Subterranean by James Rollins Page B

across her palm.
    â€œI prefer to call them transport sleds,” Blakely said.
    â€œSpecifically designed for these chutes. Here, let me show you.” He picked up another of the seven fluorescent-colored boards. He slapped the surface of the board with the flat of his hand. “We already devised aluminum motorized sleds, but they are too bulky to carry. These, on the other hand, are high-impact plastic, both the board and the wheels. The ball bearings are composed of a corrosion-resistant titanium. Perfect for the terrain and the dampness. Just release this latch. Like so. And the board expands to the length of your upper torso, supporting chest and pelvis, and allowing the rider to ride belly down, using gloved hands and feet for propulsion and braking.”
    â€œSort of like a surfboard,” Ben said, “but on land.”
    â€œWell, yes, I guess that analogy is accurate. Once through a chute, the board can be collapsed back to its original size and stored in a pack. Each board has been fitted to the individual. Names are stenciled on the back of each. And each is a different color to make it easier to tell them apart.”
    Ashley practiced releasing and collapsing the board. Easy, and mercifully lightweight. All this preparation just to slide through these tubes.
    â€œDr. Blakely,” asked Linda, “where did these worm-holes come from? Are they lava tubes?”
    â€œYes and no,” said Blakely. “True, this area is honeycombed with lava tubes, some no bigger than a fist and others as large as a man. Lava tubes are usually rough and irregular, as are most of the ordinary tubes around here. But tubes of this diameter”—he pointed at the wormhole—“are exceptions. They’re uniform in size and polished to a remarkable smoothness. How and why?” He shrugged. “Yet another mystery to solve.”
    â€œHow far have you explored up to now?” Ashley asked. Obviously many other chutes had already been studied.
    â€œThese wormholes extend from this central cavern like spokes on a wheel. Some just dead-end. But most, like this one, connect to a series of interconnecting caverns that extend deeper and deeper below the surface. Seismic readings suggest this system may extend several hundred miles.”
    â€œAnd you explored no farther?” Ashley raised her eyebrows. “But you’ve been down here for months.”
    Blakely just stared at her for several heartbeats, taking off his glasses. He pinched the bridge of his nose. The others stopped what they were doing and turned to them, attracted by the silence.
    Ben put down one of the skateboards he had been examining and crossed over to Ashley’s side.
    Michaelson stepped up. “Tell them,” he said, his eyes glued on Blakely. “They deserve to know more.”
    Blakely lifted a hand up, palm toward the major. “I was just getting to that.”
    Ashley had a sudden sinking feeling in her gut.
    â€œProfessor Carter,” Blakely said, “I’m not proud of what I’m about to reveal. But certain expediencies dictated this course. We’ve had to keep certain secrets.”
    â€œNo kidding,” Ben said.
    Ashley hushed him with a glare, then turned an even harsher eye on Blakely. “Go on. What secret?”
    â€œYou asked me if we’ve explored farther. Well, we have.” He pointed to the wormhole. “You’re not the first team to explore this route. A joint team of five researchers and one Marine entered this chute over four months ago.”
    Ashley shook her head. “Then why drag all of us here, if it’s already been explored?”
    â€œThe other team has yet to return.”
    â€œWhat?” Ben said, stepping closer. “You mean they’re still down there?”
    â€œWithout radios, we had no means of tracking the team. They were scheduled to return after two weeks of exploring. Three weeks passed with no word from