Cate shook her head slowly, not really listening to anymore as she stared into the blackness. A ghost walked up her spine, making her shiver. She still found it hard to believe she was going to be dropped into that dark hole within the next few hours. She turned, beside her both Abby and Greg looked drained of color, and she knew exactly what they were feeling – trepidation, doubt, and fear. Same as she did, but she kept telling herself it was really just excitement and exhilaration. She knew it was a lie – she was scared shitless.

Cate gathered herself, and grinned, and then slapped Greg on the shoulder making him jump. “Okay team, let’s go suit up. It’s party time.”

*   *   *

Cate zipped up her coveralls, and swung her arms a little. The loose material was comfortable and designed to keep them warm while giving them full a non-restrictive movement in the confined space.

Abby zipped hers up, with Greg watching from the side. The young woman was smaller than Cate, but had an impressive set of breasts that Greg seemed to find mesmerizing. She managed to catch his eye and gave him a mock stern look. In return, he simply wiggled his brows, and crossed to Abby.

“All set there? Let me check your collar.” He turned her around and ran his fingers along the top turning the collar out from where it had accidently folded inwards against her skin. “There; snug as a bug in a rug.” He stood back a pace, one hand on his chin. “It suits you.”

“Thank you.” Abby spun as if modeling. “I call it the baggy submariner look.”

Greg held his arms out, and then flexed them. “And I call mine the action romper suit – ready for anything.”

Cate sniggered. Greg would have weighed about ten stone, dripping wet. She turned to see Jack Monroe enter the tent, his huge body in his own suit bulging at the arms and chest, testimony to hard work on an athletic physique. She found it hard to look away, and her eyes travelled up and down his body. Stop it, she thought, angrily.

There was a small smile on his lips as he nodded to her. “We’re ready. Sub’s all sealed and we’ve done a full power check; all good there. Crane will be lifting it into the hammock any moment, and then…” he pointed down with a single finger.

“And then, next stop hell.” Greg grinned at Abby.

“Or to a wonderland.” Valery Mironov entered the tent with Sonya. Cate noticed his coverall uniform was similar to theirs, but had a gold crest of his initials on the breast. His silver beard was perfectly trimmed as always, and he grinned a perfect smile.

“Welcome back,” Cate said. “Everything in order?”