Hanomer now became more agitated than Dave had ever seen him before. “Why are they going into the heart of the darkness? What are they up to?
“What’s going on?” asked Dave.
“All of the evil and fear of this place emanates from the end of that tunnel they just entered,” said Hanomer. “None of the Hansa have ever gone there in living memory, because it is too dangerous. Normally there are many ape¬men guarding the approach. Now there are none. I need to take a great risk and go there now to see what they are going to do! If I do not come back, you must make your way back to the village—or at least to your people—to tell them what you have seen.”
“I want to come along,” insisted Dave.
Hanomer did not answer but led the way back toward the main passage they had been using. Partway back Hanomer climbed through a fissure that led into a small chimney. The chimney was narrow, and Dave was able to use the walls to hold himself steady as he descended from foothold to foothold. After about thirty feet, the chimney began to widen. When Dave reached the bend, he saw that the descent was much less steep. His progress was more rapid now, and he was able to reach the cavern floor, where Hanomer waited. He touched Dave’s arm.
“Rokomer, I don’t know this part of the cavern at all. I have never gone through this tunnel, since it has always been heavily guarded by ape¬men. Long ago Hansa tried to climb into this tunnel, but none ever returned. Our elders have forbidden the Hansa to try this route again, yet I feel strongly that I must know what your countrymen are doing in there. The cavern is empty of ape¬men today, and I have never seen it empty in many years of watching the entrance. Still, we must be careful, since we can easily be cut off. I think it best if I go alone the rest of the way into that tunnel.”
“No!” whispered Dave. “I want to come along.”
Hanomer did not press his objection but shook his head in dismay and lapsed into whispered speech. “Just follow my lead then,” he said.
Before proceeding further, Hanomer studied the tunnel carefully. Finally he signaled and descended to the cavern floor. He crossed and then began to climb the cavern wall again. Dave followed him.
After about thirty feet, Dave saw where Hanomer was going. The tunnel was a long, vertical crack stretching 300 feet up the wall and descending through the floor. Some time in the ancient past an earth tremor must have dislodged a large section of the fissure wall. The huge wedge¬shaped fragment had slid into the narrowing crack of the fissure, forming the rough floor of the tunnel. The fallen section had left behind a long shelf, or notch, in the wall of the tunnel, some twenty feet above the tunnel floor.
Hanomer climbed up to the shelf and waved for Dave to follow. When Dave reached this shelf, he was able to look down and see the path wind between large boulders of broken rock on the tunnel floor. With Hanomer leading, they crept along the shelf, hugging the wall to remain out of sight.
After about 500 yards, a wall loomed ahead, signifying the end of the notch. They both crept to the edge of the shelf. The path wound among the fallen rocks twenty feet below. At various places along the path, one could see the green sheen of light through great yawning gaps from the deep chasm beneath the wedged fragment of rock that formed the floor of the tunnel. At the end of the tunnel, the rock plug ended prematurely, leaving a wide chasm. Here the path crossed an iron bridge into a smaller cavern. They could not see much of this smaller cavern.
They advanced to the end of the shelf. Although the crack in the ceiling here was much lower than in the entrance, the roof still towered above them by 100 feet. Hanomer climbed across the sheer rock face that confronted them and disappeared around the corner to the left as he reached the inside of the small cavern. Not willing to be left behind, Dave attempted the dangerous traverse, going hand over hand with no footholds. As he rounded the corner, he saw Hanomer crouching on a narrow shelf.
With hands bleeding and cramped from exhaustion, Dave covered the final few feet, then slumped beside Hanomer and tried to get his bearings. This cavern, although not as large as the throat of the volcano, was long and narrow. It contained a lake and a large flat island arranged so that the island appeared to be surrounded by a 100¬foot moat. A rock lip or ridge prevented the lake from emptying into the chasm. The first iron bridge ended on the top of this ridge. The path wound down to the lake’s edge and then crossed to this island by a second iron bridge.
