In Cave Danger

by Kate Dyer-Seeley

  I parked the car next to a giant black SUV with tinted black windows. Was the FBI here? The luxury SUV looked completely conspicuous next to four beat-up Forest Service jeeps.

  Inside the research center, the log cabin theme extended into a vast foyer with vaulted ceilings and windows that looked out onto the volcanic lava flow. There were five classrooms and labs down one hallway and a conference room down the other. A student who looked like she belonged on the set of an Indiana Jones movie directed me to the conference room.

  My nerves got the best of me as I walked into the conference room. Maybe I should have gone for a more outdoorsy outfit. I felt as conspicuous as the black SUV outside. A group of students, all wearing outdoor gear—shorts, hiking boots, and University of Bend T-shirts—were gathered in front of a bar near the back of the room. They were mingling with a few Forest Service rangers who were outfitted in khaki uniforms complete with ranger hats that reminded me of Smokey Bear. Why had I worn pink?

  Stupid move, Meg. I squared my shoulders and headed toward the bar.

  A forest ranger who looked to be in her early thirties greeted me with a warm smile. “Hi, I’m Kira. Can I help you with something?” She had a pair of binoculars looped around her neck.

  I offered her my hand, hoping that my palms weren’t sweaty. “Meg Reed, with Northwest Extreme.”

  “Oh, Meg,” she said, clasping my hand and shaking it enthusiastically. “I wasn’t expecting someone so . . .”

  “Pink?” I wrinkled my nose.

  She laughed. “No. Young.”

  “Right.” I grinned. “I get that all the time.”

  “Me too.” She winked. Her face was speckled with freckles, and her long reddish hair reminded me of the lava rocks outside.

  “Really?”

  She steered me toward the bar. “Really. I’m one of the youngest rangers to be promoted to running this crazy show. And one of the first women. Most of these guys weren’t used to having a woman around to make them tidy up and stuff.” She nudged one of her fellow rangers in the arm. “Isn’t that right, Dupree?”

  Dupree, who somehow managed to make his outfit look less like a uniform and more like he was about to sit around a fire pit and start a drumming circle, tilted his ranger hat. “She’s the big boss, and everyone around here knows it.” Scruffy hair spilled to his shoulders when he took off the hat.

  “Don’t let him fool you,” Kira retorted. “Dupree is my right-hand man. He knows every inch of the cave system.”

  “Really?” I wanted to take notes.

  “Yep, one of our many tasks, aside from educating and keeping the public safe, is mapping the cave. That’s what I have this guy here for.” Kira nudged Dupree.

  “You’re mapping the cave?” I asked. “Isn’t it just a straight tunnel?”

  Dupree’s dark eyes lit up. “Not at all. The tube is the only part of the cave system that’s open to the public, but there’s a network of tunnels that run underground. Theoretically one tunnel might connect to the entire network. I’ve been mapping the cave for six years now and still make new discoveries all the time.”

  Kira beamed. “He’s being humble. The guy is a master. His map has uncovered huge scale formations. The cave has been around for a hundred thousand years and we’re just beginning to scratch the surface.”

  “Come spend a day in my boots,” Dupree offered. “I’ll take you to places that no one has seen.” He strolled away to talk to another ranger.

  “Wow,” I said to Kira. “I had no idea that the cave was so extensive.”

  “Yep. It’s our job to map and ultimately protect it.” Kira waved at the selection of beers lined on the bar. “Would you like something to drink, Meg?”

  “Sure. I’d love a pint. Do you have a favorite?”

  Kira picked up a bottle of Crux. “If you like pale ales, this one is really great. It has a nice hop kick without being too strong or bitter.”

  “Sounds perfect.” I smoothed my skirt.

  Kira opened the bottle and handed it to me. “I hear that you’re going to be writing a piece on the battle brewing in here in the desert. I’m thrilled that Northwest Extreme is going to do a feature on the critical assault our forest is taking. I was surprised when you called. I didn’t think adventure magazines took on such controversial issues, but I’m thrilled. Really thrilled.” She fluffed her auburn curls and grinned. “Can you tell?”

