He stopped, his heart in his mouth, panting. Then he thought: "Which ever way he could have taken, he has to come back that way. If I wait for him here, I can see what direction I have to take, but then? On the other hand, groping my way along I can take the wrong direction and be lost. Well, I'll wait for him here, where I can watch both the tunnels and hide in the other when he comes back. And then, once he has passed I can take the direction he came from."
Chipi sat down, right at the crossing of the metal bars and, feeling a little hungry, rummaged in his bundle and started to eat something. Yes, he really needed it. The far dripping to which before he didn't pay attention, made him feel now the desire to drink. But now was not convenient to go looking for water, he would have the time later. He chewed slowly, salivating abundantly with each morsel.
While he was eating he recalled all he had come to know. Volle's station had violet and white walls. At first he thought that the word "station" had referred to the inspector, but thinking to that again, he noticed that the square from where he entered the tunnel had yellow and orange walls, and those of the square he had passed and where he overheard a piece of the messenger conversation, were orange and green. Therefore there could be a square having violet and white walls.
Moreover the warrior who had spoken with the messenger said that Chipi could possibly take the wrong direction at the junction 13 -- was that the point where he was now? A junction, two things that join, and here the two metal bars were crossing and he didn't know what direction to continue. Yes, he had to be at "junction 12". And then, the messenger was advised his companion to shorten his way by taking the aeration pit... more exactly, going "down" the aeration pit. And when the messenger stopped at the first square, he talked about continuing to the right... but where, at the junction or after going down the pit? And the pit was after the third station, that is, if he understood correctly, after the third square. He had just crossed a square, therefore...
All was really uncertain. If he could just have kept the pace with the warrior! But he had a light and knew where to go, unlike himself. He closed again his bundle and remained waiting. At times he could hear faint noises. Pricking up his ears he understood what they were -- squeaks he knew well, mice. He thought a moment and recalled when he chased mice in the sewers to get some food. Here, at least, he didn't need them, but...
He took again his bundle and from the cover he pulled out some wefts in order to obtain some long threads. Then he took a piece of dried meat, ground it down in small pieces. He knew how to catch mice. He made the baits, by making noses at the ends of the long threads and waited. He heard them coming, attracted by the sharp smell of the food. Several escaped him, but soon he was able to catch four of them. He swiftly tied their legs and necks holding them fast so that they couldn't bite him nor free themselves. He wrapped them with the cover to stifle their scared squeaks. Good, now he knew he had eliminated one more possibility -- he would not starve.
Finally he heard a noise then caught a glimpse of light -- it was coming from the left tunnel. He hid in the right tunnel and waited and watched. The light rapidly approached, until he recognized the warrior who went to deliver the message to Volle. The man passed near him, unaware and disappeared on his way back. The faint glimmer of the man's light had shown him for a moment the intricate crossing of the metal bars. He went down the left tunnel. If he could single out the aeration pit, very likely it was down there he had to take the right. He hoped he understood correctly.
He reached a new square with orange and blue walls. Before entering it, he became aware that the tunnel had, on the left wall, wide arches connecting it to a parallel tunnel. He was starting to understand the wide maze of long tunnels. He approached the faint glimmer of the square. On one side the usual low and long small houses. They were raised from the trench by a set of metal discs with bars leaning on them, leaving at their centre a narrow passage, by which he could surpass that square without fear to being seen. He was crawling under the small houses, when he stopped dead in his tracks -- the one over him was slightly waving emitting strong gratings. He understood that somebody was just entering in the house. He heard low voices, but could not single out the words. From his hideout he slipped into the long niche that was between the houses and the square level. Between the square floor and the little houses there was a long cleft the width a little less than his hand span. There were arranged the doors of the small houses, he could see at times somebody entering or coming out, and each time the small houses dangled. He decided to surpass that square and to continue his trip. He resumed his way until he was again in a dark tunnel.
