Jupiter plunged after her. The water was black, cold, salty. He kept up with the girl easily using strong breast strokes.
At length she paused again, treading water near the opposite wall of the aquaduct.
"There's a tunnel here, a man's height below the surface. It leads into another chamber. Are you willing to try it?"
"Go ahead."
Tabak up-ended in a surface dive, the black water closing over her feet. Jupiter followed her down. He found the hole with his hand, swam into it. On and on—ten—twenty—thirty yards. His lungs felt as if they must burst.
Air began to dribble out his nose. He kicked furiously, driving himself ahead. Suddenly he realized he was out of the tunnel. He shot up to the surface, broke water, gasping air into his scalded lungs.
That had been close, too close. He floated on his back breathing deeply.
After a minute he rolled over and stared about him.
He was in a vast echoing chamber. Orange sunshine streamed in from open skylights. Steps led down into the water. Tabak, he saw, was already standing on the edge of the floor looking down at him.