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  He sank into a nearby chair as he watched Ms. Welker work and closed his eyes in a moment of repose. He was utterly exhausted.

  “How are you doing, Noah?” Ms. Welker asked without looking up from her tasks.

  He took a ragged breath. “I’m fine. I just need some sleep.” Ms. Welker frowned and moved to sit beside him.

  “I think a rest is a good idea,” she agreed. “I can keep an eye out for you here…” her voice trailed off as Noah struggled to sit up. He shook his head vigorously to shake the sleep from him.

  “No!” he pitched forward.

  “Calm down, Noah. It’s just me.”

  Noah cleared his throat. “Yes, I know. Sorry.” He reached up and rubbed the sides of his neck and swallowed. “Water,” he croaked hoarsely and Ms. Welker handed him a steel canteen. He took a long pull and when his parched throat was coated, he continued. “Thank you, I mean. But no thank you. It’s just that it seems like every time I close my eyes something goes wrong.”

  “I see,” said Ms. Welker, standing up and taking a step back. She moved to stand directly in front of him. She placed a finger under his chin and raised his face to meet her gaze. “Noah Ashbridge, do you trust me?” she asked slowly.

  “Well, yes, of course. But that’s not it. Not you, I mean. It’s the situation we’re in,” his words came out in a tumble as if he’d been holding them in too long. “I’m walking the tightrope of a precarious situation. I cannot afford to lose my focus for one second and must remain vigilant in my endeavors.”

  “No one understands more than me,” Ms. Welker said. “But you have got to rest and give yourself some time to recover.”

  “There isn’t time,” Noah insisted.

  “Listen to me, Noah,” Ms. Welker commanded. “Let me handle things for a few hours and….”

  “Absolutely not,” he cut her off and at the darkening look on her face, Noah added quickly. “It isn’t that I don’t think you can do the job. It’s that I – we’re – so close to the finish line. I mean, really. Who would wish harm to their own residents?” he asked in wonder.

  “But – ”

  Noah rolled his eyes. She was treading out of bounds with her incessant determination. He was cranky and tired and fed up. His face reddened and he leapt from his chair. “That is enough!” he roared. “You are a SERVANT and nothing more, Ms. Welker. You’ll do well to remember that and when I say ‘no’ or give a direct command, I’ll brook no questions and expect you to obey.”

  When he’d finished his rant, he fixed her with his steely gaze. Then, when his vision and anger cleared, he saw the remnants of shock in her eyes. And his words boomeranged back into his mind. Ms. Welker would never have the lost look of a puppy, she was too professional for that. But something had…shattered. A fragility he hadn’t expected, and from the look on her face neither had she.

  Ms. Welker nodded, clicked her heels, and pivoted to cross to the other side of the room.

  A lump in Noah’s chest and throat bubbled. What is this? He wondered and realized just as he quickly. He’d hurt her and he felt bad about it. He reached out to her and tried to call her back. “I’m sorry,” he said sincerely. “It’s the stress talking. That wasn’t what I feel toward you. You know that,” he explained in hopes of coaxing her to respond.

  She remained silent and walked to the opening where a door had once been. With a hand on the frame, she half turned and spoke over her shoulder. “I’m going to scout around and make sure it’s still just us down here and that nothing and no one is coming.”

  Once she’d gone, Noah breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed his forehead. “I wonder if Clark ever had to deal with anything like this in his rise to the top,” he mused aloud. He shook his head in answer to his own question. Probably not. Lucky bastard. And he headed back to the cave where he’d stashed Ecknom’s Folly.

  He sat down on the ground facing the door and pulled the great drum toward him. Then, he reached into his pocket and retrieved a silver pistol. Using the drum more as a shield than a weapon, he leaned on it, and pointed the weapon at the door. He was ready for whatever came.

  Twenty-Two

  “Stand down,” warned a guard as Mochni snarled and moved as if to walk out of the mess tent and toward the mines.

