wherever that is； and maybe it’ll take us a year to find him again。 No； I don’t care if this whole damn
world blows itself apart around us—I for one am not backing out of this on a ‘maybe’。 Far as I’m
concerned； that brute’s still alive until I clap my own eyes on his stinking corpse！”
Lorenzo became aware of a sick ache in his stomach； and he fought down a surge of bile in his
throat。 His skin felt hot； prickly； and he was short of breath。 The symptoms came from nowhere； and
at first he thought the tunnel must have caused them； this unfamiliar； claustrophobic environment。
Then he remembered the effigy； and its spines。
His precautions had done him no good。 Rogar III’s poison was coursing through his veins。 He
knew he should tell the others； warn them in case he went crazy like Muldoon had； became a threat
to them。 But then they would probably have left him behind； to die on his back like Woods； and he
couldn’t face that。 Not when they were so close to their goal。 Not when he was so close to a chance
to earn his name； at last。
He would earn his name。 Lorenzo swore that to himself。 He didn’t know how—but if he couldn’t
find a way down here with a world against him； then where could he？ A way to surrender his life for
his squad； for his cause； for a chance to be remembered； and he knew he wouldn’t hesitate this time。
Because； this time； he had nothing to lose。 This time； he was dying anyway。
Might as well go out in a blaze of glory。
96
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Sergeant Greiss swore under his breath。
The orks’ mine tunnel had opened into a cave—and Lorenzo could see； from the lack of wooden
props and the uneven texture of the rock where Storm’s light fell upon it； that it was natural。
Passages snaked from the cave in all directions—ominous black holes in the walls。
“Looks like the greenskins have bust their way into a whole underground complex；” Greiss
grumbled。 “Could spread for kilometres。”
“What do we do now； sergeant？” asked Braxton。
Before Greiss could answer； Myers let out a “Ssshh；” and held up his hand for silence。 A second
later； they all heard it： lumbering footsteps； echoing from the walls until there was no way of
knowing which direction they came from。
Storm snatched off his helmet； snapped off the light； and the Jungle Fighters dispersed；
navigating by memory in the total darkness； finding nooks into which they could squeeze。 Lorenzo
found himself in the mouth of a narrow； twisting passageway； and feared for a moment that it was
along this very route that the orks were approaching。 Then the footsteps—two sets； he estimated—
seemed to move around him； and he saw the bobbing beam of a helmet light； and then there were
two hulking shapes in the cave； striding toward the exit tunnel。
Then the Jungle Fighters were upon the orks； Storm reaching them first； leaping onto the back of
the nearest and drawing his blade across its throat。 Greiss and Braxton crashed into the second
creature； staggered it； and Lorenzo lent his shoulder to their efforts and it fell； three knives plunged
into its chest and stomach。
“You notice something？” asked Armstrong； as the others confirmed their kills。 “These two were
going up to the surface； but they don’t have barrows。 No pickaxes； no spades； just guns。”
“You think they suspect something？” murmured Greiss darkly。
“I think Big Green’s maybe starting to wonder what’s been happening to his barrow boys。 Or
maybe the sentries up top were supposed to report in。 Either way； I’ll bet these two were coming to
investigate。”
“When they don’t come back either…” breathed Myers。 “Alright。” Greiss nodded。 “We’ve
got—how long would you say？—a few minutes before all hell breaks loose down here。 Meantime；
we need to make inroads into these caves； make sure the warboss can’t go nowhere without getting
past us first。 Anyone else hear that？ Sounds like digging？”
Myers reported that he did hear it—and； screwing up his face in concentration； Storm agreed。
Lorenzo didn’t hear a thing； and he scrabbled at the insides of his ears in frustration； evacuating
more of Rogar III’s mud。 The effort disturbed his equilibrium； and his brain performed a lurching
spin。 The sickness in his stomach made another surge for his throat； and he swallowed it down。
Greiss and Myers followed the digging sounds to the right…hand side of the cave； and Myers
located a tunnel that was wider and straighter than the others； its floor a little smoother。 “I’d say
there’s been a few barrows pushed up this way； sergeant；” he reported—and； standing at the tunnel
entrance； even Lorenzo could now hear the distant clink of metal against rock from somewhere
below。
“Right；” sighed Greiss； “this is how it’s going to have to be。 We split into three teams。 Patch and
Lorenzo； you follow this tunnel here。 Braxton； you’re with me—we’ll take the passage those two
orks came up from。 Bullseye； Wildman； you wait around here a while； stick to the shadows。
97
Chances are； there’ll be more greenskins along soon； and I’m betting once they find their buddies’
