They
continued
to creep through the stinking passage, then
they stopped.
they stopped.
Orwell - 1984
We take this car!
", answered Frank, whose back
began to hurt, because of his heavy load.
„Okay, we go to the office. Than pay with Scanchip! ", said
the renter and walked off.
"Now we will see. . . ", whispered Alf.
„How long do you want to lease the car? ", asked the man
from the next room and typed something.
„Till the second of march! ", said Alf.
"Okay! ", it came back.
The Frenchman took the two Scanchips and pulled them
over a reader.
136
„A car is 40 Globes a day, my friends! ", he explained.
„Okay! ", breathed Frank and looked at Alf with fear in his
eyes.
The reader hummed quietly and for the two men the world
seemed to stop turning for some seconds. The tension let
their hearts pump faster and the adrenalin shot through their
veins.
Then the Frenchman looked up and smiled friendly: „Thank
you, Mr. Eberharter and Mr. Willner. Take your car. Have
much fun in Paris! Haben Sie vielen Spaft in Paris, mein
Herren! Ha, ha! "
The two rebels took a deep breath, walked fastly to their
car, threw the heavy bags into the trunk and disappeared.
The trip to Paris was more pleasant than in former times.
There were no more traffic jams of considerable size,
because the number of cars had increasingly been reduced
in the last years.
The breakdown of the automobile industry had begun in the
year 2009 and in 2029, cars were luxury articles for the
ordinary people. Who could hardly ensure, that there was
enough food on his plate, had no more Globes to fund a car.
Government officials and other higher earners, who still
could afford a car, were an exception. Moreover, the prices
for gasoline had drastically risen, particularly since 2018.
Meanwhile, a car devoured big sums of money.
Alternative energies, which could have replaced the
gasoline, were still suppressed by the oil industry and the oil
lords had still all the power, to exterminate any rivals in this
sector. In 2019, a worldwide wave of liquidations by the
GSA had hit many scientists and entrepreneurs, who
wanted to offer free energies. So the traffic jams slowly
vanished, and that was a real advantage on this day,
because the two rebels could nearly "enjoy" their trip to
137
Paris. However, the motorways and streets were in a
catastrophic condition. The administrative district . . Central
Europe" used its income for more important things than to
repair streets, for example, an improved monitoring or an
extended armament.
It lasted for a while, until the two men had found the hotel,
which HOK had chosen for them. The streets of Paris
appeared endlessly and darkly, and if one didn't know this
labyrinth of lanes, it was easy to go astray.
The hotel was called . . Sunflower" and was in the east of
Paris. At 20,30 o'clock, the exhausted men finally arrived
and parked their car behind the buidling. In the hotel, a
pretty Frenchwoman with light brown hair and a girlish face
was waiting for them.
She was very friendly, but somehow busy and reticent.
However, this was no problem, because unnecessary talk
with other people had to be strictly avoided. Frank and Alf
just told her, that they were tourists from Austria.
The Scanchips functioned perfectly again. This was the way
it should be. Then, the two men brought their heavy and
explosive luggage to room 16 on the 2nd floor. Frank and
Alf didn't see many other guests on this evening. Only an
older woman, who greeted them in French. That was all.
They closed the door behind themselves and fell on their
beds, which were covered with a brown duvet. Soon this
day had come to an end and the two rebels were just glad
about this.
Now they were in Paris, but the real trip to hell was still
waiting for them. Nevertheless, Frank and Alf banished this
fact from their minds at this evening.
138
Aux Champs-Elysees
Aux Champs-Elysees
Aux Champs-Elysees
Au soleil, sous la pluie
A midi ou a minuit
II y a tout ce que vous voulez
Aux Champs-Elysees. . .
(French version, 1969)
Oh Champs-Elysees
Oh Champs-Elysees
Sonne scheint, Regen rinnt
Ganz egal, wir beide sind
So froh, wenn wir uns wiederseh'n
Oh Champs-Elysees. . .
(German cover version, 1969)
Oh Champs-Elysees
Oh Champs-Elysees
Sonne scheint, Regen rinnt
Wechsler, du wirst mich nicht sehfn
und bald vor deinem Schopfer stehf n !
Oh Champs-Elysees. . .
(Modified version by Frank Kohlhaas, 2029)
139
Although they were in the middle of a strongly monitored
city in . . Central Europe", and the enemy could lie in wait at
each corner, Frank and Alf slept quite well. At first, Frank
remembered this old French song, which was occasionally
played on the radio. He changed the text of the German
version in a way that it was suitable to the situation.
Kohlhaas chuckled quietly, till the sleep had overpowered
him.
The beginning of the next day could not be avoided and
there were only eight days till the "Festival of the new
World", which should come over the old "Avenue de
Champs-Elysees".
There was still enough time to get an idea of the situation,
and to explore the dark sewer tunnels, which they had
selected as their way to the security zone. This procedure
was also very necessary, because there was no room in
their plan for unexpected incidents, collapsed tunnels or
blocked ways.