If he just could have one of these lights without flame, it would be so much easier. He heard the noise of a strong dripping in front of him. He singled out the point from where it came. From the ceiling was coming down water, in a fast trickle. He gathered some in his hands and took them to his lips. An acrid taste. Was it the taste of that water, or the dirt on his hands? He gathered more water vigorously brushing his hands then drying them on his clothes, several times then he gathered some water again and tasted it -- now it had a fresh taste. He drank several sips gathering it a little at a time -- he felt better. He went on.
He surpassed another square, with blue and black walls. Good, now he had to find the aeration pit, he thought, but how to find it without seeing at all? If it was like the one in the Raptors storage area, the pit should have a metallic ladder possibly arriving at the tunnel's level, but where? Was it on the right or on the left side? In this tunnel or in the parallel one? Chipi was slowly walking in the darkness asking himself how to proceed. The warm and stale air was coming from the direction he was walking towards. It could be just his impression, but he felt like the air was gradually becoming less warm and more pure -- was it the sign that he was approaching the aeration pit? All his senses were tense with this activity.
Now the air breath was coming from his back! Therefore he must have passed the pit! He walked back. He wasn't able to find it right away, but at last he found it. It was on the opposite side wall from where he was walking, in a passage between the two parallel tunnels. A low metal railing surrounded the pit and on its wall he found the C shaped rungs! Even seeing nothing at all, just exploring with his hands, Chipi became aware of all this. And from above came the fresh air.
Cautiously he climbed over the railing, clung to the rungs and went down. It was a smooth tube, and his bundle on his back at times brushed against the wall. When at his back he felt no more brushing, he understood he reached the lower tunnel. He groped with his hand, continuing to go down, and looking for another railing, but before finding it, his feet landed against sound ground -- he was at the bottom of the pit. Groping his way he turned towards the right, until the wall ended and his feet knocked into something. He bent down -- it was a metallic bar. Good, he was again in a tunnel. He decided to follow the bar going to his right. He was not sure, but he had no other indications.
He heard voices and noises coming from the direction he had taken, amplified by the tunnel's walls. Then he distinguished some faint waving lights. Somebody was coming towards him. Were they looking to kill him? He looked for a passage to the parallel tunnel. He found it, slipped inside, emerged on the other side -- there were also lights and voices. They were moping up both the tunnels. What could he do? Remain in the communication passage? They would for sure control all the passages. Go back to the pit? They could possibly check it also. His heart started to hammer like a mad.
Unconsciously he caressed Aska's collar while his brain, receiving shots of adrenaline, which caused his thinking to be vortical. He did not have much time to decide what to do. Run away in the opposite direction? Try in some way to hide? He desired to become invisible. But how?
Four lights in each tunnel -- therefore eight warriors in all. For sure armed. Not even thinkable to face them. If they were all in the same tunnel! Continuing to caress his collar, he formulated a desperate idea. A very thin possibility, but...
He freed the mice from the blanket, and they squeaked aloud. The lights seemed to stop: "Listen... shut up!" a voice said. Chipi freed the mice one after the other, in hurry, and threw them in one of the galleries, towards the lights. "Yes, I heard... Hey, he is possibly there..."
Chipi, who moved to the other tunnel, saw the lights run into the gallery where he threw the mice. He ran, guided by the metal bar between his feet. "Hey, what the fuck? They are just mice!" a voice said and laughter thundered in the tunnel. Chipi, running headlong, surpassed the point where the eight men were, in the parallel tunnel, just in time -- he slipped into a passage arch at his shoulder right while the four warriors were going back to their tunnel.
His heart wildly drummed. He peeped out from behind the pillar's corner and saw the lights go away, while the lewd comments of the warriors continued. He waited until he calmed down, until his breath and heart beat became again normal. His legs lightly trembled. It had been a close shave. He had possibly to sacrifice some more food to get new mice, Chipi thought continuing to follow in the darkness the track of the metal bars.
