“Get back into the mine,” Logan shouted.
Another larger flash of light illuminated the sky. An explosive noise rumbled in the distance. Pulling the door inwards and closing his view of a white mushroom cloud in the distance.
Sean locked the door with a sliding bolt. His welding torch already lit, he began to fuse the steel frame closed. The door vibrated as air burst through gaps not yet liquidated to form a seal. They repeated the procedure with an inner steel door at the elevator room.
The elevator bucked and juddered as they descended. A screaming wind rattled the steel sheeting and screeched through gaps. Logan stood looking upwards. They were falling towards safety and away from the madness above.
"What’s happening out there?" Sean shouted.
Logan shook his head in reply.
Ortiz wrenched open the door and they spilled into a makeshift decompression zone. Cloaked in darkness by charcoal curtains, air thick with the smell of salt. Logan pushed through the coarse fabric and into the warmth of the mine.
Chapter 11
“HQ online.”
“Put them through,” Avery replied.
The large black screen changed to blue then the familiar figure of Captain Rodeen appeared.
“Good afternoon sector twenty two, this is not a drill. Proceed with lockdown procedure immediately. Code Charlie Foxtrot seven nine two Uniform Bravo two zero seven. Repeat Charlie Foxtrot seven nine two Uniform Bravo two zero seven.”
“Captain, what’s happening?” Avery said.
“We have been targeted by a full nuclear engagement. Good luck sector twenty two, our thoughts are with you.”
The screen faded to black and Avery paused to take in the moment. Kaya wore a grim expression, his face holding back emotion. She nodded and they rose together, walking towards a central consol. Placing their hands on the panel, they both spoke their command codes for lockdown.
The consol display changed from online to lockdown. Avery expected some kind of confirmation noise that they were successful. Kaya shrugged his shoulders.
“Give me a feed to the whole base,” Avery said.
“Ready.”
“This is Commander Avery. We have received orders for lockdown and this has been initiated. Our mission is to train and study in this facility for a two year period. When the doors reopen we must be ready to play our part in rebuilding the world. Departmental meetings will follow this announcement. Report to your designated positions and await further orders.”
Avery cut the feed and took a deep breath. Her command team sat casually as though discussing where to position a water cooler. Kaya showed restrained remorse.
“I want full departmental meetings. Make sure everyone is fully briefed and don’t be afraid to discuss what’s happening. Let everyone know that the world is at war, reaffirm their roles and keep talking to each other.”
Kaya remained seated as the others filed away. Studying his hand as he clenched and unclenched his fist. “Bad news.”
“Is there something else on your mind?”
“I shouldn’t bring this up so soon after lockdown.”
“What is it?”
“I have been having,” he paused. “Episodes.”
Avery didn’t reply. Her own problems could be described as episodes. Dr Aslam gave her a full medical, but found no problem. It was psychosomatic, due to the pressure of adapting to life in a bunker.
“I’ve lost days,” he continued. Sometimes I find myself in a room or part of the facility and don’t know how I got there.”
Kaya didn’t meet her eye. He kept looking at his hand and wriggling the fingers. Avery considered sympathizing with him and explaining her own concerns. But if HQ or the bunker knew their two commanding officers were going mad then replacements could soon follow, even in lockdown. She could use Kaya as a proxy to find out what was wrong.
“Look we’re here for two years. See the doctor and get a full blood work. Tell him to check everything, every test he can think of. I don’t want to lose you.”
Kaya nodded.
“Have you spoken to Doctor Cain?”
“Not yet. Off the record, I’m uneasy with her examining me.”
“We need to watch her over the next few weeks. Keep this between us. Have the tests and report back.”
Avery returned to her quarters. She changed into T shirt and shorts then climbed onto the spinning bike, pedaling hard to stop herself imagining what could be happening outside.
Her old life seemed alien, faces and names of colleagues indistinct in her memory. There was now only her bunker command and an ache of loss.
After an hour, she peeled off her clothes and retreated into the shower. Steaming soapy water ran down her face and body. It sloshed in the shower base and gurgled down the drain.
She blinked and shook her head at disorientation.
“There’s clearly been a nuclear strike within one hundred miles of our position. The readings are faint but increasing with every hour.”
Avery repeated the words but didn’t have any idea what was happening. She had materialized in the chemical lab yet her last reality had been in the shower. She was dry and fully clothed, with a brown haired scientist briefing her on external atmosphere readings. Ringo stood at her side.
“The Instruments are positioned at cardinal points around the bunker, feeding information into our database. We’re using the only external contact our bunker has with the outside world,” he said, smiling at the last sentence.
Avery tried to share his humor with a weak grin. “Keep monitoring the readings. Send me a report every four hours.”
The scientist seemed a little hurt as she turned for the door. He sniffed and began tapping at his screen.
“Thank you,” she said.
Cain was absent in the bio medical lab, only Burns remained sat at his console. He didn’t look up as she entered. Avery walked towards him, making a clapping sound to attract his attention. White headphones jutted from each ear, so she poked his shoulder. Burns jerked up his arm, knocking over a plastic cup of water.
