The world suddenly grew bright and brown as the sphere was swallowed by the cave. As the creature pulled up and away from the ocean floor, its body churned water into the cave, surging the sphere forward, down into the hollow. Connelly struggled to regain control, but it was the walls of the cave that ultimately stopped them. A high pitched screech of metal on stone echoed through the sphere. Then they were stopped.

Robert searched for any signs of danger, but saw only brown stone. He felt some comfort at seeing the stone. It looked like any cave you might see on earth. Just water and stone. Robert let his muscles loosen. "Well, we survived." Robert noticed that Connelly did not look relieved. "What?"

"I didn't stop the sphere," Connelly said.

"So?"

Connelly pushed the controls forward and backward. A light crackling sound rang through the sphere, but it didn't budge. "We're stuck."

Robert no longer felt safe, and he became suddenly aware of how foul his own vomit smelled. He imagined asphyxiating to death in this foul smelling air and shuddered. He cast a sympathetic glance toward Connelly. "Sorry I threw up."

CHAPTER 20 -- HELP

The tension in Willard's back felt as though a vice grip was attached to his shoulder blades, pulling them closer together with every passing minute. All his attempts to communicate with Connelly and Robert had gone unanswered. Since the moment the sphere had disconnected from the cable, he had been plagued with worry. And without any indication of what had happened, any action on his part would be foolish. Even though his heart screamed out the opposite, if Connelly and Robert were already dead, risking his own life in a totally unknown environment was not an option. With them gone, he was the next in line for taking charge of TES and he would make damn sure it was used in a way Connelly would see fit. He could do that much for them, at least.

During the time he had spent waiting for some signal from the sphere, Willard had prepared for every contingency. Extra air tanks lay on the TES platform. A personal propulsion unit, for single person underwater movement, was unpacked and ready to go. Assorted extra gear, emergency supplies and lights littered the TES platform next to the hole in the ice.

Normally, Willard hoped to never have to use any emergency equipment. On a good mission, his expertise was never needed. But now, after all this time waiting, he would be happy with a worst case scenario. Anything!

He got his wish three minutes later. "…onnelly to Willard…you read? Over."

Willard snapped to attention, standing quickly from his sitting position against the TES control panel. The motion of his quick stand send him a few feet into the air. He landed, balanced himself on the control panel and near shouted, "Kathy? Is that you?"

"…ank God. Willard, we're in…ave…stuck."