Put your backpack on under your jacket and do the jacket up,' Twizell said. You don't want anything sticking out or loose.'
He looped the coil of rope over his shoulder and I did the same. Hector turned away and pretended to be interested in the bone sticking out of the debris. Templeton nodded at us.
Do it.'
Twizell scratched at his newly sprouted beard, stretched and worked his shoulders. He moved forward and turned sideways to get through the opening. He was much shorter than me but solidly built and it was a tight squeeze. I had to duck down but I got through easily enough. The smell inside the space was a mixture of foul, trapped air, damp rock and rotting vegetation.
I switched on my torch. We should have gas masks.'
Been blocked a good while. There's air vents further down.'
It's that "down" that worries me most,' I said, and air vents suggest water could get in.'
I'll look after you. Hey, Cliff, that was a great move about that fucker's gun. You've got one tucked away somewhere, right?'
Wrong.'
Shit, I was counting on you.'
Count again. Let's get on with it.'
25
My first problem, apart from the stink, was that I had to keep slightly hunched over, not a comfortable way to proceed. My favourite sport had been surfing, where the whole world is open to you. Even boxing, although you're in a confined space for the contest, takes place in a bigger space. The idea of enjoying creeping along in an underground alley in a half-light was alien to me. But the secret of getting things done is to do them and not waste energy complaining.
I followed Twizell, who, I had to admit, showed some talent in the caper-signalling me to warn of hazards like jutting-out rocks and unevenness underfoot. The air quality improved but what I'd suspected proved to be true. Water had got in when the area was flooded and we were slogging through ankle-deep mud and splashing through puddles. After what felt like half an hour, but was probably less, of steady but gradual descending we came to the first drop. We needed to get down to a level about ten metres below where we were. Water dripped over the edge.
Twizell shone his torch beam around, located a solid anchor point and tied his rope around it.
Get down backwards, using the rope, and sort of walk down the face,' he said, like this.'
He disappeared over the edge and I heard a few grunts and then he shone his torch up at me.
It's easy,' he said.
It wasn't. I was stiffer than was right for the job; my palms were sweaty and the rope slipped and burned them and I bumped my knee several times on the way down.
Told you,' he said. Picked this because I knew I could get in and out easily.'
I grunted and rubbed my hands together.
Sorry, should have got gloves for you.'
I'll be all right. Let's go.'
Notice it's a bit warmer?'
Yeah.'
Further you go down the warmer it gets. I've been in some caves hot as-'
Jack, we haven't got all day.'
The ground was very rough now and Twizell stumbled a few times and swore. But it was drier. He was less cavalier with his torch after that and kept it trained a metre or so in front of him.
At least it's dry,' I said.
So far. All depends on the fucking vents and the flood.' His laugh was almost a giggle. Money might've floated away. Wouldn't that be a hoot?'
You used to do this for fun?'
Yeah. I'll do it again if I get through this. Reckon we will?'
Fair chance.'
The cave, which after the drop had been high enough for me to stand and wide enough for easy passage, suddenly turned a corner and narrowed. Twizell moved cautiously and I heard a sigh of relief from him.
What?'
It's okay. There was a bit of a collapse here first time and I wondered, but it seems all right now.' He sounded nervous and as if talking helped. Tell you one place I wouldn't do it.'
I didn't want him nervous. Where's that?'
Fucking New Zealand. Imagine being down here when-'
Shut up!'
Getting edgy?'
You were.'
All right, we're nearly there. Here's the next drop. Much the same.'
Any water?'
He shone his torch. Looks all right.'
He went through the same procedure and dropped over the edge. I got out my Swiss army knife, hacked two chunks out of my denim shirt, wrapped them around my hands and went down the rope. The drop was nearly twice as long as the first but I was more careful and got down more slowly but without damage. Twizell studied me as I stuffed the cloth in my pocket.
You're doing okay.'
A childish reaction, but I enjoyed his praise-momentarily.
The money. Where?'
Over here.'
He took two paces and our torch beams focused on a ledge in the rock wall. Eight bundles, sealed in heavy plastic, each about the size of a six-pack of beer, but without handy finger holes, sat on the ledge.
