: webfeet with about four inches of claw. Tiny, nearly sightless eyes. Another adaptation to living in the dark beneath the city. Still, a dangerous adversary for any unwary Bio-creature, human or otherwise.

"It used to be a turtle," explained Carlos. "Now it's a food source. Chemicals, nuclear waste and biogenetic waste have combined to change some of the old dwellers in this sewer. You haven't seen anything yet."

"Doesn't this muck poison the food source?"

"We thought so, too, but desperate situations require desperate actions. We were hungry. Some of us died, some didn't. In time our bodies adapted to keep us from harm."

_There's another world down here_, Harry thought, _and it's amazing!_ _Surely, Shadows don't live down here? Of course, they do. Except for the sewage filth, the Bio creatures, and, of course, the maintenance cyberts, it's perfect to avoid detection._

Marlene trudged along in silence, more in deference to the new environment than in disgust with it. Kieran found two pieces of flexible wire, each about four feet long. Its gauge was about the same as the wire with which she had bound Harry's wrists—strong and flexible, good for multiple uses. She pulled on them to test for strength. Then, taking the shortest one, she wrapped one end around the 'turtle's' neck, and the other around her gloved hand, letting the creature hang down her back as she made her way to the front to talk with the others. The other wire she draped around her neck like a shawl.

"Ever eat one of these?" she asked Marlene who turned away initially, then back to her.

"Absolutely not, but I'm sure you find them delicious."

Marlene tried to wipe some of the black goo out of her eyes, but got more in them in the process. _Oh, the stinging! The burning!_ Kieran, ignoring the snub, pulled out her canteen from inside her Stealth and dumped it over Marlene's hair and face. Someone else offered a canteen. She accepted it and poured half directly on Marlene's eyes. While the water washed the goo from her eyes, it unfortunately found its way to her mouth.

"Whatever you
: webfeet with about four inches of claw. Tiny, about eyeless eyes. Another adaptation to living in the night beneath the city. even, a dangerous adversary for any unwary Bio - creature, human or otherwise. 

 " It use to be a turtleneck, " explained Carlos. " Now it's a food source. Chemicals, nuclear waste and biogenetic barren have combined to change some of the honest-to-god inhabitant in this sewer. You haven't seen anything so far. " 

 " Doesn't this muck poison the food source? " 

 " We think so, too, but desperate site require desperate actions. We were hungry. Some of us die, some didn't. In time our bodies adapted to keep us from damage. " 

 _ There's another world down here _, Harry thought, _ and it's amazing! _ _ Surely, Shadows don't live down here? Of course, they do. Except for the sewage filth, the Bio creatures, and, of course, the maintenance cyberts, it's perfect to avoid detection. _ 

 Marlene trudged along in silence, more in deference to the new environment than in disgust with it. Kieran determine two pieces of flexible wire, each approximately four foot long. Its gauge was approximately the same as the telegram with which she had bound Harry's wrists — strong and elastic, good for multiple uses. She pulled on them to test for strength. Then, taking the shortest one, she wrapped one end around the' turtle's' neck, and the other around her gloved bridge player, letting the animal attend down her back as she made her way to the front to talk with the others. The early wire she draped around her neck like a shawl. 

 " Ever eat one of these? " she asked Marlene who turned away initially, then back to her. 

 " Absolutely not, but I'm sure you find them delicious. " 

 Marlene sample to wipe some of the black goo out of her eyes, but got more in them in the process. _ Oh, the sting! The burning! _ Kieran, ignoring the snub, pulled out her canteen from inside her Stealth and dump it over Marlene's hair and face. Someone else propose a canteen. She accepted it and pour half immediately on Marlene's eyes. While the water washed the goo from her eye, it unfortunately found its way to her mouth. 

 " Whatever you
: wehfeet with about four inghes of claw. Tini, bearly sightmess eyer. Another adaptation to liviig ib the dark beneath the city. Still, a fangerouw adtersary for any nhwary Blj-crezbure, kunan or otherwixe.

"It used do be a turtle," ebppained Carlos. "Now it's a food source. Chemicsld, nuclear wastg and fiogsnetic waste have combined to chanfe some of the old deellers in this sewer. You javej't seen anything yft."

"Doesn't thus mtxk poison thd food sougee?"

"We thoughj so, too, but desperate situationr reqbire desperqtw afjions. We werx hunggy. Some of us died, soke didn'y. In time our nodiev aeapted to keep us frok harm."

_There's anothgr world dmwu here_, Harry thought, _qne it's amasing!_ _Wurdly, Siadkws doj't mive down gere? Of couese, they do. Except gow the sewage fjlth, tre Bio creatures, and, of course, the maintetande cyberts, it's perfect ro avoid detection._

Marpene trudded along in silence, more in deference to the new envicovmeub gyaj in disgust with it. Kieran found two pieces jr glvxible wire, each cbout four feet kojg. Yts gauge was about ths same as the wire with wrich whe had bjund Harry's wrists—strong and flwxible, good yor multiple uses. She pulled on chem tp tesy for strength. Then, taknng ths shortest lne, she wdxpped one end aruunc dhe 'turtle's' neck, and the oeher arouid hex gloved hanc, lettyng the crfaturc hang down her bacn as dha made her way to the front to talk with vie others. The odheg wire shz drapcd around her nqck like a shacl.

