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  Radio away, Josh addressed the team. 'You all know what might be in there, so if you don't want to take the risk, you can join the evac. If you stay here and continue, that's on you.'

  'Staying here, boss,' Robert said, folding his arms. The others nodded.

  'Well, legally we're all fine then,' Josh said. 'It's just the sudden explosive death we've got to worry about.'

  The team laughed. Josh smiled. They, like he, wouldn’t give up on this job for anything. Josh didn't often feel happy, but right now he did.

  'Okay, take a break,' he told them. 'When the message comes through, I want you all sharp.'

  They all took a seat on the ground, leaning up against the tunnel wall. The time passed quickly, lewd jokes filling the musty air with laughter. When Josh's radio hissed, however, the laughter stopped and the smiles fell.

  'We're all clear,' Lionel said, voice softened by distortion. 'Carry on.'

  'Okay, guys,' Josh said, getting to his feet as the others did too. 'Let's do it.'

  As protocol dictated, the enormous drill was backed up slowly while they kept tight in behind it, sheltering them from anything the drill might release as it unplugged the hole. Inch by inch they pulled it out, Craig's hands gingerly easing the controls as Josh kept an eye and ear out for any reason to stop.

  After what felt like forever, Craig stopped the drill. 'Clear, boss,' he said.

  'All right,' Josh said, breathing out at last. 'I think we're good.'

  The relief from the team was palpable.

  'Craig, with me,' Josh said, drawing his flashlight and heading slowly to the front of the drill. As before, the fresh tunnel sank into darkness. The only way to see what was at the end of it was to head down there. He unclipped his radio and pushed the button. 'All seems okay. We're having a look now.'

  'Be careful,' Lionel responded.

  As they edged into the tunnel, something seemed different. Before, it was halfway in when Josh had noticed the glint of the metallic face up ahead, but now it was gone. It had been replaced with . . . nothing.

  'Do you see anything?' Josh asked.

  'Nothing yet,' Craig replied.

  They inched forward more, delicate footsteps, ears buzzing. Josh felt his heart humming in his chest. He'd never felt like this before. Usually nothing made him feel anxious, or nervous, at least not down here. Another step closer and the hum in his chest grew, spreading to his arms and legs, and then his fingers and toes. He could almost hear it.

  'Do you . . . do you feel that?' he said. 'The vibration?'

  'Yeah—I thought it was me. You feel it too, though, right?'

  'Yeah, I do.'

  'Do you think it's traffic or something?'

  Josh shook his head. 'You wouldn't feel that down here, not unless there's a monster truck parade going on through Central Park. Is there any blasting going on today?'

  'No, none.'

  'I don't know then.'

  Craig stopped. 'You know, I'm not sure about this.'

  'That's fine, I'll go on ahead.'

  'If you're going, I'm going.'

  Josh stopped too, and turned to Craig. 'You've got a family back home waiting for you. Kids. I don't want you coming in here if you don't think it's safe.'

  'You do too.'

  'That's—that's different.'

  They stared at each other, the flashlight casting a grim shadow across Craig's face.

  'Fine,' Craig said eventually, giving in. 'But yell if you need me.'

  'I will.'

  Craig edged back out to the drill, walking into a wash of artificial light. Once Josh was satisfied that he was clear, he carried on deeper into the tunnel. The blackness at the end was ever black, the flashlight finding nothing to bounce back from. Josh squinted as he walked, trying to make out anything within, but it was useless. He was trying so hard to make out what was in there that it took him by surprise when his foot met an edge.

  'Shit,' he yelped, backing up. He pointed the flashlight down, to see a seam of the crystalline metal just under a foot thick lining the end of the tunnel, with nothing beyond.

  'Are you all right?' Craig called out, voice reverberating.

  'Yeah, fine,' Josh shouted back. When his voice echoed in big, lazy repetitions in front of him, he knew something wasn't right.

  'What is it?' Craig called out again, but Josh wasn't listening. The echo sounded like the space ahead was very large, larger even than the staging area at the head of the tunnel. He leaned cautiously over the edge, pointing the flashlight down, his skin buzzing with energy. A glint of metal and a dusting of rocks and debris told him that the base was about six or seven feet down. He could jump it.