  I started to tell her about my plans for the feature and how I wasn’t sure what—if any—position I was taking yet, but I noticed that her brow hardened and her thin, pink lips narrowed. She turned her attention away from me and toward the front of the conference room where a tall thin man in a black suit was standing. She mumbled something.

  “Is that who I think it is?” I asked.

  “That is one of the most pompous men on the planet—Congressman Riley.” She yanked a strand of hair from her head.

  I winced as I watched her. “I saw his picture when I was doing research for my story. I thought I recognized him.”

  Her eyes brightened. “You are planning to take our side in the battle over land rights in your story, aren’t you?”

  “Well, I . . .” I hesitated for a minute, trying to think of the best way to frame my response. She didn’t give me time to consider my words. Congressman Riley was moving toward us.

  “Oh, Meg, you just became my best friend.” She put her arm around my shoulder. “Shall we go say hello to the congressman?”

  She stomped in her heavy boots in the congressman’s direction, pulling me along. Kira was short and petite, close to my height with tiny bony structure and big brown eyes. Despite her stature there was something very powerful about her. Gam would call it her internal power source. She was also physically strong and apparently fearless.

  “Congressman,” she said in a less than welcoming tone. “I hadn’t heard that you were going to join us this evening.”

  He towered over both of us. It was hard not to feel intimidated by his presence. “Ms. Craig, I’m delighted to have the opportunity to see what the people’s hard-earned money is funding. Professor LeAnna was so kind to give me a tour of the facility and a look at the research she and her team are working on.”

  I hadn’t even noticed the woman standing next to the congressman. She held up her hand in a half wave. I would guess that she was in her late forties or early fifties. I’m not always the best at sizing up age, but she definitely gave off a professor vibe. Her wavy hair fizzed in all directions. A pair of reading glasses hung on a chain around her neck, and a pencil was tucked behind her ear.

  “Meg, let me introduce you to Congressman Riley and Professor LeAnna. Meg is a writer for Northwest Extreme magazine, and she’s here to do a story on the lava caves and surrounding federal land.” She emphasized federal land and stared at Congressman Riley with a satisfied smirk.

  The congressman ignored her and extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, Meg . . . ?” He waited for me to offer my last name.

  “Reed,” I said, shaking his hand. It might have been my imagination, but when I said “Reed,” he squeezed my hand tighter and flinched ever so slightly.

  He dropped my hand and cleared his throat. “Reed? Hmm. Are you a constituent of mine?”

  “Nope.” I shook my head. “I live in Portland.”

  “Ah, that’s hipster territory these days. We joke when the Oregon delegation gets together that Oregon politics aren’t left or right. They’re hipster and farmer.” He smiled widely, but he was too smooth for my liking and there was something dark about his aura. Gam wouldn’t like hearing me say that, but it was true.

  “I think we’ve e-mailed,” Professor LeAnna said. She wore a crimson T-shirt that read I LAVA ROCKS. There was a heart around the word lava.

  “Great shirt,” I noted. “I lava a good pun.” My attempt at a joke failed miserably. Only Kira laughed. I quickly shifted gears. “It’s so great to finally meet you, Professor. Thank you so much for all your help. I have a
ton more questions for you.” I had reached out to the professor for facts and data about the geology of the caves, and she had sent me twenty-five attachments—all geological state studies that were clearly written for scholars. Most of what she had sent me wouldn’t make the final cut in my piece, but it was always better to have more material to work with than not enough. Plus Greg and I had discussed running a sidebar with interesting geological facts. Lava caves are one of Mother Nature’s masterpieces, so we thought it would be fun to give our readers a little science behind their structure and formation.

  “Not a problem. I’m happy to help. My students say I love rocks more than my family. They aren’t that far off.”

  One of her students came up from behind us. His eyes were hidden behind thick glasses, and he wore a khaki vest with dig tools. “Uh, Professor, did you need me to grab those handouts for everyone?”

