Abandoned City: A Rockton Treasure Novel

By Brandy Woldstad

Cam Ingram, her assistant bot, and her team of treasure hunters navigate cave tunnels in search of treasure hidden many generations ago.
 

The team keeps a low profile to avoid the notice of their competition.

An explosion changes their plans.

Join Cam and her team in this third novel on the quest for the Rockton Treasure on Yalma.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brandy Woldstad
• Release date: Jul 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201268817

Book preview

Chapter One

The disorientating darkness inside of Gollan caves seeped deep into Cam Ingram’s soul. The hood of her environmental suit brushed lightly on the ceiling with each bouncing step through the tunnel. A cold, damp sensation, mimicked by her suit’s programming, seeped through her thin gloved hands as she dragged them along the rocky walls.

Her treasure hunting team had kept their presence a secret for as long as they could. This meant traveling through the Gollan Caves without lights or speaking outside of their environmental suits, which were currently set to transparency mode to heighten the team’s senses in the dark. The filters in their helmets removed the stagnant smells that Cam associated with caves.

A tug on the ropes that connected Cam to her team provided the reminder that she wasn’t alone. Dev 23’s motor whirred softly and stirred the air in front of her. Mason, her husband, crouched behind her to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling. Their medic and fellow treasure hunter, Eta Laghari, walked behind Mason, monitoring their heart rates, oxygen levels, and breathing. Hernando Rodriguez and his Rohdowan girlfriend, Lizzy, remained on The Serendipity to monitor the team’s progress and alert them to any dangers.

Cam’s boots shifted on the sands beneath her. The shifts caused her prosthetic leg to rub against the skin of her stub, but the lighter gravity on Yalma prevented the painful chaffing that often happened from long walks. So far, this planet could become Cam’s favorite if she never needed to use her forearm crutches to get around.

According to the maps of the Gollan caves, this section of tunnel where their communication and mapping devices didn’t work was less than one-half of a mile long. Cam felt as though the distance were at least double that, considering her slow speed.

At the end of the tunnel, there would be a shuttle system to lead Cam and her team to Fal City. From their research, Cam wasn’t sure the shuttle worked. The city had been abandoned over two hundred and fifty years ago with no explanation, but researchers had enabled some access to allow them inside.

Scientists and archeologists frequently studied different sections, but offered no information on how to get to their sections. Cam understood the secrecy. It was a common practice among treasure hunters, too. Often the treasure hunters shared big picture information, but as they got closer to the item, the details became like treasures themselves.

The temperature grew cooler as they approached the tunnel’s opening. Cam surveyed the area over the top of Dev 23’s head. A few dim lights glowed on the right side of the cave. Bright white lights, like that of flashlights, moved in and out of view around rocks on the left.

Cam squinted, trying to make out the figures that moved around. A tiny orange spark flickered. Cam sucked in a breath.

Stop!

The spark burst into a flame. The sudden light reflected off of Dev 23’s exterior. The ground shook. Cam pressed her hands to both sides of the wall to steady herself.

Mason bumped into Cam. She switched her environmental suit to lower the volume of the ear shattering sounds of rubble falling to the ground close to where she spotted the spark.

Is everyone all right? Cam asked through the suit’s intercom, assuming everyone else had turned on their comm systems.

Yes, Eta said.

I’m good, Mason said. My ears will probably ring for the next two years. Could you tell where the explosion came from?

A blue beam shot out from the band that functioned as Dev 23’s eyes. The beam lit the open area. Dev 23 rolled forward a few feet and turned off the beam.

My sensors indicate the explosion appeared one-hundred meters in front of us toward the northeast corner, Dev 23 said.

How far is our shuttle? Cam asked.

Approximately twelve meters behind us, Dev 23 said.

Only if the tunnel didn’t collapse, Mason said.

Dev 23’s lights glowed as he moved back the way they came.

No rubble currently blocks the tunnel, Dev 23 said.

That is a relief, Eta said. We should head back in case of another explosion.

I think we need to investigate the shuttle area before we leave to see what exploded, Mason said. Hopefully, we can establish communication with Hernando and Lizzy in the open area.

You are not worried about another explosion? Eta asked.

Mason let out a soft breath. For all we know, the explosion is from another team seeking the treasure.

Or a trap, Eta said.

No one argued with Eta’s assessment. When it came to treasure hunting, anything could happen. So far, the Rockton Treasures had involved puzzles to solve without traps, but that didn’t mean other treasure hunters hadn’t planted a few surprises for their unsuspecting competition.

Dev 23, please continue to survey the area in front of us. If anyone is ahead of us or if there are any odd signals, let us know, Cam said.

They continued around the bend in the darkness, moving as they had before. Cam’s fingers slipped off the edge of the wall when the tunnel came to an abrupt end. The opening looked as black as the interior of the tunnel. Embers glowed among the rubble in the northeast section of the cave on the same level as the team.

Somewhere directly in front of us is Fal City, Mason said. The hidden city with the Rockton Treasure.

During our research, I wondered why no one found Rockton’s treasure hidden in the underground city. Now I see why, Eta said.

Really? You can see? Mason asked in his teasing tone. His environmental suit rustled. When I raise my hand in front of my face, I can’t tell the difference.