Frank and Alf spent the first day in Paris in their hotel room
and avoided to leave the building. Only once, Alf bought
something to eat in a nearby supermarket and told his friend
about the dirty streets he had walked down. Apart from that,
they spent their time with watching TV. The news, which
were mostly agitation against Japan, brought them several
outbreaks of rage. For the next day, more exactly for the
next night, both men had planned something really bold. At
two o'clock in the morning, the two rebels sneaked out of
their hotel room and passed the abandoned reception.
In the darkness of the next street corner, Frank hastily took
his DC-Stick and opened the city map of Paris, which HOK
had completed with additional informations. Like two
shades, they crept around the houses and moved silently
from one dark place to the next. It was raining and Alf
suggested to postpone the operation to the following day,
140
but Frank did not want to waste anymore time and remained
stubborn. „The Rue Lagille, it is not far away from here! ",
whispered Kohlhaas and showed his friend the map.
„We are just crazy, man! ", answered Baumer.
„Of course! " Frank grinned. „And now, let's hurry up! "
They went to a dark corner again and studied some
construction plans. Meanwhile, the heavy rain had stopped
and just dabbled quietly one the roofs of the houses around
them. The streets were empty, only a few probably Algerian
teenagers, who occasionally roared through the night or
kicked against garbage cans and bus stop signs, could be
seen in the distance. However, the two rebels were not
noticeable to them. It was after three o'clock, when they
finally reached their goal.
. . Let's look for an entrance here", whispered Frank.
„Shit, what am I doing here? ", sighed his friend and fetched
a small crowbar, which he kept hidden under his jacket.
. . Come on now! ", hissed Kohlhaas.
A car drove past them and an old woman, standing at a
brightly illuminated window, gazed at the dark and wet
street. Frank and Alf had noticed her and decided to creep
inconspicuously away.
. . Look! She can see us! We have to go! ", growled Frank and
Alf followed him.
. . Let's go to the next street, there are only some houses on
one side. And there is an abandoned factory building,
according to the plan", whispered the young man with the
DC-Stick in his hand.
Shortly afterwards, they reached a nearly perfect dark back
alley. Now they felt unobserved. Anyhow, they could not see
anybody, although they looked around several times and
examined the environment with sharp eyes. A minute later
they stood in front of a gully cover of iron. It was clearly
141
visible shown on one of HOK's maps of the city of Paris.
They paused for a short moment.
„This must be gully cover 344-GL-77003, if the map is
correct", said Frank with a little enthusiastic face. „Down
there? Now? Damn! "
„No turning back, Kohlhaas! ", answered Alf and already
screwed up his nose.
They lifted the manhole cover without problems and pushed
it to the side. In front of them, an unfathomable black hole
opened itself now. Only the outlines of some rusty rungs,
leading into the darkness, could be recognized.
„Fuck! ", said Frank.
Baumers nodded approvingly, then he held his flashlight
downward. Dirt, rotten leaves and rust expected the two
assassins down below. Moreover, a pungent stench.
"Oh my God! ", said Kohlhaas and took his rubber gloves
and the breathing mask. "Do you have the blowtorch, Alf? "
"Yes, sure! What are you waiting for? ", muttered Baumer.
Frank carefully climbed down the rusty ladder, while Alf was
shining for him. After a few minutes, he had reached the
ground.
„Baaah! ", it resounded out of the dark hole.
His partner could imagine, what Frank meant. Then
Kohlhaas shone for Alf, who crawled down into the
unknown, little inviting environment of the underground of
Paris. Baumer pulled the gully cover over the manhole, so
that only a small gap remained. Down here, it was as
disgusting as expected, and the channel did not make the
impression, as if someone had ever cleaned it in the last
twenty years. Wet heaps of dirt were piled up beside the
rivlet, down to the feet of the two men. Some rats scurried
away. Alf shone at them with his flashlight and the animals
quickly disappeared somewhere in a stinking hole.
142
„l_ook at this, gentlemen of the World Government are also
here! ", joked Frank and pointed at the rats.
Alf chuckled. „Here will be a lot of them. If you see a
completely fat and bloated rat, then you can address it with
„Mr. World President"! "
Frank grinned and returned: „To compare these poor
animals with the Lodge Brothers, is an insult for every rat! "
The gossip took a bit of the uncertainty of the two rebels,
who stood now in the middle of an ugly sewer tunnel. Frank
looked at his map again and then they walked about
hundred meters straightforward.
They had to watch out for their heads, because the tunnel
was not as tall as a man and surely already very old. Soon
after, both men came to a bigger canal and heard a car
above themselves. They were under a street. The little river
of wastewater was a bit broader here, just like the roundish
tunnel. Now they had to come to a decision.
„lf the map is correct, we must go to the left", said Frank
after a short look at the DC-Stick.
„lt will hopefully be correct, otherwise we are fucked up",
grumbled Baumer.
„There is always a gully cover somewhere, that can bring us
back to the surface", said Frank and walked forward, waving
with his flashlight. Meanwhile, Alfred sprayed a red cross on
the wall, in order to use it later as an orientation.
The broader sewer tunnel still extended for about two
hundred meters, then they came to a grid, clogged with dirt
and leaves, which was completely rusted. There was no
getting through. At least, not without a blowtorch, which
Alfred fortunately had. It just took a quarter of an hour, then
he had destroyed the rusty lattice.
