by Chris Fox
“It doesn’t surprise me. Not one bit,” Sheila said, drawl back to full strength. She leaned into the table as she speared them with her gaze. “Why else would they spend millions of dollars to explore this place? We have an escort that’s three times as large as the science team. I don’t know much about guns, but what they’re armed with is more state of the art than anything we should find in Peru.”
“I do,” Bridget broke in, drawing everyone’s attention. He knew why she knew guns, and he wasn’t surprised she was still embarrassed about it. “Your average infantry are typically armed with an M4. It’s good for both close quarters and medium range, and the rounds are common all over the world. Did anyone see Black Hawk Down? That’s the gun they were using. These guys? The rifles are about the same size as an M4, but I’m unfamiliar with the body or that scope they’ve got mounted on top.”
Bridget’s father was a colonel, and she’d grown up living and breathing that stuff. She’d dragged Blair to the opening night of everything from Saving Private Ryan to the aforementioned Black Hawk Down. She’d spent countless evenings playing Call of Duty and waiting in line every time a new game came out.
“So, what?” Alejandro finally spoke up, glancing up from the heater. “Is this not a good thing? There are very many men protecting us, and they have lots of fancy guns. Not only do we not pay for this, but they pay us a fortune to become pivotal figures in the legends that will spring from this place. We are the few who will see the world’s understanding of the past change forever. We will shape that change. Are you not honored to be here?”
“You have to be alive to enjoy that, Alejandro,” Doctor Roberts said quietly. His gaze softened. “We’ve all seen Steve. The man is suffering. I’m no medical doctor, but he has severe burns all over his skin. The kind found after Hiroshima or Chernobyl. That’s saying nothing about his behavior. How many of you has he attacked now? Sheila, I know he came after you with a trowel last week. We’ve all seen the bruises Bridget tries to cover up. The man is melting down in there, maybe literally. What in the hell could cause that?”
“We already know that place eats signals. If you bring your cell phone in, the battery is drained in minutes. That can’t be a coincidence,” Blair said. “Doctor Roberts believes this place thrust itself from the earth. That takes power. Enormous power, I’d wager. It has to have been dormant for a dozen millennia, given your dating, yet it has a reservoir of power that somehow survived that long.”
“There’s only one type of power that could last that long, at least any power source we’ve discovered,” Bridget said, eyes widening as the group put the pieces together. “Steve has radiation poisoning.”
“Maybe, but we don’t have a medical doctor, so there’s no way to be sure,” Sheila said, seizing the conversation once more. “What we are sure about is that the people who brought us here know a lot more about this place than they’re letting on. Either they were expecting this place, or they move faster than any company I’ve ever seen. They had base camp set up within twenty-four hours of this place appearing. They know the central chamber is dangerous, but they’ve forced Steve inside, and now they’re forcing Blair. How long until he starts exhibiting the same symptoms?”
“I haven’t felt any adverse effects yet,” Blair said. The idea of the madness being somehow infectious had already crept into his mind, and Blair had spent the last several days practically having minor heart attacks every time he imagined a symptom.
“Are we willing to risk it without more data?” she asked. “I mean, come on, it’s our lives at stake here. I’m happy to explore this place, but if there are dangers, we need to be aware of them.”
“I agree,” Doctor Roberts said. “We’ve signed their NDAs and contracts. It’s not like we can tell anyone anything, but if our lives are at risk we deserve to at least have all the facts.”
“What do you propose we do?” Alejandro asked. His sharp tone made it clear he didn’t share their fear. “Should we run to them and demand answers? They owe us nothing. We signed forms agreeing to this. We are paid very handsomely not just for our expertise but also for our discretion. If knowing what they know would help us unravel the mystery of this place, I have no doubt they would share. Is there some risk? Perhaps. Is this not always the case when exploring a new frontier?”
