1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,519 Speaker 1: Hullo. I'm welcomed stories all the time. Glad you are here. 2 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:11,960 Let's get into it. I was recruited for the project 3 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:15,000 in August twenty eighteen. I had just completed my twentieth 4 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:17,879 year in the military, fifteen in special Forces, and for 5 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:20,839 the first time was considering leaving. I had lost friends 6 00:00:20,839 --> 00:00:22,879 along the way, and the loss of my family had 7 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:26,160 just passed. It felt like it was time. I never 8 00:00:26,199 --> 00:00:30,079 had house feeling, and I think people understood arde. On 9 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:32,880 August twelfth, twenty eighteen, I received a message from my 10 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:35,240 group commander telling me to be ready for private video 11 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:39,000 call at the teen hundred hours. No further info. This 12 00:00:39,079 --> 00:00:41,399 in itself was unusual, and the identity of the column 13 00:00:41,399 --> 00:00:44,039 made it more so. Not every day you hear from 14 00:00:44,039 --> 00:00:46,000 a retired rear admiral and form a head of n 15 00:00:46,079 --> 00:00:49,439 s w C. It was a short conversation. Thus of 16 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:52,560 my recollection it went as follows. I've changed all the 17 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:56,799 names below for obvious reasons. Admiral, Sir Matthew been a 18 00:00:56,799 --> 00:01:00,719 long time. Condolence is on your recent loss. How are 19 00:01:00,759 --> 00:01:04,439 you holding up well as can we expected? Sir? Good 20 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:07,000 to hear that now time is a factor here, so 21 00:01:07,159 --> 00:01:09,439 let's get straight to it. I've heard you may be 22 00:01:09,519 --> 00:01:11,599 leaving us, and in your position, I can't blame you. 23 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:13,840 A lot of lucrative offers out there for a man 24 00:01:13,879 --> 00:01:16,239 of your talents. I believe I may have one that 25 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:18,799 will suit you. To be honest, I didn't know what 26 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,599 to say to this. In my experience, this wasn't how 27 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:25,480 things were done, he continued. I was contacted this morning 28 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,079 by some one I respect, former ODDNY to ask if 29 00:01:28,079 --> 00:01:30,159 I had a suitable candidate for a team he is heading. 30 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:32,920 To be clear, this is nessippy with a blank check 31 00:01:33,079 --> 00:01:35,959 run in conjunction with some of our private contractors and assets. 32 00:01:36,599 --> 00:01:40,599 You were the obvious choice. No family, I thought, if 33 00:01:40,599 --> 00:01:42,840 you're interested, I'll pass you through to another call when 34 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:46,879 the project leads. Give these men your consideration, Son, this 35 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,079 is a unique opportunity to serve our country and be 36 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:52,840 well rewarded. Can't deny I was intrigued as much as 37 00:01:52,879 --> 00:01:55,040 I had been toying with the prospect of civilian life. 38 00:01:55,079 --> 00:01:57,799 It wasn't a comfortable feeling. I'll admit it scared me 39 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:01,120 a little. The fear of being with up purpose. At 40 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:03,599 least that's how I imagined it at the time. Yes 41 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:08,599 or no. Matthew, yes, Sir's decision. In that case, my 42 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:13,840 involvement ends and this discussion never took place. Understood, understood, sir. 43 00:02:14,479 --> 00:02:17,159 He nodded to me, and the screen went blank. My 44 00:02:17,199 --> 00:02:20,360 connection was writed to a platform I didn't recognize. In 45 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,240 the following minutes, I received download requests for some heavy 46 00:02:23,319 --> 00:02:27,080 duty encryption and security software. Once they completed, a fresh 47 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:30,199 call screen opened. There were two others present, but no 48 00:02:30,319 --> 00:02:33,919 video or ID. Their audio carried a mild distortion, likely 49 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,759 some form of voice masking. The conversation only lasted two minutes. 50 00:02:38,479 --> 00:02:40,400 They gave me a brief overview of the project and 51 00:02:40,439 --> 00:02:44,240 what would be required of me, dates and times. Officially, 52 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:46,520 we would be employed by private entity, as there could 53 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:49,280 be no paper trayal, no traceable association to any branch 54 00:02:49,319 --> 00:02:53,639 of government, plausible deniability in case of a catastrophic intelligence leak. 55 00:02:54,159 --> 00:02:56,560 The pay was more than adequate and my immediate discharge 56 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,800 would be facilitated. What wasn't discussed were any details of 57 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:02,520 the operation. They simply told me I would be briefed 58 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,319 on site. The call ended and one of those new 59 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:08,080 security programs kicked in, cleaning itself in any trace of 60 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:10,639 the last fifteen minutes from my system. That was how 61 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:12,960 it began for me. I were within the sections purview 62 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:15,280 for the next four years until I accepted the truth. 63 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:17,680 We all know. There are crimes committed in the name 64 00:03:17,719 --> 00:03:20,680 of our country, all manner of evils, concealed by those 65 00:03:20,759 --> 00:03:23,439 in power, and my own silence was a part of that. 66 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:26,000 As long as I kept their secrets, I was as 67 00:03:26,039 --> 00:03:29,120 guilty as they were. So I decided to tell my story. 68 00:03:29,759 --> 00:03:32,360 I've lost everything because of that choice, but I won't stop. 69 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:35,560 I'll post the truth wherever I can until they find me. 70 00:03:36,199 --> 00:03:37,800 There is an old court that stuck with me through 71 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,680 the years, spoken nine centuries ago by the kne of Jerusalem. 72 00:03:41,199 --> 00:03:43,240 I think of it, damned near every night, wore its 73 00:03:43,319 --> 00:03:45,960 rising up in the quiet moments, as I drive through 74 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:48,719 the night, watching my mirror for a tale, as I 75 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,560 give another false name at another cheap motel, as I 76 00:03:51,639 --> 00:03:54,159 sleep alone in the woods, gun in my hand, I 77 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:57,120 find myself with spring. It a prayer, a mantra, and 78 00:03:57,199 --> 00:04:00,360 a curse. When you stand before God, you can say, 79 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:02,199 but I was told by others to do this or that. 80 00:04:02,879 --> 00:04:07,319 Virtue was not convenient at the time. This will not advice. Indeed, 81 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:10,599 I will not so here we are. If you are 82 00:04:10,639 --> 00:04:13,560 hoping for scientific and technical detail on what I saw, sorry, 83 00:04:13,759 --> 00:04:16,399 but I'm not that guy. I'm no pH d. And 84 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:18,680 all relevant intelligence was on a need to know basis. 