The island was made of rock and was slightly convex. Five statues, arranged in a pentagon and facing outward, towered some twenty feet in height above the rock surface. The statues had heads like vultures and reptilian bodies. At the apex of the island, stood a black obelisk about a hundred feet high on a base about ten feet square.
The two men were crossing the second bridge. The taller of the two wanted to go back, but at each attempt to leave, he seemed to be dragged forward, against his will. Having crossed the bridge, both figures made their way between the two stone statues nearest it. Finally the tall man stopped before the obelisk and stared at it.
Hoffstetter came up behind him. Dave saw him raise the black object he had been carrying high above his head and strike the tall man a mighty blow on the back of his head so that he fell forward. Hoffstetter then knelt down before the huge obelisk with his head bowed and his arms held aloft. Holding the bloody black thing, he shouted some words that Dave did not recognize.
The large obelisk seemed to pulsate with energy, and the cavern filled with its green cadaverous light. Ape¬men appeared from the shadows and picked up the body of the slain man. Dave could see that the force of the blow had crushed his skull. Furthermore, he could now see clearly enough to make out the shape of the murder weapon. It was a smaller replica of the huge stone before which the awful act had taken place.
Hoffstetter seemed oblivious to the ape¬men. He continued chanting and bowing, holding his bloodstained weapon in front of him with both hands as if offering it to the obelisk. The ape¬men carried the body to a large black spherical object beside the base of the obelisk and set it down. The object was so black that Dave had taken it for a shadow. But the black object began to open, and with large black leaves spreading out like a rosebud opening, a massive black arm reached out from its centre and lifted the body inside as if it were lifting a toy doll. Hoffstetter, rose from the ground and walked over to the plant. Stepping onto the open leaf he walked in, following the arm to the center of the plant. The leaves closed, and both were lost from view.
Hundreds of ape¬men began to lumber out of the shadows, and some began crossing from the island to the ridge. When Hanomer saw them, he tugged on Dave’s arm beckoning him to follow, and began to climb back over the rock face to the ledge with terrible urgency. Dave followed him. It was easier the second time, since the handholds were familiar. They moved quickly along the ledge. When they reached the cavern wall, ape¬men were approaching their position from several directions.
“While the guardians and the evil one were bending all their will to control their victim, they were blind. Now that the deed is done, the guardians have detected our presence,” said Hanomer.
“Who are the guardians?” asked Dave.
Hanomer didn’t answer but descended rapidly to the cavern floor. Dave followed, ape¬men close behind. Hanomer had already crossed the floor and reached the ledge, unlimbering his bow. Dave dealt a blow to the nearest ape¬man and raced to join Hanomer. Hanomer felled a second with an arrow from the ledge and then kept the ape¬men off Dave while he climbed. When Dave reached the ledge, they made their way back up the chimney in silence.
Reaching the passage safely, they caught their breath, drank a little water, and had a bite to eat.
“What was that all about?” asked Dave.
“Meglir sought long ago to extend his life as he saw death approaching. The black obelisk is his attempt to preserve life. He has been trapped inside. It is the living death of the undying. His five lieutenants are also trapped in the five statues that surround the obelisk and serve him in their malice. By bri
nging a victim and committing unspeakable treachery, that fat human has opened himself up to Meglir. Once he leaves the death plant, he will be possessed by Meglir.
“Now I also understand why the cavern was so empty of ape-men,” Hanomer went on. “We only made it as far as we did since all the power of Meglir and the guardians was directed at bringing the fat one and the victim to them. The ape¬men were immobile and hidden away so as not to terrify the victim. We will not get in there so easily again!”
“What does all this mean?” asked Dave.
“Until now, Meglir’s power and that of his lieutenants was range limited. The ape¬men could travel only a short distance from the center of power before Meglir and the lieutenants could no longer control them. Now Meglir, in the fat man’s body, will be on the move and can take the ape¬men anywhere. My village is in danger. Your people are in danger. We must hurry. I need to think what must be done.”
Chapter 35 Another Kind of Evil
“And that,” said Dave, “brings me up to the present. Hanomer and I decided that we had to warn you what happened.”