  Thomas was surprised that even more officers had gathered. “Geez, fellas. There are only six of us,” he whined. He wanted to draw their attention away from Mochni. He recognized the signs of the angry youth and it would not end well if the Woidnuk went berserk. He had to make the police give them permission to all work together. They need a new plan, and right now. He glanced to his right and saw Robbie’s hand on Mochni’s whispering to him.

  Good, Robbie. Talk him down. He’ll listen to you, thought Thomas thankful for the once brash human youth on their team. You’ve come a long way, kid. He recalled the Robbie he’d first met just a few months ago. What a world of difference a year makes, Thomas reminisced.

  Then, with a final satisfied glance at Robbie and Mochni, Thomas Knight turned to the man with his gun trained on them. “Why do you want to stop Mochni? Wouldn’t you want the assist?” he asked, truly curious as to their motives.

  One of the officers shifted his gun from side to side and his voice shook slightly as he spoke. “Since we can’t fight the creatures directly, we’ll do the next best thing.”

  Thomas arched an eyebrow. “Great. Which is?”

  The officer shrugged. “Arrest the man in the video, of course. He seems to the one in control of the creatures.”

  “Hmmm…” Thomas quirked his mouth. “I see only one problem with your plan.”

  “What’s that?” asked the officer.

  “The man you want to arrest was wearing a mask. You don’t know what he looks like.”

  The man frowned and cast a glance toward Mochni. “Well, I know he doesn’t look like that” he said gesturing with his gun. “And from there, it’s a process of elimination.”

  Thomas couldn’t fault him there. “True, but…there’s more than the one thing I mentioned.” The officer arched an eyebrow, and Thomas began. “None of you have been below the surface. You have no idea who or what is down there. We have been down there…are you ready for some underground earthquakes? How about large ‘rats’ in the walls which are actually the Kisgar. Chasms and tunnels to navigate…” he watched the man’s expression as he spoke and shrugged. “Like I said, just a few things to think about.”

  Pediah, Abby, and Alexia watched the exchanges and noted the tense shoulders of both parties. It was the equivalent of a Mexican stand-off and any rash action on either side could spell doom for everyone involved. Pediah and Abby exchanged a look. “No more bloodshed, please,” Abby prayed softly. “We’ve had more than our fair share. Enough,” echoed Pediah. Their wishes and prayers ripped from the air when Robbie stood up and began to speak.

  “Hey guys, I know you probably don’t know who I am,” he boasted. “But I’ve got a pretty good YouTube following and well…you boys are gonna be famous…or infamous. Whatever.”

  The officer nearest Robbie peered at him through narrowed eyes. “What do you mean?” he asked, his voice sharp and serrated.

  “Well…I’ve been livestreaming this whole thing, you see and don’t you worry. I’ll be sure to let the world know that they could have been safe, but you had your orders to arrest the only people who could save them,” he finished with a shrug as the officer cast his eyes about looking for the device. Robbie laughed. “Dude, what do you think drones are for? Of course, I mounted a GoPro to it and she,” he pointed to Alexia. “Rigged it to your radio frequencies.”

  Another officer, who’d overheard part of the exchange turned. “Wait, I know your voice.” He paused as his eyes widened in wonder. “Are you Robbie Blake?”

  “The one, the only,” he said proudly puffing out his chest. His Cheshire cat grin was the giveaway the officer needed. Thomas reached into his pocket just then and fished out his mobile phone.

 
“Focus, men,” the officer in charge commanded. “We have a job to do,” he ordered in a futile effort to remind them why they were in the first place.

  But when Thomas began to speak into the phone as though he was doing another angle of streaming and recording, one of the officers burst forward to shake Robbie’s hand.

  “I love your show, man!” exclaimed one officer and soon Robbie, the YouTube celebrity, was surrounded by adoring fans. And as the focus centered on Robbie and Thomas, Mochni slipped from their attention for a fraction. It was the sun at his back and his bulk which gave him away.

  “Stand down, son. Or we’ll shoot,” an officer warned and Mochni pressed a hand to his still injured chest as he took a deep breath.

  “I wish to speak,” Mochni began slowly trying his best to sound formal. “May I?” he turned to Abby to confirm this was proper. She nodded.

