Dusk is still two hours away when the investigators gather on the street by the passageway to the Bishop Backyard. Nick is armed to the teeth but all his weapons are hidden beneath his coat. All of them are prepared for this dangerous encounter and have brought with them what they deem necessary.

Doc Slade carefully, removes the tranquilizer gun and its darts, from his toolbox. He asks, "Is anyone an excellent shot with a rifle? This gun probably shoots like one and I am not a good shot with it."

Penny shakes her head in response, "Nor I."

"Let me take a look at it Doc", says Charles. He is wearing faded denim jeans and shirt, under a soiled leather trenchcoat. A well-worn pair of leather hiking boots and stetson completes his image. He produces something from the trunk of his car and slings it casually over one shoulder. It is a Winchester, the kind of rifle that no self-respecting cowboy or rancher would be without. He smiles as he cocks the weapon with a quick flick of his wrist. "Hope that answers your question Doc." He takes the tranquilizer gun from Doc and starts inspecting it. Raising the weapon to shoulder height, he takes aim at a nearby tree, trying to get a feel for it.

"Good, it looks like you know how to use it." Doc removes the rope putting it around his shoulder, "We will want to tie him up after we immobilise him, so that if something happens to the symbol he is not free again."

"You know Doc," says Charles acidly, "I wonder if we shouldn't make a branding iron, with the brand in the shape of your magical symbol. Then we can mark that Bishop fellow like we do the cattle on my ranch. I've never seen an animal lose one of those scars and I doubt if Bishop ever will, since he'll be paralysed for life and won't be able to get it surgically removed. God knows, I'd like to poke him with a searing hot iron and watch him cringe, you know, give him a little foretaste of hell..." His features are cold and diabolical as he contemplates his words.

Doc replies, "That might not be a bad idea, or a tattoo to make it permanent on him. But I still hope to return the body to the boy and give him back his own body. We must take care not to damage Atwater's body."

Penny looks to the only item, aside from the knowledge of the spell and the symbol, the worn a faded leather covered pocket Bible in her hands. As they prepare she closes her eyes and says another silent prayer.

Len takes the command, "I'll sneak along the house next door and peep through the window. When I give the sign for clear, you'll follow after me, in this order, Charles with the tranquilizer gun, Nick with his gun, Penny with the magical symbol, and the rest of you in any order you prefer. Daria. When all are in place I'll open the door and we will enter. We'll search the ground floor first and the rooms where we saw signs of occupation. Daria, you will stay behind at the door, Pierre, you'll guard the stairs to the upper floor, you have a gun, yes?" Pierre nods confirmingly.

Len sneaks away in the shadow of the neighbouring house. Nick spots a movement in one of the windows on the ground floor and shouts a warning to Len. In the next split second you hear a gunshot and singling of broken glass. A gun materializes in Nick's hand and he empties the chamber in the direction of the window.

Len is hit, although not fatally or so it seems at the first glance. Len has dropped his gun and is holding left hand to his right shoulder while collapsing on the ground.

Nick is cursing and reloading his gun, while he crosses the courtyard to the splintered window. Nick chances a quick glance and the room is empty for people. Nick runs to the door and tries the door. It is locked but a couple of well-aimed shots take care of that and Nick enters the house.

"Don't enter!" Doc shouts after Nick but it is already too late. Charles and Doc follow Nick. Penny runs to Len who is siting on the ground, and Daria and Robert follow Penny.

The hallway is dark, no candles are lighted and Nick knew from the first visit that the house is without electricity. Nick waits for his eyes to accustom to the dark. He notices someone coming up behind him. Nick enters the hallway, all senses alert. There is not a movement or a sound, except from those behind him. The door to the room from which the shot was fired is open and Nick is slowly moving to the doorframe. The light in the room is better and Nick spots a drop of blood on the doorstep. Nick gives a sign to Doc to fully open the front door. The light in the hallway gets better and Nick can see a trace of blood drops lead to a closed door, the library, as Nick recalls.

The library door opens outwards from the library and Nick whispers to Doc to whirl the door open. Nick slings into the door opening seeking a target in the room. Bishop is not here and the trace of blood drops lead to the side of the fireplace where they disappear.

"A secret door", Charles exclaims. "It has to be, he can't just disappear in thin air." There has to be an opening mechanism somewhere, Start searching."

---

Outside Penny is aiding Len. Len is groaning and complaining, but that means that he is ok. The bullet has gone through his upper arm, but the bone is not fractured. "We've got to get you at the hospital", Penny says. "Pierre, go inside and see hoe they are doing and tell that Len is wounded but not seriously.

Pierre calls from the front door, "Are you there? Nick, Doc and Charles, are you alright. "

"We are fine. Come in, we are in the library" Charles calls back.

