Title: Suspicion
Chapter: 6
Author: squeezynz@free.net.nz
Universe: Land of the Giants
Rating: PG, Adventure
Archive: sure, just let me know where, please
Spoilers: Teeny tiny ones, maybe.
Feedback : cherished and polished
Disclaimer: Wishes were horses..blah blah blah...all belong to IA.

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Mark, Steve and Dan checked the whole area for any further clues to the fate of the women. The single shoe print was the only evidence found so far. The men had radioed the Windsifter to bring Barry and Fitz up to date, then decided to try and find the trail of Giant footprints. Given the stride length it was going to prove a challenge. The first print atleast gave them a direction, they only hoped whoever they were following kept to a straight route back to their hideout. They found the second footprint in short order and, given a more positive direction, decided to go back to the Windsifter and get whatever gear and clothing they would need for an extended rescue mission. Mark was consumed with worry over Valerie's fate, trying to rationalise that any hostile Giant would have killed them rather than bother to carry them off. He tramped after Steve and Dan, trying to piece what little evidence they had together in his head. They had gathered together the dry laundry, dumping it at Fitzhugh's feet when they arrived back at camp. The bundle sat forlornly in the dust, mocking the men as they hurried to equip themselves for the trek ahead. Dan filled a backpack with ropes and grappling gear, adding a length of the newly acquitted fishing line as well. Mark checked all their electronic gear, packing some recharged batteries and torches for good measure. Steve collected provisions for several days, filling water bottles and directing Barry to fold the bedrolls as small as possible, ready to be lashed to the backpacks. They were all kitted out and ready to go in under an hour. Fitzhugh and Barry watched as they hoisted their packs, Mark wincing but voicing no complaints when his sore back took the packs full weight. He wasn't about to draw attention to his injuries, afraid that Steve would insist he sit this one out. No way was he going to be left to worry when he could be doing something. Finally all the checking and packing was completed and they set out, back to the creek to following what trail they had.

They followed the tracks, which headed off inland, away from their remaining friends back at camp, and leading towards the precipice that so recently had threatened Mark's life. The footprints took them much further south than the area Mark and Valerie had covered and they found, to their relief that the gorge was considerably narrower the further south they travelled. They negotiated the remaining gap with relative ease, using a fallen log to create a bridge, making their passage over easier. They continued to trek as far as the light would let them, but stopped once it was full night, as they didn't want to lose the footprints in the dark. Supper that night was subdued, none of the men feeling like talking. They only stayed up long enough to eat their small meal, then roll themselves in their bedrolls. They used the shelter of some thick root's that had collected soil, to act like caves for the weary travellers.

The next morning they were up and away early, finding the tracks with ease in the bright morning sun. Mark's back was healing but still ached from the bruising, so he just gritted his teeth, voicing no protests when Steve upped their pace. They had passed the grove of Giant trees with their noisy birds, and were now approaching a cliff face, previously unseen behind the tree's. The facia towered over them, pock marked with caves and entrances, like a monstrous multistorey skyscraper. The tracks continued to clearly mark their trail so they pushed on. By the end of the second day they found themselves at the base of the cliff, amid the fallen rocks and debris that had rained down from the plateau above. There was evidence that rain had scoured deep canyon's out of the soft sandstone, creating hidden gullies and blind alleyways, folded and creased like a pleated skirt, dotted with scrubby bush and stunted trees, much like the deserts back on earth. The footprints continued to lead the tiny rescue team deeper into the foothills, eventually leading into a wide, flat canyon that stretched dimly into the cliff face itself. As darkness fell they camped outside the entrance to the canyon, planning to make their main assault in the morning. From the number of bootprints around the mouth of the gully they figured this was the main entrance to a system of caves, providing a base for the Giant holding the women. It was an ingenious hideaway, almost invisible from the air, and even from the ground, except under close inspection.

Steve and Dan, together with Mark, were positively ebullient, they had tracked whoever had stolen Val, Betty and Marna and tomorrow they would get up early and start their rescue attempt. Of course they still didn't know how many Giants they were dealing with, but given that the boot print they had been following was also the only print around the opening of the canyon, it was a fairly good bet there was only one Giant involved. At least that was the hope of the three men bedding down that night among the sheltering boulders at the mouth of the gully.

