Page 46 of Subterranean

"How about a fistful?" he said with a tired grin.

She crossed over to the bag that held the first-aid kit, shaking out three aspirin from a small plastic bottle.

Villanueva sat next to the kit. "He doesn't look too well."

Ashley couldn't help but smile at his observation. This from a man whose shirt was still soaked in his own dried blood and whose arm had just about been torn off. "I'm sure Ben will be fine. You, on the other hand, need to rest. You shouldn't even be sitting up."

He looked at her stonily, as if she were speaking a foreign language.

Michaelson stepped up behind her and handed the SEAL a steaming bowl. "Chicken broth," he said when Villanueva raised his eyebrows. "You lost a lot of blood. You need plenty of replacement fluid. Drink up."

Ashley crossed over to Ben, a slight smile on her face. Major Michaelson was turning into a regular Florence Nightingale.

"Thanks," Ben said, when she offered him the aspirin, "but I'm already feeling better. Once I'm up and moving, I'll be more chipper than a 'roo with a full pouch."

"Take the aspirin anyway." She pushed the tablets into his hand and passed him a cup of water. "We've still got a big day ahead of us."

He pouted but took the pills. "Now, weren't you saying something about breakfast earlier? I always wanted to be served breakfast in bed."

"If you're feeling hungry, then you're fit enough to get your own meal. Besides, we need everyone together at breakfast to discuss our options, and I want your input."

"Oh, all right. But that's a good way to give everyone a bad case of indigestion."

She helped him stand. "Quit griping."

With a mock scowl, he accompanied her to the camp stove, where Michaelson was already scooping out platefuls of omelet and fried potatoes.

"Quite a spread of tucker, mate," Ben acknowledged, hefting a tin plate from the major's hand.

"Since we haven't had hot food since breakfast yesterday, I thought everyone could use a big meal." Michaelson filled Ben's plate with a tap of his ladle.

Ashley took a smaller helping and sat down on a flat boulder. Khalid and Linda were already seated around the campstove, forkfuls eagerly being consumed. Villanueva sipped at his chicken broth, lustfully eyeing their greasy meal.

Once Michaelson was settled in with them, Ashley spoke up. "We need to decide a course of action from here. We have only supplies for another eight days."

Nods and chewing were her only answer; the others waited for her to elaborate.

"Our options are to go back and try to make it through monster alley back there; stay here and hope that after a period of time the lack of radio contact may generate a search party; or push forward and try to find an alternate route up, knowing that there may be other nasties awaiting us."

Linda put down her fork. "I think we should stay here. Eventually someone will come looking for us."

"Perhaps," said Michaelson, "but consider the previous team. We were sent three months after the first. It could be a long wait."

"That's true," said Ben, "and those beasts will be waiting for them too. It's not fair to ask someone to walk into the same lion's den without warning. And going back through there ourselves is not an option. I say we push on."

Ashley nodded. She felt the same way, but there were other concerns to take into account. She pointed to Villanueva. "We have an injured teammate here, and additional traveling will risk further injury."

Villanueva lowered the bowl from his lips. "I'll manage just fine. I know how far I can push myself."

Ashley looked over at him. "I'm sure you do. But what if we run into more trouble? Your injuries are a serious hardship on the mobility of the team."

"If that happens, then leave me behind. Don't risk the team for my sake."

"Noble words, but it's us abandoning you. I, for one, won't do that."

"Me either, bloke. If we get in a scrape, we all go or no one goes."

Villanueva shook his head and raised the broth to his lips. "Civilians…" he mumbled across the steaming bowl.

Khalid spoke up. "So then, what do we do? Push forward or not? It sounds like we're damned if we do and damned if we don't."

"I have a suggestion," Ashley said. "We split up. Linda and Khalid stay here with Villanueva where it's safe. The rest of us will head out. We'll try to find a way back up and come down with a rescue team."

Everyone was quiet as they pondered her plan, then Michaelson nodded. "It's a sound plan. An efficient team has a good chance of making it back up. But, Ashley, there's no reason for you to come along. Ben and I-"

Ben interrupted. "The major's right. Two could move faster than three."

"Bullshit. I can move as fast as you, and I'm a sharper shot. Besides, the more eyes watching the trail, the better. I'm going."

Both men tried to beat her down with stubborn stares, but she didn't budge. Finally, Ben turned to Michaelson. "It's a lost cause, mate. We got us some female company. Have to watch our language and be careful where we spit."

"Fine," Michaelson said. "Then let's divvy up the supplies and get going. We're gonna have to travel light. Just the necessities: guns, radio, canteens, ropes."

Ashley picked up her holstered pistol. "And lots of ammunition."

Khalid stood off to the side as the others readied themselves for the journey. From under heavy brows, he eyed Ben and Michaelson packing supplies. Villanueva struggled to be of use, disassembling the radio and wrapping key components in waterproof seals. Khalid studied the SEAL, weighing the strength left in Villanueva.

Linda stepped beside him. "Look at this!"

He turned to her.

"There's actually a phosphorescent species of mold growing within this diamond." She cupped the glassy chunk in her hands and leaned close to him, blocking out the surrounding light, her hair brushing his cheek. "See!"

The golf-ball-sized crystal glowed a soft yellow between her palms. "Why don't you add it to your specimens?"

Specimens? It took him a heartbeat to understand her. Then he realized she meant the collection of fist-sized diamonds he had stored in his pack. He'd told her they were geologic samples, scientific research.

"I will," he said, accepting her gift. He fumbled his bag open and snuggled the diamond carefully among the others. He ran a finger across the other diamonds. Twelve of them.

Regardless of his employer's desire, he wasn't leaving this cavern empty-handed.

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