„What a work! ", gasped Alf, when the dammed up water
poured away between his legs with loud splashing.
143
The tunnel with the old grid still extended for two hundred
further meters, then it ended in a larger room, where the rills
of wastewater flowed together. Gray-green walls gazed at
the two intruders and Frank was sure, that these old
buildings already existed since many decades, maybe since
centuries.
Rusty wastewater pipes came from the ceiling of the room
and on the wall was a sign with something in French on it. It
was completely rusted too.
At least, they could stand tall here. The way forked again in
several directions. Frank looked at some files and was sure
that they had to go into the opposite tunnel, Alfred trusted
him and sprayed another red cross on the wall.
„One of these sewer corridors had not been on our map, but
this must be the right one! Above it, is the "Rue de
Rothschild", as I think", explained Kohlhaas.
Shortly afterwards, they walked through a narrow passage
with some big holes in the walls. Spiders and rats welcomed
them in this dark tunnel and it was smelling rancidly, despite
the breathing masks.
Frank and Alf had to crouch again and watched their heads.
Meanwhile, they had walked this tunnel for about fifty
meters, when they discovered a small source of light above
themselves. Probably it was the light of one of the street
lamps, which came through a little hole of a gully cover.
They continued to creep through the stinking passage, then
they stopped. A black water lode with a very narrow
sidewalk on the side was in front of them, it was
approximately one meter deep. In the distance of ten
meters, rusty and damaged iron pipes led upward. Alfred
marked the way and followed his friend along the stream.
The water was not really deep, but it smelled foul and
appeared somehow threatening. Frank thought that a
terrible kraken would grab them with its tentacles to pull
144
them down into a bottomless black sea. It was just spooky
down here and the stench crept out of every corner right
into their noses.
„lf I have counted my steps correctly, we have walked about
600 or 700 meters yet", said Baumer.
His friend looked at the digital map and nodded. At the end
of the tunnel, they reached a relatively big room, which
looked like a reservoir. Stairs led upward and a large pool
with brackish water was in front of them.
Frank illuminated the basin, then he said to Alfred: . . HOK's
informations have mostly been correct so far. This reservoir
or whatever it is, has been marked with a red spot on the
map. You should spray a sign on the wall here! "
After they had crossed the next tunnel, they had penetrated
the underground labyrinth for more than one kilometer.
Then they reached an area, which reminded them of a small
hall. It must have been a part of the world-famous
canalization of Paris, which had been built in the year 1850
and during the following period. With a tang of admiration,
the two men stopped for a moment and looked around.
Then they continued their journey.
„This must be pumps over there, right? " Alfred pointed at
several enormous pipes with big handwheels on the side,
that led into a deep water reservoir. However, they also
were totally rusted, although they seemed to be still in use.
J think so! ", answered Frank. „This hall is probably in the
east of the "Avenue of Humanity". I think the street is less
than two kilometers far from here. This place is noticeable
enough, we don't need to mark it. "
Alfred put the spray can with the red color back into his
backpack and followed his friend. They went up some
concrete stairs with a handrail on the side. Then they
entered big room, that nearly looked like an underground
hall and was carried by stone columns. Soon after, Frank
145
and Alf went to the right and walked through a narrow, long
passage.
. . HOK's informations have been right yet", said Kohlhaas.
„The construction plans of the canalization of the inner city
seem to be still exact. "
„Well, the World Government has just taken over this
ancient and singular sewerage. They would never build
something for the people! ", remarked Alf.
„This sewer network has been built by hardworking men and
not by dirty parasites! ", hissed Frank and waved his friend
nearer.
„Look! There is a locked door. It obstructs the way, which
we have to take", said Frank and pointed at a dark corner of
the hall. Alfred fetched his blowtorch, but didn't destroy the
door more than necessary, in order to arouse no suspicion.
The tunnel beyond the locked door seemed to be endless,
and after a while the two men discovered a hole in the wall.
But there was no sewer corridor anywhere.
„What is that? It looks, as if somebody had broken some
stones out of the wall there, to dig a way", said Frank and
illuminated the strange hole with his flashlight. „Over there!
Look, there is another tunnel! Can you see it? "
Behind the hole seemed to be a large shaft. In the last
years, many homeless people had revamped the
underworld of Paris at their own discretion and had
extended the endless tunnel system. They had found a sad
home here, in a time, when there was no more room for
them at the surface. Kohlhaas looked at his DC-stick and
read some files. It lasted nearly half an hour. In the
meantime, Alfred sauntered boredly and nervously through
the darkness.
„This could be an abandoned metro shaft! ", explained
Frank.
146
„ln the inner city of Paris, the sewer corridors, tunnels and
passages are sometimes hardly ten meters away from each
other. I will take a closer look! "
Alfred already saw the back of his friend, who jumped into
the little cavity and soon shone with the flashlight in his
direction. Kohlhaas called him out of the dark tunnel and
seemed to be excited.
„Come on! ", he whispered. J can see tracks. You see, I was
right! "
Baumer also crept through the hole and the two men
followed the tracks. Perhaps they could find an abbreviation,
if this metro shaft was really the marked path on HOICs
map.