  “Let him speak, officers,” Abby suggested. “I think you need to hear this.” She had a suspicion of what he might say and had wondered why he hadn’t brought up this relevant bit of information earlier.

  The officer in charge nodded and lowered his weapon. The others, following his lead, did the same.

  “Thank you,” Mochni gave an awkward bow and began his story. “I did not know it then, who or what, my father was. But now I understand. He was different to us as I am different to you. My father was a surface dweller like you,” Mochni smiled remembering his father. “His name was Lt. Whipkey and he was in the…” he turned to Robbie. “What is it called?” he asked.

  “Army,” Robbie supplied.

  “Yes, thank you. He was lost in the desert. My mother sought adventure. They found each other in Death Valley – a Woidnuk and a surface dweller. My father was soon accepted and at his death, he was the chief our people. This is the burden I must bear now. But first, let me tell you about my own impressions. I am in awe of the surface world. Like mother before me. It is bright and light and full of activity. We lived quiet lives and the Kisgar I knew were like your…” he frowned, searching for a word that escaped him.

  “Horses,” Alexia coaxed.

  “Yes, those are what I mean,” he confirmed. “They were quiet, good workers, and only instrument in the world changes them. You know what it is, now. I was sent up here to retrieve it, but instead I found friends. Robbie is my bleed brother. Abby is like a mother to me,” he paused and smiled at Abby with a single tear threatening at the corner of his eye. “It is she who taught me your language and I am proud to say, she had begun to learn some of ours. Though her learning was cut down, off, short.” He frowned as he stumbled over the phrasing. He reached for her hand, “She is like family, my father said before he died.”

  Abby’s eyes welled up with tears. She hadn’t known about the last. Mochni looked to her then in reverence and awe. She nodded. “You have done well, Mochni. Tell the story from your heart. You have done it.”

  “I explain this to you because, like I said before, I am next in line to lead my people. With my father gone, it is I who must gather the Woidnuk and protect both them and you by finding and stopping Noah. The cost does not matter, if no one is here to celebrate the win.”

  “And Mochni has become part of our family,” interjected Thomas when Mochni had finished. He turned then to the officers. “I don’t know how to prove it to you, but we know for a fact that Noah Ashbridge is behind everything.”

  “How do you know this?” an officer asked.

  Dr. Cunningham, Thomas Knight, Abby, Robbie, Alexia, Pediah, and Mochni all shared a look and took a deep breath. “You boys might want to sit down again,” suggested Robbie. “It’s a whopper of story. I should know.” He turned to Thomas. “I think you should tell it.”

  Thomas quirked his mouth. “Where should we begin?” he paused in thought and tapped a finger to his lips.

  “The beginning?” someone suggested.

  “That’s as good a place as any, I suppose,” Thomas quipped. “Let’s see. One of my team was shot and killed by another member of my team who was a plant. One of Noah’s spies, as it turned out. Most of our Comms Team 3 was murdered. We discovered them as we explored the caves. Artifacts we’d discovered were stolen from right under our noses. Our dig site was sabotaged…” At the officer’s wrinkled nose of disbelief, Thomas corrected his story. “Our first dig site. This is our second. We were forced to move. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, folks.”

  A low whistle and the officer in charge relaxed visibly. He was about to say something when Thomas held up a hand for him to pause. “Oh, I thought of one more thing I think you should know.”

  “There’s more?” he asked incredulously.

  “Not exactly. Just a key piece of information to my tale.” Without waiting for a response, Thomas added, “Everything I’ve mentioned so far was before we ever met or spotted any Woidnuk or the Kisgar were ever seen.”

  “I see,” he said, removing his hand from his weapon at last. Though he’d holstered it, he’d kept on a hand on it in case he was forced into a quick draw. “If we let you go, you MUST stop this Noah Ashbridge character, or the governors will have our assess.”

  Thomas tilted his head and considered the officer. “If we fail, then this city and many like it will be sucked into the earth just like what we saw earlier in the video footage. The governors, if they’re still around, will have to dig you out of the ground to put your asses in a sling.”

  “Ahem, officer,” called Dr. Cunningham. “I have a question.”

