"William Forstchen - Crystal Warriors 1 - Crystal Warriors" - читать интересную книгу автора (Forstchen William R)

"Only when necessary, Captain, only when necessary. Are you coming?"

Ikawa drew his pistol and started into the dark passage. Mark, seeing that the others were watching,
realized that in spile of his misgivings he had to go along, or appear a coward. There was something
strange about this place--a feeling that reminded him of the air before a storm.

Pushing aside his concern he started in. Soon they were wrapped in darkness, the only light the thin sliver
of sky and the blood-red evening left behind.

"Notice this is paved. The stonework is superb. Whoever built this did so with loving attention."

Mark was silent. He didn't give a damn about the stonework--he just wanted to check this
claustrophobic nightmare and get back out.

"There must be something back here. They wouldn't have built this passage into the mountain for nothing.
Look, the path turns." Ikawa rushed ahead, then disappeared to the right.

Mark hurried after him, and came up short as he turned the corner, and bumped into Ikawa.

They followed the path for another twenty yards, until it opened into a small courtyard fifty yards across.
Sheer cliffs rose hundreds of feet on all sides. Overhead, the crimson-streaked sky gave off a soft glow
that reflected down onto a small, pentagon-shaped temple.

"Wondrous, absolutely wondrous," Ikawa whispered, stepping forward as if onto sacred ground.

From back down the pathway came the echo of gunfire. Mark, awakening from the awe of such a sight,
rushed past Ikawa to the doorway of the temple.

The heavy oak door glided back noiselessly. There was an eerie, unearthly feel to the place; Mark felt as
if he was treading through some remote past. The evening light streamed in behind him and he quickly
surveyed the single large room that was covered in a layer of dust. The windows were narrow slits in the
stone walls that formed the structure. It was better than a pillbox!

Turning, he started out of the temple, brushing past Ikawa who stood enraptured in the doorway.

Sprinting across the courtyard into the tunnel, Mark raced down the narrow pathway back out towards
the light. The sound of gunfire rolled up louder, and reaching the edge of the path, he crouched down low
and came up alongside his men.

"Jesus, Captain," Walker shouted, "there're hundreds of them coming up. They're swarming out on either
side of the path."

"What about the other Japs--they get back?"

"Yeah, that bastard lieutenant made it," Giorgini growled, "but one of the scum bit it."

"We're going into the tunnel. There's a hell of a fort back in there. We can hold 'em off for days."

"And then what?" Younger cried. "We're dead anyhow!"