"Hello. Hello." An eerie voice bounced in from the distance like a loudspeaker at a fairground. "Are you okay?"
"Okay... Okay... Okay..." came the echoes from three different directions.
"My God, yes!" Courtney hollered again.
"Yes... Yes... Yes..." her voice repeated.
A garbled voice replied.
"We can't understand," Lem shouted. "What did you say?"
The speaker sounded again, while the three strained to make sense of the words.
"I think I know," Renee whispered in the silence that followed the last echo. "They want us to go to where we see the flare."
Immediately, in the direction of the first flares, an orange one lit up the cave. Lem took a small compass out of a pocket and held it flat in his hand.
"You're two hundred yards northeast of us," he yelled.
It took several repeats before the second flare died and the voice continued.
Renee frowned. "I think they want us to make our way to it, since the cave at our end has collapsed."
A small light, like a dangling twenty-watt bulb, flickered in the distance. It descended until it hung like a distant light on a foggy street.
"Well," said Lem. "Shall we go?"
Renee found herself Lem's arms supporting her
"You okay?" His voice vibrated in her ear.
"Yes but what about you?"
"We'll make it. Just lean on me and tell me if your ankle hurts."
Renee clung on and limped forward. She couldn't put any weight on her right leg but managed a sort of hobble. Len glanced down at her and without a word let her go and turned with his back to her.
"Climb on my back and hold on," he said.
Renee almost protested but realized that to do so would only hinder rather than help her companions. She reached up and found herself carried forward at a walking pace. She glanced across to find Courtney strutting beside her with three backpacks hitched over her shoulders at a weird angle. The girl's eyes were wide with excitement.
The youngster placed a spare arm around Lem's waist below where he held Renee and said in a hushed voice, "Do you mind?"
"I thought you didn't like touching others?"
"Yeah, well I changed my damn mind. Girls are allowed to do that, you know."
"Sure," Lem said and laughed.
Renee smiled as the trio plodded forward towards the distant beacon of hope.
****
It took more than twenty minutes and if it wasn't for the glowing bulb, the trio would have become hopelessly lost. The cavern was gigantic with no walls in sight. They reached the light to find it twenty or more feet above.
"I swear you put on fifty pounds since we started walking here," Lem said and placed Renee down against a slab of rock.
She smiled and hobbled up on one leg, while Lem straightened himself and Courtney slung the backpacks down.
"We're beneath the light," she yelled and received an instant reply.
The light was lowered with a microphone so their shouts became ordinary speech. Information was exchanged with a state trooper who introduced himself as Gary McKnight.
"We're sorry to hear the news about Sam but we're glad the rest of you survived," the sergeant said after Lem's report on their situation, " I have a doctor here who has suggestions about Renee's ankle. We have a number of emergency canisters for you." He chuckled. "The folks here call them metal frankfurters."
And indeed they were. A line of shiny stainless steel cylinders appeared from above, all dangling one beneath each other. Courtney ran and grabbed the lowest one to coil in. They had color-coded screw tops with the first one containing a pamphlet on what was enclosed. The blue-topped cylinders contained water, the green, food, red, medical supplies and so on. Others contained clothing, sleeping bags and even a tent. Courtney pulled a rolled up newspaper from the last cylinder and held it out for the others to see.
Survivors found in Misty Depths Catacombs, the front-page headlines screamed around a colored photo of the rescue team in operation.
"In a race against death..." Courtney read. "They did exaggerate a little, didn't they?" She handed the paper to Lem.
"We even have a CBS news team up here," Gary's voice cut in, "I'll switch you over to Leanne, our doctor."
A woman's voice came through the speaker with questions about Renee's leg.
"We'll send down a mobile support, Renee," she said. "It comes in two sections that are clamped around your ankle and inflated to make it more comfortable"
"Thank you," Renee replied. "My ankle is numb at the moment unless I bump it."
"Right. The brace will help."
