finger on that button.’
Opal unstrapped herself, striding through to the lounge. The dwarf couldn’t have carried all the truffles and the explosives. Surely not. She had been so looking forward to a handful of the heavenly chocolate, once Haven was destroyed.
She knelt on the carpet, worming her hand underneath the seam to the hidden catch. It popped beneath her fingers, and the booty box’s lid slid up and back.
There was not a single truffle left in the box. Instead, there were two shaped charges. For a moment Opal could not understand what she was seeing. Then it became terrifyingly clear. Artemis had never stolen the charges, he had simply told the dwarf to move them. Once in the booty box, they could not be detected or