“Sorry I didn’t hear you come in,” he said, smiling.
He had a broad smile, his face wrinkling around the eyes and mouth. He lacked the guile so abundant in Cain.
“I’m pleased to find someone distracted. I’m starting to think everyone here is a robot.”
Burns released a breath of air and gave a sheepish smile. “I wish I had no feelings. We’re safe in here while outside god only knows what’s happening.”
Avery let his words hang in the air between them.
“Don’t mind me,” he said, waving the comment away.
“No, please continue. Apathy towards the outside world would worry me.”
He was about to say something when his expression melted into a blank stare. He began writing on a notepad. Avery turned to see Cain walking into the lab, followed by Kaya.
“Commander, this is a surprise. Thank you for sending Major Kaya to me, I’ve managed to straighten out his malediction,” she said.
Kaya stood behind her in silence.
Chapter 12
Logan stumbled into the central cavern. A crowd of people stood, sat or walked around like an airport departure terminal. He pulled off his blood splattered and ripped suit jacket, letting it fall to the ground. The noise level in the cavern dropped and he realized they were all looking at him.
“Where’s Caspar?” Rich asked, racing forward. His hand flat against his chest and eyes bulging.
“He’s gone, Jason too,” Logan replied.
A dull thud echoed through the cavern. Doors and plastic curtains blew open as a great waft of dust flew inwards. There was another louder boom echoing down the tunnels.
Rich stepped back, baring his teeth and pointing. Logan turned to see a crack fracturing through the rock face. It started a wave of screaming and shouting. Movement rippling through the crowd, but there was nowhere to run.
“Sir, shall we evacuate?” O
rtiz said.
The soldier’s eyes and those of the entire central area were upon him. He looked to Rich for support, but he was rubbing his eyes and shaking his head.
“Everyone stay calm,” he shouted. “Sergeant, get your men into their accommodation. Same goes for you all. I’ll send a team to inspect the wall.”
“Everyone back to quarters,” Ortiz shouted.
The soldiers and most of the crowd complied. Logan gestured for calm from the remainder, making promises he knew he could never remember.
Rich stood in rooted position. He was staring at Logan with a mix of anger and fear. “I need to talk to you about my resources.”
“Later, look we’ll get through this,” Logan said, gripping Rich’s arm. “I need to find Cate and the boys.”
In their cabin, Cate, Adam and Gregor were playing snakes and ladders on a table. Adam jumped up to greet him and spilled the game onto the floor. Gregor ran into his legs and Cate gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Cate had transformed their cabin into two areas. The sleeping area had three mattresses all covered with pillows, blankets and sheets. Two red rugs covered most of the sitting area floor. There were pictures on the wall, hanging lanterns and shelves filled with labeled boxes.
The boys told him they were on an adventure. Cate supported their story with a wide nodding grin. Logan guided Cate outside, telling the boys to continue playing their game.
“Listen to me, Caspar’s dead and so is Jason. It looks like I’m the leader now.”
“What happened?”
“I’ll tell you later. For now I want to make sure you’re all okay.”
She stared at him for a long moment before a faint smile crossed her lips. “It’s so damn hot in here.”
“I know, right.”
“Mom, can we have dinner now. I’m hungry.” Gregor shouted from their cabin.
“Go,” she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. He returned her kiss then jogged away to the workshop.
Logan entered to find the five man operations team sitting in varying positions. No one spoke as he entered. Sean stroked his chin, staring into space. Jared appeared from the private doorway at the rear of the workshop, wiping his hands.
“I want to thank you all for being here.” Logan said.
“No. We want to thank you,” Jared replied, nodding at the group for confirmation.
“I saw a mushroom cloud as we closed the mine entrance. We’re going to be here for some time.”
“How long?” Sean asked.
“The original plan was for two years. But Caspar Outama, who put this all together, is gone. So is our captain. It looks like I’m in charge.
“What happened to Caspar?” Sean asked, jumping down from the bench.
“I don’t know what happened. He left to pick something up. There was a noise like an explosion on the radio then nothing.”
Sean cursed and swiped a box onto the floor.
“Sean,” Jarod growled.
“I need you all more than ever now. We have to be the ones who keep this place running. We’re engineers. If there’s a problem we solve it.”
“I’ve one question,” Jarod said. “Are you going to take that tie off now?”
Logan looked down at his stained and bloody clothes. Cloth from a tear in his right leg hung down exposing his knee.
“I guess,” he replied.
Jarod followed him out of the workshop, closing the door behind him.
“How are they?” Logan asked.
“Scared, but feel better with you in charge.”
“I wish I did.”
“There is no one here more suited to the job. The boys and I will back you to the hilt, don’t forget that.”
“We need to get into Caspar’s cabin. He must have left some kind of information on what and who is here. I only know part of the plan.”
Jarod pushed open the door into the central cavern. Wind racing for a dizzying moment before he squeezed through and closed it. Ortiz was waiting with a group of four soldiers, waving as Logan approached.
“Hello Sir.”
“Call me Logan. What news?”
