Subterra Heart

Chapter 9: Connor Rocha

Connor awoke on a cold, hard floor. He groaned. His head hurt. There was a flickering blue light somewhere nearby. It bounced around coarse rock walls, casting angry, clawed shadows. Connor frowned. Where was he? Bare rock normally just showed in the access tunnels. He'd done maintenance in those a few times for Green's Air Co., but access tunnels were laced with air ducts, plumbing, and electrical wiring. There weren't any empty rock rooms in Flores Greens. No, Connor realized, he did know of one place just like this. And if Lenny was involved...

Damnit.

After a moment, he sat up and looked around. His head was spinning, but he could make out shapes a short distance away. There was a man leaning against the wall across from Connor. A large lantern of kuar sat at his feet. Blue fire danced in its confines. Next to it lay Connor's bag. Connor raised an eyebrow. He recognized this guy. Square head, barrel chest, large arms – it was Lenny's guard from yesterday. He was pretty sure the name was Garrett. And there was no sign of Lenny anywhere in this Founders-be-damned familiar room. Connor's eyes dropped to the ground, and his suspicions were confirmed. In the space between him and Garret was a dark, empty hole. A well. An iron bar was embedded in the floor next to it, and a knotted rope was secured to this before disappearing down the well. Connor rubbed his head and groaned. He should have expected this.

Garrett grabbed Connor's bag and tossed it over.

"Give it a look," he said, "Boss had me pack some extra stuff for you."

Connor frowned, but he did as Garrett said, opening his bag and digging through unfamiliar items.

"Extra food, water...a blanket? How long do you guys expect me to stay out there?" he asked.

Garrett shrugged. Connor shook his head and pulled out a bulky yellow helmet. It was equipped with goggles and a small headlamp.

"Boss said to tell you that helmet's got a headset that'll cut through any rock. Best one money can buy," grunted Garrett. Connor tried it on. A pair of straps went over his ears and buckled snugly under his chin. A headset that could radio in from outside the city? First time he'd ever heard of that.

"What?" he said, "Does Lenny think I'll get stuck with bloodrot before he can hear all my exciting stories from those death tunnels?"

A sudden hiss of static rang through Connor's ears.

"It's just a precaution," came Lenny's voice through the headset, "And I highly doubt that you are susceptible to bloodrot. Do recall our little experiment from a while back." Connor cursed quietly. As a matter of fact, he did remember. It was hard to forget getting locked in the dark with a bloodrot victim. Yetanother reason for Lenny to be 'volunteering' Rochagorosis patients for hislittle expeditions. There'd be less safety gear for him to buy and lose on thecompany's dime – apart from the helmet, at least. Lenny had said that he wantedto keep his snooping in the tunnels on the down-low. Well, if he wasn't buyingmuch gear for it, how would anyone know what he was up to?

"Seriously, Lenny?" he growled, "You couldn't just come yourself?"

"As a matter of fact, no," answered Lenny. "I was needed back in Heart Central – company business. I'm sure you understand." Connor grunted. He really didn't care, but Lenny continued on. "Anyways, cousin, my good friend, Garrett, will be able to help guide you out of Heart. It should only be a short climb down from where you are at right now."

Connor rubbed his temples. He didn't want to admit it, but he was fairly impressed that this headset could radio all the way to Heart Central. 

"Fine," he said, "But did we have to get this thing started with the whole 'drugging and kidnapping' cliché? I've done shit for you before, Lenny."

"Ah, my apologies, dear cousin. It's become a standard procedure for this sort of work. I'm sure you understand."

Connor nodded along, keeping his curses to himself. Lenny'd definitely had a hand in the recent disappearances. "Yeah, sure," he said. "Hey, Lenny – the name 'Grey Clemmons' mean anything to you?"

In response, Lenny cleared his throat. "Ah, hmm...odd that you should ask. Is there any significance to said name?"

"Yeah, he was my dad's friend."

"Ah, ahem, another disappearance then? Terribly sorry for your dear father. Awfully common, but tragically unfortunate circumstance."

Now that was a shit lie. Connor nearly snorted. He half wondered if Lenny was purposely trying to send him to an early grave. Then again, Connor had survived plenty of his cousin's schemes so far. That probably made him a good guinea-pig. Even so, this pushed things too far. Lenny was a bully who lived in a fairytale, but he'd never previously involved anyone besides Connor in his crazy obsession with the tunnels and Rourke Cynwrig. It didn't look like Connor could back out now, but he planned on filing a police report as soon as he got back with his permanent supply of parlin confirmed. He had no intention of disappearing. 

"Now how do I know that you'll keep your promise?" Connor asked. There was a long pause. "Your promise about the parlin?" he added.

"Ah, yes," said Lenny. "I have just put in a notification to the company that we will be covering the cost of parlin for you and your father. Garrett should have gotten the notification earlier today."

Connor looked up at Garrett, who was busy securing a rope that disappeared down the well.

"Garrett," he called, "Lenny says you've got a notification about parlin for me and my dad."

Garrett nodded and lumbered over, holding out his shae band for Connor to see. He had one of those fancy, high-tech ones that could actually plug into hardlines to send and receive messages. The notification on its screen looked official enough.

"Fine," said Connor. He got to his feet and hitched his bag over his shoulders. Over the static, Lenny sounded pleased.

"Wonderful!" he said. "Now, I must be going now, but I shall be checking in periodically. Have fun, dear cousin!"

And with that, Lenny was gone. Connor sighed and gave the well a good look. Its rock sides extended straight down for as far as he could see. He tried not to think of the last time he'd seen this thing. His stomach turned. Connor shrugged off the feeling and grabbed the rope, lowering himself through the well and setting his feet against its inner wall. He gave Garrett one last look.

"See ya," he said. Garrett just shrugged and looked away as Connor began descending.

Connor climbed down, down, down through the well. When it got too dark to see, he tapped his headlamp, and it lit up the grey well walls. He descended further still and suddenly found himself hanging in open space. His light cut a yellow path through the air. Above him, tiny grey kuar worms squirmed across the ceiling. Below, rocky ground gave way to rippling, shiny water, coated in kuar. He didn't have much farther to go, and he clambered down the rest of the rope with ease. At the bottom, the rope just barely hung over a corner of land, and Connor had to take care not to fall in the water. Kuar would only float on the water's surface, but he still didn't want to get it on him – especially if he'd need to use his lighter at any point. Once he was on the ground, he rubbed his hands and looked around. The rope's fibers had burned his palms a bit – not too badly though.

Behind him, the rope quietly snaked its way back up towards the well opening. Connor whirled around.

"Hey!" he shouted, but the rope was already well out of reach. It disappeared back through the well opening in just mere moments.

Well, shit... That was just what he needed, but he shouldn't have been surprised. Lenny had better let that rope back down by the time he was finished in these Founders-be-damned tunnels. Connor grit his teeth, and then resigned himself to looking around.

The place looked normal enough. It was just a great big, rocky cavern. Nothing to write home about. He made a slow turn, taking it all in, until a trail of black dust crossed his flashlights. Connor stood very still, and then slowly began tilting his head down. His lights followed the dust to a miner's corpse just a little way inland. It lay face up, helmet eschew, and its skin was grey and gaunt. There was an abnormal dent in its gut, as if someone had stepped in it, and black dust spilled out.

Connor held his breath. He was going to kill Lenny for sending him down here. Then, without warning, the body turned its head and stared straight at him with blackened eyes.