Underground

By Richard Porter Ray

An underground city built millions of year ago. When a meteor hit earth and killed the dinosaurs, a ship observing from an ancient highly advanced civilization got caught in the gravity and crashed. Many survived, but due to the blocked sunlight and highly toxic cloud from the impact had to go underground. They survived and built a huge, golden, underground city that lasted for thousands of years. Due to unknown circumstances, they lost the ability to reproduce. Many years went by and many died until there were only a few dozen left. The experimented with animals that looked similar to them and tried to combine their DNA with them. Before the results were known, they had to go into hibernation to preserve the handful of survivors.

Now, in our time, a battered wife, running away from a drunk husband, ends up in an underwater cave in the Rio Grande River. She finds a trinket that appears to be gold. She sells the trinket in Mexico. Drug dealer find out about the trinket and force her to reveal her place of discovery. They find nothing, but a blue door that they cannot open or destroy. Brad Staples buys the trinket and it's millions of year old. Will he get past the door and discover the underground city.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Richard Porter Ray
• Release date: Jan 14, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311002877

Richard Porter Ray

Born in Clearwater Florida in 1935 in the midst of the great depression. Moved to Houston when I was six and lived there until graduation from U of H in 1967. Married my wife Lori in 1963 and had many happy years. She passed away in 1998 and I sold my business and moved to Florida. Along the way I was writing tech books and other writings. I started writing novels and have finished four so far. It is one of my very enjoyable hobbies and I hope my readers enjoy them too.

Book preview

Chapter 1 The Runaway

Her arm hurt where he had grabbed and twisted it. Her lip, bruised and slightly swollen, it was still tender from his smashing his fist into it. Blanco Gomez was twenty-nine and for the last eleven years had been married to a man who beat her every time he got drunk, and he got drunk every weekend.

Yesterday was Friday and payday for the construction workers. Juan had come home about two in the morning smelling terrible, and his breath was like a tequila factory. He wanted dinner so; she started heating the leftovers from the evening meal. It was taking only a few minutes, but he got impatient and yelled at her, causing her to spill the stew. As it went splattering on the floor, he grabbed her arm in a vice-like grip and with his fist smashed her mouth with an intense, bruising punch. Next, he threw her hard on the floor, and she landed on the hot stew and broken glass.

Stupid Bitch, you do nothing all day, and when I come home, you don’t even have dinner ready. What the fuck are you good for?

Lying face down on the floor, Blanco was afraid to say anything, so she just remained motionless and silent. Suddenly, she felt the searing pain of his boot as it kicked hard into her back. The pain went all the way up to her shoulders, and she yelled out, Nothing, Juan, I’m nothing.

God damn right, you’re nothing. I’m going to Papa Joe’s and get me some dinner. This place better be cleaned up when I get back. With that, Juan turned and headed out the door. Blanco lay motionless on the floor until she heard the old Ford pickup start up and leave.

He would be back in an hour or so and probably even drunker. The places stayed open on Saturday until six in the morning. She knew he would get something to eat, and then go back to one of the bars. Upon his return, there would be another beating. He would yell at her, curse her and carry her to the bedroom where he would rip off her clothes and try to screw her. Usually, by that time, he would be too drunk and could do nothing.

That would be her fault too, and she would hear all the harsh words again. It was too much to think about, but she did think about it, and ten minutes later, she decided to leave. She had tried to save some money, but there was only the little can, buried in the back yard under the clothes line. It contained seven dollars and thirty-two cents.

They lived in a two-room shack that Juan had rented from the supervisor of the construction crew. It was close to Del Rio, Texas and the part of the Devil’s River that emptied into Lake Amistad. As quickly as she could, she gathered a few pieces of clothing and tied them up in a pillow case. Going out the front door, she went around the house to the back yard and dug up the little coffee can with the money. It wasn’t enough, but she had to go. Her life was becoming too painful, and she was too frightened to stay any longer.

She headed out her driveway and turned left, walking along the dirt road that wound its way through the little hills toward the river. As she walked along the road with her pitiful bag of clothes, she thought about the last few years. Juan had been a good husband for only about a week, and then he turned mean and sullen. When they got back from their honeymoon, which lasted only two days, they moved into an old two-room shack, way out in the country.

Juan was a brick layer and made good wages for this part of the country, and she wondered where he spent all his money. She never got any at all unless she got it herself. He bought the food, what little they had and gave her nothing. Every once in a while, she would pick up a bit of change from the table when they were at one of the bars. She had to be very careful, though. If even one of his buddies saw here, she would be in serious trouble and wind up with another beating.