They were woken the next morning by ground tremors under their bedrolls, indicating a Giant moving around their immediate area. They scrambled out and peered over the boulder's sheltering their campsite. They saw a Giant coming out of the canyon, holding what looked, at first glance, like a hand gun, but bigger and bulkier than a normal pistol. The Giant was fiddling with various settings on the handle, then he set off, away from the entrance way, leaving the way clear for the Little People to make their rescue attempt.

" Our luck seems to be holding out. Mark leave the provisions and bedrolls here, we'll just take the climbing gear with us this time. Make sure your radio's are firmly fixed to your belts, we may need the torches as well." Steve told them. They all checked their gear, hoisting the ropes over their shoulders, then set out for the entrance of the canyon, keeping a wary lookout for the Giant that may appear at any given time. They made quick progress down the dimly lit passageway, the dusty ground giving way to hard, beaten dirt, and finally to a concrete like floor as they entered the Giants' hideaway proper. The Giant had left his door open, obviously confident of not being disturbed by anyone. Steve led the way as they sidled into the laboratory, checking all the time for any sign of the Giants return. The first room yielded no information about the whereabouts of the women, so they moved under the next door, preparing to check as many room's as possible. The room's had all been hewn out of the cliff face and were filled with all manner of odd equipment, most of it a complete mystery to the men travelling past them. Mark recognised a few bits but had no real idea what the Giant may have been working on. In the fourth room they discovered the animal cages and specimens collected by the Giant. The room reeked of animals, with the noise level from all the squeaks, rustles and grunts providing a background hum as the men checked each cage, those that they could see or reach, for any sign of Val, Betty or Marna. They were checking the last cages when the sound of the Giant returning caused them to duck behind some boxes of feed, just in time. The door swung open, admitting the same Giant they had seen at the entrance to the canyon.

The Scientist moved among the various cages, checking water levels, topping up the feed bowls, getting closer to where Steve crouched behind a box with Mark and Dan. They shrank further back into the shadows, hoping that they remained hidden, but straining to catch any information about the location of the girls. The Giant started muttering to himself as he passed down the line of cages.

" I must get that latest test up today, my little pets." He passed the boxes, opening the last cage to pet the rabbit inside. " How are you my furry friend, it's your lucky day, you get to be tested..." He carried on muttering to himself as he secured the cage after picking up the rodent and walking back into the main room, closing the door behind him. Mark and Dan edged away from the boxes as Steve ran to the door, looking under to gauge how far the Giant had gone. He couldn't see the Scientist or the rabbit so he signalled for Mark and Dan to join him. They squeezed under the door and ran along the wall, towards the room they hadn't searched yet. They could hear someone moving around inside the room as they crawled under the door. Steve waved to the others to follow him to a stack of books on the floor, making a convenient hideout while they surveyed the room. Banks of lights flickered and blinked, while dial's whirled and clicked and paper fell out of a slot as the Giant, with his back to them, pushed button's and wrote on a clipboard. The rabbit was nowhere to be seen. Mark supposed it was inside one of the cabinets set into the walls. Steve pointed to a table pushed against the wall, on top of which was a glass mouse cage. They couldn't see anything inside but when the Giant turned his back again they ran along the wall until they were underneath the table, hidden behind its legs.

" We'll stay here for the time being " panted Steve. He crouched down and Mark and Dan squatted next to him in the shadow of the leg.

" Any idea what this is all for ?" Asked Dan.

" Some of this equipment is for testing sound waves, see that sonagraph over there ?" Mark pointed to a bank of lights and dials. " And that cupboard over there looks like a sound booth, see the inside? it's lined with acoustic tiles to dampen sound." Steve and Dan looked over at the illuminated interior, none the wiser as to its ultimate purpose.

" That's all fine, but what would he want with Val, Betty and Marna...he has a ton of animals for his experiments " pondered Dan.

" Maybe he needed more complex 'animals' for his test, who knows " replied Steve.

The Giant had finished whatever he was doing with the rabbit and had moved towards the table the men crouched behind. They shrank back further into the shadows, straining their ears to catch anything the Giant might let slip.

