She frowned and moved the dials, slowly, like a safe cracker, her concentration intense.

“Hello? Come in…” she felt a knot growing in her stomach. She switched it off and back on, waited a second or two, and then began to move the dial again.

Please, oh please. Cate exhaled, leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Once again she switched it off and back on,

“Come in, please, come in.”

“What is it?” Greg asked, kneeling beside her. “Isn’t anyone there?”

Cate removed the head set and handed it to him. “You try.” She didn’t want to tell him, and hoped it was just something she was or wasn’t doing.

Greg snatched it from her, and placed the set over his head, fiddling with the dial, switching it on and off. “Hello base, hello, is anyone there?” He swiveled the dial, his movements becoming faster and more agitated.

“Fuck it!” He gritted his teeth. “Come-in – we’re trapped down here. You were supposed to fucking… hello… HELLO!” His voice boomed in the cave, pounding away into the darkness.

Behind Cate something splashed, and she spun her head, but could see nothing but dark.

Greg dropped his head, dragging off the earphones. He started to shake, and Cate thought the young man was sobbing. But when his head came up he was laughing.

“Well that’s just great.” He got to his feet. “Maybe we should call a technician.” His laugh became a manic roar. “Why don’t we put in a fucking support call?”

He stomped away, but spun and came back, fast. “Now… fucking… what?” He glared down at her.

Her usually mild-mannered and nerdy colleague momentarily struck Cate mute. She held up a hand. “Greg, calm down.”

“Is problem maybe?” Dmitry’s question came from the top of the submersible. Cate heard him repeat the words, softer, probably back down into the hold.

Greg placed his hands on his hips, leering. “Yes, comrade, if you call being stuck miles under the earth with the local help-line being as dead as a fucking dodo a problem, then hell yeah, I guess you can say we’ve got ‘is problem maybe’.”

Cate pushed to her feet. “Can you please cool it?”

Greg spun to her, his teeth bared. One of his fists was up. Cate stepped back.

*   *   *

Dmitry slid down the ladder. “Captain Monroe, I think we have problem outside.”

Jack looked from the Russian to lean forward trying to see the pair on the dark ledge, but due to the angle, they were just out of sight.

Dmitry hopped from foot to foot. “You better get out there; talk to your friends – calm them down.”

“Huh?” Jack leapt to his feet, and headed for the steel ladder.

Abby rose as well.

“Stay here.” Jack held up a hand flat. “I don’t want everyone running around out there. I’ll be back in a minute.”

“But…” Abby stared, open-mouthed.