Tunnel The Deep

I'm sure glad you're in your Magnite, Dad.

Me, too.

Now help anchor me with these cables.

Once I measure the strength of the current

we can launch the remote mapping pingers.

These instruments will measure the volume of water

flowing from the melting ice shelf down into the open sea.

-Dad, are you sure about this?

-Yeah, I should be OK.

Should be OK? Very reassuring.

Will, you said coming here would be a nice holiday.

When does that start, exactly?

Well, you have to admit, Kaiko,

the world's largest waterfall is an incredible view!

When you told us this was bigger than Niagara Falls,

I just couldn't imagine the world's biggest waterfall being underwater.

Pretty awesome, eh, Jeffrey?

I can see why this place would get a mention

in the Chronicle of the Deep.

A curtain of water and a great tunnel.

Come on, do you really think there's a tunnel down there?

I have a theory that the tunnel is hidden behind the waterfall.

I'll feel safer when we launch the pingers and get back to the Aronnax.

The current's been measured

and the information has been downloaded to the pingers. OK, Ant.

Deploying remote mapping pingers.

If that tunnel is down there, they'll find it.

Mom, look out!

Hold on!

I've got you, Dad.

HE GROANS

Oh, no!

SCREAMING

My family are explorers,

we have been for generations.

While others look up to the stars,

we know that there are an infinite number of things

that shine in the darkness below.

There are things lurking in the seas that long ago vanished into myth.

My family are explorers, and we explore...

The Deep.

SCREAMING

I can't pull out! We've fallen a kilometre already!

What's that sound? It's like...

Sucking? BOTH: Argh!

Urgh!

Sorry, Mom.

HE GRUNTS

Whoa!

GROANING

And the current just stops? Why?

-Ant? Kaiko?

-I'm OK.

But Mom took some big hits.

Kaiko, Kaiko.

Are you OK? Say something.

I want a better holiday.

HE CHUCKLES

OK.

Vitals seem OK. How are you feeling?

Kind of like I fell down the largest waterfall in the world,

and landed on rocks.

Dad, Lemurian symbol alert.

Definitely Lemurian,

but this is different from the others we've seen.

You think it means "big tunnel ahead"?

Wait.

That's it. What does it mean?

You said you translated this.

Well, I translated great tunnel and great curtain of water,

and some kind of name.

I don't know, the name of a household pet?

Hmmm.

What? Lemurian's hard, OK?

Now, priorities.

Let's figure out how to get you back to the Aronnax.

I might need a minute.

But seeing as how we're here, maybe we should keep going.

No, the tunnel can wait

until we're in the Rover and properly equipped to explore.

Jeffrey's acting weird.

Weirder than normal, that is.

Jeffrey doesn't act weird.

Jeffrey? Why are you acting weird?

The current's coming up again. Grab hold of me.

KAIKO GRUNTS

Kaiko, take my hand, now!

I can't reach.

Yes, you can, try!

Come on, Mom.

-I'll get her.

-No!

No!

-Ant!

-Mom!

-Kaiko!

Mom!

HE GROANS

Mom, thrusters. Use your thrusters!

No!

-Dad?

-Ant, good.

Mom's gone further into the tunnel.

And she didn't respond to my calls.

Kaiko, do you read me?

OK. Stay put.

-But...

-That's an order.

As soon as the current eases, we'll come for you.

Both of you. Hope you're hearing this, Kaiko.

OK, feels like the current is easing up already.

Then we'll be with you soon.

Anything there that will identify your location?

I've got isopods. Big ones. Just like...

Nah, too big for parasites.

Ah! Anyone interested in how I'm doing?

-Mom!

-Kaiko.

-Mom, are you OK?

I must have passed out back there.

I'm a bit woozy.

Otherwise, I couldn't be better.

Can you tell us where you are?

Well, it's not any kind of a holiday destination I'd choose.

No position data, either.

Not surprising, down here.

All right. Fontaine and I are coming in to find you both.

Stop!

Nereus?

-What are you doing here?

-And what are you wearing?

