Chapter Seven

Lee worked his way past the corridor and turned his torch back on; he wasn't familiar enough with the vessel to negotiate it in the dark so he'd just have to take his chances with the light. He thought back through his tour nine days ago and decided which way he needed to go, working his way forward until his light found three more men. He recognized Cervantes the rover pilot, and regretfully saw the same glow in his eyes. More and more, it was looking like the entire crew had been affected by some unknown force.

"You can't run," Cervantes said menacingly, moving toward Lee as the other two crewmen moved in.

"Cervantes, you're sick," he said, lowering his light in a purposeful non-threatening move. "All of you are sick, I can help you," he continued trying to reason with them and making a decision not to draw his weapon. They had so far caused him no harm, though his gut instinct told him that getting caught would be a grave mistake.

Lee took a step back, he wasn't in a position to run and it looked like by their continued advance that he was going to have to fight his way out of this one after all.

"It's time for you to join the Colony," Cervantes declared.

"I don't think so," he replied and readied to defend himself. They took another step toward him when the corridor lights suddenly went on and another player appeared from the flank, diving for the men and shouting as he did so.

"Run Crane!"

His rescuer issued a flying tackle, taking down Cervantes and the other two men, then got up and ran toward Lee.

"This way," he directed as the men behind him floundered in the sudden light.

He guided Lee through the Turtle, until they reached a maintenance room with a hatch.

"In here," he guided as Lee followed, happy to have an ally.

Once in, he shoved a crow bar into the wheel as the two men breathed heavily from their narrow escape.

"Who are you?" Lee asked, noting this man wore a dark blue jump suit, while the Turtle crew wore gray suits with red stripes running down the legs.

"My name is Shawn Anderson, I piloted down the bell."

Lee nodded, silently realizing he had missed a man on his mental count.

"Do you know what happened here?" Lee asked, hoping for some serious answers.

"I don't know for sure, they grabbed me as soon as I hit the deck and took me to Dr. Ryder, only he had these strange glowing eyes. The other guy's eyes were glowing but Ryder's were the brightest; they seemed to be concentrating on Admiral Nelson."

"What do you mean?" Lee asked, leaning forward in concern.

"I don't know; he was on a cot in obvious pain tossing his head back and forth, and they surrounded him like they were collectively trying to break him. They called it a Rapid Demotion, whatever that means. Anyway, when they were done his eyes were glowing just a brightly as theirs."

"How did you break free?" Lee asked, realizing that Shawn had probably spent the last two days hiding out.

"I don't know."

Lee raised an eyebrow in an unspoken question.

"I guess I blacked out, I just woke up alone and high tailed it to a safe place. I heard you when you docked and figured the cavalry had come. I was sort of hoping there would be more cavalry," he joked.

"Yeah, I sort of wish I'd brought more along myself," he said tilting his head back against a pipe behind him and reminding himself why he hadn't. He didn't know if he was going to be conducting a rescue operation to the surface and wanted as much room as possible in the flying sub.

"So what now?" Anderson asked, hoping Lee had a plan.

"I need to get to the control room, once I reset the main controls to Override Captain Scott will automatically raise the Sea Turtle."

"Then what you need is a diversion?"

Lee nodded, but he didn't like the idea.

"Yeah that would be best, but I'm not willing to sacrifice you either," he replied trying to think of another plan.

"It doesn't matter about me," he answered mysteriously. "They already did something to me."

Lee leaned forward. "What do you mean?"

Shawn rubbed the back of his hand across his mouth and then continued.

"Ryder grabbed my hand and before I knew it, my finger nails were glowing. I felt them enter my body, I nearly panicked and then... then I woke up by myself."

"They're trying to take control you over, just like they have the others?"

"They're leaving me alone because they know I'll eventually be like them," Anderson replied resigned to his fate.

"Then let's do this now, before they have a chance to complete their plans for you," Lee said resolutely as he stood.

"Alright," he answered with a tinge of hope returning. "We'll head to the control room; once they spot us I'll lead them away."

"Just get away and lock yourself back up here," Lee advised. "I'll do the rest."

"Alright Captain."

"Just Lee," he replied. "We're in this together," Lee promised as Shawn smiled wearily.

"Alright Lee, let's get it done."

VTTBOTS

Lee and Shawn headed forward; they nearly made it all the way when three sets of glowing eyes blocked their path.

"Be careful," Lee whispered.

"You just get us off the bottom," Shawn returned before grabbing Lee's flashlight and running at full speed toward the Turtle's crewmen. He shined the light in their eyes to temporarily blind them as Lee took his opportunity to skirt around them. He took a quick look over his shoulder as Shawn bowled into them sending everyone sprawling to the deck, but when he tried to get up to make his escape he suddenly collapsed, grabbing for his head in pain. Two Turtle crewmen seemed to focus their attention upon him as if participating somehow in his pain.

"They're in my head!" Shawn yelled as he rolled on the deck in pain.

Lee turned toward him when the third crewman, Cervantes, started to advance on him. He had no choice but to stay with the plan, as Lee used his advantage of speed and agility to make it the rest of the way to the control room. As with the others, Cervantes moved slow and clumsily, even though he was young and fit, as if whatever was controlling them hadn't quite got the hang of dealing with their motor skills yet.

He resolved to make it to the control room and not waste Shawn's sacrifice, as he peered around the corner looking for glowing eyes. Upon seeing the way clear he moved forward, until he reached his destination, locking the door behind him. Lee turned on the light and worked himself around the controls until he found the one he needed, but just as he was about to switch the control to Override, he heard a loud banging on the door. It appeared he'd been found. There was no way out at this point, so he switched the controls to Override, knowing that once the mother ship started the surfacing sequence there would be no turning back... no matter who broke through the door.