It lasted a while, because the abandoned tunnel extended
over several hundred meters. Suddenly they heard a gasp
somewhere in the darkness. They twinced and turned
around, looking in all directions. The vein in Frank's temple
began to pound and also Alfred nervously brandished his
flashlight.
The gasp could be heard again and the two rebels searched
for the source of noise. Finally they saw a man, who lay in a
dark corner. Probably a derelict, old and ugly, with a reddish
beard, a shabby trench coat and some brandy bottles in
front of him. The underground inhabitant blinked dazedly,
when Baumer hit him with the blaze of his flashlight.
„Ca va? ", slurred the old man.
"What? ", stammered Frank nervously.
"Ca va? ", repeated the drunk. "Ca va? "
"All right, grandpa! We will go now! ", said Alf and turned
around.
"Ca va? "
„Shut the fuck up, man! ", hissed Frank toward the tramp and
pulled his gun.
147
"Frank, what do you. . . ? ", asked Baumer. „Put that gun
away! "
„lf he tells someone that we have been down here or
remembers our faces. . . ", growled Frank excitedly and
brandished his weapon.
„This guy is just drunk. Leave him alone! Or do you want to
kill him? ", grumbled Alf at his friend.
"Ca va? ", burped the tramp again.
"Shut up, you dirty old jerk! Don't make such a noise!
Otherwise I will give you some „Ca va"! ", screamed Frank
and kicked the man in the side.
The tramp whined quietly and whispered something in
French. Kohlhaas pressed the pistol against his nose. "Just
shut up, man! Or you won't survive this! "
At this moment, Alfred pulled the furious young man
energetically back and shoved him away.
„What is wrong with you, Frank? Are you mad? That old guy
will say nothing. Hundreds of homeless people hang around
here and nobody is interested in the babble of an old tramp!
Let's go back through the tunnels! It's time to disappear! "
Frank slowly calmed down and put his gun away. He had
nearly shot or stabbed this old man. Alfred gave him
another stroke in the side and looked at him with lack of
comprehension.
„lt's enough for now! ", he said. . . Otherwise, I will become
angry! We disappear from here! Come on! "
Frank just followed his friend and was silent. At once, the
whole thing was embarrassing to him and Alfred
reprimanded him again, with sharp words, to control his
rage next time. „He was nevertheless nothing but a drunk
grandpa, man! ", he grumbled.
„Okay, I may have overreacted. . . ", answered Frank and
looked away.
148
When they went back and crept again through the dark
sewer system, Frank had to admit himself, that he had been
close to kill this bum. That he was a safety risk, could
perhaps be an argument, but only a superficial, because it
was more than improbable that anybody would be
interested in the twaddle of a drunk tramp from the
underground of Paris.
Nevertheless, he had almost killed this man, simply cut his
throat, to let him rot in the darkness of the old metro shaft.
Yes, it had almost happened, if Alfred had not stopped him.
Frank thought about himself. . .
Frank and Alf did not continue to explore the abandoned
tunnel, in which the drunk man had lain. They crept again
back through the hole and Kohlhaas took his DC-stick out of
the backpack. Meanwhile, the two men were tired and Paris
seemed to wake up above them. The honking of cars and
the rumble slowly became louder.
„lt probably goes on here. After the next two passages there
is another room with reservoirs - or whatever! ", explained
Frank and went into the next tunnel.
Alfred sprayed a red cross on the wall beside the hole,
which led into the metro shaft and followed his easily
excitable rebel friend.
They still walked through stinking, but this time bigger sewer
corridors, that had small and smelly rivers inside. Baumer
looked at Frank's back and was still annoyed. Meanwhile,
they had advanced still deeper into the underground. Finally
they found a second underground hall, which was also hold
by stone columns. The wastewater was collected here in
large basins and was moreover rerouted in several
directions. The basins were covered with large grids of iron
and there was a footpath with some stairs, that was secured
with a banister rail. Here one could probably come to a
149
control room. Several water pumps and pipes were all
around them. On the walls, they recognized lamps and thick
cables. Also some crates had been piled up there. This
large and long room seemed to be used very often, because
it was directly below the inner city. But around this time it
was empty. The two men crept further forward.
The old brick walls and the stone archs had something
formidable. Now they recognized some iron stairs, which led
up the wall and ended in a dark hole. At the end of the hall,
there was a rusted steel door with a lamp above it.
„Look at this enormous room! It had already been built in the
good old times. Really impressing! ", whispered Alfred.
"Yes, a very big hall below the earth. Like the old „Moria" in
that film. Just smaller. . . ", said Frank.
„Moria? ", asked Baumer and was puzzled. „What do you
mean with that? "
„Well, there is an old fantasy film. My father had once
brought me a video tape, when I was still a little boy. It was
called „The Lord of the Rings". In that movie, the heroes had
to pass an underground labyrinth too - and it was called
„Moria". An giant underground city, built by the dwarves in
the ancient times of Middle-earth. . . ", described Kohlhaas. „l
really loved that film! "
„You are a dwarf too, ha, ha! ", answered Alf and smiled.
„Where are we here? "
A look at the map seemed to be necessary now. Probably
the steel door at the end of the vault led into a bigger area,
from where the men could reach the "Avenue of Humanity".
