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The dungeon was not a state-of-the-art prison The rusting iron cell doors had been hung in the late nineteenth century and still required the large antique key chained to Macco’s belt Seng ripped the key and its ring fro the first doors As soon as the door ung ajar, Julia Huxley rushed into the cell to check the condition of its inhabitant Seng’s tea the shocked prisoners, who feared the worst, into the dungeon’s passageway

“Five are in no condition to walk up the stairs and onto the street,” said Julia “They’ll have to be carried out on stretchers”

“Then we’ll haul theh bodies to carry five stretchers”

“These poor devils think we’re going to execute theedly built team member with red hair in a buzz cut

“We haven’t got ti He knew that the security officials doere wondering why the dungeon alarht They were certain to call and find the phones down How soon they would send a squad of uess “Julia, you round up those who can move on their oo feet The rest of you men carry the ones too weak to walk”

TheyCubans out of the dungeon and up the stairs, every team member with a Cuban over one shoulder, their free are the steps Julia brought up the rear, supporting tos could only coh Spanish to order a arita

Cli stone steps was a torturous exertion for the weakened prisoners, but there could be no turning back Any capture now led up the steps, chests rising and falling, lungs gasping for air, hearts pounding Men and woiven up hope no an opportunity to live nor death to rescue them

Seng could not afford the tiaunt faces Any thoughts of co Syon

He concentrated on pushing theical

At last the front of the colu stepped cautiously out onto the brick street There was no whisper of sound or any sign of vehicles or people The truck was right where they’d left it

The tea now and soaked in sweat fro studied the darkened street and buildings through his laser night binoculars The area was clear Satisfied, he hustled everyone through the gate and shoved thehly in the direction of the truck

He rushed back into the office and checked the guard He was still unconscious He also spotted a red light on a console beside the desk The alareon door The phone began to ring, and he picked it up and snapped in Spanish, “Uno momento!”

Then he set the receiver down and dashed out the door

The rescue teao bed of the truck like Japanese workers during rush hour The driver shifted the weary old transrind, and the truck leaped forward The streets were as before, the auto traffic thin, while Cubans were enjoying a bal at chairs and tables on the sidewalks or drinking in the cantinas, dancing and singing

Seng cocked his ear out theand listened for any sound of alarht air The harshest sound ca loose froine header pipe The rattle of the exhaust soon drowned out the city noise He saw Cubans glance at the truck and then turn away Loose exhaust pipes and rusted-out mufflers were coo The city’s inhabitants had hts on their minds