The Cave

Scene :  A poorly lit cave.  Thunder crashes outside and flashes of vivid white light intermittently illuminate two figures, one male, one female, slumped against the wall.  Both are wearing dark green jumpsuits. They begin to stir.  She groans and puts her head in her hands.  He pushes himself up to standing, swaying slightly.  She looks up at him.

Her (raising her voice over the torrential rain outside) :  Do you know where we are ?

Him :  No idea.  Do you know who we are ?

She considers this, shakes her head, and puts her hand to it.

Her :  I feel like I've got the worst hangover in my life.

Him, grimacing :  Guess we must have been at the same party

She pulls herself up, ignoring his outstretched hand.  They look at each other.

Him :  Well, looks like we're wearing the same uniform, we must be in the same outfit, maybe something military. 

He leans towards her to read the name tape over her breast pocket.  She instinctively steps back, and wonders why.

Him : Well you're Paretsky.  (He squints to read his own name tape upside down).  And I'm Logan.

He points at her collar.  And you outrank me.  Ma'am, he adds, but it sounds ironic rather than respectful.  She looks at the two pips on his collar, then pulls hers up sideways so she can see she has four.

He tries to put his arm around her shoulder, but she pushes him irritably away.  The gesture seems familiar.

Him:  Hey come on, for all you know we might be married !

Her : For all you know we might hate each other !

Him, grinning : Well, they're not exclusive.

Her :  I'm not married (she holds up her left hand).  And you are (she points at his left hand).

He holds up  his hand up and looks at the ring.  Yeah, I guess you're right. 

He sounds disappointed and she hears a faint warning bell in her memory.  It isn't good when he's disappointed.  It's something to be avoided. 

Her (briskly) : We need to go outside and try to work out where we are and what we're doing here. 

Him :  In this weather ! Can't you hear it !

Her :  That's an order, Logan.

She turns away and he exclaims in surprise. 

Her : What ?

Him : It says Enterprise on your back.  He spins round. What does mine say ?

Her : The same. 

Him :  Maybe that's the company we work for ? Or the department ?

Her :  Could be. 

But that doesn't feel right.

She pushes past him towards the source of the flashes and the noise. But he grabs her arm and tries to pull her into an embrace.  They struggle and fall to the floor, him on top of her.  Feeling around she picks up a stone and hits him as hard as she can on the back of his head. It feels good.  It feels a long time coming. He gives a grunt of surprise and rolls off.  Driven by something she doesn't understand, she raises the stone again and again. 

She drags herself up to sit against the cave wall and hears voices. Two men, soaked to the skin and dressed in green jumpsuits, come cautiously in with weapons held in front of them. 

Hey, one of them shouts over his shoulder, lowering his weapon.  Get the doc! We've found the captain and Logan !

A woman hurries in, her long red hair dripping down a green tunic and trousers. She is carrying a case with a white cross on the side.  She kneels down at the woman's side.

Are you badly injured ma'am ?

Paretsky looks down and sees she has a lot of Logan's blood on her.

No, she answers truthfully, not badly.  Look at him first.  She gestures weakly at Logan, lying face down with the back of his head matted with blood.

My god Captain, says the doctor, what the hell happened to your husband ?