--Point of View: Katie--
Several hours had already passed and I was still sitting here in this dingy cell, waiting for somebody, anybody, to come and rescue me. Surely it was not taking them this long to get a team together. Robert had said the crew could be ready on short notice and the troops were almost always just sitting around waiting for new orders. Perhaps, they decided to go without me after all.
“No, that couldn’t be the case. I haven’t even told them where the base is.” I muttered to myself as I paced the length of my cell, periodically peering through the small window in the door. Anxiety and a little bit of boredom were starting to drive me a little mad. Did Tom make it to Crim on time? I had so many questions and nobody to answer them. Regret was creeping its way into my head too. Why did I have to attempt to sneak out when I was clearly told they would be watching. Stupidity was the answer. I was an idiot, and this is my punishment.
My internal debate was interrupted by the loud thud of the elevator as it reached the bottom floor, followed by the familiar sound of footsteps. Finally, it was time to go. The original two guards that had apprehended me entered into view along with Robert walking just a few paces behind. I felt so relieved to see my old captain and prayed he would have some information for me.
“It’s about time. What took you so long?” I asked even before they had time to unlock the cell door.
“Everything took time.” Replied Robert, clearly exhausted from whatever he had done before coming here. “I’ll fill you in once we are on our way.”
“Good. Now let’s get going.” I said, slightly cheerful but still a little agitated.
The two guards intercepted me as I started to walk through the doorway, pulling out cuffs and motioning for me to turn around.
“Commander Dawn’s orders. You are to be restrained until we reach the facility.” Droned one of them. I was starting to wonder if they could even eat without being ordered to.
“You can’t be serious? What am I going to do? More importantly, where am I going to go on this desolate planet?” I ranted as I begrudgingly obliged, turning around so they could snap the brackets onto my wrists.
I gave Robert an annoyed look and in response he just shrugged his shoulders. Of course, I knew he could not override orders from the top, but a smart remark would have at least eased the pain a little bit. Once I was properly secured and unable to rampage about, they led me back to the elevator and we started our accent to ground level.
“I took the liberty of retrieving your bag and suit from the disciplinary office. They wanted to throw a fit but when asked how our guide was supposed to lead the way without her equipment, they quickly reconsidered.” Said Robert casually.
“Thank you, I appreciate it. That bag has been with me through a lot of shit and there would have been shit if I didn’t get it back.” I said with a smirk.
Robert only smiled and did not say another word for the duration of our trip back up. It took a few minutes, but we did eventually emerge back into the cargo hold but now it was bustling with activity. Transports all lined up for fueling and supplies, dozers prepped to clear the topside rubble and even a few of the armored walkers were getting fueled up. I do not know what Commander Dawn was preparing to fight but he was prepared. It was then that I remembered Crim and wondered how he would fair against all of this?
“Robert, did Tom say anything to you?” I asked quietly, looking up to him, my eyes hungry for an answer.
Robert inclined his head slightly, his eyes darting around for a moment to check who was around. After a few seconds, he gave a small nod.
“Tom had to make a short trip into the ruins to test radiation levels further into the city. He just got back a few minutes ago. Thankfully, it looks like everything should be safe.” he said calmly before giving a quick wink in confirmation.
“Ah, yes. That’s good to hear.” I remarked plainly, my eyes focused on both guards in front of us.
We were led over to a transport situated in the front row. Glancing back, it looked like they were going to send just about everything. I wonder if this was to keep us safe, protect Commander Dawn, or just a demonstration of military might. It was probably a bit of each. Regardless, I had a feeling we would be on our own if things turned south down in the lab. Crim and I had only investigated a sliver of the place so far. Who knows what awaits us?
Shortly after I was coaxed into the Humvee, Tom joined us and took a seat with me and Robert in the back. The two guards who must have been assigned to me at this point, took driver and passenger. I asked where Chris was, and he was apparently riding over with another team and would group back up with us once we arrived. It would be nice to have the team back together after being apart these past few months.
The trip to the ruins was uneventful as always. The vast barren landscape leading up to the ruined city had not gotten any more interesting overnight. I debated asking Tom for an update on our friend but decided to wait until we arrived. The hustle and bustle would drown out most of our conversation. It would be a little safer that way. I think Tom was thinking the same thing, our eyes meeting for a moment and giving each other a nod in unison.
“When we arrive onsite, we will be routing the scouting team through the main reactor lab. Once the entire party has gathered, you will guide us to the location of the facility.” Spoke the guard sitting in the passenger seat.
