Jon Merz - Prey

“Nah.” He shrugged. “I guess we have to remember that any new frontier has within it, the potential to also contain untold perils.”

“I just didn’t expect such a place like this to be one of them.”

“Down here we all expect the weather to be the big killer — the biggest danger we need to always be aware of. And that’s true.”

“But now we’ve got something else to deal with as well.”

“Yeah.”

She smiled at him. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Glad to be here. Wish things were a bit different, though.”

“How so?”

“Well, normally, I like taking a woman to dinner and getting to know her over a fine bottle of Pinot Grigio. I don’t usually consider barren icefields and strange creatures a good prescription for budding romance.”

“Are we budding?”

He smiled. His teeth gleamed in the strange light. “I’d sure like us to be.”

She leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the mouth. She found no resistance. He kissed her back and for a moment, everything disappeared. No more snow. No more ice. No more cold.

Just the warmth that spreads from the heart when you experience that first kiss. Julia caught her breath and wished the rest of her life could be like that tiny microscopic moment in time. So perfect. So peaceful.

Mick broke away suddenly.

Julia frowned. “What’s wrong?”

He searched behind her. “Rest of the team’s coming.”

She looked back. How had he heard anything. Julia searched the darkness but couldn’t detect the slightest noise at all.

“The air shifted,” said Mick in her ear. “That’s how I could tell.”

“I didn’t feel anything.”

He smiled again, but this smile was the kind that an expert reserves for those who don’t know any better. Julia saw it come across his face and got the message to trust him.

She did.

And three minutes later, Wilkins came into the ambient light followed by the rest of the team. They’d lugged the survival kits up with them.

Again, using hand signals, Mick directed them behind the rocks close by. Once they got settled, he moved back up next to Julia’s ear. “Okay, we’re all situated.”

“Have you given anyone their sentry duties yet?”

“Thought I’d clear it with you first.”

She smiled at him. “I guess we shouldn’t stand watch together, huh?”

“We might get distracted.”

“It happens.”

“We can’t take the risk.”

“Yeah.”

Mick took a deep breath. “Okay, so me and Darren will take first watch. You and Wilkins have second. Nung and Kendall can take 3rd and Havel and Me will take four. That sound okay?”

“Reluctantly. But yes.”

“You should get some food and water into you and then get your head down. Sleep’s not going to be the most exciting thing tonight.”

“At least I can dream happy thoughts,” said Julia. Mick moved off and Nung started breaking out the survival kits. Julia watched the cardboard box ration kits start going around. She grimaced. The high carbohydrate and protein meals always made her stomach cramp up.

She sighed and got to her feet. She couldn’t really afford to be picky about this. At least tomorrow they could presumably head back to the station and she could get some fresh vegetables from the greenhouse.

She got a bottle of water and cracked it. The ice cold liquid trickled down her neck and she sighed, realizing it had been hours since she’d taken a drink. Even in the snow and ice, they all had to be careful about dehydration. It could kill as easily here as it did in the jungle or desert.

Kendall scampered over to her. “Are we seriously staying here tonight?”

She looked at him. “You saw the weather. You think we ought to try back for the station?”

“It’s just that these rocks are so absolutely uncomfortable. I don’t know how anyone could even sleep here.”

Julia grinned and pointed at Havel. “He’s already dozing over there.”

Kendall frowned. “I think he’s narcoleptic anyway.”

“I doubt that. The point, Kendall, is that the human body can do amazing things if it wants to badly enough.” She hefted her cardboard ration box. “Take this ham stew for example. I despise this stuff. But I’m eating it because I know I have to. So despite the fact that I will probably be a cranky constipated bitch after, I am eating and adapting to the conditions we’ve got here. I’d suggest you do the same.”

“If I must.”

“Remember, Darwin got it wrong. It’s not survival of the fittest, it’s survival of those who can adapt the best.”

Kendall sighed. “Such a cheerful thought that is. Fancy me being seconded to someone who rewrites evolution when she’s not leading expeditions that get people killed.”

Julia set her spork down. “You’re out of line.”

“Merely stating the facts is all.”

“And you think you’d do a better job leading the team? Is that what you’re saying? Or are you just playing at your usual levels of bullshit again?”

Kendall smiled. “It makes my night just knowing you’re upset now about what I said.”

“You could be a real good guy if you just relaxed a little, you know that?”

“I’m not in any sort of mood to relax. How can I with stalagmites biting into my hindquarters?”

“You could try. Like the rest of us.”

Kendall shook his head and moved away. Wilkins came over and sat down, leaning his rifle against the rocks close by. Mick continued peering down the tunnel. Wasn’t he going to eat?

Wilkins glanced at him. “Strange guy that one. But I gotta admit I’m damned glad he’s along.”

“Me, too.”

Wilkins grinned. “Yeah. I’d say so.”

She looked at him and saw the recognition in his eyes. She turned away. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s nothing…yet. You two get back from this thing, you’d better make a go at it. You seem good for each other.”

“Thanks. But there’s something that’s not sitting with me entirely well.” She sighed. “Probably me just being paranoid.”

“We’re all a little paranoid, Julia,” said Wilkins. “Sometimes for very good reasons.”

Both of them looked up as Mick approached. “Does everyone have their rifles close by?”

Julia nodded. “Why?”

Mick glanced behind him. “Because the light behind the rocks just went out.”

Julia suspected that everyone’s natural reaction would have been to panic. Surprisingly, no one did. Instead, Mick simply ordered them all into position using the largest rocks as cover.

They were spread about in a circular style. Three of them across what they’d called the actual path behind some other rocks while four remained on the other side. It wasn’t an ideal situation and Julia knew it. Splitting up the team didn’t make much sense but Mick insisted it be that way so all angles could be covered.

Four of the team members would have the task of covering the approach from the direction of the tunnel that hadn’t yet been explored. The remaining three would cover the rear of the group just in case anything should decide to sneak up on them from that direction.

It was all very quickly organized. And Julia once again marveled at how seamlessly Mick got everything done.

She was one of the members aiming toward the front — where the light had been seen. Mick was close by also aiming in the same direction. Across the path, Nung and Darren were also front men. Wilkins, Havel, and Kendall would act as rear guards.

The silence in the cave seemed overwhelming. Off in the distance, Julia could hear more condensation plopping off rocks from unseen points high up on the tunnel walls. It might have taken hundreds or thousands of years for that water to pass through the rocks until it reached this point. And then suddenly it would travel a huge distance — from the ceiling to the floor — before once again starting another thousand year journey through the rocks.