She could hear the mad scuttling feet of the things in pursuit, and she just hoped that Harris and Ally behind her would be able to hold them off.
Mike and Jane must have run far ahead as she hadn’t caught up to them yet, but she was sure she’d see their lights any second.
The exertion of running was making her hot, but it was compounded by the rising humidity in the tunnel, and she clearly felt the heat on her tear-streaked cheeks. When she burst into the new chamber, she slowed and then stopped.
“Oh.” Nadia turned slowly, mouth hanging open. There was no exit.
“Oh no,” she breathed.
All there was in the dead-end cavern was one wall covered with large leathery-looking eggs. She licked her lips, feeling her heart racing so hard in her chest it was making he feel ill.
From behind in the passage she had just emerged from, she heard a soft scratching sound. Nadia reached into the pouch the red people had given her, pulled out one of her spare crystal fragments and tossed it down the passage as she had seen Mike do.
As she watched it bounce along the cave floor, she saw a shape begin to be illuminated, but far enough back that it couldn’t be fully discerned. However, she could see it was human-shaped, and large.
“Mike?” Nadia said, her voice trembling. “Is that you?”
There was no response. She backed up a step.
“Please be you,” she sobbed.
The shape in the tunnel began to ease silently forward, moving into the pool of blue light.
Nadia began to cry. The man-shaped torso emerged and she saw it was attached to an insectoid body.
“No, no, no.” She shook her head and backed up some more. Her heels were stopped against something and she reached back to steady herself. Nadia’s hand touched one of the leathery egg casings, and horrifyingly, she felt it tremble beneath her hand.
For some reason the large creature didn’t come forward and just stood in the cave mouth, its legs spread wide. Maybe it’s scared of the light, she wondered hopefully.
From behind her she heard the eggs rattle, and she spun to see some of them begin to bulge and split as the things inside fought to be free from the skin of the casing.
“Don’t,” Nadia begged.
Now she knew why the great creature was blocking her path. Not because it wanted to avoid coming in; instead it was stopping her from leaving.
In seconds the swarm hatched, and they did what instinct had trained them to do: seek food.
Nadia screamed as the horde quickly covered her.
*****
“What was that?” Jane spun. “Was that a scream?”
Harris shook his head. “No idea.” He turned away. “We should get moving.”
“Wait a minute. What about Nadia?” Mike asked. “We need to find her.”
“No we don’t.” Harris’ mouth set momentarily in a hard line. “Let it go, Mike, she’s gone.”
“We go back,” Jane said. “She can’t be far. If it were me, I’d want you to come find me. And I’m sure you’d want the same.”
Harris drew in a breath and let it out real slow through his nose. “Listen, those little ones were like greased lightning and I think we only winged a few. But the big sucker, we put dozens of rounds into it and didn’t even slow it down. We only just made it here with our lives. We go back, we’re going to run into it again, and maybe more of them. Bottom line, going back is suicide. Sorry, Jane, I can’t allow it.”
“Can’t allow it? Bullshit with that; we’re going back,” Jane said, her jaw jutted out.
Harris let his eyes slide to Mike. “Mike?” He raised his eyebrows.
“Gotta find her,” Mike said.
Harris shrugged. “Fine, but we’re done here. My mission priority is now getting this device back to our experts.” The soldier sighed. “Sorry, but all I can do is wish you luck.”
Jane’s left eyelid twitched a little. Perhaps not expecting Harris to give up on her and Mike so quickly.
Jane turned to Ally. “Ally, please. Come with us; we can’t leave a fellow human being down here to die.”
Ally looked down at her feet momentarily. “Jane, you’re a real nice person. But I agree with the boss on this; we’ve got to complete our mission and get this tech back home.” She raised her head. “Besides, she’s probably dead already and going back means one or all of us could get skinned as well.”
“Nadia can’t be far away. We can do it,” Jane urged. “At least to make sure…”
Harris’ mouth turned down. “You guys do remember why those assholes were down here, and what they did, right?”
