Catalyst

by Ross Richdale

  "He's waiting in the break room," Stephanie replied. "We can go through."

  The elderly man stood as they entered the room, shook hands with everyone and fixed his gray eyes on Renee.

  "You're the young lady unfortunate enough to break an ankle in the fall when Samual was killed?"

  Renee smiled slightly. "Yes. I'm so sorry about Sam. That was a tragedy. Was he related to you?"

  "My grandson," Chuck Nguyen replied. "He's the reason you should not go back into the cave."

  "Why?" Courtney interrupted but clamped her mouth shut when Ken caught her eye.

  "I'm sure there's a good reason for your concern, Chuck." Renee sounded like a lawyer. "We would like to hear it, please."

  "One of our ancient legends states that when a member of the tribe is killed in a tragedy, their spirit remains in the area to guard their mortal remains. For reasons unknown, Samual's life was lost in the accident and you were injured." The old eyes turned to Courtney. "I believe you were hurt, too, my young friend."

  "Me?" Courtney shrugged. "Not really. I was knocked out but otherwise, fine."

  "And you, Lem?" The Native American's eyes shifted to the man he was talking to.

  "I survived intact," Lem said.

  "We believe there is a reason behind all tragic deaths," Chuck continued. "The Great Spirit took Samual that day but spared all of you with a warning."

  "My broken ankle," Renee replied.

  "Exactly. You are an astute young woman, Renee. It is our belief that if you return to the spot of the tragedy within twelve full moons, the episode will be repeated. There have been only eleven full moons since Samual's death." He stopped and waited before continuing in a hushed voice. "You may not be so fortunate the next time."

  Courtney paled slightly. "You mean, there will be another avalanche and we'll be in it?" she whispered.

  "It may not take that form, Courtney but the signs are there. Do not tempt fate. Come back after the next full moon and all will be well."

  Lem spoke for the first time. "We'll be back at work then, I'm afraid."

  "It is your decision," Chuck added. "I can only warn you."

  "What a load of old rubbish," Linda burst out in an angry tone. "It's just superstition."

  "Possibly, young lady." Chuck's eyes rested on the youngest member of the party for the first time. "But someone of your tender age should not be so cynical."

  Linda's face went crimson, while Renee fixed her with a serious gaze but said nothing.

  "I'm sorry," Linda apologized. "I did not mean to show disrespect."

  "No offense taken." Chuck smiled at Linda. "My concern is not for you or your young companion." He glanced at Ken. "Or Lem for that matter. You three are not affected and may enter the cave in perfect safety."

  "Why me?" Lem asked. "I was in the avalanche."

  "But were unhurt, Lem," continued Chuck. "The Great Spirit chose to ignore you. Only Renee and Courtney were given the warning. They are the only ones who should not trespass in the cave, or even be in the vicinity." He stood and rested a hand on Lem's shoulder and stepped towards the door. "I'll leave you to discuss my warning. Thank you for the courtesy of listening to an old man."

  At the last moment the elderly Native American turned and fixed his eyes on Linda. "I can see you had a great tragedy in the past, Linda Wycherley," he said in little more than a gruff whisper. "However, I can predict a successful future for you, my young friend. You shall become a great leader in your chosen career." He smiled and before he disappeared added, "Law isn't it?"

  "How did he know my last name and that I was thinking of studying law?" Linda gasped and turned to Renee. "Did you tell him?"

  "No," Renee replied. "You heard everything I said to Chuck."

  ****

  CHAPTER 25

  After Chuck left the break room, Lem glanced at his companions, all of whom were silent.

  "Don't worry too much about Chuck," he said. "It's an old superstition."

  "I don't agree," Renee replied. "There's more to it than that."

  "Oh come on, Renee. I agree with Linda. I've never known you to be affected by silly beliefs before."

  "I was thinking more about Chuck than what he said." Her wide blue eyes stared into his.

  "What do you mean?"

  "The point is that he believes it."

  "So?" It was Courtney who spoke.

  "He came to warn us. He didn't have to come. There was nothing in it for him personally."

  "Okay, the old guy was being kind but why should that make any difference?" Lem was annoyed.

