Page 25 of What Remains

“The understatement of the century.” John let a beat slip as he debated the best opening gambit. In the end, he settled for straightforward. “Look, you said we got three hours or so before we get to where we leave the van, right?”

“Yes.” Pause. “And?”

He signed. “Don’t play pseudo-stupid. You’re thinking so hard, steam’s coming out of your ears.”

Driver didn’t crack a smile. “I’m starting to think the way you are. That this isn’t a coincidence, you and me, in the same theater of operations at the same time and going in, essentially, the same direction.”

“So, you agree our missions might dovetail?”

“I don’t know, Worthy. I think I’m waiting for the punchline, the moment this all becomes clear. So far, I don’t see it.” Driver slid him a sidelong glance. “But there’s something more pressing on your mind, something you’re dying to know. Like…why we’rebothnot dead.”

“Yeah, I’m kinda wondering. You asked me if I remember what happened. Well, I do and the last I saw of you, you were making like Spiderman while half the cave was coming down. Roni was right behind you. I still don’t understand what you were doing, why you were going that way. But I guess it worked, since you’re here. So how did you, well, dot-dot-dot?” He waited then said, “That was an ellipsis, by the way. My invitation for you to fill in an open-ended question.”

Driver snorted. “You always were a smart-ass.”

“And proud of it. Don’t dodge the question, Driver.”

“What do you remember?”

“You always answer a question with a question?”

“What do you think?”

John had to smile. “You’ve missed your calling. You’d make a great shrink. Trust me, I know from personal experience, fromhourswith therapists, and I’m not talking about Roni.”

“Point taken. But, you first, Worthy,” Driver said. “What do you remember?”

“I remember everything,” John said, “until the moment I died.”

JOHN: GREAT BALLS OF FIRE

August 27, 2021: Kohe Koran, Hindu Kush, Afghanistan

1

Flowers led him on a tour.The abandoned aqueduct turned out to be more than simply a long tunnel. The front chamber was high enough for a person to stand comfortably and about twenty feet wide.

“Artificial, though,” Flowers said, aiming at flashlight at the walls. “See all the gouges, where the rock’s been hammered out? We think this was something doneafterthe karez went dry. Anyway, pretty big and there are three tunnels that lead to other rooms. Here.” He moved the light to an opening at nine o’clock. “Another straight in front of you and then this one to the right. We got the kids down this way. Notice anything about it?” Flowers asked as they moved from the front room and into a tunnel high enough for a man to walk without having to stoop and wide enough for two abreast.

John felt the strain in his knees. “Heading downhill?”

“Yup. What else? Give you a hint. Think in terms of a clock. You got nine and noon and?” Flowers paused. “Dot-dot-dot? Fill in the blank, man.”

Craning a look over a shoulder, John studied the entrance to this tunnel. “The opening’s not at three o’clock. It’s at two.”

“And give the boy a gold star.” In the flashlight’s glow, Flower’s smile took on a slightly devilish cast. “Got any guesses why?”

“Bad at geometry?”

Flowers let go of a short laugh, which sounded again in a faint series of echoes. “You’d think so, but that’s not it. Stop a second and take a listen.”

They did. After a short silence, John said, “I don—” But then hedidhear: a faint burbling, liquid sound. “Water?” When Flowers nodded, John said, “Where the flow got diverted.”

“That’s what we think, yeah. Feel the rock.”

“Cool.” He noticed something else: Flowers’s breath smoked ever so slightly. “The water lowers the temp in this portion of the tunnel system.”

“Correct. It’s also why the boys are down this way. More comfortable, but if they want to move up into the big room, no one will stop them. Just nicer back here, easier to sleep.”

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