by D. Henbane
“I don’t think so...” One soldier says.
“Yeah man, isn’t the idea to go up, not down?” Says another.
“I’m taking the elevator; if you two wanna stand around and play grab ass, that’s fine with me.” I say.
“Just who in the hell made you the boss? You don’t know what you're doing down here. I’m going back to find the others and wait for my evacuation. I don’t buy your kill us all plan either. This is the dumbest idea I have ever heard. Who's coming with me?” Jackson asks.
“You coming Bucky?” I ask. Bucky stands silent as he stares at his fellow soldiers. I can tell he is very torn with his decision. “I am going to get in this elevator, and I will wait here for fifteen minutes in case you change your mind. Last man standing, we had a deal and I am not backing down.” I say.
“I am going with them, Haus...” Bucky says.
“Fifteen minutes, Bucky, that is all I am waiting. After that, the deal is done and all bets are off.” I reply.
I settle into the wire cage of the elevator as the others march off into the darkness. I feel the sense of abandonment as they leave my company. I can't blame them for leaving. I have no plan and no chance of survival. After five minutes, I find myself leaving the elevator and pacing around the halls waiting for Bucky to return so I am not alone. I find myself exploring around the worm holes in the rock walls to pass the time. I find a larger bore hole in the wall that goes back several feet and wiggle my way into it.
That’s when I hear the voices and the sound of gunfire. Bullets dance off the walls of the mine shaft and soon there is silence. I can see at the foot of my hole lights shining around searching for anyone else. They disperse as soon as they appeared, and I venture out of my hole. I walk towards the source of the commotion. I see bloody bodies littering the floor, and I search for Bucky. I find him resting against the cold rock wall.
“Bucky! Stay with me man!” I scream as I scoop his body away from the rock wall. I drag his motionless body towards the elevator shaft. It takes what seems like decades to get him into the elevator. I hit the button and we descend down to the lower reaches of the mine. Along the way, I check Bucky for a pulse and I can't find one. I close his eyelids with my fingertips and arrange his lifeless body into a burial position. This elevator has become his coffin, and this mine is now his crypt.
“In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti” I utter the words solemnly in the darkness. I exit the elevator into another mine shaft. I can see bright light on the other side of the double doors. The placard on the wall reads Astrophysics Department. I open the doors and fight to adjust my eyes to the light. The walls are finely finished in laboratory sterile white with checkered tile floors. The walls are adorned with stunning posters of distant stars, galaxies, and clouds of colorful gases.
I can hear classical music playing over the speaker system. I walk slowly through the barren halls. It is truly amazing how immaculate the rooms are kept, then again, I suppose space nerds don’t tend to make messes. The hallway opens up to a cross section, and that’s when I see the dining room. The tables have all been over turned, with chairs flung around the room. The floor is covered with dried blood, papers, and other debris.
I then catch a glimpse of movement in the corner of the room. Tables have been overturned, and arranged to form a make shift barricade. “Don’t come any closer!” A scared female voice shouts out.
“It's OK! I am with security. I am not here to hurt you. It's safe to come out.” I reply.
“Everyone is sick... They need help.” She says.
“I know, that’s why I am here. Now come out of there so I can help you. Then you can help me find the others.” I say.
There is silence for a few minutes, but eventually a frail arm pushes a hole in the fortress of furniture. “Help...Help... are you help? Help... I need some help.” Her voice quivers with each word. I begin to feel uneasy about her replies. My fears are quickly realized as she exits the pile, and I can see her eyes are covered in blood. She rushes towards me, and I leap out of the way.
Once I regain my footing, instincts take over and I notice an over turned wooden table. I grab one of the legs, tearing it free, wielding it like a club. She turns course, making a second lunge at me. This time I am ready, and the wood makes full contact with her skull. Like Babe Ruth hitting a home run, her head explodes upon contact. I start to celebrate when I am interrupted by the sound of doors slamming. The lights go black and the backup lights kick on.
