Lewis did not like being a prisoner. His eyes narrowed as they met Stonewood’s gaze but he said nothing. He didn’t like his hand being forced, but he didn’t want to miss out on a great adventure either, so he reluctantly gave Stonewood a slight nod of acceptance.
Miller looked nervous but he simply stared at his papers and nodded.
Pierre, the climber, had a wild smile and looked like a man who was up for anything. His wiry frame looked like a tightly-wound spring, ready to explode as he leaned forward in his seat, waiting for things to get started. He nodded rapidly and said, “Pierre is ready.”
The ladies, who were seated together, looked at each other then across to Lewis before they turned to Stonewood. Each offered a quiet but confident, “I’m in.”
Stonewood’s face transformed from that of a happy boy on his first camping trip to that of a serious coach addressing his team before the big game. “We leave in 10 minutes. We’ll fly to Lewiston, Idaho, where we’ll board a jet boat that will take us up the Snake River to a beach just above the rapids concealing the cave entrance. All necessary gear and provisions are being ferried to the beach as we speak. We’ll spend the night on the beach making final preparations before entering the cave first thing in the morning, when the outflow from Hell’s Canyon Dam is the lowest. I must remind you that secrecy is of the utmost importance. Craig and Lou have been instructed to make sure things remain a secret, so please make their job an easy one.”
Lewis didn’t like the look he got from Craig or Lou, but gave them his best good ol’ boy smile and said, “Who could ask for better buddies on a fishing trip?”
Chapter 3 — FISHING TRIP
The team was immediately led back through the warehouse and out front to a white Ford Econoline 12-passenger van. Lewis reached the barn-style swinging doors first, opening them for the others as he stood aside like any good doorman should. Gonzalez and Lou headed to the back seat. Pierre and Miller climbed into the next row, which was already partially occupied by a pile of tackle boxes and assorted fishing gear. Stonewood climbed into the front passenger seat, while Samantha and Craig climbed into the remaining bench seat. Lewis made his way to the back, managing to work his way between the glaring Lou and the beautiful smile of Jennifer Gonzalez.
Being an avid cave diver himself, Lewis was truly interested to hear some of Gonzalez’s stories. The fact that she was easy on the eyes was an extra bonus, and getting under Lou’s skin was the cherry on top. Lewis struck up a conversation with Gonzalez as the van worked its way through the city towards Portland International Airport. “I’ve always been intrigued by Lake Vostok, and I’m curious to know how the diving is there,” Lewis began.
“Cold. Really, really cold, but once you get past that, it’s absolutely beautiful.” Gonzalez involuntarily shivered with the recollection.
“How did you even access the lake beneath the ice sheet?”
“That part was tricky to set up. The Russian scientists there feel it is very important to avoid any sort of contamination in the lake. I don’t think they’re worried about pollution in the conventional sense so much as that they want to preserve the lake in its sealed state for future research. They see the lake as an indicator for extraterrestrial life in places like Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons that houses a frozen ocean.” Gonzalez shrugged as if she didn’t necessarily subscribe to all that science then continued. “The Russians bored a perfectly vertical, two-meter borehole completely through the entire two miles of ice. They have built an encapsulated elevator that functions as both a transportation vehicle and a way to effectively plug the hole to avoid contamination. Due to the extreme pressure, all diving was done in Newtsuits, which were completely decontaminated, and now remain in an airlock at the bottom of the hole.”
Lewis could feel his heart rate quicken just thinking about descending a two-mile ice tunnel into total darkness. A trip like that was true bucket list material. “What about the cave? How does it compare to the cenotes you dive back home?” Lewis asked, referring to the underground river system that was legendary among divers visiting the Bahamas.
“Vostok Cave is absolutely huge!” Gonzalez almost shouted as the excitement filled her eyes. “It’s impossible to truly put into words. Most of the tunnels are over 100 yards across. It’s like swimming through a series of football stadiums. The visibility is truly limitless. It’s just amazing!”
Lewis and Gonzalez continued talking about caves and diving for the rest of the 30-minute drive to the airport. Lewis learned that Gonzalez actually grew up in the United States before moving to Puerto Rico and then the Bahamas. The other passengers talked amongst themselves, mostly nervous exchanges as the reality of their upcoming journey began to sink in.
The van was ushered quickly through a security checkpoint by a pair of guards who obviously recognized Stonewood. The driver pulled up next to a massive silver hangar and everyone exited the van. Stonewood’s Gulfstream 5 was warming up as the pilots prepared for a prompt takeoff. “Everyone get on board!” Stonewood boomed, leading way up the ramp.
The interior of the Gulfstream was organized like an opulent living room. Three leather couches ran along the left wall, with beautiful end tables set between them. The right side had five well-spaced recliners, each with its own end table and reading lamp. A curtain was pulled across the hull after the last couch, preventing Lewis and the others from seeing what lay beyond. Everyone stood in awe as Stonewood spoke up. “Please make yourselves at home. We will be taking off immediately and landing in 38 minutes, so this is going to be a short flight. I have some business in the back, and I will rejoin you here in the guest area before we land.” With that, he walked through the curtain with Lou close behind. Craig made sure the curtain was secure before turning to face the group. He tried to appear relaxed, but it was clear he was there to prevent anyone else from going beyond the curtain.
“This plane is amazing,” Samantha said, beaming as she sat in one of the plush recliners.
Miller took one of the seats next to her and nodded, wistfully adding, “I may have gone into the wrong line of work.”
Lewis took the couch across from Miller as the jet began to taxi onto the runway. He was immediately amazed at how soft the leather was. “This stuff must come from some sort of magic cows,” he said with a wide smile, adding, “I can’t believe how good it feels.” The others nodded in agreement.
Lewis looked over at Pierre, who was gently caressing the arm of his chair. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you have the daintiest hands I have ever seen. Not what I would picture for such a hardcore mountaineer,” Lewis offered as he nodded towards Pierre’s hands.
“Ah, yes. I routinely work my hands through very fine sand, removing any calluses that may affect my ability to feel the finest details in a rock face,” the climber replied. “They don’t disappoint the beauties of Paris when I’m back home either,” he added with a sly smile.
Lewis chuckled. “I wonder if that is what’s holding me back. Maybe I can borrow some of that sand when this is over. I may even try swimming in the stuff.”
Pierre laughed as well. “Women, they like us climbers, you know. You must let the great Pierre teach you some climbing moves.”
“I’ll take all the help I can get.”
Lewis next turned to Miller, who still looked quite nervous about this whole trip. Wanting to help ease the professor’s mind, Lewis said, “I followed the Oak Island Treasure for years, and I always wondered if there was anything at the bottom of the Money Pit. It sounds like the rune stones were the key after all.” Lewis was referring to a collection of carved stones that had been discovered around the island, seemingly as some sort of markers.