Chapter 51
Burning with questions
Author Note: Watch the episode "Old Ma River" for context on the events of the upcoming chapters.
The lab personnel were still unaware of the four Planeteers walking among them. Ahimsa's ring was glowing steadily, but the random possibility of Zarm's or MAL's presence interfering with it was a persistent worry in her head.
Sichi waited for a lab technician to leave his cubicle, then started looking at the company emails. After some scrolling, she said, "The invitation for Take Your Daughter to Work Day was forwarded to sixty-seven addresses. Our worst case scenario is evacuating at least that many girls. Plus the adults, of course."
Eric looked at the office. "There's something I don't like about this."
"I agree," signed Ahimsa. "It's too quiet down here. We've been fighting MAL's robots and electrified tunnels for the past hour, and suddenly we reach an area that doesn't even seem to belong to the same complex."
"So?" asked Rodrigo with a shrug. "Not all employees of an evil corporation know what their bosses are up to."
"But I disabled the entire operation of the buildings above ground," said Eric. "Nobody down here seems to have noticed."
"Still," said Sichi, "we need to get all these people out."
Ahimsa's image appeared next to her. "I can send every employee an unconscious suggestion to leave the building," she signed.
"Good thinking," replied Sichi.
Rodrigo's head suddenly turned toward a corridor.
"Did you see something?" asked Eric.
"I think I saw someone." He turned to Ahimsa. "I'm going to need to be visible."
Her ring glowed. "Done."
He ran until he found the face he had only briefly glimpsed. "Excuse me," he gasped. "You're Leyla Abdanur, aren't you?"
A middle-aged lab technician stopped and looked at him. "And you are...?"
"We met in Puerto Rico. At the statistics conference."
She made an effort to recall. "You were with Professor Pluschak."
He nodded. "Do you know the work she did, the fights she used to be in?"
She suddenly looked very confused. "I've heard of the Planeteers, yes."
"We're doing the same. That's what we came here for."
"Who's this 'we'?"
"The Planeteers." Rodrigo took more air and went on, "This laboratory is controlled by enemies of the world. That's why we're evacuating everybody."
Her face showed alarm. "There's going to be a fight in here?"
He read her concern, and asked, "Do you have a daughter?"
"Yes. She's in the cafeteria."
"My friends will make sure she gets out safely. In the meantime, we need to know what work is being done here."
She looked at her coworkers, the equipment, the building. "Don't tell me you're going to tear this place down."
"I'm sorry. But at the center of this building is an evil computer that just took over the internet."
She frowned. "All the TVs stopped working a few hours ago. I thought it was some power blackout."
"It's something much more serious."
She stared at his ring, as if wanting to confirm that he was really who he said he was. "I've been through situations like this before. With Professor Pluschak, I mean. She and her friends would often storm into factories, refineries, laboratories, and start demanding information as if they owned the place."
"I don't mean to convey that attitude, but this laboratory will soon become very dangerous to be in."
"You can't just ask me to leave. My husband works here too. And I need to fetch my daughter."
"OK, let's look for them."
"Something's been bugging me," said Eric. Sichi looked up from the cubicle and gave him a questioning look. He continued, "We're surrounded by MAL's territory. Why hasn't he killed us already?"
Sichi looked surprised. "This has been too easy for your tastes?"
"Well, yes. It's not like MAL to waste an opportunity like this. We're in his lab, we're next to dirty materials that will make us powerless, and still he hasn't seized the chance. He must want us alive for some purpose worse than just killing us."
Ahimsa's image closed her eyes for a moment. "I can contact his robots, and I know he's controlling them, but I still haven't been able to read his mind."
"That must be Ma-Ti's help," said Eric.
Ahimsa shook her head. "I'm not sure about that. I've followed Ma-Ti before; I know what his mind feels like. I don't sense any trace of him this time."
Eric took a deep breath. "I think MAL wants us. So I'm going for him."
"Exactly how?" asked Sichi.
"Through the cooling pipes." Both girls raised their eyebrows. "Don't look at me like that. It's obvious that if MAL hasn't killed us by now, he must be planning something with us. I want to take advantage of the fact that he won't kill us yet."
"I don't see how putting you in a position where it's easier to kill you helps," signed Ahimsa. Especially when you're so susceptible to Zarm's influence, she added quietly.
Rodrigo ran into the office, followed by a middle-aged couple and a girl who looked about twelve. "Planeteers, can we please hurry and get the rest of the people out?"
Ahimsa gave him a puzzled look. "I already sent the suggestion for everyone to leave."
He nodded, but replied, "It's not working. Something must be blocking you."
Sichi pointed her hand at the ground. "Earth." A mild but unmistakable tremor spread across all floors and offices. "If that doesn't convince them to go home, I don't know what will." Soon they heard the concerned rumor of lab employees organizing their own evacuation. She looked at the people who stood next to Rodrigo and asked, "What about these?"
"These are the Abdanurs. Mrs. Abdanur is an old acquaintance of Linka."
Eric approached them and asked, "Can you give us more details on what your bosses have been doing here?" From the corner of his eye he noticed Ahimsa's ring had glowed for the briefest moment. Interrogations will be a walk in the park now that we have her, he thought.
Leyla Abdanur looked at Ahimsa's image with contempt. "You don't need to push me to tell the truth. I am on your side."
Ahimsa signed, "I'm only making you willing to cooperate. The fact that I could make you like it, but I'm not, should say something for my intentions."
I take it back, thought Eric.
Leyla replied, "This lab is working on tissue regeneration. May we leave now?"
A bigger tremor shook the lab. Sichi raised her hands. "That wasn't me."
The girl hugged her parents in panic. "What is happening?"
Sichi concentrated on her power and extended a hand to the Abdanurs. "I'll guide you to the exit. I'll try to keep the ground stable as we go."
Ahimsa turned to Eric. "I'm going for a moment. I need to locate the source of the mental block. Don't do anything stupid." Then she vanished.
Rodrigo asked Eric, "What was that about?"
Eric pointed at an evacuation map of the building. "There's a huge water tank in that area. Come."
"Have you gone irreversibly mad?" asked Rodrigo, while Eric finished taking off his clothes.
"It's a simple plan. I navigate the pipes to MAL's server room, I short-circuit his brain, and we all go back to Hope Island to have pear salad."
"Why do you need to undress?"
"I don't want to have wet clothes. And I'll fit better in the pipes."
"Um, about fitting…"
"Yes?"
"I don't mean to be rude, but are you sure you will fit? You're not exactly an Olympic swimmer."
Eric rolled his eyes. "By our powers combined, it's Captain Obvious! You think I don't know I'm chubby? I know I'm chubby. Thanks for pointing it out. Now help me climb into this tank or find something else to do."
Rodrigo sighed. "Wind." Eric was lifted to the rim of the tank, which was connected to a myriad tubes and hoses. "Don't get yourself killed."
Eric replied with a thankful smile, and dove in.
Ahimsa reappeared next to Rodrigo. "Why is Eric in his underwear?"
"He thinks he can take the fight directly to MAL."
"This is bad. I warned him not to expose himself to Zarm's influence."
"Do you sense Zarm here?"
"I can't be sure. My power has been acting strangely today."
"Where is Sichi?"
"She's at the Helio-Cruiser. Most of the employees were able to leave in their own cars, but the Abdanurs needed a lift."
He looked lost in thought for a moment. "What do we do while we wait for Eric?"
"You wait if you want. I need to focus on a plane I'm taking."
"Where are you going?"
"Back to India. I need to investigate some rumors about a temple in Varanasi. It appears someone made a copy of our rings, and I must know who."