It was painful but Lem did an excellent job. In spite of her fear, Courtney was a great help and held the clamps in place around the swollen ankle while Lem attached the cylinder of compressed gas and opened the valve. Renee gritted her teeth as pain, sent spasms of agony through her leg. When finished, Lem strapped four clips together to complete the process.
"There we are, Renee," he said and held her moist hand. "How about a quick hundred yard dash?"
"After lunch," she gasped and squeezed his fingers. She managed a smile as Courtney wiped her damp forehead with a dampened tissue.
****
The tent was roomy and soon Renee was zipped in a lightweight sleeping bag and dozed off. Courtney took a bundle of clothes sent down and realized they were almost perfect in size. Someone in the rescue team had been thorough. She disappeared inside the tent to change and came out a few moments later looking fresh. Lem took the opportunity to have a shave and also changed into clean clothes.
"We were getting a bit stinky, weren't we?" she said. "All I need now is a hot, steamy shower."
Lem grinned. "Or better still a ride out."
"Yeah," Courtney replied but her voice turned somber. "And you can both go home."
"Possibly but nothing stays the same, does it?"
"No, I guess not." She glanced at Lem. "If you don't mind I think I'll slip into a sleeping bag."
"Sure. See you in the morning."
"There's space in the tent for you, Lem. I'm sure Renee won't mind if you come in." Courtney glanced at the darkness beyond the overhead light. "You know, with those drips it's raining out here. Far more than where we were."
"I noticed," Lem replied. "It's colder, too."
"So will you come in?"
"Why not? Give me a yell when you're ready."
He wandered over to the dangling microphone. "Hello," he said. "What happens now?"
A cheery voice from a woman called Stephanie replied. "Crews are using satellite maps to find a way in, Lem. They'll be starting in the morning but it may take a while. Is there anything else you need?"
"Courtney wants a shower," Lem said with a chuckle. "Renee is asleep and I'm about to turn in. Thanks for the tent and gear."
"No problem. There'll be someone manning this site all night so don't hesitate to call if there's an emergency." The voice hesitated. "Wait a tick, Lem. A message is coming in."
Lem heard the tap of computer keys before Stephanie's bright voice came back. "There's a message from a Nikki Erksberg. Your wife is it, Lem?"
Lem couldn't keep the coldness from his tone. "She was. What did she say?"
"She rang earlier, said she was glad to hear you're safe and will try to get here tomorrow. She added that Patrick has returned to New York. Does that mean anything to you?"
"Yes. Thanks. Hear from you in the morning. 'Bye," Lem replied. "So the loving wife returns to rescue her husband from the bowels of the earth," he muttered to himself. "That's so typical."
"Problems, Lem?" a gentle voice sounded.
Lem jumped in fright and swung around to see Renee standing behind him with a curious expression on her face.
"My wife sent her regards."
"But you aren't pleased?"
"Not really. Nikki and I are separated."
"And?"
"Oh nothing. I just didn't expect to hear from her, that's all."
"I'm sorry," Renee replied. "I didn't mean to encroach on your private life."
"You aren't," Lem replied and broke into a grin. "I'm sounding as mysterious as Courtney, aren't I?"
"Yes," Renee said in a blunt voice. "You've told us nothing about yourself, you know."
"Suppose not."
"We want to hear all about you, every grimy little detail," Courtney interrupted. She smirked at Lem from the opened tent flap. "After all, we've both babbled on about ourselves, so why shouldn't you?"
"Sounds fair," Lem replied. "But only if you pour the coffee."
"It's a deal." The teenager laughed.
A few moments later the trio were snug in the tent sipping coffee and munching a bag of doughnuts.
"I run a small company called Epsilon Products," Lem began. "Epsilon is the fifth letter in the Greek alphabet and looks like a capital E."
He took a couple small business cards out of a pocket and handed one to each. Renee studied the stylized red E in the corner and smiled at Lem. "I like your trademark."
