Waka Tifi was occupied by the British for one hundred and fifty years as a protectorate. During WWII the British turned the island over to the United States. Teuila Arihi is the island Chieftess who runs the independent government of the United St...
Tony pulled back some vines to find the entrance to a cave. It was about four feet wide and five feet six inches high. It was made of the black hardened lava of the mountains. Leading into a grayish cliff face. Using their flashlights didn't help the two men see very far into the cave, since the black rock the cave was made of absorbed their light. They did see foot prints in the gray dirt on the floor. There was a used torch at the entrance. This cave was being used for something.
"The further in we go, the higher the radiation count." Eddie told Tony.
"We may be on the right track. Why do you think the natives are using this cave?" Tony emerged into a large cave.
"Wow, about fifty rads here." Eddie noticed that the further South he went in the large cavern; the more radiation was indicated. "Seventy five rads over here. It's not good to stay here long."
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The cavern was close to a hundred feet long, sixty or so feet wide. There was a black volcanic block of rock that looked to be an altar. A large pool of water that was fifty by thirty feet. Water so clear that Tony could see the bottom of the pool some fifteen feet below.
Tony knelt and used a container to take some water from the pool. "I'm going to get a water sample, get some rock samples and lets get the hell out of here."
Eddie got samples of rock from the wall with the entrance, the altar and a column of rock near the altar. He also went to the far wall for a rock sample. He found another tunnel. The radiation was even higher. He chose not to go down that tunnel which ascended up. Possibly to another radioactive cave. This was was dangerous enough.
Tony and Eddie drove back to their laboratory that was located on the South-East end of the town. Where the hills began. Formally the military clinic. Doctor Bao tried to obtain it as a hospital, but it was the one building that the United States Government didn't give up to the islanders. Despite Teuila's skills at obtaining what she wanted, the United States wouldn't give up the clinic for a hospital for the islanders.
That proved prudent since the scientists had taken up residents since 1947. Tony and Eddie had taken up residence in 1954. After Castle Bravo. The four scientists who had already been there had been transferred over the years. Only Tony and Eddie remained. After four years the two were almost accepted by the islanders.
After retrieving their radiation suits, Eddie and Tony returned. It was later in the evening. Most islanders went to bed early, since they often woke up before sunrise. Which was early in the tropics. It seemed a good idea to wait, so no one would see them suited up. It might cause questions among the islanders that Eddie and Tony weren't willing to answer.
Getting into the cave with the radiation suits on would be difficult. Tony and Eddie agreed to change at the far end of the cavern and continue into the most radioactive areas. As they were lugging their test equipment up the hill they saw the people going into the cave. No one had seen them, so the two men hid behind a rock.
"What the hell are they doing?" Eddie saw them lined up, going in the cave one by one.
"I don't know, but I saw Sefina go in wearing next to nothing. There are both men and women." Tony shook his head. They were barefoot, the men bare chested. No wonder they were getting sick. "Do you think it's some sort of orgy? You know these islanders have pretty loose morals."
"Uh, not that loose." Eddie replied. "I mean individually, they are pretty wild, but not altogether. They are shy in that respect."
"Lets get out of here. I don't want to find out what they might do if they found out we know about their secret meeting." Tony started to slowly back up.
"Why do you think it's some sort of nefarious secret meeting?" Eddie asked Tony as they made their way back to the Jeep.
"Why else would they be going into a cave, at night, in an isolated part of the island." Tony threw his Geiger counter into the back of the Jeep along with the suit. "It could be they are plotting some sort of revolution."
"Against Teuila? Give me a break." Eddie laughed. "Sefina was there, she is Teuila's best friend, everyone knows it. She isn't going to be part of some revolution against her."
"Maybe she's reporting on it or spying for Teuila." Tony didn't really believe that either.
"Charlie King wouldn't chance endangering her, nor would Teuila. Sefina is no Mata Hari." Eddie said. "There is a simple way of finding out. Ask Teuila what she knows, if anything."
"Eddie and Tony say that they are meeting in a cave that is radioactive enough to cause this sickness." Teuila sat up in the bed. Her back resting against the headboard.
"So, they have no idea why the islanders are meeting there." Nash lay on the bed looking up at the naked, beautiful Teuila. Wondering why fate was so generous to allow him to share this bed with Teuila.
"They thought I might know, but I don't." Teuila got out of bed. Heading to the bathroom.
"There is one way to find out." Nash said. "Go ask Sefina."
"She'll think I'm spying on her." Teuila said from the bathroom. Water was running. Nash guessed she was fixing a bath.
"Would you rather I go and actually spy on her?" Nash figured it was time to go home. It was early morning. Too early for islanders to see him leaving, but late enough that the fishermen would be going down to their boats soon.
"No, I would not. All the same, we have to stop them from using that cave, so I guess I'll have to confront Sefina about it.
"Do you want me there? As support." Nash was simply curious what it was all about.
"No. She might not tell me with an outsider around."