"Len is alright," Pierre says as he enters the room. "What are you doing?", is the next question.

"Fetch the others and we'll explain", Charles answers never looking up at Pierre.

---

Nick turns a knot on the fireplace and there is a click and the bookshelf at the left of the fireplace moves. "I found it!" Nick says with a triumphant voice. Nick push the bookshelf and stone stairs leads down into a dark tunnel, and absolute dark tunnel. There is not a sound to be heard from the tunnel, but the smell, oh what a smell of stale and something, something Nick is unable to identify, decay maybe. "This is scary. I don't wan't to go down there."

You can see from the traces in the dust that this passageway has been used several times. On the right wall hang two unused torches.

The others enter the library. Pierre is supporting Len.

Doc is examines Len's wound. "You're a lucky man this time. The bullet passed right through your arm only doing damage to the flesh. I'll fetch a proper bandage in my car and a mild sedative. It'll stop the bleeding and take away most of the pain." Len mumbles a thank you.

Charles says, "I don't want to enter that tunnel anymore than you don't, Nick, but it is our duty. Now, the shots must have alerted the neighbours and the police can't be far away. I propose that Len, since he is wounded, stays behind and comes up with a cover story. The rest of us enter the tunnel and Len closes the secret door behind us."

"NEVER!", shouts Len. "I'm going right with you. When Doc has fixed me up a little, I'm as good as new", he lies. "I shoot as well with me left hand as with my right hand (another lie). If you leave me behind I tell the police about the tunnel and follow them into it (a desperate lie)."

Daria says, "I can stay behind. I don't know if I can manage to enter that tunnel."

Pierre adds, "I'll stay behind too. I'll support Daria when the police come, or better, we'll contact the police ourselves."

Charles is about to say something, but he knows that he is outmanoeuvred. Instead he focus his attention on the entry into the tunnel. "Pierre and Daria, go and see if you can find any oil lamps in the house. Penny, you go and stand watch at the door, and report immediately if you spot anyone. Nick, do you have any experience exploring tunnels? Len sit down and relax."

Doc returns carrying bandages, a kerosene lamp, and has a hatchet attached to his belt and his candles and matches in his jacket pockets. He attaches a bandage to Len's arm, and gives him a painkiller. "Charles here tell me that you insist on coming with us. I really would have sent you to the hospital, but with the bandage and the painkiller, you can cope some extra hours."

Watching Doc bandage Len up and cursing himself for not having better aim, Nick half-hears Charles' question and nods, "Yeah...a little experience. Back in de Big Apple I hadda g'down inta de subway tunnels alla time 'causa....'causa my job. I ain't never been in any caves'r nuttin' in de country, but dem tunnels is dark enough fer me. I'll go down dem stairs firs'. Whoever hol's de light, make sure ya hold it away from yer body. Most folks dat'r tryin' ta shootcha will aim fer de light, so hold it as far left'r right as ya can. Also remember ta watch fer stuff in de ceiling. Sumthin' could drop down on top'a ya. Dat's a good idear ta bring a lamp, but le's bring bot'torches jes' in case. Dey c'n be a weapon, too, if'n we need 'em. An' also...whoever's inna back'a de line needs ta watch our backs. Somethin' could pop outta de wall'r a side tunnel we passed and get de jump on us from behin'. Len...dat should probly be yer job. Anyting else I might'a missed?" He looks around at the others preparing to go spelunking. He then looks at Pierre and Daria, "You don' need ta tell dem coppers anyting. Jes' keep yer traps shut'n dey can't do a ting to ya's." He nods once to emphasize his point.

"We're talking too much here...", hisses Charles. He releases one hand from the tranquilizer rifle and pushes Nick forward with the other. His voice is urgent. "The rest of you follow behind, with lamps and torches. Quickly now!" As he starts forward, he readies the rifle once more, it's barrel pointing past Nick's shoulder and down the dark passage. Those who catch a glimpse of Charles' face notice a mask of grim determination etched upon it. Slung over his shoulder is his Winchester, loaded and ready should the tranquilizer fail.

Doc lights his kerosene lamp, stating "I brought my kerosene lamp. It should be better than those torches in the tunnel. Remember, Bishop will be able to use it to target us, so be careful. We need to figure out where we want it among those who enter the tunnel. We may want someone out in front and to the side of the passage ahead of the lamp bearer. Giving the blood trail in here, we should be able to follow the blood trail to find Bishop until he covers the wound."

Nick is leading carrying the kerosene lamp, then comes Charles with his tranquilizer rifle, then Penny with the symbol and a torch, then Doc with a torch, and last Len with a revolver in his left hand.

Pierre closes the secret door behind Len in the same moment he hears voices from the yard.

Please read the tunnels or go back to the table of contents.