85 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:23,000 Compatmentalization is key to security. There are thousands of people 86 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:25,040 all over the US who have worked on beyond top 87 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:27,680 secret projects and never had any idea what they were 88 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:30,480 a part of. In the most basic scenario, think of 89 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:32,360 it like this. You need someone to drive a truck, 90 00:04:32,399 --> 00:04:34,759 doesn't mean they need to know what's in it. Even 91 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:36,800 the information I did learn of the project and its 92 00:04:36,879 --> 00:04:40,120 history was limited. I received some general scene setting in 93 00:04:40,199 --> 00:04:42,759 early briefings and picked up the rest over time. To 94 00:04:42,879 --> 00:04:45,040 the best of my knowledge, a site was discovered through 95 00:04:45,079 --> 00:04:49,160 regularities on standard size mixedcans. Some bright spotmashed the co 96 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:52,079 ordinates which record its satellite interference, then took a field 97 00:04:52,079 --> 00:04:54,680 trip to check it out. What they discovered worked its 98 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:56,759 way up the ladder until some one senior enough made 99 00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:59,079 the decision to lock it down and bury everyone involved 100 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:02,120 in DA. The land surrounding the anomaly was brought up 101 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:05,040 through private third parties, and a mining concern created its 102 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:08,040 cover on August fifteenth, I took a flight out of 103 00:05:08,079 --> 00:05:10,160 San Diego, arriving for a pick up a round three 104 00:05:10,199 --> 00:05:13,759 hours later. After two decades of traveling overseas, this was 105 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:17,680 a genuine pleasure. I was collected by another Expecial Forces operative, 106 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:21,439 let's call him Mark. We drove eight aros from city 107 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:24,160 to suburb to empty plain, arriving in the mountains after dark. 108 00:05:24,959 --> 00:05:27,000 Mark was much of a talker, but neither was I, 109 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:29,959 so we got along just fine. After an hour of 110 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,959 winding through in the forest, we reached our destination, a turrum. 111 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:35,439 Mark had a quico for the first gate of vehicle 112 00:05:35,519 --> 00:05:38,439 sized entrance on a high perimeter fence. The road took 113 00:05:38,519 --> 00:05:40,879 us to a complex of buildings nestled on the mountain side. 114 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:43,639 We were met there by two armed guards who escorted 115 00:05:43,759 --> 00:05:46,120 us from then on. They led us inside one of 116 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:48,639 the larger structures and pointed out where our living quarters 117 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:50,839 were located. Then took us down a narrow set of 118 00:05:50,879 --> 00:05:54,079 stairst cold and empty basement. There were steel double doors 119 00:05:54,079 --> 00:05:56,920 built into the wall, approximately twenty feet wide, which provided 120 00:05:56,959 --> 00:06:00,000 access to the interior of the mountain itself. We entered 121 00:06:00,079 --> 00:06:02,319 ard what had once been a natural cave network now 122 00:06:02,439 --> 00:06:05,839 enlarged and extended through the recent excavation. A single powerful 123 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:07,879 Allied D strip ran down the center of the ceiling, 124 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,480 and there were cameras at every corner. It was a 125 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,040 five minute walk through those stone passages before we reached 126 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:16,079 the final checkpoint. This door was air date six inch 127 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:17,879 thick steel and must have weighed the better part of 128 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:20,879 a ton. On the other side was the project control center. 129 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:24,439 It was a relatively basic set up, one equipment tower 130 00:06:24,519 --> 00:06:27,360 with computer stations on either side, a generator and several 131 00:06:27,399 --> 00:06:30,560 stacks of containers. On the opposite side of this area, 132 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,279 I saw a second edit steel door. There were only 133 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:36,240 three people present. First was a tall, thin Mail and 134 00:06:36,319 --> 00:06:38,720 his fifties, who introduced himself as Adam, the on site lead, 135 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:40,759 and I suspected one of the men I had spoken 136 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:44,560 to by video call. Next was Joanna, an intelligence analyst 137 00:06:44,639 --> 00:06:47,720 and agency liaison. Last was Luke, who would be part 138 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:50,480 of the security detail with Mark and me. There were 139 00:06:50,519 --> 00:06:53,800 never many people present. In fact, I rarely saw more 140 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:56,399 than half a dozen at any one time. The remaining 141 00:06:56,439 --> 00:06:58,399 three members of the team arrived in the next hour, 142 00:06:58,519 --> 00:07:02,160 and our initial briefing took placedly after Adam called everyone 143 00:07:02,199 --> 00:07:04,720 together and we introduced ourselves. I would be leading the 144 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:07,079 security team, and when there were no calms with Bass 145 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:11,319 assume overall command. Mark and Luke completed my squad. John, 146 00:07:11,399 --> 00:07:14,879 a Grayhay physicist, would lead the science team. Peter was 147 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:17,279 a geologist and the youngest of the group at thirty six. 148 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:20,560 He was their third, a biologist with a deep Southern accent. 149 00:07:21,319 --> 00:07:24,439 Regarding the team's numbers, in particular the three minutes free split, 150 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:26,800 that was a concern. As far as I had been 151 00:07:26,879 --> 00:07:29,959 led to believe this was primarily a military operation, I 152 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:32,480 had no idea what we would be facing, so I 153 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:35,920 didn't want civilians on the first trip down. I was overruled. 154 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:39,120 Adam never said it aloud, but we were clearly under 155 00:07:39,199 --> 00:07:42,759 serious timeue pressure. I didn't discover why until several years later. 