Brandy had been speaking to him, but notlooking at him. Now she turned and looked directly at him, her blueeyes brilliant. “Just stay above ground, okay? You’re a nice guy.Don’t get yourself killed.”

That pretty much settled it. After class hecame home and sat down at his desk. He felt like a first classidiot. He’d spent good money on flashlights and batteries, and allfor a stupid expedition that made no sense to anyone but himself.There was no proof that there was anything down there. There wasnothing but a map and a box full of junk. Furthermore, she wasabsolutely right when she said that somebody gave them the box,somebody whose intentions had obviously been for them to follow themap, but who neglected to mention why. In a country wherethere were something like thirty-five serial killers active at anygiven time and somewhere someone turned up missing, raped,brutalized or murdered almost hourly, it was far more likely thatsuch a map would lead to a sociopath than to a treasure.

Above all, Albert Cross was a logical-mindedperson, and he could not deny that, logically, nothing about thebox made any sense.

That night, he took the box with all itscontents, locked it and then placed it and the key inside theplastic bag with the things he’d bought that morning. He thendropped the entire box into his bottom desk drawer and closedit.

Chapter 5

On the following Monday, Albert arrived atclass early, and was sitting at the table when Brandy walked in.She was wearing a small, purple dress, and he was surprised by howgreat it looked on her. Her slender legs were smooth and sexy, herfigure lean, modest, pretty. She dropped her backpack on the tableand sat down next to him, her knees neatly together, perfectlyladylike.

“Hello,” she chimed with tiredcheerfulness.

“Hi. You look nice today.”

“Thanks.” She smiled at him as she sat down,genuinely pleased by his compliment.

“Special occasion or just wanted to dressnice?”

“Just wanted to.”

“That’s cool. If you know you’re pretty,show it.”

She smiled at him again, this time with ashy sort of embarrassment. He had flattered her. The look made himblush a little.

“You going to be ready for Friday’s test?”she asked, mercifully changing the subject.

“I think so. How about you?”

“Tests always make me nervous, but we’llsee.”

“I’ve always liked tests. Usually means nohomework.”

“That’s true.”

“I’m going into the tunnels.”

Brandy looked at him so quickly that shenearly startled him. “What?”

“I’m going. I’ve been thinking about it allweekend.” Obsessing over it was more like it. He hadn’t been ableto stop wondering where the box came from and what it meant. Hecould not get it off his mind. He kept finding himself gazingtoward his desk, toward the drawer where it was hidden away. “Ihave to know what’s down there and I have to know why that stuffwas sent to us.”

“Albert, I don’t know.”

“I know. I’m just telling you because thisbelongs to you too. If you don’t want to come that’s fine, Iunderstand, but I can’t go down there without at least letting youknow I’m going. Give you the option.”

“I’m not going.”

“Okay.”

“I really don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“I know.”

“It’s not safe.”

“I’m going tonight. If you don’t see meagain, you’ll know that for sure.”

“Don’t say that. It’s scary.”

“I’m sorry.”

She shook her head. “Crazy.”

“I know.”

She began to remove her books from herbackpack. “I mean I want to know what’s down there too, butJesus.”

“I’ll let you know tomorrow.”

Brandy laughed. It was a short bark of alaugh, the sort of laugh that was akin to rolling ones eyes. “Whatis it with boys and adventures?”

“Too many cartoons.”

Again she laughed, this time more freely.“Yeah. I think so.”

“If you decide you want to come along,that’s fine. I’ve got two flashlights. Otherwise, I’m fine solotoo.”

Brandy looked at him without speaking.Something stirred in her eyes, something he did not quiteunderstand, but thought was a struggle. A part of her wanted to go,he could tell, she wasn’t really trying very hard to talk him outof it, after all, but it was only a small part of her. He hadn’texpected her to go, and why should she? Look at her. She was abeautiful young woman. He did not very well picture her crawlingthrough dirty tunnels.

“No pressure,” he promised.

She said nothing more about the matter, andwhen class was over, she quickly gathered her things and left aheadof him.

Albert was disappointed. It would have beennice to have her along. It would have been sort of like a date,although a terribly unromantic one. He stuffed his books into hisbackpack, taking his time, and started home.

He’d done his best to invite Brandy on thisadventure. He’d wanted her company, to spend some time alone withher. He had hoped that they would be able to get to know each othera little better. But it was also the right thing to do. He feltthat whatever was down there belonged as much to her as to him, andhe would not have wanted her to set off into the tunnelswithout him. And if she was right about the dangers, then atleast someone would know where he’d gone if he didn’t make itback.

Besides, he’d already known that she wouldlikely refuse the offer. He’d already resigned himself toproceeding without her. This was why it came as such a surprisewhen he found Brandy waiting for him outside the main doors, acigarette in one hand, the other clinging to the strap of her bag.Her hair whipped across her face in the breeze and she squintedagainst the bright sunlight. She didn’t look at him, but rather outat the sprawling campus around them.

“I just know I’m going to regret this,” shesaid.

Chapter 6

They met on the back steps of Juggers Hall.Some research had revealed to Albert that this was the businessbuilding up until the construction of the new Craw Building a fewyears earlier. Now it was the music building.

Albert arrived first, dressed in blue jeansand a long sleeve shirt and wearing his bulky, green backpack. Itwas a little chilly, but he chose to leave his jacket at home. Hecounted on being out of the wind and doing a lot of walking. Brandyarrived shortly after, dressed in jeans, tennis shoes and a darkblue sweatshirt. Her purse was slung over one shoulder. It wasn’tas sexy as the dress she’d been wearing that afternoon, but she wasno less lovely.

Albert had told her to meet him here atmidnight. From here they would slip into the service tunnel by wayof the entrance he’d found. Even on a Monday night, there would bepeople out at all hours on a university campus, but he counted onthe traffic being light by midnight. It would have been safer towait until after two or three, but then they ran some risk ofsurfacing in the morning when traffic on the sidewalk would beterrible. The university would not take well to students walkingaround in their steam tunnels. It was likely a major violation.

The area was deserted. Two girls passed byjust after Albert first arrived, but he’d seen no one since. Therewas no traffic to worry about. There were no roads within sight andfrom here all the buildings stood with their backs to them. Nolights shined in any windows, the custodians either at workelsewhere in the buildings or, more likely, finished for the night.Luck was with them.

“Well,” announced Brandy, not sure what tosay. “I’m here.”

“Yes you are.” Albert was looking around,checking again for anyone who might have crept near enough to seethem, but the area was still deserted. It was almost eerie in itsstill silence. During the day this area bustled with foot trafficalmost continuously.

“So now what?”

“Now we go down.” He descended the steps andcrossed the wide sidewalk to the tunnel entrance. He looked aroundone last time and then knelt and pulled at the cover. It was heavyas hell, more so than he expected. For a moment he thought it wasgoing to prove too heavy for him to open, and the thought wasmaddening. If he couldn’t move this cover, then what could theypossibly do? It was the only way in that he knew about, and even ifhe did find another entrance, he was certain the map started righthere. He hadn’t been able to find any information at all aboutthese tunnels online, much less a map.