“What was Hoffstetter thinking, going into that place?” said Al, more to himself than to Dave.
“I don’t know. It’s clear that the other fellow—what was his name?”
“Jim Wilson”
“It’s clear that Jim Wilson,” continued Dave, “went along willingly for a while and then couldn’t turn back. Hoffstetter, on the other hand, seemed to go willingly the whole time.”
“May I meet Hanomer?” asked Al.
“Of course!” said Dave.
He gave a low whistle, and a small furry figure climbed out of the shadows and extended his hand to Al as he approached.
“My name is Hanomer, son of Hallomer. Alan, son of Gleeson, blessings on you and your kin.”
Although Al had mentally prepared himself for the surprise of meeting a being of another species, still he was shocked. Hanomer looked to his eyes like a beast. After a moment of awkward silence, Al recovered himself enough to speak.
“Your English is excellent,” said Al.
Hanomer bowed.
“The Hansa have a remarkable gift for song, poetry, and languages. This gift carries over to picking up our language. If we speak in English, Hanomer will understand,” said Dave. His face became grave and his tone changed. “You’re in great danger here. If the ape¬men attack, you’ll be surrounded and cut off from the Halcyon River.”
“Linder tried to dissuade McTavish, our expedition leader, from coming here,” said Al, “but McTavish ignored him. I’m afraid we do not have much credibility with McTavish.”
“I think I should go and try to persuade him,” said Dave.
“That might work,” said Al. “Are you going to bring Hanomer?”
Dave considered Als’ question. “No,” he said slowly. “I think there’s a good chance McTavish may lock him up, because Hanomer will be assumed to be an enemy. And we may need Hanomer to rescue us if my advice isn’t heeded and the ape¬men attack.”
In the end they agreed that once the platoons were up and about, Dave would come into camp and Al would take him to see McTavish. Dave and Hanomer climbed away from the lookout ledge, and Al was soon relieved by the next sentry.
Shortly after sunrise, Al waited near the stone pool at the foot of the cliff. Dave climbed down and moved silently, taking up his position beside his friend before Al even knew he was coming. The sentries had also not seen Dave arrive, and so they raised no alarm.
Dave still wore some of his Halcyon clothes, but he also wore a buckskin shirt and leather boots tied to his knees. A murmur went up among all who saw him, and they stared at him as Al led his friend across to McTavish’s quarters. McTavish’s orderly raised an eyebrow when he saw Dave, but he simply told them to take a seat.
After fifteen minutes, another messenger entered breathlessly and whispered into the orderly’s ear. The orderly immediately left the waiting area. He returned in a minute with McTavish, who nodded at Al without speaking and gave Dave a long look as he followed the orderly out to the square. Al and Dave looked at each other and then followed McTavish and the others out. Al was filled with a sense of foreboding.
In the center of the square, a crowd had gathered. The crowd parted as McTavish approached. In the center of the crowd stood Hoffstetter!
Fear and revulsion descended on Al.
McTavish went straight to Hoffstetter. “Bertrand, you’re back! Where have you been? What happened?”
Hoffstetter turned slowly and fixed his eyes on McTavish. He attempted to smile but it was more of a sneer than a smile. When he spoke it was a thin, hollow voice, devoid of warmth and life.
“I have discovered the secret of the city!” he said. “It’s wonderful! We have come to the dawning of a new glorious age, beyond our imagination.”
“Where’s Wilson?” said McTavish in a quavering voice.
Hoffstetter is getting to him too.
Hoffstetter turned and pointed a fat finger at Dave.
“He killed him!”
Dave went white and took a step back, but all eyes turned towards him and a murmur went up around him.
“Grab him!” a voice shouted, and several from Wilson’s platoon lowered their weapons against Dave.
“Wait!” said Al.
McTavish waved Al to silence, then turned towards Dave and demanded, “Who are you?”
“I’m Dave Schuster from the first expedition. I didn’t kill Wilson; he did!” Dave could only nod at Hoffstetter since his arms were pinned. His counteraccusation so close on the heels of Hoffstetter’s remarks robbed Dave of all credibility.