“So she gets what’s coming to her?” Mike scoffed. “She was with the science team.”
“Mike, forget it.” Ally glanced at Harris and then shook her head. “Sorry.”
Jane put her hands on her hips. “Can you at least damn wait for us?”
Ally nodded, but Harris bobbed his head from side to side. He turned back to the dark cave momentarily. “We’ll push on to try and locate the base of the gravity well. If we find it, we’ll wait at its base for three hours. That is, unless something changes our risk profile.”
Harris adjusted his pack. “If the Russian woman is any further away than that, then, like I said, she’s gone. And if you guys are longer than that, then you’ve run into trouble, and you’re also gone. If we get attacked while waiting, we’ll be making the jump then and there.” He hiked his shoulders. “Best I can do. But I strongly urge you not to do this.”
Jane pulled out her gun, ejected the magazine to check it, and slapped it back in. “Three hours, at the base of the well. We’ll be there.”
Mike looked from Harris to Ally. “If we don’t see you again, good luck.”
“And to you, Jane, Mikey.” Ally gave them a small salute, and her eyes lingered on Mike’s for a moment more. She looked like she wanted to say something else, but her lips pressed flat and she turned away.
Jane patted Mike’s arm and when he looked down at her he saw that her eyes were glassy from fear. “We’ll be fine. Let’s go get her,” Mike said.
“I know we will.” Jane shared a fragile smile.
They turned and headed back the way they had come.
EPISODE 10
We were alone. Where, I could not say, or hardly imagine ― Jules Verne
CHAPTER 33
Harris saw the familiar carving on the wall and crept forward to examine it. It was the arrowhead mark, and he felt enormously relieved, but he also noticed the hairs on the back of his hands were standing on end.
“Some sort of charge in the air; a good sign I guess.” He waved Ally on.
It wasn’t long before they came to another solid-looking door set hard into the rock. There was a heavy bolt across it with a single keyhole at its center.
Ally pulled out the large iron key Ulmina had given them. “So now we know what this is for.” She inserted the key in the lock and tried it, but it wouldn’t budge. She gripped it in two hands and tried again.
“Don’t you snap it,” Harris said.
“Not a chance.” Ally pressed her lips together and used a little more gentle force.
The key turned with a deep grinding and with it went the bolt sliding back into the wall. She stood back and allowed Harris to put his shoulder to it and give it a shove.
The door opened on squealing hinge-like mechanisms, and a draft of hot air blasted back at them. Harris immediately felt the work of gravitational forces on him that even made his back teeth tingle.
He held his gun and light up and entered the large cavern. This one, unlike the natural rock tunnels they had been moving through, had been adorned with carved images, statues, and columns. The small red race had obviously known what it was for.
“Like a church vestibule,” Harris said and stopped before one of the artworks. It showed a line of white-haired people ascending in the air one after the other.
Ally joined him. “So this is why we never saw any old people among
st those little guys. They shuffle them all off here and send them up the pipe,” she said.
“They thought they were going to heaven.” He scoffed. “Poor bastards. All they were doing was feeding those dog-monsters.” He turned. “Or that big bastard back in the cave.”
“Think positive.” Ally turned with raised eyebrows. “Maybe this section of cave doesn’t have any of those ugly bastards.”
“Let’s hope,” Harris said. “But if they come out to play, I’ll be feeding them some Russian grenades.”
“I heard that.” Ally chuckled. “Hey, we’ve got three hours; got a deck of cards?” She dropped her pack.
“I’ll settle for some peace and quiet.” Harris dropped his several packs and squatted to the pulser box and also began to portion all of their remaining food supplies he had, plus ammunition into his pocket pouches and belt loops to try and lighten his bulk.
He paused to sip from his canteen and then held it up. “We’ve got to be sparing with our supplies and time now.” He continued to work. “Not three hours.”
“Huh, how long?” Ally frowned.