"Yes, I worked out the company name and designed it. We're sort of a fifth level firm that makes components that fit into other equipment. At the moment our biggest selling item is a catch used in luggage doors on the Boeing 777 and 737 passenger aircraft. We specialize in small parts and underbid the larger firms," Lem explained. "So far our philosophy has worked."
****
CHAPTER 5
"For God's sake, can't you stop doing that," growled Nikki Erksberg across the breakfast nook.
Lem sighed, stopped banging the teaspoon on the coffee mug edge and returned to his breakfast. This was typical. Everything was wrong lately. Nikki was an attractive woman but her eyes were cold, always cold. In the previous six months it was as if a candle had slowly been snuffed out. He wiped the corners of his mouth with a tissue and stared at his wife.
"That's it," he stated in a calm, firm voice, similar to one he might use at the factory.
"What?"
His eyes found hers and he shook his head. "You may wish to continue this façade but I can't," he continued. "It's obvious we are not getting along and when it gets down to you screaming at me because of the way I stir my coffee, I wonder what is wrong with you."
"Oh, don't be stupid, Lem," Nikki replied but her tone was calmer.
"Stupid is it? Tell me. When do we enjoy each other's company? When have we gathered each other in our arms and embraced for no reason than to express our love?"
Lem knew that this strong-willed person was not used to him starting an argument. Usually, he would stand and walk out.
"Oh, for Christ's sake, Lem," Nikki retorted. "We aren't teenagers with our hormones going out of control."
"No, we aren't," Lem answered. "And neither are we lovers." He coughed. "Or even friends. We don't talk anymore, Nikki, about anything. We have our meals. The house is clean, neat and empty."
"That's not true." Nikki stared with cold eyes now determined.
Lem looked at his wife. "We'll talk tonight. I have to get to work but I will be back by six. We can go to a restaurant. How about that?"
"No, Lem," Nikki replied. "I won't be here when you get back."
Lem stopped mid-stride on his way to the door and turned. "What do you mean?"
"Just what I said. You're right about everything. My firm offered me promotion if I move to our New York headquarters. I decided to go but I'm leaving now. I'll get an apartment downtown for the next few weeks and shift to New York at the end of next month."
"Just like that."
"No, Lem, not just like that," Nikki retorted. "All you do is spend time at that stupid factory of yours. Sure, you built it from nothing but at what cost? Don't you dare say it's my fault."
"No, I guess it isn't." Lem wanted to say more but knew their marriage was over. "If you need help, just ask."
"Thanks. We did have good times, Lem."
Their eyes met for a second and Lem noticed the coldness was gone from his wife's eyes, those eyes that once sparkled when he was near, almost seemed warm again.
"Take care," he said and walked out.
****
"And did she move out that day?" Renee asked.
"Yeah," Lem replied. "That was the last time I saw her. Oh, she rang up a couple times. I found out later there was more to this transfer than a promotion. She moved in with one of the bigwigs in the firm, this Patrick fellow. The guy is decades older than me but was rolling in money, something Nikki liked." He shrugged. "From what I heard, it appears they have since split up."
"Are you going to back to her?" Courtney inquired.
"No. Not now. Our marriage was finished anyhow."
"So why is she coming here?" Renee asked.
"I have no idea but it could be the chance to get her name in the media. You know, the anxious wife waiting for her entombed husband."
"So what else have you done?" Courtney added.
"Not a lot. I spent more time with the firm. Of course, that could be another reason for Nikki's reappearance. Epsilon Products picked up that massive order for the aircraft door latches and we never looked back. She has shares in the company."
Renee studied the man sitting with them. "And I wouldn't mind betting it was your effort that made your factory so successful," she said in a quiet voice.
"Could be. A bit of being in the right place, too. I did a business degree and brought in some innovations we had learned, things the Japanese did twenty years ago but we are only starting in this country."