It was difficult, but she had managed to save a little in the coffee can buried in the backyard. Suddenly she saw car lights up ahead. Quickly she ducked down and headed for the barb wire fence. She climbed through the fence, ripping her only skirt on the barbed wire. As fast as her legs would carry her, she ran away from the road. Her breathing became rapid, as her sandaled feet pounded the hard ground and little thorns and burrs scrapped at her like little insects biting at her.

She finally stopped and watched the pickup slow then pass her. It was Juan. What was he doing coming home now, so early? It was only about a mile from the house, and when he got there, he would know she had left. Turning, she jogged toward the river. It was dark, but there was a partial moon, and she could see that she was still about a mile from the Devil’s River.

Juan, drunker than before, noticed the figure that ran from the road but thought it must be that crazy bitch that worked for Lazarus about two miles from their house. She was an ugly old lady, who did laundry and ironed. He wondered what she was doing out at this time of night. Oh well, he and his buddy would go home, and he would earn twenty dollars. It would be Blanco’s first time with another man, and that was worth twice the going price for a whore.

He had drunk up all his money and couldn’t get the cheap ass bartender to put anything on the cuff, so he made a deal with one of the guys there to screw his wife for twenty dollars, American. When the battered pickup weaved it way up to the little shack, the two drunken men staggered toward the door.

Juan called out, Blanco, I’m home baby. We got company.

There was no answer from inside, so Juan opened the door, and he and his friend stepped inside. Juan looked around then went to the sheet that hung in the doorway between the two rooms. Long ago the door and fallen off its hinges and now lay rotting in the back yard.

The god damn bitch is gone. Shit, that must have been her on the road, come on.

Juan raced out the door, followed closely by his friend and jumped in the pickup. The old truck’s starter ground and ground, but finally cranked up. Wheels spinning and dust flying everywhere, the jalopy swerved around and headed for the dirt road. It sped back down the road to the place where they saw her slip under the fence. In a drunken rage, Juan pulled off the road and went crashing through the barbed wire, breaking one of the headlights.

Can you see her? he asked his friend.

No, you broke the fuckin headlight, how can I see her?

We still got one, keep lookin.

The truck was veering from side to side and bouncing so hard that the frame was bottoming out on the springs. After a few minutes, they spotted Blanco far ahead.

Gasping for breath, she was running at top speed. The light from the pickup helped a little in showing her where the mesquite trees were. She sped on avoiding them. She glanced back quickly and saw the truck gaining on her rapidly. There was no place to go, no place to hide.

Tears of frustration and fear started flowing down her face. She could hear the old truck much louder now as it had torn off its muffler when it hit an old stump. The light from the single headlamp was bouncing all over the area in front.

Her legs felt like lead, and her muscles ached with pain. Breathing was difficult, and her lungs seemed like they were on fire. Adrenaline rushed through her veins from her desperate fear. Closer and closer the bouncing, roaring, the pickup came.

All of a sudden she looked ahead, and there was no more ground. She was at the edge of a Cliff. She stopped with the pickup truck only about a hundred feet away. It stopped too, and she heard the door jerk open on its rusty hinges.

OK, you bitch, you’re gonna get it right here, right here on the ground. Juan was yelling at the top of his lungs; his voice flew across the hundred feet like snake venom.

She couldn’t see what was below, but she knew what was behind her. Blanco turned and saw him running toward her, stumbling and cursing her. His friend was behind him and running toward her too.

You like to get fucked, you whore, you bitch. Well, you’re going to get fucked and then I’m going to beat the livin hell out of you, running away like this.

He was only about fifteen feet away now. She could see the rage on his face; his fists balled up and his muscles threatening. She turned and jumped.

The rush of air frightened her, and it seemed like an eternity. The air was rushing by when all of a sudden a bitter cold enveloped her whole body. It was like a plunge into an icy pool, but it was just the shock of the water below.

Above Juan looked down from the bluff. He could see nothing, so he ran back to the pickup and drove it to the edge. The single headlight made out a white form in the water slowly swimming to the other side. He staggered drunkenly to the door of the pickup and reached inside the cab for his rifle. He took it and walked to the edge of the cliff.

You bitch, you no gettin away baby. No gettin away, I gonna blow a hole in you, bitch.

He took aim and pulled the trigger.

Before she heard the report of the rifle, she felt something splash close to her head. Then she heard the sound echoing back and forth from one canyon wall to the other. Quickly she ducked underwater and reversed her direction back to the bluff from which she had jumped.

Her lungs already tired from the exertion of running could not hold for long. She surfaced for a quick breath and heard another loud boom echoing back and forth. This time, she didn’t notice the splash, didn’t notice much of anything. Again she dove and headed for the bluff. Another time she surfaced, and again Juan shot at what he thought must be her.