Eta grunted in disgust at Mason’s awful joke.

Dev 23, do you detect anyone around us? Cam asked.

Two bodies are near the explosion. I cannot tell if they are human or not, Dev 23 said.

Eta sucked in a breath of surprise. Are they all right?

There is not enough data to know for sure, Dev 23 said.

The rope at Cam’s waist grew taut. Mason stumbled forward.

Hey, what are you doing? he asked.

Eta’s arm brushed Cam’s arm. We need to help them, she said.

We don’t know yet if we can reach them, Mason said.

Then let’s move faster so that Dev 23 can find out, Eta said in a tone that stated no one would change her mind about her decision.

I’m sure whoever is over there is fine, Mason said.

Eta made a disapproving sound. Cam figured Eta also gave Mason a matching look that asked, how can you be so stupid as to question me when someone needs my help? Eta never called anyone stupid. Her kind heart prevented her from doing so, but when she wanted to get her way, she often got it.

Mason let out a breath that indicated he hadn’t meant to offend Eta.

You’re right. If we had light, we could evaluate the situation much easier, Mason said. Is that a risk you want to take?

I think it is a risk we must take, Eta said. If we want to check on everyone.

A light could draw attention to us, Dev 23 said.

Or it could help us, Eta said. Her voice sounded patient, but there was a slight edge in her tone that suggested Eta wouldn’t be averse to dragging the entire team with their connected tether to the bodies near the explosion, if she could.

I’m with Eta, Cam said. We need to make sure whoever is near the explosion doesn’t need our help. Let’s risk the lights. If it draws the attention of anyone, we could explain we heard the explosion and wanted to help.

Dev 23 didn’t require a second request. Every light on his body activated, outlining his six armed torso and pedestal-like bottom. Cam’s eyes watered as if she had stared directly into a sun.

Dev 23, she said. I don’t think you need to shine quite that bright. Please dim your lights to twenty-five percent.

Dev 23 adjusted his lights and shifted them to a red light. Cam rubbed the spots from her eyes. The rope tugged her gently forward as Dev 23 moved to the rubble.

No groans or sounds of moving bodies filled the cavern. Eta removed the clip from her rope and moved up to Cam’s side. She placed her hands on the straps of her pack.

I do not like this, Eta said. I do not like this at all.

Cam couldn’t blame her. She wanted to run in the opposite direction and pretend she never knew about the injured people or aliens. Her fingertips brushed the upper thigh of her prosthetic. From her own experiences, she knew she couldn’t ignore them, doing so would be like someone leaving her to bleed to death during the treasure hunting accident that caused her to lose her leg eleven years ago.

Hey team, is everything okay down there? Hernando asked when they had exited the tunnel. Our sensors indicate explosive activity close to where you are.

Welcome to our investigation, Mason said. We’re okay, but there are some not on our team who may be hurt. Do you have any information about other people and aliens who may be in here?

I’ll find out, Hernando said.

Their lights highlighted a flat rocky platform that wrapped around the black hole of the unseen city. Slopes going down into the darkness where Fal City was said to be located were spaced apart like the spokes on an old ship’s wheel.

Cam activated the light on her wrist and shone it around the cavernous room, noting the beam often disappeared into infinite darkness. It prevented her from understanding the size of the area, but she suspected it could take a person days to walk the perimeter of this level.

Dev 23 lit the area toward to the northeast corner with his high-intensity lights. A pile of rocks blocked the area. Two Yalman bodies, dressed in black fitted clothing, laid in front of the pile near a railed slope. Neither yalman moved.

Cam felt the rope shift when Eta unhooked herself from the tether.

Eta, wait! Cam said.

Cam tried to grab Eta’s arm as she ran by and missed. The ground shook again, causing Eta to stumble forward and fall on the ground. A crashing sound, like the ground falling out from under them, echoed through the open area. Rocks tumbled down the pile toward the fallen bodies.

Eta’s helmet light bounced as she jogged the remaining distance to the blue-skinned aliens. Cam fumbled with the clip of the rope to unhook herself. She nearly tripped when the rope tangled around her legs. With four taps, Cam adjusted her helmet to scan for hidden explosives under the ground between her and Eta as she moved cautiously forward.

Dev 23 and Mason followed her to the rubble. Cam tilted her head, wishing the helmet scanner could tell her if the ceiling above them was sturdy.

The last thing she wanted was to have her team buried alive.

Chapter Two

I do not see anyone besides these two, Eta said through the helmet’s comm system.

Cam kneeled next to the Yalman woman furthest from the rubble. The woman looked small enough for Mason to carry over his shoulder. Her delicate blue face was marred by cuts from the explosion. A black bruise formed on her head just above her eyebrow.

Eta touched the wrist of the woman with her index and middle finger. The woman remained motionless. Eta pulled a scanner from her pocket and ran it over the woman’s body.

Bad news crew, Hernando said through their helmets. The public entrance reports indicate our team is the only ones who should be in the caves. He paused. A tapping sound came through their speakers. No other permits were purchased. Unless there are top secret ones.

Not good, Mason said as he came up behind Cam.

The screen of Eta’s scanner cast an eerie glow on the face shield of her helmet. Her dark eyes studied the screen. Her face remained expressionless as she tapped the screen for more