Shadow Zone Read Free Page B

a switch that toggled between the minisub’s observation cameras. Three of the six cameras were operational, offering murky views of the right, front, and rear of the sub.
    Josh squinted at the carved features that surrounded them. “How far away did the collision carry us?”
    “Half a mile, maybe more.”
    “The rescue team may have a tough time finding us. If our GPS pulse cut out when the wall first came down . . .”
    “I know, Josh. I guess we need to stay positive.” It was all very well to say that, she thought ruefully.
    She studied the monitors. The rockslide had kicked up so much silt that visibility was still at only a few yards. She didn’t want to say the words, but she knew that their oxygen would run out long before full visibility was restored.
    She had to think of something. Fast.
    The diagnostic screen blinked red wherever there was damage on the sub. It scared her to see that warning lights were flashing all over the vessel’s superstructure. Damn.
    She pointed to the power indicator. “We’re losing juice.”
    “Great. Fuel-cell rupture?”
    She nodded and bit her lip. “Those cells are made up of a liquid hydrogen-carbon compound . . . Heavier than water.”
    “Yeah? So?”
    She leaned forward and pulled a lever that would activate the left retractable arm. The servo motors whined, and the arm lurched from its place beneath the wing.
    She slipped her left hand into the controller glove and flexed her fingers. Outside, the mechanical hand vaguely mimicked her motions, as if crippled by arthritis.
    “You’re not going to do much with that, ” Josh said.
    “It’s okay. This isn’t exactly a delicate operation.”
    “What kind of operation is it?”
    Hannah drew back her arm. “I’m sure they sent Conner Two down here as soon as they lost touch with us. It can’t be that far away.”
    He shook his head. “It could still be a mile. And in this muck, it might as well be a hundred.”
    “We need to send up a flare.”
    “How are we going to do that?”
    Hannah raised her arm, and the mechanical appendage outside struck a stone wall. She made a clawlike motion and dragged the mechanical hand back toward the rear of the pod, where the ruptured fuel cells rested.
    “See any sparks?” Hannah said.
    “Sparks? Down here? Why would there be—?”
    He was interrupted by the blinding, white-hot flash of light, accompanied by a low rumble.
    Josh threw himself back in his seat. “Holy shit! What did you do?”
    “I ignited the fuel-cell compound.”
    “Are you trying to blow us up?”
    “Yeah, kind of.”
    Sparks flew from the mechanical arm, and yet another flash lit up the ocean floor.
    Josh was almost hyperventilating.
    Hannah scraped the mechanical hand against the rock wall a few more times. Although sparks flew, there were no more ignitions. “I guess that’s it.” She pulled her hand from the controller glove.
    “Dammit, you could have killed us!” Josh said.
    “It was a distinct possibility.”
    “Then why the hell did you do it?”
    “I had a pretty good idea that the compound was diluted enough not to blow apart the entire sub.” She looked out the forward port. “We don’t have time to wait and hope they stumble upon us.”
    “Even so, it would be a miracle if they—” He stopped. “Sorry. I know it’s no good being negative. Is there anything else we can do?”
    Hannah shook her head. “We wait. We conserve air, we keep movements to a minimum.” She added quietly, “And we try not to stare too hard at the oxygen gauge.”
    “It’s been a long time,” Josh said. “They should have been here by now, shouldn’t they?”
    “It’s only been fifteen minutes.” It had seemed longer to Hannah too. She had hoped that the rescue ship would have come long before this. “I think we’re both a little on edge. They may be having trouble finding us in all this silt and—”
    “Look!”
    Another shaft of light shined through the port windows, but this was no