  "As a lawyer I meet people with all sorts of beliefs, devout Catholics, Jews, clients who believe in faith healing and so on. I have learned to respect their different faiths and opinions. It's the same with Chuck. How do you think he would feel if we ignore his advice? I have Native American clients. How do you think they would react if they knew I ignored their beliefs and protocol?"

  "That's a silly argument," Lem retorted.

  "Renee is right." Stephanie was still in the room and spoke. "If you ignore Chuck and go into the cave, he will say nothing, nor will other members of his family." She stopped and glanced at Lem. "He will be offended, though. Native Americans are a proud people who are widely discriminated against."

  "And I am not prepared to be like that," Renee added in a determined voice. "I am not going in that cave today."

  "Okay," Lem broke into a smile and reached out to touch Renee's arm but she pulled away.

  "I mean it, Lem," she said in a stern voice. "I am not prepared to hurt an old man's pride because of yours."

  Lem sighed and looked back at the ranger. "If I went in the cave, would Chuck be offended?"

  Stephanie shook her head. "No. Only Renee and Courtney are involved."

  "What do you think, Courtney?" Lem asked.

  "I support Renee," she said. "Old Chuck lost his grandson in the cave-in. The least we can do is respect his wishes."

  "He's a strange old guy," Linda added. "When he looked at me I felt he could see inside and read my mind." She shuddered. "I don't know how he knew so much about me."

  "A good guess," Ken added. "After all, he would know Renee is a lawyer, so chances are you would be interested, too."

  "Okay then," Lem said. "I still want to go in the cave. Who's coming with me?"

  "I will," Ken said and glanced at Courtney. "You don't mind?"

  "Of course not." The girl smiled and looked pleased to be asked. "But I'm part of Chuck's premonition, so I'll stay with Renee."

  "And you, Linda?" Lem asked.

  "I'd love to go in the cave," she said in a doubtful voice.

  "Then go," Renee said. "Courtney and I will be fine. We can go back to the campground or do a forest hike and come back in three or four hours to pick you up."

  With the agreement reached, the group went into the parking lot where Chuck was waiting with two younger men from his tribe. Renee walked up with her hand held out.

  "Courtney and I are not going in the cave," she said as she shook the old man's hand and held his intense gaze. "We respect your wishes and thank you for coming here today."

  Chuck's lips turned ever so slightly into a trace of a smile. "I can see why you're a respected and successful lawyer, Renee Bonnett. It takes courage to respect those who are different than you. When I am in your city, I shall respect your customs. Thank you." He turned to the man standing a step behind her. "Don't be angry with her, Lem. She is a jewel that you can be proud of."

  "I am," Lem replied and reached for Renee again.

  This time she did not pull away but tucked her head under his chin. His arms went around her waist and he held her close.

  ****

  Stephanie led Lem, Ken and Linda into the Misty Depths Catacombs. Courtney turned to Renee.

  "I have an idea," she said. "There's a new road to where the explosion was on the eastern side. Why don't we drive there? Stephanie told me the view is awesome. A whole section of the mountai
nside collapsed on itself and took the forest and everything with it."

  Renee frowned but let Courtney lead her inside to examine the wall map. The red line zigzagged up and around the mountain to another parking lot. She read the words written beneath. Gravel road. Four-wheel drive vehicles only. Closed in winter. Top mile is one way with passing bay. She glanced up. "I don't know."

  Courtney measured the line against the scale. "It's only a bit over three miles."

  "Yeah, straight up," Renee retorted.

  "Come on. It's a beautiful day with no wind and not a cloud in sight." She walked to the counter where a young guy was only too keen to chat.

  "The road is gravel but in good condition," he said in answer to her query. "The top section is narrow but you can see well ahead. The view today will be fantastic and there's a forest trail that circles the crater. It's about an hour's walk. If you're going there, go now. During the afternoon it gets crowded." He grinned at Courtney and handed her a glossy pamphlet of the area.

  "Well," Courtney said enthusiastically to her friend. "We can take the walk and still be back in time to meet the others."

  "Okay," Renee relented. "But I drive."

