“That goes double for me,” Hendrix said with a warm smile.
Aaron broke up the moment with a clap of his hands. “The sun’s gonna be rising any minute so we’ve gotta use what’s left of the dark.” He spun around to face Vanessa, his prosthetic foot squeaking against the floor. “You know this city like the back of your hand no doubt, but as much as I could use your talents I don’t want you doing anything you don’t want to.”
Vanessa thought for a moment then stood tall. “You know what I want? I wanna see the sunrise. I’ve read it’s beautiful just before the end of the world.”
“Fuck yeah!” Aaron replied. “Let’s do this.”
The statement brought a surge to John’s heart, a muscle already on edge thanks to the unwanted change in chemistry. There was an abundance of adrenaline though, and with the supply unlikely to run out anytime soon the rebound mind mess could hopefully wait. As for the emotion coiled tight in his gut there could be only one remedy.
“I’ll see you soon,” he whispered into Candice’s ear and then they were apart.
The room began to buzz once again with activity. Hendrix walked with Candice towards to the door as Rebecca took charge.
“Abner, Achim, I want you to set up a low frequency pulse signal to the lead vehicle. Ten second window, two minute intervals.”
“Got it,” the brothers replied in unison.
“As for the rest of the room,” she continued, “assume full ready status. Triple check all systems while I assign positions for our Abyss Jumpers and arrange for medical standby. Klementina will make it back, but rest assured the devil will be hot on her tail.”
Loud cries of confirmation bellowed across the room. John could feel the energy building, and as he followed Aaron and Vanessa he was surprised to see Troy waiting patiently by a door built into the rear wall, a feature John had missed until now. This place just gets bigger and bigger, he thought.
Troy pushed the door open and waited while they stepped on through into a low and small corridor soaked with soft orange lights. A roughly carved archway on the left opened out into a compact room full of bunk beds and lock boxes, but there was no stopping to explore. Instead Aaron pushed ahead several more feet ahead where the corridor ended and a metal hatch rested in the concrete floor.
“Where we keep the toys…” he said before using the force of both arms to lift the opening.
“This I gotta see,” Vanessa muttered to herself.
Aaron jumped down the ladder and disappeared. Vanessa was quick to follow, and as John lowered his feet onto the rungs he could feel a surge of warm air rushing up to meet him as his back scraped against the encasing wall. It was a short journey down, and when he was sure Vanessa was clear he released his grip and dropped to the floor. He had no idea what he expected to see and yet, as his eyes adjusted to the sharp green lighting, once again found his mouth open in total disbelief.
Looming before him was a garage of the likes he’d never seen before. The ceiling was low enough to reach up and touch but the overall area spread out the length of several tennis courts, and it definitely wasn’t empty space. He couldn’t help but whistle through his teeth as the reality set in, while Vanessa quickened her steps and clapped her hands with glee.
“Now this is what a girl likes to see!” she laughed.
Resting side by side like elite horses poised and ready for the dropping of the gate, the collection of vehicles on display bristled with menace and promises of power. Though no two models were the same, each truck like hybrid was jet black in colour and encased with custom metal plating that barely left the tires visible, with frames rising high enough to threaten the ceiling. Some carried trays in the rear that were mounted with weapons of the calibre that cut a tree in the blink of an eye, while John could see others with modified encased cabins designed to carry extra passengers. As far as vehicle fleets were concerned, this one looked ready to plough through hell itself.
“I’ve gotta say I’m speechless,” John admitted, “but the question I’ve got is how the fuck did you get these down here?”
“Straight through there,” Aaron replied, pointing at the solid steel wall dead ahead.
“You mean through that wall?”
“It’s a ramp,” Aaron explained. “On the other side of that steel is a tunnel leading up to a field. If they’d found us we woulda’ known by now, so we should be alright. Well, for the first few miles anyway.”
Troy emerged from behind them and stepped up to the side of the ramp. He unlocked a wooden panel that revealed a series of backlit switches and buttons, and cautiously began entering a long digit code.
