“No. My leg just went from beneath me. It’s no use me trying.” Mac paused. “Help me, Connor. You’ll never get that antenna built without me. I’m the only one who can do it.”
Now I know he’s bullshitting! Connor told himself. He doesn’t give a damn about the antenna. Connor wiped his hand across his brow. He wasn’t going to be drawn into Mac’s game. Instead, he had to find a way to break the stalemate. He had to do something. “Mac, I’m going to step out so you can see me, and I’m going to hold my hands up, all right?” Connor ran his tongue over his dry lips. “We’ll call it a ceasefire, right? We’ll see if we can’t come to an agreement. Do you understand?”
“I understand, all right,” Mac growled. “I know all about your agreements. Tell me, what were you going to do with me once I’d sent your message to Earth? I’d have been sent packing, I’ll bet. Back under house arrest.”
“It wasn’t like that, Mac.”
“Really? What about your friend, Parry, and all his cronies? You heard the way he talked to me. He was like a mad dog straining at its leash.”
“People are angry about what you did, Mac. But all that can change.” Connor leaned closer to the cave’s mouth. “Listen, I’m going to stand where you can see me. Don’t shoot.” He raised his hands and stepped into the cave, pressing himself against the wall, his jaw clenched tight, his whole body braced for the shot that could come at any moment. But Mac didn’t fire.
“You’re a braver man than I thought,” Mac called out. “To come out here on your own—that must’ve taken some nerve.”
Connor inched forward, straining his eyes against the darkness to catch a glimpse of movement or some sign that would show him where Mac was holed up. As he moved, a shower of stones fell from the cave’s roof, gravel pattering to the ground all around him. He stopped, his nerve faltering. “Mac, why don’t you meet me halfway? We have to get out of here.”
“You didn’t contradict me,” Mac said, his voice reverberating through the gloom.
“What?”
“When I said you were on your own, you didn’t say anything. Me, I’d have been tempted to bluff and say that reinforcements were hot on my heels. But not you. And that tells me something, Connor. It tells me something very important. Helps me make my mind up.” He paused. “This is where it ends, Connor. Just you and me. Don’t you think it might be better this way? Get it over with. Go out with a bang.”
“Seriously, Mac, we don’t have time for this. Let’s go.” He took a few hesitant steps forward. “Come on, I’ll help you. We’ll walk out together.”
For a moment, there was no reply, and Connor carried on creeping along the cave wall. But then he heard a sound that sent a shudder racing down his spine. Somewhere in the darkness, the faint whine of a sonic rifle rose higher and higher, a sound the weapon could only make if it was building to a full-strength shot.
“Mac! No!”
But Mac let out a bloodcurdling yell of rage and despair, and a shot rang out, thudding into the ceiling above Connor’s head. Stones flew over Connor like confetti, peppering his face and arms, and in the confines of the narrow cave, the reflected vibrations from the sonic pulse battered his ears and stunned his senses; he could do nothing but lift his hands to protect his head. And then it began. Rocks tumbled from the cave’s roof, exploding when they hit the ground, the sharp, staccato crackle of splintering stone rising like a tidal wave as the cave’s fragile roof collapsed.
Connor turned and ran, stones hitting his shoulders and raining down on his head, dust filling his lungs with every breath. He saw the cave’s mouth ahead and powered forward, striving with every sinew to make it to that life-giving halo of hazy light. But the rocks fell faster and faster, the rattling roar pushing all thoughts from his mind, thick clouds of choking dust blotting out his world. Still, he ran, but something hit him hard in the back and he went down. He fell forward, his hands reaching out toward freedom and safety, toward life. But the cave’s mouth vanished in a whirl of tumbling stone, and darkness rushed in to consume him, wrapping him in its deadly embrace. The sheer weight of thousands of years of solid rock pressed down on his body, squeezing the spark from him, and all was cold and darkness. And though he lay just a few feet from the cave’s mouth, Connor knew in his heart that it was over.
