by Tom Hunter
Abby was glad he couldn’t see her blush. “Thank you, Don. That means a lot to me…and to Thomas. I will certainly pass your kudos on to him and the team as well.”
“We couldn’t have done this without you, and I wouldn’t have made it this far without you, either. You’re a good man, Donald Cunningham,” Abby smiled warmly, a gentle peace now settling on her mind.
Twenty-Five
Overlooking Thomas Knight’s dig site, from less than two miles away, a low hum of activity pulsated. A holo-field projected for hundreds of feet all around created a dome of invisibility. Beneath it, jeeps and trucks heavy with supplies moved slowly, under strict orders to keep dust levels down. An onlooker at any distance would see only a natural extension of crags, hills, and buttes.
The ground in the center of the holo-field area suddenly heaved and split open. Moments later, a thunderous boom shook the air. Three figures watched smoke rise in great plumes, as the ground rumbled and imploded to reveal a deep hole. As planned, their controlled explosion did just enough damage to blast a vertical shaft into the mines from above. This was the one, unavoidable exception to their efforts to camouflage their operations.
Miss Welker and Ramon put down their binoculars and smiled. Noah still held his binoculars to his eyes, and watched the smoke and sand begin to settle, whistling at their success.
“I am always surprised at my exacting ability with calculations. They prove correct every time,” His chest puffed as he contented with the success of the day.
“Hope that blast didn’t give us away,” Ramon said. “Seems to me you found the wrong dig site, ‘bout a month ago.” Noah glared, and Miss Welker advised him to shut up with a quick slice of her hand across her throat.
Choosing to ignore him, Noah asked, “How soon can you get those rope ladders set up? We’ll need to move fast. Even with our ‘own’ entrance, we’ll need to get in there and steal the gold before Knight’s team can get to it and transport it to their own camp.”
Ramon shrugged, “Few hours, maybe. We’ll set ‘em up, scout the area, and test the ropes for safety.” He looked up at the sky. “The sun’s setting. Probl’y get inside soon as Knight and his team leave for dinner.”
“Good. Good.” Noah rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “Hmmm…” realizing his palms were clammy and sweaty, Noah planned his return to the comfort of his RV, leaving Miss Welker and Ramon to plan the remainder of their expedition.
As they watched Noah walk away, Miss Welker back handed Ramon in the chest. “What were you thinking, correcting him like that?” She demanded to know.
“Hey!” They both knew she hadn’t hurt him, but she had his attention.
“Hey, nothing. Do not antagonize Noah Ashbridge by pointing out his errors. It serves no one, and could force me to take…action,” Miss Welker hissed, hands on her hips.
“Are you threatening me?” Ramon asked incredulously. He towered over her by a head and outweighed her by twice. He wanted to laugh, but thought better of it when he saw the look in her eye.
Miss Welker folded her arms slowly and leaned back to regard him then, fixing him with her glare. “I can assure you, Ramon, she began, enunciating his name and rolling the ‘R’, that you will not have to ask. You will know when I am threatening you.” Slowly, a smile played at her lips. She unfolded her arms, and looked up at him again. Her eyes had softened ever so slightly, and she sidled up to him, and shook her head slowly, “but you wouldn’t want to get on my bad side now, would you?”
Ramon had trained for everything but this. His tongue was thick and his mind had turned to mush. He could only stare at Miss Welker.
“Relax, you big lug. I’m not going to hurt you,” Miss Welker’s smile widened. “I have found it best to ‘forgive and forget’ sleights and stay calm in this game we play. I suggest you do the same. Now, about those ropes…” Like the signal to come out of a trance, Ramon sprang into action, as Miss Welker walked away.
Ramon called to his team with his arm circling above his head; their call to action. “Let’s go, guys. Boss bought us a new entrance. Demolition’s done. Time to get in there and beat Noah’s team to the good stuff.”
Twenty-Six
The sun had not yet risen above the horizon. Rope ladders had been set up the night before and tested for safety. A second headquarters had been hastily erected around the new shaft. The holoprojectors kept it all invisible to wandering tourists and, most importantly, the rival camp a mere two miles away.