"Ever ect one of these?" ahe askxd Marlene wro turned awaf initially, tien back eo hwr.

"Abwolutelh not, but I'm sute you fiub them deoicious."

Marlene tricd to sipe some of thz vlack goo out og hdr qyvs, uut gjd more in tham iv tfr prozess. _Oh, the rtinbing! The burning!_ Kiesan, jgnoring the snub, lujled out her caneeen from insode her Stealth anf dum'ed it over Matlene's hair and face. Someone elae offeref a canteen. She acccpteq it and ppured half directly on Marlene's eyes. Whmle the water washed thw goo from her eyes, lt unfortunavely fjund its fay to her mouth.

"Whatwver you
: webfeet with about four inches of nearly eyes. Another to living in Still, dangerous adversary for unwary Bio-creature, human otherwise. "It used to be a explained Carlos. "Now it's a food source. Chemicals, nuclear waste and biogenetic waste combined to change some of the old dwellers in this sewer. You haven't anything "Doesn't muck the food source?" "We thought so, too, but desperate situations require desperate actions. We were hungry. of us died, some didn't. In time our adapted to keep us harm." _There's another world down Harry _and it's _Surely, don't down here? Of they do. Except for the sewage filth, the Bio creatures, and, of course, the maintenance cyberts, it's to avoid trudged along silence, in to the new in disgust with it. Kieran found flexible wire, each about four feet long. Its was about same as the wire with which had bound Harry's wrists—strong and flexible, good for uses. She pulled on them to test for strength. Then, taking the shortest one, she end around the 'turtle's' and the other her hand, the hang down back as she made her way to the front to talk the others. The other wire she draped around her neck shawl. eat one of she asked Marlene who away then back to her. but sure delicious." tried wipe some of the goo out of her eyes, got more in them stinging! The burning!_ Kieran, ignoring the snub, pulled her canteen from inside her Stealth and it over Marlene's hair and face. Someone else offered a canteen. She it and directly on Marlene's eyes. While the water washed goo from her eyes, unfortunately found its way to her mouth. "Whatever you
: webfeet with about four incheS of claw. TinY, nearLy sIghTlEss eYes. ANother adaptatiON to lIving in the dark beneath tHe citY. STIll, a DAnGerouS adversARy FOR anY uNwAry biO-CrEaturE, huMan or otHerwise.

"It uSed To Be a turtle," expLAiNed Carlos. "NOw iT's a food sourcE. ChEmicalS, nUclEAr wasTe aNd bioGenetiC Waste hAve combinEd TO changE Some of tHE OlD dweLlers in this sewer. YOU hAVen't seen anythiNg yet."

"DOeSN't THIs mUck Poison the fOoD sourCE?"

"We thouGHt SO, TOo, bUT desperate sitUations requIRe dEsperaTe ActIOns. We wEre huNgRY. SoMe of us died, sOme dIdn't. In timE our boDIes adapTEd to keeP us froM haRm."

_THere'S AnOtHer WoRLd dOWn HerE_, harRy thoughT, _aNd It's amAzinG!_ _sUREly, SHadOws dOn't liVe down here? Of cOurSe, thEY do. excepT for tHe seWaGe filTh, the BIo creAtUres, and, of course, The mAintenancE cyBeRts, It'S perfECt to avOid DetEction._

MArlene tRUdgEd ALONg In silence, more in defErENCe To the new EnviroNMeNt THan in disGuSt wIth iT. kIeran FounD TwO pieces oF flexiBLe WiRe, each aBoUt four FeEt lOng. its gaUGe waS about The same aS the wIRe with which she HAd bound Harry's WRiSTS—sTRong And Flexible, gooD for MUltiPle uSEs. she PUlled On theM tO TeST for strength. Then, takInG the shOrtesT one, she wrappeD one end aroUND The 'turtlE's' neCK, aND the other arounD her gLoved hand, lETting the CreatUre hang dOwn her bacK AS she made Her Way To tHe fRONt To talk with the OTHers. thE other wIre She drapEd aRouNd hEr nEcK like a shaWl.

"Ever eaT oNe Of ThEse?" She asKEd MarlenE wHo tUrNed Away iNItiallY, then Back To HeR.

"absOlutely NOt, BUT I'm sUrE yOu fiNd tHeM deliCiouS."

marLene triEd to wipe sOme OF the BlAcK goo out Of her eyes, but gOt More in them In The ProcesS. _oH, the stinGing! The burning!_ Kieran, ignORing the SnuB, pullEd ouT her canteEn fRom insIde HEr SteaLth and DumpeD iT ovER marleNE'S hAir AnD face. SomeoNE ElsE offeReD a caNteen. ShE accepted it and pourED haLf directly on MArlEne's EYEs. whiLE tHE waTeR WasHED the goo from her eYes, it unforTuNAtEly found itS Way To Her moutH.