CHAPTER 11
The Rover
Siobhan held tight to the handrail as she climbed down the short ladder at the rear of the rover, taking care that her EVA suit didn’t snag against the metal treads, and with each step, she made sure her boot couldn’t slip before she transferred her weight. She knew Tessa was waiting below, rifle in hand, watching her every move, but she wasn’t going to be hurried. Dammit, Ben, she thought. Why aren’t you here to see this? How could you leave me to deal with this on my own? But that wasn’t fair. Ben had died through no fault of his own, and she wouldn’t dishonor his memory by thinking otherwise.
She stepped onto the ground, her eyes wide at the sight of so much greenery. Since they’d driven into the rift valley, they’d been surrounded by a jungle of vines and leafy shrubs, with lush green ferns filling the spaces between the taller plants. Siobhan had insisted that she should be the one to go outside and take samples. She’d argued her corner, determined to play her part to the full, and now she was outside, she was glad she’d stood firm. This place was truly awesome, and she turned around, taking it all in, from the dense undergrowth to the creepers dangling from the cliff face.
“Okay, Siobhan,” Tessa said over the helmet intercom, “are you ready to start?”
Siobhan hesitated. “Yes. But should we take some plant specimens first or head over to the stream?”
Evelyn’s voice came on the channel. “We agreed you were going to start by taking water samples and then work your way back.”
“Sorry,” Siobhan said. “I’m just…you know, after what happened.”
“Your caution is perfectly understandable,” Evelyn replied, “but time is pressing.”
“Right.” Siobhan gestured to Tessa then pointed toward the stream. “Lead the way.”
Tessa turned and started walking, striding through the ferns as though on a Sunday stroll. Siobhan followed, keeping up with Tessa, but gazing around the valley as she moved. There was something about the profusion of bright green foliage that stirred her soul, perhaps because it rekindled memories of Earth; memories she hadn’t known she still carried.
“The ground’s softer here,” Tessa said. “Watch how you go.”
“Will do.” Siobhan smiled at the sensation of each step, the soft soil sinking slightly beneath her feet. Back on the hill, even in the gardens and berry patches, the soil was thin and gritty at best, but this was something else. This is how it’s supposed to be, Siobhan realized. This is what we’ve been missing. She lifted her foot, the damp ground sucking at the sole of her boot, and murky water rushed in to fill her footprint. “Maybe we should stop here, Tessa. We don’t want to get into anything too deep. We might damage our suits.”
“It’s okay. I’m almost at the stream and it’s safe. Just surface mud. You can take your samples when we get to the water, then we’ll head back to the rover.”
“Okay,” Siobhan said, “let’s move on.” But Tessa was already marching ahead, and Siobhan had to hurry to catch up. The undergrowth grew denser as she walked on, the thick, rustling fronds dragging against her legs with each stride. As she neared the stream, the sound of running water rose up to meet her, its gurgling sigh amplified by the valley’s sheer walls. And there was something else. She lifted her gaze, peering ahead. The light was softer here, the outlines of shrubs and creepers blurred in a delicate haze that grew more opaque the farther she looked. “This mist—was it like that when we left the rover?”
Tessa stopped. “No. It’s just started.” She turned, scanning the valley. “It’s fine. It happens on the hill all the time.”
Siobhan glanced back over her shoulder, but there was no need for her to worry; the rover was still
clearly visible.
“Come on, let’s get to the stream,” Tessa said, pressing ahead.
Siobhan followed, keeping watch on the mist. Was it getting thicker? She shook her head. What’s wrong with me? I should be able to handle this. But her confidence seemed more fragile than before; as if it had been weakened by Ben’s death and might give way at the first sign of trouble. He wouldn’t have wanted that, she told herself, and she straightened her spine and kept moving.
Tessa stopped, turning to beckon Siobhan. “This ought to do it.”
Siobhan joined her, staring at the stream, transfixed by the soft light playing on its surface, the gentle rhythm of its ripples lapping the bank at her feet. This was so much better than the springs up on the hill; their sputtering trickles turned the collection and storage of water into a daily chore that every man, woman, and child in the settlement knew only too well. But this water was clear and deep enough to wash in, to bathe, and perhaps, at its center, it was even deep enough for swimming. Could she still swim? It had been so long, she could scarcely recall what it felt like to be immersed in water, to float, to dive beneath the surface.