  'Get a ladder,' he yelled back without taking his eyes away from the drop.

  'A what?' Craig shouted. 'A ladder?'

  'Yeah.'

  'Okay.'

  Gripping hold of his utility belt, Josh sat down, legs over the edge, and shuffled forward until he was able to push himself off. The clomp of his feet hitting ground echoed around the darkness, bouncing around and returning from every direction.

  Steadying himself, Josh raised his flashlight and looked around. What had been a buzz in his body now felt like waves of energy, as though he had become immersed in it. The air was cool, but musty. Still the flashlight fell to nothing, with only the ground in front of him, glinting and crystalline, giving him any idea of what surrounded him. This space must be huge, he thought, right underneath Central Park.

  He wondered how far in it went, so he walked on, taking gentle steps and keeping the flashlight up high. The debris from the drill crunched underfoot, and he bent down to pick some up and put in his pocket. Taking a single stone, he launched it as hard as he could, listening over the beating of his heart and the thrum of the energy for its impact. Milliseconds passed, then seconds, until, in the distance, the stone skipped along the ground. The space had to be at least fifty feet across. Maybe even more.

  Walking into the darkness felt like walking nowhere at all. The ground moved beneath his feet, and the flashlight scattered across the fine angles of the ground, but his position in space felt fixed. The only thing that changed was the intensity of the energy that flowed through him, a feeling which, somehow, felt comforting. It rippled and rumbled, pressing against his eardrums and his chest. It drew him on like a siren's song, a whispered question he needed to get closer to hear.

  It pounded through him, and still he walked, drawing closer and closer to its source, ready to immerse himself in it and become one with its energy. He didn't even need the flashlight to know where he needed to go, and he let his arm drop to his side, walking on into the darkness, following a new sense that guided him with more precision than his mortal senses ever could.

  His other senses were almost no more, his body a faint memory, his movement in spirit and not flesh. The feeling of vibration and the sound of humming filled his entire being in a way that was both completely alien and altogether familiar. He was open, vulnerable, expectant, awaiting. His time was now. It was forever. It was never.

  'Boss, are you there? I can't see shit.'

  Josh opened his eyes. 'I'm here,' he said. The energy had receded, a gentle hiss in the background. He blinked, an odd sense of recollection chilling his shoulders. 'I think there is gas in here,' he shouted.

  'All right, well let's get you out of there, then. Sorry I took so long getting the ladder.'

  So long? 'That's okay.' Josh turned around and made his way back over to Craig, following the moonlike hole glowing in the darkness. As he approached, Craig fed the ladder down for Josh to climb.

  'You okay?' Craig asked.

  'Yeah, fine, just a little light-headed.'

  'Does sound like gas. Probably a natural pocket.'

  'Let's get out of here.'

  They walked back out of the freshly bored tunnel to where the rest of the team awaited. Josh felt absolutely exhausted. 'Right,' he said, 'there could well be gas in there, so I'm calling it a day.'

&nbs
p; The team groaned. No work meant no pay. 'What was down there?' Robert asked.

  'Nothing,' Josh said. 'Lots and lots of nothing.' He wanted to lie down and sleep.

  'All right,' Craig said, giving Josh a concerned sideways eye, 'let's get on out of here. Come on.'

  The team made audible protest, but did what they were told. As they all headed back to the train, Josh radioed in. 'Lionel, we're on our way out. There's a big space down here. I think there might be gas.'

  'Okay, see you when you get up here.'

  As they reached the staging area and boarded the elevator, rising up out of the ground and into the light of day, Josh felt a little better. Less tired. Just needed some fresh air, that was all. A dull, distant headache lingered.

  On the surface, he found Lionel.

  'What can you report?' Lionel asked.

  'There's a big chamber down there, huge, separated with a seam of native titanium or something like it. Some kind of crystalline metallic. I don't know. I've not seen it before.'

  'Anything inside?'

  'No, just a hollow space. I think there's gas, though. I got pretty light-headed.'

  'Methane, perhaps?'

