by JC Ryan
Dennis laughed, “I’m sure you will!”
“See you guys at building C!” Eric said as he and Doug turned down the access tunnel to the portals.
They found the blast doors closed and were unable to open them. “Jack said the other blast doors were open and he was able to access the portal tunnels. I wonder why these are closed.” Doug murmured.
Eric considered the question for a moment and found an answer. “They probably used one of the other portals as the final exit, so no one remained to shut it and then shut the power down.”
“Why wouldn’t they shut it, shut the power down, and then leave by the monorail system?”
“Either the monorail system didn’t exist or come this far then, or only a few people knew about it, and they didn’t want to let anyone know there was another, secret, access point to the facility.”
“That makes sense,” Doug nodded. “Well, let’s see if we can find the power plant.”
They turned back and followed the same tunnel Cliff and Dennis had taken but didn’t see any sign of them.
Shortly after, they found a large rolling garage door on the right side of the tunnel. Although they didn’t know it, it was identical to the one that Aaron and Max found.
When they compared notes with Aaron later, they would find that the two structures were identical.
Moving on through the tunnel, they came to another tunnel off to the right just as dim light appeared overhead. “Hey! He got the power up!” Doug exclaimed.
“He sure did, and just in time too. This should be the tunnel to the housing area,” Eric said.
They followed it a short way, made a sharp left and found themselves on the edge of a huge parking lot. “Wow!” Doug said astounded, “would you look at the size of this place!” as he ducked back into the shadowy cover of the tunnel.
They both knew the light made them moving targets if there were any hostiles in the cavern, so they proceeded with caution.
Eric sized up the situation and made his decision, “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. You’re going to cover me while I run to the first granite column, and then to the second. When I’m stopped at the second, I’ll cover you while you move to the first column. Then I’ll move again, leapfrogging until we reach building E.”
“Got it,” Doug said lifting his gun to the cover position. “Go!”
They reached Building E without incident. Maybe there isn’t anyone here. Eric thought. Better safe than sorry though.
The entrance to building E was on the side facing building D. They made their way quickly to the entrance and, using the special key Roy had made, slipped inside.
The lobby area where they entered divided the ground floor evenly in two. One side they quickly discovered held site security and communications offices, a small efficiency kitchen, and a few general offices. The other side was a large conference hall and restrooms.
Examining the walls of the conference hall, Eric stated, “these walls are concrete block, probably reinforced with rebar and filled with more concrete. This area could easily be modified to house prisoners.”
“That’s good news!” Doug said
After discussing the possibilities for a few minutes, they agreed that constructing three cells along both the long-sides of the hall so there was a central hallway made the most logical use of the space. Satisfied with the decision, they moved on to the second floor. In its prime, the area had been a top of the line command center with computer stations, large screens, telephones, and all sorts of electronic gadgetry.
“Wow, this would make a great museum display for a Cold War museum,” Doug said.
Eric whistled softly, “Unbelievable.”
The third floor appeared to be the communications hub for the command center. It was also filled with antiquated electronic equipment that had been state-of-the-art in its day.
“Man, the Smithsonian would have a field day if they knew all this existed!” Doug exclaimed.
Both men were still marveling at their discovery when they entered building D. They found the ground floor consisted of several meeting and conferences rooms, but they were quite elegant looking compared to those of building E, and great care had been taken in furnishing and decorating them.
Continued exploration of the rooms finally revealed a room that was unmistakably a Presidential situation room similar to what might have been found in the White House during the Cold War.
“I think we found the Presidential building,” Doug said.
They completed their check of the ground floor and proceeded to the second floor where they found rooms for the housekeeping and kitchen staff, a good-sized kitchen, and a large dining room and living room with fine furniture, rich wood, paintings, thick carpeting and draperies hung as if to cover non-existent windows.
“Definitely Presidential,” Doug said.
On the third floor, they found the Presidential suite. It was luxurious. The bedroom was huge; the bathroom had a large Jacuzzi in addition to a garden tub and a separate shower. The living room was comfortable and again, richly furnished; there was a large study, a small private gym, a movie theater room, and a room that must have been used as a salon and spa - it contained a barber’s chair, a sauna, and a massage table.
“Rank sure doth have its privileges,” Doug whispered.
“And the taxpayers pay for it, my boy,” Eric said slapping him on the shoulder.
“Don’t make me sick.”
“It’s true.”
“I know. I just don’t want to think about it. Do you know how many homeless people… Aw, don’t get me started,” Doug said. “C’mon. Let’s go meet up with the others before I get really depressed.”
Chapter 58- Secure the boat
Seaman Michael Sumner and Chief Petty Officer Perry Guinn hunkered down in the maintenance area at the bottom of the sub, under the maneuvering room three decks above them.
As soon as the ‘secure the boat’ order had been given they’d closed and locked the hatch that allowed access to the engine room.
