MOVED FROM THE PLACE

Samantha turned to Weber in silence. Albert was already heading towards the tunnel.

"We could," he replied, then turned to Albert. "Hey, maybe we should take out the artifact in the cave and see what happens. Maybe the tunnel isn't the correct approach."

Albert stopped and turned to look at them. "Is there another way out here?"

"I don't know, maybe," Weber said. "I think we should look into it. Who knows what this thing can do once I'm inside the site."

Albert reluctantly agreed.

Weber unlocked the locks and opened the box. All the light rays converged on the metal surface of the artifact. It looked completely extraterrestrial, out of place inside the cavern, resembling a luminescent creature in the dark depths of the ocean.

The artifact remained silent like the cave.

Samantha leaned in with the light, her eyes fixed on the object. She touched it with uncertainty. With a murmur, something inside the object activated, causing it to vibrate. Its edges became blurred, and the artifact transformed from a cylindrical shape to a spherical and transparent object, its mass seeming to merge into a vaporous light. Like a ghostly apparition, it rose from the container, filling the chamber with intense heat. Suddenly, a pale green light emanated from the suspended object, two meters from the aluminum container.

Paralyzed, everyone observed the spectacular scene, reminiscent of how early cavemen might have seen the first flames of domestic fire.

Weber was the first to speak. "It's incredible... it can only mean one thing... It’s activating something."

"Or communicating something," Samantha suggested.

Andrews took a few steps back. "Is it safe? That's all I want to know. Because it's scaring the life out of me."

"Calm down," Weber said. "And watch."

The heat and light intensified, enveloping the cave and filling it with sound, light, and even smells. There was a molecular change happening inside the cavern due to the artifact, charging the air with intense electromagnetic energy. The intensity increased until Albert couldn't resist backing away to a safer distance.

Then the object exploded into a kaleidoscope of rotating colored lights, bathing the walls of the cavern and everything within it.

"It's going to explode!" Sara shouted. "Can't you feel the tension?"

Weber could see the fear in her eyes as he turned to look at her. "What's your hypothesis now?" Andrews asked.

"Maybe we should get out," Albert shouted. "It could be another trap."

"Not so fast," Weber replied. "Everyone, calm down. Just look for signs of direction. It's trying to tell us where to go... I'm sure of that."

"Damn, maybe it's telling us to go to hell and leave it alone," Andrews said.

The energy field continued to grow, emitting static electricity that made their hair stand on end. A thin layer of dust rose from the cavern floor, and everything in the cavern felt unified by light and sound.

Samantha stood in front of the object with her arms raised, as if she were blind and searching for obstacles. Weber grabbed her sleeve. "What are you doing?"

She looked at the object with a lost gaze. "What are you doing?" he asked again.

Samantha struggled to continue advancing toward the object.

Weber hesitated, unsure whether to let her go. She seemed hypnotized or controlled by the object.

"Samantha!" he shouted, holding her arms firmly. "Tell me what you're trying to do."

Samantha turned to look at him, aware of his presence and that he was restraining her. "I need to turn it off."

Her response was too weak for Weber to understand.

"What?" he asked.

She struggled against him. Weber called for Albert's help, but Samantha collapsed to the floor, unconscious, before Albert could respond.

"Did anyone hear what she said?" Weber shouted over the noise of the object.

Everyone shook their heads.

"Let's get out of here," Weber said, kneeling to lift Samantha. Suddenly, the whirlwind stopped, and darkness and silence returned.

Weber sat up and looked around, unable to see anything distinct. Gradually, the entrance to the cavern became visible, and his eyes began to adjust to the weak light.

"We need to get Samantha out of here," Weber said, lifting her.

"Can anyone see the artifact?" he asked.

"It's suspended in place," Sara said. "I can see it, but it's not very clear."

"It would be better if we could light the lamps," Andrews said.

Weber opened the first aid kit and revived Samantha with ammonium carbonate. She coughed and sputtered back to consciousness.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Calm down," Weber said. "We'll talk about it later. Right now, let's focus on getting out of here."