  “No, Sam. Enjoy yourself. We’ll get that all sorted out tomorrow.”

  Sam stuffed his hands in the pockets of his cargo shorts. “Cool.”

  “This is Meg, with Northwest Extreme,” Professor LeAnna said, introducing me. “She might want a tour of the lab, and maybe you can give her a peek at what you’re working on.”

  “Sure.” Sam nodded to me. A slight blush crept up his already pink cheeks.

  “What exactly are you covering for the magazine, Ms. Reed?” Congressman Riley asked. His question sounded benign, but I had the sense he was trying to feel out whose side I was taking.

  “Usually I never exactly know until I finish writing it,” I replied. That wasn’t a lie. I always have an idea and an outline of where I’m going, but the physical act of writing and pulling together pieces of research and interview is almost magical. Whenever I sit down at my laptop and pound away on the keys, the story just kind of evolves.

  Kira adjusted her ranger hat. “What’s he doing here?” she asked the congressman.

  He glanced out the window. We all turned to the windows to see a monster truck with the words COLTRANE RANCH painted on the side pull in next to the SUV.

  “He better not scratch up my ride,” Congressman Riley joked.

  Of course that was his ride. I wondered if he had a driver or entourage.

  “I told you that he’s not welcome here.” Kira folded her arms across her petite frame and stared at the congressman.

  Congressman Riley gave her a smug smile in return. “And I told you that Harley is a constituent, and one of my most generous constituents at that. This is public land, and he has every right to be here.”

  “We’ll see about that,” Kira muttered. She fixed her eyes on the window and then turned to us. “Let’s head over to the bar. I want to make sure we go over the logistics for tomorrow so that everyone is safe and confident.”

  Professor LeAnna and Congressman Riley fell into step together. Why didn’t Kira want Harley here? I would have to ask her. I followed them while Kira and Sam lagged behind.

  I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I heard Kira lower her voice and watched her pull Sam closer. “Did you remove a rock sample from the cave floor?’

  Sam shook his head. “No. I swear. I didn’t.”

  Kira said something else and Sam protested again, but I couldn’t hear exactly what he said next, and I figured it would be too obvious to stop in mid-stride and try to eavesdrop on their conversation. Kira didn’t sound happy about Sam removing a sample. I would have to ask her about it later. Maybe the Forest Service had specific guidelines about removing native plants and rocks. That could be an important fact to include in my story. I knew from previous research that each state had different rules about collecting on public lands.

  Everyone grabbed drinks. I sipped my pale ale and watched as Harley Coltrane stomped in. He was older, in his sixties, with weathered skin and a cowboy hat the size of Texas. His mud-caked cowboy boots thudded with each step. He headed straight for the bar, cracked open a beer, and clapped Congressman Riley on the back. I noticed Kira give Dupree a hard look and then nod in Harley’s direction.

  “Thanks for the invite, old boy. You should hear word around here. Folks are pretty darn happy with you right about now,” he said to Congressman Riley. I could hear a faint accent in his tone. That or he was trying to pull off the full cowboy package. “Can’t wait to get down in them caves tomorrow and check out all the new hidey-holes we can use for shootin’.”

  Kira threw her hands in the air. “Harley, you are NOT shooting anywhere on public lands.”

  “We’ll see about that, won’t we, little lady?” He nudged Congressman Riley. “My good old boy here is about to change that.”

  “No amount of legislation is going to allow anyone to use a firearm in protected caves,” Kira practically screamed.

  Dupree grabbed the back of her uniform. “Don’t let him get to you,” he said in a lazy tone. “He’s trying to get you fired up.”

  “Well, it’s working.” Kira scrunched her face and pointed her finger at Harley. “I’m watching you. You do anything—anything—to disturb the ecosystem and I’ll have you banned from here.”

  Harley laughed. “You go ahead and try.”

  So much for a public relations tour. The tension between Harley and Kira was as hot as lava. Congressman Riley appeared to be savoring their debate, while Sam and Dupree flanked Kira on either side. Surprisingly Professor LeAnna hung back and kept silent. I would have anticipated that she might have jumped to Kira’s or the cave’s defense. If things continued like this, I was definitely going to have a volatile feature to share with our readers.

