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who: Clark and Michael.
what: Close encounters with the third kind.
when: During Sampreni.
where: The perimeter fence.
warnings: none.

[ The moment Clark has time on his hands after talking to Michael, and once he's sure he's alone, he starts trekking from one end of the fence to the other, scanning it. Clark can see tunnels around the area too. He memorises the ones completely invisible to human detection. Those he can find easily, he marks the entrance with diagrams. Most of them are about people-sized, but some are smaller and narrower.

He brought along a fresh notebook intending to contact Michael when he's done and hand him the complete and detailed set of notes.

Half the morning passes before someone approaches. They're still far enough that he can move away from loitering around the fence. They're also being very quiet, for a human.

Clark had expected everyone to be busy with the festivities. At least the stranger didn't account for his hearing. By the time they reach him, Clark is clearing a tunnel entrance. He's loud enough pushing away the fallen branches to have disguised the sound of anyone approaching him if they wanted to do it stealthily, and waits for them to announce themselves. ]

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[ Clark kneels, looking into the blackness. There are deep gouge marks where something has climbed up inside the tunnel, leaving a trail of dark-coloured goo. It's dried.

He listens. There's rats and cockroaches, but deep down there's a lot of shrieking and roaring. Clark can make out heavy creatures moving around.

He doesn't want to go in unprepared into an enclosed space. If it's just the first passage, he can make sure nothing happens to Michael. ]

I agree. Does anyone know you're here?

No. Not really. You?

[ Michael flicks on the flashlight and shines it down the tunnel. He can only see as far as the beam, but the technical drawings of the inner wall are still fresh in his mind. They could keep walking for a solid ten minutes before they reached the far side of the interior wall.

He picks up a rock off the ground and throws it. He can hear the echo of the rock as it skips along the concrete floor, and half expects a wall of bats to come flying out at them. When nothing does, he takes the first tentative steps forward. ]

There are miles of tunnels within the wall. Some of them have been filled, but a lot of them were just closed off. If something got in here, there's no telling where it could have gone, or how many more there might be.

No.

[ The flashlight illuminates some more gouges on the wall, with a different spacing between the lines. The smell is pretty strong too.

Michael doesn't have a gun. That leaves just Clark if something happens. ]

It wouldn't hurt to take a quick look.

Guess we're both idiots. Or neither of us has anyone to tell.

[ A dark tunnel, monsters, and a mysterious stranger. What could go wrong?

Michael follows a scratch in the wall with his fingertip as they walk. Whatever made the mark was big. He walks calmly, and with purpose, but his heart is already beating harder in his chest. ]

This is all starting to feel a little Jurassic Park.

That might be a little bigger than a raptor.

[ It's a weak joke. Michael is friendly enough, but not everyone who's friendly is open too. He walks side-by-side, giving Michael space. ]

Are there any cave-ins around here that you know of?

Ceratosaurus? And no, none that I know of, but that doesn't mean there aren't any.

[ He picks up and throws another rock, his eyes closed as he listens in silence for a moment after. ]

There's something off about that echo. It's being split, somewhere. An open door maybe, or a cave-in. Guess we'll find out.

Edited 2017-03-27 23:44 (UTC)

[ Michael's right. Clark listens (and looks around at the walls). There's an opening. ]

That way.

Are you good at running?

[ Michael's only half joking. If something's there, and neither of them are armed, their best bet is to take off.

He walks with slow, careful footsteps towards the jagged opening in the wall. Apprehensive. He takes a deep breath before looking out from around the corner and into the darkness.

The tunnel stretches out far past what he can see, dark and seemingly empty. He steps out into it, looking back over his shoulder at Clark. ]

Seems clear.

[ Michael had looked everywhere but up. ]

[ Humor's a good coping mechanism. Clark, instead of standing opposite Michael looking at the opening, stands next to him, ready to shield him. He'll attract the immediate attention of anything coming towards them. Bigger-sized prey is usually much more appetizing, isn't it?

Something takes the bait.

It's so quick, using the dark as a cover. Clark hears its feet on the opposite wall, then the ceiling.

He looks up and sees rows of very sharp teeth being bared at them. ]

Run!

Run?

[ Michael wouldn't have heard, or seen the creature until it was too late. He stumbles backwards, into Clark, and then grabs his sleeve to tug him forwards.

They've got a better chance of running past it into the tunnel than navigating the turn back and out. Michael knows the interior of the wall well enough to lose it, if they can run fast enough. ]

C'mon!