Closer (novel)

Closer - Book 4

Closer, book 4 in the Tunnels series.
Author	Roderick Gordon, Brian Williams
Country	UK
Language	English
Series	Tunnels
Genre	Fantasy Science Fiction Subterranean fiction Lost World
Publisher	Chicken House Publishing
Publication date	3 May 2010
Media type	Print
Pages	527
ISBN	(UK First Edition, Paperback)
OCLC	132316306
Preceded by	Freefall
Followed by	Spiral

Closer (sometimes known simply as Tunnels 4) is the fourth book in the Tunnels series, written by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams. Released in the UK by Chicken House on 3 May 2010, its publication in the US by Scholastic Inc. followed on 1 February 2011.

Part 1: Revelations

In the world with its own sun in the center of the Earth, the Rebecca twins dive into a pool in order to escape an explosion set off by Will and Elliott in Freefall, and eventually are able to survive by breathing air they find trapped in the roof of a mine shaft that, after being flooded, formed the pool they were camped at. Rebecca Two tends to her twin sister`s bullet wound, inflicted by Will during the ambush. The Rebeccas spot in the distance a modern metropolis, with helicopters and other vehicles, including cars resembling Volkswagens. Rebecca Two sees a Limiter flare, and then signals back by blowing up a gas tank at the end of the mine shaft. She then continues to carry her dying sister toward the city. The Rebeccas find the city, and realise it is well maintained and populated. They, being potentially hostile outsiders, frighten a small amount of people, and that results in the arrival of a squad of the local army. The people of the city are from an expeditionary force from Nazi Germany that arrived during World War II. The Limiter forces arrive shortly, and a short staredown occurs, and after a Limiter medic begins to operate on Rebecca One, Rebecca Two and the Limiter General begin to talk about their identity to the authorities of the city. It turns out that during the Second World War, the Styx were allies of the Third Reich. The officer of the squad informs the other two that they are in a city called ‘New Germania’. As Rebecca One recovers in a New Germanian hospital, the officer takes Rebecca Two and the Limiter General to meet the Chancellor of New Germania, whom the Styx intimidate into helping them find Will and his group, with plans to kill him and retrieve the Dominion virus.

Meanwhile, Drake wakes up in a room he does not recognize. He heads to a window, and realises that he is still Topsoil. He is then greeted by his saviour, a retired Limiter named Edward James Green, who believes that the Styx are taking unnecessary measures with their goal of reclaiming Topsoil. He also reveals himself to be Elliott's father. They then discuss various aspects of the Limiter, who is coined "Eddie" by Drake. They head for a keypad-locked cellar. Eddie and Drake enter the cellar, and Drake discovers an area akin to a briefing room. He discovers various Styx elements, including a Dark Light and the device used to incapacitate him in the Commons. Eddie then leaves Drake, giving him keys to the warehouse and the apartment. Drake finds that Chester had left a call to the emergency number – and it was sent several weeks ago.