A/N: Hey everyone! I am sorry I didn't upload last week. Apparently there was an issue with the last chapter and it kept disappearing. I wanted to make sure that issue was solved before trying to upload again. Things have gotten a little busier lately but I'm going to try keeping to the schedule of uploading every Saturday. Also, I apologize if there are any grammar or spelling mistakes. I wanted to make sure I was able to get this chapter out today so I may have rushed through it. Enjoy!
Chapter Five
(Owen's POV)
I sit in my chair wondering if I should follow Eric up the stairs or give them some time alone. Amy honestly doesn't seem too thrilled we're here, which is not the reaction I'm sure Eric was expecting. Before I could make the decision of going up there myself, Amy comes running down the stairs with Eric close in tow. When I catch the look on Eric's face, I know something is wrong.
Amy grabs her backpack and looks as if she's about to take off somewhere.
"What do you mean you didn't put out a distress signal?" Eric
My mind tries to follow what they could be discussing, but I am having trouble making any sense of it.
Didn't put out a distress signal?
"It means it wasn't me." Amy tells him.
"What's going on?" I speak up.
"You didn't put out the distress signal…" Eric says.
"No!" Amy shouts at him. "How many times do I have to tell you this? I did not put out any distress signal."
If Amy didn't make that distress call…
Who did?
"Do you know how long the distress signal has been going on? Is it still being transmitted?" Amy asks.
"I…I don't know." Eric replies.
"We heard about it on the news." I tell her. "That was yesterday. I think we can assume it was happening maybe a day before that. Possibly more."
"That's not good." Amy says. "If it's still transmitting, I need to find a way to turn it off. It's only going to put people at risk."
"It may be too late. There's a group of rescuers off the coast. They've been trying to make landfall. It's possible they already have." Eric tells her.
"Shit."
"This could be a good thing though." I say. "We have a chance of getting rescued here soon."
"No it's not good." Amy says. "This is exactly what they want."
What they want? What does that even mean?
"I need to figure out where the signal is coming from, and turn it off." Amy tells us.
"What about the rescue people? They might already be on the island." Eric asks.
"We will cross that road when we get there." Amy responds. "Besides, there's a good chance they're already dead."
Not even five minutes later, Eric and I are trekking through the jungle following Amy to God knows where.
"You shouldn't be following me." Amy tells them. "It isn't safe."
"Neither is it safe for you to go alone." Eric counters.
"Yeah, but there's a bit of a difference between you and I." Amy tells him. "I've been surviving here for…how long has it been?"
Eric stays quiet for a moment, contemplating.
"Three years." I answer for him.
"Three years…" Amy repeats. She sounds a little surprised at the revelation. "I stopped counting after the first year. Didn't see the point."
"I'm sorry." Eric says suddenly. "I'm sorry I left you."
"I don't really think this is the right time for this." Amy tells him.
"No, you need to hear this." Eric tells her. "Just in case I don't get another chance to."
"Eric…"
"I thought you were dead." Eric tells her. "I saw your body. It…It had your clothes."
"I know."
"And it was by Ben's." Eric continues as if he didn't hear her. "They made me seem like you've been dead all along. That you were just a figment of my imagination the whole time."
"Eric, I know." Amy repeats.
"You…knew?" Eric says, incredulously.
"It's…a lot to explain." Amy says. "There's a lot that's happened since you've been gone. But yes, I knew. My death was faked. They didn't want me leaving the island and I guess they knew the only way to…keep me here was to make everyone else think I was dead."
"Who…the shadow people?"
"It's…a bit more complicated then that." Amy tells him. "But at the moment, my life story isn't exactly our most pressing matter."
"So where are we going anyway." I interject before Eric can say anything else.
"There's this underground bunker." Amy tells me. "It's where I keep the jeep when I'm not using it. There is a decent amount of technology down there that could help us locate where the distress signal is coming from so I can turn it off."
"There's an underground bunker?" Eric asks sounding surprised. "How did you find it?"
Amy stays silent for a few moments as if she is deep in thought about something. "I guess it sort of found me."
"Found you?" I questioned.
"It's…where I woke up…after…well…whatever it was that happened the last time I was with you." Amy says looking at Eric.
"When you disappeared?" Eric looks back at her confused.
"Yeah, I guess." Amy tells him.
"Then what makes you think it's even safe?"
"I don't." Amy replies honestly. "As I said. A lot has happened since you've been gone - too much to explain right now. But I promise you; I will fill you in when the time is right. Just do as I say and we might just make it out of this alive."
The walk takes us a whole hour through the thick jungle. I tripped at least three times during the journey with Amy glaring at me each time. Probably because of all the noise I was making every time I fell. Eric tripped a few times as well. Guess he doesn't have jungle leg anymore. We see a few dinosaurs a long the way, thankfully none of which are carnivores. I can't help but stare at them in awe every time I see them. They are so much bigger than I could've imagined.
Finally we've arrived at what looks to be the entrance of this so-called bunker. All I see is a massive steel door that looks impossible to penetrate.
"Don't say anything." Amy whispers to us. "Let me do the talking."
Eric grabs her arm before she's able to take a step forward.
"Amy what's down there?"
"There's a…I'm not sure what else to call it but it's sort of this super computer…or I guess artificial intelligence thing. It was created by one of the scientists here to help keep track of everything happening on the island."
Amy then turns and walks up to a small keypad located on the right of the bunker door. She enters a code and the doors begin to creak open.
