They scrambled over some more rocks and sprinted to the mine entrance. The door was not a problem because Quarry had not bothered to shut it.
They raced inside, guns and flashlights out.
Within a few moments they disappeared into the darkness.
“Daryl!” screamed Quarry. “Daryl!”
His son appeared from out of the darkness. “What is it?”
Quarry could barely speak. He could barely think.
He clamped a big hand on his son’s shoulder. “Carlos called. It didn’t work. They got out.”
“Shit! We’re screwed!”
“Oxygen masks,” Quarry muttered.
Daryl looked angrily at his father. “What we gonna do now, old man?”
Quarry turned and raced down the passageway. Daryl lumbered after him. Quarry unlocked the door to Willa’s room and threw it open.
One glimpse of his enraged face and Diane Wohl started stumbling backward. “No, please. Don’t. Please!” she was shrieking.
Willa looked confused. “What’s going on?”
“Don’t kill us!” screamed Diane.
Willa jumped up and started to back away. Quarry and Daryl moved forward.
Quarry was breathing hard. “They’re alive. They’re alive! Dammit!”
“Who’s alive?” cried out Willa.
Quarry knocked the table aside, threw the chairs across the room. Willa raced to Diane, who was back as far as she could go in the corner.
They both screamed as Quarry grabbed them and started pulling them toward the door. “Come on!” He yelled, “Daryl!”
Daryl grabbed Willa and lifted her off the floor.
“Please, Mr. Sam, please.” Willa was crying so hard she could barely speak.
Diane had let herself go limp and Quarry ended up dragging the woman across the floor. When they got out to the passageway, he stopped and listened.
Diane was still screaming and he said, “Shut up, woman. Now!” She didn’t.
He slipped a pistol from his belt and placed it against her temple.
“Now,” he said very firmly.
Diane fell silent.
Willa was in Daryl’s arms. When Quarry looked up he found her staring at him. And his gun.
“Did you hear that, Daryl?” said Quarry.
“Hear what?”
“That.”