LOST IN ANOTHER DIMENSION

Out of the corner of his eye, Evans noticed a crevice in the canyon wall. It was small, only half a meter high, but it clearly marked an opening in the cliff face. He resisted the urge to call out to his colleagues and instead knelt, peering into the darkness of the crevice, and called out loudly for Weber several times.

Straining with all his concentration, he faintly heard a response. "Here I am, here I'm." There was something else in Weber's voice, but Evans couldn't make it out clearly. There was an urgency to his tone, indicating something was amiss. It sounded like Weber, yet lacked his usual vigor. He must be injured, that was the only plausible explanation. Evans shouted at the top of his lungs, "We'll be there in a few minutes. Hang on."

He quickly rose to his feet and alerted his team. "I've found it! Everyone, follow my voice and come here!" Every few seconds, he reiterated, "I've found him!" Within minutes, the entire team except for Albert had gathered.

"What happened to Albert?" Evans inquired.

"He's carrying that little monster, as he calls it," Samantha replied. "He volunteered," she added, raising her palms as if pleading for a miracle.

"I can only imagine how long we'll have to wait," Evans grumbled. "We don't have time for this. Collin, you and I will proceed to locate Weber. Perhaps he's trapped in a narrow passage. I can't believe this happened...right before nightfall. The rest of you, wait for Albert. We'll return as soon as possible, hopefully with Weber."

"Can I come with you?" Sara asked. "We don't have to wait for Albert alone." She glanced at Samantha and then back at Evans.

"Alright, but be extremely cautious, and stay behind us. Samantha, keep shouting from time to time so Albert can track us."

"Got it," Samantha replied.

"Everyone has their flashlights, I assume," Evans spoke authoritatively. "Also, bring a rope, a first aid kit, some food, and water. Anything else?"

Sara and Collin exchanged glances and shook their heads.

"Then let's go."

The trio vanished into the narrow crevice, as if travelers stepping through a portal into a new realm. Evans led the way, struggling the most to squeeze through due to his size. After contorting his shoulders and head like a magician attempting to escape a straitjacket, he managed to pass through.

On the other side, they found themselves in a long chamber or cavern about 20 meters in diameter, with darkness looming at the far end. Their flashlight beams penetrated the darkness, crossing randomly over the brown stone walls.

"Weber, where are you?" Evans shouted into the cavern.

"Here I am," came the faint reply.

"Can you guide us to your location?" Sara shouted.

"It's good to hear your voices..." Weber responded weakly. "I'm up ahead. Head straight for about twenty meters or so from the opening. You'll come to a fork in the tunnel; take the right path. But before you take another step, listen carefully."

"This is crucial. I don't have conclusive evidence yet, but as you proceed deeper, you'll notice the sophistication of the design, and part of that sophistication lies in the security system."

"What do you mean?" Evans shouted.

"There's some sort of security system surrounding this tunnel network. I stumbled into one of their traps because I wasn't prepared for such sophistication. Trust me, the entire area could be riddled with traps. In other words, proceed with extreme caution."

"Any advice?" Evans asked.

"Move slowly and follow my footsteps until you reach a glyph carved into the tunnel wall on the right side. I'll be waiting. If it takes you an hour to reach here, it's alright; just proceed carefully."

"Are you trapped?" Collin inquired.

"Most definitely."

"What happened? Maybe we can learn from your experience," Evans shouted.

"The problem is, I'm not sure what triggered it. I might have pressed a sensitive button or tripped over a wire. All I know is, it happened so quickly that I couldn't react in time to save myself. I fell a considerable distance, but nothing's broken."

"Well, we'll heed your advice. Hang tight," Evans shouted.

"Don't rush, I'm not going anywhere," Weber weakly replied.

Evans, Collin, and Sara stood like statues, their flashlight beams scanning the ground for any signs of danger and Weber's trail. Occasionally, their lights illuminated animal skulls or rabbit bones scattered near the chamber wall, like discarded remnants carried by the wind.

"I think we've got a clear path to the tunnel entrance," Evans declared.

Evans cautiously led the way toward the tunnel entrance at the far end of the chamber, with Collin and Sara following closely behind, each striving to replicate Evans' footsteps precisely. As they entered the tunnel, they felt the air grow colder, and sensed a slight downward slope in the path.

"Can you see our lights yet?" Evans called out.

"Not yet, but in a few minutes, you'll understand why. Just keep following my instructions," Weber's voice sounded louder, instilling a sense of reassurance. He seemed composed, with a touch of optimism evident in each step.

