Subterranean

'Well, yes, I guess that analogy is accurate. Once through a chute, the board can be collapsed back to its original size and stored in a pack. Each board has been fitted to the individual. Names are stenciled on the back of each. And each is a different color to make it easier to tell them apart.'

Ashley practiced releasing and collapsing the board. Easy, and mercifully lightweight. All this preparation just to slide through these tubes.

'Dr. Blakely,' asked Linda, 'where did these worm-holes come from? Are they lava tubes?'

'Yes and no,' said Blakely. 'True, this area is honeycombed with lava tubes, some no bigger than a fist and others as large as a man. Lava tubes are usually rough and irregular, as are most of the ordinary tubes around here. But tubes of this diameter'-he pointed at the wormhole-'are exceptions. They're uniform in size and polished to a remarkable smoothness. How and why?' He shrugged. 'Yet another mystery to solve.'

'How far have you explored up to now?' Ashley asked. Obviously many other chutes had already been studied.

'These wormholes extend from this central cavern like spokes on a wheel. Some just dead-end. But most, like this one, connect to a series of interconnecting caverns that extend deeper and deeper below the surface. Seismic readings suggest this system may extend several hundred miles.'

'And you explored no farther?' Ashley raised her eyebrows. 'But you've been down here for months.'

Blakely just stared at her for several heartbeats, taking off his glasses. He pinched the bridge of his nose. The others stopped what they were doing and turned to them, attracted by the silence.

Ben put down one of the skateboards he had been examining and crossed over to Ashley's side.

Michaelson stepped up. 'Tell them,' he said, his eyes glued on Blakely. 'They deserve to know more.'

Blakely lifted a hand up, palm toward the major. 'I was just getting to that.'

Ashley had a sudden sinking feeling in her gut.

'Professor Carter,' Blakely said, 'I'm not proud of what I'm about to reveal. But certain expediencies dictated this course. We've had to keep certain secrets.'

'No kidding,' Ben said.

Ashley hushed him with a glare, then turned an even harsher eye on Blakely. 'Go on. What secret?'

'You asked me if we've explored farther. Well, we have.' He pointed to the wormhole. 'You're not the first team to explore this route. A joint team of five researchers and one Marine entered this chute over four months ago.'

Ashley shook her head. 'Then why drag all of us here, if it's already been explored?'

'The other team has yet to return.'

'What?' Ben said, stepping closer. 'You mean they're still down there?'

'Without radios, we had no means of tracking the team. They were scheduled to return after two weeks of exploring. Three weeks passed with no word from them, so we sent in a search party. A cursory search revealed a massive maze of tunnels, shafts, and caverns. No trace of the men was found.'

'Why the hell didn't you expand the search?' Ben was red-faced by now.

'Without adequate means of radio contact, the search parties were at risk. They could meet the same fate as the original team. So the search was called off. The team was declared lost.'

'Great,' Ashley said. 'What if we get in trouble? Do you just walk away from us too?'

'This is bullshit,' added Ben. 'Downright cowardice.'

Blakely's fist clenched, a tightness narrowing his eyelids. 'That team was under my supervision. I took their loss personally. I could not risk losing any others. We lost the first team because we were excited and proceeded without proper caution. I refused to allow any others to search farther until an adequate communications system could be installed.' He shoved a finger toward the radio. 'Now it is!'

Ben didn't back down. 'Sorry, but I still think a small team-'

Michaelson interrupted. 'It was my decision too.'

Ashley turned toward the major, who stood by the packs. 'Well, then why the hell didn't you do something?'

Michaelson met Ashley's stare squarely. 'As head of the Marine contingent here, it was my call whether to proceed blindly or to take Dr. Blakely's advice and wait until he completed his radio net. I chose to proceed cautiously.'

'Just like the military,' Ben said sourly, a sneer frozen on his lips. 'Personnel are just pawns, to be thrown away as needed. Who cares if this other team was comprised of real men with real lives? Just throw them to the wind.'

Michaelson, his jaw clenched, spun away on a heel. Ben had an angry frown on his lips. An ugly expression for him, Ashley thought.

Ashley stepped after the major, meaning to confront him further, but Blakley reached and touched her elbow as she tried to pass by the doctor. He whispered in her ear, 'The major's brother was on that other team.'

Ashley stopped and watched Michaelson taking inventory of his pack, his motions hurried and jerky. 'Harry?' she said softly, remembering the major's warm smile as he talked about his kid brother's fascination with vehicles and motors. Maybe she should say something…

But now Ben called to Michaelson's back, 'Some camaraderie. Leaving those men to rot. If I were you-'

Ashley held a hand toward Ben. 'Enough. It's done. Leave him be.' She watched Michaelson pound his gear into his pack and walk away. She turned to Blakely. 'Now what?'

Blakely cleared his throat. 'The decisions of the past are moot. What we have to decide now is where we go from here. Regardless of what you all decide, the two SEALs and Major Michaelson will be proceeding today, searching for clues about the fate of the previous team. The rest of the team must make a decision. Knowing about the other group, how many of you want to continue with this team?'

Ben spoke up first. 'If it weren't for those trapped men, I'd scrap this right now. But they've been waiting long enough. I'm going.'

Eyes turned to Ashley. 'This changes everything. I need time to think this through,' she said. 'We're now a rescue mission.'

'No,' Blakely said. 'I consider it a joint mission. The first objective remains the same as the previous team's-to explore this system for clues to the origin of the cave dwellers. But since your team will be following in the footsteps of the first, I'm hoping both objectives can be achieved simultaneously.'

Blakely pointed a finger at Ashley. 'That's why I picked you to be the leader here. Do you still want to command this team?'

Ashley frowned. 'You should have warned us earlier. I don't like being lied to.'

'I never lied to you. It was merely a sin of omission. I too had no choice. I was under orders. The fate of the original team is still under tight wraps. Their families haven't even been told yet.'

Ben snorted and mumbled under his breath.

Blakely ignored him. 'Professor Carter?'

She found her thoughts drifting to Jason, who was safe back at the base under the care of Blakely's assistant, Roland. Should she take the risk? She had other responsibilities besides her career. She remained silent.

'I'll still go,' Khalid said. 'This is too important.'

'Me too,' said Linda. 'We might need everyone's expertise to find the other team.'

Ashley too could not stomach abandoning the other team. She turned to Blakely. 'Fine. You still have a team! But if we don't have complete honesty from here-'

Blakely nodded, his voice serious. 'You have my word.' He stepped back and waved her forward. 'Remember, we'll be in contact regularly to map your progress in case of any mishaps. Otherwise, the decisions from here are yours. Everything from how often to set up camp to the number of days you choose to explore before returning. Your word is law.'

The eyes of the others fixed on her. The magnitude of the search threatened to overwhelm her. 'Well,' said Ashley, 'we're never going to get anywhere just sitting here. Let's head out. Halloway, take the lead. Everyone else follow, and we'll meet up in the next cave.'

The team checked their gear and collected their packs, strapping them over their shoulders. Ashley watched the others fumble with their transport sleds.

Halloway wasn't waiting around for any further discussion. He adjusted his helmet and dove down the chute on his board. The others waited in line to follow.