J hope that there will be no workers of the public utilities",
whispered Alfred. It was already after five o'clock in the
morning.
began to hurt, because of his heavy load.
„Okay, we go to the office. Than pay with Scanchip! ", said
the renter and walked off.
"Now we will see. . . ", whispered Alf.
„How long do you want to lease the car? ", asked the man
from the next room and typed something.
„Till the second of march! ", said Alf.
"Okay! ", it came back.
The Frenchman took the two Scanchips and pulled them
over a reader.
136
„A car is 40 Globes a day, my friends! ", he explained.
„Okay! ", breathed Frank and looked at Alf with fear in his
eyes.
The reader hummed quietly and for the two men the world
seemed to stop turning for some seconds. The tension let
their hearts pump faster and the adrenalin shot through their
veins.
Then the Frenchman looked up and smiled friendly: „Thank
you, Mr. Eberharter and Mr. Willner. Take your car. Have
much fun in Paris! Haben Sie vielen Spaft in Paris, mein
Herren! Ha, ha! "
The two rebels took a deep breath, walked fastly to their
car, threw the heavy bags into the trunk and disappeared.
The trip to Paris was more pleasant than in former times.
There were no more traffic jams of considerable size,
because the number of cars had increasingly been reduced
in the last years.
The breakdown of the automobile industry had begun in the
year 2009 and in 2029, cars were luxury articles for the
ordinary people. Who could hardly ensure, that there was
enough food on his plate, had no more Globes to fund a car.
Government officials and other higher earners, who still
could afford a car, were an exception. Moreover, the prices
for gasoline had drastically risen, particularly since 2018.
Meanwhile, a car devoured big sums of money.
Alternative energies, which could have replaced the
gasoline, were still suppressed by the oil industry and the oil
lords had still all the power, to exterminate any rivals in this
sector. In 2019, a worldwide wave of liquidations by the
GSA had hit many scientists and entrepreneurs, who
wanted to offer free energies. So the traffic jams slowly
vanished, and that was a real advantage on this day,
because the two rebels could nearly "enjoy" their trip to
137
Paris. However, the motorways and streets were in a
catastrophic condition. The administrative district . . Central
Europe" used its income for more important things than to
repair streets, for example, an improved monitoring or an
extended armament.
It lasted for a while, until the two men had found the hotel,
which HOK had chosen for them. The streets of Paris
appeared endlessly and darkly, and if one didn't know this
labyrinth of lanes, it was easy to go astray.
The hotel was called . . Sunflower" and was in the east of
Paris. At 20,30 o'clock, the exhausted men finally arrived
and parked their car behind the buidling. In the hotel, a
pretty Frenchwoman with light brown hair and a girlish face
was waiting for them.
She was very friendly, but somehow busy and reticent.
However, this was no problem, because unnecessary talk
with other people had to be strictly avoided. Frank and Alf
just told her, that they were tourists from Austria.
The Scanchips functioned perfectly again. This was the way
it should be. Then, the two men brought their heavy and
explosive luggage to room 16 on the 2nd floor. Frank and
Alf didn't see many other guests on this evening. Only an
older woman, who greeted them in French. That was all.
They closed the door behind themselves and fell on their
beds, which were covered with a brown duvet. Soon this
day had come to an end and the two rebels were just glad
about this.
Now they were in Paris, but the real trip to hell was still
waiting for them. Nevertheless, Frank and Alf banished this
fact from their minds at this evening.
138
Aux Champs-Elysees
Aux Champs-Elysees
Aux Champs-Elysees
Au soleil, sous la pluie
A midi ou a minuit
II y a tout ce que vous voulez
Aux Champs-Elysees. . .
(French version, 1969)
Oh Champs-Elysees
Oh Champs-Elysees
Sonne scheint, Regen rinnt
Ganz egal, wir beide sind
So froh, wenn wir uns wiederseh'n
Oh Champs-Elysees. . .
(German cover version, 1969)
Oh Champs-Elysees
Oh Champs-Elysees
Sonne scheint, Regen rinnt
Wechsler, du wirst mich nicht sehfn
und bald vor deinem Schopfer stehf n !
Oh Champs-Elysees. . .
(Modified version by Frank Kohlhaas, 2029)
139
Although they were in the middle of a strongly monitored
city in . . Central Europe", and the enemy could lie in wait at
each corner, Frank and Alf slept quite well. At first, Frank
remembered this old French song, which was occasionally
played on the radio. He changed the text of the German
version in a way that it was suitable to the situation.
Kohlhaas chuckled quietly, till the sleep had overpowered
him.
The beginning of the next day could not be avoided and
there were only eight days till the "Festival of the new
World", which should come over the old "Avenue de
Champs-Elysees".
There was still enough time to get an idea of the situation,
and to explore the dark sewer tunnels, which they had
selected as their way to the security zone. This procedure
was also very necessary, because there was no room in
their plan for unexpected incidents, collapsed tunnels or
blocked ways.
Frank and Alf spent the first day in Paris in their hotel room
and avoided to leave the building. Only once, Alf bought
something to eat in a nearby supermarket and told his friend
about the dirty streets he had walked down. Apart from that,
they spent their time with watching TV. The news, which
were mostly agitation against Japan, brought them several
outbreaks of rage. For the next day, more exactly for the
next night, both men had planned something really bold. At
two o'clock in the morning, the two rebels sneaked out of
their hotel room and passed the abandoned reception.