“Do I have to wear these damn cuffs the entire way? I’ll end up falling on my face down there. It’s not exactly the easiest trek you know.” I grumbled, hoping I could be free to these restraints as soon as possible. They were starting to hurt my wrists.
“She has a good point. Nowhere is easy to walk in the ruins.” Added Tom with a smile. I appreciated the help.
The soldier pulled out his radio and relayed our question into it, obviously finding some common sense in what we had to say. After a brief pause, what sounded like a response could be heard from within his headset.
“We received new orders to remove your arm restraints when we arrive at the base. You all will get dressed into your hazmat suits and then rendezvous at the reactor lab. You will have fifteen minutes.” The solider replied, not even bothering to turn his head to look at us.
“Well, there is some good news at least.” I remarked, very thankful for whoever happened to be on the other end of that radio.
Shortly after that smidgen of good news, we arrived onsite. Everyone shuffled out of the transport before being ushered into one of the many tents to change and prepare. Everybody, at least our team, quickly jumped into our hazmat suits and checked to make sure everything was working as it should. Geiger counter, compass, and a plethora of other standard tools were inspected and deemed working.
I was the first to finish getting ready followed by Tom shortly afterwards. He waved me over and when I got close, pulled out one of our high-powered radio units. It made sense to me. We were going to be underground, and our standard radios just did not have the power to penetrate the thick layer of steel and concrete. I was about to do a test call when Tom quickly grabbed my hands to stop me, shaking his head nervously before looking around to see if anybody had been watching.
“Don’t do that! It’s uh. Already calibrated for you.” Tom said, very unconvincingly before leaning in close to whisper. “Crim has the other.”
My eyes lit up as I stared at Tom. Did I just hear him right? I felt both a lot safer and kind of dumb for not thinking of this idea before. Crim could have been talking to me over a radio for months now and I would not have had to risk leaving the base. I gave Tom a hefty pat on the shoulder.
“You’re a damn genius, you know that?” I said quietly, a grin stretched across my face. He was the smart one and I was the rash one. That’s how it always went.
Tom smiled, aware of his own good deed. “I figured it’s always a good idea to have your team on the radio.” He commented, stressing the word team.
He made a good point. If things started to go bad down in the labs, Crim was probably the best protection I would find here. How he would get to me past all the troops and heavy weaponry had me concerned but I supposed it was only really for emergencies.
“Alright, are we all ready to head out?” called Robert from the front of the room, motioning everybody to come forward.
Everyone gathered around us, forming a poor excuse for a line as we marched outside and towards the reactor lab no more than a dozen paces away. Guards were stationed at every door, the doors themselves wedged open for easy access while everyone was maneuvering inside. Our group was the first to reach the central ring and judging by how many followed afterwards, there was also a few dozen researchers and troops making the trip with us.
Last, but not least, Commander Dawn strut into view wearing his own highly customized suit. All the higher ups were the same. They liked to be noticed and spent money frivolously. He was living up to his position, that is for sure. The soldiers cleared a path for him as he slowly walked up to meet us in the center, stopping just short of Robert.
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“It looks like we are all here. Good.” He said, turning back to face everyone else. “As you all know, we are heading into an unknown area that could very well be dangerous but could also change the world as we know it.”
He paused momentarily and motioned for Robert to step forward. Robert did so and gave a salute.
“Captain Roberts and his team of scouts will be leading the way. Everyone is to be on high alert, and you are forbidden from touching anything when we reach the facility. The rumors are true. We are heading into an abandoned Old One base. You’ve all heard the stories so be mindful. There will be no room for error today. Now let’s head out. Lead the way.” Shouted Commander Dawn, as he spun on his heal and signaled for our team to take the lead.
Robert, Tom, Chris, and I were the first to enter the underground through the reactor lab door, everyone else following behind. The commander was about halfway back surrounded by an escort of his personal guards. They were easy to spot from the others considering they too were decorated quite elaborately, not too much unlike the commander himself.
“I haven’t asked yet but how far is this place we are going Katie?” asked Robert as we walked.
“It’s about an hour walk from the lab so it shouldn’t take us too long. We are going to want to make a left turn up here though.” I said, pointing to the opening coming up on our left. “Thankfully there are not any cave ins on this route.”