A new gleam of light, a new square. Slipping on the passage under it edge, he went forward. Here there were no the small houses, but possibly they were on the opposite trench. All was silent. He peeped out and saw that the walls of this square were violet and yellow. And just then he became aware of one thing -- the warriors of the square from where he started this trip, had an orange and yellow arm-band, those of the second square had it orange and green -- the same colours of the square walls. He had not a chance to see the arm band of the group searching for him, but he guessed it had to be violet and yellow, or...
He had just surpassed this new square when, from the opposite side, he heard voices. Then saw a light. Just two voices and a single light. Well, he could avoid these easily. He hid in a communication arch and waited. When the voices were nearby, he silently slipped in the other gallery, going up in the opposite direction.
"...ke in a game. And then, or he comes out at a station, or he dies from starvation. What need have we to look for him?"
"Who knows? Volle says it is a training. In case of an invasion."
"Invasion? And from who?"
"You know, that new gang, the Polychia..."
"Aaahh, we Bakji remain the masters. We are too strong and well organized."
"Anyway Volle seems to take that seriously. And he knows his business."
"Yes, he was excited. When he gets excited, he continually caresses his beard, did you notice?"
"Yes, sure, like that time that..." and the voices faded away.
Chipi had now one more element -- Volle had a beard. And had ordered a search to look for him. Like a game, a training, and he was the target to stop. And in Niokko a new band had formed, the Polychia. He didn't know if this last bit of information could be useful to him or not, anyway...
He went forward. He was tired, he was walking for hours and the emotions came one after the other. He didn't have a hint if outside it was day or night. The messenger wanted to be back for supper, therefore it was either the dead of night or morning. It was not that for him, in that deep darkness, it made any difference. He walked more. A faint mice squeaking. He stopped and decided to prepare again his baits to catch some more. He had to wait several minutes, but was able to catch three of them. Like before, he tied them and wrapped them in his cover. They could be useful, and not just for food. He resumed walking, he heard new dripping sounds, but now he was not thirsty. Again a far away glimmer. He approached and his heart started again to beat strong and fast. He found the niche and slipped inside. He was on the side of the small houses. He approached cautiously. He got a glimpse of the silhouettes of two men on watch inside the trench. He moved into the other gallery, but here also there were two men. It was becoming difficult. What could he do? Throw his mice? Would they fall for this trick?
Chipi became still. The men were silent and were standing still. If they looked towards him, could they see him? He looked at himself -- the dark clothes were not visible. His hands, on their tops, were dirty, dark, not visible, but his palms were visible. He brushed them on the floor -- now they were less visible. Then he brushed carefully all the exposed parts of his skin, his face, his arms. So, at least from far, he was now not easily seen.
Voices. Warriors on the platform, approaching the points where were the sentries in the trench.
"We came to relieve you..."
"It is about time! Let's go hit the bed, Gert!" one of the sentries said.
Chipi went to the side of the small houses. He saw the men on the platform stretching an arm to those in the trench to help them. Chipi, crouching in the niche, slipped forward and was able to pass beyond the second warrior right in the moment he was climbing up. He was in the niche besides the small houses when, turning back, he saw the two new sentries jumping inside the trench. Still, he observed them and his heart had a jump -- he clearly saw, for a moment, the armband of one of the warriors. Violet and white! He had reached Volle's square!
He squat down more deeply inside the niche, still, almost holding back his breath. The small houses waved slightly when the warriors who just got the relieved entered them. He heard the screeching of the sliding doors that the men were closing at their backs. Good, Chipi thought, he arrived, but how to meet Volle without being caught by the warriors? It would be the limit being caught and possibly killed right now. About Volle he just knew he had a beard, very little, even if to that moment he didn't see any other warrior with a beard. But there could be others, besides Volle.
To wait for him to come there? No, many days could pass. He had to find a way to make him come there, but how? A thousand ideas came to his mind, but he discarded them one after the other because they were unrealizable. He felt tired so, at a certain point, he decided it was better to try to sleep a while. He laid down in the most internal part of the niche using his food bundle as a pillow and wrapping in his cover. The mice squeaked when he pulled them out of the cover and put them on the floor, but after a short while they were again silent.
