UNDERGROUND

79

Pustovalov was surprised that he himself had not thought of what the old man was talking about, but he soon realized that he simply needed more time for similar decisions. And since time is a very important variable when escaping from armed thugs, his decisions were less elegant and more focused on action.

Meanwhile, they had already reached the stairs, and no one had appeared in the passage behind them.

“Now they know where we've gone, but they'll have another task to solve soon. Not sure if they can handle it. - Said the old man, pacing with his crane-like gait where Victor and Pustovalov ran four minutes ago.

Victor even noticed a black dash on the step from the sole of his sneaker.

– How do you do it? Victor asked.

The old man took a few short breaths - apparently some kind of breathing exercises - and then spoke to the wall, so that Victor did not even immediately understand that this was the answer to his question.

- I'm walking strictly along one branch at a distance of about t