Everyone walked in silence the whole duration of their trip, the rhythmic marching of boots echoing down the tunnels. I continued to lead the way, indicating when we needed to turn and how much further it was when the commander inquired from further back. After what seemed far longer than an hour, we had arrived. The seemingly normal, rather unimpressive doorway was standing before us.
“Well, here it is. The entrance tunnel goes back quite far before opening to the main lab. I already got the main entrance open the first time I was here, so we do not have to worry about that.” I shouted back to everybody, their heads turning to listen.
This was when the commander stepped forward and took charge of the situation, not needing me to lead anymore.
“Okay, squad one in front, lead the way. Robert, your team will follow them. I want squad two and three at the rear and squad five is to remain outside and patrol the area. We are not taking any chances here.” Drilled the commander, his voice booming with authority.
Single file we marched down the corridor, everyone on edge. A sweep of the gate control room was performed quickly, one of the dozens of researchers brought along scribbling down notes so they could do a more thorough search later. The process of sweeping through all the rooms became the norm as we continued. I was constantly pulled aside to explain where I had been and if I had found anything of interest. The glass cylinders, the healing pod, and the photos to name a few, were all jotted down by many scientists eager to digest as much new information as possible. Eventually we came to the where me and Crim had stopped so I had nothing more to tell them. It was at this point I was told to scout ahead with my team plus the first squad of soldiers.
As we moved further into the lab, I realized that nobody had questioned why all the doors had been ripped off their hinges and tossed aside. Either they assumed the place had been ransacked previously or they were just too excited to notice. Regardless, it was a relief. For now, nobody but Tom, Robert, and I knew of his existence. I would prefer to keep it that way.
“Stop for a moment.” Said one of the men leading us around, a buzz coming from his radio. “We’ve received orders to restore full power to the building if possible. A partial map has been found. They are sending it over now.”
Katie nodded to herself, realizing they had found the same map she discovered previously. I guess that is a good thing for us. I do recall there being a power control room listed on the map. It was located towards the back of the first floor. We would need to make a left turn here soon.
“I made a copy of that same map. The power control room I believe is further down. Does that look right?” I asked, pointing to his communicator screen that now showed a map, or at least a partial map, of the area.
“Hmm, you are correct. We will need to reach the end of this corridor and take a left. The power room looks to be the very last room on the right. Everyone stay close, let’s go.” Commented the solder, bringing the screen closer to his face so he could read it better.
We continued to walk until our turn was in sight. I looked back over my shoulder and could see other teams fanning out to occupy the rooms we had passed. A little bit of jealously crept into my mind for a second. How I wished I could have this whole place to myself again. The feeling quickly passed though, realizing there was no way she alone could have searched this entire complex. We made our left turn and continued our quest.
Upon reaching the room, we very quickly discovered that it was locked, and the door was heavily reinforced. The soldiers just stood around, unsure about what to do. This was the moment my team stepped up and did what we did best.
“Stand aside. We will take it from here.” I shouted, as I threw my bag over my shoulder. Tom and Robert’s bag nearly hit the ground at the same time mine did. We all knew what had to be done.
The smell of fire and the hiss of a torch resonated down the hall as all three of us started tackling the door. It was made of very heavy gauge steel but thankfully our plasma torches were able to cut through it, although very slowly. Two of us worked on the hinges while the third took care of the locking pin that held the door closed. Once everything was cut, Robert jabbed a prybar between the cracks and heaved, the heavy door slowly coming free and falling with a loud crash.
Almost immediately, the radio buzzed and the lead solider hastily replied. “Everything under control. A door needed to be forcibly opened. We have reached the power control station.”
Stepping over the door, we entered the room and were met with an array of control panels, monitors, and more buttons than I could count. It was amazing. Tom and I quickly ran around and tried to take it all in, the soldiers unsure if they should let us have free reign of the situation. With a little convincing from Robert, they decided to let us work.
“Well, what do you think Tom. Where should we start? You are far better at reading this stuff than I am.” I asked, standing beside him as we both looked down at one of the many screens positioned around the place.
“That’s a good question. One I was going to ask you. You managed to start the first one. What did you do then?” he asked, making a very good point.
“Well, the first reactor had a breaker box along with a monitor, but that reactor had been nearby. Judging by what I’m seeing here, the reactors are situated elsewhere. This room probably just starts and stops them remotely. So, there should be a main console somewhere in here. Help me look.” I said calmly, looking around for anything that may give us a clue.
It only took five minutes before Tom called me over. I hustled over as he motioned for me to have a look.
