Aimee began fiddling with her belt webbing so she didn’t have to look into his face and tell a lie. She also didn’t think that Monica could be alive now that the creature was almost among them. It had stopped chasing them, but she knew it hadn’t given up so she figured that meant only one thing—it had gone after Monica.

“Aimee, you’re going first. Matt, you after me.”

Aimee knew this way Alex could keep them both in arm’s reach. They edged along the precipice with the stone holding firm under their feet. From the pit below there was an odour of ammonia and ancient decay. Thankfully, no sound rose from the darkness.

“Very good, Aimee, keep moving and looking ahead, just a few more feet.”

With one hand Alex held on to Matt’s shoulder; Aimee bet he would drag Matt if he had to keep him moving forward. Matt’s eyes were fixed on the empty tunnel across from them; Aimee knew why. If Alex let him go and he could manage it, he would disappear into that tunnel, charging blindly into its depths and calling Monica’s name. Part of Aimee wanted to do the same, but she knew deep inside herself that to leave Alex now meant certain death. She remembered the emaciated skulls in the lower tunnels and shivered; she wanted to see the sun again.

Aimee stepped off the ledge onto the main tunnel floor and knelt down to draw in breaths; the strain on her already fatigued calf muscles had been enormous. Alex was next, followed by a still reluctant Matt.

Ping. Alex’s comm unit signalled an incoming message.

“Arcadian, this is Lieutenant O’Riordan in Blackbird One overhead, we will be commencing drop in three minutes and counting down from two. Expect communications to be down from ignition and for approximately five seconds afterwards. Good luck, sir.”

Alex knew he didn’t expect a response; things were in motion now. The size of the chemical blast would scramble communications as the incendiary coupled with an already magnetic environment.

“We’ve got three minutes till they begin the burn. Let’s go.”

“No, wait. I thought I heard her. Monica! Monica, it’s us!” Matt stepped back to the edge of the pit and screamed at the top of his voice towards the side tunnel. Her name bounced off down into the chamber and was echoed back again and again.

“Monica! We’re here. Can you hear us?”

All that came back after the echoes died down was the sound of small rocks falling; then of something large shifting.

“That’s her.” Matt’s eyes were bulging out of his head and he strained to see inside the far tunnel.

“I don’t think that’s Ms. Jennings, Dr. Kerns. We need to leave here, right now.”