156 00:07:43,439 --> 00:07:45,519 The next morning, Joanna took us through to see the 157 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,360 object that had brought us all there, the anomaly. She 158 00:07:48,439 --> 00:07:51,000 called it, not going to lie. It was much to 159 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:54,160 look at, not at first. It occupied the center of 160 00:07:54,199 --> 00:07:57,519 another excavated room, surrounded by an array of monitoring equipment. 161 00:07:57,959 --> 00:07:59,920 From a distance, I thought it was just a hole 162 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:02,120 on the floor, nothing more than a tunnel with oddly 163 00:08:02,199 --> 00:08:05,720 colored sides, but on approach I realized it was actually 164 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:09,199 separate from the rock, a pale tube fifteen feet in diameter, 165 00:08:09,399 --> 00:08:11,720 rigidly extending a few inches up from the stone, encasing it. 166 00:08:12,399 --> 00:08:15,000 The material which formed it possessed a faint luminescence, a 167 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:17,319 milky light, which swelled or shrunk in each passing moment. 168 00:08:18,079 --> 00:08:20,920 Despite this, when I stared downside, I found the interior 169 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:24,160 plunged rapidly into total darkness. At the mouth. There was 170 00:08:24,199 --> 00:08:26,319 also a mild disturbance in the air, at tiny waves 171 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:29,439 of heat and humidity which buffeted my skin. The surface 172 00:08:29,439 --> 00:08:31,319 of the tunnel wall appeared to be in constant motion, 173 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:34,360 reflecting and distorting any light that fell on it. The 174 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:36,919 on site team referred to this structure of biofilm, though 175 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:39,559 they never successfully acquired a sample to confirm its nature. 176 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,399 It was only two inches at its thickest point, yet 177 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:45,559 penetrating it in any way had proven impossible. Nothing was 178 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:49,320 able to pierce the surface. Ferralls, graphine blades, and even 179 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:52,679 in infraid solid state laser all failed. Forceal radiation of 180 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:56,039 any kind was almost instantly dissipated throughout the biofilm. The 181 00:08:56,159 --> 00:08:58,360 only measurable effect of any of these tests was a 182 00:08:58,399 --> 00:09:02,000 temporary increase in luminescence. As for the interior, they tried 183 00:09:02,039 --> 00:09:05,279 sending drones down in early July. Both units were lost 184 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,759 to electromagnetic interference in the first fifty feet, dropping lifeless 185 00:09:08,799 --> 00:09:10,919 into the dark like Pennis at a well. To be 186 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:13,240 fair to the team involved, there was no messing around. 187 00:09:13,279 --> 00:09:16,679 In the third attempt, they lowered heavily reinforced and insulated 188 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:19,320 instrument platform mon steel wire cabling, the kind of unit 189 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:21,919 that could survive a volcano or the ocean floor. That 190 00:09:22,039 --> 00:09:24,440 worked better until they ran out of cable at two miles. 191 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:28,480 The next attempt reached seven miles. The readings these units 192 00:09:28,519 --> 00:09:31,799 returned were unusual, to say the least inside the tunnel. 193 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:35,039 There was no variation in temperature, humidity by atmospheric pressure, 194 00:09:35,639 --> 00:09:39,279 none whatsoever, thirty two point three degrees celsius, and humid 195 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:41,120 as a rainforest every inch of the way down to 196 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:44,840 seven miles. Now, just for comparison, a line outside the 197 00:09:44,879 --> 00:09:48,320 case averaged twelve degrees that month, and dustry there inside 198 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:50,679 the tunnel was also tested for airborne toxins and other 199 00:09:50,759 --> 00:09:55,360 trace materials. This result was even stranger. There was nothing detected, 200 00:09:55,519 --> 00:09:57,840 not so much as a microbe. It was as if 201 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:00,919 the atmosphere inside remained completely sterilized despite being opened to 202 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:04,080 the air. On August tenth, the censor platform was loaded 203 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:06,879 for a third time. This attempt halted at nine miles. 204 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:10,039 They had found something we had set out to send 205 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:13,159 for August seventeen, eight hundred hours. A left had been 206 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:15,840 constructed the previous day after a final delivery of equipment. 207 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:18,679 It looked reassuringly dirty and had a max carry weight 208 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:21,480 of twenty thousand pounds, so we would be well within 209 00:10:21,519 --> 00:10:24,679 safety parameters. The miles of cable had been arriving for 210 00:10:24,799 --> 00:10:27,600 days and were laid out everywhere you looked. Our gear 211 00:10:27,759 --> 00:10:31,879 was all excellent quality third generation night vision PP respirators, 212 00:10:32,039 --> 00:10:34,039 though there was no indication yet we would require them 213 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:37,759 custom make keV composite body armor, sanded CLOCK nineteen side arms, 214 00:10:37,879 --> 00:10:40,960 and modified MK seventeen as caused for the security detail. 215 00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:44,159 Not everyone's favorite weapon, but I never had an issue. 216 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:47,600 We also used an interlinked vidiocomms system where everything we 217 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:49,440 saw and heard was recorded and could be viewed in 218 00:10:49,519 --> 00:10:52,720 real time or replayed by any other member. This system 219 00:10:52,759 --> 00:10:56,039 also included location trackers built into our helmets if I 220 00:10:56,159 --> 00:10:58,000 was going to be petty, which I am. The chest 221 00:10:58,039 --> 00:11:00,440 rake had a stupid design and the pockets won big enough, 222 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:05,360 but no serious complaints. The lift had two sections. At 223 00:11:05,399 --> 00:11:07,600 the base was a detachable cargo area which we had 224 00:11:07,639 --> 00:11:11,200 pat with flood light and generators. Above was the main carriage, 225 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:14,039 which would hold ourselves and all other equipment and supplies. 226 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:16,759 The big part of that weight was devoted to fluids 227 00:11:16,759 --> 00:11:20,039 in expectation of high temperature and humidity. Mark Luke and 228 00:11:20,159 --> 00:11:22,360 myself had been through hotter with heavier gear, but the 229 00:11:22,399 --> 00:11:25,240 three civilians were likely to struggle. The six of us 230 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:27,519 entered the lift at seven fifty five for final checks. 