“Well, this looks promising. What do you think?” he asked, pointing to a monitor situated in the center of a rather large control board. It had a lot of different statuses messages but the ones we were interested in were towards the bottom.
“Main Lab Power and Auxiliary Power Systems.” I said slowly, trying my best to read everything I could. Tom was able to fill in all the gaps I was missing. “Well, it looks like the base is running on auxiliary power at the moment. That’s why we have lights and some of the smaller machines seem to be on.”
Tom nodded as he replied, “Yeah, that’s what it looks like. Think you could get her running? Like the last one?”
“Well, I’m going to try. With the both of us here, I don’t reckon there is much we can’t figure out in this place.” I said with a grin, quickly going to work.
It was a slow process, this console way more in-depth than the first one I had encountered. I needed Tom to help me translate a few menu items as well as a couple commands, but with shaky hands, finally hit enter and waited. Nothing happened for nearly ten seconds before the lights flickered and a loud hum filled the entire base. Air started to rush through vents in the ceiling, bathing everybody in cool, fresh air. Like before, the radio started to buzz wildly, the commotion obviously inciting a small bit of panic.
“Did you do that?” asked one of the solders very urgently, his voice full of stress. I could almost bet Commander Dawn was on the other end of that radio.
“Yes, that was the main power being restored. The air is, from my guess, their ventilation system rebooting. Its not going to hurt anybody.” I said with an exhausted look.
The solider relayed this information back into his radio. There was a bit of back and forth before he turned to both me and Tom.
“Commander Dawn says good work. He wants Miss Rivers to join him near the front of the base. He has questions for you. The rest of your team is to report down to the lower level. There are a few terminals the other scientists can’t decipher that the commander has taken an interest in. Report there immediately.” Barked the solider.
“Well, that didn’t take long for him to split us back up.” I sighed, figuring this was going to happen. “Stay in touch over the radio if you can.” I suggested, not wanting to leave her friend’s sides in the slightest.
Begrudgingly, they went their separate ways, her team continuing straight to the lower floors while she took a right with a few guards still escorting her around. She walked at her own pace this time, peering into the rooms they passed by on their way to restore power. They were all lit brightly now with all sorts of gadgets whirling to life, the scientists all with huge smiles on their faces. I wish I was one of them right now instead of somebody who had drawn the attention of one of the higher ups.
Commander Dawn was waiting for me in the medical bay near the healing pod. He had his usual group of special guards surrounding him while a few scientists were relaying information to him. When he saw me enter, he shooed the others away and called out for me to hurry over.
“This way Miss Rivers. Surely took your time getting here though I guess I should be happy you got the power going at least.” He said, an air of superiority wafting off him.
“I apologize, it took a little longer than we anticipated.” I remarked, playing along because I did not want to get on his bad side. I was already on thin ice.
“No need. What’s done is done. I called you though because apparently you are quite knowledgeable on old one artifacts. So much so the other scientists encouraged me to call you here.” He grumbled, somewhat annoyed.
“Well, I do know quite a bit more than the average person. What can I help you with?” I asked, looking around the room for any sort of clue.
“This pod here. I’m told its used for healing purposes. What more can you tell me?” he asked, stomping over to stand next to it.
I smiled and followed behind before I went into my whole spiel about the machine and how amazing it was. The commander opened his mouth a few times to speak but I decided to just keep talking, wondering how long I could ramble on before he grew tired of it. My plan was going well until all hell broke loose.
An explosion could be heard far into the distance followed by the distinct sound of gunfire rattling off somewhere down below. The radio surged more than ever, every single solider raising theirs up to listen. While normally it was too quiet to hear, the sheer volume of their screams made what they had to say very clearly heard.
“Man down, I repeat, we have men down. Heavy damage to the surrounding area. Our bullets are doing nothing!” blared from the radio as the distant sound of screams echoed in the distance. No more than a few seconds after those screams reached our ears, all the researchers and scientists scattered and ran for the door. A few rookie soldiers joined in as well.
“HALT! Stand your ground!” shouted Commander Dawn, his voice overpowering everything in the surrounding area. Nobody is to move until we know what is going on. Stay still.”
He called back on the radio, trying to get more answers but only shouts and cries for help made it through. It was only after somebody managed to get a few sensible words through that we had any idea what was going on.
“Its slaughtering everyone!” echoed the radio before going quiet again. What had we unleashed down below?