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"Explorer 343 to Worldhold we copy, COPY! COPY! COPY! Need evac! Precise coordinates unknown, below cave system at 51, 46 degrees!" 

There's a mad scramble as every member of the crew finds their radio and tries to talk at once. The fact that we have a signal with Worldhold is crazy down here. The way the network is configured, our primary signal with Worldhold is rerouted separately through each of our individual radios.

Basically, normally, we all can talk to each other as long as we're in range of Nora whose responsible for the main transmitter which makes up 80% of the weight of her backpack. Now if Nora picks up a signal with Worldhold, we establish a live feed through the main transmitter. This live feed means we can each separately connect with anyone in Worldhold. So right now Nora can connect with rescue operations, Miranda could ask the science institutes to analyze samples, Jeff could tell Worldhold Expeditionary Forces about the threat of the Shadows, and Julius could call his family, all at the same time. Of course, the only problem is that right now we're all talking to separate people at the same time flooding the caves with noise!

" Everyone shut up! Nora let rescue operations know what's going on, everyone else I don't care if you're talking to God, you damn well better whisper!"

Jeff barks and everyone but Nora guiltily quiets down. It's critical that Nora report our situation and that they get every detail. She's recorded every twist and turn we've taken down here and all our decisions. Rescue operations will need every detail if they're going to find us down here, it could be life or death.

But in the excitement of the moment, with the signal possibly dying at any moment, everyone was understandably eager to speak. I can see Miranda trying to talk about the moss on the walls with someone. Maybe the person on the other end will help her figure a way up and out of here. Jeff sounds like he's reporting on the Shadows to someone. Julius...I think he's talking to family. I can vaguely hear the sounds of crying from his radio but even though Nora's giving Julius a dirty look, even she's not cold enough to stop him from saying his piece. After all, if we don't make it out of here... none of us might be talking to our families again.

Kssshhh....shhhhhh....zzziiiiip

There's another rush of static and then all the radios break up and die as the main signal goes out.

"I repeat, left right left, 51, 46 degrees! Cave in! We are alive! Hostiles everywhere!" 

 Nora screams into the transmitter and slaps it a few times in a rare display of emotion. However, it's very obviously dead. Everyone looks up from their radios finally quiet. I can see Julius is trying to hide it behind a scarred hand but when I flick away from the Sonovis to real vision for a second I can see wetness behind his eyes. Then they realize that my radio is broken.

"John...I'm sorry, I didn't think you might..."

I turn and look at Miranda. She's motioning to her radio helplessly.

"I was just so...caught up in whether or not this new species of moss might...you know...lead us up..."

Her voice breaks off and I realize she thinks I regret not having the chance to talk to my family. Well more like say goodbye. Miranda's an orphan brought up by the botany institute in Worldhold. She's been sponsored since birth by the Worldhold Expeditionary Forces and the look in her eyes right now is heartbreaking.

"Miranda don't worry. If it gives us even a one percent better chance of getting out of here, I'd sew my mouth shut," I reply. But I can see she's still angry at herself.

"I just didn't consider...cuz you know...the institute...it's kind of like....my home you know??" 

A few angry tears drip down and I resist the urge to switch back to the Sonovis. I might be a coward sometimes but I'll be damned if I look away from someone crying real tears for me. I reach in and give her an awkward hug through our suits, bumping helmets.

"I told you, don't worry. You'll be the secret agent saving the team, and I'll be the hero who holds it all in. It'll be just like those holovids you like."

She sees my trusting smile through my visor and I give her a thumbs-up before switching back to Sonovis. Just in time to shove her away.

KAAAAAAAHSSSSSSSSS!

A shower of static flickers across the black and white lines of the digitally rendered shadow-landscape which is my world right now. I'm smashed to the ground as one of the sinewy arms of the Shadow hanging from the ceiling catches the back of my helmet. I'm stunned and helpless but at least I saved Miranda I think. Maybe I'm going to get to be the hero sooner than I thought. I can see the huge white eyes staring down at me as those jagged teeth shiver open in anticipation. A speck of drool drips down on me as it salivates at the thought of tearing me apart and eating me alive.

Toc! Toc Toc!

KAAAAAAHSSSSssssssssssss! Crash!

The monster above me is blasted away by a wave of gunfire and I struggle to get up but just end up flopping around as my head continues to ring.

"John get the hell up! Julius, covering fire! Miranda, Nora get John up!" Jeff orders us into formation but I'm too shell shocked by the sudden hit to move.

There's another blast of heavy gunfire and suddenly all around me are frantic humans grabbing my arms and legs and the shapes of monsters swarming the floor, walls, and ceiling of the caves. I realize it's my teammates, they aren't leaving me behind! Miranda and Nora have my legs, though they're both smaller than me, their power suits give them more than enough strength to drag me away! 

Toc! toctoctoctoctoc TOC TOC TOC TOCTOCTOC toctoctoctoctoc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jeff and Julius are waiting at a tunnel mouth laying down coordinated covering fire with full on automatic sprays of their rifles. The girls get me to the tunnel mouth and begin to drag me deeper inside as Jeff and Julius continue to hold off the Shadows. But it's only a matter of time before one sneaks through. On my back staring up at them my fuzzy mind wonders why they don't just collapse the tunnel again...then it hits me and I jolt back to reality! They don't have any grenades left!

"My belt. I still have... grenades!" I manage to cough out. Miranda looks at me and instantly realizing what I mean reaches into my belt and pulls out the last two round metallic spheres.

"Jeff, Julius get back! Fire in the HOLE!!!!" Miranda tosses them to the entrance of the tunnel mouth as Jeff and Julius desperately sprint towards us. There's a split second where I can see on the Sonovis two squiggly white and black orbs soaring over the cartoonishly drawn faces of two frantically running scouts. Then the grenades are past them and a wave of sound causes my entire vision to turn to white. 

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM