Subterranean (16 page)

He remembered, as a boy, hearing about the sandstorm that had buried his mother's camp in Syria, killing everyone. The black hand of Allah, they had called it, but he knew better. It was just Nature, an indifferent god, oblivious to the plans of man. To her savagery, everyone was vulnerable. And Khalid hated feeling vulnerable.

Linda hugged herself and kept staring back at the river. “That albino shark. It was huge. To support such a predator, the aquatic ecosystem down here must be more extensive than anyone had imagined. If it weren't for Halloway, I wouldn't mind stopping and doing some tests.”

Khalid scowled, rubbing at his arm where the ammonite had bit him. “I'd rather avoid that ecosystem myself and stick to dry land.”

“I found something!” Ben called from several yards away.

Khalid craned his neck to stare over at Ben. He stood by the cavern wall with a match in his hand.

Ashley called to him. “What is it, Ben?”

“I found another passage out of here.”

Who was he kidding? Ashley thought, eyeing the narrow crack, buried in the shadowed fold of the rock face? It extended from floor to ceiling, but gapped only a foot wide. Easy to miss. “Nobody could fit through there,” she said. “It's too narrow.”

“No, I measured it,” Ben said.

“With what?”

“My boot.”

She gave him a blank stare.

“It's a caver's rule of thumb. ‘If it's wider than your boot, through there one can scoot.'”

“I don't think so. Especially Halloway. He's a big guy.”

“It would be a tight squeeze, but I know he could've fit.”

“Besides, who knows if there's anything on the other side?”

In answer, Ben held up a lighted match to the crack. The flame bent away from the opening. “Wind,” he said. “There's a breeze blowing from beyond there.”

Ashley watched the flame flicker. Perhaps . . .

A scraping from the wormhole behind her drew her attention away. A pair of legs slid backward out of the opening. It was Villanueva. He stood up, wiping his hands on his knees.

“It's blocked,” he said, huffing a bit. “There's a rock-fall blocking the passage about thirty yards in. I had a hell of a time backing all the way up here.”

Ashley swore. If it was blocked, then there was only one other way to proceed forward.

Linda stepped up and peeked into the narrow slit. “But would Halloway have gone this way?” She seemed to eye the crack with fear. “I mean, why would he even cross the river?”

Villanueva answered, “If something attacked him. Something he couldn't handle. He would try to lead it away. Keep it from surprising us like it did him.”

“Why do you think that?” Ashley asked.

Villanueva met her eyes. “It's what I would have done.”

Ashley chewed at her lip. “So what do you suggest we do?”

“He's trying to buy us time to escape. I say we use it.”

She closed her eyes, hating the thought of abandoning him.

Ben called from where he had edged into the crack, exploring the passage. “Come see this!”

As Ashley approached Ben, he reached a hand toward her from the narrow slit. His palm was covered in blood. Fresh blood.

“He's been this way,” Ashley muttered. “Just recently.” She turned back to Villanueva. “So do you think we should still go back?”

His jaw muscles tightened. “You're the leader.”

Ben climbed from the slit. “So who's going through first? We should hurry.”

Ashley sighed. Obviously Ben had been deaf to their discussion. “It's more complicated than that.”

“What? We're right behind him.”

“Villanueva thinks Halloway might be trying to draw something away from us.”

Ben's voice rose in anger. “Or maybe he's just bloody hurt! Seeking shelter.” He grabbed her shoulder. “Ash, I swear he's just ahead of us. We can't leave him.”

She rubbed at her tired eyes, then nodded. “Okay. Let's go.”

Linda stood in her underwear, shivering by the wall. She had shed her backpack and even her coveralls. Less to snag and catch, Ben had said. Narrows the profile. She shuddered. How could she possibly wedge her body into that slit? The walls would squeeze the breath from her chest.

They waited for Ben to report on his reconnaissance of the crack. He had squished into the black rock over three minutes ago. Ashley and Michaelson stood as sentries to either side as he reported his progress.

“I'm through,” he called, his voice echoing into their cavern. “The passage is only six feet long, then it abruptly widens into a decent-sized tunnel. It's a piece of cake. Only one doozy of a tight spot just near the end.”

