“I’ll be circulating over the next fifteen minutes, checking your gear and answering any questions. One last important item, if you need to use the washroom, now’s the time. These suits are designed to collect your waste—you will definitely not be leaving that behind in the caves.”

Aimee couldn’t keep her curiosity in check any longer. She had to draw some more information out of the military team.

“There is one thing—if this is a simple science and rescue mission why do we need six Special Forces jarheads bristling with weapons riding with us on a trip to an uninhabited continent? No offence, Captain.”

“None taken, we’ve been called worse. Dr. Weir, my ‘jarheads’ are hand-picked members of the Hotzone All-forces Warfare Commandos—or HAWCs for short.”

Oh good grief, of course. The Major’s “hawks,” thought Aimee.

Alex continued. “People, it is our simple task and pleasure to provide the security for this little trip, and perhaps do some of the heavy lifting for you. The security team members on this trip are, to begin with, First Lieutenant John Johnson, my second in command. If I am unavailable at any time, all questions and operations should be directed through him.”

Aimee’s eyes left Alex to look at the man who he had just nodded to. At about forty, First Lieutenant Johnson looked to be the oldest member of the HAWC squad. A heavily creased forehead and a black crew cut with a touch of iron at the temples. His heavy-lidded eyes couldn’t hide the formidable intelligence behind them and his bull-like neck suggested a lot of power to back it up.

Next to be introduced was Second Lieutenant Oscar Benson, a tall and shaven-headed black man who continued to check his equipment. Aimee saw that two of the fingers on his left hand were missing; the little finger was totally gone and the next in line ended at the first knuckle. Clearly, he hadn’t lost those fingers in a pushbike accident. Mike and Frank “Tank” Lennox were introduced together. They could have been twins; both had Nordic features and white flat-top crew cuts, but where Mike was of average height, Tank was a giant, towering a good head height above everyone in the group. He looked like he was threatening to burst out of his caving suit and perhaps even turn green at the same time.

The last man introduced was Second Lieutenant Fuji Takeda. Although his almond-shaped black eyes were impenetrable, he was the only member of the military group to acknowledge the gathered party by giving them a small forward bow by way of greeting. As his head dipped forward slightly, they could see that he was the only HAWC to have an extra piece of equipment. Strapped to his back in a coal black scabbard was the shortened form of a Japanese katana, or samurai sword.