Take The Back Way Out
It didn’t take long to find artifacts to take with them. In fact, there was a brief argument over what small set to take. They settled on taking as many pictures of what they left behind as possible. CJ started to seriously consider setting up her own archeology lab once they got back to the Institute. She ran a hand through her thick blonde hair and blew out a sigh. In the time it took to get their small collection together, they should have started losing air. She and Hitomi had been through that experience enough to know that none of the tell-tale symptoms had manifested. Which meant air was flowing into the room.
Which meant there was a way out. They just needed to find it. She hoped it was the seam she spotted earlier, but didn’t want to get Mitchell’s hopes up yet. She wasn’t worried about Hitomi, they’d been together long enough and through more than enough that words weren’t the only way they communicated to each other. She looked over at Mitchell briefly. He was looking at the writing on the sarcophagi, completely oblivious. She allowed herself a small smile.
While she rarely showed interest in a relationship, that didn’t mean she had no interest in a relationship. Chiefly, she stayed alone because of Hitomi. Oh, her friend knew she wasn’t interested, but CJ cared for her like a sister, and would rather cut off an arm than hurt her in any way. Although, if she was right about a certain British colleague…
Well, time will tell, she knew. Cliche though that was, she knew it. After everything Hitomi had been through even before that first meeting with her and Buck, she deserved, no more than deserved a little happiness. And, as she glanced at Mitchell, maybe she did too.
“Hey. You in there?” Hitomi waved a hand in front of CJ. Which earned a raised eyebrow. “What? I’ve used up all the space on the camera’s memory. We should get out of here soon.”
Siege nodded, “Right. I cannibalized some canvas bags,” she grimaced, “so we can carry the stuff out. How about you? You notice a draft or anything while you were taking pictures?”
“Nada, partner. That seam is probably our best bet.”
“Right. Let’s see if we can get it open.” They felt around the alcove, looking for a obvious switch, but found nothing. There was a sudden click, and dust rained down as the back wall split revealed and dusty corridor. They looked at each other before Mitchell they heard cough behind them.
“Wall sconce.” He pointed sheepishly at the torch, now pointing ninety degrees to the left, and shrugged. “I figured, what the hell.”
Hitomi laughed, and CJ shook her head. She walked passed Mitchell and put a hand on his shoulder. “Thanks. Let’s grab the artifacts and get out of here.”
He nodded and grabbed one of the sacks, and CJ grabbed the other. She saw Hitomi grab a torch and nodded. She gestured, “After you, ‘Omi.”
The filed into the passageway. There were no footprints in the dust, but there was a faint breeze. The passage itself was man made. The walls were bricked up and there were timbers in the ceiling with copper reinforcement. CJ heard Mitchell muttering excitedly to himself behind her. This was certainly a find in and of itself. She smiled as she imagined Buck’s reaction. Much better than his reaction to the General’s antics, she knew.
The passage wasn’t a long one. They walked for maybe a half-hour before Hitomi let them know she saw light up ahead. CJ took the lead and listened for noise ahead. Luckily, there was none. Reaching the end, she saw the door didn’t open right into the open, rather a small shallow cave that provided over. The tomb’s builders would rather keep this entrance hidden as well, it seemed.
She didn’t see anyone in the area, but that meant little. “You got a tracking beacon in that belt?”
Hitomi nodded, “I’ll put it in the shadows, just in case. You think they’re watching?”
CJ shrugged, “Don’t know, but I’d rather assume they are, rather than not. Either way, let’s go. I want to get to a phone.”
Hitomi let out a hiss of air, “Right. Sooner Buck can apply some pressure here the better.”
“If he can.” Mitchell surprised them both. “I’ve never met Mr. Washington, but I have heard of him. But I do know Douglas. He’s connected in ways I’ve never seen.”
Hitomi shrugged one shoulder. “Then the quicker we can talk to him the better. With luck, Douglas either doesn’t expect us to get out, or get out this quickly.”
CJ made a noncommittal noise. “We’ll see. Let’s get moving.”
Which meant there was a way out. They just needed to find it. She hoped it was the seam she spotted earlier, but didn’t want to get Mitchell’s hopes up yet. She wasn’t worried about Hitomi, they’d been together long enough and through more than enough that words weren’t the only way they communicated to each other. She looked over at Mitchell briefly. He was looking at the writing on the sarcophagi, completely oblivious. She allowed herself a small smile.
While she rarely showed interest in a relationship, that didn’t mean she had no interest in a relationship. Chiefly, she stayed alone because of Hitomi. Oh, her friend knew she wasn’t interested, but CJ cared for her like a sister, and would rather cut off an arm than hurt her in any way. Although, if she was right about a certain British colleague…
Well, time will tell, she knew. Cliche though that was, she knew it. After everything Hitomi had been through even before that first meeting with her and Buck, she deserved, no more than deserved a little happiness. And, as she glanced at Mitchell, maybe she did too.
“Hey. You in there?” Hitomi waved a hand in front of CJ. Which earned a raised eyebrow. “What? I’ve used up all the space on the camera’s memory. We should get out of here soon.”
Siege nodded, “Right. I cannibalized some canvas bags,” she grimaced, “so we can carry the stuff out. How about you? You notice a draft or anything while you were taking pictures?”
“Nada, partner. That seam is probably our best bet.”
“Right. Let’s see if we can get it open.” They felt around the alcove, looking for a obvious switch, but found nothing. There was a sudden click, and dust rained down as the back wall split revealed and dusty corridor. They looked at each other before Mitchell they heard cough behind them.
“Wall sconce.” He pointed sheepishly at the torch, now pointing ninety degrees to the left, and shrugged. “I figured, what the hell.”
Hitomi laughed, and CJ shook her head. She walked passed Mitchell and put a hand on his shoulder. “Thanks. Let’s grab the artifacts and get out of here.”
He nodded and grabbed one of the sacks, and CJ grabbed the other. She saw Hitomi grab a torch and nodded. She gestured, “After you, ‘Omi.”
The filed into the passageway. There were no footprints in the dust, but there was a faint breeze. The passage itself was man made. The walls were bricked up and there were timbers in the ceiling with copper reinforcement. CJ heard Mitchell muttering excitedly to himself behind her. This was certainly a find in and of itself. She smiled as she imagined Buck’s reaction. Much better than his reaction to the General’s antics, she knew.
The passage wasn’t a long one. They walked for maybe a half-hour before Hitomi let them know she saw light up ahead. CJ took the lead and listened for noise ahead. Luckily, there was none. Reaching the end, she saw the door didn’t open right into the open, rather a small shallow cave that provided over. The tomb’s builders would rather keep this entrance hidden as well, it seemed.
She didn’t see anyone in the area, but that meant little. “You got a tracking beacon in that belt?”
Hitomi nodded, “I’ll put it in the shadows, just in case. You think they’re watching?”
CJ shrugged, “Don’t know, but I’d rather assume they are, rather than not. Either way, let’s go. I want to get to a phone.”
Hitomi let out a hiss of air, “Right. Sooner Buck can apply some pressure here the better.”
“If he can.” Mitchell surprised them both. “I’ve never met Mr. Washington, but I have heard of him. But I do know Douglas. He’s connected in ways I’ve never seen.”
Hitomi shrugged one shoulder. “Then the quicker we can talk to him the better. With luck, Douglas either doesn’t expect us to get out, or get out this quickly.”
CJ made a noncommittal noise. “We’ll see. Let’s get moving.”
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