Ashley faced the group. “I'm gonna send Villanueva next. He's the widest of all of us. If he can make it through, then we all can.”

No one argued.

Linda held her breath, hoping the SEAL would fail; then she wouldn't have to face the crush of those walls. Her heart sank when she heard Ben's cheer.

“He's through! Scraped his chest a bit, but no harm done.”

Ashley rubbed her hands together. “All right! Let's move!”

Khalid went next. Before he left her side, he gave Linda's hand a squeeze. She hardly felt it. Linda watched as he disappeared, a rope trailing from his waist. Once through, the rope would be used to ferry the packs through the slit.

“All clear!” Ben called. “Send the packs next!”

It took ten long minutes to hook and drag the packs of supplies and weapons to the far side.

“That's the last of them,” Ashley yelled. She turned to Linda. “You're next.”

Linda didn't move, staring at the black crack. She willed her legs forward, but they refused. It was getting hard to hear the others over her pounding heart, her wheezing breath.

“Linda?”

“I . . . I . . . can't do it.”

“Sure you can. Villanueva is twice as big as you.”

She shook her head, swallowing hard, pushing the words through her constricted throat. “No. I can't. It's too tight.”

Ashley came over and put an arm around her. Linda shivered uncontrollably. “We can't leave you behind.” Ashley tightened the arm around Linda's shoulder. “I tell you what. I'll go with you. Be right behind you. You can do this, Linda.”

Ashley stepped forward, forcing her to follow.

“I . . . I'll try,” Linda said dragging her leaden feet. “But please hold my hand. Don't let go.” Her voice cracked at the end.

“I won't. We'll do this together.”

Linda attempted a smile, but failed miserably. Led by the hand, she was coaxed forward. Her mouth felt as if someone had poured a bucket of sand down her throat.

“Just keep your helmet light pointing forward,” Ashley said. “Lean your back on the left wall. According to Ben, it's the smoothest. Then just slide.”

Linda maneuvered her left shoulder into the crack, her toes pointing forward and backward. Inching into the crack, she tried to halt the panicked flutter of her heart and just concentrate on going forward. Up ahead, light diffused around the curve of the narrow crack. Just steps away, the others waited for her.

The crack swallowed her up. The walls pressed, too tight even to turn her head to see Ashley behind her. All she could do was slide one leg forward and drag her body along behind it. She counted the steps, trying to divert her mind. A trick from therapy.

“You're doing fine,” Ashley said behind her, squeezing her hand. “Just a little farther.”

. . . Five . . . six . . . seven . . . Her breathing had steadied to a regular rhythm. One breath with each step. She could now see the end of the passageway, a face peering back at her.

“Good girl,” Ben said. “You are one amazing piece of work. Three more steps and you're through.”

A ghost of a smile played about her lips. She was doing it! eight . . . nine . . . te . . . Her left foot moved forward, but when she tried to wiggle her body to follow, her chest jammed snug in the crack. A squeak escaped her throat. In panic, she tried to force herself ahead, only pinning herself tighter. She squirmed backward, trying to free herself, but failed.

Please, not this way! she prayed. Don't let me die this way. By now she was beginning to hyperventilate, pinpoints of light began swirling before her eyes, her knees began to give way.

“Linda,” Ashley said. “Don't stop now. You're just about through.”

“I'm stuck,” she squeaked, a panicked pitch to her voice.

“Ben,” Ashley called ahead. “Linda's caught.”

“Bloody hell,” he said. “Give me more lights here!”

In a heartbeat, the crack blazed with light.

“I see,” Ben said. “Listen to me, Linda. Reach a hand forward. Stretch it to me. There. I've got your hand. Now, on the count of three, I want you to blow out all the air from your lungs, shrink your chest, and I'm going to yank you through.”

“No,” she whispered, closing her eyes. She could hardly expand her chest now. “I'll get stuck again. Then I won't be able to breathe at all.”

Silence. A standoff. Then Linda felt Ben release her hand and someone else take it. She recognized the grip. It had supported her over many obstacles. Khalid, her caving partner.

The Egyptian spoke in a calm, reassuring voice, almost as if trying to hypnotize her. “Linda, you know I won't fail you. You know the strength of my arms. Do as Ben says. I will pull you to me. Trust me.”

