Willard manages to avoid laughing.<br/><br/>"Yeah, lady, I<em>know</em>you aren't Doctor Whitman.  You're about twenty years too young, way too female, and definitely not the right shade of brown to be Doctor Whitman.  On the other hand, I've been trying to get in here for, like, way too long.  They're hiding something, and I intend to find out what...so like I said I'm willing to play along and I'm not about to go telling anyone."<br/><br/>He leads the way, beckoning you to follow.  This gives him a prime opportunity to pretend he doesn't notice Jenny's glare.<br/><br/>"See, thing is, that earthquake story?  I'm not sure I believe it.  This area's all wrong for that sort of jolt.  And this place is kind of crazy to begin with.  I mean, have you talked to any of the locals over the age of forty?  Freaky.  It's that new superchurch or whatever the hell it is.  Most of the town goes there now, and the older folks are just...ahhh, forget it.  I'm probably just wigging out."<br/><br/>For a dig site or mine in the middle of the workday, it's awfully quiet in here.  Not a lot of workers.  Most of the security types were probably back by the gate.  But then you hear something<em>odd</em>.  Sounds like chanting.  A lot of voices chanting.  The sound is coming up the long main shaft, just ahead of you now.  Finally, Willard half-turns over one shoulder.<br/><br/>"What I'm not telling you is probably why Doctor Whitman asked me to come here and do this.  I'm not sure you'd believe me about that part.  I don't fully believe it, to be honest.  But after that footage out of Tokyo..."<br/><br/>The chanting is joined by something else--an eerie piping howl.<br/><br/>"Ah.  Just like Belize all over again."  Willard does not sound particularly happy.  "Anybody bring a sword or something?  Whatever's making that noise is probably bulletproof."<br/><br/><br/>