When they told Duster and Zane, all Duster said was, “That’s a hell of a hike underground.”
Belle had to agree with that.
“One other thing,” she said. “If an opening there is similar to the mine here, you may not find it in 1880. The lines don’t really start until the 1940s.”
They talked for a few more minutes in the kitchen area when Belle finally decided to ask the question that had been bothering her about all this.
“Why is it so bad that others know of time travel and the crystal caverns?”
Duster glanced at Bonnie who nodded.
“Time is very much like a river,” Duster said. “In the overall sense of things, it is almost impossible to divert beyond a few alternate timelines. But it is possible, given enough time and focus.”
“Are you saying something has happened in the future?” Belle asked, suddenly scared more than she wanted to admit.
“Besides all the normal events through history,” Duster said, “2120 is fine, as you saw and Zane grew up in.”
Zane was looking very worried, but he was too far away down the counter for Belle to take his hand.
“So what happened?” Zane asked.
“We screwed up,” Bonnie said.
Duster nodded. “We published our findings on time travel in every journal and magazine that would take our articles about the nature of time and energy and matter being connected.”
“We are quickly going back and pulling those research papers from timelines,” Bonnie said. “We were foolish.”
“But we will never get them all,” Duster said. “And by 2320, a dictator using time travel through cavern crystals is controlling the world. It is not a pretty place to live.”
“Boise was leveled in an attack looking for the institute,” Bonnie said. “Millions died. In 2320, we never emerge from the caverns here. And there are only a few hundred of us left, doing our best to travel back in time to figure out how to reverse what happened.”
“So that’s why the importance of the genealogy project,” Belle said. “To find and track those starting points.”
Duster nodded. “Just as you gave us a lead to the Dakotas. Those crystals need to stay protected. And the theory of time travel needs to remain controlled and only a theory to the general population.”
Belle looked at the worried look on Zane’s face.
And there was not a thing she could say.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
July 10th, 2020
Boise, Idaho
TWO WEEKS LATER they were all finally ready to go. Zane stood beside the table in the Step One crystal room as Duster hooked up the wires to a crystal that had never been used before. Belle stood beside him, holding his hand.
Duster was in his long coat and cowboy hat and boots. Bonnie and Belle and Zane would dress in time-appropriate clothing in the big supply room when they got to the other side.
Zane was both excited and scared to death. The caverns and being underground didn’t worry him much, but being in 1900 sure did.
And that’s where they were headed first, to July 10th, 1900. One hundred and twenty years in the past.
Bonnie and Duster would be with them headed to the old mine. But then Bonnie and Duster would wait in 1900 in the crystal cavern as Zane and Belle jumped back ten years in the crystal cavern to explore deep into the caverns on a first trip.
Duster had wanted to go along on the expedition, but all the founders had forbidden it. He and Bonnie were just too important to saving the world four hundred years in the future to risk.
And when Zane had asked in one dinner meeting what the risk was, since they couldn’t die in the past, both Bonnie and Duster had looked worried and then said, “There are aspects about the crystal caverns we don’t yet understand because we believe they exist in other dimensions of a sort.”
“So we don’t know about this not dying stuff inside the caverns is what you are saying?” Zane had asked, glancing at Belle.
Belle looked worried as well at that moment.
“We can’t take the chance,” Madison said, “of losing the math brains.”
Zane understood that completely and had said, “Don’t worry. Belle and I will figure out what can and can’t be done in there.”
And that had ended that conversation.
“Let’s go,” Duster said, closing the wire gate on the crystals and then setting the timer on the box.
Then he connected the two wires to the box wearing thick leather gloves.
Bonnie and Belle both moved up close to the box. Both were carrying large packs over the shoulders full of modern caving gear. Usually nothing modern was allowed back into the past, but Bonnie and Duster had made an exception for this trip.
Zane made sure his heavy pack was on his back and another pack was in his left hand and joined them.
Duster too off the gloves, shouldered a pack and picked up a large bag, then said, “On the count of three.”
On three, Zane touched the wooden box at the same moment Belle did.
Nothing at all seemed to happen, which was normal.
They all stepped back and headed into the big supply room.
The year was 1900. And in a few days Zane was going to be headed into the cave of his life, from everything that had been described to him. And he felt the same excitement and nerves he felt before every big exploration.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
July 10th, 1900
Boise, Idaho
BEING A WOMAN of means in 1900 was no easy task to pull off, Belle finally decided, as she managed to not fall off her horse anywhere along the wagon trail that was Warm Springs Avenue going into Boise.
The clothes of this time alone were draconian in nature, and lucky Bonnie had said it was all right for Belle to keep on her modern underwear and a sports bra. Belle had packed a couple of the 1900 corsets, but had no intention of ever wearing one.
She had also never ridden a horse before. Ever. Growing up in suburban Phoenix had just not prepared her for riding horses, and she had never been one of the little girls who had wanted a pony. In fact, until this trip, she hadn’t given horses even a single thought.