" Well my precious little creatures, are we awake yet this morning ?" The Giant appeared to lean on the table above them, talking to whatever was in the mouse box. " I hope you are all feeling fine and ready for my next batch of test's ?" The Giant continued.

" We're not fine, we're sick...we can't do any more test...please let us go " Valerie's voice was heard clearly by the men hiding below, their grins of success turned to frowns of concern at Valerie's statement about the women's health. What had the Giant been doing to them ?

" What's the matter with you all, what are your symptoms ?" The Giant continued to question Valerie.

" Betty can't seem to focus properly, it's making her feel sick. Marna has vertigo and can't get up and I'm feeling dizzy all the time. Please just let us go, we can't be of any use to you sick like this " Valerie's voice sounded weaker as she pleaded with the Giant.

" That's wonderful, your reacting just as expected, I'll give you today to recover then we'll start all over again." The Scientist turned and walked back to the bank of lights, rubbing his hands with glee. Everything was going according to plan, his latest tests had proved his weapons viability, now he just had to prove it's effectiveness in wiping out sentient life, leaving behind plant and animal life, and his project would be complete. The Little People had allowed his test's to leap forward and he was only a day or so away from completion. He had contacted his Superiors that morning, they were as pleased as he was, everything was going according to plan.

Steve waited till the Scientist had his back turned, deciding to risk a hurried conference.

" Mark, we need to get up to the table, but we need to distract the Giant, any idea's ?"

" We could release the animals in the other room, that should create enough of a ruckus to distract him for the time we need " Mark suggested.

" Good idea, Dan, do you think you could manage that by yourself ? I'm going to need Mark to help free the girls, I'm hoping that Valerie was bluffing the Giant to get him to leave them alone, if she wasn't then we'll need you back here as soon as possible to help lower the girls to the floor if they can't climb."

Dan nodded, taking off his coil of rope and pushing it behind the table leg. He gave Mark and Steve a quick grin then he was off and running along the wall, ducking behind the books before heading for the door and out of sight. Steve and Mark started to unwind the ropes and grapnel's, loosely looping the cord, ready for action. They were to give Dan thirty minutes to complete the distraction, then they could begin their rescue. Steve and Mark waited patiently, finally hearing a commotion in the other room. The Giant looked up in surprise, then, putting down his clipboard, he hurried out of the room. Steve quickly stood up and whirled the rope, building the momentum to hurl the hook up to the table. It took a couple of attempts but eventually the hook bit and after testing the line Steve started climbing with Mark close behind. The noise outside their room was evidence of Dan's obvious success, and they reached the table top without any interference.

Steve and Mark hauled themselves over the edge, then looked around. They saw the glass mouse cage in front of them, made up of several 'rooms' linked by clear tunnels. They could see a room lined with straw where the bodies of Val, Betty and Marna were sprawled. Steve and Mark ran over to the wall nearest the girls and looked inside. Mark banged on the glass to get their attention, but Valerie was the only one to raise her head. She looked blankly around, trying to pinpoint this new sound, so Mark hit his hand on the glass again. Valerie's head snapped round and her eye's opened wide, then she was up and staggering to the wall, leaning against it, pressing her hand to the glass, trying to touch Mark's hand.

" Oh god, we didn't think we'd ever see you again....Mark we're all so sick, he's been testing us each day, we can't take much more." Valerie slid down the glass wall, ending up in a heap next to where Steve and Mark stood horrified outside. Mark crouched down next to her.

" Valerie you have to stay awake, can you tell us where the cage door is ? " Mark insisted. Valerie raised her arm and pointed to the fitted door on the other wall. Steve left them and ran around to the door, seeing a simple catch.

" Mark, I need you here, the catch will take both of us to move."

Mark got up reluctantly and came around the corner to attack the catch. Within minutes they had the catch open and pulled the glass square wide. They could still hear banging and crashing outside their room so they entered the box, knowing they had to hurry. Just as they entered Dan's head appeared over the edge of the table, a grin on his face. He quickly ran over and followed Steve and Mark into the box.

Mark went over to where Valerie slumped by the wall, he gathered her into his arms as she clutched at him, winding her arms about his neck. Steve and Dan went over to Betty and Marna, who hadn't stirred despite the noise. Steve spoke urgently to Betty, trying to rouse her. Betty opened her eye's at Steve insistence and tried to sit up, clutching her head as the dizziness overtook her.

