Sweep The Underground

The sun came up on the cabin like any other day. The east-facing window was the first hit with the light. With their natural alarm clock going off, the group got to work. The first thing they were required to do was make contact with Basecamp. They saw nothing unusual through the night so today was going to be a lighter safety day. Hanson worked with Adam on the cameras doing their own checks and making sure they were still operational. They were their lifeline. They needed these cameras.

Juliet was tasked with pouring over the reports that were recovered from the previous teams to map out where they had searched. Hunter was given time to head to base camp to meet up with more of the team. He had his people there, Cooper being in charge of all five others, but there were local authorities present who were left a little in the dark about what was happening.

After the incident, the local police had to open an investigation into what they classified as a mass murder with no suspects. It had almost fallen into a cold case except for the investigators coming in and assisting. They called it assisting, they yielded very few results and oftentimes only added names to the list of victims. Some were in on the whole thing. Others were less so. This was their introduction to this new world. They called it an "initiation" into the notion that this world exists. Their involvement was more so for record-keeping within the police department than assistance. A couple had helped carry a few of the heavier items and month the trap. They did what they could to make themselves useful.

All seemed well, for the most part. A few people had gone missing from the base camp from the other expeditions, including a few officers. They didn't believe the nonsense and moved in without a care. While hopes are there that they will be found, they are aware that they will not be found in good condition. They were informed of what they were dealing with, including the stories with it. They talked to a few people who descended from the indigenous people who once lived in this area. They were able to provide more light on the old tales of this monster. And what it was capable of.

This job seemed more like a search and rescue than a hunt. Cooper was really showing his ability to lead. He was working with his team in a flawless manner getting them the info they needed before getting teams out to search. All the while, he was juggling the new people that Hunter had brought with him to get them up to speed with answers and directions. He straightened up once Hunter popped into his vision. He was friendly to his team but his demeanor changed with his boss present.

His shoulders would go back, and his posture would fix. He made himself as presentable as possible every time until Hunter told him to calm down. The professionalism was appreciated even if not required for this moment. Nothing needed to be immediately addressed. Just some general inquiries about the grounds. A lot of the early work was going to be getting familiar with the grounds again. Search groups were sent out every day looking over the old paths. While Hunter wanted to join to get more boots on the ground, it was advised he leave that to them. His job was to hunt, not chase. "Let the peons take care of it," was Cooper's reasoning. Hunter was going to have enough issues on his hands.

Forced back from basecamp, he returned to find Hanson hovering over Juliet as she poured over the notes she had been left. They were working with a map of the area pointing and marking it as they went. Any sign of work was a good sign. Hunter moved himself around them to the other side to get a view. Juliet was using a piece of string as a guide to make lines. The lines they made seemed to follow some of the trails on the map. Some also seemed to run across the cabin itself.

He listened as they mumbled to one another. Coming into the middle of their conversation only left him lost. He didn't want to interrupt either. It wasn't worth breaking their train of thought. He could only try to follow along with the murmurs and the lines.

Juliet eventually reached the end of her notes checking for anything more. It was blank thus, they were done. Hanson stepped back with a nod giving her praise, "That was a good find, Lady Juliet. I'm sure…" He finally realized that Hunter had come in. It was a grievous error to miss his boss entering the room. More so that he was over their shoulders the whole time. "Go on Hanson, finish the thought." There was a terse tone thrown out. But was he actually upset? Hanson corrected himself, "As I was saying, you would be quite pleased with these findings."

"What findings?"

He moved his way closer to the table to look at the map. The red lines ran across the grounds in a somewhat nonsensical pattern. Hanson thought it was best to let Juliet take over from here. She got herself set up in her chair with a beaming smile. She must have found something good. Her admin skills were unmatched and she was about to show why.

The papers she had been looking at were stacked nicely on the table off to the side. As she started she slammed her hand down on it, "Someone who came here before us actually kept good records. During their investigations, they brought some high-tech equipment with them. One of them was using a sonar device. After they had found out that the wendigo had crawled through the walls, they used a sonar to look for cavities and possible hidden passageways. Well, they found some. And not just inside the cabin."

She flipped through the pages to one she had earmarked with a colored tab. "One of them followed one to the basement. It came out under the stairs. While they were down there, they poked around a bit more with the sonar finding a large gap behind one of the foundation walls. They had a professional come in to provide support to the building and open up the wall. What they found behind it was something they would have never expected. A mineshaft! When they built this place, they found one and just covered it. No one ever looked into them until this group showed up."