I turn to run, but in the dim light I can see several others coming towards me. I bolt off into the opposite direction only to find my way again blocked by a containment door. I can hear the incoherent ramblings of my pursuers behind me. Darkness is not to my advantage anymore because they can barely see as it is. I only have one more option at my disposal and that’s to attempt to fight them off. I clench the wooden leg hard and wind up for my swing. The first hit is a success, but I am quickly attacked from another angle. The force of the initial contact sends me backwards, and slams me up against the wall.
I swing my crude club into the darkness, but each swing hits nothing but air. I keep my left hand pressed against the wall to preserve my balance. Suddenly, my hand touches something metal and I recognize it immediately as a door handle. I give the handle a quick twist, and to my surprise, the door opens behind me. I spin around and slam the door shut. I can hear my attackers pounding on the door behind me. I secure the lock and take a few steps back. I can barely see the outlines of their bodies behind the glass window in the darkness.
I run down the hallway as fast as I can. The yellow warning lights illuminate my way. I keep running trying to distance myself as much as possible from the infected. I hear a containment door behind me slam shut and I continue my sprint at full speed. I am in complete darkness now and my heart races rapidly. My escape is abruptly stopped as I slam head first into a wall. I see small white balls of light as I recover from the impact. I am alone in the darkness sitting on the floor, head pounding, and clinging desperately to my life.
“Haus... Are you there?” A voice calls out in the darkness.
“Who are you, and how do you know my name?” I yell. I instinctively look around me, and I can't see anything. I get onto my knees and crawl towards the source of the voice. Inch by inch, and foot by foot I advance in the black fog. I can feel that the floor is smooth, that at least comforts me a little. It's a finished floor and not some craggy mine shaft. I don’t hear any signs of life aside from my own.
“Haus... Give me a signal, I need to know you're still with us.” The voice calls again. This time I can see a dim light spread out into the hallway. It's about 30 feet away, and I quickly arrive at its source. I can see a slightly open door, and I move myself inside. There are multiple computer screens sitting on the desk, each one watching an area of the mine. One in particular stands out, and I focus my attention to it.
My Dlink activates and shines in its signature green glow. I look at the monitor, and see a woman with a headset on. Dlink recalibration complete. Software version is compatible. Users vitals are within range. Temporary conversion complete.
“Haus, can you hear me now?” she asks.
“Yeah, I can hear you just fine. Who in the hell are you?” I ask.
“It's Edith...” She says.
“Edith? The Artificial Intelligence from Omega Phi? I knew you sounded too human to be a computer.” I say.
“Listen to me carefully Haus, we don’t have much time sugar. Have you come into contact with any of the infected?” Edith asks.
“Yeah... Couple of them, some attacked me in the dining room. I got out of there pretty fast.” I reply.
“I am checking your vital signs through the Dlink. Do you think you might be infected?” Asks Edith.
“No! I feel fine.” I yell.
“OK, your vitals seem normal, but if I notice any changes along the way, the deals off.” Edith says.
“What deal?” I ask.
> “Well Haus, General Stratton called for a protocol 1337. That’s a biological breach protocol and in a few hours you're all going to be dead, the General included.” Edith explains.
“Why would Stratton order his own death?” I ask.
“Even the General wasn’t aware of the full details inside that protocol. He believes the civilians will be decontaminated and eventually sent free. The soldiers will be quarantined below ground, processed to determine infection, and after 48 hours, released to work. He also believes that high ranking officers will be safe in their bunker, and will eventually return to duty with increased rank.” Edith explains.
“The old bait and switch tactic?” I say.
“Yes. The reality is much grimmer, and knowing the whole truth, the General would never have activated it. The protocol calls for the civilians to be euthanized above ground to contain the threat. Soldiers are to be sent deep underground and selectively slaughtered as to not create any unrest. Anyone remaining would be effectively sealed by several bunker buster bombs, and a heavy barrage on the surface. A nuclear detonation on home soil is left to the discretion of acting chief executive.” Edith says.
