“Would you describe it as holy or scientific? Or wholly scientific?” he asked.
McCauley judged him to be about six feet, bald and thin, maybe forty or forty-five. He wasn’t dressed for the job at hand, whether it was cave exploring or murder. He wore tan pants, now filthy, and a light blue pull-over sweater. McCauley recognized him: the man who had stood outside Eccleston’s apartment.
McCauley held his left arm out and waved Katrina behind. “Who are you?”
“An unimportant question.”
Katrina now also recognized him. She started to speak, but McCauley squeezed her hand and whispered, “I know.”
“I think you can put the gun away,” the priest implored.
“Not likely, Father.”
“Look, if we’re not supposed to be here, we can all just leave. No problem,” McCauley said.
“My dear Dr. McCauley, the problem exists precisely because you are here. And you have cost me sleep for weeks. Your exhaustive pursuit of things you have no concept of. Your inability to stop.”
“Before or after the bombing or the plane crash? I take it that was your work,” McCauley declared.
“You are quite the sleuth.”
“…And what about my assistant? I haven’t been able to reach him,” McCauley said hoping to hear something about Pete DeMeo.
“I wouldn’t worry about anyone else right now,” the man with the gun said.
“You’re going to…” Katrina couldn’t complete the thought.
“Well, not right at this rather remarkable spot. Far too pristine. Besides, thanks to you I now know how to re-enter. But I see you understand the gravity of the situation, Dr. Alpert.”
Father Eccleston took a step forward. “You don’t have to do this. You…”
“Oh, but I do. It’s my job.”
“This is absurd,” Katrina argued. She tried to step around McCauley who held her back.
“As absurd as what you’ve come across?” the man asked impassively.
The point was ironic.
“You can live with three murders including a priest?” McCauley asked.
The man looked like he considered the point.
“We’re not here to exploit anything. Hell, we don’t even know what this is. We’re merely academicians, invisible in the long run. Father Eccleston is a Vatican scientist. Assuredly, the Vatican knows how to contain him. So why don’t we all leave none the worse and as ill-informed as when we arrived. We go our way, you go yours.”
“Perhaps,” the man volunteered.
McCauley didn’t believe him for a second, but thought it might buy them some time or opportunity.
“But we haven’t begun to understand anything about…”
“Not your job, Father.”
“And what is your job?” Eccleston decried. “You mentioned your job.”
“Right now, cleaning house. Okay. Everyone out. One at a time. Father Eccleston first, then you, Dr. McCauley. Dr. Alpert comes up third, close to me. She will be the first to die if you attempt to run.”
“Run?” Katrina complained “Through here?”
“Out,” the gunman ordered. “Out!”
They left the expanse and its mysteries. As they passed through the opening, the white dissolved quickly to black and the wall began to close behind them as silently as it had opened. They walked, then crawled where necessary.
“I think the flashlights will work about here,” McCauley soon said. Katrina started to douse her lamp.
“No!” the man shouted. “Flashlights on first. I need to see you!”
They did as they were told, but McCauley lost an opportunity he hoped he’d get.
While still on all fours, McCauley found a small rock; not quite round, but something he could palm. It might be the only weapon available.
Their footsteps began to echo again, indicating the tunnel was opening up. The lights lit the pathway and the walls. Soon they were fully upright re-entering the expansive cavern with the extraordinary geological shapes and the underground river.
There was a moment, only a moment when McCauley could tell Katrina and Eccleston what he planned. With his back to the gunman he whispered, “Get ready to shut off your flashlights and hit the ground when I say, Now.”
“But?”
Katrina was about to argue that the man was going to let them go. McCauley knew better.
“Okay, stop,” the captor ordered. It surely wasn’t a conversational tone. He panned his flashlight from McCauley, to Alpert and lastly over to the priest.
They stood about fifteen feet in front. McCauley was ready to give the signal, but the gunman acted first. He fired at his target with no warning.
Father Eccleston heard the shot, which was enough to surprise him. Then he felt growing warmth in his stomach. All of this was within the initial second. He looked down, then up, confused. The next shot ended all his surprise and eliminated the pain. Father Jareth Eccleston dropped to his knees, then toppled into the water.
McCauley had the wits to yell, “Now!”
He dropped his flashlight. Katrina did the same and fell flat on the floor just as another shot rang out. Both of their lights broke.
McCauley stepped to his left and turned his body sideways.
The man fired again, but had no true target. However, the gunman’s flashlight gave McCauley his. He pulled his right arm back and aimed for the man’s head.
His throwing arm didn’t fail him.
The man dropped. The flashlight fell from his hand which plunged the cavern into complete darkness.
“Katrina!”
She didn’t answer.
“Katrina!”
“Over here.” She struggled with her reply.
“Where?”
“A few feet away.”
Katrina groped for her flashlight. She found it, but it didn’t work.
McCauley pulled another from his backpack and turned it on. He was grateful to see she wasn’t hurt. McCauley helped Katrina up.
McCauley panned his new flashlight along the floor. The man was down.
“Is he… ” Katrina hesitated. “…dead?”
“I don’t know, but get out now!”
“Father Eccleston?”
“Out now! I’ll be right behind you.” He gave her another flashlight.
Alpert started toward the pathway, but turned when she heard a splash. She rushed to the water’s edge.
“Quinn!” She shined her light into the water.
After twenty seconds McCauley’s head popped up for air. He filled his lungs and went back under. Another thirty seconds, he returned, took a deep breath, and dove again. After the third attempt, he swam to Katrina.
“He’s gone. But you should have….”
“Shut up and let me help you.”
She reached out, bracing her legs against a stalagmite. “Grab hold.” McCauley took her hand and struggled onto the cavern floor.
“Okay?” she asked.
“Yes, yes. Okay. Thank you,” he said shivering.
McCauley took her flashlight and shined it on the downed man. He was groggy and disoriented.
“Can you make it?” she asked.
“Yes.”
They quickly retraced their steps. Adrenaline kept them going. When they could, they held hands. When that wasn't possible, McCauley made sure she went first.
For an instant, McCauley thought he heard breathing or wheezing behind them. “Faster!” he exclaimed.
“Is he…?”
“Just go!”
Soon, they saw welcomed daylight. The late afternoon sun would warm McCauley and the open road would provide escape. Ahead, more unknown. For now they were grateful to be free and alive.
As they emerged from the cave and their eyes adjusted, they abruptly realized that that option had disappeared.