  “If I have anything to say about it, you won’t see anything. I’ve already talked to our lawyers. Consider this your warning,” Kira finished. Then she exhaled and tried to calm down. “Okay, let’s talk about tomorrow.”

  She clapped her hands, and everyone (excepting the congressman and Harley) snapped to attention. She scowled. “Gentlemen, I’m serious, if you want to join us in the cave tomorrow, pay attention. No amount of money or power is going to keep you safe when you’re deep underground.” There was a warning tone in her voice.

  Congressman Riley plastered a smile on his face. “Many apologies.”

  His apology was less than sincere, but Kira continued. “Our number one priority is your safety and well-being. Dupree, can you raise your hand?”

  Dupree held up a tanned arm.

  “Thanks,” Kira said, nodding and pointing at Dupree. “You are being granted special access to some of the areas of the lava tube that are off-limits to the public. Dupree knows his way around better than anyone else, but I can’t stress enough the importance of sticking together. Take at least two sources of light. Trust me, you do not want to be down there blind. And do not touch the ceiling, the walls—anything. Cave-ins are rare, but they can happen. This is an unstable environment you’ll be touring, and we want to keep you safe. We want you to get up close and personal with the cave, and we also want to get you back up to the surface in one piece.”

  I laughed. “That’s funny.”

  Kira frowned. “I’m serious. The tubes are a dark and dangerous place.” She continued to explain safety protocols and stress the importance of sticking together. After she finished her safety talk we mingled for a while. I didn’t want to stay very late since we were due to meet at the cave entrance at six a.m. Our private tour would allow us access to the lava tube before it opened to the general public for guided tours later in the morning.

  Congressman Riley and Harley stuck together near the bar. I chatted with Professor LeAnna and Sam, who were both eager to talk about their research. After I finished my beer I walked over to Kira, who was deep in conversation with Dupree. They broke apart when I joined them. Kira motioned to the bar with her head. “Go keep an eye on those two.” Dupree sauntered off toward Congressman Riley and Harley.

  “Hey, I didn’t meant to interrupt, I just want to say good night.”

  Kira shook her head. “No, not at all. Sorry about earlier. Harley makes me nuts.”
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  “Yeah, what’s the deal?”

  She sighed and ran her fingers through her red hair. “It’s a long story, but he’s the reason for this legislation. Riley is his puppet.”

  “Really?” I hadn’t gotten that impression from reading about the congressman’s long-standing career.

  “Who do you think funded Riley’s campaign?” She nodded toward the bar. “Harley. He’s constantly letting his cattle graze illegally, then he freaks out about our taking away his rights. Do you want to know something?”

  “Sure.”

  “The guy has gotten over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars in federal farm subsidies in the last two years, but he won’t talk about that. All he’ll say is that we’re violating the constitution.”

  I felt as if I had stepped on a land mine of information.

  Kira kept talking. “He’s been trying to get his ATV on the trails for years, and now he’s finally found a way thanks to Riley. But don’t worry, I’m going to get him for something. I have all of my rangers on the lookout. One misstep. He fires a single shot on forest land, I find his cattle grazing on my territory, or if he takes so much as a broken piece of rock from the cave, he’s gone.”

  I appreciated Kira’s fierce passion, but I was worried that her head was going to explode.

  She must have sensed my concern because she reached out and squeezed my hand. “Sorry, Meg. Usually I’m super chill. Harley and Riley bring out the worst in me. Trust me, you’ll find a story there.”

  “Got it.”

  “See you tomorrow,” she said with an easy smile. “And I was serious about what I said earlier. I love your outfit, but be sure to dress for the cold and wear sturdy shoes. The caves are dark and dangerous.”

  As I drove back down the rocky road I couldn’t stop thinking about my feature. I had a feeling things were going to boil over between Harley and Kira. And I couldn’t shake her warning from my head: The caves were a dark and dangerous place.