In the darkness of the next street corner, Frank hastily took
his DC-Stick and opened the city map of Paris, which HOK
had completed with additional informations. Like two
shades, they crept around the houses and moved silently
from one dark place to the next. It was raining and Alf
suggested to postpone the operation to the following day,
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but Frank did not want to waste anymore time and remained
stubborn. „The Rue Lagille, it is not far away from here! ",
whispered Kohlhaas and showed his friend the map.
„We are just crazy, man! ", answered Baumer.
„Of course! " Frank grinned. „And now, let's hurry up! "
They went to a dark corner again and studied some
construction plans. Meanwhile, the heavy rain had stopped
and just dabbled quietly one the roofs of the houses around
them. The streets were empty, only a few probably Algerian
teenagers, who occasionally roared through the night or
kicked against garbage cans and bus stop signs, could be
seen in the distance. However, the two rebels were not
noticeable to them. It was after three o'clock, when they
finally reached their goal.
. . Let's look for an entrance here", whispered Frank.
„Shit, what am I doing here? ", sighed his friend and fetched
a small crowbar, which he kept hidden under his jacket.
. . Come on now! ", hissed Kohlhaas.
A car drove past them and an old woman, standing at a
brightly illuminated window, gazed at the dark and wet
street. Frank and Alf had noticed her and decided to creep
inconspicuously away.
. . Look! She can see us! We have to go! ", growled Frank and
Alf followed him.
. . Let's go to the next street, there are only some houses on
one side. And there is an abandoned factory building,
according to the plan", whispered the young man with the
DC-Stick in his hand.
Shortly afterwards, they reached a nearly perfect dark back
alley. Now they felt unobserved. Anyhow, they could not see
anybody, although they looked around several times and
examined the environment with sharp eyes. A minute later
they stood in front of a gully cover of iron. It was clearly
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visible shown on one of HOK's maps of the city of Paris.
They paused for a short moment.
„This must be gully cover 344-GL-77003, if the map is
correct", said Frank with a little enthusiastic face. „Down
there? Now? Damn! "
„No turning back, Kohlhaas! ", answered Alf and already
screwed up his nose.
They lifted the manhole cover without problems and pushed
it to the side. In front of them, an unfathomable black hole
opened itself now. Only the outlines of some rusty rungs,
leading into the darkness, could be recognized.
„Fuck! ", said Frank.
Baumers nodded approvingly, then he held his flashlight
downward. Dirt, rotten leaves and rust expected the two
assassins down below. Moreover, a pungent stench.
"Oh my God! ", said Kohlhaas and took his rubber gloves
and the breathing mask. "Do you have the blowtorch, Alf? "
"Yes, sure! What are you waiting for? ", muttered Baumer.
Frank carefully climbed down the rusty ladder, while Alf was
shining for him. After a few minutes, he had reached the
ground.
„Baaah! ", it resounded out of the dark hole.
His partner could imagine, what Frank meant. Then
Kohlhaas shone for Alf, who crawled down into the
unknown, little inviting environment of the underground of
Paris. Baumer pulled the gully cover over the manhole, so
that only a small gap remained. Down here, it was as
disgusting as expected, and the channel did not make the
impression, as if someone had ever cleaned it in the last
twenty years. Wet heaps of dirt were piled up beside the
rivlet, down to the feet of the two men. Some rats scurried
away. Alf shone at them with his flashlight and the animals
quickly disappeared somewhere in a stinking hole.
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„l_ook at this, gentlemen of the World Government are also
here! ", joked Frank and pointed at the rats.
Alf chuckled. „Here will be a lot of them. If you see a
completely fat and bloated rat, then you can address it with
„Mr. World President"! "
Frank grinned and returned: „To compare these poor
animals with the Lodge Brothers, is an insult for every rat! "
The gossip took a bit of the uncertainty of the two rebels,
who stood now in the middle of an ugly sewer tunnel. Frank
looked at his map again and then they walked about
hundred meters straightforward.
They had to watch out for their heads, because the tunnel
was not as tall as a man and surely already very old. Soon
after, both men came to a bigger canal and heard a car
above themselves. They were under a street. The little river
of wastewater was a bit broader here, just like the roundish
tunnel. Now they had to come to a decision.
„lf the map is correct, we must go to the left", said Frank
after a short look at the DC-Stick.
„lt will hopefully be correct, otherwise we are fucked up",
grumbled Baumer.
„There is always a gully cover somewhere, that can bring us
back to the surface", said Frank and walked forward, waving
with his flashlight. Meanwhile, Alfred sprayed a red cross on
the wall, in order to use it later as an orientation.
The broader sewer tunnel still extended for about two
hundred meters, then they came to a grid, clogged with dirt
and leaves, which was completely rusted. There was no
getting through. At least, not without a blowtorch, which
Alfred fortunately had. It just took a quarter of an hour, then
he had destroyed the rusty lattice.
„What a work! ", gasped Alf, when the dammed up water
poured away between his legs with loud splashing.