More than likely in 2020, she should have mentioned to someone she couldn’t ride. But Bonnie and Duster and Zane had seemed to take her lack of knowledge and skill in stride, with only a few really bad jokes.
As Bonnie had said, “You’ll be fine after a few days.”
Bonnie was leading two pack-horses covered in supplies, so was Duster, and so was Zane. She was the only one riding alone in clothes far too tight and too heavy for the weather.
Ten minutes after climbing on her horse, the idea of a few days of riding seemed like an eternity she didn’t want to live.
Belle’s main annoyance at not being able to ride, besides the constant terror of falling off, was that she had to stay focused on the horse and not spend time looking around at the historical buildings and such they were passing.
So what she had noticed was that the day was going to be warm, that the trails were full of ruts and dusty, and that most places smelled like horse shit. And her horse seemed to have no problem in just plowing right through piles of other horse’s shit, which kept the smell around her for the entire first hour of their ride.
She had barely made it through the streets of old Boise and out on the trail going west along the Boise River without falling off. And her legs were already starting to hurt.
Zane, on the other hand, looked as if he had been born on a horse. He rode high, looking handsome in his suit and vest and cowboy hat. He seemed to never pay much attention to the horse at all, but instead he looked at the sights, trying to get Belle to look up at times. Duster had said that he was impressed at Zane’s horse skills at one point.
So was she. And very envious.
“A lot of entrances to caves needed to be packed into, even in 2120,” Zane said in response to Duster. “Riding horses and leading pack horses is part of the caver skill s
et.”
Belle had just shaken her head at that. There was so much about the man she was falling for that she didn’t know. And from what Zane had said, they were going to have the time to get to know each other better in the long cave adventure.
And she was actually looking forward to that.
If she ever got off this damn horse and into the cave.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
July 11th, 1900
Above Silver City, Idaho
STANDING ON THE flat top of the mine tailings looking down at the mining town of Silver City was amazing. Zane couldn’t believe he was actually here.
Beside him, holding his hand, Belle stared down the thousand feet at the old mining town as well. In 1900, Silver City was already on the decline, past its second boom cycle. But a good ten thousand people still lived in the valley below them. The sounds of digging and chopping filled the air along with the distant sound of a piano playing from one of the saloons.
The trip from Boise had taken two days. The first day they had rode and then walked and then rode a little and then walked, finally camping near a hot springs on the banks of the Snake River.
At that point, after almost twelve hours of travel, Belle was in bad shape from the ride, the long walk, and the dry heat of the warm summer day. Bonnie and Duster looked right at home and not fazed in the slightest. Zane felt like he had gone through a tough workout, but he would be all right. It had been a while since he had spent that much time on a horse and he was feeling that in his legs.
Duster said he would take care of the horses while Bonnie started dinner and Zane helped Belle.
Zane had gotten some extra salt tablets in Belle and water and then had taken her down to the hot springs where he had enjoyed watching her get naked and moan as she crawled into the hot water.
He had joined her in the rock-lined hot-springs pool perched above the slowly moving Snake River below. It was a beautiful sight but Zane had a hunch Belle wasn’t enjoying it that much. They had helped each other get clean and then get on fresh clothes and get back to camp.
Belle had managed to get some food and more water in her before crawling into their tent and passing out.
Zane must have looked worried, but Bonnie just laughed. “She’ll be much better tomorrow.”
And it turned out that she was.
Now, at three in the afternoon, after climbing almost a thousand feet up a hillside dotted with mine tailings, Zane and Belle were at the old mine, standing on the mine’s tailings, looking down at the old town below.
Behind them, a small wooden shack sat in front of a boarded-up mine entrance. Small rail tracks for ore cars ran from the mine out through the old shed and then to the front edge of the tailings.
From what Zane could tell, the area behind the boarded-up entrance had caved in, and he could see no way into the mine. He hoped that cave-in wasn’t something new, but Bonnie and Duster hadn’t seemed to notice it.
Zane had been in his share of old mines in his time. They were a thousand times more dangerous than any natural cave and he hadn’t much liked them. Taking calculated risks in caves was one thing, going into old mines wasn’t a calculated risk. It was just stupid.
Duster and Bonnie set up a fake camp quickly, with two tents and what looked like the remains of a firepit near the old shack.
All four of them had taken the packs and all the supplies from the pack horses, piling it near the entrance to the mine, then Duster had made sure the horses had enough feed and water for a day or so and had tied them off a short distance up the hill.
If anyone came by, it would look like a normal camp with the prospector out and away from the camp for the moment. It was a great cover, Zane had to admit.
Then Duster and Bonnie both took out binoculars and scanned the area in front of the mine and then the hillsides across the way. The hill slanted up steeply above the mine, but it turned to the right and ran out to another ridgeline across from the mine. The hills were all void of trees, leaving mostly only dried brush and other old mines.