“Which one’s our ride?” Vanessa asked as she ran her hands along the curves of a particularly nasty metal beast.
“This baby right here,” Aaron replied as he opened the driver’s door to an oversize four wheel drive with tires thick enough to absorb a round of bullets and windows tinted so dark it was like looking into the night. “Okay Troy,” he called out, “no point wasting any more time. Bring her down and let’s get this show on the road.”
And what a show it is, John thought as he joined Vanessa by the passenger door. A fresh round of sweat formed at the base of his spine and he was sure he could feel his brain pushing against the inside of his skull, but the moment of pain passed with a quiet promise to return.
“We all ride in the front,” Aaron instructed across the roof. “That way we can…”
The ground shook beneath their feet. Shards of concrete tore from the ceiling and tires made crying like squeals as the vehicles slid across the floor. The green lights overhead began to flicker. John felt the vibrations rumbling up through his bones as he shot out an arm to grab Vanessa. They were seconds away from being crushed between the trucks and as they jumped towards the back wall there was the grinding sound of metal on metal.
“What’s going on?” Vanessa yelled as concrete dust showered down.
“Something real fucking bad!” Aaron yelled as the walls shook with another violent surge of energy.
John crouched down in an attempt to keep his balance but was quickly thrown against the wall before being sent sprawling onto his knees. Overhead the green lights flickered with a final surge before dropping away, throwing the room into an absolute darkness that brought with it a sickening sound of thunder so loud John was sure his ears would start to bleed. He lashed out blindly until he found Vanessa’s hand and pulled her close enough to cover her head, hoping like hell they weren’t about to be buried in a concrete coffin. It was useless trying to call out and it was impossible to think, so all he could do was hold Vanessa close and wait for fate’s hand.
In the violent dark the seconds seemed to stretch forever. His knees were beginning to burn and his head pounded from the noise. Suddenly cold metal pushed into his left shoulder and there was no second guessing what it was. With sheer desperation he slammed his feet into the wall and pushed back with all the force he could muster as the rear of the vehicle threatened with rising pressure. He could feel the muscles in his back ready to snap, and as the heavy metal gained another inch he knew it was time to push Vanessa out of the way and dive for a hopeful exit.
But then, as quick as it had started, the shaking stopped.
The monstrous roar of thunder began to roll off into the distance and was soon replaced with the sound of heavy breathing and racing heartbeats. Now that the ground was still John could feel pins and needles flooding his hands and feet, and once he was sure the tuck wasn’t about to slide any further he eased back the pressure and gasped for air. Harsh red lights flickered to life and they were blessed with vision once again. Somewhere above John could just make out a slow pulsing alarm and knew that any plans they had were now well and truly out the window.
“You still with me?” Aaron called out.
“I’d rather be somewhere else,” Vanessa replied while struggling to her feet.
“Now I know what being in a vice feels like,” John spat, “but yeah, I�
�m okay.”
“Troy?” Aaron continued, but there was no response.
John wiped the fresh dust from his face and squeezed his way between the vehicles, reaching the steel wall at the same time as Aaron. Together they looked down and saw that the sudden surge of violence had not left empty handed. Troy lay in a half foetal position surrounded with a pool of his own blood. A fist sized portion of his head had been torn away by a falling chunk of concrete that now rested by his neck, and John could tell from the damage that there was nothing to be done for him. All they could do was hope it had been quick and painless.
“Oh shit…” Aaron mumbled as he dropped to his knees to search for any slim signs of life.
“He’s gone,” John said quietly. “That grey stuff funning down his cheek is brain fluid. I’m sorry mate but he’s on his own journey now.” He surveyed the ceiling and saw thick, spider web like cracks running in all directions. “Every second we stay down here is just pushing our luck. We need to head back up, now.”
Aaron lowered his head for a moment as if in prayer and then reached down to gently close Troy’s eyes. Job done, he jumped up and looked at John with a rare hint of vulnerability.
