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“Sabotage?” Joel stated.
“Explosive sabotage,” Paige agreed. “How well do you know a Gus Stanton?”
“Gus?” Joel said. “You’re not thinking he had anything to do with it are you?”
“It’s too convenient, his unexpected appearance here when no one called him. I know you don’t understand or believe in what I do but there’s something about him that doesn’t ring true. The man’s hiding something.”
“Paige don’t go around accusing someone before you have proof. It could have been an accident still.”
“And if you really believe that you’d be risking your neck to get to the men trapped down there and not looking for the west shaft. Aren’t you there yet?” she added as the irritation he aroused inside her magnified with his attempt to make her second-guess herself again.
“It’s clear as far as I can tell but it’s nearly impossible to get a drill out this way,” he told her.
“Leave that to me, hold on,” she added as Neal neared.
“Paige, they’ve cleared the air we should be able to get in touch with the men down there,” he said and she nearly kissed him.
“Did you hear that Joel?” she asked moving into the base communicator unit room.
“I heard,” he answered.
“Good, now let’s hope it’ll work,” she stated turning the unit up. “Nate, see if you can get them.”
He began calling the crew a tedious task having to wait long enough on each channel to ensure no reply came across. Paige grew tenser as each channel gave them no reply and hope was fading quickly.
“Start over,” Paige instructed when they finished the last channel and came up empty.
“Paige,” Jerry said gently knowing no one wanted to give up but conscious that they did have four men who were responsive.
“Try them again, every single channel,” she said strictly. “I don’t care how many times it takes, keep trying.”
“Sure thing Paige,” Nate replied. He tried the channels again as Paige began to develop a plan to get the others out.
She was checking the layout of the west shaft calculating the depth at various places along it when the reply finally came through.
“Base this is Harry,” he said coughing.
“Harry its Nate,” he said, “what’s the situation down there?”
“Dusty but we’re all accounted for, though that last slider had us worried,” Harry admitted, and a cheer rang out amongst the men standing at the edge of the doorway. “Did the boss and the others get out?”
“They’re down there but safe currently,” Nate answered.
“If they’re down here still, who’s in charge up there?” Harry inquired.
“That’d be Paige,” he told him.
“Paige is there?” Harry asked.
“I’m right here Harry,” she said leaning over Nate.
“Did you hear that boys?” Harry shouted at his crew. “Miss Paige is home.”
The shouts and replies were barely audible, but the tone held enough joy to keep her going.
“Thanks for the welcome Harry,” she stated, “we can do the catching up later, right now I need your eyes to tell me what I’m facing.”
“What do you need Paige?” he inquired.