“We lost six men outside including our CO. We need to move to restore morale. Captain Skillet told us if he was not present that I would report to Caspar. As he isn’t here that makes you the most senior officer.”
“He was a good man.”
Ortiz gave a brief nod. “Yes sir”
“How many soldiers do we have?”
“Two sergeants, 3 Corporals and forty one privates.”
“Weapons?”
“Sixty rifles, eight thousand rounds. Two Starburst launchers, nineteen rounds. Thirty pistols, three thousand rounds.”
“That’s enough to start a war,” Jarod said.
“That’s a basic defense requirement. We have no way of resupply.”
“Other equipment?” Logan asked.
“I’ll need more time for a full inventory.”
“Take a full stock check of all our military supplies and weapons.”
“Yes sir.”
Ortiz moved his hand for a salute but checked the motion. He nodded and turned away, followed by the soldiers.
Logan scanned the central cavern. There was movement in the kitchen area in the rear corner, but most people had gone to their accommodation. “Take me to Caspar’s place.”
Jarod drove their dust covered jeep, past the hospital and along a tunnel. They rode in silence, Logan’s legs and arms beginning to feel leaden. He suppressed a yawn as Jarod parked outside a grey rectangular pre fab building. Two soldiers sat on the entrance steps, staring at them.
“Report to Sergeant Ortiz please guys,” Logan said.
He opened the green timber door of the building and bright light flared out. Logan’s shoes echoed on the raised decked floor as he entered a storage area. There must have been an air filter in the cabin as the whole place smelt fresher than in the mine. Hot and sweating, he rolled up his shirt sleeves and undid the top buttons of his shirt.
The right hand side of the store was full of brown cardboard boxes in neat rows. To the left side was a changing area, also full of boxes.
A green door in front of him opened onto a narrow corridor with three further doors. The right hand door opened into a brown colored bedroom. Two white quilted beds took up most of the room with a wooden cupboard between them.
The left hand door opened into a dining kitchen where fruity, strawberry odors wafted out. A square window faced the tunnel outside. Below the window, a row of green kitchen cupboards and a white worktop spanned the room.
Logan opened a cupboard to find plates and cups. Packets of cookies filled the adjacent cupboard. Typical Caspar. Opposite the units, two sofas sat either side of a low table. Five gallon water barrels, stacked in columns of three, surrounded the wall perimeter.
The final door, at the end of the hall, opened into a meeting room. The walls were covered with wood effect boarding. White cupboards ran along the left and right hand walls. In the centre was a round white table surrounded by eight chairs. A folder lay on its surface, marked with the simple stamped title of ‘Melbourn’.
The first page was a contents list, headings similar to their previous meeting. Logan flicked pages over, occasionally seeing his name in the typed words. He closed the document and checked the drawers to find stationary.
Anything over there?” Logan asked.
“There’s an agenda. Welcome and so on."
“I need to go through this file. It looks like Caspar documented it all down here for reference.”
“Take as long as you want. I’ll send down two of the lads in a few hours.”
Logan flicked through the file. Every aspect of the mine operation was identified, outlined and explained. Caspar had worked hard on this document. He pictured his friend, confident and charismatic at the table in Rich’s dining room.
Closing the folder, Logan stretched and yawned.
He shuffled out of the m
eeting room and into the bedroom. Dropping onto the first bed and testing its springs before rolling onto his back.
Seemingly moments later, Logan awoke in the unfamiliar room. One by one, the ordeals and events of the last few days came back to him and he lived them over again.
Alone in dim light and comforted by the quilt, the mine seemed like a protective force field. Shielding everyone from whatever was happening above.
If only this moment could last forever.
His mind drifted towards reality and organization of the mine. He was their leader. His family, friends and everyone else here would be depending on him.
Rolling off the bed, he stood and stretched, feeling an ache in his belly that could only be hunger. He grabbed a packet of biscuits from the kitchen and walked to the office. His hand moved instinctively towards his wrist, to reach for his flexi screen.
They were completely alone.
It was the first time in his life he had lost connection to the world. Answers to any questions, contact with any person, or even a game. He’d lost his umbilical cord. There would be no research or instructions or outside help in the mine. Down here in the darkness, they were at the mercy of each other.
He shuddered.
Sean burst into the meeting room. “Doc Sarin was very insistent on coming with me to find you.”
Rich stomped into the room and slapped his hand down on the table. “Logan, what the hell is going on?”
“Where do you want me to start?”
“People are moving accommodation units and stealing food. I have a guard on the hospital. And here you are reading.”
“I didn’t know Caspar or Jason weren’t going to make it. I’m trying to make sense of the master plan.”
His eyes narrowed and he reached into his pocket. “What happened to your face?”
“Oh nothing, I took a few punches at the plant. Lips busted up.”
He pulled out a surgical wipe and rubbed at Logan’s face. His eyes widening as he rubbed. “Was this someone else’s blood? There’s no cut or bruise.”
“It’s nothing,” Logan said, pushing Rich away.
“I still don’t know why you’re in charge?”
“Let’s not argue about it. We made it. We actually made it.”
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