“Have it your own way.” Strak sighed wearily. “You will tell us, you know. That is certain. Today, tomorrow, next week or six months from now. We can wait.”
Kruger pushed the boys toward the bench where the other hostages were seated. “Parker, help me tie these two up.”
When the boys were securely bound, Strak motioned Parker to follow him. “Come, Parker. Let us go outside. We have a few things to discuss in private.”
“You want Malik and me to stay here and guard the prisoners?” Kruger asked.
Strak hesitated a moment, then shook his head. “No, come along. You should all hear this.” He glanced at the prisoners. “I don’t think they’ll get loose.” He smiled. “And even if they did, where would they go? We’ll be up at the entrance—the only entrance.”
The four men left the room and their footsteps echoed off down the tunnel. In the dim light of the lantern Dr. Steele’s face was drawn and pale.
“I’ll never forgive myself, getting you boys mixed up in this,” he said. “Once I knew they were on to us, that we hadn’t deceived them into thinking this was an innocent geological expedition, I should have sent you back to California on the first plane.”
“Don’t blame yourself, Dad,” Sandy said quietly. “I wouldn’t have left you, knowing that you were in some kind of serious trouble.”
“That goes for me too, sir,” Jerry backed him up.
“What I don’t understand,” Sandy said, “is how they caught you.”