Free Oracle by Mike Resnick Page A

hospital.” Chandler turned toward the tunnel once more.
    "You can't leave me here!"
    "That's precisely what you were going to do to me,” replied Chandler. “You might consider it poetic justice."
    "Who are you?” demanded the man.
    "I'm the man who killed you,” answered Chandler, heading off into the tunnel. The man's protests and curses grew weaker and weaker, and finally vanished as Chandler turned a corner.
    The tunnels were illuminated by a dim Eternalight every ten yards, and he soon saw a pattern to them: most of the lights were purple, but an orange one preceded a fork and a green one a chamber where two or more tunnels joined.
    He continued going from one tunnel to another, borrowed laser rifle at the ready. From time to time he could hear the shuffling of feet in distant corridors, but by the time he approached them they were gone.
    He realized that if the Blue Devil knew its way around the tunnels he was never going to catch up with it, than indeed it had probably already surfaced through some other manhole or exit. But Gin had never mentioned Blue Devils when describing the tunnels, and the man he had just killed hadn't referred to the Blue Devil by name, so there was a better-than-even chance that the Blue Devil he was chasing had no more business being in the tunnels than he himself did, and that in turn meant there was at least a possibility that it was even now undergoing the same treatment that he had been threatened with in that first chamber.
    A green light told him he was approaching another chamber, and he slowed his pace, listening intently. When he was within ten feet of the entrance he could hear two people—a man and a woman—conversing in muffled tones.
    He made his way to the chamber in utter silence. They both had their backs to him, and were still speaking softly.
    "They say it was the Whistler,” the man was saying. “He killed the Surgeon earlier today."
    "Why would he want to take over the tunnels?” asked the woman. “We're small change to a high roller like him."
    "When you want to be a kingpin, you don't worry about large or small,” answered the man knowingly. “You grab for it all."
    "Well, if he comes down here, he's going to wish he'd stayed up top."
    "He's already down here,” said the man. “Who else could have killed Boris and the others? It's got to be the Whistler."
    "Whistler or not, if he shows his face, I'll slice him."
    "Freeze!” said Chandler softly, stepping into the chamber. “Not a word, not a movement."
    Both of them tensed, but neither moved.
    "Nobody's slicing anyone,” continued Chandler, approaching them. “Turn around."
    They turned to face him.
    "You're the Whistler?” asked the man.
    "Some people call me that,” answered Chandler.
    "You're not taking over the tunnels!” snarled the woman. “I don't care how good you are, you can't kill all of us!"
    "I don't want to kill any of you,” said Chandler. “I just want some information."
    "Then why did you kill Boris and his men?” she demanded.
    "They wouldn't give it to me."
    "We don't turn on our own, Whistler,” said the man defiantly. “You might as well shoot us right now."
    "I don't want one of your own,” replied Chandler. “I'm after a Blue Devil."
    "We got no Blue Devils down here,” said the woman. “Just Men."
    "He doesn't work for you, at least I don't think so. He entered the tunnels a couple of minutes ahead of me.” He paused. “I want him."
    "What for?"
    "That's none of your business, but it has nothing to do with the tunnels. I want no part of them."
    "Why should we believe you?” she persisted.
    "Because the only other reason I could have for being here is to kill you, and you're still alive,” said Chandler.
    The man and woman exchanged looks.
    "If we take you to the Blue Devil, that's all you want?” said the man. “You'll take him up top and leave the tunnels to us?"
    Chandler nodded. “That's all I want."
    "And you won't ever come back down here again?"
    "I