The Three of Us: A Novella

by Lee, W. Tavi

  He felt they were set to ride this thing out. Nobody knew they were there, they had enough food and there really wasn't much that could go wrong. The filtration system had multiple redundancies and low power consumption was used everywhere, but the lab.

  That was the trickiest part for Mike, upgrading to power the recent lab updates, his only real modification. A lot of the equipment was power hungry. It needed to last a year. He decided to go with a large battery system. It was designed to be silent, hands off and enough power for probably 2 years. That's what the manufacturer had said. It cost tens of millions just for the battery system. He also had to create a space for it, digging out more of area surrounding the bunker, also paying off the right people to keep it off the records. Nearly tripled his price. Mike presented the idea to the CEO and he didn’t even have a reaction to the estimated price of implementing it. When your companies profits are in the hundreds of billions, you can spare millions for your protection. He was actually working on a better version of the bunker before all hell broke loose.

  18

  Sebastian, Bennett and Holly had no other encounters before they reached their destination. Two blocks from Humanetics Bunker, they stopped at a coffee shop that looked like a good place to stop. They made camp behind the counter. A place that used to sell $5 cups of coffee was now barren. Anything edible or even remotely useful had been taken. It kept them out of sight and out of the wind though. Bennett insisted he take the first watch. After some protest, Sebastian caved. He wasn't going to sleep. Too much was running through his mind. He didn't think any of them would. They all sat there, looking through a display case that once held all types of goodies. Pastries, scones, muffins almost as big as your head. This coffee shop will probably never open again. The city might never be revived.

  His distorted view through the display glass made Sebastian’s eyes hurt, thinking about the camera that was hidden just above the bunker door. He didn’t know if they’d run into trouble because Infected were drawn to electricity. Like insects to a bug zapper. They just couldn't help it. It was dawn when Sebastian woke. He must have fallen asleep looking at the alley because that's the last thing he remembered. Bennett was sleeping, so was Holly, which meant for a period of time, nobody kept watch. They'd all needed to sleep. I guess that's a good thing. It’s probably the last sleep we'll ever get.

  He looked at both of them and smiled. Grateful that they had gone with him on this one way journey, but couldn't help but think that just a few weeks ago, Bennett was probably playing cribbage with fellow retirees and Holly was contemplating grad school to put off the "real world" just a little bit longer.

  And what about me. I'd be playing catch in the park with my family thinking life was great. He was wrapping up designs for his own bunker and had started looking for the right piece of land to put it on. Had he done it sooner, things might have turned out better. All that is gone. My family, gone. Bennett's, gone. Holly's, gone. We all had nothing else to live for. It was either go try this or lay down and die like the many they passed to get here. It was time. He woke both of them and started finishing the last crumbs of food before they made their way to the alley.

  19

  Mike just finished the morning CCTV scan. All was quiet on the home front. Just like it had been for the last two weeks. The first couple days, inside the bunker the two outside cameras picked up a lot of activity. Now, nothing but the occasional biker. There was nothing left in the city and no point in sticking around when there were greener pastures down the road. He grabbed his mug and took a sip of his coffee ration. Not even close to tasting good, but in situations like this, even bad coffee is ok. It grows on you.

  20

  They reached the end of the alley. Nothing looked different to Sebastian. Recalling the old project yet again, from when he had completed this entrance. The graffiti that he commissioned was still there but with many more layers added by other "artists".

  "There's no audio being captured, but the camera is right there," he said pointing to the giant eye sprayed onto the brick.

  "If that's the door, how are you going to open it without being seen?" Holly Asked.

  "The outside control panel is under that pile of trash.” he pointed a jumble of pallets and debris. “I'm going to dash along the side and get under the trash to the panel and open it up from there. Just keep an eye out.”

  They watched as Sebastian jumped towards the pallets, getting on his stomach and starting to crawl towards the panel. He slowly got underneath the trash. Trying not to disturb it. Sebastian was under the rank trash bags searching for the control panel. Feeling his way around until finally finding the lip. Following the edge with his fingers until he got to the keyhole.

  If they didn't change this lock, they'd be in business. He fished out his small ring of keys. Four keys, all for the bunker.

  After every project was finished he kept a master set just in case. Flicking through them he found one he thought was it.

  Pushing the key in, he gave it a twist. It didn't budge. He took it out and put it back, jiggling it. It still didn't turn.

  His heart quickened. Maybe they did change the locks. Did I bring the right ones? He flicked through the keys again, choosing a different one. Sebastian put the key in and twisted. The lock gave and turned with a grateful click.

  His position was starting to get uncomfortable but he couldn't adjust for fear of the bags falling. He took the key out and placed the ring back in his pocket. Pushing on the panel it moved a little. Pushing again and it moved halfway open. He could get his hand in now and shoved it open the rest of the way. It looked the same. Just a pay phone keypad and no display. It was designed only to link to this door and camera. It didn't connect to the rest in the CCTV room and he hoped they hadn’t modified it to do so.

