The tunnel was dark and long- that we were walking very slow and cautiously after the near run-in with the dragon probably contributed to that. But we weren't going to take the chance of making too much noise.

Eventually, we came to a descending staircase; our flashlights were small, so the light they provided was hardly sufficient to show much. If we were talking, I'dve asked how deep we thought the stairs went- but I wasn't gonna be the one who broke the silence.

Dr. Snively seemed to be consulting his device for threats. Cleetus shone his flashlight on the doctor, who in time gave a nod. We took that to mean the vicinity was safe from dragons, but we still had no idea what we were walking into; hesitantly, we took the risk. After all, going back wasn't practical now.

The stairs went on for some time before the ground leveled out again. Then, we all heard it.

Drip...drip...drip...

As we used our flashlights it was apparently there was water dripping down from off of the many stalactites above. There even appeared to be a stream flowing through; small enough that we all had no trouble stepping over it, yet full enough to be moving at a steady pace. Then, straight ahead, we noticed it- a large, old-looking door. It was decorated with drawings of little green men not unlike what we had seen in the hall above; but there were no dragons depicted here.

We all glanced to one another. What could be behind the door? Was it a trap? We had no clue what to expect, nor did anyone want to volunteer to be the one who risked it.

Eventually, however, curiosity or impatience got the best of Cleetus. He cautiously approached the door and with finesse, placed his hand on its handle. Then, every so slowly, he turned it and pulled back...

And nothing happened.

He tried again.

Nothing happened.

Incidentally, the door was locked. Cleetus looked back to us, but all we could do was silently shrug. Then, Cleetus took a few steps back and ran straight at the door, ramming his body into it.

The door snapped easily, its pieces falling to the ground with echoing thuds that seemed to shake the area.

"Shhh!" We all said instinctively in a panic, not knowing what was around, whether the dragon in the next tunnel over heard, or whether something equally terrible waited on the door's other side.

But nothing happened once the door broke. In fact, Cleetus, crawling through the hole he had made, incidentally found a light switch. A blueish glow suddenly lit up the now-mangled door frame.

"I think it's safe in here," he whispered, "I don't hear or see anything."

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We all slowly entered the room as well. It was actually more like a tiny foyer. ahead was another staircase, though certainly much small erthan the one we had just descended; in the light, we could see that it led down to what looked like a series of smooth tables, albeit covered in dust as if unused for years.

Dr. Snively again took the lead, his device not detecting any abnormalities. However, as we entered that area Detective LaLouf pointed.

"Are those...Martian skeletons?" She asked.

Sure enough, off to the side lay about five or six piles of bones. They appeared shorter than an average adult human and the skulls had antennae just as all the drawings on the walls did. Though partially gone, it was still clear that the figures had been draped in fine robes of bright red and gold; but whether that was a sign of Martian royalty or just average Martian fashion was lost to us.

"Look here," said Laurence, pointing to a table behind them. On top rested what looked like an old log book or tome, pages open as if left after someone has used it but planned to return. LaLouf stepped over the corpse pile and retrieved it.

"Is it in French too?" Laurence asked his wife.

"It...appears to be." She flipped back to the first page as she began a translation: "In the Year of the Sun 80, we of this planet have retreated into the control room for our..safety? "

We looked around. The tables seemed strange but did not strike us as the sort one typically found in a control room.

"We must stay here until they all sleep," she continued, "they have become too powerful and too independent."

"I assume the 'they' are the dragons?" I asked.

"Doesn't say. Oh wait, yes, here it is- 'The metal guards were given much to help protect us, but now they think for themselves and wish for no other to hold dominion over them. They no more follow our commands and instead of protect, they wish us harm."

"Baby, your French is pretty good for someone as out of practice as you claim to be!" Complimented Laurence.

"Well, I did get an A in the class all four years," confessed LaLouf.

"Is there anything important about the dragons this book says?" asked Snively, science-minded. "Or about what happened to the folks laying here?"

"Hmm," LaLouf looked at the pages. "May take me a few minutes to say."

Suddenly, there was a strange beep from behind us. We all turned to see as Cleetus jumped up after leaning against one of the tables, now emitting a glow and making noise.

"I don't know what I did," he sheepishly replied, "but I guess whatevet it is still works."

We all looked at the table, surprised to discover it essentially was a large screen like on a computer. But even more surprising, it was almost as if it were connected to a security camera; it appeared to be sending visuals from above an old room like the halls we had been seeing. In this case, it was like the image was lit by infrared as to show what was inside without the need of a flashlight.

But most surprising was what it showed. The room that it was connected to appeared to have numerous dragons, all laid out if sleeping. Despite their resting state, all appeared sentient, as their tails and wings could be seen moving.

To see them clearer in the sort-of infrared filter was both amazing and horrifying. They were large and very much like the dragons of fairytales: pointed snouts with rows of sharp-looking fangs, long necks, lumber bodies, fanciful wings, powerful claws. But just as the drawings before had showed, it was clear they were, at least in part, machine. Metallic bolts and screws stuck out at joints and, though everything had a red hue, there was the hint of rust on some of their coats.

Dr. Snively, incidentally, only found the footage amazing and had none of the horror I frlt at tge sight. In fact, he was beside himself with glee. "Do you see that, Laurence? Dragons! Of Mars." He shook his head. "No, Mecha Dragons of Mars! Go on, tell me you believe me now!"

"I believe you, Sherman," replied Laurence softly.

"It was clear he believed you the moment he peed himself," I muttered under my breath as I too continued to observe the monitor.