“You both agree that Wilson is dead,” said McTavish coldly. “The fact that you make the claim of murder places you at the scene of the crime. Lock him up,” said McTavish, indicating Dave. “Senator Hoffstetter, may I see you in my quarters, please!”
__________
Dave was led to a trap door at the back of McTavish’s building and instructed to climb down a rope ladder into a cellar beneath the floor. Guards pulled up the ladder, threw him some heather for a bed and a blanket, and then closed the trap door. He could hear their footsteps retreat.
I guess there’s no need to guard me!
Exploring his surroundings, Dave observed the cell had a stone floor, stone walls, and a stone ceiling. There were only two breaks in the stone—the hole in the ceiling that was blocked by the trap door, and a small window in the outer wall. The mountainside was only thirty feet away, and a window had been cut into this wall. Dave saw it would allow easy aim at any besiegers who might try to gain the citadel by scaling the mountainside. He craned forward as far as he could. The citadel wall was high and stood on a tongue of rock. The city was far below.
Much too far to think of escape in that direction.
Nevertheless, the mortar was soft and crumbled as he scratched it with his fingernail.
Dave sat in the corner and thought long and hard about his predicament and about Hoffstetter. He had seen Hoffstetter walk into the plant.
What happened to him? What’s his game? I can’t sit here like this! I need to find something to do.
The guards had not searched Dave carefully when they had put him in the cellar. He pulled out a small metal blade, a little longer than a nail file, from a tiny sheath on the inside of his leather boot. Loosening the mortar would help pass the time.
__________
Al was bewildered. He had anticipated that McTavish might disbelieve Dave and do nothing, or that he might believe Dave and take action to protect them all, but neither had happened. Hoffstetter’s accusation was completely unexpected. Who was he to believe? Since he had become a Christian, Al had tried to speak the truth in every circumstance, even if it seemed counterproductive or painful. One of the consequences of this personal determination had been the sharpening of his ability to detect truthfulness in others. His heart told him now that Dave and Hanomer were telling the truth and that Hoffstetter was
lying.
Then there was the raw fear and terror he’d felt in Hoffstetter’s presence. He admitted to himself that he had never liked the man, but none of that could explain the terror and revulsion he felt whenever he was near him.
Al returned to his room to think. Sometime later, Floyd came to him, looking upset.
“You’ll never believe what happened!” said Floyd.
“What’s happened now?” asked Al.
“McTavish just called the platoon commanders into his office. He told them that since Wilson had in all probability been killed, he needed to appoint a successor. So he appointed Hoffstetter second in command!”
Floyd paused to let his words sink in. Al looked grave but did not answer.
Floyd continued. “Can you believe it! McTavish, who only ever trusted his own military people, appointing Hoffstetter as second in command! Even if Hoffstetter is a senator, it goes against everything we know about McTavish.”
“Floyd, none of this is natural or makes sense. Hoffstetter gives me the creeps. How did McTavish look when he talked to you?” asked Al.
“Eh?” said Floyd. “What did you say?”
“How did McTavish look? Was he himself? Was he elated?”
“No,” said Floyd. “He looked wrung out and even sickly. Not at all the McTavish I remember. I thought it was the news of Wilson’s death.”
__________
Hoffstetter wasted no time setting up his headquarters just outside McTavish’s residence and office. He used his influence and previous connections to surround himself with a dozen allies—from the three platoons who took up residence near Hoffstetter’s quarters—as his personal bodyguards. He selected no one from Floyd’s platoon.
By the next morning the picture had changed completely. During the night hundreds of ape¬men had taken up positions outside the citadel walls. When Floyd’s sentries spotted these creatures, he asked Al to accompany him to McTavish’s office, hoping McTavish would ask Al to report on his conversation with Dave. When they reached McTavish’s building they asked the orderly if they could speak to McTavish. But instead of McTavish, Hoffstetter appeared. Al felt the same chill he’d felt the day before.
The Halcyon Dislocation Page 29