  Courtney screwed up her nose but it was obvious that she didn't really mind. She ran out to the Wrangler and disconnected the soft top. Renee made no comment but was relieved to see that there were two roll bars and roof frame joining the windshield.

  As soon as they left the car lot, stones from the gravel crunched the underside of the jeep. It was steep. Renee grinned at a sign that stated Sound Your Horn as she drove through a tunnel cut under a fir-covered peak and headed around a tight corner. Now, unexpectedly, the road ran downhill in a long zigzag and disappeared into the firs. They drove around yet another corner where the view from the road showed nothing except the sky and the valley below.

  "Look," screamed Courtney as she held one of the crash bars and half stood, restrained by her seat belt. "I can see the ranger building and cave entrance. My God, it's hundreds of feet below."

  Renee didn't look. She had her eyes glued on the road. It was now one way and there was no sign of any passing bay. Four heavy tread tires gripped the dusty gravel and the vehicle growled forward in low gear.

  ****

  The loud roar of a diesel engine working to capacity hit their ears and another vehicle, followed by a bellowing cloud of dust, screamed around the corner above.

  "Renee," Courtney screamed. "Stop!"

  But Renee had already applied the brakes and pulled to the right wooden safety rail.

  Thundering down at them was a massive pick-up truck, all gigantic wheels, high-suspension and bull bars. The screech of brakes out-blasted the engine roar and Renee had a glimpse of a startled face and white hands wrestling with a steering wheel.

  The pick-up swayed towards the cliff side on it's right, the driver over-corrected and the vehicle was upon them. There was no room. An outside bar clipped the stationary jeep, steel grated against steel and the smaller vehicle was slammed against the rail. The pick-up's outside wheels mounted the side of the jeep, jolted it and slid off. The truck lurched away but returned a microsecond later to collide into the rear of the jeep. The momentum pushed them through the barrier in a shower of splinting wood.

  The scream of a roaring motor and smell of burning rubber filled Renee's senses. She knew they were falling but could see only a blur. Pain shot through her body. Everything happened so quickly she could not comprehend the other sensations fed into her mind. All she could see could see was blue sky. The road, safety rail and pick-up were gone.

  They were dropping. The sky disappeared and was replaced by a smudge of dark green as fir trees raced towards them. Renee's stomach reacted as the jeep hit the ground twenty feet below the road, bounced and slammed down again in a jaw-splitting thump.

  Courtney's high-pitched scream hit her ears.

  They hit the ground again but all Renee could see was an air bag an inch in front of her eyes. Her gasping breath could not find enough air. Without warning, the jeep slewed sideways and toppled. There was another tremendous jolt and the sky appeared again.

  Oh shit. It was beneath them. This sensation was worse than the cave avalanche.

  Renee didn't realize until later but the jeep rolled right over. The roll bars worked perfectly and saved their lives. With the wheels beneath it again, the sturdy vehicle bounced and skidded to a halt against the trunk of a gigantic fir tree. Beyond was a vertical drop into the valley hundreds of feet below.

  She opened her eyes and struggled for breath. There was nothing but twisted steel around her. She attempted to move but pain, familiar pain, shot up her right leg. Though she couldn't see it, she knew her ankle was broken again.

  She glanced to the right and saw a mop of blonde hair pressed against an air bag.

  "Courtney!" she screamed but there was no reply.

  ****

  Linda gazed at the ghostly white walls reflected in her helmet light. Apart from them, all she could see was Stephanie's silhouette in front. Behind were Lem and Ken. She wasn't scared but it was not the place she would want to be alone.

  "How's it going back there?" Stephanie's voice had that hollow echo as it bounced off the walls.

  "We're still here." Lem's voice bounced back.

  "The cave gets low and narrow for a while but then opens out," Stephanie warned.

  Low...my God. Linda was not expecting anything so tiny. She was the smallest there but found little space to maneuver. How could Lem cope? She crawled forward on hands and knees until her flashlight beam showed space above and a slight breeze tickled her cheek.

  "You can stand now." Stephanie's reassuring voice echoed.

  Linda scrambled to her feet and turned to see Lem's face as a shadow behind his bright flashlight. He was lying on his stomach with only his head and shoulders visible. He shifted and his eyes became visible.