“Typically, that risk doesn’t result in your skin melting,” Sheila retorted. She glanced back up the rise, and Blair followed her gaze. It had settled on Commander Jordan’s tent, perched like a hawk on the ridge overlooking camp. “I’m not expecting you to do anything. I just need to know where everyone stands. If we present a united front, we’re far more likely to get some answers. They might be able to replace one of us, but replacing the entire team would take weeks or even months. I’m betting they don’t want to spend that time.”
“I am deeply sorry, but I will not be a party to this. Do as you will,” Alejandro said, shaking his head. He wore the expression reserved for a child that has done something extremely disappointing. The normally jovial man picked up his coffee and left the pavilion, moving off toward the ridge.
There was a long silence as the group eyed each other uncomfortably. Doctor Roberts finally leaned in and drew their attention.
“He’s free to make his own decisions. Do the rest of us have a consensus that something should be done?” Doctor Roberts asked. Sheila nodded immediately of course, and then Bridget followed suit a moment later.
“We have to do something,” Blair said, crossing his arms. “I don’t want to think anything ill of our benefactors, but all we’re asking is a little more information. I do think we need to approach the matter delicately, though.”
“That, we can do,” Sheila said, darting a glance over her shoulder. “I’ll give it some thought, and we’ll come up with a way to approach Commander Jordan tomorrow.”
Chapter 10- Answers
Jordan checked the slide on his .457, inspecting the heavy pistol for debris of any kind. Basic weapon maintenance was the first thing every soldier learned. If your equipment failed in combat, you died. It was that simple.
Satisfied with the weapon’s condition, he slammed the slide home and slid the weapon into the holster strapped to his thigh. The matte-black gun was larger than any he’d ever used, and he was still getting used to it. Even after Jordan spent countless hours at the gym, it kicked like a mule. He much preferred a .45, which could be fired one handed in a pinch and was incredibly accurate at close range. But then he’d never had to fight a werewolf before. If that thing returned he’d damned well be ready, and that meant his sidearm needed all the stopping power he could get. That thing had gotten up after having over a hundred rounds emptied into it. He didn’t have room to play around.
Footsteps approached outside the tent. There was a muffled exchange of voices, Yuri’s thickly accented Russian and a softer male voice. It was most likely one of the scientists. Jordan snapped the nylon holster strap over the pistol’s grip and exited the tent into the late morning glare. Jordan found it so odd that the high desert was both so bright and so cold at the same time. He slid on his sunglasses, giving his eyes a moment to adjust.
Alejandro’s diminutive form stared up at the Russian, expression guiltier than a kid caught red-handed at the cookie jar. Jordan liked the little Latino, maybe because he wore his emotions so openly. There was no subterfuge to the man.
“What can I do for you, Alejandro?” he asked, stepping up to join them. He gave a smile as warm as he could muster, given the constant vigil. That thing could return at any time. He prayed it would come during the day, if it did.
“Oh, Commander. There you are. I am so sorry to disturb you, but I come with troubling news,” Alejandro said, shifting his attention from Yuri.
“Was going to wake you,” Yuri rumbled with a shrug, raising an eyebrow.
“I wasn’t sleeping. It’s six thirty. I’ve been up for two hours,” Jordan replied. Sleep had been elusive since his encounter with that thin
g. “Why is it you want me to see, Alejandro?”
“The others are gathered below. They are angry and feel you are withholding information from us.”
Jordan considered the situation carefully. It was hardly surprising. The scientists were all intelligent, particularly Smith, though he was both the last to arrive and the only one among them without an advanced degree. It made sense that they were piecing things together, even with the limited information they’d been provided.
What was surprising was Alejandro coming forward about this meeting. The smaller man was loyal to a fault, and breaking ranks seemed out of character. He was always trying to keep the peace, not make waves.
“I appreciate you coming forward, Alejandro. You’re risking the enmity of your peers by doing so,” he finally replied. Jordan glanced away from the man and at the cluster of figures in the pavilion below. They were near enough that he could make out faces but not expressions.
