The Zetta Sonic
S15 - (Spring) Small Tube

The journey truly began in the midst of darkness. Mark doesn't know how far they're going, but he does know it's past eight. No matter how fast they get there and Dominic finishes his research, it is impossible for them to return to the village before midnight. That's according to Mark and he's pretty sure.

The route is also not very friendly with the pedestrians from the city. There are no paved roads there. There is only a path, it is slippery and quite steep. Sometimes climbing, sometimes downhill. The narrow path required them to march. A guide in front, then Dominic and Mark, then the other two guards.

“You know, we could have been left here for a night snack of wild animals. Leopard, venomous snakes, killer bees, poisonous spiders, I don't know what else. Bear, maybe?” Dominic sighs. Although his breathing was wheezed by fatigue, he was still able to break the silence.

“You know that these locals can understand our language, ‘kan?”

“Of course not. Tesiana says these people won't bother learning our language. Ancient beliefs they even think that we are cursed and technology is a creation of the devil.”

“It's not entirely wrong.” Mark looked up. The leaves block the moonlight from encountering them. Lighting can only be obtained by flashlights or lanterns brought by local residents.

“What? Wh why? Because more weapons kill than protect?”

“One of them.”

“Come on, lots of positives. I'm a doctor, remember? Modern medicine is amazing.” Dominic began to describe various things.

No conversation took place among the locals. Dominic throws in comments trying to cover up his anxiety. His voice was quite drowned out by the rustling of the leaves and the insects. Mark who had once completed several midnight missions was already used to this sort of thing. Dominic is obviously another. Sometimes his comments turn sarcastic. Mark was just commenting.

Mark doesn't like the air. It's all too humid. Her skin feels sticky. Many large mosquitoes try to suck their blood. His feet were getting tired and his mind was getting bored. Dominic looked at him. They thought the same thing unfortunately neither of the two could ask with the local language.

That was when the front man stopped. He said something then the two guards behind stepped forward. The two men hung their lanterns on a tree. Then the two simultaneously pushed the black object in front of them.

Dominic and Mark exchanged looks. Now they understand why the spring was never detected by ICPA radar. Not only because the Kloster tribe hid it from the ICPA, but because the spring itself hid itself.

After the boulder shifted from its place, there was an odd glimmer of light from within. Dominic and Mark step into the cave. Both could not hide their admiration. Behind the cave there were no lanterns or lights or candles. The light came from a type of moss that grew to fill the cave walls. The cave was like a dome room with silver white velvet walls.

Only one part of it looks different. There, there is a stream of water flowing from the upper wall of the cave continues to descend on a small stream that ends on the other side of the cave. Near the stream, there was a pile of stones forming an altar. Right beside him, a statue of a bear stood gallantly. His sculpture was different from the one in the village. This statue has beautiful details with the exact size of the original.

“This place.. awesome.” Dominic stepped as slow as he could. His eyes swept over every part. Although his eyes continued to be hypnotized by the natural beauty around him, his hands did not stop working. He began to lower his things near the stone statue.

Mark approached the spring. There was a faint sweet fragrance wafted from him. The color of the water feels different. Either because of the reflection of that silver white light or for some other reason. Dominic will probably find out why. The professor was still busy taking out various equipment and arranging them on the ground.

“I thought you would just take a sample,” Mark said. He knelt down next to Dominic. His hands took apart the equipment from inside the other backpack he was carrying. It belongs to the professor. He was only in charge of helping bring it. If you feel, this mission makes him more an assistant than a protector.”

“It will take a long time.”

“Make yourself comfortable, agent.” Dominic grunting. “Take it easy. Your son should be safe with Tesiana, so just enjoy this moment.”

Mark did not answer. He glanced at the guards standing near the cave door. Both have no intention of getting close. They had been there since they entered. The guide was not even in the cave. He was outside, sitting cross-legged, sucking something out of a long pipe.

Dominic started taking some test tubes from inside the bag. He filled each small tube with the same amount of water. Each tube is then inserted in a laptop under the guise of a suitcase. There is a mechanism that will help professors know various things such as mineral content, acidity levels, and other things. Dominic muttered as he worked. Inevitably, Mark had to get used to himself.

To comfort himself, Mark took out a small dagger from his pocket. The dagger had an owl carving on its handle. Mark also picked up a small piece of wood that he had picked up earlier. He began to peel the bark and injure certain parts.

“I didn't know you could sculpt,” Dominic said.

“I thought you were concentrating on your tool, prof.” Mark stopped his activities only to see that Dominic's eyes and hands were indeed glued to the experiment. “I didn't know you could multitask.”

“Many things you don't know yet from me, agent.”

Mark shrugged his shoulders.

“Dan,” Dominic said again, “many things are also unknown from this water. There is a foreign substance in it. If we don't deal with super villains and advanced technology, I'd think this water comes from heaven.”

“Angoing contact? You can't identify it?”

“Not here.” Dominic sighed then glanced at the ICPA agent. “Ah, if only I could move my office here.”

Mark shrugged his shoulders again. He glanced at the two guards who were still in his position. The two men were no longer standing straight, they were already sitting on the floor with spears by hand. One of them yawned, the other person was already bowed. While the roadman is invisible. Those people must be bored, too.

“They may not see it,” whispered Mark almost silently.

“What?” The professor lowered his voice. “Wait! You want me to take it?”

“Optional in your hand, prof.”