In Times to Come - Dystopia by Scott B. Williams

Author:Scott B. Williams [Williams, Scott B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lightning Struck Press
Published: 2023-12-11T16:00:00+00:00

TEN

Alan Carson’s admiration for Sierra Timms grew by the day as he saw how fearless and determined she was to accomplish what she set out to do. He didn’t like letting her out of his sight, but it made sense for her to stay behind and keep watch over the canyon while he went after the rope. She would be disappointed when he told her he wanted to wait until dark before they used it to descend to the cave, but he made up his mind that was the smart thing to do. Knowing someone had been here since they left before, Alan didn’t relish the idea of being seen in the vulnerable position they’d be in while descending that rope. It was far better to wait until dark to do it, because once they entered the pitch black of the cave, day or night made zero difference, anyway. He’d feel better about leaving their rope in place at night too, in case they discovered the crystals still unlit and needed to make a hasty exit. If the portal was ready, he would quickly go back to the ledge and pull it down so they’d have a way to leave the cave if they succeeded in their passage to another time. But before they could do any of that, he first had to retrieve it.

Alan had done his best to find a hiding spot the average person wouldn’t stumble upon. It still baffled him that his other cache had been discovered after he’d taken such pains to conceal it, carefully placing rocks over the entrance so that it appeared they’d naturally come to rest there. That it was discovered despite his efforts indicated that those foreign troops had reason to search the area thoroughly. Since he had no idea how much time had passed since he’d hidden those weapons there, there was no way of knowing what else could have happened here in the interim, but those spent cartridge cases Sierra found indicated something had. Now that he knew what was going on out beyond the roadless canyons and mountains of the Gila Wilderness Area, Alan doubted Kenneth Sears had anything to do with the missing guns, as he’d first suspected. Kenneth had entered the cave and probably the portal as well, disappearing to no telling when, and as far as Alan was concerned, it was good riddance.

When he crested the far ridge and gazed down over the steep rock he’d have to descend to reach the crevice, Alan saw that his approach from the top would require him to descend some twenty yards to the left of it and then traverse laterally to reach it. It was definitely something Sierra would be unable or at least unwilling to attempt, and even for Alan, it required taking his time to assure every hand and foothold was secure before trusting it with his weight. Climbing like this with no protection was always a risk, but Alan had the experience to know what was within his limits of risk tolerance and what was not.

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