231 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:30,080 I received the go ahead on schedule, locked the gate 232 00:11:30,159 --> 00:11:33,759 in place, and we began our descent. The bioluminescence faded 233 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,759 and our own harsh lights took over. Even Peter were 234 00:11:36,879 --> 00:11:40,320 visibly nervous, fidgeting and whispering to each other. I remember 235 00:11:40,399 --> 00:11:42,600 looking up and watching the circle of light above shrink 236 00:11:42,639 --> 00:11:45,440 as we left the surface behind. The lift ascended of 237 00:11:45,519 --> 00:11:47,639 fifteen miles per hour, which gave an esta made a 238 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:50,919 travel time of forty five minutes with regular stops. Calm 239 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:52,600 links to base were used as by the two mile 240 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:55,759 point and never improved. Our direct links between each other 241 00:11:55,799 --> 00:11:59,360 remained viable with only minor interference. Adam had warned us 242 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:02,480 to expect headed fatigue and sudden rises embodied due to 243 00:12:02,519 --> 00:12:05,399 the electromagnetic radiation, and though we all felt those effects 244 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:08,360 to varying degrees, it was never as severe as originally feared. 245 00:12:08,919 --> 00:12:11,600 If I recle correctly. We made our stops every two miles. 246 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:15,279 John would check the atmospheric stats each time before we proceeded. 247 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:18,279 Eve made fresh attempts to take samples of the biofilm, 248 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:21,320 without success. Little could be seen through the tunnel walls, 249 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:24,440 but our geologists remained into used. He told me something 250 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:27,039 about basalt and water bearing minerals, which I am sure 251 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:29,759 would have been fascinating if I understood it. We reached 252 00:12:29,799 --> 00:12:32,799 six miles at thirty four minutes. The only sound was 253 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:34,720 the movement of the lift cables and our own breeding. 254 00:12:35,279 --> 00:12:38,559 The only lighter flickering lamps. When we passed seven point 255 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:41,240 seven miles, John asked for our attention. We are now 256 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:44,399 deeper than humans have ever even drilled. At this depth, 257 00:12:44,639 --> 00:12:47,279 we would expect temperatures of one hundred eighty degrees celsus 258 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:50,399 three hundred fifty six degrees fahrenheit. He held up his 259 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:53,519 thermometer reading and smiled. But it still thirty two point 260 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:58,879 three zero variation extraordinary. He held up his thermometer reading 261 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:02,720 and smiled, But its still thirty two point three zero 262 00:13:02,919 --> 00:13:08,759 variation extraordinary. We continued down steadily and without incident. Mark 263 00:13:08,799 --> 00:13:11,799 and Luke were quiet and professional. As expected. The three 264 00:13:11,879 --> 00:13:14,159 members of the science team handled the conditions bitter than 265 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:17,200 I could have hoped. After forty three minutes, I called 266 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:20,120 for everyone to put on their breathing apparatus. Planned we 267 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:22,559 had air quality monitored in the shaft, but beyond that 268 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:25,360 was a mystery. No one spoke as those final seconds 269 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,759 came and went. We arrived on schedule, the tunnel walls 270 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:31,240 vanishing on all sides. As we descended into an immense 271 00:13:31,279 --> 00:13:34,240 and silent darkness, I slowed the lift to a halt 272 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:36,159 and peered over the edge with my torch on full. 273 00:13:36,759 --> 00:13:39,440 The last probe state indicated a solid surface, and that 274 00:13:39,519 --> 00:13:43,120 appeared to be accurate it. I dropped down on destride 275 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:45,440 of what covered by biofilm, nowhere different to the walls 276 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:48,000 of the tunnel we had just left In fact, the 277 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:50,840 biofilm extended and broken in every direction, suggesting we were 278 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:52,720 simply in the swelling of the tunnel, as opposed to 279 00:13:52,759 --> 00:13:56,039 an entirely new area. It was, and I cannot stress 280 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:59,159 this enough, the deepest pitch black have ever experienced. As 281 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:01,919 powerful as they were, our torches illuminated such narrow bands 282 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:04,519 that they felt almost useless. I have no doubt the 283 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:07,039 silence played a part in this impression. There was no 284 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:09,559 sound but that which we made ourselves, not so much 285 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:12,159 as a trickle of water. I imagined. I could feel 286 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:14,480 the weight of all those miles above bren Down, billions 287 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:17,039 of tons of stone between us and the light from 288 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:18,919 the faces of the others. I don't think I was 289 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:21,440 the only one. When the six of us had exited, 290 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,360 we began set up unpacking the flood lights, generators, and 291 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:28,720 other supplies. I retested all location trackers and local teamcomm network, 292 00:14:28,799 --> 00:14:31,039 flicking through each man as video and audio, and found 293 00:14:31,039 --> 00:14:33,919 it working with minimal shoes. I tried the gent three 294 00:14:34,039 --> 00:14:35,840 night vision, but there was little to see other than 295 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:39,080 an empty expanse, quiet and waiting. The infrared setting was 296 00:14:39,159 --> 00:14:42,600 useless due to interference. When the equality checks were complete, 297 00:14:42,679 --> 00:14:46,120 we removed our breeding apparatus. There was still no detectable 298 00:14:46,159 --> 00:14:49,000 variation in atmospheric conditions and no sign of toxins or 299 00:14:49,039 --> 00:14:51,759 other bay or hazards. Mark found the remains of the 300 00:14:51,799 --> 00:14:54,159 two drones that had fallen weeks before and packaged them 301 00:14:54,159 --> 00:14:56,600 for a return. We had brought a fresh drone, but 302 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:58,679 it could only manage a few seconds of flight before 303 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:02,679 interference killed it. John began work on alternatives imaging systems 304 00:15:02,679 --> 00:15:05,519 that could provide an advanced picture of our surroundings. He 305 00:15:05,679 --> 00:15:08,799 called us over thirty minutes later on his green the 306 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:11,559 scandatea fed back rendering a three dimensional model of the 307 00:15:11,639 --> 00:15:14,720 cavern's interior. We stood in the basin of a huge ovoid, 308 00:15:14,799 --> 00:15:17,320 three miles long, two miles wide, and one mile tall. 309 00:15:17,519 --> 00:15:19,480 And there was something else in the center of the chamber, 310 00:15:19,639 --> 00:15:22,440 beginning just one hundred feet above us. What the fuck 311 00:15:22,559 --> 00:15:26,039 is that? Said Mark, I suspect he spoke for all 312 00:15:26,080 --> 00:15:28,960 of us in the silence over our heads. A gigantic 313 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:31,679 cylinder round the full length of the expanse. If the 314 00:15:31,759 --> 00:15:34,000 imaging was correct, it was almost two miles long, with 315 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:37,200 a diameter of half a mile. I found myself involuntarily 316 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:39,879 glancing up though I knew my eyes couldn't penetrate the darkness. 