Mercury Man (25 page)
“Mercury Man and Tom Strong!” Jack crowed. “I think I'll have another beer. I want to toast the big heroes of the day. And the heroes of the future.”
Tom fetched the beer for his grandfather. Jack raised his glass and smiled. Tom noticed that his mother was in close conversation with Paul Daniel. He had to admit that they looked awfully good together.
Miranda had noticed it, too, and she smiled at him.
“We have to go find the kids,” Tom told her. “Grandpa will get in touch with them and their parents, but we should see them right away.”
Miranda nodded and led the way quietly out of the bunker.
The tunnel was silent, strange. They nuzzled close, making slow progress, but following the tracks along through the half-darkness. They seemed to float along together. Tom felt as if his body and soul were dissolving in pure happiness.
They came at last to a passageway, dimly lit by a small red sign that said: “EXIT.”
There was an elevator. Miranda pressed the button and it clanked down the shaft to them. The doors opened and they entered. As they rode up, Miranda said, “Please give me back the ring now.”
He looked at her in astonishment. She spoke slowly and carefully, but every word was clear.
He contemplated his ragged costume, thinking how bedraggled and foolish he looked. One glove was gone, along with his mask, while his jersey was torn and blackened with dirt from his experience in the venting shafts. Tom Strong hadn't done much! His father had saved him by bluffing his way out, and Tarn had simply disappeared. He didn't feel like much of a hero after all. Even so â¦
“Give you back the ring? But why, Miranda?” he pleaded with her. “I mean ⦠I don't ever want to give it up.”
She smiled. “You don't need the ring now. You've got me. I'll give it back to you if I ever think you need it.”
Tom looked at her doubtfully, hesitated, then worked the ring off his finger and gave it to her. He was stunned. “I guess I'm not Tom Strong any more,” he said, feeling more than a little crestfallen.
But Miranda stroked his cheek and said, “You are Tom Strong â and Mercury Man, too!” She kissed him until he shivered with joy. “You've always been Tom Strong â you just didn't know it.”
The elevator doors opened. They were in another tunnel, but clearly no longer underground. Miranda led the way to the actual exit. In a few minutes they stood in Harbour Street, beside the dilapidated shed and next to Mercury House, where so many things were about to change.
Night had fallen over West Hope. A few early stars were visible, not quite extinguished by the lights of Fabricon, towering above the other buildings.
Then a Siamese cat appeared, crawling out from under an overturned wheelbarrow and into the lighted space beside them. He waited patiently while Tom and Miranda bent down together to stroke him. But after a while he crept away, gazing back at them only once with his enigmatic blue eyes.