Within a few minutes, Matt reached the forward airlock and it took a minute for the lock to cycle. As he stepped out and into the darkened cave, he wondered how he was going to find his way out to the surface.

"Activating lighting now Matt," Sam said, his voice sounding like it had come from right beside his ear. As the immediate area lit up around the airlock.

Matt whipped his head back and forth until he realized that the voice was coming from inside his ear.

"Sam, how am I able to hear you?" Matt asked.

Sam replied, "A sub-dermal transceiver implanted in your right ear Captain. They are standard issue for all Special Task Groups, but I thought a little discretion was in order."

Matt chewed on this for a minute, he didn't know how he felt about it, but he wanted a sub-ordinate, not a slave.

"So, where's the way out?"

A series of lights flickered into existence, showing a path which he followed. After a good half hour of walking, Matt came to what looked like a hole bored into the rock face. A maintenance drone stood by the entrance. The light was fading so Matt ducked out through the hole. He recognized the terrain immediately. What was the rock face from this side, was actually the trail marker that his father had carved all those years ago.

He shook his head in amazement at the coincidence and bounded up the trail towards home. Matt knew when he'd crossed the unmarked boundary between the scrub and the edge of his backyard. The angle had eased a little and the grass was well trampled here. A minute later and the house came into view in the fading twilight, no lights were on.

He reached the back door, opened it and crossed the threshold into his house. All was quiet, so he took his shoes off and turned on the laundry light. Expecting to find Ian having forgotten dinner and still on the computer.

Matt walked into the lounge room he surprised to find that his friend was not on the PC or passed out on the couch. Instead, there was a note waiting for him as he went into the kitchen.

Matt, sorry about bailing, but Becca is demanding some Ian time and she won't take no for an answer. There's a plate of Apricot Chicken and Rice in the fridge for when you get back from your jog. -- Ian

Matt snorted, so much for trying to get Ian to cook a stir-fry. Still didn't mean he was going to pass up a nice chicken and apricot rice though. Matt took the plate out and removed the glad wrap and opened the microwave. He set it to a slow reheat and then went into the bathroom and after taking off his clothes he had a quick shower. After he got out and toweled himself dry, he shrugged into a fresh pair of clothes. They felt quite loose, must be old and stretched. He went back out to the kitchen as the microwave finished with a shrill beep.

He got a spoon and retrieved dinner, salivating as the aromas wafted over him. He went into the lounge room, turned on the light and the TV as he began to wolf down dinner. He chuckled to himself as he looked up from dinner at the story on the news, still stuffing food into his mouth. People never learn, do they? Israel survives only by being meaner than the entire Muslim world. Any let up on that policy and they get overrun. He looked down as his spoon hitting the plate sounded, he'd already eaten all that food? He was still quite hungry as it felt like he hadn't eaten anywhere near enough.

The door knocked and Matt startled from his revelry dropped his spoon. It was most likely Ian, returning after having a fight with Bec. But he still checked the windows incase anyone was creeping around getting set up to breach. The government would kill him in a heartbeat for what he'd found this afternoon. You're not paranoid if people are out to get you. Matt stood up and smoothed his clothes down, checked to make sure his skrill wasn't visible. He opened the door and there was Anna. The last person he had expected.

Anna took one look at Matt and gasped, shock written all over her face her eyes rolled up into the back of her head. Matt lunged forward to catch her as she collapsed onto the decking.