“I did two tours with that guy,” he said. “Ain’t no way for anyone to go out.”
Vanessa had already made her way to the ladder and had her hands wrapped around the metal frame. She too could see how volatile the ceiling had become and didn’t want to wait around to see it fall.
“We really have to get out of here,” she said urgently. “If we stay here there’s a good chance we’ll be buried.”
“Hold tight,” Aaron responded, “we’re coming.” He reached down to grab Troy’s shoulders. “I need a hand,” he said to John, “because I’m not leaving him here.”
“I already knew that,” John replied as he grabbed hold of Troy’s feet, and together they carried his body to the ladder while stealing glances at the growing cracks overhead.
Vanessa began the climb when the hatch above suddenly lifted open and Rebecca’s face appeared. Even in the red lit shadows the panic was obvious and seemed to ignite the white of her eyes.
“Things just got real bad,” she stammered as her voice echoed along the concrete.
“You think?” Vanessa shot back before regretting the barb. “We’re gonna need a hand.”
When Rebecca saw what she was talking about she disappeared long enough for Vanessa to pull herself up through the hatch, then returned breathless with Hendrix by her side. It took a lot of strain and potential muscle damage, but Troy’s body was eventually lifted up before Aaron and John crawled out into the small corridor where the sound of the alarm was louder and the red lights brighter.
“Oh fuck…” Rebecca whispered as she surveyed the lethal damage that Troy had absorbed.
“What the hell’s going on?” Aaron asked as he collapsed against the wall and tried to catch his breath.
“We don’t know for certain,” Hendrix replied, “but it’s safe to assume the impacts have begun.”
“You mean giant chunks of flaming metal appeared in the sky and nobody saw them coming?” John asked as he rubbed the muscles in his arms.
“We knew they were coming,” Hendrix snapped back defensively, “but we were never going to know the minute or the hour. For god’s sake the entire city power grid was shut down and communication satellites were delinked so it wasn’t as if we could monitor the skies. Our satellites might still be functioning but they’re not equipped with cameras or light detectors. We were blind then and we’re blind now.”
“Fair enough,” John sighed.
Suddenly Candice came running but stopped short at the sight of the body on the ground. John pushed himself from the floor and edged her back into the main room, where desks and electronic equipment lay in disarray and members of the Metal Rebellion were frantically strapping themselves with weapons and ammunition. The air was drenched with fear and adrenaline. In the distance he could see figures darting past the open doorway, but for the moment all he could do was stand there and wonder what the hell they were supposed to do now.
Candice wiped the hair from her face and pointed up to the roof. “You can sure as shit bet that’s only the first one to come down and the real shock wave probably hasn’t even hit us yet.” Her eyes narrowed as she raced through mental calculations. “Our odds might be better down here, but that doesn’t make them good odds.”
Shouts broke out across the room as the red emergency lights flickered and spluttered, and still John found himself in a stunned like state. It was almost as if he were suddenly waking deep in a vivid dream, the kind whose reality could shift in the blink of an eye and start a new thread of consciousness with no preceding connection with anything tangible. When the alarm came to a halt, however, the spell began to slowly break and his thought process began to once again feed off of his overflowing adrenaline.
“Okay,” he said with a sudden determination. “We’re in the middle of a fucking nightmare that’s only gonna get worse and stuck in an underground bunker that could collapse any god damn second, but we’re still breathing. If we’re still breathing,” he paused for a second to scan the room, “then we’ve still got a shot at surviving this.”
“There’s got to be a way to find out where the impacts…”
“Shit!” John said suddenly. “If that’s only the first shockwave then the next one’s gonna hit with a vengeance.”
“As far as odds go, I’d bet everything.”
“The concrete walls might just hold but the glass… Bobbie!”
