Farther ahead was a crawl space. It would act as a shield. If they could get through that crawl space, they could take the exit by the Terry Science Center. Up and out, and then into the woods from the basement exit. If Jake could send their pursuers off on the wrong course, it would buy even more time.
Jake yelled, “Go. Keep running straight!”
As he ran, Jake unsheathed the knife strapped to his ankle and used it to cut a long swath of fabric from his shirt. At the tunnel branch, he stopped and fixed the cloth to a jagged piece of stone that jutted out from the passageway. The cloth looked like an arrow pointing the direction to go. Jake lit another flare, carried it partway down the branch so the smell of smoke and burning magnesium would be there as well, and then he extinguished the flame with his boot. He left the flare on the ground like a discarded cigarette. His hope was that these killers would mistakenly go up the metal stairs and chase their prey into the janitor’s closet.
Jake returned to the main tunnel. “Keep as quiet as possible,” he called in a low voice.
A short time later, Jake could see the ragtag line of escapees up ahead. Sound carried here, and Jake heard another gunshot in the distance, followed by an excited yell and a loud bang. The pit door was open. They were coming.
Gunshots came rapid fire. Bullets sank into the darkness. Some careened off concrete pipes, while others ineffectively sprayed the tunnel floor and walls. Jake couldn’t see any flashes, which meant they couldn’t see any flares. The whole line found a sudden burst of speed.
Jake was running at a sprint and didn’t notice a figure down on the ground in front of him. It was pure agility that allowed him to hurdle Solomon without landing on the boy’s head, but Jake’s right boot kicked Solomon’s leg hard. Airborne, Jake outstretched like he was making a diving catch. When he hit the ground, the tactical helmet Jake wore bounced off the concrete. He heard a horrible crunching glass sound, and Jake knew his night vision optics were no more. At least Jake still had his headlamp.
Solomon lay on the ground close by and may have tripped over a pipe or his own feet. Jake stood and helped Solomon find his footing. Behind them, the gunfire continued unrelentingly. Only the angle of the tunnel was keeping them safe.
“Get up! Get up!” Jake yelled.
Solomon staggered to his feet and Jake held on to the boy’s hand, dragging him forward. Up ahead, Jake saw the kids gathered in front of what he knew was a tight crawl space into the next section of the tunnel system. They were unsure of what to do. Jake let go of Solomon’s hand, but glanced back to make sure the slower boy kept pace. The flares in Hilary and Rafa’s hands hissed like a snake pit, expelling pungent smoke. Jake took the flares and extinguished them with his boot. He kept his headlamp on, but the flares were more likely to give them away.
The sound of gunfire down the tunnel sputtered and then stopped altogether. The kids were covered in filth and grime, breathing hard, stooped over, hands on their knees. Jake shushed them to better hear. He was counting on his bit of misdirection to send their pursuers off course, and his plan appeared to have worked. It was impossible to hear footsteps from this far away, but the quiet was a telling indicator.
Jake removed his backpack. He took an extra flashlight from within and powered it on. He handed the flashlight to Andy, along with a couple of flares.
“Andy knows these tunnels,” Jake whispered. “He takes the lead. This is it for light, so going forward hold hands. Andy, call out any obstacles, but do it quietly. Get out the Terry Science Center exit. Hit the woods and start calling for help. Understood?”
Jake shone his headlamp on six terrified faces and got confirmation from each.
“We have time,” Jake said. “Don’t rush. A broken bone or even a twisted ankle here could be real trouble, so use your flares if you have to and go slow. Stick together and you’ll make it out alive. Now go.”
Andy reached out and took his father’s hand. “Dad-”
“Not now, son. You’re the leader here. Get everyone to safety. That’s all that matters. Here, take this.” Jake pressed the Ruger into Andy’s hand.
“How are you feeling?” Jake asked. “Your diabetes, I mean.”
Andy said, “Better now,” and he gave Hilary a look. “I’m so sorry, Dad. I’m so sorry.”
Jake put his hand on Andy’s shoulder “These guys, who are they?”
“Drug cartel from Mexico,” David answered.
Jake gave Andy a hard look that said the explanation could wait.
“How many total?” Jake asked.
Andy said, “Twelve,” without hesitating.
Jake did the math again. Nine confirmed dead left three still alive. “Don’t hesitate if you have to use this,” Jake said. He squeezed Andy’s hand around the butt of the pistol.
Andy examined the weapon in his hand before he stashed it in the waistband of his jeans. He gave his father a quick embrace. Then Andy got low to the ground. “Follow me,” he said to the others as he crawled through the opening on his stomach.
One by one, the kids wormed their way through the narrow crawl space that linked the tunnels between the Academy Building and the Terry Science Center. Jake would go last.
He removed his helmet. Sure enough, the optics were trashed; the glass was cracked and not functioning. Jake ditched the helmet and his hearing protection entirely. He stuffed his backpack through the opening, which was two feet high and not much wider. It was a tight fit for an average-sized person, but it also provided lots of thick concrete that would stop any bullets if they came this way. He hoped that wouldn’t happen. By the time the cartel men realized the mistake, everyone would be long gone.
Jake checked his ammo for the rifle. One mag was already loaded in his gun, and the other he had strapped to his battle belt. He still had the Glock. With any luck, none of it would be needed.
The last in line to go through was Solomon. The boy shot Jake a frantic look.
“You got this,” Jake said.
Solomon got low to examine the opening. He pulled back. Andy poked his head through.
“I’m coming,” Solomon said.
“Go!” Jake said to Andy. “I’ll stay with Solomon.”
Andy nodded and then he was gone.
Solomon put his head into the opening, but again the narrow fit unnerved him, so he slunk out and turned himself around. He took a long time to calm down. Too long.
By now, Andy and the others were already out of earshot. Probably out of the building.
“I’ll back in,” Solomon said.
Jake kept his headlamp on Solomon’s sweat-drenched face. He watched Solomon’s feet get through, next his legs, then his hips, and then Solomon stopped moving entirely. Jake heard the boy grunt and struggle, but he didn’t move another inch. Solomon began to hyperventilate and Jake’s headlamp illuminated every crevice on the boy’s panic-stricken face. The part of Solomon’s body Jake could actually see squirmed in a frantic wiggle.
“Help! Help! I’m stuck!” Solomon screamed.
Jake’s eyes went wide with horror. The boy’s screams would give them away, for sure. Jake crouched in front of Solomon and said in a calm voice, “Take it easy, buddy. Take it easy. You’ve got to keep quiet.”
“Help!” Solomon screamed again. “I’m stuck! I’m stuck!”
Panic. Pure, terrified panic.
Jake couldn’t see through the opening; Solomon blocked the way. But he could hear just fine. He put his hands on Solomon’s shoulders and gave a shove. The boy didn’t budge. Next, Jake took hold of Solomon’s wrists and gave a hard yank. No movement in either direction. Solomon was lodged in there good. Most of his body was through the opening. If Jake could get to the other side, he could probably pull him through. Of course he couldn’t reach his legs because Solomon’s body blocked the way.