moved into position between them and the enemy. As soon as Nick caught up to Tanner, Jin whispered, “Everyone must be still. No water moves.”
Tanner relayed that to the team.
Har started making a sniffing sound, the kind that ended in a sneeze.
Jin reached over and pinched his nose and hissed, “Silence.”
Tanner hated standing still with the enemy approaching. He’d rather be proactive than reactive any day, but they were evading the soldiers one minute at a time.
This was the minute for standing quiet as a statue.
Muted noises tumbled along the tunnel walls until the first splash.
Cursing followed . Tanner knew those Korean words.
Someone didn’t like getting his uniform wet . When he translated stupid and suicidal , Tanner glanced at Jin who maintained an indignant frown at everyone—even the Norks— criticizing her choices.
Once the sounds of the soldiers began to fade and it was obvious that Jin had predicted accurately, Pang and Har’s faces sagged with relief.
Tanner didn’t have to look at his men to know they shared his bad feeling that the reason the soldiers walked away was because no one in their right mind would go this way. He hooked Jin’s arm, drawing her close while barely disturbing the water.
She cut wary eyes at him, waiting for him to speak.
“What’s next? No more surprises.”
“This tunnel was abandoned when it filled with water . People I know dug another one that meets this one. The soldiers think this goes nowhere, because the water is over their heads half a kilometer from here.”
“Then it’s over your head, too.”
“But only for sixty meters, then we reach the other tunnel and start back up to higher ground. We cannot reach the passage under Taedong now, but this will take us out of the heart of Pyongyang. The water does not go to the top of the tunnel because the original excavators kept raising the ceiling until they realized it would not work.”
“Har can barely breathe . He sure as hell can’t hold his breath for sixty meters.”
“I have straws for breathing.”
“How many?”
“Six, but I can hold my breath a long time and push up to gulp air when I need it. I have practiced.”
She’d known there was a chance she’d have to go this way.
He was torn between admiration and suspicion. Tanner didn’t know what to make of this woman, but he was finding it tougher to be angry with her for interfering when she kept coming up with options for escape.
If she hadn’t, they might have been captured by now .
But she thought she was going to leave this country with them.
A lead ball of guilt landed hard in his stomach.
Tanner relayed the plan to his men then he eyed Pang and Har . “You two understand what we’re going to do?”
Pang’s sour expression stayed in place, but he said, “Yes.”
Har nodded, then shook his head. “I cannot swim.”
“No swimming required . Just hold on to the cable and if you slip, don’t make a lot of noise. Nick will pull you up. You won’t drown.”
For that he got another confused yes, and it came without a bit of confidence.
Tanner took the lead this time so he’d know when the water was too deep for them. Jin was right beside him, then Dingo, Pang, Blade, Har and Nick.
The silence hung thick, interrupted only by an occasional splash .
Just as Jin had said, they reached the spot where the water would rise above the heads of everyone except him and maybe Nick . The cable that sagged from point to point was already underwater, which meant their three North Koreans would have to use the straws to breathe.
Jin passed one out to everyone then handed the last one to Tanner.
He pushed it back at her. “I’m fine.”
“No, you will not be fine. It is over your head soon.”
“I’ll get air.”
“No . You will use the straw.”
His men were busy getting Har and Pang situated so Tanner dropped his face down to Jin’s and spoke for her ears . “You will do as I say.”
“Not if it means you
Tanner relayed that to the team.
Har started making a sniffing sound, the kind that ended in a sneeze.
Jin reached over and pinched his nose and hissed, “Silence.”
Tanner hated standing still with the enemy approaching. He’d rather be proactive than reactive any day, but they were evading the soldiers one minute at a time.
This was the minute for standing quiet as a statue.
Muted noises tumbled along the tunnel walls until the first splash.
Cursing followed . Tanner knew those Korean words.
Someone didn’t like getting his uniform wet . When he translated stupid and suicidal , Tanner glanced at Jin who maintained an indignant frown at everyone—even the Norks— criticizing her choices.
Once the sounds of the soldiers began to fade and it was obvious that Jin had predicted accurately, Pang and Har’s faces sagged with relief.
Tanner didn’t have to look at his men to know they shared his bad feeling that the reason the soldiers walked away was because no one in their right mind would go this way. He hooked Jin’s arm, drawing her close while barely disturbing the water.
She cut wary eyes at him, waiting for him to speak.
“What’s next? No more surprises.”
“This tunnel was abandoned when it filled with water . People I know dug another one that meets this one. The soldiers think this goes nowhere, because the water is over their heads half a kilometer from here.”
“Then it’s over your head, too.”
“But only for sixty meters, then we reach the other tunnel and start back up to higher ground. We cannot reach the passage under Taedong now, but this will take us out of the heart of Pyongyang. The water does not go to the top of the tunnel because the original excavators kept raising the ceiling until they realized it would not work.”
“Har can barely breathe . He sure as hell can’t hold his breath for sixty meters.”
“I have straws for breathing.”
“How many?”
“Six, but I can hold my breath a long time and push up to gulp air when I need it. I have practiced.”
She’d known there was a chance she’d have to go this way.
He was torn between admiration and suspicion. Tanner didn’t know what to make of this woman, but he was finding it tougher to be angry with her for interfering when she kept coming up with options for escape.
If she hadn’t, they might have been captured by now .
But she thought she was going to leave this country with them.
A lead ball of guilt landed hard in his stomach.
Tanner relayed the plan to his men then he eyed Pang and Har . “You two understand what we’re going to do?”
Pang’s sour expression stayed in place, but he said, “Yes.”
Har nodded, then shook his head. “I cannot swim.”
“No swimming required . Just hold on to the cable and if you slip, don’t make a lot of noise. Nick will pull you up. You won’t drown.”
For that he got another confused yes, and it came without a bit of confidence.
Tanner took the lead this time so he’d know when the water was too deep for them. Jin was right beside him, then Dingo, Pang, Blade, Har and Nick.
The silence hung thick, interrupted only by an occasional splash .
Just as Jin had said, they reached the spot where the water would rise above the heads of everyone except him and maybe Nick . The cable that sagged from point to point was already underwater, which meant their three North Koreans would have to use the straws to breathe.
Jin passed one out to everyone then handed the last one to Tanner.
He pushed it back at her. “I’m fine.”
“No, you will not be fine. It is over your head soon.”
“I’ll get air.”
“No . You will use the straw.”
His men were busy getting Har and Pang situated so Tanner dropped his face down to Jin’s and spoke for her ears . “You will do as I say.”
“Not if it means you
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