Chapter 149 - A red sun rises (1/2)
We walked passed the room in which I was sleeping and on my way out I grabbed my bag. Going through one of the doors on the left we went straight to stairs leading to the first bas.e.m.e.nt. It was a dim room with consoles in the middle and screens took most of the walls. In one corner stood a table on which they had placed Olga, next to two giant pods with a glass lid. It looked like the ones we had back at the apartment.
”Quick, we need to put her in,” Grant pointed to the pods. He placed the bag he was carrying on the console and went to help Alter with the task. The other members sat on the floor on the other corner. Demos and Nicolai helped closed the vault-like door. It clicked with a chilling sound. I looked up at them.
”Does that mean we are locked inside?” Demos nodded.
”It also means they won't be able to get in,” added Nicolai with a frown. Nicolai went to the console and switch it on. Grant came back from securing Olga into the pod. The logo on the water system came on all the screens simultaneously.
”Hello,” said the AI. ”Welcome to the water system facility. Please standby as I run diagnostics,” said the voice on the screen. I stared in puzzlement. Taking cautious steps I stopped behind Grant. He was drumming on the keyboard. He took out Jil's box that he retrieved from our house before he left and plugged it to the console. But the lights flickered and the whole room when black.
”What's happening?” I asked trying to peer in the darkness.
”Calm down,” I heard Grant make an irritating sound and got off his chair, pushing me aside in the process. ”The whole system crashed. Damn it, ” I could hear him rushed to the side of the room. ”We need to access the turbines in the lower part of the building. They run with the current of the river. I knew we had to test it before going online. Olga said that she had too little time to fix the eventual bugs,” a light switched on, enough to push away the darkness. Grant was kneeling on the ground unscrewing a panel. Demos came to help him with the other screws.
”If we can't get this place running we are doom. She will die before we do,” he looked up at me. ”I need to fix the system, it runs the ventilation. If it's really fried we'll just replace it with Jil she will be able to keep Altas at bay,” he talked while working on the last screw. Demos pulled the panel aside and we peeked below. It was another pitch-black hole. Alter turned the light to the ladder that went down the pit. Grant climbed below without hesitation.
”Shit!” he whispered as we heard water splashed.
”What going on, down there?” asked Demos peeking into the hole. There was silence a couple of minutes then he answered.
”Water,” he paused. ”It flooded the lower level where the turbines are. We need to pump the water out. Come down to give me a hand,” Demos hopped into the opening and disappeared below. Minutes later, we heard a muffled sound behind the vault door. We all stopped and listened. When we heard a second time, Nicolai rushed down also to help them. I've worked on the designs of the water system. I've seen the plans and knew my way fairly well around it. I kneeled by the panel listening to the boys as they worked, praying that whatever thing was outside the door would stay there. Minutes ticked and the air in the room became hotter and thinner.
”Guys?” I called, the room below has gone silent. The light came on so abruptly it hurts. The artificial clapped and cheered. Elma came next to me.
”Are you feeling ok?” she asked in a concerned tone. My head was spinning, still, I nodded with a smile. She helped me to my feet. The air was getting hotter, it didn't seem to affect the others. The sound on the other side of the door was louder now. We would hear loud banging on the heavy door.
”They won't be able to get in, right?” I looked up at Elma. She averted her eyes. They were all scared. Olympia kneeled next to the opening.
”Nicolai, they are trying to breach the door. Whatever you are doing, go faster,” she yelled into the darkness. Grant appeared up the ladder, minutes later, soaked in thick oily water. He pulled his shirt over his head and wiped his face with the dirty garment.
”Can someone lend me something,” He opened his fly and pulled his pants down then kicked his shoes. I was shocked, he just got undressed in front of everyone mindless of all the eyes staring at him. One of the members took off his shirt, leaving him with his undershirt. He handed the large blue worker's front buttoned shirt to Grant who slipped in it without a second thought. He was wearing only his black boxer and the shirt a little too large for him.
”Liliane,” he called. I was red as a beetroot when everyone turned to me. He was the one in his boxer and I was the one blushing. Liliane gets a grip. This is a life and death situation. Get rid of the embarrassment, for god sake. ”I'll need your help with this,” he sat in front of the console looking away. Elma helped me sit in the chair next to him. Jil's box was still plugged into the console. He switched the console on, I took shallow breaths. The air had a weird taste. ”You worked on this with Olga, you know how to switch on the ventilation. I'll work on system, as quick as I repair it you rush to the maintenance module and switch the fans on, ok?” he explained with his fingers working at a staggering speed on the keyboard. I nodded then noticed he wasn't looking.