“Looks good, doesn’t it?” Tessa asked. “You’d better get to work though. That mist is coming in fast.”
Siobhan slipped her backpack from her shoulder. “This won’t take long.” She took out a metal canister and unclipped its lid, bending toward the stream, her arm outstretched to the water. She faltered, her gloved fingers just inches from the churning ripples. It’s safe, she told herself. The water’s as clear as crystal. Surely there was no symbiont in the stream, and her gloves would protect her from any other contaminants. The container’s lip dipped the surface, the force of the stream taking Siobhan by surprise, but she scooped up the water smartly, replacing the lid as she held up her prize. “Got it.”
“Great,” Tessa said. “Let’s head back.”
“I’d like to grab another sample. It won’t take a second.” Siobhan stowed the canister in her backpack, but as she took out an empty container, a sudden cry made her spin around, the canister slipping from her fingers. “Tessa!”
“Shit!” Tessa hissed, kicking out at the undergrowth, her boot thrashing through the ferns. “Get it off me!”
Siobhan stared, wide-eyed. “What’s wrong? Did you get burned?”
“No. Dirt python! It bit me.” Tessa strained to pull her leg from the undergrowth, and Siobhan gasped at the sight of the smooth-skinned snake-like creature attached to Tessa’s calf. The python was bigger than any Siobhan had ever seen, its body thick, its muscles pulsing, and its jaws were clamped firmly around Tessa’s leg, its curved fangs puncturing her suit. Tessa aimed her rifle at the creature, but the python dangled from the back of her leg, whipping its sinewy body from side to side, and when she fired, her shot missed, slamming into the undergrowth and turning a patch of ferns into a mass of green pulp. As if sensing the danger, the python wrapped itself around her leg, its coils tightening, squeezing Tessa’s leg.
Tessa yelled in agony, her leg buckling beneath her. She fell to her knees, beating at the python’s body with her fist. “Help me!”
Siobhan heard voices on her intercom, but the signal was breaking up and she couldn’t make it out. “Wait!” Her mind racing, she dashed back to where she’d dropped her bag, snatching it up and thrusting her arm inside. Her fingers found the long bladed screwdriver she’d taken from home before setting off. Remembering Ben’s use of the metal probe, she’d found the closest thing she could lay her hands on and packed it alongside the set of metal canisters. Its tip was not sharp, but its blade was sturdy and its handle strong; as a makeshift weapon, it would definitely inflict some serious damage. She gripped the screwdriver’s handle and went to Tessa’s side. “Hold still.”
Tessa didn’t reply, and through her visor, Siobhan could see that Tessa’s eyes were screwed tight shut, her forehead bright red and beaded with sweat. Siobhan aimed the screwdriver at the python then changed her mind and gripped the tool with both hands. Even the much smaller dirt pythons she’d seen on the hill were thick-skinned and difficult to wound, and this creature would no doubt be much tougher.
Gritting her teeth, she jabbed at the creature, the screwdriver’s blade dimpling its skin but not breaking through to its flesh. The python shuddered, a fierce spasm shivering along its body. Siobhan had known people get bitten by pythons up on the hill, and though painful, the wounds were not regarded as serious. But the small snakes near the settlement were nothing compared to this creature, and Tessa would be losing blood, while all the time, her breached suit was putting her in mortal danger. Siobhan struck the snake again and again, but it was useless. “I don’t know what to do!” she shouted. “Somebody, help me!”
“No time,” Tessa said, opening her eyes. She thrust her rifle at Siobhan. “Take it. Give me that.” She gestured to the screwdriver, and Siobhan handed it over, taking the rifle in return. “Listen,” Tessa went on, “when I get it free, shoot it, all right?”
Siobhan shouldered the rifle. “Got it.”
“You’d better.” Tessa forced the screwdriver’s blade between the tip of the snake’s tail and her leg, working the metal tool from side to side. She wrenched the screwdriver’s handle, levering the snake away from her leg, grunting as the steel blade dug into her muscles.
It’s working, Siobhan thought. The snake struggled, but Tessa pushed harder, her groans unnaturally loud on Siobhan’s intercom. And then there was a gap, a clear inch between the snake’s tail and Tessa’s leg.