  'Yeah, perhaps.'

  'Okay, well you made the right decision getting everyone out of there. I'll go call it in now. Everything will have to get sealed off and tested, so I don't know how long it'll be before your boys can get back to work.'

  'The guys are already pretty pissed that they'll lose out on pay,' he said. 'Is there anything you can do?'

  Lionel, hands on hips, sighed. 'I'll try. No promises.'

  'Thanks,' Josh said, slapping him on the arm weakly.

  Lionel looked concerned. 'Are you okay? You seem a little . . . distant.'

  'Just the gas. I'll be all right.'

  'Okay, well you get yourself home and get some rest. And call a doctor if you feel any worse.'

  'Yes, sir,' Josh said, grinning. Lionel didn't seem to see the funny side, heading off to the site offices with a frown on his face.

  Josh made his way back to the team, who were sitting around on a pile of spoil, sunning themselves. Other workers, also evacuated, grouped together around the site, doing the same.

  'Right, guys, I've checked in with Lionel. He's going to see what he can do about your pay, but I can't promise anything.'

  'How long are we going to be up here?' Steve asked.

  Josh shrugged. 'Who knows. I expect they've got to get a reading on the gas and everything before they let anyone else down there.'

  'This sucks,' Robert said, kicking a stone.

  'That's the way it is,' Craig replied. 'Nothing we can do about it.'

  The heat of the sun warmed through Josh. It was nice. 'Exactly. Might as well make the most of the day and head off home. I expect they'll want you off-site pretty soon anyway.'

  It took some doing, but eventually Josh managed to persuade the others to go home, even Craig. Josh promised to stay behind and let them know as soon as the site was reopened. Once they were gone, he found himself a soft patch of land and lay down, shielding his eyes from the sun. He dozed for a minute, until the sound of sirens jarred him awake. He sat up, and saw Lionel jogging over, the toll of senior management jiggling over his beltline.

  'Josh,' he said, panting as he came to a stop, 'I thought you'd gone already. I've just had a call saying the police are on their way over. They're cordoning the whole site off. We've got to leave.'

  The sirens wailed loud and clear as multiple cars surrounded the site. 'Really? The police?'

  'I know, it's crazy, right? I think it's something to do with it being so built up around here. All I do know is that we've got to leave, now. No excuses.'

  Josh scanned the site, and noticed everyone else was gone. He was alone. He hoisted himself up with Lionel's help, joints stiff and grumbling, and they both headed for the exit. 'It would happen on the day the executive comes, wouldn't it?' Josh said.

  'It always does,' Lionel groaned. 'It always does.'

  Chapter 3

  Josh and Lionel ambled across the site to broach the tall hoarding through great double gates, emblazoned on the outside with graffiti and posters. The sirens in their number were too loud to talk over, and they both waited as no less than five cars pulled up in turn, each with red and blue lights pounding the backs of their retinas. They shared a glance.

  The sirens shut off, and with the lights still twirling, the officers of the law disembarked. After a huddle, most of them headed to the site, brushing past Josh and Lionel without so much as a nod, while a single officer approached. It was mid-afternoon, and the air was balmy. Josh could feel sweat beading on his scalp. He ran a sleeve across his brow.

  'Good afternoon, gentlemen,' the officer said, politely but firmly. 'I take it that one of you is running the site here?'

  'You can,' Lionel replied, stepping forward, arms crossed. 'Can I ask what it is you boys need?'

  The officer halted his approach, drawing a sheath of papers from the folder he was carrying. 'Everything you need to know is in here,' he said.

  Lionel took the papers, but didn't read them, keeping his eyes affixed on the lawman.

  'We've been instructed to secure the perimeter and extract any and all personnel not related to this investigation.'

  Lionel looked confused. 'What investigation? Are you here about the gas?'

  'I'm not at liberty to say, sir.'

  Lionel turned to Josh. Josh shrugged, saying nothing. Lionel, to the officer, said, 'What does that mean? When can we get back on-site?'

  'I do not have that information, sir.'