Linda's heart pounded. She opened her eyes again; the pinpoints of light had multiplied to small constellations. She knew she was close to passing out. She nodded her head. “I trust you.”

“On the count of three,” Ben said from behind Khalid. “One . . . two . . . three!”

Linda pushed all the air from her chest, her lungs protesting. Her arm was pulled forward, dragging her body ten inches farther until she jammed again. Tears now coursed her cheek. This was how she would die.

Sudden pain shot through her shoulder. Her arm was yanked again, almost separating her shoulder joint. She screamed the last ebb of air from her lungs. It was enough. She popped out of the crack, like a cork from a shaken champagne bottle. Free.

“Is she all right?” Ashley asked as she slipped from the treacherous crack, noticing that Linda was supported in Khalid's arms.

Ben nodded. “I think so. Mostly shaken up. Her shoulder's going to ache like a son of a bitch, but she'll be fine.”

She nodded. “That leaves only Michaelson. I want everybody ready to continue once he arrives.”

Villanueva, who was crouched several yards down the tunnel, called to them. “Halloway's been this way.” The SEAL shone a light on his upraised finger. It was red with blood. He then turned the light down the passageway. “It trails that way.”

Ashley didn't say a word. Halloway was still running. “I want everyone armed,” she said in a small voice. “Now!”

At the sound of scraping behind her, she turned to see Michaelson scrambling from the crack, his T-shirt torn. Ashley waved the group together. “Let's gear up. We leave in two minutes. I want a pistol or rifle in everyone's hand.”

“Maybe we should just leave,” Linda said, her cheeks still wet with tears, her voice trembling.

Ashley rested a hand on Linda's shoulder. “We've come too far. We've all got to stick together.”

Linda took a deep breath, seeming to gird herself. When she spoke, her voice was steadier. “You're right.”

Ashley squeezed Linda's shoulder, then faced the team. “Let's get moving.”

No one else argued. Within moments, the group was hiking down the tunnel. Villanueva and Ben took the point, scouting several yards ahead.

“Stay within sight,” she called when Ben drifted too far ahead. “Let's keep a tight group.”

The tunnel split at a fork. Which way? Ashley looked questioningly at her scouts. Villanueva pointed with his light. “Blood trail goes this way,” he said.

Ashley waved with her pistol for them to proceed ahead, expecting to find Halloway's collapsed body behind every turn of the tunnel. As each step drew them farther down the tunnel, their pace became more furious. Ashley's group now dogged the more cautious point men.

“You're on my back, woman!” Ben hissed at Ashley. “It won't help Halloway if we run over a cliff.”

“Sorry, but there's so much blood.”

“We're going as quickly as safety will allow.”

Villanueva halted their discussion with a firm motion of his arm. He pointed around the next corner. Ashley crept next to him and peered past the curve. Up ahead, the tunnel dumped into a large cavern. “I think I should proceed alone,” the SEAL said. “Check out the area.”

“No. Not this time,” Ashley said firmly. “I want the team together. More eyes to watch backs, and more trigger fingers to protect those backs.”

Villanueva shrugged.

The team proceeded as a group into the cavern, flashlights flared out like the spokes of a wheel. The chamber was similar to the others they had crossed in their journey here. Stalagmites littered the floor; stalactites stabbed downward. Except there was one new feature. Ashley rubbed a snowflake from her eyelash. “Damn. It's snowing in here.”

A small flurry of soft flakes fluttered through their light beams.

Linda held a hand out and flakes settled on her palm. “They're not cold or wet.”

Ben shouldered his way to Ashley's side, brushing at the sifting of flakes. “This is bad.”

“Why?”

“It's not snow. It's gypsum crystals.” He pointed his flashlight to the branches of gypsum crystals festooning the ceiling of the chamber like twenty-foot white chandeliers. “They're fragile, delicate structures. Body heat can cause them to weaken and flake away.”

Ashley brushed flakes from her shoulders, like dandruff. “I still don't see the danger.”

“For this snowfall to be happening now, a lot of body heat had to recently pass through here. More than one injured SEAL.”