Hands behind his back, Ramon paced before his army of mercenaries, dressed and ready for battle. A typical day at the office for him, his deep growl, thickly accented, required those listening to pay attention. If they missed it…well, rumor had it, you didn’t miss what Ramon said, you just nodded and got the information from someone else later. It was safer that way.
“This is what they call a no-brainer. Your job is simple. Go in, grab anything that looks valuable, and bring it out. Give it to me or Miss Welker, and walk away with a hefty pay day. Got it? Good.” He didn’t wait for them to nod or acknowledge.
“Now, we’ve got the basics out of the way, here’s the details.” He pointed to Thomas Knight’s dig site. “The other expedition is only two miles away. It’s very possible you may run into one of them. Avoid them, if you can. Don’t fight, else the entire operation is at risk. But”, Ramon cautioned, “if that’s is not possible, you are authorized to use lethal force to prevent them from sounding an alarm. Do you understand? This is straight from Ashbridge.
“Now, to wrap things up. Some of the equipment from the old site will be moved here, if this turns into a valuable trip. Sticky fingers will be punished to the fullest extent of…my law. Understood?”
“Sir, yes sir.” Came the reply in unison.
“Good. Go get it.”
As Ramon’s mercenaries descended the rope ladders, Miss Welker turned to Noah, both watching the instruction and the militaristic formation with interest. “Well?” Miss Welker asked, trying to elicit something from Noah without having to ask directly.
“Well, what?” Noah replied. He was toying with her and she knew it.
“Well, are you pleased by this latest development? The work Ramon and his team are doing?” Though frustrated with the back and forth, she kept it in check.
“I am, Miss Welker. I am very pleased. But,” – he warned, with a finger raised for silence – “I swear if this costly move doesn’t pan out, for any reason, I am going to pack up shop, find Grandfather Reginald Ashbridge III’s grave, exhume his body, and burn it in revenge.”
“Really, Noah? Come on. Do you really thinking profaning and defiling the dead is going to help…anything?” Miss Welker asked, palms up, her shoulders shrugged.
Noah scuffed his toe in the sand and mumbled, “I know it won’t. But, the treasure that brought the Ashbridges their wealth belongs with the Ashbridges. The heir apparent. Me. No one else, and sure as hell not in a museum.” He looked up, with fire in his eyes.
“Hmmm…” Miss Welker crossed her arms, and tapped a long finger to a beat only she could hear. Then, “Okay, I’m out of ideas. What can we do about it?”
Noah smiled, “As it happens, I have an idea. Sometimes, to go faster, you have to make your competition go slower. Call it reversing turtle and the hare. In other words, just in case Ramon’s boys are slow, or find they’re missing proper digging tools, then we’ll just have to slow down Thomas Knight’s expedition.” Noah tilted his head to the side and considered briefly what he might say. “You up for a little extra work on the side?”
“I am yours to command. For the right price.”
Twenty-Seven
The rosy reflection of the rising desert sun stood witness to the somber group, standing before Abby Hogan. The temperatures were still tolerable as the dig team and volunteers trudged from their tents to the coolness of the caverns.
Abigail stood up and began to speak. Backlit by mag lights, the clink and clatter of dishes, and soft v
oices still thick with sleep, team members ate breakfast in the stillness of the cavern.
“Good morning,” Abby cleared her throat, still thick with sleep and sadness. She shook her head to clear the cobwebs, and took a long drink of water she’d been offered. She set the bottle down before her on the table, cleared her throat, and smiled, though it seemed a little forced. “Good morning, everyone,” she began again. “I wanted to take this opportunity, to thank everyone who offered to send money to families of the survey team. It’s a generous gesture on your parts and much appreciated.”
“I – Thomas, the team, and I – we’re hopeful that the remainder of the team will still yet be found alive. I realize it has been a few weeks, and let’s face it, in Death Valley it’s pretty unlikely. But, as we have only found Johnson – may he rest in peace – hope remains.” Abby took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “However,” she emphasized, “as much as we want to believe, we must also be practical. I must be practical.”