"I'm trying to tread in your footsteps," Evans shouted.

"Alright, but try not to copy the last one," Weber chuckled, "it's a tricky one."

"This is the last time I'll venture without local communication," Evans muttered under his breath.

"This whole trip was planned too quickly. We should have waited," Sara lamented.

Evans shone the light of his lamp into the narrow tunnel, hoping to catch sight of Weber's evidence, but the beam faded into darkness before revealing anything distinctive.

Turning to Collin and Sara, Evans remarked, "If this tunnel continues at this incline, it's going to descend deep. It's going to get colder."

"Can you see the lights now?" Weber asked.

"Not yet. But turn off yours for a moment," Weber suggested. "I'll turn mine on to see if you can spot anything."

Instant darkness engulfed them as the lights went out.

"I think I saw something about fifty feet ahead. Yeah, I definitely saw a light," Evans reported as he switched his light back on. The tunnel walls, only three meters apart, appeared to have been shaped with tools, lacking precision but clearly a deliberate structure.

"Alright, Jamisson, we've spotted your light. We'll be there as quickly as we can. Your voice sounds like it's below us. You mentioned you fell. Do you have an estimate of how far?" Evans inquired.

"I'm not sure. I blacked out for a period, maybe ten minutes, give or take. I'm still feeling the effects of the fall," Weber replied.

"Alright, hang tight, we'll get there shortly," Evans assured. He then turned to Sara and Collin. "Let's stick together. I'll leave my lamp focused ahead. Collin, direct your light to the right side of the tunnel, and Sara, watch the left. Be vigilant. If anything seems off, speak up immediately and don't move. Got it?"

Though typically brash, both Collin and Sara were reassured by Evans taking the lead. He exuded confidence through his actions, drawing inspiration from the circumstances that others might find daunting.

As they pressed on, Collin's voice broke the silence. "Stop!"

They froze in their tracks. "What's wrong?" Evans asked.

"It's the glyph Weber mentioned," Collin replied.

All flashlight beams converged on an intricately carved hieroglyph on the tunnel's rock wall. The wall had been carefully smoothed to accommodate the detailed lines and patterns of the glyph.

"What do you make of the glyph?" Evans called out to Weber.

"I've never seen anything like it," Weber replied, his voice seeming closer but also emanating from below. "It may be related to the artifact glyphs, but it's different in many aspects. Don't dwell on my last step; shortly after that, I stumbled into something."

Evans' light identified Weber's last footprint about two minutes later. A skid mark veered to the right, but there was no sign of a door or exit.

"Let's focus all our lights in this area," Evans instructed, using his lamp's beam as a guide.

"Do you see anything resembling a crack?" he asked.

"Nothing," Sara replied.

Sara pointed her light toward the tunnel's ceiling. "What's that?"

"It looks like a vent or a small opening," Evans observed. "Maybe that's how we'll reach Weber."

"Jamisson, say something," Evans suggested.

"Something," Weber replied dryly.

"A bit more of your usual verbosity would be helpful," Sara quipped.

"Okay, but fair warning, the story of my life is pretty boring until I hit five or six..."

"You're right, it's the source of his voice," Collin interjected excitedly.

"Jamisson, it's Evans. We found a ventilation duct or something on the tunnel's ceiling. It's a small hole, maybe four inches in diameter. We also found your last footprint, but no sign of your fall location or any exit paths. Any recommendations?" Evans relayed.

"Do you have any rope?" Weber asked.

"Yeah, about ten meters long," Evans replied.

"Try to feed the rope into the opening as far as you can. With a bit of luck, I might be able to grab onto it," Weber suggested.

"What kind of chamber are you in?" Sara inquired.

"It's spacious – maybe ten or twelve meters high, three meters in diameter, and the roof is arched like a dome. It's definitely a construction... an elaborate one. But I can't see any openings, and like you guys, I can't find any cracks. I'm not even sure how I got here," Weber described.

Evans tiptoed, trying to insert the rope into the opening. He looked like a giant, awkward dancer. The opening was just out of reach, and the rope was too limp to slide through without help.

"It might be a stretch, but I'll give it a shot. If something happens, Collin, you're up for backup. Sara, keep watch. Here's my communicator to the base," Evans handed it to Collin.

"I could boost you up," Collin offered.

"I doubt it. I'm too heavy for you, and we can't risk losing two of us," Evans reasoned.

"Why not push Collin?" Sara suggested. "To you, he's like a feather."

"I don't want to risk two if one will suffice. Let me try first. If I fail and everything's fine, then we'll boost Collin. Back up five meters," Evans instructed.