  The keypad, when in debug mode could do some useful things. Disable or enable the power and unlock or lock the door. He keyed the six digits to enable it to get inside. Now that things were looking up, Sebastian moved back to where Bennett and Holly had been looking on.

  "Sooo?" Holly asked impatiently.

  "We're good to go. It looks like they haven't touched it"

  "Good. Now what?" Bennett nodded, rubbing his hands together.

  "I'll need one of you to turn the camera off, then back on after I go inside. Also to turn it off again five minutes later so I can get out. Then you'll have to switch the camera on again. If they're watching and notice it going on and off, they might send someone over to quarantine to check it out. Once I'm inside, and hopefully nobody is using the quarantine, I'll grab whatever I can and get back out. Just want to get an idea of any potential changes."

  "Won't there be lights on?"

  "If there's nobody there, no. They won't want to waste power."

  "How will you see?"

  "There should be an emergency kit right by the door with a flashlight."

  "I'll do the cameras for you," Holly added.

  "After you enter the code, you'll hear a beep letting you know it worked. Let me know and I'll go up to the door, unlock it with the key and go inside. Once it's closed, turn the camera back on with the same code. In 5 minutes exactly, turn the camera off. If all goes well, I should be out and when I clear the camera, turn it back on."

  "And if you don't come back in time, turn the camera on anyway?"

  "Yes. Are you ready?"

  Holly gave Sebastian a hug and Bennett shook his hand for good luck. This was it. Holly got on her belly and crawled under the trash pile. Sebastian took out the key ring and picked the biggest key waiting for her to give him the signal. Holly was in position, turned back to get the go ahead. Sebastian nodded. She entered 6 numbers and the pound sign. An accepting beep replied. The camera was off.

  She gave them the thumbs up and Sebastian moved forward tapping his watch. The time was 6:53 AM.

  Sebastian went straight up to the door and inserted the key. The lock turned and he gave a push. The seal around the door gave a little sl
urp. Pushing harder the heavy door opened silently. He took the key out and pushed the door closed behind him, locking automatically. Outside Holly hit the same 6 numbers turning the camera back on with an accepting beep.

  21

  Mike was in the security office, reading one of the classics that was kept in the bunker to pass the time. Out of the corner of his eye something on the bank of monitors flickered. One of them was down. He tapped on the screen, but got no response. He reached around to jiggle the cable and when he checked the screen again, it was back on. Hmm, he thought to himself. He looked at the screen, supposedly showing the dark quarantine room, but saw nothing. He radioed Steve.

  "You had any trouble with the monitors?"

  "Hmm. What kind of trouble?"

  "Screen flicker."

  "Oh, that. The cables get loose sometimes or whatever. I just push them around every so often and that seems to fix them for a bit."

  "OK. Can you go check quarantine out? Turn the light on so I can see it on the monitor."

  "Copy that."

  "Thanks."

  Mike never wanted to assume anything. He was 99.9% sure it was just a loose cable. But for that .1%, he felt it should always be checked out. That's best practice. Besides what else did they have to do?

  22

  Sebastian was inside the first compartment already inserting the key into the second door. This one was less heavy duty and gave a slight squeak as he pushed. The quarantine room was dark, like he expected and empty like he'd hoped. He quickly went to the wall panel to his right to access the supply compartment and started feeling for the little notch. He found it and stuck his index finger in to get a good grip. Pulling on it made it move a little. Using his free hand, he got a finger in under the edge that was starting to protrude. A little further and the 4x4 panel was out of the confines of the frame. Sebastian almost dropped it, forgetting how heavy it was, before he placed it down gently.

  He checked his watch. Two minutes had already passed. Quickly he grabbed the flashlight from the holder and backpack. He clicked the light on quickly to see if there was anything left in the compartment, but found it empty. Slipping the pack over one shoulder he swept the quarantine room without the light at first as there was still a camera. Nothing lying out in the open. Checking his watch again, he grabbed the panel to lift back into place. He banged on the edges to make sure it was snug as he heard the electronic door being deactivated from the opposite side of the room. Someone was coming and Holly wasn't going to turn off the camera for another two minutes.

  He got to the back door when he heard the second door opening. Quickly he opened and closed the first door. The main lights popped on and some spilled into the transition room he was hiding in through the tiny window. He checked his watch, forty-five seconds. Sebastian couldn't hear over the sound of his rapidly beating heart. Whoever that was, if they looked in the window, he'd be done for.

  23

  Steve was in the mess hall when he got the radio call from Mike. The quarantine area was at the opposite end of the bunker and he was still drinking his coffee and talking to Elizabeth. She was plucked from an ivy league college when the call was sent out to bring everyone in. She was the daughter of one of the executive members. She was talking about some boring class at school, but it didn't matter.

  She was pretty and he had nothing better to do.

  He gave her another minute before the silent nagging that Mike instilled into him, forcing to check it out.

  "Sorry, I've gotta go check the back for Mike" he said interrupting her and downing the rest of his coffee.

  "OK, you know where to find me" she said playfully.