“Got any other good news, Edith?” I say.
“It took some convincing, but I got Reese to authorize your extraction. Pending, of course, we could confirm that you are not infected. First, I had to isolate you from any others, so sorry for making it so chaotic back there. I was using the mines security cameras to track you, but I was afraid you hadn’t made it through the last one. Thankfully, you pulled through and we can move on to the next step.
I have uploaded a map of the mine shafts. You are currently here and you need to get to the number five air intake shaft. I have programmed your Dlink to act like a compass guiding you to each Nav Point. Your first course of action is Nav Point Beta. It's a service elevator that will lift you up to the next shaft. An ATV is currently enroute to your extraction point. It will be dropped off about 300 yards south of the number five air intake shaft. We will be going radio silent after this debriefing, so if you have any questions, ask them now.” Edith Says.
“How long do I have?” I ask.
“Not long Haus, but when we get close, I will break silence to update you. I would run if I were you.” Edith replies.
“You don’t have to tell me twice! I don’t know why you're sticking your neck out for me, but I really do appreciate it.” I say.
“Let's put it this way, Haus. I watch the cameras, and they never blink. I don’t think Eve would ever forgive me if I let her Marco Polo go down without a fighting chance.” She replies.
“You saw that? OK, this just got really awkward.” I reply.
“If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t see what happened behind the wall but I got a pretty good idea. For the record... I am on team Haus. Now get your ass out of that cave and back home to Eve. Consider that an order!” Edith replies.
I leap to my feet and look down at my Dlink. Its face has turned to a green arrow guiding my direction. I run down the hall and find the service elevator. I jump inside and head upwards to the next Nav Point. There is another long hall. I sprint down the hall quickly with no regard to my surroundings. Another elevator at Nav Delta. I climb inside making my way to yet another upper level. I exit the elevator and begin my sprint down the hall. An arm extends in front of me and clothe lines me in the throat.
I fall backwards and land square on the floor. My head rings from the impact but I maintain consciousness. I look up to see the face of Trixie staring down at me. “Where's the fire, soldier?” Trixie asks.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Rat In A Cage
I lunge towards her and wrestle her to the ground. I pin her shoulders into the cold floor, but she kicks me in the groin. I roll over onto my back writhing in pain, as she climbs onto my chest. Her knees hold my shoulders in place, and she lands several hard punches to my face. I stop fighting back when I realize she has total control of the situation. She stops her assault, and stares into my eyes. “Is this capital punishment or just some twisted foreplay?” I say, spitting blood onto the floor beside me.
“You still don’t know how to treat a lady...” Trixie says sarcastically.
“I need to see the General right away.” I say.
“You and I both know that’s not gonna happen. The General is getting ready for his evacuation. Too bad your little buddy, Cox, didn’t make it. He should have been more mindful of his affairs.” Trixie says.
“Cox isn’t dead...” I reply. Trixie's face turns very pale and she rises to her feet and takes a few steps back, as if to reconsider her position. That was something she wasn’t expecting and quickly draws her gun from the holster. I scramble to my feet and raise my hands up in the air.
“You're a sneaky son of a bitch! You thought I wouldn’t suspect you if you slept with me. I am getting evacuated from this hell hole but not you. You're going to be quarantined with the others, and no one will ever know. You and this god forsaken virus will be buried for all eternity.” Replies Trixie.
Bucky was right about one thing, she is one dangerous bitch. Unstable isn’t even the word for it, and I shiver to think of what is going on in her warped brain. I slowly walk backwards with my hands in the air. If I distance myself from her by even a few feet, it greatly increases my chances for a missed shot. If I am really lucky, I could distract her enough to make a run for it. I slide my foot backwards for another pace, but I feel something hit the heel of my boot. I glance down at the floor and see a cell phone laying there.