The last time she was almost to the canyon wall, and she dove as deep as she could. This time, when she surfaced, everything was dark. It was as quiet as a church, not a sound. No shouting, no report from Juan’s rifle. She treaded water and headed in the same direction. Soon she could stand up and rest.

There was no light at all. She couldn’t even see her hand. She wondered if she were dead? Then it dawned on her; she must be in one of the caves that speckle the walls of the Devil River. This one must be underwater. Blanco swam forward and found a small ledge

Tired and exhausted, she lay on the ledge and rested. Soon she was asleep.

You must have hit her, man; she’s not comin up no more. Juan’s friend said.

I think I got her on that last shot, but I’m gonna wait a while. If she’s dead, then she must have drowned, isn’t that right?

That’s right man, but how you gonna explain the bullet hole.

Maybe, there ain't no hole, dude, maybe she just drowned. The bitch never did earn no money, not worth shit for a wife. Come-on, let’s go back to the bar.

Gimme my twenty first.

Fuck you, man; it’s not my fault she ran away.

A fight broke out, and the two drunken construction men scuffled and fought until Juan landed a lucky punch, and his friend lay unconscious in front of the pickup. Juan staggered back to the truck and left with his friend’s twenty dollars for the bar.

Two fishermen were trolling on the river close to the cave. It was still dark, and they had put a light into the water hoping to attract fish. As they passed the underwater entrance to the cave, the light swept into the opening and illuminated the cave.

The light shining in the cave woke up Blanco, and she stared at her surroundings. The walls formed an arch, and the ceiling was about twenty feet from the water. Her thoughts turned to Juan. Maybe it was he and his friend coming to look for her. She glanced around and saw a tunnel to her right. Quickly she scrambled to her feet and started running down the tunnel.

Within a short time, everything was dark again, and Blanco had to slow down and feel her way. Tired and almost exhausted, she kept going for another hour; then slumped down and rested. There wasn’t a sound, so she made herself as comfortable as she could and fell asleep again.

Chapter 2 Vacation Time

It was starting to get cold in Detroit. The late summer temperature was beginning to act more like fall. Brad Staples was at his office outside of Detroit. They now occupied the whole building. When he first started just a few years ago, they had a suite on the tenth floor overlooking the lake. Now that he had merged several times with other companies, they required the whole building. The first company was now just a small part of the corporation.

Brad had started Staples and Associates when he was unjustly fired from General Automotive a few years back. {Hacked by Richard Porter Ray}They built firewalls, the computer guru’s term for the software that protects computer systems from hackers. His first acquisition was BrainTech, the company that had discovered how to record and implant brain waves.

From there he acquired Philadelphia Precision a large machine shop and fabricator. Then it was mining and construction and other diverse companies until now he was CEO of a relatively large conglomerate. Lisa, his second wife of almost six years now, was sitting across from him at the breakfast table. Actually, she was his first acquisition. During his troubles at GA, he had met her, fallen in love with her and soon after everything cleared up, they got married.

She also had a firewall company, so they joined forces in more ways than one. Both of their previous marriages had been wonderful. Unfortunately, they had each lost their spouse to cancer. In fact, that’s how they met, on the Internet in a chat room for widows and widowers. Somehow they were attracted to each other and met at each other at the Hartford airport. It was love at first sight for both of them.

So far, for Lisa, it had been more excitement than she had ever dreamed of. Sometimes it was good, but many times Brad had somehow gotten involved with the craziest things. Once they were vacationing on their sailboat in the Atlantic when they accidentally stumbled onto a hijacking of a freighter. They were boarded by the pirates who raped her and almost killed Brad. They were put on their tiny dinghy with no food or water and watched the pirates sail their boat away laughing at them. {Sail With the Devil by Richard Porter Ray}Somehow they survived and were rescued by a passing vessel.

Brad got his revenge though and brought the evil group to justice. Along the way, though, he had to infiltrate them and discover all their secrets. When he finally escaped, he took with him one of their enforcers, Kilo. Together, they had brought the syndicate to its knees and succeeded in getting El Diablo, the drug czar turned pirate, arrested and put behind bars for the rest of his life.

Through a friend, Brad had learned of a small company, BrainTech, which had developed a method of recording and implanting a person’s whole personality and memory into someone who was dying. Somehow the implant also caused the recipient to overcome the disease that was killing them. His dealings with BrainTech had also brought grief to him and Lisa when somehow they implanted the wrong tape into a dying ex-football player. The tape he got was of the Vampire Killer, and the man turned into an elusive monster. The killer traveled everywhere, and no one had a clue as to his whereabouts. {Improper Implant by Richard Porter Ray}If it wasn't for Brad’s help by partially implanting himself with the same tape, they never would have found him, and there would have been many more murderers.