From what Zane could see, none of the other mines in sight were active.
Out over the old town and a good two miles across the valley was another mountainside spotted with mines, but Zane doubted anyone could see them from that far.
“What are you looking for?” Belle had asked.
“Anyone looking this direction, or in sight of this mine,” Duster had said.
After a moment Bonnie said, “Clear.”
“You and Belle take as many packs and saddlebags as you can carry and get inside,” Duster said, continuing to scan the mountains around them.
Belle suddenly looked worried and Zane only shrugged. They were not going through that old boarded up entrance, so he had no idea where inside was.
Bonnie indicated that Belle should get what she could carry from the pile as Duster kept scanning the hills around them.
Zane didn’t exactly know what to do, so he helped Belle get a pack on her shoulder.
“Clear,” Duster said after Bonnie told him they were ready.
Duster just kept scanning the hillsides above them for any movement at all.
Bonnie held up an old skeleton key and twisted the head on it, then tucked it away as a large rock beside them seemed to silently crack open and slide aside.
A big metal door on the inside of the rock opened and Bonnie started in.
Belle was surprised, but after a moment’s hesitation, quickly followed, glancing back at Zane with a wide-eyed look.
The door closed silently and the big rock slid back into place.
“Wow,” Zane said, shocked, as he just stared at where Belle had disappeared. “Would have never guessed that was there.”
“And no one has,” Duster said. “In over four hundred years into the future.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
July 11th, 1900
Above Silver City, Idaho
BELLE WAITED UNTIL the lights came up and then followed Bonnie into what looked to be an old mine tunnel. It had big wooden beams holding up the ceiling and ore car rails running down the middle. An old line of electrical lights were hanging along one wall, giving the place a gold tint which felt appropriate for a gold mine.
About thirty steps down the mine into the mountain, Belle could see where the tunnel curved to the right.
She didn’t feel safe in here at all, but Bonnie seemed to think nothing of it, so she went in five paces, carrying all the bags and saddlebags and waited for Duster and Zane to join them.
After less than a minute, Zane came out of the metal door chamber behind the big rock, looking around. He was an expert at anything underground and Belle suddenly felt much better just seeing him and the fact that with a glance he broke out into a big smile.
Zane glanced back at Duster. “Great job reinforcing the old mine and making it look original.”
“Thanks,” Duster said. “Not many can spot that.”
“I wouldn’t want to be in here if you hadn’t done it,” Zane said, smiling at Belle.
And that smile made her feel much better.
Bonnie turned and headed into the mine. Belle was following, watching her step more than anything else for fear of tripping on the old mine ore car rails and dropping everything she was carrying.
Then, in front of her, Bonnie vanished.
“Now that’s weird,” Zane said from behind Belle.
“Wall there at the corner is a hologram,” Duster said from behind Zane.
At that moment Bonnie came back about halfway through the wall and offered a hand to Belle, who took it.
“Close your eyes for a step and you’ll be fine.”
Belle did for three steps as Bonnie led her straight forward where it looked like the tunnel had turned.
Then Belle looked back at the surprised look and smile on Zane’s face. Belle couldn’t see the hologram from this side, but she knew where it was as Zane came forward and then closed his eyes for two steps right at a certain poi
nt.
Now the floor of the old mine was smooth since the rail car tracks had turned to the right.
“Nifty security feature,” Zane said.
“Only one of many,” Duster said. “I’ll show them all to you a little later.”
Belle loved the fact that Zane was smiling like a little kid in a candy store. Clearly being underground was his world and she actually wasn’t feeling that uncomfortable either, which surprised her.
And having Zane smiling and enjoying himself made her feel better as well.
They went through another hologram that made the mine look like it dead-ended, and then into a big natural cavern about the same size as the living room cavern under the institute. Lights on the ceiling came on and lit the place with a bright white feel.
This was clearly their supply area, but nowhere near as large as the supply areas in the institute. Most of the wooden tables in here were empty. But there were still enough supplies to last for a very long time, of that Belle had no doubt.
There was one table along the right wall with a large gun rack over it, and racks and racks of men’s suits and women’s dresses from this period of time.
“Kitchen and bathroom areas back off to the left,” Duster said, putting his saddlebags and packs onto one empty table.
Bonnie did the same, and Belle put what she was carrying on the table beside Bonnie’s stuff. They would repack everything for the first excursion underground.
Zane put his stuff beside Belle’s and then leaned over and kissed her.
“You two ready to see the crystal cavern before we go any farther?” Duster asked.
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Belle said, smiling at Zane and winking.
Zane laughed and took her hand and the two of them turned to follow Duster toward another tunnel cut through the rock on the far side of the supply cavern.
At the end of that, Duster unlocked a big metal door and stepped through into what looked like bright pink light.
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