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The tunnel with the old grid still extended for two hundred
further meters, then it ended in a larger room, where the rills
of wastewater flowed together. Gray-green walls gazed at
the two intruders and Frank was sure, that these old
buildings already existed since many decades, maybe since
centuries.
Rusty wastewater pipes came from the ceiling of the room
and on the wall was a sign with something in French on it. It
was completely rusted too.
At least, they could stand tall here. The way forked again in
several directions. Frank looked at some files and was sure
that they had to go into the opposite tunnel, Alfred trusted
him and sprayed another red cross on the wall.
„One of these sewer corridors had not been on our map, but
this must be the right one! Above it, is the "Rue de
Rothschild", as I think", explained Kohlhaas.
Shortly afterwards, they walked through a narrow passage
with some big holes in the walls. Spiders and rats welcomed
them in this dark tunnel and it was smelling rancidly, despite
the breathing masks.
Frank and Alf had to crouch again and watched their heads.
Meanwhile, they had walked this tunnel for about fifty
meters, when they discovered a small source of light above
themselves. Probably it was the light of one of the street
lamps, which came through a little hole of a gully cover.
They continued to creep through the stinking passage, then
they stopped. A black water lode with a very narrow
sidewalk on the side was in front of them, it was
approximately one meter deep. In the distance of ten
meters, rusty and damaged iron pipes led upward. Alfred
marked the way and followed his friend along the stream.
The water was not really deep, but it smelled foul and
appeared somehow threatening. Frank thought that a
terrible kraken would grab them with its tentacles to pull
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them down into a bottomless black sea. It was just spooky
down here and the stench crept out of every corner right
into their noses.
„lf I have counted my steps correctly, we have walked about
600 or 700 meters yet", said Baumer.
His friend looked at the digital map and nodded. At the end
of the tunnel, they reached a relatively big room, which
looked like a reservoir. Stairs led upward and a large pool
with brackish water was in front of them.
Frank illuminated the basin, then he said to Alfred: . . HOK's
informations have mostly been correct so far. This reservoir
or whatever it is, has been marked with a red spot on the
map. You should spray a sign on the wall here! "
After they had crossed the next tunnel, they had penetrated
the underground labyrinth for more than one kilometer.
Then they reached an area, which reminded them of a small
hall. It must have been a part of the world-famous
canalization of Paris, which had been built in the year 1850
and during the following period. With a tang of admiration,
the two men stopped for a moment and looked around.
Then they continued their journey.
„This must be pumps over there, right? " Alfred pointed at
several enormous pipes with big handwheels on the side,
that led into a deep water reservoir. However, they also
were totally rusted, although they seemed to be still in use.
J think so! ", answered Frank. „This hall is probably in the
east of the "Avenue of Humanity". I think the street is less
than two kilometers far from here. This place is noticeable
enough, we don't need to mark it. "
Alfred put the spray can with the red color back into his
backpack and followed his friend. They went up some
concrete stairs with a handrail on the side. Then they
entered big room, that nearly looked like an underground
hall and was carried by stone columns. Soon after, Frank
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and Alf went to the right and walked through a narrow, long
passage.
. . HOK's informations have been right yet", said Kohlhaas.
„The construction plans of the canalization of the inner city
seem to be still exact. "
„Well, the World Government has just taken over this
ancient and singular sewerage. They would never build
something for the people! ", remarked Alf.
„This sewer network has been built by hardworking men and
not by dirty parasites! ", hissed Frank and waved his friend
nearer.
„Look! There is a locked door. It obstructs the way, which
we have to take", said Frank and pointed at a dark corner of
the hall. Alfred fetched his blowtorch, but didn't destroy the
door more than necessary, in order to arouse no suspicion.
The tunnel beyond the locked door seemed to be endless,
and after a while the two men discovered a hole in the wall.
But there was no sewer corridor anywhere.
„What is that? It looks, as if somebody had broken some
stones out of the wall there, to dig a way", said Frank and
illuminated the strange hole with his flashlight. „Over there!
Look, there is another tunnel! Can you see it? "
Behind the hole seemed to be a large shaft. In the last
years, many homeless people had revamped the
underworld of Paris at their own discretion and had
extended the endless tunnel system. They had found a sad
home here, in a time, when there was no more room for
them at the surface. Kohlhaas looked at his DC-stick and
read some files. It lasted nearly half an hour. In the
meantime, Alfred sauntered boredly and nervously through
the darkness.
„This could be an abandoned metro shaft! ", explained
Frank.
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„ln the inner city of Paris, the sewer corridors, tunnels and
passages are sometimes hardly ten meters away from each
other. I will take a closer look! "
Alfred already saw the back of his friend, who jumped into
the little cavity and soon shone with the flashlight in his
direction. Kohlhaas called him out of the dark tunnel and
seemed to be excited.
„Come on! ", he whispered. J can see tracks. You see, I was
right! "
Baumer also crept through the hole and the two men
followed the tracks. Perhaps they could find an abbreviation,
if this metro shaft was really the marked path on HOICs
map.
It lasted a while, because the abandoned tunnel extended
over several hundred meters. Suddenly they heard a gasp
somewhere in the darkness. They twinced and turned
around, looking in all directions. The vein in Frank's temple
began to pound and also Alfred nervously brandished his
flashlight.