Amy walks in first. Eric and I exchange looks before we cautiously begin to follow. Neither of us knows what we are walking into in here.
I jump a bit when I hear the large doors close behind us and my heart sinks a bit when it seals us inside. It takes awhile for my eyes to adjust to the dim lighting but when it does, I see the jeep Amy was driving parked a few feet away. However, behind it stretches what looked like an endless tunnel leading farther underground.
As we walk farther into the tunnel, I hear are steps echoing off the walls. The farther down we went, the eerier it felt. It also felt like the temperature was dropping the farther down we went. Where we are at now had to at least twenty degrees cooler then the temperature outside. Every few meters I notice a camera on the walls that move as we walk by them.
Someone or something is definitely watching us down here.
We travel for about thirty more meters before we reach a set of doors to our left. The rest of the tunnel continues on for who knows how long. Amy enters in another code and the doors unlock.
When we enter the next room, it comes alive with different lights and the sounds of computers starting up. It looks like we've walked into the Mission Control Center in NASA with multiple rows of different computers and larger screens at the front of the room. From the looks of it, the larger screens in front show digital maps of the island and live feed from different parts of the island.
"I see you've brought guests." A computerized voice suddenly says causing both Eric and I to jump.
"Simon, these are some friends." Amy replied while messing with one of the computers. "They've come as a result of a distress signal."
The computer stays silent for several moments as if it's trying to process what has been said.
"Distress signal?"
"Sometime in the last seventy-two hours a distress signal has been put out from this island. I was hoping you could try to help me locate where it is coming from." Amy tells it.
"I did not detect a signal coming from the island." The voice replies. "It must be coming from a place I cannot reach."
"Power is down in a lot of locations." Amy tells it. "So there are a lot of places you cannot reach."
"At least seventy-eight percent of the island is in the dark."
"That doesn't help me at all." Amy says frustrated. "Is there something that can help? Like something that can pick up radio waves or something?
"There should be a radio receiver in the supply closet. It will tell you when you get close to a radio signal."
Amy goes to the supply closet and begins rummaging trough different items that all look like they haven't been used in over a decade. She ends up picking up some sort of device that looks military. She walks to the center of the room and holds it up.
"Is this it?" She asks.
"Yes." It replies. "It will require a special kind of battery that should also be in that room. I may require charging."
Amy lets out a tired sigh and starts heading back to the supply closet to look for the said battery. "Simon, why don't you introduce yourself to my friends."
"I am Simon. Artificial intelligence created in 1984 in order to help preserve the life of the dracohors of this island by all means necessary. I was designed by International Genetics Incorporated also known as International Genetic Technologies. The specific scientist that worked on me was Dr. Samuel Atkins born September 31st 1932, deceased January 3rd, 1993. I currently have the capabilities to track the vitals of thirty-two percent of the species on this island and have sights on at least twenty-two percent of the island. At my best performance, I was capable of tracking ninety-two percent of the species and have sights on eighty-seven percent of the island."
"Great, how long will these batteries take to charge?" Amy says emerging from the supply closet with a boxy looking battery device that must be the battery.
"They have been out of service for thirteen years, twelve days, six hours, and forty-three minutes. Assuming the battery is still functional, it could take anywhere from two to four hours."
Amy let's out a frustrated sigh. "I might not have that much time."
"Are there more people who responded to the distress signal?"
"It would seem that way." Amy replies, clearly annoyed at everything. "How the hell am I going to get a battery charger?"
"There should be a 6-amp battery charger underneath the passenger seat of the Jeep."
"Outstanding." Amy says beneath her breath. "Thanks, Simon. See you soon."
"Has there been any changes in the behavior of the Lazarus Experiment subjects?"
"Not since the last time I've updated you." Amy tells it before turning and walking out the door. Eric and I follow behind her as she quickly makes her way back up towards the entrance where the Jeep is being kept.
When we reach the Jeep, Amy climbs into the driver seat and turns the vehicle on. Eric climbs into the passenger seat and I the back seat. Amy then presses a button that looks like a garage door opener and the steel doors creak open once more. As soon as they are open far enough, Amy begins driving. She doesn't seem to be as concerned anymore about keeping us hidden. It's probably impossible at this point. I'm pretty sure a lot of things are aware that we're on the island. The thought causes me to shift uncomfortably in my seat.
Amy drives for only five minutes before pulling to a stop.
"That thing's been on the island this whole time?" Eric asks her.
"Yep." Amy replies. "It was probably also watching us when we were staying in the fallout shelter building as well."
"That's…pretty creepy." Eric responds.
"That's extremely creepy." I interject. "What if that computer is actually evil and this ends up being just like a scene from iRobot."
"iRobot?" Amy asks confused. "What's that?"
"It's a new film that came out a couple of months ago starring Will Smith." I tell her.
"Oh, you mean that guy from Independence Day and Men in Black?" Amy asks.
"Yes!" I reply. "You've seen those movies?"
"Of course." Amy responds. "Those movies are great."
For the first time since we got here, I see Amy crack a smile. I turn to Eric who looks transfixed by it. Amy doesn't seem to notice as she gets out of the vehicle and walks over to Eric's side.
"Up." Amy tells him, with a lighter tone then her usual one.
Eric jumps out of his trance and quickly gets out of the vehicle. Once he's out, Amy reaches under the seat and pulls out the batter charge that the A.I. mentioned she then goes to work hooking it up the radio receiver device.
"Might as well get comfortable." Amy tells us. "This could take awhile."