As they discussed their next steps, Samantha walked toward the object, seemingly drawn to it. The beams of light found her, stopping when she was in their path.

"They found Samantha," Andrews said. "Now what?"

The beams of light examined Samantha's body from top to bottom, passing through her as if she were transparent.

"How are they doing that?" Andrews asked.

"They're passing through her," Weber said, astonished.

The beams suddenly disappeared, and the artifact fell to the ground with a metallic crash. Samantha remained motionless for several seconds before turning to the group. "We won't have any more problems. They've deactivated all security devices."

Weber approached Samantha. "You mean you communicated with them?"

"I think so," she replied. "They wanted to assure me that they don't perceive us as intruders. Whatever they're guarding, they want us to find it."

"So they perceive you as our leader?" Albert asked.

"No, I don't think so," she replied calmly. "They only chose me because their technology is in tune with my mind. It could have been Weber. Any of us can communicate with the artifact."

"So what was the artifact doing?" Albert demanded.

"It was evaluating our intentions, orienting itself, and deactivating the safety devices that were designed into this structure when it was created."

"Who are the creators?" Weber asked.

"The Time Travelers," Samantha answered softly.

"But this is a cave..."

"No, it's an amazing artifact left by this culture," Samantha said with sudden intensity.

"What culture?" Sara asked.

Samantha turned silently. "Time Travelers," she answered. "For some reason, they feel like old friends of ours. Like we've known them as well as they know us."

"What makes you think they know us?" Weber asked.

"It's just a feeling, but it's strong."

"So can we enter the tunnel without worrying about traps?" Albert asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah," Samantha replied confidently. "Let's go."

The beam of light crossed the floor of the cavern and penetrated into the darkness of the tunnel at the opposite end. Weber was reminded of when he was a child, pointing his father's lamp into the darkness of the Bolivian sky. It used to upset him because the light couldn't overcome the darkness.

As they prepared to enter the tunnel, Albert took the lead, followed closely by Weber and Samantha. Andrews and Sara brought up the rear, their footsteps echoing softly against the cavern walls.

The tunnel was narrow, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side. The beam of light from the artifact illuminated their path, casting eerie shadows on the rough walls.

As they ventured deeper into the tunnel, the air grew cooler, and the sound of their footsteps echoed more loudly. The walls seemed to close in around them, creating a sense of claustrophobia.

After what felt like an eternity of walking, they reached a fork in the tunnel. One path led to the left, while the other veered to the right.

"What now?" Albert asked, turning to Weber.

Weber looked to Samantha, who seemed lost in thought. "Do you sense anything?" he asked her.

Samantha closed her eyes and concentrated. After a moment, she pointed to the path on the right. "This way," she said.

Without hesitation, Albert led the group down the right-hand path. The beam of light from the artifact followed them, casting long shadows on the walls.

As they walked, the tunnel began to slope downward, leading them deeper underground. The air grew colder, and a sense of unease settled over the group.

Suddenly, they heard a faint rumbling sound coming from up ahead. Albert stopped in his tracks, his hand instinctively reaching for his sidearm.

"What was that?" Sara asked, her voice trembling.

"I'm not sure," Albert replied, his eyes scanning the darkness ahead.

Weber stepped forward, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Let's find out," he said, gesturing for the group to continue.

They pressed on, following the sound deeper into the tunnel. The rumbling grew louder with each step, until it was almost deafening.

Then, without warning, the tunnel opened up into a vast chamber, bathed in a soft, green light. In the center of the chamber stood a towering structure, pulsating with energy.

"What is that?" Andrews asked, his voice barely audible over the noise.

Samantha stepped forward, her eyes fixed on the structure. "I think it's some kind of portal," she said.

Weber looked at her in disbelief. "A portal to where?" he asked.

Samantha shrugged. "I'm not sure. But I think we're about to find out."

With that, she stepped through the portal, disappearing into the unknown. The rest of the group followed, their hearts pounding with anticipation.

As they emerged on the other side, they found themselves in a strange, otherworldly landscape, unlike anything they had ever seen before. And they knew that their adventure was only just beginning.