The gasp could be heard again and the two rebels searched
for the source of noise. Finally they saw a man, who lay in a
dark corner. Probably a derelict, old and ugly, with a reddish
beard, a shabby trench coat and some brandy bottles in
front of him. The underground inhabitant blinked dazedly,
when Baumer hit him with the blaze of his flashlight.
„Ca va? ", slurred the old man.
"What? ", stammered Frank nervously.
"Ca va? ", repeated the drunk. "Ca va? "
"All right, grandpa! We will go now! ", said Alf and turned
around.
"Ca va? "
„Shut the fuck up, man! ", hissed Frank toward the tramp and
pulled his gun.
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"Frank, what do you. . . ? ", asked Baumer. „Put that gun
away! "
„lf he tells someone that we have been down here or
remembers our faces. . . ", growled Frank excitedly and
brandished his weapon.
„This guy is just drunk. Leave him alone! Or do you want to
kill him? ", grumbled Alf at his friend.
"Ca va? ", burped the tramp again.
"Shut up, you dirty old jerk! Don't make such a noise!
Otherwise I will give you some „Ca va"! ", screamed Frank
and kicked the man in the side.
The tramp whined quietly and whispered something in
French. Kohlhaas pressed the pistol against his nose. "Just
shut up, man! Or you won't survive this! "
At this moment, Alfred pulled the furious young man
energetically back and shoved him away.
„What is wrong with you, Frank? Are you mad? That old guy
will say nothing. Hundreds of homeless people hang around
here and nobody is interested in the babble of an old tramp!
Let's go back through the tunnels! It's time to disappear! "
Frank slowly calmed down and put his gun away. He had
nearly shot or stabbed this old man. Alfred gave him
another stroke in the side and looked at him with lack of
comprehension.
„lt's enough for now! ", he said. . . Otherwise, I will become
angry! We disappear from here! Come on! "
Frank just followed his friend and was silent. At once, the
whole thing was embarrassing to him and Alfred
reprimanded him again, with sharp words, to control his
rage next time. „He was nevertheless nothing but a drunk
grandpa, man! ", he grumbled.
„Okay, I may have overreacted. . . ", answered Frank and
looked away.
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When they went back and crept again through the dark
sewer system, Frank had to admit himself, that he had been
close to kill this bum. That he was a safety risk, could
perhaps be an argument, but only a superficial, because it
was more than improbable that anybody would be
interested in the twaddle of a drunk tramp from the
underground of Paris.
Nevertheless, he had almost killed this man, simply cut his
throat, to let him rot in the darkness of the old metro shaft.
Yes, it had almost happened, if Alfred had not stopped him.
Frank thought about himself. . .
Frank and Alf did not continue to explore the abandoned
tunnel, in which the drunk man had lain. They crept again
back through the hole and Kohlhaas took his DC-stick out of
the backpack. Meanwhile, the two men were tired and Paris
seemed to wake up above them. The honking of cars and
the rumble slowly became louder.
„lt probably goes on here. After the next two passages there
is another room with reservoirs - or whatever! ", explained
Frank and went into the next tunnel.
Alfred sprayed a red cross on the wall beside the hole,
which led into the metro shaft and followed his easily
excitable rebel friend.
They still walked through stinking, but this time bigger sewer
corridors, that had small and smelly rivers inside. Baumer
looked at Frank's back and was still annoyed. Meanwhile,
they had advanced still deeper into the underground. Finally
they found a second underground hall, which was also hold
by stone columns. The wastewater was collected here in
large basins and was moreover rerouted in several
directions. The basins were covered with large grids of iron
and there was a footpath with some stairs, that was secured
with a banister rail. Here one could probably come to a
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control room. Several water pumps and pipes were all
around them. On the walls, they recognized lamps and thick
cables. Also some crates had been piled up there. This
large and long room seemed to be used very often, because
it was directly below the inner city. But around this time it
was empty. The two men crept further forward.
The old brick walls and the stone archs had something
formidable. Now they recognized some iron stairs, which led
up the wall and ended in a dark hole. At the end of the hall,
there was a rusted steel door with a lamp above it.
„Look at this enormous room! It had already been built in the
good old times. Really impressing! ", whispered Alfred.
"Yes, a very big hall below the earth. Like the old „Moria" in
that film. Just smaller. . . ", said Frank.
„Moria? ", asked Baumer and was puzzled. „What do you
mean with that? "
„Well, there is an old fantasy film. My father had once
brought me a video tape, when I was still a little boy. It was
called „The Lord of the Rings". In that movie, the heroes had
to pass an underground labyrinth too - and it was called
„Moria". An giant underground city, built by the dwarves in
the ancient times of Middle-earth. . . ", described Kohlhaas. „l
really loved that film! "
„You are a dwarf too, ha, ha! ", answered Alf and smiled.
„Where are we here? "
A look at the map seemed to be necessary now. Probably
the steel door at the end of the vault led into a bigger area,
from where the men could reach the "Avenue of Humanity".
J hope that there will be no workers of the public utilities",
whispered Alfred. It was already after five o'clock in the
morning.