317 00:15:40,639 --> 00:15:43,559 It isn't attached to anything, John tapped the image on 318 00:15:43,639 --> 00:15:47,440 his green. This artifact above us. It isn't touching the 319 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:53,200 surrounding structure, not anywhere, no visible support. It's just floating 320 00:15:53,879 --> 00:15:56,399 for lack of a better word. It only took us 321 00:15:56,399 --> 00:15:59,320 a couple of minutes dangle some floodlights directly upwards than 322 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:02,360 Zuma Kama and the object. We could see it up there, 323 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:04,320 but there was no great detail for me to describe. 324 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:07,440 All the light revealed was a dull, metallic surface, the 325 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:10,639 smooth skin of the sleeping giant hanging over us. All right, 326 00:16:10,759 --> 00:16:13,320 I checked the time and decided to push on. Let's 327 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:15,919 get back to it. We've got a schedule to keep. 328 00:16:16,639 --> 00:16:19,080 As we worked, I noticed the bioluminescence had picked up 329 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:22,080 around the lift, in both surface area and intensity. I 330 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:24,559 didn't know whether to be a nerve or thankful. It 331 00:16:24,639 --> 00:16:26,279 took us two iOS to set up the field of 332 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:29,519 cables and lighting. When we were complete, almost a quarter 333 00:16:29,559 --> 00:16:31,519 of the chamber four had enough elimination for us to 334 00:16:31,559 --> 00:16:34,399 find our way without night vision. The lamp still flicker, 335 00:16:34,519 --> 00:16:36,559 but we would have to live with it. I had 336 00:16:36,639 --> 00:16:39,039 created and overlaid a location grid in the model's John 337 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:42,159 had produced. Once every one confirmed access to this on 338 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:45,159 our handsets, we agreed to regroup at base camp. The 339 00:16:45,279 --> 00:16:47,879 walk back was when he fell. I heard her in 340 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:49,919 tick of breath and curse on the audio, then Louke 341 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:52,559 helping her up. I switched to her video feed on 342 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:57,440 my own headset. If you are right, what happened? Sorry? 343 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:01,720 She sounded more irritated than her chirped. I watched the 344 00:17:01,799 --> 00:17:03,919 live feet as a bowel. Just dusted herself down and 345 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:06,759 began to examine the ground around her feet. It was 346 00:17:06,799 --> 00:17:09,440 as flat and featureless as any other part of the biofilm. 347 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:13,079 I definitely tripped on something sharp, she said, it was 348 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:17,640 right here. Looked. I saw him helping her search. Didn't 349 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:21,759 see anything, sir, he replied, I'm not imagining it. I 350 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:24,440 know what I felt. I rewound her footage and played 351 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:27,240 it back. Eve had been watching where she was going, 352 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:30,039 and I couldn't see a reason for the fall. Nothing 353 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:32,279 on your camp, Luke didn't see it. Nothing there now. 354 00:17:32,559 --> 00:17:34,319 Let put it down as a stumble and move on. 355 00:17:34,559 --> 00:17:37,319 I didn't stumble. I could hear the frustration in her 356 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:38,960 voice and saw on her live feet that she had 357 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,559 sat back down. As I watched, she rolled up a 358 00:17:41,599 --> 00:17:44,119 trozzo leg and focused the visual on her shin. An 359 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,839 ugly cut was bleeding just beneath her knee. O K. 360 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:51,160 Eve point made. I'm not doubting you, but for now, 361 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:54,119 there's nothing else we can do. Let's get back to base, 362 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:57,039 patch that up and stick to our schedule. If this 363 00:17:57,279 --> 00:18:00,400 time we'll return to this area to investigate. Mark it 364 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:04,279 on your map. Grid. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I've 365 00:18:04,319 --> 00:18:06,400 heard that or said it myself at just about every 366 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:08,720 bostop de brief I was ever a part of. I 367 00:18:08,759 --> 00:18:11,039 could have stopped the mission right there, pulled everyone back 368 00:18:11,039 --> 00:18:13,319 to the lift and got out of there. I could have, 369 00:18:13,559 --> 00:18:16,400 but I didn't. We topped up on fluids then set 370 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:19,720 out on our assigned paths. I led Team one, myself 371 00:18:19,759 --> 00:18:23,200 and Peter on perimetery coon. Team two, Mark and John 372 00:18:23,279 --> 00:18:25,319 would go straight down the center of the cavern beneath 373 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:28,599 the artifact. Team three, Luke and Eve would remain at 374 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:32,119 base until another squad returned. I estimated my team would 375 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:34,279 take four iOS with a couple of breaks. Mark and 376 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:37,400 John three hours as we approached the midway point of 377 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:40,640 the cavern. The floodlights had long faded behind us. The 378 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:43,160 weight of darkness seemed to press in a vast emptiness, 379 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:46,599 swallowing the sound of our steps. I found myself getting jittery, 380 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:49,799 genuinely nervous for the first time in years. Fwit stunned 381 00:18:49,799 --> 00:18:51,599 my eyes as I checked and which checked all location. 382 00:18:52,279 --> 00:18:55,240 When we sopped to drink, I activated my mic up 383 00:18:55,359 --> 00:18:58,920 its team too, fourth stop, Mark replied, taking more readings 384 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:01,960 from the artifact. I heard John's voice in the background. 385 00:19:02,559 --> 00:19:04,880 Then he clicked on his omac and repeated himself so 386 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:08,680 I could hear the electromagnetic interferences from the cylinder. Almost 387 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:10,519 certain of that now it appear as weak as at 388 00:19:10,519 --> 00:19:13,119 the midpoint, rising in intensity at either end. Still to 389 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:16,160 confirm that, of course, or write Team three no issues. 