G.I. Joe: Agent Blue Jaye and the Beasts of Lakeside

Chapter 30

Spirit and the Sheriff entered the small abandoned building at Curvy Mine. Beams of light shown through the dusted window panes onto the barren walls. The building looked like local kids used it for parties as empty bottles and trash were strewn on the ground. A large wooden table stood in the middle of the room, covered in graffiti. Two beat up and torn sofa chairs sat in one corner, and an old mattress rested in another.

At the far end of the room was a door. The bottom half of the door was broken into multiple shards of wood. Spirit walked over and crouched down by the opening. Removing an arrow from his quiver, he strung his bow and ducked through. The Sheriff waited a few minutes until Spirit returned and opened the door, his bow resting on his shoulder.

"Take a look." Spirit said, gesturing the Sheriff to enter. The Sheriff put his rifle over his shoulder and walked through.

The doorway led into a small room with a stairwell heading down to the cellar. Spirit turned on his flashlight and led the Sheriff downstairs. The walls and floor of the cellar were made of natural earth. Spirit shone his light on a pile of rocks in the far corner of the basement.

Behind the rocks was a small opening leading down into darkness. Spirit took off his pack and shimmied himself headfirst down the hole. Soon, the Sheriff saw the light from Spirit's flashlight shine up from the cave.

"Toss me our gear and head down after." Spirit shouted. The Sheriff slid their stuff down the hole and then got in feet first.

Sliding down a natural slope, the Sheriff gently landed on a dirt floor. Standing up, the Sheriff saw he was in a small earthen room about 150 square feet and ten feet tall. The Sheriff turned on his flashlight and both men began to survey their surroundings. Evidence of party goers was all over the floor. However, on one of the dirt walls, Spirit and the Sheriff saw a solid metal door.

The metal door had a series of dents and was also covered in graffiti. Both men looked over the door but couldn't find a way to open it. Taking a few steps back, they checked the rest of the room but found it was empty. All the sudden, they heard metal grating against metal and turned to see the door had opened on its own. Exchanging cautious looks, both men removed their weapons and raised them at the ready.

"What do you make of that?" The Sheriff asked, pointing his rifle into the darkness past the now open door.

"I think someone is expecting us." Spirit replied, taking out his phone. Bringing up the schematic of the mine and tunnels generated by the R.U.S.S., Spirit and the Sheriff saw the doorway led to a hall which branched off into a series of rooms and tunnels. Defensively, both men entered.

The corridor was empty except for another door straight ahead. Spirit and the Sheriff walked down, and when they approached the door at the end of the hall, it also opened on its own. Spirit turned to the Sheriff.

"Stay close behind me. If we are attacked, I will shoot high and then go low for a second shot. You fire high right after I fire low, do you understand?" Spirit instructed. The Sheriff silently confirmed.

The men entered the next room and found it also empty. There were two doors, one on the left wall and the other on the right wall. Spirit and the Sheriff walked to the door on the left wall and as they reached it, the door on the right wall opened instead.

Spirit brought up the map on his phone and saw that the door that was closed led to a larger room with a series of tunnels branching out in multiple directions. The door that was open led down another hallway through a series of smaller rooms until it opened into a large space. Spirit turned to the Sheriff.