He looked up at her. “Fifteen minutes.”
She blinked. “We said we’d give them three hours.”
“We could wait three days and they still won’t be back. You know that.” He thumbed over his shoulder to the pulser. “Our mission is over.”
“Ah, shit.” Ally shook her head.
“Get ready to depart; that’s an order,” Harris said.
Ally snapped to attention. “Sir, permission requested to stay behind and wait for them.”
“Request denied.” Harris closed his pack.
“Boss, please, just give them their three hours.” Ally stayed at attention. “Please.”
Harris stared for a moment. “Negative, soldier.” But then. “One hour.”
Ally remained at attention and kept staring straight. “Two hours; we owe them that, sir.”
Harris scoffed. “One and a half, because I’m in a good mood. Then we’re going home. Conversation closed.”
*****
Jane and Mike crept along the lightless passageway. Jane was in the lead, holding the flashlight in one hand, gun in the other, and crystal around her neck. Mike, who was taller, was holding his light over her head, giving them double the forward illumination.
They emerged from their tunnel into one of the larger caves that had multiple exits, and Jane shone her light down at the ground. She turned and spoke so quietly she was almost only mouthing her words to him and Mike had to concentrate on her lips.
“This is where the things attacked us.” She pointed down.
The cave floor had a layer of disturbed dust. There were spatters of dark liquid.
Mike nodded. “Let’s check the small exits. Maybe Nadia ran down one.”
The pair walked along the perimeter, checking the cave dust at the smaller cave entrances.
Jane stopped. “This one. Inside there are boot marks.”
Mike joined her. The footprints were fairly small. “Yep, that’s her.” He sucked in a breath. “Then let’s take a look.”
The tunnel was bigger inside than the main passages they had been moving along, and after a while Jane wrinkled her nose. “Stinks,” she said.
They continued moving for another few minutes and Mike checked his watch. They’d been gone just over an hour. He wanted to be back on time as, though he didn’t expect Harris to leave without them, he bet the guy wouldn’t wait a second more than he had to.
“Light up ahead,” Jane breathed.
Sure enough there was a blue glow emanating from just around the next bend. Jane lifted a hand and nearly smacked Mike in the face, he was so close.
“Hear that?” She tilted her head.
Mike concentrated and after a while he heard a soft sucking noise. “Yeah, weird.”
“She might be hurt; come on.” Jane moved forward.
Together they came out of the passage into a smaller alcove that was a dead end. At the far side of the cave was a wall crusted with open eggs, and at their base was Nadia, lying flat, surrounded by her crystals, and covered in the hatchlings.
The small monstrosities had their feeding tubes attached to her body and were greedily sucking the fluid from within her. Already she looked colorless and deflated.
“Oof.” Jane put a hand over her mouth and crushed her eyes shut.
“We’re too late,” Mike said. He grabbed her elbow. “We can’t stay.”
“Should we…?” Jane grimaced up at him.
“We can’t do anything for her now. Let’s go while those things are occupied.” He dragged her back, and they both turned.
As both of their flashlights illuminated the passage behind them, they saw that it was fully blocked by the adult creature that had crept in behind them.
“Jezus!” Mike felt a bolt of fear run right through his body to even tingle his scalp. He lifted his gun, but his hand shook.
“It’s a dead end.” Jane looked quickly over her shoulder. “We’re trapped.”
Mike knew that the huge creature was armor-plated, and even Harris and Ally’s rifles hadn’t caused it any problems. Their handguns would be useless.
Going back is suicide, Harris had said. Suddenly Mike agreed.
Mike didn’t know how long he and Jane stared into the blank face of the thing. But for now, all it seemed to do was block their path, and inhale them, as its nostril flaps gently flared open and closed.
After a while Jane spoke softly. “Does it know we’re even here?”
Mike nodded. “Yeah, I bet it does. It’s just keeping us here” He looked over his shoulder and shuddered. “Until its young finish with Nadia.”
