Emrallie slithered out. “She’s there. But I’m not sure she can walk. Looks like she didn’t drink anything – did you leave water with her?”

“’Course I did. Let me go in.”

Sorrel climbed into the hole in the earth. She lay full length in the old culvert and waited for her night vision to come; then she reached forward with her hands and began feeling her way along the sides of her mother’s hiding place.

Her hands touched the coarse material of one of the backpacks. She found the opening and began to feel around inside. “Bibi,” she called. “Please answer me.”

“One? Is that you?” Her mother’s voice sounded like worn down machinery.

“It’s me. Some Tribals found me. We have to go with them. What happened? Why can’t you move?”

“Tribals?”

“Yes. Tribals. Come out. Turn on the PlAK.” Sorrel tried to keep the impatience and worry out of her voice. She heard the whirr of the device and the culvert was flooded with light. Her mother lay on her side, half of her face in the dust.

“Give me your hand. Let’s slide you out of here. I’ll get the packs after.”

After helping Bibi out, they stood outside, facing Emrallie. “This is my mother, Bibi,” Sorrel said. “This is Emrallie. She saved my life. I fell into a pool and almost drowned.”

“A pool?”

“A cenote,” Emrallie said. “From an underground river.”

“A river?”

“Are you going to repeat everything I say?” Emrallie demanded.

“Leave her alone,” Sorrel said. She turned to her mother. “Did you drink?”

“Some.”

“Well, drink some more now,” Emrallie said. “I’m not going to slow down for either of you.”

Bibi’s head came up. “You don’t have to slow down for anyone,” she said to Emrallie. “Pass me the pack, Sorrel.”

“I’ll take your backpack, old woman.”

“I carried it here, I’ll keep carrying it,” Bibi said.

“You do what I say, or I leave you both here.”

“Who’s using the old cable car farther down?” Sorrel said, trying to distract Emrallie.

“Lowland males. You don’t want to be there when they come back. You’re not the first to follow that old stream bed, but no one makes it to the end of the cable car line. There’s a sheer drop off at the top – old landslide – and a huge pack of ferals. This male band has been here longer than most – they must have a source of food and water somewhere. We need to go.”