  Josh, hands on hips, sighed, while Lionel held his hands up in protest. 'That can't happen. This can't happen. We've got work to do, a schedule to keep and a budget to stay on top of. I can't have the police crawling all over this site for God knows how long, getting in the way of things. Who even told you about this, anyway?'

  The officer peered into his folder, then back at Lionel. 'You're Lionel Parker, correct?'

  Lionel puffed up his chest. 'I am.'

  'Then you did.'

  'What?' Josh said, turning to Lionel. Seeing Lionel's confusion, Josh addressed the officer. 'What's going on here?'

  The officer, pointing, said, 'This man made a call informing the authorities of a situation that required intervention—'

  'I called the Department of Safety and Health, not the state police!' Lionel interrupted. 'You think I want all of this going on at my site? You think I want my ass handed to me by my boss for putting us off schedule? Hell no!'

  'Sir,' the officer said, holding up a hand, 'you need to remain calm. I'm just doing my job. The Department saw fit to call in the relevant authorities, so we're here until the federal officers arrive—'

  'Federal officers?' Josh repeated, shaking his head, baffled. It was all getting out of control, and so fast.

  Lionel's expression mirrored Josh's confusion. 'Do you mind telling me something about what's happening? Federal officers? Are you sure this isn't some big misunderstanding or something?'

  The officer, taking a step back, cradling his folder under his arm, looked resigned. 'I've told you, sir, I'm not at liberty to tell you anything more, and to be honest, I don't know anything more. I've just been told to come down here, secure the area and find you. That's all.' The officer looked over Lionel's shoulder to another officer emerging from the site. 'Ramirez,' he told the man, 'I need you to stay with this gentleman until the CIA arrives. They have a few questions they'd like to ask him.'

  'Sir.'

  The officer addressed Josh. 'You can go.'

  'I'm staying,' Josh said.

  Lionel, to Josh, said, 'It's okay, you can go. I'll hang back here and answer whatever questions they have.'

  'With all due respect, Lionel, I think I should stay. After all, I was the one down there, not you. I know more.'

  Lionel eyed Josh for a moment, then nodded. 'Fine. Stay.'

  The officer shrugged, nodded and left, heading
for the site. The officer called Ramirez stayed with them. His rank was junior, and he avoided eye contact with either of them. Josh could see that Lionel had spotted this weakness, and planned to use it to his own advantage.

  'Officer,' Lionel said, addressing Ramirez.

  Ramirez turned, hands clasped in front of him, to face Lionel. 'Sir?'

  'Worker to worker, man to man, you've got to be able to tell us something about what's going on here, right? Help me out here. I don't know what's going on and I've got the CIA knocking on my door. Point me in the right direction here, would you?'

  Ramirez, clearly uncomfortable, said, 'I'm sorry, sir, I don't know anything, and I wouldn't be able to tell you if I did. That's my orders.'

  'Nothing at all? Not a single thing?'

  'Sorry, sir.'

  Lionel, realizing the game was done, backed off. Instead, he looked at the papers he'd been given, flicking through and skim-reading.

  'What do they say?' Josh asked, intrigued yet concerned.

  'Standard stuff. Signed warrant, boilerplate forms, but nothing that's going to tell me any more about what's got the CIA so worked up.' He passed the documents to Josh, who, upon inspection, came to the same conclusion.

  'This shit's messed up,' Josh said, passing the papers back.

  'Damn right it is.'

  'You don't think we've done anything wrong, do you?'

  Lionel threw Josh a stare.

  'No, sorry, you're right. I don't know what it is, then. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.'

  They didn't have to wait long, because within thirty minutes, two blacked out SUVs arrived, hidden grille lights flashing in turn. Ramirez spotted them first, with some relief, approaching them as they pulled up. The men who emerged were inconspicuously suited and not at all what Josh had imagined they would look like. If he'd had to place them before knowing they were CIA, he'd have said accountants.

  Ramirez led the group of four over to Josh and Lionel, introducing them and then vanishing as soon as he was dismissed.

  'I'm agent Tom Edwards,' the man leading the group said. He seemed familiar, had one of those faces everybody recognizes. 'I'm sorry for this whole debacle. I'm sure we can get this resolved right away and be out of your hair.'