" Oooooh Steve, my head hurts..is this a dream, are you really here ?" Betty groaned. Steve helped her to sit up, bracing her against his arm. Dan had pulled Marna upright, but she lay limply in his arms, non responsive to his call's.

" Steve, Marna's not stirring, I'm going to get some water and try and wake her " Dan lay Marna gently back on the straw and dashed off to the next room, pulling a cloth out of his pocket, wetting it and returning. He bathed Marna's face, smoothing the hair away and letting the water trickle down her neck. She started to stir, wetting her lips when Dan pressed the cloth against her mouth, she opened her eye's gazing blankly up at Dan as he held her. Dan looked helplessly over to Steve and Mark, both trying to rouse their respective victims to a state where they could walk.

" We can't afford to hang around any longer, pick the girls up and carry them, we have to be on the floor before the Giant returns." Steve bent and gathered Betty into his arms, her groan when he stood up the only sound. Mark did the same for Valerie, although she was in better shape than the others. Dan collected Marna and the three men carried their burdens as fast as possible out of the glass cage and over to the rope waiting for them at the back edge of the table. Mark placed Valerie's feet on the ground and she stayed upright, swaying slightly, but managing to keep her feet while Mark swung himself over the edge, then beckoned her to follow him. She took a deep breath, trying to clear the fog from her brain, then grasped the rope and started down. Steve was close behind with Betty, followed by Dan and Marna. Mark touched bottom and helped Valerie, catching her as she reached the ground safely. Steve had made a loop and put this under Betty's arms, then lowered her to the floor with Dan's help. Then they repeated the move with Marna. Both women reached the floor without a hitch. Finally Dan and Steve, using two ropes, quickly descended. The sound's outside the room had died down, indicating the Scientist was winning the battle with the loose animals. Their time was running out, Mark put his arm round Valerie's waist and started to jog along the wall, towards the exit. Steve picked up Betty and followed, then Dan with Marna. They made it to the books just as the Giant opened the door and walked in. Steve had placed Betty on her feet, but she was so wobbly that he kept his arm about her shoulder's to steady her. Dan held the limp Marna against his side, breathing heavily after the run across the floor. Although Marna wasn't a heavy weight she wasn't a feather either. Steve, seeing Dan's predicament, offered to swap the semi-conscious Betty for the almost insensible Marna. Mark watched the Giant, waiting for the opportunity to dash towards the door and escape.

" Damn animals, how did they escape...." The Giant muttered to himself as he walked around the various banks of instruments.

He went over to the table, to check on his prize specimens, only to find they had flown the coop. " Where have you gone, you said you were sick !" The Scientist raged. He swept the cage to the floor after checking thoroughly and finding no occupants. The cage crashed to the floor, glass splinter's shooting off in all directions, narrowly missing the Little People behind the books. The Giant then crouched down, searching around the base of the table and behind each leg. Mark took the opportunity, holding tight to Valerie's hand, they managed to reach the door and scooted under. They found some boxes near the doorway and hid there, waiting for Steve and Dan to appear.

Steve held Marna close to his chest and made his run, reaching the door, but finding it difficult to manoeuvre the semi-conscious girl under the door. He hissed for Mark, who hearing Steve, reached the door and pulled Marna through while Steve crawled under the door, then picked her up on the other side. Dan was close behind, with Betty able to wiggle under the door unaided. They hid, panting, behind the boxes as the sound of the Giant, tearing the room apart, came closer.

" We need to get out.....now " Mark ground out. Steve nodded and together they ran as fast as they could, given their burdens, to the next room, putting as much distance between themselves and the Giant as possible.

They rested, panting and gasping, inside the room with the lab animals, finding bags close to the door that provided good shelter if the Giant should choose to check that room. Valerie had recovered a lot of her equilibrium and leaned against the sack, holding Mark's hand as they tried to catch their breath's. Steve was bent double, sucking in great lung-fulls of air, after depositing the limp form of Marna next to Valerie. Dan supported Betty as she leaned against the wall, gasping like a fish. Betty had lost the awful dizziness and if her leg's would only stop wobbling she would feel almost fine....well almost.

