As Catherine predicted, the ground gave way at one of the access points where they dug.

One of the soldiers pointed his flashlight into the opening, but all he could see was darkness. He dropped a piece of stone from the destroyed warehouse and listened.

After a few seconds there was a splash. With one end of a seemingly endless rope ladder secured to the front of the Jeep, another soldier unfurled the other end of the ladder into the void.

Murphy made his way first down the ladder. Wilson followed. The others remained on the surface and kept watch.

When they reached bottom, Murphy and Wilson followed the maze-like stretch of Catherine’s instructions.

These men knew of Julian’s bravery during the height of the devastating insurgent attacks in Fallujah. They knew how many of their own he’d risked his life for and saved. This knowledge grounded them in the purpose of their assignment in the tunnels. One of their own needed protection, and they would do whatever they could to keep him, and those with him, safe and alive.

They stopped when they heard a hum at the end of a long tunnel.

“Captain Ledge,” Wilson called. His voice echoed.

No answer. Just the hum.

It was then they noticed the sweet smell of roses. They were confused, as their air was self-contained in the high-pressure breathing masks they wore that prevented the exterior atmosphere from entering. They pushed their confusion aside and searched for the source, but there was no clear emanating point. It seemed to come from all around them as if the rock exhaled the scent.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Wilson said.

“I don’t know,” Murphy replied. “But it’s weird. Stay alert.”

A cautious worldview is the best insurance in a risky, uncertain world. But faced with an unknown danger—especially one with the paranormal complexity with which Wilson and Murphy were being presented—their military minds were being coupled with the transcendent nature of what was manifesting before them.

In this mystery, they were being led by the fragrance of roses, as they made their way down a seemingly endless tunnel.

They came upon an opening, through which they saw movement.

Cautious and hyper-focused, they flanked the opening, identified who they were, and called Julian’s name. When Julian called back, they knew they’d reached their target.

Julian helped them through the opening, where they saw Dominique and Ja’far. It was here they realized the hum was coming from the wall in front of them, and the scent of roses was its strongest.

The wall pulsed in a way that seemed to make it alive. That’s when they realized the three they’d come to rescue were breathing on their own.

Wilson was about to remove his mask. Julian grabbed his hand and ordered him to stop.

Ja’far stepped in and said it was all right. He helped the soldiers remove their masks.