“I know. I regret having to do so, but I wish to contain this situation before it gets out of hand. It is my hope that you will accompany me back to the group to address their concerns. I realize you can tell us very little, but if you give them something, it would calm the others, and work would proceed uninterrupted.”
“And if I don’t, I’ll have a mutiny on my hands; is that it?” Jordan asked, turning his gaze back to Alejandro. The man’s dark face paled.
“I don’t know that it would go that far, but people will not do their best work if they are afraid,” he replied, shifting from foot to foot like a child needing to pee.
What the hell should he do? Jordan couldn’t reveal the entire situation; the Director would flay him alive. But if he let the situation fester, the scientists would drag their heels. Some might even try to leave. If that thing were still out there, they’d be easy prey.
“You did the right thing, Alejandro. Let’s see what we can do to allay their fears,” he said, squeezing the man’s shoulder in what he hoped was a comfortable manner. Alejandro flinched.
“Escort?” Yuri asked, raising an eyebrow over his sunglasses.
“No, I don’t want them to feel more threatened than they already do,” Jordan replied, shaking his head. “I’ll go down with Alejandro and get this sorted out. Keep the men away from the camp for now.”
Yuri nodded. Jordan turned for the camp, setting a brisk pace that Alejandro had trouble matching. The shorter man scurried along, slightly out of breath from the elevation as they closed the gap to the pavilion where the scientists had gathered. It didn’t take them long to spot his approach, and the assembled group closed ranks like a herd of elephants protecting a calf from a lion.
They said nothing as he strode into their midst.
“Alejandro tells me that you’re unhappy with the lack of information provided,” he said, letting his gaze roam the assembled group. Bridget and Roberts dropped their eyes immediately. Sheila held his stare for a moment, but then she, too, looked away. Only Smith met Jordan’s gaze without difficulty.
“I can’t say I agree with him approaching you like this, but Alejandro is right. We want to know just what the hell is happening down in the central chamber. You know a lot more than you’re telling us,” Smith said. Jordan still had a hard time thinking of him as Blair.
“Yes, we do,” Jordan admitted, matter-of-factly and without a hint of either reproach or guilt. “I don’t want to trot out tired clichés, but all information about this dig is need-to-know. We’ve ensured that each of you has the data needed to do your job.”
“What about our health, Jordan? We’re no good to you dead. You know that place is killing Steve,” Doctor Roberts said, taking a step toward the giant soldier.
The scene was comical to Jordan, really. Roberts was a Chihuahua yipping at his heels.
“That is a definite concern,” Jordan said, sighing softly. “My men are spending time down there too, albeit in more limited quantities than Doctor Galk. Be that as it may, we all have a job to do, and you accepted the risks when you signed your contracts. You’re free to leave at any time, and you will keep your retainer, provided you adhere to the NDA you signed. We’re not holding anyone against their will.”
Blair looked shocked, and Jordan understood why. The scientists undoubtedly expected him to be cagey and antagonistic, to imprison them for questioning the situation. Wasn’t that how the plot of every sci-fi movie went, with the evil military arrogantly withholding information?
“So are you going to tell us what you know about the central chamber? Why it’s dangerous?” he asked cautiously. The others perked up as they awaited his answer.
“No, Professor Smith, I am not,” Jordan replied. Smith wasn’t a professor, but Jordan had seen the way the other scientists respected him, so he granted the honorific anyway. “We all answer to someone, and my boss has restricted that information. You have my deepest sympathy, but I cannot tell you anything beyond what you already know,” Jordan said, giving an uncomfortable shrug. “I will say this, though. The faster you complete your work in the central chamber, the less exposure we’ll all have to the dangers that place poses.”
“What about Steve?” Bridget asked. She picked up her coffee, hand trembling. She didn’t meet his gaze. That wasn’t surprising, given the body language she displayed around Smith. There was a lot going on under the surface there.