I was monitoring the Aronnax's location,

I was worried you might be exactly where you are.

Do not go further into the tunnel.

But Ant and Kaiko are in there, lost.

Then understand, this is no tunnel.

It's alive.

The tunnel's a creature?!

-Wow.

-How can you possibly think this is cool?

These walls are living flesh!

Yes, part of a giant sea worm's digestive tract.

-Awesome!

-No, it isn't.

It is awesome, but not exactly safe.

It feeds off the waterfall.

That's what the current is.

The creature brings in seawater and sucks in food with every breath.

So, we could rescue Mom now,

then find the other end of this thing

and wait until Ant gets pooped out?

If I get turned into poop,

make sure that Fontaine is the one who has to catch me.

I don't think you realise how serious this is.

The longer we're in here, the more likely we'll wake the creature.

-It's asleep?

-If it was awake, we wouldn't be alive.

Then we better not waste any time.

Kaiko, Ant, don't go anywhere.

My feet are stuck in some goo.

I'll try to soften it up with my laser.

No, that could wake the creature.

Kaiko, wait until we get to you.

You need something to hold you when the current comes up anyway.

'That goo might be just the thing.'

Roger that.

I've got those isopods, too.

I hope they're friendly.

Ugh! Well, I got one that's super-friendly.

I can't get it off. This guy's slimy and ugly,

and doesn't mix well with others.

'Hey, Fontaine, I finally found you a boyfriend.'

This from a guy whose only friend is a fish.

Well, that's strange.

-They just took off.

-I told you you need to work on your social skills.

They're scurrying off here, too.

The creature is going to breathe again.

I've got no way to anchor us against the current without agitating it.

-Quick, this way!

-He knows a way?

Come on, hurry!

HE GRUNTS

Oh!

Come on, Dad. Up here.

Oh, no.

GRUNTING

Grab onto me with your cables.

JEFFREY GRUNTS

Hang on, Jeffrey.

Jeffrey!

How did you know this pocket was here?

It saved me once.

You've been here before?

Years ago. The Chronicle records that the hero, Aeolus,

with a group of fellow Lemurians, found the tunnel.

But, they realised that the tunnel was actually a monumential

when they accidentally woke it from its 10,000-year slumber.

JEFFREY GROANS

Jeffrey!

No!

Monumential? So, that's Lemurian for "giant sea worm"?

No, it refers to a whole class of creatures.

Roughly translated, it means "mega big".

Misread that. I thought it was someone's name, possibly a pet.

Right. Only Aeolus survived, and honoured the others' sacrifice

by writing about it in the Chronicle.

He did include a warning.

The same warning he posted outside the tunnel.

That symbol was a warning?

Dad, I'm pretty sure your Lemurian isn't as good as you think it is.

You're right. I'm sorry.

But I don't need Lemurian to get Kaiko back.

That's what I'm doing.

HE GROANS

HE SCREAMS

Hang on, Mom and Jeffrey, I'm coming.

The current's subsided, let's go find the others.

Leave Jeffrey alone.

Ant?

-Mom.

-I'm glad you're here. There's something wrong with my Knight.

-What?

-My air scrubbers must have been damaged.

But that doesn't explain why my feet are starting to warm up.

-A lot.

-That goo is eating your suit.

Stand back.

You can't stop.

Is this the current starting again?

Worse, the creature is stirring.

Our presence is upsetting its digestion.

If we wake it, it will eat even faster...and more.

OK, that's softening it.

Help me out.

That stuff must be some kind of acid that breaks down food.

Jeffrey? How did you...?

Ah, now, Jeffrey. So your home is destroyed,

we're trapped inside a creature that wants to digest us,

and Mom's air is running out.

There's absolutely no reason...

PANIC!

These things are trying to tear us apart.

These isopods live in the dark. Mom, try your lights!

Copy.

Better save power, with your air scrubbers out, you'll need it.

-We should head back toward the tunnel, mom.

-OK.

But wrestling those bugs has chewed up more of my air.

Try not to talk, Mom. Save your breath. Jeffrey?