That had finally come to an end a year ago when Brad caught the man. It was a twist of fate, but that’s another story and another book.

Now it was time for a little vacation, and they would spend it on Lake Amistad on the Texas Border. Reginald Herrera, the president of BrainTech, had mentioned to Brad that they were going to drain the Devil’s River to reverse a recent change of its course. There was a small town that was in grave danger of flooding, now that the little river had changed its course

The pools that would be left after lowering the water level should be full of fish. Brad had listened to Regi, and he and Lisa had decided to spend a few weeks there.

We could rent that place Regi talked about in Mexico. Lisa offered.

Brad looked up from the report he was studying and said, It’s either that or rent one of the large houseboats.

Houseboats, I didn’t know they had them. What are they like, did Regi say?

He sent a brochure, and I think it’s in my case. Brad rose from the table and fetched his briefcase from atop the credenza.

They're kind of cute, they have two staterooms, one aft and another below and forward. We could invite some friends if you like.

He opened the case and started shuffling through the compartments in the lid. Lisa picked up her coffee and said, Maybe Cliff would like that and Cilla too.

Clif was the President of Staples, Danahey, and Associates, Brad’s first company. He had been with Brad ever since he was with General Automotive and when Brad was canned at GA, Cliff went with him the same day to start their new company.

Cilla, his secretary, also came with him to his new company. She had been with Brad for a long time, all the way back to when he was just another cog in the wheel at GA.

Does Cilla like the water, I don’t remember?

Cilla loves the water. Sweet one.

Oh, here it is. Brad pulled out a colorful brochure from the case and held it out to Lisa.

When she reached for it, her robe slipped open a little, and Brad pulled the brochure back a bit. Brad, come on, don’t make me reach for it.

I like the view when you reach.

She looked down to see her bare breast just slightly hidden by her robe. Oh you do, do you?

She wiggled a little and reached way out past the brochure. Like what you see, big guy?

I like, little lady. He put the brochure in her hand.

Covering her breast again, she said, Not too much, sweet thing, we don’t want to spoil their effect.

Nothing could spoil your effect, my darling, nothing in the world.

At fifty-nine, she was still a beautiful woman and would be for a long, long time. As she studied the brochure, he studied her. As he looked at her golden hair and her lovely face, he reminded himself how much he loved her. They had been through so much in such a short time and every minute of it was fantastic when she was around. He had felt the same way about Cyndy and hadn’t dreamed he could fall in love again. He would always love Cyndy; he knew that but Brad loved Lisa a little differently, but he loved her still the same.

Her bare foot touched his ankle as she studied the brochure. I like the blue one with the flying bridge, she stated.

Great minds and all that. Brad, you wanna do it?

Sweetheart, I always want to do it.

Honeybun, I meant rent the boat.

I know what you meant, did you? Her smile was mischievous, and her foot moved upward on his leg.

I thought I meant the boat, but now I’m not sure. Give me a moment. His foot touched her leg and started copying what she was doing.

In another moment, I know what we’ll both mean. Her foot went up higher.

I think we might find out what I meant in a bit.

Here’s something to help you out. Her hand went to her robe. She parted it just slightly, not giving him much to see, but enticing him to want to see more.

Her foot left its little fun place, and she rose and turned her back to him. He watched as she strolled to the door leading to the hallway. She said nothing, but as she was at the doorway, she let her robe fall to the floor. Henry flew to attention and Brad rose carefully from his chair and followed her into the bedroom.

Afterward, as they lay content on the big round bed, Lisa asked, Do you want to leave next weekend?

That sounds about right, the season down there doesn’t actually start for quite a while, and we should be able to rent the one we want. I’ll have Cilla call. He reached for the phone on the side of the bed. He punched in the right numbers and heard Cilla’s voice say Staples, Danahey, and Associates?

Cilla I need to rent a boat.

You’ve got a boat, look outside your window, it’s the blue one.

I need one in Texas.

You got any preference; it’s a big state.

I’ll fax you the info. Try to rent the blue one that I’ve circled for next week. I want it for a whole month, and you and Cliff are welcome to join us anytime.

OK, boss, you comin in for the one-o’clock meeting?

You know the answer to that Cilla, anything I should know?

Nothing boss, I’ll fill you in when you get here. That meant there was nothing but mundane things to handle when he got to the office. The long hours of the last two weeks had resulted in another acquisition, and today he decided to go in late and get a little rest. He was glad he did.