CHAPTER 34
Harris checked his watch and then got to his feet. “Ms. Ally Bennet, time to go home.” He stood, shouldered the pulser pack and strapped it down hard.
She grimaced, but Harris just shook his head. “Forget it, they’re gone; I can’t save them, but I can at least save you. Now on your feet.”
Ally rose, then walked to the mouth of the cave and leaned her head into it. She shut her eyes and concentrated, but there was no noise, nothing. She opened her eyes and gave the darkness a half-smile.
“Good luck you pair of fools.”
She then followed Harris up the gravity well.
*****
Jane and Mike were frozen to the spot. The huge creature blocked the tunnel completely as its sharp legs were braced to the bottom and sides, creating prison bars.
We’re screwed, Mike thought, but knew he’d never say it out loud to Jane.
Behind them the sound of liquid sucking was beginning to fade, and that meant the hatchlings were finishing their meal.
Mike lifted his gun and pointed at the spider-like thing in front of them. It didn’t move an inch. He turned to point the gun at the hatchlings now beginning to climb off the shrunken body of Nadia. The effect was immediate; the massive creature surged forward several feet and then stopped.
Mike spun back with his gun. “I’m sure it can see us somehow.”
Jane shook her head. “Some cave creatures have such acute scent and auditory senses they can create images in their mind as to what is occurring. It’s seeing by sound and smell only.”
“We don’t have a choice,” Mike said. “We’ve got to try something, and right now.”
“It sees by sound,” Jane repeated. She quickly dug into her pocket for the small jar containing the beetle that Ulmina had given her. She held it up and then opened it.
The shriek of the tiny thing made Mike and Jane wince, but the effect on the large creature was astounding. The pain and terror were immediate as its legs skittered insanely for a moment before it withdrew from the tunnel.
Behind them the small creatures threw themselves to the ground and went mad in their desire to escape the torture to their senses.
“Now!” Jane yelled and sprinted forward, holding out the small container.
Mike r
ushed after her, and together they navigated the side tunnel without challenge. The small beetle still shrieked and when they came to the main passageway, they turned a hard left and kept on going.
Mike glanced over his shoulder but nothing followed them, and after a few minutes sprinting their fatigue began to set in and Jane slowed. After another few minutes the shrieking began to die down.
“Oh crap.” Jane peered into the small container. “He’s running out of juice.” She closed the container and the noise was immediately shut off.
“Hope we’ve got a big enough lead,” Mike said.
“Well, I just hope this little guy recharges. He was supposed to be used in the upper labyrinths, against our cave dog people.”
The pair jogged now, and within another twenty minutes they came to the huge door swung open.
“This looks promising,” Mike said.
Then they found the gravity well. And the cave was empty.
“Those bastards.” Mike looked at his wristwatch. “We haven’t been three hours.”
“Doesn’t matter.” Jane sighed. “I can’t blame them; Harris thought we were as good as dead. And he was nearly right.”
Mike went and pushed the heavy door closed and then stopped before the artwork showing the grey-haired people ascending one after the other.
“This confirms what we suspected as to why there aren’t any elderly people amongst our red friends.” He pointed. “They all ascended. Or were forced to.”
Jane nodded. “To their ancestors.”
“That’s why Ulmina knew enough to give us the sonic beetle. Maybe they all took them to ward off the cave horrors.” Jane shut her eyes. “I don’t want to think about it.”
“Let’s get ready,” Mike said. “We’ve got about twenty-eight hours of time in the gravity well. I’m looking forward to the nothingness.”
“We need to be alert for when we get there,” Jane said. She pulled out her gun. “We should reload, just in case.” She looked up. “And hope our little beetle buddy is reloaded as well.”
“Short bursts only when needed. We’ll have a long climb,” Mike replied and pulled a rag from his kit that he strategically tore into one long piece. He tied it around his wrist, and Jane smiled and held out her hand.
Return To The Center Of The Earth Page 27