Twizell's laugh was almost hysterical. Here we are, mate. Not protected by snakes or skulls or anything. Just beautiful, beautiful money.'
I'd had charge of large amounts of money myself, and bodyguarded people carrying still larger amounts, but this was the most I'd ever seen in one chunk. It looked oddly innocent and it was in itself, but it was associated with a lot of things that were anything but innocent. My problem was its future associations. I thought this while taking off my jacket and unstrapping the backpack.
It's just money,' I said. Here today and gone tomorrow. Load it up and let's get out of this fucking hole.'
We loaded the plastic blocks into the backpacks, four each. Bulky, but not heavy. Then we retraced our steps. Twizell went up the rope at the second drop like a cat up a tree. I struggled; the backpack made me awkward and my hands hurt despite the wrappings. I made it with Twizell's help.
The downward slope hadn't felt very severe, but now it was upward and it seemed steep in spots. I had to stop for a rest a couple of times. I needed to catch my breath and the confinement and smell were getting to me.
How did they treat you?' I asked on the second pause.
How d'you mean?'
Didn't rough you up?'
Hec wanted to but bloody Rod wouldn't let him.'
Were you worried about the bolt-cutters?'
Twizell had plenty of wind. He laughed. That bloke got picked up by the cops. Warrants out on him, apparently. I wasn't sorry to hear that. You right now?'
Just about. I'm wondering if Templeton has really gone over to the other side. Do you reckon he could still be the undercover cop playing along with Hector to ... ?'
Twizell shook his head, gestured, and his torch beam zoomed around the space. No way. He's in it with him a hundred per cent. Were you banking on that to get us out of this in one piece?'
Not exactly.'
That really fills me with confidence. Come on, we've still got that other rope to get up and we're well past the time I said. They'll be getting edgy.'
Despite giving me the hurry-up, Twizell slowed down from that point. He bumped against a projecting rock and swore as blood spread over his neck and dripped down into his collar. He stopped to mop it with the sleeve of his jacket. I shone my torch and saw where the wound caused by the end of Templeton's sawn-off had been reopened.
I thought: Where's that shotgun?
We reached the second rope and I stopped Twizell before he took his grip. The shottie, where is it?'
I dunno. You looked in the SUV, didn't you?'
Yeah. You sure he didn't stick it under the seat in the Bobcat or something like that?'
I'm not sure. Shit, you're putting the wind up me.'
Probably nothing. He seems pretty confident he can bring this off peacefully.'
Are you?'
No. Let's get up this bloody rope.'
Twizell was much less nimble this time. He stood at the top with the rope in his grasp as I moved to grab it. His torch beam blinded me.
What're you doing?' I said.
His voice seemed to come from far away and there was a slight echo to it. Thinking.'
About what?'
Leaving you here and negotiating. You'll never get up that rock face.'
That made me wonder about Twizell and the backpacker but it was no time for wondering.
Forget it, Jack. Half the money's with me. They'd send you down for it or Templeton'd come after it himself and I'm in no state to fight him. He'd leave me here and you'd have done your last cave for sure. The odds are in favour of not upsetting them. I don't like it any more than you do, but...'
The beam flicked away.
Yeah, yeah. Come up. You can't live forever, right?'
It wasn't what I wanted to hear, but he let go of the rope and I went up more easily than I'd thought I could. We stood together looking down the narrow, lower and wet rest of the way out.
When you're caving,' Twizell said, you have options- left or right, up or down, go on or go back. You know?'
Yeah, like in life, but not right now.'
We went on; I crouched where I had to and ploughed through the mud towards the clean air and the light.
26
Twizell propped at the entrance and I had to push him to get out. I hadn't expected anything good, but I hadn't anticipated anything like what I saw when I lurched through into the light. Three men in tracksuits wearing balaclavas and carrying pistols stood about twenty metres away. Hector and Templeton were on their knees in front of them with their hands behind their heads.
The one in the middle gestured with his pistol. Come on out, boys, and join the party. Have to say you don't look so good.'
Twizell and I were wet and muddied to our knees. We moved forward.
Take off the backpacks and put them on the ground.'