  “Yes, Dr. Cunningham?”

  “Why are no officers offering to go into the caves with Thomas and his team? Wouldn’t you be able to keep an eye on them that way and guarantee, perhaps, your own safety as well as that of the public you serve?”

  “You make a valid point and a good suggestion. I – ” Before he could finish, Pediah and Mochni expressed their concern.

  “While we would appreciate the help,” Pediah explained. “Those caves are for trained professionals. I am a spelunker. Caves are what I do. Mochni was born and raised down there…” his voice trailed off as Mochni picked up the thread.

  “It is a dangerous and difficult journey. Thomas and his friends live and breathe this life. Also, there is no time. We must do this quickly or it will be too late,” finished Mochni.

  “I don’t like it, but I understand,” Dr. Cunningham acquiesced. He turned again to the officer. “It is best to leave the saving of the world to the team which knows the Woidnuk caves best,” he advised.

  “Thank you, Dr. Cunningham.” Thomas was happy to have Dr. Cunningham in their corner. “Officers, you should know, I do not boast. But I do know Noah quite well and for this expedition, we are the best. Unhindered and with the help from Mochni and his people, there is a strong possibility of success.”

  The officer stared at him quizzically.

  “Possibility is the wrong word. You’ll have to forgive me in this heat. All I mean to say is that when we’re together focused on a common goal, things somehow seem to set themselves right.”

  Thomas groaned inwardly at his words and thought, god, I hope they buy it. The rest of us know what a long shot this is and I just hope we haven’t waited too long already.

  The police captain strode forward. He’d been listening from the ranks and had put his lieutenant in charge. “How can we help?” he asked, extending a hand. Thomas breathed a sigh of relief and motioned to Pediah, Mochni, and Alexia to gather around.

  “These three are in charge of supplies. Can you arrange for them to receive what they ask for and to ensure it’s delivered as fast as possible?”

  The captain nodded. “Done.”

  Twenty-Three

  “Damn!” the battery in Ms. Welker’s flashlight was dying. She tapped it against her palm as if shaking the battery might make it stay lit longer. She’d been through most of these tunnels down here, but not all of them, and not these few near Noah’s latest command location.

  She stood at the apex of several tunnels and as
the last flicker faded, she reached for one of the torches on the wall. Armed with an ancient light, she began to traverse toward the tunnels and peered into the long darkness.

  How far in do these tunnels go? She wondered. And where? Her imagination pitched images of a deep, dark never-ending hole, and at the thought she sighed. “Yep, sounds like my life at the moment,” she whispered into the darkness.

  As she considered which tunnel to follow first, as echoes of an earlier conversation with Noah filled her thoughts. ‘You’re my servant.’ And ‘I hired you to – .’ “Ultimately,” she admitted softly to herself in the darkness, “he meant ‘you mean nothing to me and were as much a pawn as anyone else in my game.’” Ms. Welker sighed deeply and her heart cracked.

  You might have gotten yourself hired on for your own gain at the outset, my dear, but you are now head over heels, her conscience revealed. “And that’s why his words hurt so much,” she confessed. “I’m in love with him.” Great. Just great, Ms. Welker groaned inwardly. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. She shook her head. “I am a professional. I don’t fall for men,” she said, stamping her foot to underscore and cement her words. Damn!

  How did a hired spy for Clark Ashbridge become so smitten with the man’s younger son? Almost as soon as she thought the question, Ms. Welker knew the answer. “I thought he’d be more like Clark, an easy meal ticket, and Noah was so innocent. A breath of fresh air. He wanted so desperately to be more like his grandfather…” she sighed in the remembering. “I thought I could protect him, somehow, from going down the same path as Clark. I thought I could protect him from himself.” Ms. Welker looked around, startled, realizing she’d been talking out loud to herself. Pull yourself together, woman!

  She thought she’d be able to focus on the task at hand, but thoughts of Noah kept pulling her back in and as she recalled earlier conversations, she realized she was trying to put together the puzzle of Noah. He wasn’t like Clark or Reginald, but somehow, she suspected, he’d become a melding of the two.