“That means we’re lucky they didn’t find this opening,” Will said.
“Oh yes,” Horatio said. “Though I suspect it’s not visible from the ground. Just like the previous cave entrance.”
Will sent Gizmo forward past comm range to explore the light, with instructions to immediately return if any imminent danger was detected. The drone vanished from comm range, only to return a short while later, after the party could see the point of light ahead with their own eyes.
Rhea received a share request from Gizmo and accepted. Her HUD data updated, with the complete route to the surface now overlaid onto her existing map.
“Well, got some good news, and some bad news,” Will said. “Good news is the point of light is indeed a cave opening. And because of the way the rock juts out beneath the opening, it’s not visible from the ground, like we suspected. Bad news is it opens onto the plains we just left, and well, there’s still an army of bioweapons lounging about. That’s right: the Hydras. That bad news does have a plus side, as most of them seem to be asleep at the moment, or in some kind of rest state, at any rate. If any of them are awake, they’ve likely got all their attention on the other cave.”
“So you’re saying we can try to sneak past them…” Rhea said.
“Maybe I’m saying that,” Will agreed. “Or maybe I’m saying we should retreat and find another way out. There are still a bunch of other tunnels we haven’t tried. We could backtrack, take one of the left branches we ignored along the way.”
“Not sure I like that idea,” Rhea said. “We still don’t know for sure if any of those bioweapons are pursuing us.”
“I’ll have to agree with that assessment,” Horatio said. “If the bioweapons are willing to camp outside the cave for a whole day for us, that tells me they’re not one to abandon a meal so easily. Likely their genetic programming demands that they don’t give up. The perfect bioweapon. I’m more convinced than ever that some of those Hydras followed us inside.”
“All right,” Will said. “Well, there’s another tidbit of good news that could potentially help, if we really decide to go out there and sneak past those creatures. See, according to Gizmo’s latest measurements, there’s no wind. Nothing to carry our scent to the bioweapons.”
“All the more reason to abandon these caves now, while we still can.” Horatio paused. “According to the crowdsourced map data, the mountains aren’t particularly tall in this region. In fact, from this exit, it’s only a two-hundred-meter climb until we reach a plateau. The western flank of the plateau leads to a narrow path… a gentle slope that winds between the mountains and leads all the way down to the other side of the range. Essentially a mountain pass. We don’t ever need to set foot on the plains, or risk getting close to those Hydras.”
“But we have to risk climbing?” Will said. “Not sure I like the sound of that.”
Horatio shrugged. “I can give you a piggyback ride.”
“Yeah, you’re going to have to,” Will told the robot.
“So, we’re proceeding forward?” Rhea asked.
“Seems like that’s the consensus.” Will led the way.
Soon, the light from the opening was bright enough that Rhea no longer needed to keep her LIDAR active, and so she disabled it.
At the exit, the party paused. Rhea peeked out from the lower edge, along with Will and Horatio, and gazed at the plains far below. It was indeed scattered with the black smears of bioweapons.
“That’s a long fall,” Will said.
“Don’t look down.” Horatio pulled away from the edge and beckoned toward his backpack. “Piggyback ride?”
With a sigh, Will retreated, then pulled himself onto the backpack. He slid his fingers underneath the two straps near Horatio’s shoulders, and hugged the lower portion of the sack with his legs.
The robot stood up. A little unsteadily, Rhea thought.
“What if the straps break?” Rhea asked.
“Don’t even say that,” Will said. “Talk about jinxing…”
“Shall I lead the way?” Horatio asked.
Rhea beckoned toward the opening. “After you.”
Gizmo hovered outside then darted upward.
“I’ve instructed Giz to map out the safest free climbing route,” Will told her. “Not that you or Horatio need it.”
“Hey, whatever makes the route safer, I’m all for,” she said. “Last thing we need is a section of rock tumbling away and letting the bioweapons know we’re here.”
Horatio stepped to the edge of the opening and reached past it. He pulled himself outside. Rhea followed.
She accepted a share request from Gizmo a moment later. Conveniently, all the recommended handholds and footholds became highlighted on her HUD, with the former in blue and the latter in yellow. The right hand and foot suggestions were a slightly darker shade than the left; everything was also labelled in small print, should she misinterpret a cue.
Horatio climbed just on top of her, with Will hanging on behind him.
How are you holding out? Horatio asked over the shared mental channel.
Me, or Rhea? Will asked.
Both, Horatio said.
Will accidentally glanced downward, past Rhea, and his face paled. He tightened his grip and looked away.
Rhea smiled. Don’t worry, Will. If you fall, I’ll catch you.
I’m reassured, he sent, though he sounded anything but.
They made good progress, climbing about sixty percent of the way in ten minutes. At least until a distant rumbling came from the plains.
What’s that? Will sent.
Rhea tightened her grip and looked down. On the plains below, one by one Hydras were waking from slumber and raising their multiple heads to look south.
She followed their gaze to the southern horizon. There, a cloud of dust poured onto the plains, higher and longer than the one that had carried the current batch of bioweapons to them. That cloud continued to lengthen as she watched, seeming to have no end in sight as the forefront approached.
More of them… Rhea sent.
A whole lot more, Will agreed. Could be thousands out there. Tens of thousands. Figures, that reinforcements come just when we decide to
