Stanton walked slowly toward the spot until he was finally at the base of the slope of rock created by that long-ago avalanche. "Up there?" he asked.
"That's right," said Captain Greer.
"I think I'll leave the rifle here, Barhop," Stanton said. "No point in carrying it up the slope."
"Right. Put it in those bushes to your left. They'll conceal it, won't they?"
"I think so. Yeah." Stanton hid the rifle and then began making his way up the talus slope.
Captain Greer flipped a switch. "Team One! He's coming in. Are those alarms deactivated?"
"All okay, Barhop," said a voice. "This is Leader One. I'll meet him at the hole."
"Right." Captain Greer reversed the switch again. "Are you ready, Barbell?"
Stanton looked into the dark hole. It was hardly big enough to crawl through, and ended in a seeming infinity of blackness. He took the special goggles from the case at his belt and put them on. Inside the hole, he saw a single rat, staring at him with beady eyes.
"I'm ready to go in, Barhop," Stanton said.