“It’s my sincere hope that Doctor Galk recovers from his ordeal, but if not, his sacrifice is not just for science but for all of humanity. You’ve been inside. You know this place changes everything,” Jordan said, removing his sunglasses. He exhaled heavily. “I know you want more answers. I wish I could give them, but I can’t. Accept that and stay, or pick up your marbles and go home. Decide. Right now. Am I ordering a transport to take some of you home?”
His gaze raked the lot of them, blue eyes icy. One by one, they dropped their gazes. It seemed the crew weren’t willing to miss this, even though it might cost their lives.
“Excellent, I’m glad we understand each other. Now, I’ll get out of your hair so you can get back to work,” he said, keeping his tone mild. It wouldn’t do to gloat. He needed them to feel like they mattered, not like they were being bullied.
“About that…” Smith broke the silence. “I may have found a way into the rest of the structure.”
Jordan smiled. This man was definitely smarter than the rest of the uppity scientists the Director had assembled. Well, most of them were uppity. Bridget wasn’t half bad. At least she talked to him like a human being.
“Excellent. Let’s get down there. I’ll have an escort prepared.”
“Not just yet,” Smith said, a predatory smile growing. “If you want inside, then I want a little information first.”
“You’re on dangerous ground, Smith. You’ve been paid quite handsomely, and I expect you to obey the terms of your contract,” he replied. “If you know how to get inside, then you’re obligated to share it. Otherwise you’re wasting my time.”
“I’m pretty sure I can get us inside. It’s taken a lot of study, but the civilization that built this place left clues, if you know where to look. With Steve’s deteriorating health, I’m in the only person within four thousand miles that can solve this,” Smith said, glancing at Bridget. Perhaps for support? Interesting.
“Professor Smith, we’re both professionals. Let’s grant each other professional courtesy. Yes, you’re the only man who can get me inside. Yes, I need to get in as soon as humanly possible and don’t have time to hunt for a replacement to solve this mystery of yours. You clearly want something over and above the enormous compensation we’ve offered. What are you after?”
“We want to know what the hell is going on down in that central chamber. Tell us what’s happening to Steve and whatever else you know about this place, and I’ll open the door,” Smith said.
Jordan paused, reaching for a pot of coffee and filling a blue plastic mug. “Ok.”
“That’s it? Ok?” Smith asked. The archeologists, once
again, looked shocked. Jordan suppressed a smile. He wasn’t doing a very good job as the evil military commander keeping the noble scientists in the dark.
“Yeah, that’s it. I’m here because I’m very good at sizing up tactical situations, Professor Smith. You have something I need. You will not give it to me unless I give you something in return. You want answers. Ask.”
“Why didn’t you tell us everything you knew about this place?” Smith asked, without hesitation.
“I know it sounds trite, but we’ve kept you in the dark because the information is on a need-to-know basis. The Director, the man I report to, felt knowing the full extent of the truth might disrupt your focus.”
“Knowing everything about this place is the whole point, isn’t it?” Sheila hurled her words like spears.
“Your employer knowing everything is the point, yes,” Jordan countered. Sheila was tall and straight-backed, with a fire most crusading teachers had long since abandoned. He respected her, though he was almost positive the feeling wasn’t mutual. “You were not the first team on site. We swept this place within twelve hours of it appearing. Our first team found several very curious anomalies. First, this place eats signals, as I’m sure you’re aware by now. There is one spectrum it seems to allow, one that it also seems to be broadcasting. Something we call ELF—”
“Extremely low frequency waves,” Doctor Roberts interrupted, wiping powdered eggs from his beard. “There have been some very interesting experiments involving ELF on human DNA. Apparently, if you have two test tubes within several inches of each other, one with DNA and the other with the correct proteins to synthesize it, the first test tube will use ELF to assemble DNA in the second, despite the fact that they have no direct contact.”
Jordan would have to mention that to the Director. That might be worth following up on. Maybe they could bring in the person who’d conducted that study.