“Now!” Tessa growled.
Siobhan hesitated. “I’ll hit your leg.”
“Too bad. I can’t hold this thing forever. Put the barrel close and shoot it.”
Her hands shaking, Siobhan pressed the rifle’s barrel against the snake’s body, angling the weapon away from Tessa.
“Now!” Tessa bawled.
And without even checking the gun’s settings, Siobhan pulled the trigger. The rifle thrummed in Siobhan’s hands, the sonic blast ripping into the python’s tail, the point-blank pulse turning a patch of the snake’s skin to ragged red shreds. The python’s coils unwound, the creature dropping to the ground, writhing, rolling over and over, its sinuous body contorting into tortured knots. But it wasn’t dead. It gathered itself to face Siobhan, hissing, its mouth gaping wide, its cruel fangs flashing white against its livid, bloodstained mouth. Siobhan took aim at the snake’s head and fired, the pulse denting the creature’s skull. And this time, when the snake fell back, it lay still, its body limp. A shudder of revulsion passed through her, but she bent down and picked up the python, gripping its thick body tightly and shoving it into her rucksack. Meat was hard to come by, and a snake of this size could feed a family for several days.
Tessa held out her hand to Siobhan. “Help me up. I need to get back in the rover.”
Siobhan heaved her rucksack onto her back and slung the rifle over her shoulder, then she took Tessa’s hand, bracing herself as she heaved the older woman to her feet. She hooked her arm around Tessa’s back, holding her steady. “Take it easy. I’ll get you inside.” But when she looked back to the rover, her mouth went dry.
The mist had been growing thicker all the time, and in the last few seconds, it had crept silently across the valley, concealing everything in its pale gray shroud. The rover was nowhere to be seen.
“Shit!” Tessa breathed. “We’ll have to follow our trail. Shouldn’t be hard.” She paused, her labored breath hissing on the intercom. “Talk to Cate, will you?”
“Of course,” Siobhan said. “Cate, can you hear me?”
“What happened?” Cate asked, her voice faint and distorted. “I was all set to…out there. I’ve started—”
Her voice cut out, her signal swamped with a surge of static. Tessa said something, but Siobhan hardly heard her. “Cate!” Siobhan called. “Cate, can you hear me?”
Tessa patted her on the shoulder. “The magnetic field. It’s too strong, and we’re too far from t
he rover. Let’s go. The comms will start working when we get closer.”
“I hope so,” Siobhan said. “It can’t be far. But I’ve got turned around. I can’t see more than two feet in any direction.”
“We’ll be fine. You can see where we’ve walked. We’ll just follow it.”
They started forward together, peering into the mist and trying to pick up their trail, Tessa dragging her injured leg behind her as she walked. They moved in silence, the mist pressing in on them from every side, and as Tessa struggled on, she seemed to put more and more weight on Siobhan’s shoulders.
“You know a funny thing,” Tessa began, “this is the same goddamned leg I hurt when I fell. I can’t catch a break.” She let out a wry chuckle. “Still, we should be able to raise the rover by now.”
For a moment, Siobhan didn’t reply. “That python—do you think there could be more of them out here?”
“Hope not. Wait. Hold on a second.” Tessa stopped, forcing Siobhan to do the same. “Do you hear that?”
“What?” Siobhan had been studying the ground as they walked, trying to pick out their trail in the dense undergrowth, but now she looked up, listening. “It’s the stream. An echo or something.”
“No, that’s not an echo. That’s running water, and it isn’t behind us like it should be. It’s right in front.”
Siobhan’s heart sank. Tessa was right. Somehow, in only a few minutes, they’d wandered in the wrong direction, circling back toward the stream and moving farther away from the rover. “Oh my God,” she whispered. “We’re lost.”
CHAPTER 12
The Rover
Cate paced across the cabin, her hands clenched into fists. She stopped to glare at the workstation for a second then turned to retrace her steps.
“Cate,” Evelyn began, “we need to make a decision.”
Cate turned on her. “I know! But what do we do? I still say I should go out there. So long as we keep the spotlights on, I could keep the rover in sight, and I might be able to find them. They can’t have gone far.”
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