When the order was given to surrender, they knew that the Council members would be searching the boat, rounding up the crew. They’d opened the engine room deck plate and crawled into maintenance area, securing the deck plate behind them and hoping that the Council member who searched the area wouldn’t recognize it as a movable deck plate. As further insurance against detection, they’d opened and crawled through the water-tight hatch into the maintenance area they now occupied and waited.
“I haven’t heard anything for hours,” Sumner said. “I wonder what’s happening.”
“I think it’s time we found out. Let’s do some reconnoitering,” Guinn suggested. “You go back through the engine room and see if you can get to the maneuvering room. They have to have someone working in there.”
“I’m going to go through the battery room as well as the torpedo maintenance area and see if I can get near the control room, find out what’s going on up there. Let’s meet back here when we’re done.”
The two shook hands and went their separate ways.
Sumner gently raised the engine room deck plate, watching for nearby feet and listening for unusual sounds that would indicate the presence of someone in the room. After a time, feeling it was safe to emerge, he left his hiding place carefully and quietly replacing the deck plate.
He checked the room below the maneuvering room and found it empty of personnel. The air conditioning equipment hummed quietly without anyone watching over it. Knowing that if there were guards in the maneuvering room, they would most likely be faced forward because of the positioning of the equipment, he returned to the engine room and climbed the port side ladder to the platform that allowed access to the overhead lockout hatch for the mini subs they occasionally used.
Pressing himself tightly against the wall, he slid quietly next to the hatch to the room and listened.
He heard the familiar voices of two of his crewmates using standard communication fo
r controlling the throttle to the turbines and the nuclear reactor. There should be another crewman in there; where is he?
“Did Brideaux say when he planned to have us relieved?” asked an unfamiliar voice.
“I didn’t hear anything. I can cover these two for a few minutes; why don’t you find someone to take your place?”
“Good idea. I’ll send someone back shortly.”
Sumner had heard enough for the moment and returned to the ladder, slid down it, landing as quietly as a cat. Moving stealthily back through the air conditioning room, he listened at the door to the reactor room. Hearing no voices, he peaked through the hatch; all appeared to be clear. He was down the stairs and across the floor of the reactor room in seconds.
Listening for a moment, he got control of his breathing then quietly ascended the ladder that accessed the auxiliary hatch to the upper deck and peered into the corridor that ran between the crew bunks to the lockout trunk. He jerked his head back. There were guards at both ends of the corridor. They must have everyone confined to quarters.
Deciding he’d discovered all he could, he retraced his path back to the engine room and was just securing the deck plate in place over the maintenance access when he heard someone crawling through the access hatch to the next compartment. He froze. That better be Guinn!
“Sumner? That you?” a voice whispered.
“Guinn?”
“Yeah, it’s me.”
“What did you find?”
“The Captain is in the control room with Brideaux and another guard. It sounded like the Captain may have been wounded and Brideaux is letting the doc up to check on him every so often. I think Sanders is the only pilot right now.”
“That idiot is going to get us killed running into something!” Sumner exclaimed.
“I know. What did you find?”
“The crew is confined to quarters and under guard. The AC compartment and reactor room are clear; there are two crew members in the maneuvering room along with two guards.
“Okay. There are thirteen of them including Brideaux; two of them are in the maneuvering room, Brideaux and one other in the control room. That’s four.”
“I saw at least two guarding the crew on the upper deck, and there are probably some guarding the officers... maybe two there too. That’s eight.”
“What do you think the other five are doing?”
“I’m guessing they are probably in the mess and galley. Someone has to be making food, and they can’t all stay awake all the time; sooner or later they’re going to have to start trading off to get some sleep.
“Let’s see if we can contain the two in the maneuvering room.”
“With four of us and two of them we should be able to,” Guinn said.
They climbed quietly back into the engine room and ascended the ladder to the access platform. Guinn stole a look into the room then whispered to Sumner where the two guards were.
They each identified which guard they were going to take and then on a quiet count of three they rushed into the room, tackled the guards and had them restrained almost before their comrades knew what was happening.
Reacting quickly, the two crew members swept up the guns and leveled them at the Council members who had guarded them.
Guinn and Sumner tied them up and were just dragging them toward the stairs to the engine room when Martinez walked through the doorway carrying a plate of sandwiches and pointing a gun at them. The four of them froze in their tracks.
Martinez grinned at the sight. “Are you boys hungry? I’ve brought some sandwiches. Looks like it’s a good thing I picked up some extras!”
He kept the gun steady, stepped to the console, sat the plate down, and backed toward the door. Looking directly at Sumner and Guinn he said, “Make sure you have them tied well.”
Their facial expressions changed to stupefaction. Martinez looked at the crewmen again, “And be ready; your crewmates are about to escape.”
With that, he pocketed his gun, turned, and left the room.
***
Six men lay on their bunks in the small room they shared. The bunks were narrow with a shallow storage compartment beneath and stacked three high. Only three men could stand in the room at one time and then they could barely move. They were marveling at the strange turn of events that had come with lunch.