“Trixie, what time is it?” I ask. She reaches into her pocket and searches for her cell phone. I drop down to my feet and attempt to retrieve my boot knife. The sound of her firearm echoed through the former mine shaft. “Have you lost your fragile mind?” I exclaim. I scoop up the cell phone and stand upright in front of her. I hold the phone in my right hand in plain sight of her. “I was just picking up your phone.” I open it and notice the number 6059890294 at the top of the screen.
I recognize the number immediately. She is the other party from the text messages, but why would she do it? Her true nature is showing through and I realize the kind of adversary I am up against. She isn’t a faceless screen name or digital bits of information. Unlike my usual threats, she is a living, breathing organism, and worst of all, unpredictable. “You're really lucky the screen didn’t shatter.” I say as Trixie grabs the phone from my hand.
“What on Earth is going on out here?” General Stratton walks from behind Trixie. His body may show signs of age, but his presence still commands respect. His voice carries a tone of authority that few men have possessed.
“I came to warn you sir, but Trixie tried to kill me.” I explain.
“If I had tried to kill you, trust me, you wouldn’t be breathing right now. I never miss my target.” Trixie says.
“Sir, you have to believe me, but there is more to Protocol 1337 than you know. As we speak, there is a squadron of bombers being prepped to drop bunker busters on this site. There is no intention of evacuation, even for high ranking officers. Everyone down here has already been issued death certificates; signed, and dated the second you initiated the protocol. The civilians have all been euthanized; I saw it with my own eyes.” I exclaim.
“He can't be trusted, General. He resisted arrest and was forcefully taken from his bunk. The guards had to literally drag him underground to follow protocol. He murdered Bucky and several other service men in a fit of rage. The only reason he is pretending to care now is to save his own skin.” Trixie says.
“These accusations are very serious. Do you have any way to defend your actions, Haus?” General Stratton asks.
“She is making this whole thing up. I was friends with Bucky, and I didn’t kill him. When I got underground, I tried to get the others to follow me. Jackson thought I was nuts, and the rest followed him. I was waiting for Bucky to change his mind when the shots rang out. By the time I got there, they were all dead. She is the one
that ordered the attack on Dr. Cox and stole the virus.” I say.
“What do you mean stole? I ordered the protocol as a precautionary measure, based on your theory.” Says Stratton.
“Cox was able to isolate the virus and successfully clone it. He took the first few generations home and kept them frozen in liquid nitrogen. He didn’t want to report it until he fully understood its properties. I have all the evidence you need on my laptop.” I say.
“More lies, General Stratton! He attacked Cox himself, staged it to look like a robbery, and then met with the buyer outside of town. I enlisted Bucky to be my informant, and he came through. I had Bucky tail Haus from the hospital and out to the missile site. Bucky observed the black SUV pick up Haus's passenger and speed away. He then killed off Bucky to cover his tracks.” Trixie says.
“I couldn’t have attacked Cox! I was in the infirmary, and you yourself gave me the news. Check her text messages, sir. You know I am telling the truth General.” I say.
“Trixie give me your cell phone.” General Stratton says.
“I don’t have time for this shit!” Trixie yells as she aims her gun, and fires several rounds. General Stratton falls backwards onto the ground. Blood puddles on the floor next to his body. She turns facing me, and aims the gun at my head. “You're just full of useful information, aren’t you? I had no idea about the second part of the protocol but it makes sense. All this insider information you got here tells me that you have been given an escape plan. Better start walking soldier, and your taking me with you.” Trixie says.
“There’s a service elevator at the end of this shaft, and if we are going to make it in time, we have to run.” I reply. I begin my sprint with Trixie following right behind me. The gun never leaves her hand and I can tell she isn’t shy on using it. We make it to the end of the shaft and enter the elevator. I press the button and we ascend several floors to the top of the shaft.