She offered a wan smile to Thomas Knight. Robbie and Alexia had seen the light in Thom’s tent burn well into the night and heard her voice on the phone to Dr. Cunningham. Robbie wondered if it wasn’t Thomas and Donald who had convinced her that Team 3 may truly be lost to them.
Abby held her hands up to quiet the crowd, as rumblings of fear escaped their lips. “Please. Please everyone. I want to assure you, that everything that could be done, has been done, to ensure everyone’s safety while you are on this excavation.”
She looks exhausted, Alexia thought to herself as she listened to Abby speak. Then, Alexia lowered her head and prayed silently for Johnson’s soul and the rest of Team 3.
As Alexia made the sign of the cross and laid her hands back in her lap, Robbie leaned toward her and whispered, “Do you think they’re still alive? The survey team, I mean.”
She whispered back, “Honestly? I don’t think so. But, that doesn’t mean I can’t still pray for their safety or that they’ve found paradise…”
“Yes, for sure,” Robbie eagerly agreed. “I didn’t mean, I didn’t think you should. I just wondered what you thought.”
“I’m sorry,” Alexia turned toward Robbie then, and realized he’d asked with genuine care. “I’m sorry,” she repeated, “I guess I’m a bit more stressed about everything than I’d realized.” Her eyes were kind. There would be no teasing today.
Twenty-Eight
Thomas fixed his eyes on the shadow, and moved toward the shapeless form. As he drew closer still, the shapeless shadow formed into something recognizable. Human.
From where he stood, the shadow seemed to be turned toward the cave wall fiddling with something. As Thomas stepped forward to see what it was, his toe met a stone and gave away his presence. Damn!
He froze as the figure now turned toward him, then turned and darted down a nearby tunnel. Like spokes on a wheel, the tunnels offered numerous escape routes and as Thomas gave chase to the shadowy figure, he couldn’t help but recall the tunnel he and Pediah had walked down.
His mind raced as he yelled, “Stop!” A vain attempt, he realized too late as the shadow led him down twisting tunnels that seemed to get narrower with each curve. Running full speed in the dark, he felt like the ball in a pinball machine as he bumped into walls from time to time. At last, he and his shadow were forced to put on the brakes, their pen lights no match for the cavernous depths. Forced to slow down within the winding twists and turns of the tunnels, Thomas caught his breath and tried to still his mind, when the mysterious footsteps picked up speed once again.
“Dammit! Are you kidding me?” Thomas gasped under his breath. No one can run like that. Not in this darkness. Must be desperate.
His mouth set in a grim line, Thomas slipped out of the twisting passageway, and into the wider area, where he caught the shadow, just before it turned down another winding tunnel. “Hey! You there! Stop!” he commanded.
The shadow didn’t listen. In the distance, Thomas heard his own name. It was Alexia, and she didn’t sound happy.
“Thomas Knight! What do you mean running off like that?” Alexia bellowed, her anger and fear echoing off the walls.
“There’s someone down here!” Thomas bellowed in return. “I don’t know if it’s one of our missing team members or someone else!”
In one fluid motion, Alexia flipped the switch on her radio, checked the frequency, and called for help. “I’m down in one of the tunnels with Thomas Knight, and there’s someone down here,” she explained. “We don’t know if it’s one of the missing survey team members or not, but they may need medical assistance. We’ll also need rangers to cordon off the area. Alexia, out.” She flipped the switch to off and turned toward Thomas.
“It’s been weeks, Thomas. How could it be one of the team? How could they – I mean, could they have survived this long? I hope it’s them. I do. It just doesn’t seem…real…” her voice trailed off as she watched Thomas race ahead to the shadow. He reached out and grabbed what looked to be the shadowy figure’s wrist.
The wrist was slim and strong. Definitely human. But, when Thomas raised his eyes, he saw it was no member of the survey team, but Miss Welker. Oh shit. Then he went still. Her other hand held a gun, leveled at his mid-section, the silencer an eerie addition.
