Infiltration by Sean Rodman Read Free Book Online

faintly, a circle of moonlight appeared, way up ahead.
    â€œThat’s the exit to DMA!” shouted Kieran. “Let’s go!” With new energy, we splashed up the tunnel.
    We were exhausted and not thinking straight. We were sloppy. So when things went wrong, we were totally unprepared for it.
    It started with a slight splash up ahead, almost like a small rock dropping in the water. I didn’t think anything of it. It took me a second to realize that the light from Jake’s headlamp had disappeared.
    â€œJake!” I screamed. Kieran spun around to face me, then back toward where Jake had been a second ago. We both shouted his name.
    But he was gone.

Chapter Nine
    I shoved Kieran to one side, and surged forward along the tunnel toward where Jake had been. What the hell had happened? How could he just disappear?
    Beneath the water, I felt a hand grip my ankle.
    And pull me under.
    Cold water pressed against me as I went down. I kicked and thrashed. But I was being pulled into some kind of underwater pit.
    And then, just as quickly, I was being yanked back to the surface. Kieran had reached down and gotten hold of me. By the time my face broke the surface, I had figured out what was going on. I gulped in some air.
    â€œLet go of me!” I said. “Jake’s down there!”
    Taking a final breath, I shook off Kieran and sank down again into the pit. It must have been some kind of drain tube, heading vertically down from the main tunnel. There was a small but steady current pulling at me as I dropped down four or five feet. When I hit bottom, I thrashed around. I could feel pieces of garbage, scraps of metal and torn up coils of wire. Then I connected with Jake’s leg.
    It was wrapped up in some of the wire. The more he kicked and tried to free himself, more entangled he became. But I could tell that his movements were getting weaker. I wasn’t sure how long he’d been underwater, but it felt like forever. I had to get him back up to the surface. Now.
    Fumbling around in the cold water, I reached into the pocket of my cargo pants for a wire cutter. I got it out, then pointed it down around his leg. I cut blindly, hoping I wasn’t connecting with any flesh by accident. A couple of snaps, and Jake was freed of the wire. He started floating toward the surface. I pushed off from the bottom, trying to get us both up as fast as possible.
    We broke the surface at the same time. Kieran helped me up, and together we half-dragged, half-floated Jake back down the tunnel toward the entrance. Jake was conscious. Coughing up water. But he was breathing.
    It wasn’t until we reached the tunnel entrance that I realized how badly Jake was bleeding. There were still pieces of wire wrapped around his leg. It was a bloody mess of torn jeans and steel. Like I’ve said before, I’m brave but I can’t handle gross. I panicked.
    â€œStop,” I said. “I’m going to call for an ambulance.”
    â€œNo!” said Kieran. He looked at me across Jake’s body. “You want to explain to the cops what we’re doing here?” We kept going toward the car, Jake stumbling between us through the dry leaves of the woods. When we finally got there, we put Jake in the backseat. The bleeding seemed to be slowing down. I wrapped the leg in an old blanket, then put my jacket over Jake. He was shivering from the cold. Maybe from shock. I got in the front passenger seat. Kieran opened the driver’s-side door but then stopped.
    â€œWe need to go back,” said Kieran.
    â€œWhat? Into the tunnel? Are you crazy? We need to get Jake to a hospital!” I said.
    â€œJust back to the tunnel entrance. We left the grate off of the tunnel. Someone could figure out that we’ve been in there. Blow the whole thing,” said Kieran. He was calm and focused. How could he not be freaking out?
    â€œThat is not the most important thing right now. Jake is hurt—don’t