"Tell me about it. I'm interested."
"I know it's the middle of the night but I'm famished." Courtney gave Renee a sideways grin and slipped away. "I'll get us something to eat."
"Oh, there were problems," Lem started. "It's often harder to change people's attitudes than physical things..."
****
Lem arrived at work to find the foreman waiting in the office. Mike Mackenzie was with the firm when he took it over and was one of the old school, efficient and conscientious but hesitant to change.
"We have a problem with the new assembly unit, Lem," he stated in his usual blunt manner.
"People or machinery?" Lem asked. "I thought you were pleased with both."
"Oh, I am," the older man said. "The three operators took their training to heart and are great. I only hope they stay with us. The trouble is we are too efficient."
Lem almost laughed but saw his manager's serious face, so instead he sat and waited for Mike to continue.
"We are putting through seventy units an hour. That's more than one a minute. The old speed was one every minute and a half."
"So? Isn't that why we invested in the new machine?"
"Yes but as you know, the assembled units go on to be tested for stress or faults. The tester can't cope with the speed. We have a huge backup of units waiting and the pile is getting bigger. They're stacked on the floor."
"I see," Lem replied. "I'll come and look."
The Asian girl sitting in front of the console smiled at Lem when he arrived at the new assembly unit. It was completely self-enclosed and looked more like a television studio than a factory floor. Five monitors showed various states of the production, while other screens filled with data showing speed, stresses, temperatures and a host of other information.
"Mike said we're too efficient, Suzi."
"We are, Mr. Erksberg. We've been operating two hours and the tester has just finished yesterday's back load."
"So we're churning out over a thousand units a day?"
"One thousand two hundred and five went through yesterday's two shifts," Suzi said. "But only six hundred and eighty made it through the tester."
"And the failure rate?"
"Almost zero."
"So why don't we bypass the test?"
"We can't," Mike cut in. "The Boeing Company insists on it being carried out."
"Fair enough," Lem said. "So what is the output with this bottleneck slowing production?"
&nbs
p; "Up twenty percent."
"So overall, we're still better off than before."
"Yes but there's still the bottleneck," Mike grumbled.
"Run this assembler for sixteen instead of eighteen hours a day. That'll give the tester time to clear the back load."
Mike's face darkened, while Suzi appeared apprehensive.
"What about Suzi and the other girls?" the foreman said. "They'd lose an hour or more in wages."
"Is the end product as good as it was?"
"Better," said Suzi.
"So your efficiency hasn't dropped and we'll still make our forecast profit on each unit."
The young woman nodded.
"Right," Lem said. "We'll pay you full time but when you've produced enough in your shift to keep the tester at full speed, you can go home. You and Mike work out the exact time."
"Gee, thanks, Mr. Erksberg. If I can pick up my kids an hour early, it will save me babysitter money."
"You can't do that," Mike growled.
"Why?" Lem turned and glowered at the man. "You said yourself we're producing more units with less failures."
"But the other workers?"
"As long as efficiency doesn't drop, the same can apply to everyone."
"What about our collective contract?"
"Change it," Lem replied angrily and stalked off.
****
"He never appreciated that under the old rules, the company would have gone bankrupt years ago and he wouldn't have a job," Lem concluded. "Anyhow, it worked out well and Suzi goes home an hour early on most days."
"And Mike?" Renee asked.
"Oh, he's still complaining, almost in spite of himself. He's a good worker, though. He has his moan but when new ideas come in he follows them through and has added a couple of his own innovations."
"So you're from Seattle, too?"
"Yes. By the look of those stickers on your backpack I reckon we must have booked our trip here through the same travel agent. I can't remember you on the chartered flight, though."
"I didn't fly in," Renee replied. "I drove across." She glanced at her companion. "I'd love to see your factory sometime."
"And I'd love to show you around." Lem squeezed her arm. "How's the ankle?"
"Fine. There's no pain. You're as good as any doctor."
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