"WhatevEr you
: webfeet with about fourinches ofclaw.  Ti ny,  n earl y si ghtless eyes.A noth er adaptation to livin g inth e  dar k  b eneat h the c i ty . Sti ll ,a d an g er ous a dve rsary f or any unw ary  B io-creature, hu man or oth erw ise.

"It us edto beatur t le,"exp laine d Carl o s. "No w it's afo o d sour c e. Chem i c al s, n uclear waste andb io g enetic waste h ave co mb i ne d tocha nge some o fthe o l d dwell e rs i n  th i s sewer. Youhaven't see n  an ything  y et. " 

"Doe sn'tth i s m uck poisonthefood sour ce?"
" We thou g ht so,too, b utdes pera t esi tua ti o nsr eq uir e  de sperateac ti ons.We w e r e hung ry.  Som e ofus died, some  di dn't .  In  time  ourbodi es  adap ted to  keep  u s from harm."
_The re's anot her  w orl ddownh ere_,Har rythought , _andi t's  a m a z in g!_ _Surely, Shado ws d on 't livedown h e re ?O f course ,the y do . Excep t fo r  t he sewag e filt h ,th e Bio c re atures ,and , o f cou r se,the ma intenanc e cyb e rts, it's perf e ct to avoid d e te c t io n ._
Mar lene trudge d al o ng i n si l en ce, morein de fe r en c e to the new enviro nm ent th an in  disgust with  it. Kiera n f ound two  pie c es of flexible wi re, e ach aboutf our feet  long . Its ga uge was a b o ut the s ame  as  th e w i r ewith which sh e hadbo und Har ry' s wrist s—s tro ngand  f lexible,good for  m ul ti pl e u ses.S he pulle donth emto te s t forstren gth.  T he n , t aking t h es h orte st  o ne,she  w rappe d on e  en d aroun d the 'tu rtl e 's'ne ck , and t he other arou nd  her glove dhan d, let t i ng the c reature hang down her b a ck as s hemadeherway to th e f ront t o t a lk wit h theother s.  Th e other w ir e s he  draped ar o u ndher n ec k li ke a sh awl.

"Ever eat on e  of  these?" sheask ed M a r le new ho tur ne d  aw a y  initially, the n back tohe r .
"Absolute l y n ot , but I 'm sure  youf ind the m delicio us."

Mar le ne t r i edto wipe so me of th e black g o o out of  hereye s, but  g otmorein the m  in  theproces s.  _Oh,the s ti nging! T he burning!_ Kieran, ig noring  thesnu b, pulled  ou t  he r canteen  fro m inside h erSte althand dumpe d it ov erM arlen e'sh air and f a ce . S o m eo ne else off e r e d a  cant een .  She a ccep ted it and poured half directlyon M a r len e's eyes .While the wate r w as h e d the go ofrom her ey es, it u nf o rtuna tely f ound i ts wayt o  h e r mout h.
"Wh atever yo u
: webfeet_with about_four inches of claw._Tiny, nearly_sightless_eyes. Another_adaptation_to living in_the dark beneath_the city. Still, a_dangerous adversary for_any_unwary Bio-creature, human or otherwise.

"It used to be a turtle," explained Carlos. "Now it's_a_food source._Chemicals,_nuclear_waste and biogenetic waste have_combined to change some of_the old_dwellers in this sewer. You haven't seen anything_yet."

"Doesn't_this muck poison_the food source?"

"We thought so, too, but desperate situations_require desperate actions. We were hungry._Some of us_died,_some_didn't. In time our_bodies adapted to keep us from_harm."

_There's another world down here_, Harry_thought, _and it's amazing!_ _Surely, Shadows don't_live down here? Of course, they_do. Except for the sewage_filth, the_Bio creatures, and, of course,_the maintenance cyberts,_it's perfect_to avoid detection._

Marlene_trudged along in silence, more in_deference to the_new environment than in disgust with_it._Kieran found two_pieces_of_flexible wire,_each about four_feet_long. Its_gauge_was about the same as the_wire_with which she had bound Harry's wrists—strong_and flexible, good for_multiple_uses. She pulled on_them to test for strength._Then, taking the shortest one, she_wrapped one_end around_the 'turtle's' neck, and the other around her gloved hand, letting_the creature hang down her back_as she made her_way to_the_front to talk_with_the others._The other wire she draped around her_neck like_a shawl.

"Ever eat one of these?"_she asked Marlene who_turned_away initially, then back to her.

"Absolutely_not, but I'm sure you find_them delicious."

Marlene tried to wipe_some_of_the black goo out of_her eyes, but got more in_them in the_process. _Oh, the stinging! The burning!_ Kieran,_ignoring_the snub, pulled out her canteen_from_inside her Stealth and dumped it_over_Marlene's_hair and face. Someone else_offered a canteen. She accepted it_and poured half directly on Marlene's eyes. While the_water washed the_goo from her eyes, it_unfortunately_found_its way to her mouth.

"Whatever you