But Chipi's brain, in his drowsiness, suggested to him a plan. He woke up, excited. He pulled off his cover from his body, went near the gape between the square and the small houses, at the level of one of the many closed door and, slipping his hand on the gape, tried to push a door at a side. It yielded without screeching. He opened it for about four inches, groping he found one of the tied mice, took it and, slipping his hand in the gape of the door, threw it inside and at once hid inside the niche.
The little tied animal landed on the internal floor with a light thud and at once squeaked aloud.
"What's that?" a sleepy voice asked.
"A mouse..." another voice answered.
"Switch on the light. How did it enter?"
"Hey, but... who put it here inside? What fucking joke is this?" a voice exclaimed.
From another side another voice complained: "What's got your balls-up? Stop it, let us sleep!"
"Who is the bastard doing such fucking jokes?"
"Stop it!"
"Fuck yourself!"
"Hey, drop it, I want to sleep!"
The voices overlapped, answered back to each other. Several doors opened, warriors came out with angry voices. But soon the quarrel calmed down and everybody went back to sleep, Chipi was satisfied. He waited until all was silent, and when enough time had elapsed, choosing another door, he repeated his trick. Again complaints, vexed voices, growing louder than before.
"If I find who is pulling these fucking tricks..."
"I bet it is Jarko!"
"Me? What have I got to do with them?"
"No, Jarko was sleeping, I can assure you."
"Sure, you aid and abet him!"
"Say it again and I'll smash your face!"
"Stop it!"
"Shut up!"
"Let us sleep, bastards!"
With more difficulty than before, the calm was finally established. Chipi had just one more mouse -- this time a real fight had to burst, or he had no idea what he could do. He waited longer than before. Chipi judged that enough time had passed. He changed again his place and threw his last mouse.
This time all hell broke loose. The ones of the last door, went out first, shouting: "And now it's enough! Who's the bastard who doing these fucking tricks?"
Other warriors shouted, came out, started to quarrel; therefore others were woken up... In a while everybody was on the square accusing each other, yelling, abusing each other. And the mess didn't seem to placate, on the contrary. They went down to brass tacks, someone laid hands on some else who reacted. Some wanted to search all the "cells", but others were opposed. The rough was sky-high. Somebody started to punch one another, others tried to divide them and were instead involved.
Until Chipi heard a strong, authoritative voice shouting: "Stop it!" and for a moment there was silence.
But then a voice raised up: "Station-master Klube, somebody is trying to be too smart!"
And an animated discussion started again. Chipi was disappointed -- thus, the man who came, was not the inspector Volle! He was at the same point as before. He sat inside the niche asking himself what to do now. Above him the row was again rising -- accusations, abuses.
Klube's voice started again to shout: "Stop it, silence!" but now it seemed that nobody was listening at his order.
"So then? Have you all become crazy?" suddenly a new voice said aloud and again silence came.
Chipi pricked his ears.
The same voice started again: "Station-master Klube! What's happening in here? What's this din during the rest time? Will you explain it to me?" asked with an extremely sharp tone.
"Inspector Volle..." Klube voice started and Chipi felt his heart jolt in his throat -- he had succeeded!
Without listening any more, he quickly slipped inside the niche until he reached the end of the square, entered the tunnel and from here he passed in the parallel tunnel and then on the trench of the other side. He ran long the niche and when he heard that the voices were again near, went out, climbed to the square and, right when two warriors saw him, he shouted: "Inspector Volle!"
A man with a beard turned with a frowned air, saw the boy running towards him and looked at him in astonishment.
"Inspector Volle!" Chipi shouted again, escaping a warrior who was running towards him, and arrived at a few steps from the man. Other warriors were encircling him, and Chipi threw himself on the floor towards the man with the beard, shouting for the third time: "Inspector Volle!"
The warriors jumped on Chipi but at once Volle said: "Let him free!" then, addressing to Chipi, he said: "Stand up. So, you are the intruder of Merk's message."
"Yes, the same. My name is Chipi."