Hunter pointed to the red line running across the cabin, "This one?" Juliet smiled as he got it to click, "That's the one that runs through the basement. It connects to a few that run around the hills. They got a land surveyor out to help map out some of these tunnels but when someone went missing, they stopped." She pointed to where some of the red lines end, "These flat marks show the end of a tunnel. They are all still in decent condition. They were up when they looked at them last."

Hunter looked over the point she mentioned. She had placed a small red line that runs perpendicular to where the mentioned tunnels ended. He scanned around the map looking further into the lines. One caught his eye where it wasn't marked. Naturally, he had to point it out, "This one isn't marked." Her smile grew, "I knew you would see it. This is where they had to stop."

"Do you think something is down there?"

"Almost certainly. But I need some resources. I need to know what was here before the cabin. What made these tunnels? Who made them? Why? The usual nonsense we go after."

This was something. Juliet was barking orders. She had a plan ready to be executed. Her end goal was to see where that tunnel ended. She had to be smart about it though. Safety was one of the biggest concerns with this job so she couldn't just send someone down there. It would also be a tight space with very little room for fighting were something to happen. They needed to be prepared. And one thing that Hunter knew was to be prepared.

This wouldn't be an undertaking they would do today. Prep today, explore tomorrow. They needed equipment. They had to work with basecamp to procure a few times. Most of what they needed was with them. They were not ready for underground exploration though. They would need light mining equipment, safety gear, better lights, and a radio cable that could reach far enough so they could still transmit underground. Plus something for protection.

Hunter got with Cooper on this new discovery. It blew his mind! He had no idea that such a cave system was right under them. There was even one that ran near the base camp. They had to move some equipment after finding out. Can't have it collapse and take them with. This was going to be an adventure. Cooper seemed excited at the prospect. He knew exactly what they needed. They had the radio equipment already but for the underground portion of it.

The plan was to go in through the basement where they knew they could enter the tunnels. They would have a transceiver and receiver set up at the stairs leading down with a long transfer cable that would connect directly to a headset radio. This would allow for communication underground but with a delay in travel. Someone would have to carry the roll of wire as they traveled letting it rest on the ground. This would be their line to the surface. Keeping that connection was vital.

They needed to get the cable, hook it up, and get everything tested. Just getting that amount of cable would be a chore in itself. At least the protection was provided already. Hunter knew what they were up against and came prepared. Along with the cage, he had the warehouse pack up some offensive equipment.

Hunter was aware of a few things with the Wendigo. First being that because of their mutated form, their skin stretched and hardened making them resistant to physical blows. It would have to take many blows at once or one massive blow to make them recoil from pain. Secondly, they were still covered in skin, and skin burns. They are susceptible to fire. There were plenty of ways to bring fire to a fight. They were hoping that it wouldn't come to this.

Hunter spoke with their quartermaster for this trip. He confirmed that they were loaded with the equipment they asked for. He pulled two large bags from the back of the truck, placing them on the lift, "As ordered; two bang sticks with heartburn."

You have to have fun with what you do. Being the quartermaster for Hunter's organization was always on the stranger side.

With Hunter being geared up, he could get back to the cabin. He had to come up with a solid game plan with Hanson. The two would be underground with a third individual carrying their communication equipment. A volunteer will be requested. If one cannot be found, then the two will have to make the trip together. It wouldn't be too hard. Hunter can carry the spool while Hanson leads. His hand is still steady enough to take point.

Hunter made quite a noise when he walked in. The bags banged against the door frame as he tried to squeeze himself in. The noise caught the attention of everyone. But being him, it wasn't unusual. The bags were dropped at the base of the bed with a huff, "Hanson, we have gear to inventory." Each grabbed their own bag throwing it on their side of the bed. Adam's eyes lit up when they pulled the hunk of metal from the bag. It was a sight to see.

The body was stocky, it fit like a brick except for the few pieces that stuck out such as the forward handle and pistol grip. Hunter racked the double barrels checking them before continuing. It sounded crisp. Hunter put his back down grabbing the boxes from the bag. They were a bright orange box with plain lettering. But it was the warning labels that brought fear. These weren't just any shells, they were dragon breath.

They were just what they would need. Multiple hits, fire, and heavy hitting on top of that. All the requirements they needed in one, 12-gauge package. They would be hell to clean up after. They burn hot. The metal shielding will be working overtime should the need to use it come along. They were hoping that it wouldn't but there was never a guarantee.

Everything had just gotten set up to its bare bones basic yet they were already itching to get out. Hunting this beast was dangerous. The sooner they got it, the sooner they got away. Luring it out was going to be hard. Getting it into the trap was going to be harder. But if it had found the underground tunnels, it could get to just about anywhere.