He tore a path to the door and skidded out into the corridor. Candice sucked in a quick breath of realisation and then was right behind him even though her legs were still wobbly with shock. They pushed their way through the small crowd that had appeared as if from nowhere but when they reached the entrance to Hendrix’s room John slammed his fist against the wall. The steel door was locked. If that wasn’t bad enough, subtle vibrations were beginning to shake the concrete beneath their feet.
“I need this fucking door opened!” John spat.
“Hold that thought.”
Candice spun on her heels and flew back down the corridor, yelling at people to get out of her way as the floor rumbled with a growing menace. John blew at the beads of sweat pooling across his lip and pressed his ear against the door, but all he could hear was sharp echoes and structural groans. His heart pounded and he tried to swallow but a dry throat made it impossible. The best friend he ever had was trapped on the other side, alone and at the mercy of whatever hell was heading their way. Weapons, he thought. I’ll find something powerful enough to blow the fucking door open!
With mind made up he slammed the steel one last time and turned with a newfound purpose, only the sight of Candice running towards him with Rebecca’s hand held tight kept his feet still for the moment.
“There’s been a malfunction,” Rebecca panted as she skidded to a stop. “The metal roller shield for the glass won’t budge, and if it’s breached this door is the only thing separating us and the deep blue sea. It’s too dangerous.”
“I’m sorry but I don’t wanna hear it,” John said with as much control as he could muster. “If you think I’m going to leave Bobbie in there you’re out of your mind.”
“I don’t want to leave Bobbie behind.” Desperation rasped her throat and worry filled her eyes as the red hue of the lights seemed to darken. “But I don’t want to lose you or anyone else if I don’t have to. Can’t you feel it? There’s another shockwave on the way and there’s no telling what it’ll do.”
John slammed his open hand against the steel. “If he goes I go so please, open the door.” He offered a sad but heartfelt smile. “I’ll be in and out in seconds I promise.”
The floor was shaking stronger now. Anyone still left in the corridor rushed into rooms to prepare for the second impact, leaving the three of them alone as in the distance the delicate sound of thunder began to rise.
�
�Seconds are all you’ve got,” Rebecca said as she pushed her palm against the scanner.
The gears whined, the lock disengaged and the door pushed open. John leapt into the room and raced towards the sofa with arms ready to scoop up his friend, only he wasn’t there. His eyes darted around the room that was now lit only by the blue lights along the floor. The glass dragon sat lifeless in the shadows and the lack of functioning floodlights left the ocean view nothing more than a sinister blank ink ready to push its way in.
Suddenly Candice came rushing by and headed straight for the side room, while back at the entrance Rebecca watched nervously as the thunder shifted from a whisper to a scream.
“What the hell are you doing?” John called out to Candice.
“We need that blood!” she yelled over her shoulder before disappearing into the shadows.
The seconds were racing. Where the hell was Bobbie? He called out his name and began searching the floor, the force of the vibrations now strong enough to challenge his balance. He called out once more, louder this time, but even if his friend cried back he couldn’t be sure he’d even hear. Shit.
Candice came skidding into the room with the vial of blood held tight. When she saw John empty handed and scouring the edges of the walls she knew something was wrong.
“Where is he?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” he replied.
She ran to the sofa to double check beneath the blankets but came up empty, then joined John in screaming Bobbie’s name as a sharp cracking sound made its way into the bass of the thunder. The room shook and the majestic glass dragon rocked back and forth, before the momentum proved too much and sent it tumbling to the floor to shatter into countless crystal like pieces.
A high pitched meow broke through the noise. John froze and tilted his head. It broke through again with a vivid broadcast of anguish and he knew in an instant where it was coming from. Bobbie was beneath the desk.
His feet moved like lightning regardless of the unsteady surface and he was sliding by the edge of the window in a second. He crouched down and slammed the chair out of the way, then dropped to his hands and knees. Curled up in the dark of the alcove, Bobbie cried out one last time as John brought him tight against his chest and struggled back up to his feet.
The Hallucigenia Project Page 69