“You were not supposed to be down here. You were not meant to see…me, or anyone else,” Miss Welker hissed, speaking slowly and deliberately. A slow smile pulled at the corners of her mouth.
Thomas stood immobile, holding her wrist, his eyes glued to the gun.
Miss Welker’s smile would never quite reach her cold, killer eyes and her matter-of-fact tone brooked no argument. She tilted her head to one side and continued, “Well, since you were not supposed to see me and you have, I am afraid you will have to die. There can be no witnesses.”
But, how had she run like that in the tunnels? Thomas wondered and as his thought ended, another took its place. Night vision goggles, of course. The pen light was just a decoy.
Thomas Knight’s thoughts raced as he tried to work out an escape. His eyes searched for anything he could use. In the distance, he saw more shadowy figures approach. Realization dawned. “Noah,” he breathed softly. He suddenly understood why Miss Welker was there.
Twenty-Nine
Thomas watched as Noah’s crew approached. Behind him, he heard footsteps approach. Shit. Alexia had followed him! She had no idea of the danger she walked into. Now, he had to get them both back to safety. He let go of Miss Welker’s wrist and stepped back from her. The palm of his hand faced Alexia as if willing her to stay where she was.
“Back off, Alexia. Go get help,” Thomas said evenly. “Now!” he barked, as he grabbed for control of Miss Welker’s gun. As they wrestled, a shot fired in the darkness. It missed them both.
The bullet ricocheted as armed men rushed to Miss Welker’s aid. Thomas Knight and Alexia were quickly outmatched and outnumbered. He had forgotten she’d called for help, only a few minutes before, and was glad to hear footsteps in the distance. It’s too bad they won’t get here in time, he thought, as he took a calculated leap and dived for the gun in Miss Welker’s hand.
She’d been cocky, holding it loosely, waving it from Thomas to Alexia. Thomas saw his opportunity. Though Miss Welker regained her grip, she wasn’t a match for a desperate man and, in a dizzying display of bravado, he managed to get control of the weapon.
“When did you learn to do that?” Alexia asked.
“Desperate times and such,” Thomas replied as he twisted around Miss Welker wedging her in a rear arm twist. Miss Welker’s gun now at her back, Thomas held her hostage and stayed the advancement of the mercenaries.
Miss Welker’s men had branched, as if to outflank them, and found themselves hemmed in by cavern walls. Thomas was thankful he’d caught up to Miss Welker in one of the wider passageways. Good, he thought, enough space to breathe and move, but not so much space that her goons could outflank us.
Thomas’ eyes darted around the narrow pas
sage. He wanted to look behind him, maybe go back the way he’d come, but he didn’t dare turn his head for fear of Miss Welker or her goons getting the jump on him again. Thinking back to the rooms they’d found when they happened upon Johnson’s body, Thomas remembered something else. The ceilings had been cathedral-like, tall and majestic. He’d wondered then if that wasn’t perhaps why echoes were so prevalent in the chambers. But, now, he wondered something else.
As Thomas glanced momentarily at the ceiling, he held Miss Welker tighter to keep her and the other mercenaries at bay, and suddenly noticed holes in the walls. He thought further back to when he and Pediah had first left Noah, Miss Welker, Ramon, and poor Howard dead. As they’d walked the tunnel, Thomas recalled Pediah pointing out similar holes in the wall. It had been quiet then, but now he could hear scraping as though large rats or birds were trapped in the cavernous walls.
Why didn’t I notice this before…? Thomas’ thoughts trailed off as his eyes found the answer. Though Thomas’s grip on Miss Welker kept her goons from moving forward, it hadn’t stopped them from turning on their lights. The power of their combined flashlights illuminated the cavern bright as day. Though their combined lights should have blinded him, they had the opposite effect.
To make his point, one man stepped forward and Thomas felt Miss Welker tense with anger, a low growl the back of her throat. The man held a gun leveled at them, Thomas in his sights.
“It’s loaded,” Miss Welker whispered to Thomas.
“Figured,” Thomas volleyed. It was a Mexican standoff. The tension in the air was palpable.