Lying in bed that night at his brother’s flat, Joe reviewed everything that had happened since his stabbing, looking for any sort of sense or clues from what he remembered. Whilst he was distracted he found himself remembering the news piece he had heard earlier on the Black Rock deaths. He took out his new phone and looked up the news pieces out of idle curiosity. 15 confirmed dead at a dormant volcano in Sweden. The reason stated by the company was that a shaft had collapsed after a slight tremor in the earth’s crust. Joe read deeper and found that only one of the reporters had mentioned that it was not the first time an accident had occurred. In fact, according to the author Mary McQuairn, there had been 4 separate instances of deaths relating to Black Rock.
Joe thought about his old man, and about the man who approached him at the funeral from Black Rock itself and how rude he had been. ‘I wonder if there is anything about it in my old man’s diary’ Joe contemplated, realising that he had yet to even open the thing. Getting out of bed, he went to his brother’s sitting room where Darius had placed boxes of Joe’s stuff he had taken out of storage. Shifting through the various pieces of junk and old letters, Joe finally found his dads diary. He sat down on the sofa after pouring himself a glass of water and began to read.
March 18th
Site D Black Rock
The overseer flew me in again this morning, we wanted a reconfirmation that the place they were digging in was virgin territory. I don’t know why they attach such importance to whether its been touched before or not, I mean who could have been there before them anyway? I took a carbon sample of the most recent dig and should get the results from the lab within the fortnight. In some ways I'm lucky, some of the earth they’re uncovering truly is fascinating, the pressures and the movement of land truly leads to some interesting finds. I don’t expect them to find oil here though, there really isn't another surface feature or soil to indicate a body of water once stood here. Still, it’s possible there might be something deeper, considering how active the volcanoes have been here. I recently pulled a fossil out…
The entry went on in the same vein so Joe skipped ahead a few pages.
May 1st
Site F Black Rock
They moved us all from Site E without warning last night, something about a legal challenge was the rumour in the camp. I didn’t think we’d find anything there anyway, even the deeper soil was all wrong. This is the first time we’ve come to this site and it’s certainly different. Today we explored the preliminary entrance and it was a vast grotto! Truly impressive stalactites and mites, and you could see various entrances and exits all over. I wonder whether the river that dug this tavern still exists deep underground? It’s unlikely we’ll find oil here however, unless they think there was a truly ancient sea here once. I have noticed a pattern that only a few of the sites truly have the signs potentially having oil, although I don’t know by what criteria they are choosing the others. Not that I care too much, the pay is good and I have plenty of time to spend with boys during the year. I called Maggie earlier to let her know I'd be home in 2 weeks, I wonder what I should get her, maybe some…
Joe quickly moved on from that passage, there were only so many inner thoughts of one's deceased parent one could bare, especially amorous ones. He skipped a few more pages until he reached the last few pages. He took a deep breath and began to read.
August 10th
Site F Black Rock
We’ve returned to Site F. Apparently they had been digging deeper and had found some abnormalities in rock and they wanted us to take a look. I am unusually excited as apparently they’ve managed to dig almost 1000 ft down in the last few months, I can only hope we find some fossils down there or even some full skeletons. It has been a while since we pulled up a dinosaur. The security here has become extremely overboard; however, I've had my pass checked at least 10 times today and that was just to get back to my tent. I wonder if they think there are diamonds down there or something, really quite curious. Not that diamonds are anything special mind you, give me some diorite anyday, ooh or some obsidian. With the size of the grotto it’s quite possible there are cave paintings deep in the recesses. I wonder if they’ll let me explore tomorrow.
August 11th
Site F Black Rock
Well today was a bust, apparently they discovered a gas pocket and the whole site was put on lock down whilst they pump it out. Well, safety first I guess.
August 18th
Site F Black Rock
We’re finally going down tomorrow, I got to see some pictures of the rock they had taken in the depths and it’s manmade! And it’s not even from this area, looking more like rock from the dolomites. How did the rock make it here? Tectonic shift? Was it carried on a subterranean lava flow all the way from Italy? An ancient ruin? Aha whatever it is I will find out more tomorrow, enough speculation for now.
Joe closed his father’s diary after checking that there was nothing else in the last pages. He sat there, lost in thought. He knew that August 22nd was the day his dad died. What did they discover down there, did he really die to fall in like they said? What happened in the intervening 3 days? Questions with no answers. He shut off the light and returned to bed. “There’s definitely something odd about Black Rock, however I think about it. I think I need to visit this Site F he refers to, but how?
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The next morning, Joe sat down to a full English at the local cafe with Darius, ordering the mega gut buster special and two cups of tea. Darius followed suit with the exact same order causing the waitress to slightly raise her eyebrows. Not because of the hulking Darius of course, such a meal was a light snack, but for the lanky skeleton like Joe. The men didn’t pay any heed to the girl and they got down to business. “So I finally went through dad's diary last night, and I think I’ve found something. You’ve seen how Black Rock has been in the news again recently yeah? I reckon the deaths might be related” They leaned back from the table as their mugs of tea were placed in front of them. Darius ripped open a packet of brown sugar with his teeth and replied whilst stirring “First of all. You managed to read. Like you read without any issues?”