Where did Jeffrey go?

Oh, no. The current is coming back.

Hurry, Mom. Grab something.

Hang on. Try not to bump into anything!

HE SCREAMS

Oh, no!

'Hang on, Fontaine, we're going after him.'

HE SCREAMS

Dad, stay out of the acid!

Come on.

HE GRUNTS

-Everyone OK?

-Dad, Mom's scrubbers aren't keeping up.

She's running out of air.

Her air is so low, she'll never make it out against the current.

I'm OK, but getting weaker.

Hang in there, Kaiko.

Is that something useful?

-The pingers!

-What about them?

If the Aronnax is still communicating with the pingers,

then we can communicate with the Aronnax.

We can use a remote control signal...

To control the Rover, and the Rover has air.

We'll be able to get Kaiko out of here.

It's all working. Engines on.

Will.

My suit won't last much longer.

Will the Rover make it in time?

It'll make it, and thanks to the pingers,

it's got this tunnel's exact location.

Don't worry, Kaiko. You're going to get that holiday.

There you are, Jeffrey. Where did you go?

More bugs. Bigger ones!

Kids, keep the bugs away from your mother while I steer the Rover.

OK. We need enough speed to break it clear of the waterfall

and get to the tunnel.

I'm in.

Should be all right.

Our lights have no effect on the isopods.

That's impossible, it worked before! Huh?!

Ant! Whoa!

HE GRUNTS

HE GROANS

Come on, my brother's room is scarier than you.

Mom!

Mom. We need to hurry before she loses consciousness.

-I've lost control of the Rover.

-The creature, it's...

It's waking it up.

Jeffrey? Hey, the isopods are leaving.

I've regained control of the Rover.

Jeffrey. Isopods.

That's it!

The isopods go into hiding when the creature is disturbed.

Quick, we're going to have to fill Mom's Knight with water.

-What?

-Only way to equalise pressure so Mom can get out of it.

I'm ready.

Do it.

Time to go, everyone.

What are you doing?

Mom is going to need help when she's in the Rover.

You'll need this re-breather as soon as you eject from the Knight.

Do it... now!

I've got you, Kaiko, we'll be out of here soon.

Ant, you need to move fast.

Mom.

Should I give Mom mouth to mouth?

SHE GASPS AND COUGHS

Nice work, Ant.

The thought of mouth to mouth from you scared Mom back to life.

Ant, get ready to roll.

Got to love the Magnite.

OK, get us out of here.

Er, Will...

Don't worry, Nereus, we haven't forgotten you.

Crude, but very effective.

Has anyone seen Jeffrey?

Don't worry, Ant, I've taken care of Jeffrey. Just go!

THEY SCREAM

Ant!

Huh?

HE GRUNTS

SCREAMING

Gotcha.

-There's the entrance.

-It's closing.

HE GROANS

No!

Don't worry, I have a plan.

No!

HE GRUNTS

RUMBLING

What's that noise?

We can't stay around to find out.

You'll need to go flat out to get

through to the other side of the waterfall.

-What about you?

-Don't argue, GO!

THEY SCREAM

Come on, Dad.

Oh, Will.

HE SCREAMS

Will!

What happened?

I think I was just burped out.

LAUGHTER

I don't know if you should see this, Jeffrey,

but those pingers mapped the entire giant sea worm.

What's that tiny dot?

That tiny dot is the entire Aronnax.

We didn't wake our friend, but maybe we gave him a bit of a indigestion.

HE SNIFFS

Two showers and I still smell like regurgitated seafood.

Bleurgh!

I think it's time I gave you some lessons on ancient Lemurian.

Could you say what the difference is

between household pets and terrifying sea monsters?

That would be appreciated.

Nereus, the Lemurians called creatures like this monumentials?

That's right. The Chronicle tells us

that there are still many different kinds of monumentials out there

in the oceans. Be ready. I'm sure you'll soon find even more.

But not before my holiday.

'Are all the monumentials this big?'

'No, no.

'Most of them are bigger.'