A knock had sounded on the door, and a voice had called out, “lunch!”
Seaman Yoder had climbed off his bunk and accepted the plate of sandwiches for all of them. He had been surprised when the man handed him a short stack of napkins that was stiffer than it should have been. He’d looked inquiringly at the man who had just winked and backed out of the room.
After handing the plate to his hungry roommates and examining the stack of napkins, he’d found a hastily scribbled note. “Guys! Look at this!” he’d whispered excitedly. “That man just left us a note telling us how the guards are stationed, and that he’s willing to help us!”
‘Brideaux + 1 bridge, 2 maneuver, 2 crew, 1 officer, 6 sleep torpedo, I secure 6, be ready.’
“Why would he do that?”
“Maybe he has turned against Brideaux and wants him stopped as much as we do.”
“Yeah, right,” someone said sarcastically.
“No, it’s possible,” another voice spoke, “one of the prisoners has been very quiet and withdrawn the whole time he’s been with us... the olive-skinned one with black hair and mustache.”
“That’s the one that brought us the sandwiches with this note!”
“So, we might have some inside help. Now, how are we going to use it?”
“If one of the guards is helping us and secures the six in the torpedo room, that leaves seven for us to subdue. We capture the two on this deck and leave them with our helper. Two of us take the one guarding the officers, one of us guards the control room in case Brideaux comes out, and three of us take the two in maneuvering. Once they’re secured in the torpedo room with the others, we can take care of Brideaux.”
“We need to let the others know what we know.”
“How are we going to do that?”
“Easy. They don’t pay any attention which rooms we go to. Next time we go for dinner, when we come back a couple of us can switch with guys from other rooms and then spread the word.”
“That’s only good for the three other rooms they allow us to eat with.”
“Well, twenty-four of us knowing is better than just six of us; don’t you think?”
“Sure, it is!” said someone else enthusiastically.
Chapter 59- Get Daniel out here
Jack and Stan exited building C just in time to hear Aaron providing a brief lecture on the use and benefits of solar power.
“Buildings A, B, and C are empty. What did you find?”
Eric and Doug took turns reporting their discovery of the secured blast doors, the identical power center and the antiquated electronics in the command center.
“Building E also has a large conference hall on the ground floor. I think the walls are reinforced, so with a blow torch and some metal pipe, it would be fairly easy to build some holding cells for the prisoners,” Eric reported.
“That’s excellent!” Jack replied. “Once we get a report from Cliff and Dennis, you, Aaron, and I will take a look at the area and see what we can do.”
Just as he finished speaking, Cliff and Dennis joined them.
“Did you two have any problems?”
“Nope,” Dennis replied. “This place is amazing, though. It has just about everything anyone could need.”
“What’s over there?” Aaron asked excitedly.
“Well, there’s a small six-lane bowling alley, a movie theater, and a barber shop,” Dennis said.
“And a commissary that still has quite a bit of merchandise in it, plus a coffee shop complete with bakery and deli. It looks like they might have made hamburgers and things too,” added Cliff.
Dennis continued, “there’s also a fitness cent
er with a swimming pool and tennis courts.”
“And a small medical office,” finished Cliff.
“No signs of anyone?” Jack inquired.
“No, I’d say this place hasn’t seen a soul since it was abandoned,” Dennis replied.
Jack decided to keep Nigel and Ester Harper’s visits to himself.
“Okay,” Jack said. “Let’s get in touch with the team, give them a report, and make plans to get Daniel out here.”
***
Max had the communication equipment set up and the conference call with the team at the Rabbit Hole, Daniel, and the Tectus team was underway.
“As we expected, the power plant is tied into the local power company; it has both solar and diesel generator backup. I was able to get it operating on solar power to avoid detection by the power company.”
“Good job, Aaron!” Sam praised. “How long can we keep it running on solar?”
“I can’t say, but it’s only logical that the more power we draw, the faster the batteries drain, and it takes time to recharge them.
“I recommend we shut down all the power except in buildings B, D and E. Building B has the cafeteria, common room and housing for our people. D is the Presidential building for Daniel, and building E has the command and communication center, as well as being the chosen location for holding the prisoners.”
“Very well. Any objections to Aaron’s recommendation?” When no one objected, Sam continued, “okay, Aaron. Shut down whatever you think isn’t needed.”
“One more thing Sam.”
“What’s that?”
“When you send the trucks in, put a good supply of LED rope lights and LED replacement bulbs for regular lights in one of them. LED lights will be much less of a power drain, and the rope lights we can use to light the path between buildings… as you might imagine, without any lights it’s beyond dark in here.”
“We can do that. How is the water situation?”
“I believe the water is safe to drink, but I’d feel better if we can run a proper test on it as soon as possible. We don’t want to find ourselves incapacitated with dysentery.