390 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:20,759 Luke's voice comm and assured completed equipment diagnostics good to 391 00:19:20,839 --> 00:19:24,319 go when needed. I noted cohm'squality degrading with distance. It 392 00:19:24,359 --> 00:19:26,720 seemed likely we would lose contact with lukenive by the 393 00:19:26,759 --> 00:19:28,480 time we reached the far end of the chamber. My 394 00:19:28,559 --> 00:19:30,680 train of thought was broken by Peter's hand on my arm. 395 00:19:30,759 --> 00:19:33,079 I turned and saw him pointing ahead. I see a lie, 396 00:19:33,279 --> 00:19:36,480 he said, grids one hundred nine, maybe well one hundred ten. 397 00:19:37,079 --> 00:19:39,319 I peered into the distance where he indicated there was 398 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,640 definite lumination. They a dull red which varied in intensity. Afflick. 399 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:45,319 The COM's back on. This is Team one. We may 400 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:49,480 have found something point to investigate. Pridz Owe hundred nine. 401 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:52,160 The glow increased in size and strength as we approached. 402 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:54,279 When we got within fifty feet, it became a part 403 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:57,039 that was radiating from the biofilm wall of fluctuating crimson, 404 00:19:57,079 --> 00:19:59,200 shining through the material of the chamber. It was moving, 405 00:19:59,319 --> 00:20:02,079 I realized, flowing slowly down the wall, then across the floor. 406 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:05,359 Its lava. Peter was smiling broadly, his face bit in 407 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:07,960 red light. Fascinated and amused and equal measure. He stepped 408 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,440 forward and reached up a glowing surface, placing his hand 409 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:12,720 against it before I could stop him. It's cool, he said, 410 00:20:12,759 --> 00:20:14,839 with a laugh, waving his hand back at me. No 411 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:17,079 heat transfer it all the close we could see the 412 00:20:17,079 --> 00:20:19,799 biofilm itself shimmering, whatever substance it was made of, free 413 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:22,519 directing and distributing the heat and pressure from the molten rock. 414 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:25,000 As we stood and watched the flow searge beneath our feet, 415 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:27,480 quickly growing to many times its original area and brightness, 416 00:20:27,519 --> 00:20:30,160 engulfing us both in its luminescence. My god, look at that. 417 00:20:30,359 --> 00:20:32,759 I followed Peter's gaze, and my breath caught in my throat. 418 00:20:32,799 --> 00:20:35,079 The lover cast its light across the chamber, caressing all 419 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:37,200 before it in a sea of dark fire. High above us, 420 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:40,000 the dick and got fact hung suddenly revealed, still unsilent 421 00:20:40,079 --> 00:20:42,559 and alien. This is teamed too. John's voice interrupted us. 422 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:45,839 We found a discontinuity in the cylinder's surface. It's a 423 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:49,400 narrow circular channel, faint light emanating from it, approximate radius 424 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:52,920 of forty feet. Purely speculation, but perhaps an entrance of 425 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,519 some sort. I tried to reply, but a burst of 426 00:20:55,559 --> 00:20:58,559 static left the audio crackling. When I switched to John's 427 00:20:58,599 --> 00:21:01,640 video feed, it flickered. Too bad to see anything, Look, 428 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:03,880 said Peter. Behind me. The love is culling against the 429 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:07,119 biofilm fading already. I mean that was seven hundred degrees 430 00:21:07,319 --> 00:21:11,599 at minimum. Our Team one, Matthew, John's voice came through again. 431 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:14,640 This is Team one, I replied, Go ahead, Mark is 432 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:18,319 on missing. I turned and he was gone just seconds ago. 433 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:20,559 I can't see him and he isn't answering oncomm's I 434 00:21:20,599 --> 00:21:23,119 pulled up the location trackers. Marks had vanished and his 435 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:25,759 video and audio were dared. His gun is here, John said. 436 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:27,960 I switched to his video feed and saw the physicist 437 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:31,440 pick up the enk mien of seventeen. It's just lying here, John, 438 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:34,559 listen to me. I pulled up Mark's video history as 439 00:21:34,559 --> 00:21:37,240 I spoke, do not move, stay right where you are 440 00:21:37,279 --> 00:21:40,319 in a wait instruction. Mark's video cut out ninety seconds 441 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:43,119 earler one frame he was watching JHN walk ahead of him. 442 00:21:43,279 --> 00:21:45,759 Next frame, the signal was gone. I ignored my rising 443 00:21:45,799 --> 00:21:49,000 heart rate and focus John. Do you read me? Yes? 444 00:21:49,119 --> 00:21:53,400 On here, I hear you. Stay arm comms, do not 445 00:21:53,559 --> 00:21:56,519 leave this line. We will come to you. I have 446 00:21:56,640 --> 00:22:01,640 you at Gridmond hundred one. Correct? Yes, yes, that sounds correct. 447 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:03,559 Put all your lights on full and stay calm. We're 448 00:22:03,599 --> 00:22:06,079 on route. I realized I had already started towards him, 449 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:08,200 and Peter was running behind me to catch up. Team 450 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:10,359 one to Team three. We may have an issue. Marks, 451 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:13,119 amaye heading to last known location double time. Be ready 452 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:15,720 to move if we require assistance. No problem, Leake's voice 453 00:22:15,759 --> 00:22:19,079 standing by. Seconds later, Mark's locator returned on tracking, but 454 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:21,680 his video and audio remained out. According to the signal, 455 00:22:21,759 --> 00:22:24,079 he was only thirty feet from his last known position, John, 456 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:26,000 I need you to do something from me? All right? 457 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:28,680 Are you close? Four minutes? Look on your personnel tracker 458 00:22:28,799 --> 00:22:31,960 Marx's back northwest of view, very close, see it? Yes, 459 00:22:32,319 --> 00:22:34,440 I see the signal. Shine you alights in that direction 460 00:22:34,559 --> 00:22:36,720 for me. I watched his feet as he turned to 461 00:22:36,759 --> 00:22:39,720 the correct heading and aimed his torches. What's that? He said? 462 00:22:40,039 --> 00:22:41,920 No longer able to hide the trimmer in his voice, 463 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:44,319 I assumed in the picture to be certain, it's Mark's helmet, 464 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:48,000 I replied, quickening my pace again, don't move two minutes 465 00:22:48,759 --> 00:22:51,039 ragged breeding behind me as he struggled to keep pacete. 466 00:22:51,079 --> 00:22:53,400 I remember calling back to him that we were almost there. 