Joe smiled mysteriously “Yeah, and that’s not all, havent you noticed?” He picked a pack of brown sugar with his right hand and repeated his brother’s actions. Darius’ mouth had actually physically opened. “What the fuck Joe, your arm?” He lent across and felt his brother’s bicep. “Don’t tell me the hard life of being a bum has actually healed what the doctors said was permanently damaged? You’ve got to write to the paper or something mate, it’s a bloody miracle”
“Er no, fuck that, can you imagine, a bunch of holier than thou types running around kissing my arm and shit. No thanks. Anyway my arm and my brain are a long story. Just know, I had a nasty accident and when I woke up, I was healed. What was the second thing?” He asked, sipping at his steaming tea.
“Er right..” Darius said, clearly not happy about giving up the subject of the miracle arm “Second thing, why do you think the deaths are related?”
“Call it a hunch Dar, I was reading this…” he pulled up an article on his phone “...this Mary implies that there have been a series of deaths at Black Rock over the years yet whenever they’ve been prosecuted, they’ve either settled out of court or the plaintiff’s have mysteriously disappeared!” Joe raised his arms in the air for added effect, and then waved a piece of toast in his brother’s nose. “ I think we should contact this Mary woman and find out what she knows. Maybe she knows where this Site F is” finally chewing on the piece of toast as if to cement his point.
Darius wriggled his eyebrows, clearly debating something internally. Thankfully he had time as their platters of food finally arrived. The girl had to bring each plate over one at a time as they were so heavily laden. The brother’s didn’t speak again until they had both polished off the mega gut buster special, lying back in the seats and burping happily. “Fuck, I needed that” Joe groaned, arms behind his head. Darius burped and then pulled out his tobacco as he began to roll. “So how do we contact this Mary lass then? I presume she has an email address above the article or something?”
“Well I looked up her paper and apparently the office is just round the corner. I thought we could pop round now and see if she’s about for a meeting. You’re not busy are you?”
“Naa mate, I’ll give you a hand, keep you out of trouble and that”. Joe looked up at his younger brother who was wiping away the ketchup from his beard. “You know I won’t be drinking again, not like that. Never again Dar, I promise you”
“I know JJ, can’t blame me though can you? “ He looked Joe over, debating something internally. “What about Julia?”
Joe shook his head as he got up.”Julia will have to wait mate, still don’t think I have a good grasp on that yet.” he patted his pockets. “The breakfasts on you anyway, I’ve gotta go get my photo taken for a passport first. Then after we post my passport application we can grab a cab to Mary’s office alright?”.
Not long after, the brothers were standing side by side outside of a dingy looking office in Barking. Darius, despite only being two inches taller than Joe made Joe look like a broom had been dressed as a human in comparison. Joe, unconscious of this difference, opened the door to the building and made his way to the front desk where a young woman was cleaning her nails whilst chewing gum. “Can I help you?” she asked without looking up.
“Yes, we’d like to meet Mary McQuairn please” Joe asked.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No.”
“Why do you want to see her?”
“We believe we have a mutual interest in the articles she’s writing and believe we have something that might help her”
“I’ll ring up to her office, please sit over there” the secretary waved in a vague direction and then continued to clean her nails. Darius and Joe on the other hand, dutifully sat down on the grubby chairs that lined the walls.
Darius leaned over to Joe and whispered in his ear “Not exactly the FT is it bro? You sure this Mary is up to snuff?” Joe shrugged.
“Not like we have a choice is it?”
After 20 minutes or so, the brothers were starting to become impatient. Finally the door at the end of the hall opened and a pair of stockinged legs stepped through. The brother’s eyes lifted from the shapely legs, past the curvaceous skirt stopping more than was proper, and then finally past the partially opened blouse to find the frowning face before them. “Done gawking” the face said, folding her arms. This had the opposite of the intended effect, putting more pressure on her boobs, which the brothers did not fail to notice. Joe coughed, averting his eyes and held out his hand. “My name is Joe Peters and this is my brother, Darius Peters. I happened to read your article last night. My father used to work for Black Rock and he died on their premises a few years ago” Mary ignored his proffered hand. “So?” she asked, looking bored.
“So, we thought we might have some information that you might be able to use and then maybe you can help us out in turn” Joe replied looking slightly flustered.
“Oh?” she said, raising an eyebrow. “And what do you think I could help you with?”
“Well, we have learned that our father, John Peters, died at Site F, and we hoped you might know where in Sweden that might be”
“Site F, did you say?” Mary said, finally looking serious. She scratched the back of her head, looked the brothers up and down and then said “you’d better come to my office”.