Prey

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."

12

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.

It seemed so strange to her.

Without her gloves on, Julia felt the grips of her rifle go slippery. She was sweating. But she wasn't hot. She recognized the signs of an adrenaline rush. She could feel her heart hammering away.

And she wondered if the others were experiencing the same thing.

She couldn't risk taking a look. She couldn't take her eyes off the small angle of attack Mick had designated for her.

"Cover this arc," he'd said. "Shoot anything that enters it."

A sound from far off down the tunnel bounced off the walls and reached their ears. Julia flicked the safety catch off her M16. It made no sound as she did so. She could have slid it all the way to automatic, but preferred keeping it on semi. She knew that every time she squeezed the trigger, just one bullet would fire.

If things got hairy, she could always use her thumb and slide the catch forward one more ratchet to go full auto.