467 00:22:53,559 --> 00:22:57,200 Hey up, Matthew. John's voice wavering. Aye. I think his 468 00:22:57,319 --> 00:23:00,279 camera went blank and his locationor vanished. Mark's disap heared 469 00:23:00,319 --> 00:23:02,759 with it. I halted, weapon raised. Peter missed my hand's 470 00:23:02,759 --> 00:23:04,799 signal and almost ran into me, clutching my pack to 471 00:23:04,839 --> 00:23:07,359 stop himself from falling. John I called over the coms. 472 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:09,759 There was no reply. We were close, but I couldn't 473 00:23:09,759 --> 00:23:12,079 see anything ahead or hear anything other than Peter's brilliant 474 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:15,000 Mark John John, does anyone read me decisions? I have 475 00:23:15,079 --> 00:23:17,440 potentially lost two of my team regroup or search with 476 00:23:17,559 --> 00:23:20,359 so little idea of what had happened. Either could be disastrous. 477 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:23,160 H Mark cracked under the pressure, wandered off, then returned 478 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:25,200 and taken John. It didn't seem likely. The man was 479 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:27,440 a professional as experienced as I was. Was a two 480 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:29,599 accidents back to back which cut off all contact? That 481 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:32,200 seemed even less likely. What did that leave Hostels? Team? 482 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:34,359 Want to team free? Luke, we have a problem here. 483 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:37,519 Have you been listening? Yes, sir, every word? What's your situation? 484 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:39,799 Ah was just about to call you, sir. The comms 485 00:23:39,799 --> 00:23:41,960 crackled as he spoke, but I could still make him out. 486 00:23:42,039 --> 00:23:43,920 May have a problem here too. I'm reading some fell 487 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:45,960 flood lights on Team two's route, started right at the 488 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:48,599 perimeter and working back toward us at Base Free. Done now, 489 00:23:48,759 --> 00:23:51,000 any ideas, sir, Nothing to do with us. I checked 490 00:23:51,039 --> 00:23:53,240 the system and he was right. All the outages were 491 00:23:53,279 --> 00:23:54,960 in a straight line from the further stage of lights 492 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:57,039 towards the lift. A fourth flashed out as I watch 493 00:23:57,119 --> 00:23:59,319 I could feel things spiraling out of control, Luke, I 494 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:02,279 can't risk my people hunting for Mark and John. I've 495 00:24:02,319 --> 00:24:05,400 no idea what we're facing here. Return into you hold 496 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:09,359 your position, yes, sir. We began moving again back to 497 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:11,839 base at the best speed Peter could manage. On the display, 498 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:14,119 I watched the line of floodlights continued to flick out. 499 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:18,559 Luke Citrup lost more lights. Two left on this grid line. 500 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:21,839 Eve said she tried the thermal imaging. I heard her 501 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:25,640 voice in the background, fast and rising. Frightened, Luke, what's 502 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:29,039 going on? Weapons fire in the distance? Two bursts from 503 00:24:29,039 --> 00:24:31,880 an m came in a seventeen. I froze and stared 504 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:34,599 in the direction of the sound on my tracker. Their 505 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:37,640 signals vanished. I dropped to one knee and scan every 506 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:40,319 patch of light head through my scope. Peter was at 507 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:42,920 my shoulder, gasping for breath. What the fuck was there? 508 00:24:43,559 --> 00:24:49,720 He said? Quiet? I cut him off, Luke. If someone 509 00:24:49,799 --> 00:24:53,559 answered me, no reply. There was nothing on any line 510 00:24:53,559 --> 00:24:56,799 but static. My heart was raising. I looked at the 511 00:24:56,799 --> 00:24:59,559 gridword of floodlights went out. There was a second line 512 00:24:59,559 --> 00:25:01,960 of failure for me. Now a new path which led 513 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:05,799 away from the lift towards us. I wavered. Despite all 514 00:25:05,839 --> 00:25:08,200 my training and experience, I was afraid, and it was 515 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:10,480 breaking me. I had faced death before, taken a bullet 516 00:25:10,519 --> 00:25:13,160 more than once, but this wasn't the same. I felt 517 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:15,400 as helpless as a child, crushed by a simple, primal 518 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:18,119 fear as old as our species itself, the fear of 519 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:20,440 what might wait in the dark. I don't want to 520 00:25:20,559 --> 00:25:23,799 die here, I thought, regripping my weapon. Do not die here. 521 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:28,119 I will not die here. Peter listened to me, breathe. 522 00:25:28,759 --> 00:25:31,240 Put your hand on my shoulder. Do not let go. 523 00:25:32,039 --> 00:25:33,759 We are not going to stop again from here to 524 00:25:33,799 --> 00:25:37,680 the lift. Put all your lights out, do not activate calms. 525 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:42,079 We are silent from here on in understand He began 526 00:25:42,200 --> 00:25:46,200 to speak, then nodded instead. Shit, I thought. If I 527 00:25:46,279 --> 00:25:49,359 was scared, I couldn't even imagine what he was going through, though. 528 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:52,519 I chose a route which swung away from the disabled lights, 529 00:25:52,599 --> 00:25:54,799 taking us to the lift in a wide lip. Every 530 00:25:54,839 --> 00:25:57,039 few seconds more floodlights cut off. On the read up. 531 00:25:57,599 --> 00:26:00,200 The path halted at our previous location, then began again 532 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:03,839 in a scattershot patten, expanding from that point a search pattern. 533 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:07,680 It became a race soaked in sweat and shaking with adrenaline, 534 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:10,279 every muscle burning, waiting every second for something to come 535 00:26:10,319 --> 00:26:12,720 out of the dark. A minute out, the closest light 536 00:26:12,759 --> 00:26:15,039 to our left failed. I swung us away from it, 537 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:17,720 weapon up, arm shaking, pointing the barrel into the black. 538 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:20,880 Peter was in desperate shape behind me, a stumbling weight 539 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:24,440 hanging on my side. I saw the lift ahead. Every 540 00:26:24,519 --> 00:26:27,319 nearer by floodlight was down, but two we were close. 541 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:31,400 Maybe thirty seconds another light went out fifty feet behind 542 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:36,480 us Peter. I was gasping for air, myself straight inside. 543 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:41,799 Twenty seconds. Get it moving, I'll cover the door. Only 544 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:45,960 one light remained ten seconds at Peter's hand came off 545 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:47,920 my shoulder and I turned just in time to see 546 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:50,599 him die. It lasted only a fraction of a second. 