Adam's gaze was still affixed to the metal machine sitting on the bed. "No, you can't hold it." Hunter piped up to shoot down his hope. The shotgun was placed back in the bag to hide it from the wandering eyes. "You wouldn't be able to replace it. It's a DP-12 that we had custom-made. Runs about $4,000 and you have to be legal to purchase one." That's what made it impossible for Adam. He couldn't purchase firearms. He was still too young. Hunter made this a fact to tease him over for a while as the day went on.

The motion sensors were working. Throughout the night there were beeps to alert the one attending to the happenings outside. All wildlife, at least for this evening. It was still logged with a still-shot saved for their records. Adam was the lucky one to get the first night. As Hunter and Hanson would be going out again during the day, he was the likely candidate for this duty again.

Just meant he could stay up playing his game in peace. He kept his portable game system with him on these trips for when there was a lot of downtime. They were expecting activity at night, but nothing too active too early on. Like any hunting animal, it had to study its prey before going in for a kill. But just who was the hunting animal?

Morning came with clouds hanging overhead. It kept a gloomy gray color over the area. Juliet had issues getting the sleep from her eyes. There wasn't much she could do about it. Rain always made her tired. Hanson and Huner knew how to shake it off though. The good ol' black brew. They weren't confined to the room but it was advised that they shouldn't spend any more time outside than they needed to. A trip to the kitchen wasn't an issue though as long as the old blood and hole in the door didn't bother you.

It was just a testament to what they were up against. This was in the early stages of the possession. The group here was still dealing with what they perceived as just an angry child. Its form had not changed yet to the deformed monster it was now. But for it to show that kind of strength… They never stood a chance.

Today was hunting day though! Hunter and Hanson were going to find someone to come with to carry the comms cable while they went deeper into the tunnels that a previous group had found. There was a pretty good idea of who they were going to bring with them. Someone who knew the area already with the ability to help keep them safe.

"Me! Me! Me! I'll gladly go!" Cooper didn't even hesitate. His team was already set up. He had spent most of his time there just collecting information. He was anxious for a chance to get his hands dirty even if he was only a pack mule. Plus he could create protection for them. His barrier for the base camp was holding steady. He could easily bring a burning incense along with them to create a mobile barrier. Then with Hunter and Hanson, he felt safe. He had seen their work before.

It was around 10 a.m. when a truck pulled up with the roll of cable they needed. It was time to get to work! The receiver had already been set aside. They had it opened up so they could get the new cable hooked up. Cooper wasted no time getting his technical officer on the job. All it took was a quick cable split, strip the casing, and screw it into the connection. Once the base plate was put back on he had to do the same to the other side where they would be able to actually hear and speak. Again, no more than two minutes.

That was the last piece they needed. Cooper followed them back to the cabin holding on to everything. The roll was about 60 pounds. They had to have at least 5,000 feet of it. Hunter had requested that they get at least 25% more than what they needed to ensure that they would have the distance to cover further exploration. The tunnel didn't stop on the map, just where the last group had stopped. They had to go further in to see what they had missed.

The time came for Hunter and Hanson to gear up themselves. Cooper was designated as the radio man. He would be in the center as they moved down the tunnels. Hunter would be keeping their backs covered while Hanson doubled as point man and navigator. He had the map scanned and printed smaller to keep it on a wrist strap. Everyone was given a torchlight that would strap to their shoulder or chest to provide them the ability to see. These tunnels were old with no running electricity. There were old oil lanterns scattered about but they were dried up and useless.

With the prep work completed, and the wendigo repellant loaded, the group made their way to the basement. Hanson turned on his light before heading into the opening in the basement wall. Cooper started getting the wire ready to unspool. He had already planted the receiver to the floor upstairs with some heft screws to keep it upright.

Juliet had followed them down to the basement. She was instructed to go no further than the trusses holding the wall open. Hunter was the last to enter. He kept his shotgun behind him as he stared into the darkness. Hansons's light flickered off the walls as he looked further down with Cooper in tow. He let out a hefty sign as he started wondering.

She tugged on his shirt, getting him to turn around. Her eyes looked sad, almost pleading for him not to go even though she knew he had to. She paced on the spot rocking herself back and forth. "Just… please be careful Hunter." He leaned forward kissing her forehead, "I will. I promise."

That little gesture gave her an easier feeling about all this. He swore to keep their professional and personal life separate. But he also knew that they weren't sure of what they were going to find in the tunnels. Anything to help her at ease would help keep morale in the long run.

