“Of course I don’t,” Rhea told him.
“We could stay here,” Horatio said. “Wait out Veil. He or his men will have to leave to fetch supplies and rations eventually.”
“Except we don’t know how many rations he’s got stocked up,” Rhea said. “He could have a hundred days’ worth.”
“Or there might be a back way out,” Will said. “One we don’t know about. An exit on the plains somewhere, several kilometers out. He could use that to resupply. Or flee at his leisure, while we sit here, waiting.”
Rhea nodded. “We have to go in now if we want to find him.”
Will stopped the vehicle next to the waiting technicals.
“You know, Veil’s probably not even present,” Will said. “Oh, I’m sure there’s a welcoming party of some sort waiting for us inside, but I doubt it involves Veil.”
Rhea nodded. “We’ve been through this.”
“I know,” Will said. “Just figured, it never hurts to remind you.”
Rhea opened the door and stepped out. Her companions likewise emerged.
Across from her, the remaining Wardenites exited the second SUV. Jairlin stood at their forefront. He wore the same stealth camos as everyone else. As usual, the designer stubble on his face was grown out just the right amount to be fashionable, and he somehow managed to find the time to brush his hair into a quiff.
Miles and Jairlin passed out headlamps retrieved from the storage compartments of the SUVs. The Wardenites slid the straps over their temples, securing the lamps. Rhea didn’t bother to take one. She preferred her built-in LIDAR; the Wardenites had LIDAR capabilities too, built into their AR goggles.
“So?” Jairlin said. “Are we going inside?”
Rhea didn’t answer. Instead, she turned her head to stare into the darkness of the tunnel entrance. The LIDAR from the technicals and drones still silhouetted the walls and floor. “I hate caves.”
“We all do,” Will said. “You’re thinking of when those Hydras chased us into the mountain tunnel? When we thought Monkey Boy was on our side?”
“Pretty much,” Rhea said. “Wasn’t the funnest time of my life.” She continued to gaze at that entrance ahead and couldn’t help the mounting dread she felt. “Still nothing on the drone we dispatched north?”
“Nope,” Will said. “It should have reported back by now.”
“Another mystery,” Rhea commented.
“Veil might have forces spread throughout the highlands…” Will suggested.
“Maybe so,” Rhea agreed.
She swallowed, then glanced at the Ban’Shar strapped to her hands. The sight of the weaponry helped her steel herself.
“Well, nothing for it,” she said. “Send the drones in.”
The small machines flew into the opening, leading the way.
Will had Gizmo remain outside, with instructions to enter the cave and alert them if any enemies were sighted. Meanwhile, the technicals would guard their backs.
Rhea took a step toward the opening.
“Dude,” Will said. “You don’t get to go first.”
“This is my operation,” she said. “I’m calling the shots.”
“He’s right,” Jairlin said. “Our purpose here is to protect you.”
She shook her head. “I knew I should have come alone.” She hesitated. “I’m the Warden. I’m the one who’s supposed to be doing the protecting.”
She was tempted to activate her Ban’Shar, if only to prove how powerful she’d become, but she didn’t want to tip Veil, who might be watching via hidden camera.
“Let my team go first,” Jairlin pleaded.
She realized there was little point in arguing. They weren’t going to let her go first, even if the mission was hers. She wasn’t sure how she could protect people who didn’t want to be protected.
I should have refused the lot of them and commissioned a team of combat robots instead.
But combat robots were sentient, she reminded herself. The death of a robot was little different from the death of a human in this day and age, especially if that robot was under her command and protection.
She sighed. “Jairlin, after your team.”
The man nodded and took his group inside.
Rhea exchanged a nervous glance with Will, and then the two of them stepped into the cave together.
14
The drones traveled in single file, and spread out, separating so that they were each fifty meters apart. Jairlin and the three Wardenites with him followed another fifty meters after the trailing unit, with Rhea and the others coming twenty-five meters after that.
She proceeded across that cold, dank stone, the air feeling heavy around her. Their boots thudded repetitively upon the rock. In the darkness, the monotonous polygons of the LIDAR passed by, demarcating the walls, floor and ceiling. Ahead, Jairlin and the other Wardenites were outlined like blue ghosts on her HUD, courtesy of their active positional sharing. Will was similarly silhouetted beside her, as were Horatio, Brinks and Miles when she glanced over one shoulder.
While that LIDAR data had been mapped previously, thanks to the earlier drone flight through the cave, she instructed Will to have the scouts transmit the occasional photonic burst to update said data, mostly to confirm nothing was lurking in wait since the last run through.
“Should we activate our headlamps?” Jairlin transmitted.
“Negative,” Rhea said. “I don’t want you to draw attention to yourselves just yet. Use the drones as yours eyes. Let the darkness be your shield.”
She just wished they would allow her to be their shield.
If they start taking fire, I’m going to dash ahead and leap in front of them, no matter what they say. I will protect them.
Eventually the lead drone reached the cave section where the previous machine had passed out of range and never returned. New map data began to fill out on her HUD.
That drone was just starting to enter a wider passageway, potentially a cavern, when it winked out.
Well, there goes the drone, Will transmitted over a mental channel.
The next drone in line followed, and it, too, vanished as it began to enter the wider passage.
Okay, halt the drones, Rhea mentally transmitted.
She increased her pace, and quickly reached Jairlin and the lead team. Before anyone could stop her, she shoved past them and took the lead.
Warden! Jairlin transmitted.
She ignored him and increased her pace. She glanced over her shoulder. They were running