"And how could you find me in such a short time? To avoid the warriors I sent to catch you, and the sentries? Fucking hell, look at him, he is filthy in an obscene way! He seems a mouse!" he exclaimed. Some of the warriors laughed.
Chipi smiled: "But you can't kill me, now. You have to listen to me, as I found you!"
"Sure, mouse! But you have first to wash yourself, to make yourself decent. Klube, I entrust him to you. See he is thoroughly curried, than bring him to me. And all of you, once for all, go back to sleep and be silent!"
"Yes, but if that bastard who does these fucking trick continues, I..." a man said menacingly.
So Chipi said, interrupting him: "I beg your pardon, may I say something?"
"What?" Volle asked.
"I am sorry I raised all this mess to attract here the inspector Volle... it's me who did the tricks with the mice."
Something like a bellow came from the angry warriors and some of them were about to jump on the boy, but Volle with a gesture stopped them and the silence fell again.
"So, you did that in order to..."
"I didn't know how to find you without being caught and so... I am sorry, but I couldn't find another system."
Volle started to laugh and soon others followed suit.
"Klube, take him away, before I change my mind and I kill him with my hands!" Volle said suddenly serious, but Chipi saw that his eyes were still laughing.
Klube, seizing vigorously an arm of the boy, took him up a wide staircase, while Volle was still saying something to the warriors.
He took Chipi into a room and made him undress completely, then gave him a bar of soap and made him stand in front of a tiled wall, moved away, and turned a tap on. From the ceiling, suddenly, a pelt of water came down, like a cloudburst, right on Chipi who jumped aside, astounded. He had never seen anything like that. Then the boy prudently came under that artificial rain that was coming from a metallic disk on the ceiling. The sensation was agreeable. He started to wash himself, abundantly lathering himself. He washed thoroughly, for a good while, until Klube stopped the water flow.
The man made him dry off, then gave him some clean clothes, that were very large on him.
"Come, little pest, let's go to meet inspector Volle." the grumpy man said.
He guided him through corridors illuminated with those strange luminescent rods, to a door with two sentries. He made him enter in a room where two more sentries were standing and from there into a second room where Volle was waiting from them, sitting behind a massive desk.
"So, then, Chimbey!" Volle said.
"Chipi, my name is Chipi." the boy said.
"Chipi... really a mouse name. So, then, you would like to meet Klare, our boss."
"Right, inspector."
"To tell him what?"
"Why everybody asks me to tell him what? If I could say it to any other..." Chipi started to say.
"All right. You don't want to tell it to any other people. But then, how do you presume I take you to meet him? He has not time to waste."
"But I have to talk with him. If not, it is just the same as if you kill me."
"This could be a good idea. But first, explain to me how you managed to find me in so few hours. Besides the detail of the mice..."
Chipi then, started to tell. Volle and Klube listened attentively to him, interrupting from time to time with questions.
At the end Volle said: "I should say that you are clever and resourceful. It would even be a shame to kill you. On the other side... Let me think..." the man said, studying him.
Chipi had the strong feeling that the warrior with lively and intelligent eyes liked him. He waited.
Volle said: "Good, let's do this -- I'll give you a safe-conduct so that you can come back here to meet me. No Bakji will harm you, thus. I'll send you up, on the surface, in an area called Chita. It is one of the most violent and dangerous areas in Niokko. If in seven days, no more no less, you can find one of the entrances to the underground city of the Bakji, but different from that of Chita, admittedly you can survive seven days there, you can come back to see me and then I promise you that I will ask Klare to receive you."
"If I have to live for seven days outside, in a dangerous area, may I have my food and my weapon? The food I left in the niche under the square, and my weapon is in the hands of the station-master Merk."
"No, I'm sorry, neither of them. You will have to manage, as you are now. And I warn you, if the people out there find on you the Bakji safe-conduct, you could even pass a much more difficult moment. But, without that, you will never be able to come back here."
"All right, as I have no other choice." Chipi said, unfinchingly.
