Blink: Leviathan (Book 2)

10

The dark passage looked about as inviting as a swamp, devoid of any light and filled with the icy water of Marianas's oceans. Amber crouched down at its edge, shining her torch into the depths, revealing more stairs leading down to the subsidiary passage. The actual structure looked intact and the water level wasn't rising. It struck her as a rather tranquil little spot despite everything.

"According to the mapper that passage runs a hundred metres and links with another stairwell," Hekket said, studying the read-out on his instrument. "That should bring us up into the passage on the other side of the door."

"And what if there's another locked door at the far end?" Brannigan asked, her eyes staring into the flooded passage.

"Then I guess we'll have to double back and try to find another route."

"There's one way to find out," Darien said. "Who wants to go for a swim?"

Amber smiled, shedding her backpack and combat vest. "I'll go."

"I love a volunteer." He took the pack from her, grinning. "No heroics while you're down there alright? Just get to the far end and confirm if we can get through that way."

She dipped her fingers experimentally into the water. It was very cold and she jerked back sharply, wrinkling her nose. "I don't think I'm going to be down there any longer than I have to."

Darien held her pack open while she rummaged around to find her breather mask. The contraptions were a godsend for anyone doing any kind of under water activity. Fitting over the nose and mouth, they were not unlike hospital oxygen masks in appearance, but had some crucial differences. Its rim vac-sealed against the wearer's skin, creating a water-tight barrier, and fitted to both sides of it were tiny compressed oxygen tanks. Officially it would provide her with three hours of air, give or take half an hour depending on how much she had to exert herself during that time. The main thing that made it invaluable was that she'd still be able to communicate while she used it.

Attaching the breather to her face, Amber felt a slight tingling sensation as it formed its seal around her nose and mouth. She slipped a pair of goggles in under the mono-rig, feeling the same tingle around her eyes as they sealed into place. Then she reached down to her boots and flicked the activation switches for the micro-jets that would propel her through the water. She checked to ensure her carbine was securely strapped to her body and the bandoleer of lances was firmly loaded, then looked to Darien.

"All set?" he asked.

"All set." Amber turned and faced the water. Even through she was wearing the breather she still took a deep breath before diving head first into the depths.

She gasped at the searing cold that enveloped her despite the protection of her Blink issue dry-suit. The oceans of Marianas were nothing short of freezing. Nevertheless, she took a couple of steadying breaths and pointed her toes. The micro-jets came to life, giving a gentle shunt of propulsion to drive her through the water, leaving her hands free. The mono-rig automatically adjusted for the sudden gloom of the water, generating a thin ray of light to accompany the torch mounted on her carbine.

"Amber, can you hear me?" Darien's voice sounded in her ear.

"Loud and clear," she answered.

"How's the water?"

"A bit colder than I'd like, but you can't have everything." She smiled wryly to herself and turned her body, moving slowly and smoothly through the water. The liquid had been totally still until her arrival, and she could see it rippling up against the roof. The flooded section still spanned a hefty twenty feet in height, and her light revealed more rooms – some with open doors, others sealed shut. She glided past them, taking care to give a good view through her mono-rig for the experts back on the sub.