Brad hung up the phone and turned to Lisa. They hugged and stayed in each other’s arms for another forty minutes. Finally, they rose and started their morning ritual. They had already showered and were ready to get dressed.

Chapter 3 Darkness

Blanco’s side was sore from laying on something. Slowly she awoke again from her sleep. Where was she? Why was it so dark? Then she remembered where she was and why. She had no watch and had no idea of the time. It had actually been a whole day.

Then she felt it again, the soreness in her side. She reached under her and removed the object causing the discomfort. It felt like a cup or something. Maybe someone else had found the cave and left a cup here. Hunger tore at her stomach along with a tremendous thirst. Her mouth felt as dry as powder. She sat up and tested her sore muscles by stretching her arms and legs and trying to sit up, but it was hard and painful.

With a concentrated effort, she finally was able to sit erect. Maybe it was the combination of all the exertion and the lack of food and water, but she felt frail. How long had she run into this darkness and where was she? Remembering that she had kept to the left side, she tried to keep her hand on the wall. That way she could return by reversing her direction and keeping to the right.

Pain radiated throughout her body as she slowly rose to her feet. It was still pitch dark, and she had no idea how far she was into the cave. Her first step, she realized she had lost one of her sandals, and she stumbled, face down on the dirty floor. Again she felt something under her shoulder and fumbled for it. It felt hard and had a handle. She studied it with her hands like a blind person would, feeling its length and running her fingers over it. She pulled on the handle, and it separated into two pieces. One was sharp, yes; it must be a knife. Her luck was changing.

It was a medium sized knife, encased in a scabbard and as sharp as a razor. It felt heavy for its size, but it seemed in excellent condition. She felt it must have been made of bronze or something because she couldn’t feel any rust.

Rising again to her feet she put the knife into her bra and put the cup in her right hand. Reaching out, she knocked it against the wall. A metallic clink rang out in the cave. Good, she thought, it's metal of some kind. Sort of heavy must be steel or something. Slowly step by step, she retreated toward the entrance. The cup made an Erie sound as it clinked and clanked along the wall. It took her almost two hours to go the distance she had gone last night in only one.

She stumbled and fell headfirst into the water, the knife slipping out of her bra and clanging onto the rocky ledge. The water felt good. She made it to the surface and clung to the ledge. Her right hand still held the cup, so she filled it with water and put it to her lips. She remembered seeing the old movies about people lost in the desert, and she sipped very slowly. That's what they did in the movies. Blanco didn't know why but thought there must be a reason.

Quenching her thirst made her realize how hungry she was. She tried to picture her surroundings and place the entrance to the cave. It was night, and the cave was pitch black. She decided it would be safer if she left the cave now while it was dark. Juan might still be there, or he might have returned. He was crazy when he was drunk; maybe he might try to kill her again.

She held onto the cup and dove to where she thought the entrance was. She couldn't find it, and with her lungs bursting, she surfaced and rested against the ledge. Maybe in that direction, she tried again. No, that wasn't the way. Several tries and there was no entrance. Oh my, God, she thought, maybe I'm in another pool, and there is no entry, maybe I passed it up or something.

The weariness and hunger combined with her feeling of despair and she started to cry. Her sobs echoed through the cave as her tears flowed down her cheek into the water. Now she was shivering and cold and tired. She would try one more time. Diving under she tried the opposite wall again but ran into solid rock. Gasping as she rose to the surface, she returned to the ledge and crawled up onto it.

She sat shivering, cold, and hungry. Her muscles are aching, and her stomach had that hollow feeling. She rested for a few minutes, thinking about her situation. Maybe I missed a gap in the wall somewhere; maybe there's another tunnel out of here, but where? As far as she could remember, she had stuck to the right-hand side and felt no significant gaps. Blanco wondered about the day before. Did she miss something then; maybe she had entered another tunnel? It was too much, and again her sobs echoed out into the cave.

Where was the knife, she wondered? Was it at the bottom of the pool, did she lose it along the way? Her thoughts were beginning to get jumbled. Her hand fell to the ground, and by some miracle, she felt the knife. It had come loose from its scabbard, and she felt with her hands for the scabbard but found nothing.

Me Dios, God must be with me, protecting me.

All of a sudden she had an idea; maybe she had gotten confused when she fell into the water. Maybe she had surfaced on the other side. If that were true, the opening would be right below her not on the other side. She had tried mostly on her opposite side, but maybe that was wrong. She put the knife back into her bra, but, this time, more secure.

Grabbing her cup for no particular reason except it was like a friend in the darkness, and when she held it, she felt like it was a friend, her only friend. As she edged off the ledge and into the cold water, the cup