The moment was over. She was ordered back to the room where she would be safe as the group traversed the underground. Hunter racked the slide once getting two shots ready to go. As the last bit of light from the basement faded away, the group knew that they were in uncharted territory. Hanson followed Juliet's map to the letter. She had transcribed over the distances the group had reported from tunnel to tunnel. They worked their way through the underground heading in as straight of a line as they could to the unexplored passage.

Cooper did radio checks every two to three minutes. The response was clear every time. Everything was going to plan for once. Everyone was still on edge as they moved. Hunter did everything he could to steady his breathing. His years of training not just military, but personal training were coming up to the test. He was at the ready, gun up, finger disciplined. Every little movement from a displaced rock had him laser-focused on it. Every noise had his attention. His ears were ringing from trying to listen to everything at once.

One more turn. They stared down the tunnel where no one had gone before. It was 100 feet to where the line cut off and the last person went missing. It was unexplored territory now. Cooper made the radio call to Basecamp informing them of their location and next steps. Everyone was waiting with bated breath at any report they could give. Every hundred feet Cooper radioed in.

"Checking in, 100 feet passed."

"Cooper checking in, 100 feet passed."

"Checking in again, 100 feet passed."

The line went silent for a moment longer than it had before. "Cooper checking in. 100 feet passed. We are approaching an open area underground." The group had found a portion of the tunnel where it opened up. The supports were spreading out covering a much larger area. As they got more light into the cavern it became apparent what it was. An old mining tunnel.

Cooper reported back to Basecamp about their discovery, issuing the order to begin searching records for mining activity. "Head on a swivel, Hanson. Lots of open area, lots of elevation." It wasn't like anything they had seen before. The mines were clearly left to rot, equipment and all. The old carts sat on rails as their wheels had snapped from age. The tracks still led out the opposite entrance they came in.

The tunnels they were going through were to scope out new digging spots. They never found more ore and abandoned the mines. Maybe the group had found this area but abandoned their search as well. There was no reason to leave this undiscovered. They were so close to finding it.

Unless they didn't want it to be known. It was still unclear what had happened to their missing companion that made them quit. There were a lot of questions starting to creep up as they went around this tunnel. Some of the lamps looked as though they hadn't been touched in years. Some seem like they were recently lit. They were unable to look at the second level any closer.

The only way to go was forward. The other entrance had tracks to follow meaning that there was an entrance they did not know about. It may have caved in years ago explaining why it wasn't found. Cooper got back on the radio letting the team know they were pushing forward.

They moved slowly making sure that they were covering themselves as best they could. Hunter had an uneasy feeling that this was a dead end. If it was, then if anything came down their way they were in trouble. It could block them off from any type of escape leaving them to fight with something much more powerful than they were. Thinking about it only made the uneasy feeling worse.

Cooper kept his communications up. One loud noise froze the entire group in place. It was clanging metal from further down the tunnel. Cooper sent one last message, "Going silent. Cease comms." They needed it to be quiet. Hunter took a knee holding the rear. Hanson did the same keeping against the wall looking forward. Cooper followed their lead. His back was against the wall holding onto the roll of wire.

They waited for another sound. The only sound was their own steadied breathing. It became uncomfortable just sitting there. Hunter stood up giving Hanson his sign to do the same. The three moved further along the tunnel coming out to another open area. This place looked like a nightmare. The old hauling equipment had been repurposed. The old hooks had rusted, not from age, but from recent use. The bodies that hung there were mangled. The light accentuated the damage they took in their final moments. Claw marks, bite marks, missing limbs, broken bones, and contorted joints.

Speared through the neck, chest, legs, hip, or anywhere with enough meat left that they would hold for a time. Cooper's excitement quickly faded. Hunter passed over all of them until he found a familiar face, frozen in fear from time. Their guide, John, from their visit to the cabin. His body had seen better days. His skin had dried, and his remaining bones were prominent. Part of his side was missing either from a deep tear or chewing. "Cooper, call it in."

He paused at his order. He wasn't sure what to do here or how to send this information. He only stammered. Hunter quickly saw the signs. "OK, calm down. I'll do it."

The shotgun was swung around his shoulder as he moved quickly. Cooper handed him the headset as it was all he could do. "Break silence. Basecamp, this is Explorers."

"Go ahead, Explorers."

"We've found a second hallowed mine approximately 500 feet from the previous, heading 273 degrees. We have also found some missing persons."

There was a pause on the other end. "Who can you report?"

"Everyone. They're all here."

The open mic caught the exhale from the operator. "How do you want to proceed?"

"We will be returning to the cabin. Prep the local authorities for a recovery mission."