" We need to get away, as soon as the Giant gives up searching for the girls." Said Steve.

" What if he doesn't give up ?" Asked Dan.

" He'll have to soon, or atleast go and check around the entrance, we just have to be patient and keep our heads. We're as safe as we can be here, we'll rest and catch our breath then move when the coast is clear, he has to sleep, or eat sometime. " Steve responded.

" I'd be happier is we had someway of insuring our safety. Valerie what was the Scientist testing you for ?" Mark asked.

" Some sort of sonic weapon, he used it on us by the stream, it knocked us all out cold. We came to in the mouse cage, then he tested us, using all sorts of equipment. " Valerie answered. She looked down at her shaking hands, recalling the last time they had been guinea pigs for the weapon. " He tested us again last night, I think it was one of the final test before he gave the finished weapon to his superior's. They intend to use it on their own kind. We were just the next best thing." She shook her head wearily. " If the Giants put this weapon into production we would be helpless against it, I don't know it's range but we had no warning that the Giant was anywhere near when it hit us." She looked up and gave the men a frightened glance.

Mark was considering what Valerie had told them, he rubbed his chin as he pondered the implications.

" Steve, we should look into this more, before we leave. If what Valerie said is the case, we could be in serious trouble. If the range of this weapon is extended they will only have to point it into any area we are passing through and we will be knocked out. We may have to consider stopping the weapon leaving this cave system."

Steve gave him a sharp look but appeared to seriously consider Mark's points and the implications. " I am assuming that you think we should blow up this complex and all the information about this new weapon. How exactly are we to do this....this place is huge by our standards, we don't have enough explosives to blow up a tenth of this cave system."

" Your right, we don't have the necessary explosives, but if we can find the power source of all this electronic hardware, we might be able to construct a feedback power loop and fry all the electronic equipment in one surge. We would need to overload the circuit breakers, and bypass the fuses, but it's possible. I would need to see the power board to figure out how it can be done." Mark looked eagerly around at their faces.

" That would certainly fry the hardware, and cook the software but what about the weapon itself, he only has to escape with one working model and all our efforts are for nothing. " Steve argued. Mark thought for another minute.

" We could rig the feedback to create an explosive overload, culminating in a chain reaction that ended in a firestorm. That would cremate anything in these caverns to ashes. Of course it could also incinerate if we don't get out in time. Nothing is guaranteed. But if we do nothing we will have a limited time before the Giants start sweeping the planet with this new technology and we no longer have anywhere to hide." Mark gave Steve a considering look. " We could, of course, ignore this predicament and move forward our plans to find the space anomaly, in the hopes it will take us home." He waited for Steve to absorb everything before pressing his point.

" I would like to think we could find the space warp within a short time frame but given our limited knowledge concerning the warp I don't want to get anyone's hopes up for a quick departure from this world."

" Alright Mark, I get your point, our choices are to blow this joint to dust or take our chances that we find the warp quickly and get back to earth. If the anomaly works both ways of course, which we don't know for sure, and have few way's to test it except to go through." Steve stated. Mark shrugged his shoulders.

" That about sums it up, anyone else have a better idea ?"

Dan, Valerie and Betty looked at each other, then back at the two men.

" What are we waiting for ?" Asked Betty. Steve gave her a surprised glance. Betty was usually the first to advocate non-violence, but then Steve hadn't been a guinea pig for three days.

" Okay, we need to wait for the Big Guy to give up looking for you girls, then we can scout the other rooms and find the power plant, agreed ?" Steve glanced over to Mark. He nodded.

" Let's get comfortable then, this could take awhile."

Valerie sank to the floor gratefully. Mark took off his jacket, folding it and giving it to Val to make a pillow, she smiled her thanks and put her head down, falling asleep in an instant. Betty turned and found a soft spot on the floor, ready to follow Valerie's example, Steve gave her his jacket and she copied her fellow captive, also sinking quickly into oblivion. Marna was were Steve had left her, Dan had balled up his uniform and made a pillow for her while Steve and Mark had been talking. The men kept watch, hearing the Giant roaring and banging around outside, never coming near their bolt hole.

It was indeed going to take awhile.