  "Renee's too much of a good cook."

  "Why?" Linda asked.

  Lem grimaced. "I must have put on a bit of weight over the last year. I seem to be stuck."

  Stephanie took charge. She wedged herself past the teenager and squatted by Lem.

  "Try going back," she suggested.

  Lem grinned and wriggled his shoulders. For a second his shoulders lifted and dust made a thousand pinpoints of floating flakes in the flashlight beams. His lips pursed in effort and pieces of loam crushed in a pile by his shoulders and slid to the ground. He continued different maneuvers before he heaved and collapsed onto his stomach.

  "It's no good," he said and glanced up with an embarrassed smile. "My arms are pinned in by the walls and I can get no grip with my feet. I'm really wedged in, I'm afraid."

  ****

  When the jeep smashed through the safety rail, Courtney bounced against the roll bar. She would have been crushed beneath the vehicle as it rolled but she was pulled back by her seat belt.

  Her head ached but she realized the car had left the road. She could see Kathleen holding the wheel of the Honda but where were Sada and Brigitte?

  "Sada! Brigitte!" she screamed. There were red flashing lights and the stink of hot oil and blood everywhere. Warm blood. Her own!

  A flashlight shone in her eyes and screaming filled her ears. It sounded like Kathleen. She struggled to move but throbbing pain cut through her mind. Lights flashed outside and she found it difficult to breathe.

  "Hello, there young lady," said a kind voice. "Just lie still. We'll get you out soon. The seat belt saved you." The highway patrol officer's head turned. "We need help here. There's a lot of blood."

  The teenager lost consciousness.

  She awoke to find her eyes firmly closed. Where were the flashing lights? And the policeman? God, her head ached. She passed a hand across her face and it came away sticky. She could smell something burning. Something hot was shining on her. She forced her eyes open to find it wasn't dark. The sun was blazing down. No, it was gone. Instead there was a cloud of black smoke across
her vision. She could smell the stench of hot flames but they were not burning. It was such a strange sensation.

  "Courtney!" A voice from a million miles away pierced her brain. She focused but it wasn't Kathleen staring at her. Someone else was there, a person she should know… a kind face… someone with red hair and bright blue eyes. This was a friend, she realized that but she couldn't attach a name to the image. "Courtney," her friend said. "Can you hear me?"

  She could smell other things now...fir trees. That lovely aroma of Christmas trees flooded her mind. She could see the blue sky and that concerned face, normally confident and happy but now her friend looked worried. What was there to worry about?

  God her face stung. Courtney shut her eyes and without warning, her memory flooded back. She opened her eyes and smiled.

  "Hi Renee," she croaked. "Chuck was damn well right, wasn't he?"

  ****

  After more frantic maneuvers, all Lem seemed able to manage was to wedge himself in tighter. He was good- humored about his predicament and listened as Stephanie shouted suggestions to Ken behind him.

  Linda watched but felt redundant.

  "Shall I go ahead and check what's there?" she asked.

  "You can," Stephanie said. "But be careful. As far as I know the tunnel will become blocked or drop into the cavern below. Don't take any risks."

  "It won't be blocked," Linda replied. "Otherwise there would be no air movement. There's a distinct breeze coming towards us."

  "That's a good point," Stephanie commented and switched her attention back to Lem. "Can you turn sideways, Lem. If you could do that... " Her voice drifted on but Linda had stopped listening.

  She took a few steps forward, noticed the area widen slightly and the roof disappear into darkness. She turned, could see the other flashlights, so walked to a bend ahead. Darkness closed behind her. She shivered, more in anticipation than from the cold and decided to return. It was deadly quiet but the soft breeze hit her cheeks.

  "Three more bends, Linda," she said to herself. There were no side tunnels so she wouldn't get lost.

  With thumping heart and one hand running along the wall for reassurance, she moved forward around another bend, the second and finally the third. Without her flashlight, it would be pitch black. No, this wasn't right. Linda reached up and clicked her flashlight off. Claustrophobic darkness enveloped her and she was about to switch it on again when her expanding pupils noticed a gray haze.