corpses littering the place； they’ll send word back to the big boss。”
“We can follow ’em；” concluded Storm。 “Right； sergeant。”
Everyone seemed happy with that plan； and Lorenzo didn’t want to be the one to object。 Still； he
felt numb。 His chances of being the one to find the warboss had just been slashed by two…thirds。 He
pictured himself dying quietly in a dark tunnel somewhere； while Greiss and Braxton； or Myers and
Storm； stumbled upon their target and grabbed all the glory。 He wouldn’t let that happen。
Greiss handed him the miner’s helmet from one of the dead orks； and Lorenzo jammed it onto
his head and practically dragged Armstrong away； down the tunnel towards the digging sounds。
“Steady on；” whispered Patch in his ear； “you’ll run straight into the greenskins at this rate。” But
Lorenzo wasn’t listening。 He’d had a lifetime of being too cautious。 All he cared about now was
covering as much ground as he could。 More ground than the other two teams could cover。 Being the
first to find the ork warboss。 Earning his name； before it was too late。
There were lights up ahead—harsh； like the lanterns outside。 Lorenzo switched off his helmet beam
and crept forward； Armstrong at his heels。
The tunnel they were following took a sharp dip； its gradient so steep that they were halfwalking；
half…sliding。 The sounds of picks and shovels were unmistakeable now； and there was
something else。 The squeak of a wheel。 Armstrong tapped Lorenzo on the shoulder and indicated a
side passageway； narrow and level； also well lit。 Lorenzo nodded； and they slipped into it； and
pressed themselves against its walls so the light wouldn’t cast their shadows across the junction。
An ork appeared； grunting as it strained to push a loaded barrow up the slope。 Lorenzo’s hand
moved to his lasgun； knowing that if the creature saw them their cover was blown。 It only had to
yell out。 To his relief； it moved on。 Let Myers and Wildman take care of it when it reached them； he
thought。
They moved further down the side passageway； until the right…hand wall fell away and they were
in a natural gallery； looking out across a vast cavern。 Its floor lay some ten metres below them； its
far wall was four times that distance。 The cavern was swarming with orks； hefting tools； battering at
the walls； breaking off chunks of rock that gretchin gathered and piled into waiting barrows。 The
area was lit by six lanterns； squeezed into niches at varying heights； connected by tangles of thick
cabling。 There was a lantern beside the Jungle Fighters； on the gallery； lying on its side—and they
crouched behind it so any ork that glanced their way wouldn’t see them behind its intense light。
Lorenzo scanned the throng with his eyes； fervently hoping to find an ork with cleaner； better
armour than the others； an ork that was giving the orders； an ork perhaps a little larger than its
fellows。 He was disappointed。
“Another nine； ten passageways off this chamber；” breathed Armstrong。 “This place is like a
maze！”
“I don’t know；” Lorenzo muttered。 “Most of those tunnels； I think the orks dug themselves—and
I think they’re still digging them。 See how the gretchin keep coming back along them with more
rubble。 I’m betting most of them are dead ends。”
“Doesn’t mean we won’t find Big Green’s quarters down one of them。”
Lorenzo conceded the point； but nodded towards a wide tunnel entrance below them to the left。
“Seems to be a lot of coming and going through there；” he remarked； “and the passageway we’re in
heads in that direction。 I think it’s worth a look。”
“Your call；” said Armstrong。
They crept on； until rock closed in around them again and their passageway dipped and
narrowed and came to an abrupt end。 Its floor didn’t quite meet the wall； however； and Lorenzo
peered through the gap thus created and saw another passageway below。 Even as he watched； an ork
passed along it； he could almost have reached down and touched its head。 He listened a moment； but
the only sounds he could hear came from the main chamber behind and below them。 He glanced at
98
Armstrong； who nodded—and Lorenzo lowered himself through the hole； until he was hanging from
his fingertips； then let himself drop。
The world gave another spin as he hit the ground； and he lost his balance and fell。 He picked
himself up quickly； humiliated； and gestured up to Armstrong that he was alright。 He had guessed
right。 This tunnel sloped back down to the main chamber in one direction； climbed more gently into
darkness in the other。 He could only see a short way in the lantern light that bled up from below； but
it was enough to see that the tunnel walls were riddled with openings。
At Lorenzo’s signal； Armstrong joined him； hampered by his dead arm but still affecting a more
graceful landing than his comrade had managed。
Two orks were coming their way。 Quickly； they clucked into the nearest of the openings； and
found themselves pushing through a tattered curtain。 Beyond this； a small cave was littered with
skins and debris； and Lorenzo realised that orks had been sleeping here。 Fortunately； there were
none present at th