"Well, Klube, make him go out through the Chita exit. Oh, let him have a meal, before, it could be his last meal." Volle said and dismissed them waving his hand.
Klube took him and guided him to his own room, Here had the boy sit down and ordered one of the warriors on watch to bring some food for the boy.
While Chipi was eating, Klube said him: "I doubt you can remain alive, up there on the surface."
"But plenty of people live up there, right?"
"But you are a stranger, alone, you don't belong to any group. Therefore, you are at the mercy of everybody, there in Chita... I don't envy you at all."
"What's the most dangerous group?"
"In Chita? The Pwertans, or else the Mahyohs."
"And one of the most weak?"
"Oh, several -- the Aishs, the Jooheshs and... for sure the Saints."
"The Saints? Who are the Saints?"
"Some nut cases. They presume to save the world... singing!"
"And if a Pewertan meets a Saint, will he kill him?"
"If he feels like it. But it is more likely he would kill a Mahyoh, they are deadly enemies. For sure they will kill a lonely Bakji."
Chipi nodded. Then asked: "And how can one recognize a Saint?"
"Well, they don't have a distinctive way to dress. They sing and dance. And they hold a bowl with which they beg for food."
"A bowl like this one?" Chipi asked pointing to that from which he ate.
"Well, any bowl. What do you have in mind?"
"I don't yet know, but if you could give me this bowl.."
"For sure it is not a weapon, then... Would you try to pass for a Saint?"
"Who knows. At times the weaker people, are not even worthy enough to be killed, therefore, possibly..." Chipi said.
Klube smiled and nodded: "I wish you to succeed. I can't do more for you."
"Yes, you can possibly do one more thing for me."
"I'm listening..."
"Can you give me one more bowl identical to this one?"
"Another? And to do what?"
"If I tell you... will you not deny it to me?"
"This, I cannot yet say."
"I cannot for sure make a weapon of it, this metal is too thin and soft."
"All right, I'll ask for another bowl." the man said, curious.
When Chipi had the two bowls, he superposed them, studied them then parted them again. He took his safe-conduct, put it between the two bowls then using the knife he folded all the edge of the two bowls inside out blocking the two bowls so that now it seemed to be only one.
Klube smiled nodding: "Shrewd! Hoping nobody steals it or breaks it."
"Why should they? A bowl like this, I think that can't tempt anybody. At least I hope."
"Good, boy. My wishes, then. It is time I send you to the surface."
When the four warriors left him amongst the ruins in the Chita's area, one of them said reminded him: "You cannot enter again from this exit, remember."
"I know."
"Go in that direction, now."
"All right." Chipi answered and left.
There was a path amongst the ruins, traced by thousand of people who passed there. It was late morning. Chipi, while slowly walking, looked around carefully, being on alert. At first he saw no living soul. Then passed around a bend, saw two women and two men, dressed in rags, who were scavenging. He approached them singing and dancing and stretching towards them his bowl.
"Get out of my way, Saint!" a cantankerous woman yelled at him.
"For the world salvation, a bit of food!" Chipi sang, hoping he said the right sentence.
One of the two men straightened up brandishing the tool with which he was digging: "Go away, lunatic! If you want to eat, work!"
Chipi went away continuing to sing and dance. He felt ridiculous, but he was happy -- they took him for a Saint without problems. He went forward and crossed a skeletal old woman sitting on a cement low wall. He made again his scene. When he was at some ten feet from the old woman, she started to scream and Chipi suddenly was surrounded by a group of men and women.
"What's up, Mum? He is just a Saint, you have not to be scared!" one of the men said.
Chipi stretched out his bowl, continuing to dance and sing words with no sense.
The man said: "What do you want from us, we have no food to waste. And you seem even in a better shape than us! Scram!"
"For the world salvation..." Chipi started.
"But what fucking salvation! Try to save your skin from the Pwertans, you, with these fine clothes on you!"
"Do you want them?" Chipi then readily asked him, "In exchange with your clothes?"
The man stared at him like one looks at a mad-man, but nodded in assent.