Part 8 (2/2)

From down in what I now figure is some sort of trap door, I hear a murmur of voices from above. I can also hear the pounding of feet on sand and then the same on the metal slab. A grunt and a thump arrive just before Kane slides into view.

”Hank, give me your other hand!” Kane yells reaching down for me with his bear-sized paw.

”Dr. Boyd when I grab him you let go and grab my belt from behind and pull!”

I swing my left hand up in a pathetic arc, missing the offered hand by six inches. The second attempt is closer, grazing Kane's fingertips, but to no avail. My right hand slips and I lunge a third time, finally connecting.

An instant later, a crus.h.i.+ng embrace twice what Dad could do, wraps around my left wrist. I almost screech in pain, but I'm a little preoccupied.

As Kane steadies himself, Dad scurries away and gives the all clear that he's ready to pull. Kane starts to lift me out, with one hand! I'm almost 200 pounds of dead weight and sweat, and this guy is slowly lifting me out of a hole. The pressure building in my good shoulder is almost too much to take. If it was my right shoulder I'd be wailing in agony for sure. Hanging by my right arm was tolerable, but being pulled apart like I am now would have been too much a bare.

”NOW!” Kane yells.

Suddenly, I'm jerked up and out of this horribly close call with death and land right on top of Kane. I grunt and moan in pain as my shoulder was just seconds away from dislocating, and boy do I know what that feels like. Reliving the pain I felt when I busted my shoulder ten years ago is not something I want to go through ever again, especially out here with no hospital close by.

As I roll off him and try to catch my breath, I see that he landed on not only Dad, but on top of Nicole as well. She slides out from under Kane and my father and stands and just stares at me, like it's my fault I almost fell into an ancient death trap.

”You okay?” She finally asks, the look of anger and fright switching to that of concern.

I nod my head still unable to speak, the pain radiating out from my shoulder, all the way to my fingers. I fix my arm, shaking it, as I try ease back some of the stress in the appendage.

Nicole checks with the others and then turns to leave, back towards the incline.

”Wait,” I say dragging myself to my feet, clutching my shoulder like it's an egg from the golden goose. I cross the base of the orichalc.u.m slab to where Nicole is standing, her back to me. I put my hand on her shoulder and she glances back over it so we meet, eye to eye.

”Thank you,” It's all I can say, but its 100% genuine.

Her eyes dart back to the square hole in the orichalc.u.m, where the omega symbol used to be, and then back up to me.

”What happened?” She's sincere with her caring of what just occurred, but like me and everyone else involved she's also curious as to what exactly just transpired just now.

”Some kind of trap door,” I reply, running the possibilities through my head. ”Or perhaps some kind of hidden entrance.” She nods in agreement, with which of my answers I don't know, but I've already lost interest in that conversation, my mind has struck something else.

”Do we have climbing gear and a heavy duty winch on hand?” I ask.

She nods, ”Why?”

Seeing the twinkle of mischief in my eye, Nicole just nods again and sprints away back towards one of the many tents. I can hear her again shouting orders to a few of the men as well, but this time with more gusto...if that's even possible.

”What are you up to, son?”

I turn and find Kane helping my father up. He dusts himself off and rolls his neck side-to-side, clearly sore from the dog pile. He hasn't figured out my plan yet, but someone else has.

Kane's eyes are wide in what looks like fear and wonder. He looks down towards my near grave and says a low tone, ”He's going back in.”

19.

”You can't be serious! You almost died and you now want to climb back in?”

I'm stepping into a climbing harness provided by Nicole, doing my best to ignore my father's rant. He's none-to-pleased about me wanting to explore the newly found s.p.a.ce.

”I want to find out why I almost died and who is responsible,” I say. ”Plus, it's kind of why we're here isn't it?”

Dad isn't listening to me, so Nicole, who is already in a second harness, looks up at him, ”Dr. Boyd, we are here to find out what exactly we have here, yes?” She snaps the last of the buckles on my left leg's support and stands. ”Yes, Hank almost fell, but we still have a job to do. We have all the necessary equipment and man power. There is nothing else we can learn from up here.” Her crisp tone deflates Dad's outburst. He relents and closes his eyes, dropping his chin to his chest, defeated.

”Dad?” I say in a solemn tone. He looks up and sees me face to face with him. ”I wouldn't do this if I thought it would end badly. Either way someone has to go down there, right? Why not me? Isn't that why I'm here?”

He slowly nods. His body language looks tired and beaten.

”Look, you and Omar stay topside for now and figure out what all this says. We only have a small portion of it recorded. Nicole, Kane and I will take a little spelunking tour below and be as careful as possible.” I give his shoulders a squeeze, but he grabs me and hugs me. I just stand there not returning the embrace. This isn't exactly in character for him.

”Just come back to me, okay?” He lifts his now tear filled eyes and for the first time in years I see true emotion from the man.

”Dad, I'm fine. You saved me just now.”

”I was about to drop you, Hank. If Kane hadn't arrived there when he did...”

Wait a sec. Hank? Did he just call me Hank? I'm thrown off by this, I'm not even sure he knows he called me that. I'm about to comment on it, but decide it's not the time.

”The point is I'm alive because you hung on for as long as you did.” I pat his face. ”Imagine if you weren't there...” I let the last part hang in the air for a moment.

He nods and stands up straighter getting some of his resolve back.

”Why don't you get some rest and go check on Omar. I think Kane may have hurt his feelings a little.”

This actually gets a chuckle out of him.

”What can I say? Omar is a little thin skinned for you boys.” He smiles at me then he reaches out for Kane's hand, ”Thank you, Mr. Kane. I am in your debt.” Then looks to Nicole, ”And yours.” He gives me a curt nod and heads back up the ramp and into the main examination tent.

Nicole steps up beside me, ”You okay?”

I choke out my words a little taken back by my Dad's sudden emotional outpouring, ”Yeah...I'm fine. Shall we?”

”You want my hankie?” Kane asks with a little boyhood teasing infused into the jab.

”Um, no, it's filled with fat-guy sweat remember?” I quip and give him a hard knock in the shoulder, a smile blooming on my face. He looks as though he's about to protest my calling him fat, of which he obviously isn't, but I don't give him the chance.

<script>