  Grumbling, Steve went over to the mug rack and dropped off his empty cup. This job was a cakewalk. Though watching paint dry would be a little more fun. It could be worse. I could be lying dead in a ditch with a chunk of flesh missing. At least he had Elizabeth to hang out with. Instead of going to college he went into security. Paid well, but was boring most of the time. The people he provided security for were not famous enough to have people go after them, but had enough money to make it seem like they were important.

  He turned the corner to the long hallway of storage rooms filled with pallets of freeze dried food, barrels of drinking water and other rooms.

  Out of habit he checked each one to make sure they were locked as he moved down the hall to the quarantine area. Taking out his keys, found the one with Q marked on it. Twisting the key in the lock, he heard the satisfying click. Groping for the light he flicked it on and closed the door. Putting the key in the opposite side, locked himself in.

  The security measure in place forced him to lock the door before it allowed him to open the next door. Annoying. It was the quarantine room though. Wouldn't do much good if people could willy nilly enter and exit. The next door used the same key and added a keypad to enter or exit. Turning the key and entering the 6 digit number.

  Pushing the door open he again groped the wall for the light switch. Finding it, flipped it on and the lights started to wake from their flickering slumber. He scanned the room, everything looked fine. Not that he was expecting anything.

  Leaving the key in the lock and the door open he walked the room. There wasn't any smoke or noises. He got to the first back door and it looked sound. Reaching for his radio he turned and went back to the open door.

  "I don't see, hear or smell anything. Copy."

  "Roger that, I see you on the monitor. Everything in order it looks like. Maybe the cold weather is starting to affect the electronics on the outside."

  "Maybe. You want me to check anything else?"

  "Nah, just finish making the rounds. We'll have to keep an eye on the cameras.

  Though I don't know what we'd be able to do about it if it goes down permanently."

  "Copy that," He turned off the light. Closing the door, turning the key and punching the keypad inside the transition area. As he walked past the storage rooms, Steve started humming. Mike didn't allow music, so he had to make his own entertainment.

  24

  The seconds ticked by as the quarantine lights were still on. 10 seconds until Holly turns off the camera. 0 seconds. The camera should be off again Sebastian told himself. But he waited. 10 seconds past. 20. 10 more seconds and I'll unlock the door and get out. The lights went out. 30 seconds past 5 minutes he stood up, jammed the key in and turned. Swung the door open and stepped outside. Closing it as quick as he could, Sebastian's grip on the key was tight. Click. He moved back to where Bennett was standing nodding to Holly to turn it back on. Getting his breathing under control as Holly moved back towards them.

  "Those extra 30 seconds lasted forever. Someone was inside and I had to wait in the transition room," Sebastian reported.

  "So they keep a close eye on the camera then," Bennett pointed out.

  "Seems that way. The lights were off and once I had the flashlight, I only turned it on in short bursts. If they saw that, we're toast. But again, there wasn't any indication whoever was in there was searching for anything specific."

  “I turned the camera off right at five minutes. But you didn’t come out, I had to wait to turn it back on until you came back,” Holly said.

  They made their way back to camp taking a look at the contents. Sebastian dropped the pack. In the left side pouch they found a loaded revolver and holster with 12 more rounds in a boxed tray. Right pouch had a military folding shovel.

  Only one smaller zipper which held a basic med kit. That only left the big main compartment. Digging through the contents revealed 3 days worth of MREs and water pouches for one person. A tarp, emergency blanket, poncho and what surprised them all, a round grenade like object.

  Closer inspection, they saw it was a flash grenade. An odd thing to add to a pack, but it might be useful. The food was probably the most exciting thing and they’d decided to split one of the MRE’s right away.

  "What's our next move," Holly asked, looking at the contents of the meal they’d opene
d. The kit came with a whole bunch of things. Her favorite was the tiny bottle of tabasco.

  "Since the keys I have seem to still work, We need to hit the store rooms. Lure them out. Either grabbing or sabotaging them," Sebastian said as he poured a little bit of water into the heat pack to warm their beef stroganoff .

  "That will be tough because of the cameras, right?" Bennett asked.

  He nodded, "I can't disable them from anywhere but the control room. But there should be only three cameras we have to deal with. One here," Sebastian pointed to a rock that represented the door at the alley. "Here at the end of the hallway," pointing to the stick. “And the quarantine room.” They grew silent, thinking of options.

  "Is there a door separating the hallway from the rest of the bunker?" Bennett asked, dividing up the crackers and cheese spread.

  "Yes, it's actually a spiral staircase going down to the main part of the bunker."

  "Why would you put a staircase in a bunker?" Holly wondered.

  "It wasn't my first choice but it had to be built with existing buildings in place and no noticeable modifications. We actually built it without approval from the city. Nobody knows it's here but those inside and those that built it. Who by the way got paid very well to keep quiet."

  "And you were OK with that?" Holly miffed.

  "At the time, yes because it was my job to create things people wouldn’t know about or give a second glance. But then this happened," he spread his hands.

  "For a bit I felt bad about building it, knowing they were probably in there. If I didn’t make it somebody else would have. And they still would have created this hell and hid in a bunker.”