547 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:54,319 Something grasped him from the shadows, but I couldn't make 548 00:26:54,359 --> 00:26:57,319 it out, only the way it held him. It crushed 549 00:26:57,400 --> 00:26:59,960 him before he could even cry out. I stumbled back 550 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:02,559 back and fell, my weapon hung limp in my hand. 551 00:27:03,279 --> 00:27:05,559 I hadn't even fire, wouldn't even know what to shoot at. 552 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:08,319 I scrambled away on all fours, then back to my 553 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:10,799 feet and through the lift gate, finger back on my trigger. 554 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:13,559 Then I was in one hand working the panel and 555 00:27:13,599 --> 00:27:15,960 the other trying to keep my weapon. Then the lift 556 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:20,039 began to ascend. I left them all behind. I sometimes 557 00:27:20,119 --> 00:27:22,559 wonder if guilt is wind doing this now. I say, 558 00:27:22,599 --> 00:27:25,000 I'm posting this because it's the right thing, the moral thing, 559 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:27,720 to give people the truth? Am I lying to myself 560 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:31,440 is a skilt masquerading as righteousness? How would I know? 561 00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:34,960 In the grand scheme of things do my reasons even matter? 562 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:38,319 All that matters is the truth. People have a right 563 00:27:38,359 --> 00:27:40,759 to know what is coming. More than that, they have 564 00:27:40,799 --> 00:27:43,160 a right to know what is already here. I set 565 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:45,039 the lift to match a cent speed of thirty miles 566 00:27:45,079 --> 00:27:47,400 per hour. It will get me to the surface in 567 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:51,559 eighteen minutes. Exhaustion took over. I slid to my knees, 568 00:27:51,599 --> 00:27:54,319 pulled off my helmet, and poured water over myself. I 569 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:56,319 was on my knees in the corner forehead against the 570 00:27:56,359 --> 00:27:59,519 cold metal beside the combs panel. Every detail raced through 571 00:27:59,519 --> 00:28:02,400 my mind, over and over, every mistake and failure in 572 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:06,079 his judgment. I started getting into Mittan calms around two miles. 573 00:28:06,799 --> 00:28:08,680 I kept trying and finally got through it one mile. 574 00:28:09,319 --> 00:28:12,279 I can't remember my exact words. I told them I 575 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:15,799 was the only survivor, that I was alone only minutes away. 576 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:19,599 Most of their replies were lost to static. Then Joanna's 577 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:23,279 voice came through clear, repeating a question, Matthew, main carriage 578 00:28:23,319 --> 00:28:26,400 weight reads nine hundred pounds. If you are alone, what 579 00:28:26,519 --> 00:28:30,400 are you bringing up? I remember those moments, confusion to 580 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:33,279 realization to horror. I knew there was nothing in the 581 00:28:33,319 --> 00:28:36,680 cargo hold. It had been sealed when empty. There had 582 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:40,359 been nothing in the carriage either, nothing I could see, MA, 583 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:43,119 can you hear me? I reached for the control panel, 584 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:46,160 typed in the emergency overrides, and detached the cargo hold. 585 00:28:46,759 --> 00:28:48,759 I felt the weight go howd a crash from below 586 00:28:48,759 --> 00:28:51,039 as it caught the tunnel wall and spun into the darkness. 587 00:28:51,799 --> 00:28:55,000 I switched the screen to lift diagnostics. The carriage weight 588 00:28:55,079 --> 00:28:57,799 was still nine hundred. I stopped the ascent to close 589 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:00,640 my eyes breed. It grew quite as though lift settled. 590 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:03,279 I remember I was still on my knees, one hand 591 00:29:03,359 --> 00:29:07,119 on my weapon. I waited, listening a creek from behind me, 592 00:29:07,319 --> 00:29:09,880 the tiniest shifting of weight in the left corner. I 593 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:12,079 spun an open fire at the sudden roar of my rifle, 594 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:14,880 deafening in the enclosed space, and I was in the air, 595 00:29:15,079 --> 00:29:17,880 sound from a massive impact, then falling, striking the tunnel 596 00:29:17,880 --> 00:29:20,759 wall and falling with the lift going past. I should 597 00:29:20,759 --> 00:29:24,240 be dead. It was locked out, save me nothing else. 598 00:29:25,039 --> 00:29:27,039 My left leg went through one of the support bars 599 00:29:27,079 --> 00:29:29,799 that had held the cargo bay. As I swung back, 600 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:32,720 my flailing hand grasped metal and I held myself there. 601 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:35,559 My gun was gone and I couldn't feel my left arm. 602 00:29:36,119 --> 00:29:38,799 Then the pain came, waves of blinding pain from my 603 00:29:38,839 --> 00:29:41,960 shoulder and across my torso, blood rushing down my chairs. 604 00:29:42,039 --> 00:29:43,759 I could see it pouring into the dock below me. 605 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:46,119 As I fought to pull myself up, I heard and 606 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:48,920 felt more movement above me, A sudden jerk as weight 607 00:29:49,039 --> 00:29:50,880 was lifted than the scrape of something on the cables, 608 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:53,880 shaking the entire left back and forth. Whatever had been 609 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:55,400 in there with me was climbing the rest of the 610 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:59,039 way out. Mah, what's going on? We hear weapons fire. 611 00:29:59,720 --> 00:30:01,839 I realized only a few seconds had passed since I 612 00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:05,000 had opened fire. Matt. Then it cut out for the 613 00:30:05,079 --> 00:30:09,559 last time. I heard gunshots from above, many gunshots, and 614 00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:12,160 what I think was screams. I don't know how long 615 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:14,480 it took me to get back up. I was faint 616 00:30:14,559 --> 00:30:17,359 and in shock from blood loss and trauma. Don't even 617 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:20,319 remember activating the left There was a whole clean through 618 00:30:20,319 --> 00:30:23,079 the ballistic plate in my body armor and shoulder. My 619 00:30:23,279 --> 00:30:25,359 m came in as seventeen was on the floor, dead 620 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:29,839 bodies and destroyed equipment. Adam and Joanna, what remained of them, 621 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:33,079 were in the control room. The huge airtet steel door 622 00:30:33,119 --> 00:30:34,799 had been torn out of the wall and tossed aside 623 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:37,279 like it was made of cardboard. I was the only 624 00:30:37,359 --> 00:30:39,160 one left alive, and the thing I had brought to 625 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:43,160 the surface was gone. And that is the end. Thank 626 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:44,759 you for listening, and I will see you in the 627 00:30:44,839 --> 00:30:45,240 next one.