John O'Brien - Conspiracy

Listening, he only hears the swish from a strong breeze that blows through the trees and bushes. Below, the wind travels down the narrow canyon with a soft roar. Peeking over the edge, he sees the rear of the structure. What he initially took to be a series of buildings is actually a single one — the differing angles of the structure joined together. Windows show at the rear, the ones on the eastern side reflect the strong sunlight filtering down. Near the building is the sinkhole. Around it, a single rope runs through rings attached to the top of metal poles sunk into the ground. He watches for any sign of movement.

Assured that no one is observing this part of the facility, he crawls backward to the rest of the team.

“Okay, it doesn’t appear that anyone is watching. We need to work fast. There are metal poles surrounding the sinkhole. We’ll use one of them to secure the line. Kyle, do you have the knotted rope?”’

Kyle nods. The previous night, they put knots every three feet in a length of rope that would hopefully reach the bottom. This will aid guide their descent and their later ascent.

“We’ll move quickly and set up against the wall of the building. Kyle, you secure the rope and descend, when he vanishes, the next will proceed. NVGs on when it gets dark enough. Any questions?” Greg briefs.

A nod from every member indicates that they understand and are ready to go. Greg sequences their order of descent with him going down last. They crawl upwards on their stomachs and spread across the crest. Greg watches for any changes and sees none.

“Go,” he says softly.

As one, they rise and scramble across the short distance, going into ready positions against walls near the picture windows. Kyle races to the hole. Taking the rope off his shoulders, he quickly ties it around one of the steel poles set in concrete. Giving a sharp tug to test its weight-bearing capability, he looks to Greg and gives a nod. Greg returns the nod. Kyle swings his legs into the hole and begins lowering himself. His head vanishes and Greg nods to the next soldier.

Greg feels the coolness of the building through his clothing and vest. The sun is warming the walls, but the chill is still there. The climb was a steep one which caused more than one trickle of sweat to seep down his back. Blinds are drawn across the large panes of glass looking across the back of the building which gives them a measure of concealment. He notes each soldier making sure that their shadows don’t reach across windows as their turn comes to race to the hole and descend. He hears Kyle on the radio saying that he has reached the cavern floor and that the rope is more than long enough. As each soldier mounts to rappel down, the rope gives a creak of strain, but both it and the metal pole hold. The last soldier vanishes and, with a last look at the windows, Greg races to the hole and begins his descent.

The knots are both a help and hindrance as he descends. They don’t allow for a quick rappel and he has to go down hand –over-hand. However, it will make it much easier to climb. The rope swings slightly as he makes his way down, but with the bottom being held tight by those below, the sway is minimal. After a short distance, the darkness closes over him. IN the dark, the light streaming in through the hole above is dazzling. Dust motes dance in and out of the beam of light shining into the cavern depths. Greg pauses to lower his NVGs. The cavern springs to life with a green glow. He finishes his descent and joins the others.

Kyle was right about the temperature, it’s near freezing and plumes of breath are visible with each exhalation. Greg shivers as the cold envelopes him, but then he pushes it out of his mind. Nearby, a wall climbs out of the cavern with a cave exiting at the top. Kyle indicates that’s their path. Carabiners are attached to the rock surface with ropes leading upward. Dropping their ropes near their descent point, they make their way to the wall over the uneven, rocky ground.

The climb is an easy one with plenty of outcroppings to use as footholds. Before long, they are all kneeling in the upper cave. From here, it will all be hand signals and low whispers as the cave will carry the sound of their voices far into its depths.

They slowly make their way across the sandy and rocky ground, making sure not to scuff their boots. Any equipment that would make noise when moved was taped down prior to leaving the Stryker. Their M-4s are poised in front of them, ready to pour suppressed fire down the narrow cave. With Greg leading and Kyle behind, they continue in single file. Ahead, a metal door bars their path. The rectangular frame is set into the rock wall at the top and bottom, but the curvature of the cave causes gaps on the sides. It isn’t possible to slide bodily through, but they are wide enough to pass an arm through. Greg halts the team and looks to Kyle.

“Well, that’s new. At least since the last time I was there,” Kyle whispers.

An unknown noise comes from the other side. The team freezes and becomes even more still –which means that they become part of the stone. To Greg, the sound is like a scraping or shuffling sound. It’s not loud, but it’s there near the other side of the door.

Greg motions for the others to hold their positions and, with Kyle in tow, he inches toward the door. Peeking through one of the apertures to the side of the doorway, Greg sees two men leaning against a roughhewn wall approximately forty feet ahead. They are listless and appear bored, occasionally breaking the silence with an exchanged word or two which only reaches Greg’s ears as mutterings. At the two men’s feet lie several gas-powered camping lanterns that cast pools of white light.

Greg looks on the other side of the three inch solid steel door to see that it’s padlocked on the other side. Their entrance is guarded and locked.

This is beginning to look like a no-go , Greg thinks, studying the lock, door, and guards.

He watches for a few additional moments. No one else comes into view and the two kick at the ground. The indications are that they’ve been there for a while with no one coming or going. The armed nature of the guards gives a clear indication that they are the bad guys. Greg looks at the lock on the other side of the door once more.

“Do you have a good angle on the one to the right?” Greg asks.

“Yes, sir.”

Greg decides to take a chance. Putting the muzzle of his suppressor into the opening, he places his red dot on the head of the figure to the left. It’s easy to hold his aim as neither person is moving.

“On my count,” Greg says as Kyle positions his carbine. “Three…two…one…”

The cave flashes with split-second strobes as high-speed projectiles are launched down the darkened space with muffled coughs. The bullets connect with force, impacting the sides of each guard’s head. Both rock to the side as the steel core rounds penetrate their skulls near the ear and explode inside of the brain. One guard falls violently to the side, knocking over a lantern. Some of the liquid spills out and is ignited by the lantern. The other guard slumps down the wall to a sitting position and then slowly falls over to the side.

Acting quickly, Greg motions Kyle behind the door and pulls out his 9mm handgun. Reaching through the door, he places the barrel close to the padlock and, shielding himself behind the steel portal, he fires. The round hits the lock and whizzes down the hall. Looking at the lock, it has held. He repeats the action and, looking again, is rewarded by a shredded and unattached lock.

He removes the hasp and opens the door. Greg and Kyle move quickly at a crouch to where the two figures lie on the cold cave floor. Greg rights the lantern and quickly smothers the small fire with his boot. The two of them check for any signs of life and, finding none, grab the pair by the ankles and drag them back. He sends two soldiers to erase the drag marks as he and Kyle drop the bodies over the edge of the wall.