And down. Between ship and elevator they had five minutes to glimpse the sky, and after that, all was underground. And undersea. On either side marched tall men burnt dark by sun, dressed head to toe in gray-black sharkskin uniforms; the air was humid and sweltering above; in the subaquatic citadel all was air-conditioned. “What now?” Gloria asked in a whisper. “They’ll probably take us to their temple. It’s on the sea bottom in Houston’s harbor. Invaders to Houston are usually enslaved or made party to the festivities. I don’t know much about them, I’ve never been here. But I know they have a use for human blood.” “Oh, right. Vampire dolphins.” “No, it isn’t the dolphins who need the blood, personally. To keep the population under control they’ve instituted a religion. They themselves are the objects of worship.” “Oh, naturally. Yeah, so they need our blood for communion or something.
