Veil stood with his legs slightly apart before the lock, staring down at it, emptying his mind of all concern about the strength of the metal and the approaching police. He waited until he felt power manifest itself as a small, warm ball just behind his navel, then abruptly raised his right arm and chopped with the heel of his palm against the upper part of the lock. Nothing happened. Calmly, ignoring the walkie-talkie voices that now seemed to be all around them, Veil relaxed his muscles, then squared off again. He waited for his power to focus, then snapped his hand at the lock again. The lock snapped apart.
Reyna removed the lock and pushed the gate open. Veil lifted Toby in his arms, stepped into the mausoleum courtyard, turned, and waited. Reyna stepped through with the Nal-toon, then closed the gate behind her, wincing as it squeaked on its rusty hinges. She reached through the bars, put the lock back in place, and squeezed it shut. Rust and friction held it in place.
'You go ahead!' Reyna whispered urgently, placing the Nal-toon on top of Toby's still body. 'I have to clean up behind us!'
Veil crossed the courtyard and squeezed through the narrow opening where the door was ajar and into the utter darkness of the crypt. He eased Toby and the Nal-toon to the floor, then turned and watched as Reyna, crabbing backward on her hands and knees, attempted to erase the evidence of their passage. Her hands flew as she straightened the tall grass and clumps of weeds that had been bent or crushed. She made it to the crypt and slipped through the opening just as two uniformed policemen appeared from behind the stone angel.
Veil and Reyna huddled together as one of the policemen tested the gate. There was the grating squeal of metal—but the lock stayed in place. The policemen moved on.
Veil and Reyna moved back and sat down on the dirt floor of the moldering crypt. Despite the fact that they were touching, they could not see each other. Except for the bar of moonlight at the opening, the heavy, dank darkness was total. Things scuttled around them on the floor. They sat without speaking, listening to Toby's rattling, hoarse breathing as they waited for the dawn.
Chapter Sixteen
Veil rested on his haunches, back braced against the rough, clammy stone of the crypt, staring out through the narrow gap at the entrance. He felt Reyna come up behind him, grunted with pleasure when she put her hands on his shoulders and began to knead the thick, stiff muscles around his neck and collarbone.
'How's Toby?' Veil asked quietly.
Reyna sighed as she rested her head on Veil's back. 'He's conscious, but he's burning up with fever. The wound on his head looks terrible. It's very swollen, and there's a lot of pus.'
Veil straightened up and went to the rear of the mausoleum where, two hours earlier, they had built a small fire to see by and to ease Toby's racking chills. Cracks in the stone provided some ventilation, and Reyna had carefully selected the wood to be burned, but there was still enough smoke to make Veil's eyes tear. Toby did not seem to mind. The warrior-prince sat propped up against the fungus-covered burial vault. His one good eye glowed like a cat's in the firelight as he stared back at Veil. Veil smiled, but Toby's face remained impassive.
'I'm looking at one tough man,' Veil said thoughtfully. 'I can't believe he got this far, much less had the will, strength, and guts to attack those two men. Please tell him for me that he is the finest warrior I have ever met, and I honor him.'
Reyna translated Veil's remarks, but Toby remained silent. He took a large pinch of the heroin that had dribbled from the base of the Nal-toon, sniffed it. His eyelids fluttered.
'From the way he's been snorting that stuff,' Veil continued, 'I'd say he's on his way to becoming a fullblown addict.'
'It's all right,' Reyna replied in a firm voice. 'It's a miracle that a substance which destroys countless lives helped to save Toby's. It kept him going. God provided it for him. When the time comes that Toby no longer needs it, God will take away the craving.' She paused, bowed her head. 'Damn, I could hang myself for losing that radio. Now we don't know what's happening or who could be out in the cemetery looking for us. Toby needs medicine and bandages, and we
'We can't move yet, Reyna. You'd better believe that the bad guys are still out there someplace.' As well as Carl Nagle, Veil thought, but he didn't say so. 'What were you two talking about before?'
Reyna shrugged her frail shoulders. 'Nothing important. I was just trying to ease Toby's pain with talk—and reassure him. If and when we do get some medicine for Toby, I'm afraid that it may be a job to get him to take it. He thinks the heroin is the only medicine he needs.'
'Well, that's understandable. It's all he's had to hold him up so far.'
'Also, he still isn't sure he trusts us.' She paused, smiled thinly. 'When I picked him up at the airport, I told him we were in New York City. All this while he's been thinking that we're all one tribe called 'Newyorkcities.' Betrayal of the tribe is not something a K'ung can easily understand. Good grief.'
Veil studied Toby, the filthy, festering wound on the bushman's face, and made a decision. 'I know something about thirst,' he said in a flat voice, 'and this man is suffering. I'm going out to get some things. We can't wait until night. Without water, Toby may not last through the day.'
'No!' Reyna cried as she grabbed at Veil's sleeve. Toby started at Reyna's sharp tone, but Reyna turned and spoke reassuringly to him. Toby eased himself back against the vault, and Reyna again spoke to Veil. 'You can't go. What if something happens to you?'
'Nothing's going to happen to me.'
Reyna emphatically shook her head. 'Although I sometimes wonder, you are not Superman. You could be killed, or arrested by the police. Without you Toby is lost. I can't carry him, and I don't know what plans you've made. It won't make any difference if I'm caught. Besides, I move as well as you do—and there's a good deal less of me to spot.'
'No,' Veil said curtly. 'I don't want to frighten you, but I also shouldn't have to remind you that Carl Nagle could be out there somewhere.'
Reyna paled at the mention of the man's name, but her mouth remained set in a determined line. She raised her chin slightly. 'Toby does need water to make it through the day, Veil. I'm going to get it, and you can't stop me.' She turned to speak to Toby, but the bushman had lapsed into unconsciousness.
'Here,' Veil said resignedly, handing Reyna a slip of paper. 'If you can get to a phone, call this number. Either Victor Raskolnikov or a man named Walrus will be at the other end. It's a secure line, so you can talk freely. Both men know who you are. Let them know what's happening.'
Reyna nodded as she put the paper into a pocket in her jeans. She kissed Veil quickly, then slipped out into the day.
Reyna had been gone almost an hour and a half. Veil was debating whether or not to go look for her when she suddenly appeared at the entrance. She was carrying two large bags of groceries.
'Hey, am I glad to see you!' Veil said as he took Reyna in his arms.
'Take it easy, Veil!' Reyna replied with a grin, her eyes gleaming. Relief at returning safely had made her euphoric. 'You're squashing the sandwiches!'
'Anybody see you?'
'Are you kidding? Spot the chief tracker? No way.' Reyna's smile slowly faded. 'There are still men out there, though, and they're not cops.'
'Were you able to talk to Victor or Walrus?'
'Walrus.' Reyna paused, smiled. 'He's a funny man.'
'Mmm. His friends think so.'
'I told him that we had Toby and that we were going to lie low for a while here.'
'Is everything ready in Flushing?'
'Yes. He said to tell you that everything's in place and he's ready to go when you are. He gave me another number, and we're to call him as soon as we get out of here.'
'Good.' Veil took the bags from Reyna, set them on the floor, then took Reyna in his arms again and kissed her hard.
'I'm afraid I spent all the money you gave me, Veil,' Reyna said when he had released her. 'Do we have