Once they backed off, Evans made the leap into the hole, the rope following suit. Then, he descended into darkness.

"You see something?" Evans shouted as he began to thread the rope into the opening.

"Yes, but they'll need a lot more rope to reach me," Weber's voice echoed back.

"Can you climb the wall to grab it?" Evans suggested.

"No," came Weber's resigned reply.

"If I could give you a rope, could you reach the top of the chamber?" Evans pressed.

"I think so, but I don't know what we would do next. Last time I checked, there was no room for us in a four-inch hole," Weber reasoned.

"We can make the hole bigger," Evans replied, a hint of irritation in his tone. "But can you reach above the chamber?"

"Yes, but there's something like a protrusion that encircles the top of the walls before reaching the dome roof. It could serve," Weber described.

Evans turned to Sara and Collin. "I need you to return to the entrance. Contact Jerkins and inform him of our situation. I'll get Jamisson out, and we'll see you at the entrance in two hours. If we're not there in two hours, ask Jenkins to send a security detail with search equipment and initiate rescue immediately."

"How are you going to get Weber out by yourself?" Collin asked, bewildered.

"Before we do anything," Sara interjected, "may I suggest that we try to repeat Jamisson's last step and see if we can activate the passage's opening without falling into the chamber?"

"It's very dangerous," Evans cautioned.

"It seems to me that if it's sensitive to pressure, we should be able to trigger the door to open by touching the same spot. Maybe we can keep it open," Sara proposed.

"Okay, it's worth a try," Collin agreed. "Otherwise, I don't see how we can get him out."

"Weber, did you hear that?" Evans inquired.

"Yeah," Weber responded weakly.

"Any opinion?" Evans asked.

"Yes, Sara and Collin should do what you suggested. The faster, the better," Weber urged.

"Please leave now. And try to retrace your steps exactly as you came. We'll be outside in two hours. Go," Evans instructed.

Perplexed, Sara and Collin complied with Evans' plan. As they met Albert and Samantha at the entrance, they briefed them on the situation. They wasted no time, and Albert quickly set up a makeshift camp as they waited for the appointed time. Collin sent a message to Jenkins, alerting him to the situation and requesting assistance if they failed to return within the specified time.

As they waited, conversation turned to the nature of the mysterious chamber and the possible motives behind its existence.

"It's the base, right?" Samantha asked Sara.

"Weber thinks so," Sara confirmed.

"Did you see anything... anything unusual?" Samantha prodded further.

Sara recounted their discoveries in the artificial tunnels and the enigmatic glyph on the wall. She described Weber's confinement in what seemed like a prison cell without any visible exit.

"They're protecting something," Samantha remarked thoughtfully.

"What do they protect?" Albert queried. "If there are more artifacts like this little monster, what's there to protect?"

"A genetic technology," Samantha revealed, her tone both speculative and questioning.

"How do you know?" Sara inquired.

"I had another experience with the artifact during an OR session before Evans discovered the opening in the wall. I saw images..."

"What were they like?" Albert pressed.

"Like glimpses of what these Ets look like," Samantha disclosed.

"Wow," Albert remarked sarcastically. "And how do you know you can trust the images you see with that thing on your head?" He gestured toward the aluminum container holding the artifact. "These same ETs built the equivalent of a damn mousetrap that now has Weber trapped. That doesn't exactly inspire confidence in me."

Samantha paused momentarily before responding. "I don't know about Weber, but I'm certain about what I saw. They likely designed a variety of protection mechanisms to ensure that we discover the site instead of someone else."

"So you think there's something inside this mountain... a gift from these ETs, with our name on it?" Albert scoffed.

"Yeah," Samantha affirmed quietly.

"Collin, any word from the base yet?" Sara inquired.

"Yeah, they've confirmed it," Collin confirmed, checking his watch. "Sixty-eight minutes and counting."

"So, what are they?" Albert persisted. "Friendly ETs who visited Earth twelve hundred years ago, played with the Indians, and then left something buried in a mountain for us to find?"

"That's just a feeling, right, Samantha?" Collin interjected, attempting to temper Albert's sarcasm. "You don't actually have anything in Playback, do you?"

"No," Samantha admitted. "When I returned to Playback, the images weren't recorded. They seemed to bypass Playback's capture sensitivity. They're likely projections from the artifact, and I wasn't even in OR mode. But those images were powerful. Very powerful. I can't overstate that."

As they continued their discussion, they failed to notice Weber emerging from the crack into the light, his voice unheard amidst their conversation until Sara's exclamation broke their reverie.