"Copy."

Cooper was given the headset back. Before leaving, Hunter grabbed his phone taking quick photos of what he could see. Once his phone was away he started moving back the way they came with a sense of urgency. Hanson followed behind keeping Cooper up to their pace. His arm was winding the wire as quickly as he could to keep up with them. They hit the second open cavern making sure to stick to the steep wall to watch every position.

They were in it's den now. They were in an unfavorable position where they were not going to be able to fight back. They got through the second cavern and back to the test tunnels. The cable helped them find their way through the labyrinth of dirt and wood. The light from the basement was a saving grace. Hunter emerged, turning back around to cover the tunnel until both Cooper and Hanson were out. They closed the basement door before putting their guard from high alert to alert. Cooper fell to his knees in a sweat next to the receiver. "Right. Basecamp, this is Explorers. We're out of the tunnels and back in the cabin."

Hanson started grabbing heavy furniture with Hunter's assistance. They piled what they could in front of the basement door. Now that they knew that it was a second entrance into the house, they needed to secure this entryway. It was an unknown hazard that had left them open in a way they never suspected. With the door barricade, Hansona and Hunter did a quick sweep of the cabin to ensure it didn't come in while they were gone. The trap was still set up, nothing looked disturbed. They were good for now.

It was too late to travel back to base camp. Cooper was going to have to deal with sharing a room this evening. He didn't seem opposed to it. There were a lot of questions that they needed to go over.

As soon as the door to the fortified room opened, one person went flying out the door grabbing Hunter with a heft blow. "I was so worried when you went quiet!" Right, they had brought a radio into the room so there could be another communication point. Adam and Juliet were able to hear them the entire time they were down there. She could have also chimed in at any time. "But you found the missing persons?"

He nodded yes, but his face gave away that it was not in a condition that would be favorable. It was why he called in for a recovery missing, not a rescue. They still had a lot to do for the day. Hunter had photos he had to send to Basecamp so they could start crossing the faces against those who went missing. Juliet had a map to update with the two caverns they had found. Cooper had to calm himself down from the nightmare he had just walked through.

"I've worked with spirits, ghosts, ghouls, and monsters but they were all ethereal or complacent. This is something beyond that. This possession isn't normal." As if there was a thing as a normal possession. Yet he was right. This was a spirit, which is right up his wheelhouse, but it was a spirit that only caused pain in its endless hunger. Now they were dealing with it. No one could really understand what they were up against until they encountered it at least once in their life.

The group with their new addition sat down for the evening. Dinner was brought up from the kitchen in a hurried fashion. It was just a bunch of microwave meals. Nothing too appetizing. Adam had gotten his nap in for the day. He started to get ready to go for the night shift. With a full belly, it would be easier for him to stay focused.

They ate in silence with the sound of the alarms going off in the background. Nothing was deemed important or extraordinary. Adam would take a snapshot with a timestamp while he ate. He could get it sorted where it needed to go later. Cooper broke the silence. "Hunter, you seem rattled by this job." He paused. He had to be a good leader, "I am. I hate this. I hate this with every fiber of my being. When we were here the first time, when the pieces started to fall into place, I refused to believe it until everything was indisputable. I saw things, I had a feeling, then I saw the signs." He got worked up. His voice started to build and spark, "I warned who I could. I should have fought harder and gotten the boy away from here. Maybe we wouldn't be here. Maybe there wouldn't be a dry meat locker full of bodies in an abandoned mine!"

The room went silent once more. Hunter rested his head in his hands. "Hunter, I know a tortured soul when I see one. What happened?" He didn't pause, "I don't want to talk about it." This was something new. He kept some secrets, sure, everyone knew that. This was something that he was ready to take to the grave with him. His joints are locked in place as he grits his teeth. Hanson knew to leave it be but Cooper pressed, "Hunter, what happened?"

His hands slammed on the table, "I don't want to talk about it! I lived through it once! I don't want to do it again!" The entire table leaned back, Hanson included. Juliet looked to Hanson for an answer but all she got was a head shake. Something that even Hanson didn't know.

Juliet slid her hand across the table placing it on top of Hunter's. His hand was shaking ever so slightly. Was it anger? Fear? "Hunter." His head shot to her. His eyes were bloodshot. "You're with people who care." She took her hand back keeping that eye contact. He forced himself to breathe before bringing his hands together.

"I had just turned 20 years old. I had been in the Army for two years. They had found out that I knew about the world of monsters and mythical creatures so they assigned me to a group that didn't exist. I had two years left in my active contract and they planned on making sure that I was working for all of it."