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“So I hear,” Hughes said, edging farther into the cave. “And he sent me to make sure you get what you deserve.”
Ackerman grabbed an already lit lantern and started to lead Hughes down the passage.
“So you’re in public relations?”
“That and other duties,” Hughes said, stopping at the opening in the ceiling. A few days ago Ackerman had brought a wooden ladder from inside the upper cave and dropped it down the hole. It made going between the two shafts a lot easier.
“We’ll climb up and I’ll give you the grand tour,” Ackerman said.
The two men climbed the ladder into the upper cave.
Hughes played along as Ackerman rattled off what he had found, but truly there was only one thing he’d come for. And as soon as he had that, he was leaving.
CABRILLO TRAIPSED AROUND the side of the mountain until he came upon a spot of melted snow. Bending over, he could see that there was a small opening in the mountainside marked by rocks lying in the snow, as if they had been tossed out from inside the mountain. Warm air from inside the mountain was filtering out, melting the snow around the opening. Clearing away enough of the debris so that he could climb inside, he slid through the opening into the upper cave, then dragged the cardboard box inside.
Once he was through the opening, he found he could stand.
He walked down the shaft to see where it went.
EVEN WITH A heart of stone, Hughes was finding the cave and its inner sanctum impressive. Ackerman was standing alongside the meteorite on its altar with his arm outstretched like a prize lady on a game show.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Ackerman gushed.
Hughes nodded then removed a portable Geiger counter from his pocket. Flicking it on, he scanned the meteorite. The readings were off the scale. A couple of hours of exposure and he’d quickly start to suffer from radiation poisoning. He realized he’d need to shield it carefully for the trip back to Kangerlussuaq.
“You spent much time close to this?” Hughes asked Ackerman.
“I’ve examined it from every angle,” Ackerman told him.
“Have you bee
n feeling poorly? Noticed any physical changes in yourself lately?”
“I’ve been having nosebleeds,” Ackerman said. “I figured it was just the dry air.”
“I think you have radiation sickness,” Hughes said. “I’m going to need to go back to the helicopter and get something to shield this.”
CABRILLO HURRIED DOWN the shaft toward the sound of the voices. Hiding behind a rock, he listened to the two men.
“I’m going to need to go back to the helicopter and get something to shield this,” one said. He listened as the two men walked off and the cavern grew dark. He waited to see what would happen next.
“WAIT HERE,” HUGHES said when they reached the mouth of the lower cave.
Ackerman watched as Hughes walked down the hill, approached the helicopter, and opened the rear door.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” he said to Neilsen as he removed a box from the rear, “then we can go.”
“Sounds good,” Neilsen said, staring out at the weather.
Hughes started back up the hill with the box. When he entered the cave he looked at Ackerman. “I brought something that will ease your suffering,” he said. “I’ll give it to you in a few minutes.”
CABRILLO WAITED A minute until he was sure he was alone, then reached into his pocket and removed a plastic bag and ripped off the top. Removing the chemical light bar inside, he bent it in half like he was trying to break a bread stick and the tube started glowing green. Using the light to illuminate his way, he started to walk toward the meteorite. He was just approaching the altar when he heard a shot ring out.
Quickly reaching into his pocket, he removed a foil packet, tore off the top with his teeth and sprinkled the contents onto the meteorite. Then, with the sounds of footsteps quickly approaching, he slid off to the side behind some rocks and placed the green light in his pocket.
A tall man carrying a lantern walked over to the altar, scooped up the meteorite and placed it in a box. Cabrillo had left the rifle in the Thiokol, so there was little he could do right now. Cabrillo would need to intercept the meteorite farther down into the cave.
Gripping the metal hoop from the lantern in his mouth, the man carried the box out.
