“Magnifico…!” Sebastian exulted.
“Okay, everybody. Let’s move this equipment.” Corbett stepped to the lift. Organizing the students into a work party, he felt a rush of excitement as they began to load the Laser Scanner onto the elevator. Things were finally beginning to take shape.
TWENTY
D escending in the cage, Corbett watched the shifting shadow patterns as they played across the rock surface of the cavern. What had prompted Early Man, he wondered, to make his way into the dark recesses of the cave not knowing what dangers might lurk below? Was it idle curiosity? Or perhaps something more urgent? Were they in search of new frontiers or simply fleeing some real and present danger pursuing them from above? Perhaps the cave had been some sort of sanctuary. Sacred ground. Or was it simply the final refuge of a Neolithic clan of cave dwellers, desperate and alone on the edge of extinction? And what terrifying force could have driven them to seek shelter so far from the sunlight in this dark redoubt?
It had taken them the rest of the day to load in and set up the equipment. Between establishing the lighting grid, setting up and calibrating the Laser Scanner and transporting Ella’s three oversized aluminum photographic equipment cases down into the chamber beyond, Corbett had worked tirelessly overseeing every detail. At the same time, in the back of his mind, he still wondered when he would hear from Reed.
His thoughts turned to Tariq. The irony of being recruited to exfiltrate his once best friend despite what had happened between them still weighed upon his mind. Amaia’s face crowded his subconscious, triggering more memories only half suppressed. Her fierce sensual independence. Her cries of naked abandon. Her nails raking his shoulder blades the first time they had ever made love. Pleasure and pain braided together in an endless loop.
Looking back and attempting to dispassionately assess the damage, as if that were even remotely possible, he was forced to admit, at least to himself, that love had never really entered into the equation. The entire affair with Amaia had been purely carnal right from the start. Sex – raw, predatory, take no prisoners sex. It was as if some kindred longing had been lurking within each of them, a dormant sexual lust waiting to be released. That first encounter on the floor of her flat had left them both spent and besotted. Even then, if he were being honest, he had known it could never last. And yet, he had not been able stop himself.
When Langley had recruited him, sending him back to the States for a prolonged period of training, he had had mixed emotions. Perhaps it was a sign, he thought. A way of breaking off their mutually destructive obsessions while minimizing the collateral damage. If they felt the same way about each other when he returned, then it was meant to be. If not… he hesitated shaking his head. If not, indeed…
With a sudden jolt, the lift reached the floor of the first chamber and came to a halt. Stepping out, Corbett started to turn back toward where Karim and Roberto were setting up the 3D Laser Scanner when he heard Ella’s voice.
“Michael…?” she smiled calling his name as he turned. His LED light found her waiting in the dark. “Glad I caught you. Do you have a minute? I could really use a hand.”
“Problem…?”
“Not really a problem. I just need your help setting up the lighting and positioning the tripod.”
“Let me get you one of the student volunteers.”
“Actually, it will only take a sec.” And without waiting for his reply, she turned and started back the way she had come. Corbett followed.
Despite his better instincts, he found himself staring after her. Her jeans clung to her body and left little – or perhaps too much – to the imagination as she moved quickly over the flowstone floor of the cave. Just ahead, they passed out of the main chamber and entered the second. He could see the aluminum cases had been laid open, revealing an array of photographic equipment. They rested on a pair of large heavy-duty furniture pads, providing protection from the rough rock floor. The camera, a Canon EOS 5D Mark III, a full frame digital single lens reflex, was secured on a tripod directly before the massive cave painting. All that remained was to properly position the lights standing to either side for maximum effect.
Stopping beside the camera, Ella turned back. She was wearing a dark thermal top that accentuated the lines of her trim figure beneath. Corbett did his best not to notice.
“It’s a two-person job,” she said, indicating the camera. “One to set lights and one to look through the viewfinder. You take the lights and I’ll take the camera.”
“Sounds good,” he nodded, stepping to the left hand nine-light panel. “Tell me when.”
As he gradually adjusted the lights, she bent forward to look through the viewfinder.
“How’s it looking…?” he asked.
“Hold it right…” she moved the tripod a fraction to the left. “There. Now let’s try the right side.”
As Corbett moved to the opposite side and quickly adjusted the second panel, Ella stepped out from behind the camera and took out her light meter. Moving to the rock paintings, she double-checked the exposure, making certain the light was balanced and evenly distributed across the entire granite surface. Then returning to the camera, she set the f-stop.
“And that’s it. Thanks…,” she said, then teasing: “I like a man who can take direction.”
“Glad to help. Why don’t I send you an assistant…?”
“Not necessary. Once I’m set up, I’d really prefer working alone. Besides, I have my music.” She indicated the MP3 player secured in a case attached to a belt around her waist.
“I’ll leave you to it then.”
“Wait… I didn’t mean you had
