Fragile Lives (2/?)
By Carol M.
See first part for details.
Hang on to your hats folks, it's about to get bumpy! Literally…
Claire loaded several vials of chemicals into secure compartments specially built into the shiny metal safe quickly, eager to get back to the Keep to see if Darien and Bobby had arrived. She took another bag filled with equipment and placed it into its own compartment in the safe as well. Finally, she took a syringe that she had just filled with counteragent and tucked it into the last compartment. Just in case, she said to herself.
She shut the safe door and turned the dial, effectively locking it. Then she walked briskly out of the room and headed towards the elevator. She pressed the up button and waited patiently for the elevator to come down to the basement that was two floors underground. It arrived about 30 seconds later and she stepped in, pressing the ground floor button to get back up to the Keep. She noticed the Muzak that normally polluted the ears in the elevator wasn't playing and she breathed a silent thank you. At least one good thing had come out of the small quake.
The doors opened on the ground floor several seconds later and she stepped out just in time to see Bobby hauling Darien in the direction of the Keep. She quickly ran to catch up.
"Guys," she yelled as she came up behind them.
They both turned around and she saw the blood that was free flowing down Darien's chest and arm. "Bloody hell," she said as she examined the wounds.
"My sentiments exactly," said Darien sarcastically.
"Let's get him inside," said Claire as she helped Bobby get Darien into the Keep. Once inside, they tried to avoid the broken glass and equipment on the floor from the quake and finally got him into a semi-comfortable position in the counteragent chair.
Claire went in search of some supplies, while Bobby kept an eye on his partner.
"Nothing like an earthquake to start your day," said Darien as he pressed the towel he had brought from home firmly against his chest.
"That was nothing, my friend. Just a little bump," said Bobby.
"Come on, Hobbes, that was some pretty scary stuff. One minute I'm standing up, and the next minute I'm flat on my ass," said Darien.
"I'm telling you, that was just a prelude. The big one's around the corner, I can just smell it," said Bobby as he watched Claire come back to Darien's side with an armful of bandages, antiseptic and a needle and thread.
"Oh and you know this how?" asked Darien, wincing as Claire removed the towels and began cleaning his cuts.
"Cause I can sense these things," said Bobby matter of factly.
"Oh really. Someone from Hobbes net have a connection with Mother Nature or what?" asked Darien.
"It's a gift, Fawkes. I just know," said Bobby.
"Actually Darien, some animals can sense when a forceful act of nature is coming. Dogs often start barking and birds tend to fly away several seconds before nature strikes," said Claire as she began stitching up his wounds.
"Owww," yelped Darien. "Hmmm, a dog, that's sounds about right. We've got our very own bloodhound right here at BWM," said Darien as he gave Bobby a teasing glance.
"Funny Fawkes, funny. See if I save your bleeding ass next time you decide to do a tango with your shower door," said Bobby.
Darien was about to respond with another witty comment when the Keep door opened, revealing the Official and Eberts.
"What's going on here?" asked the Official as he saw Darien laid out on the counteragent chair.
"Run in with a shower door," said Bobby.
"Is everything okay down here, doctor?" asked the Official.
Claire nodded. "Yes, sir, no major damage. I secured the counteragent in the basement. Darien has a few minor cuts. He just needs to rest for a little bit," said Claire as she finished bandaging up the cuts and gave Darien a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"Good, good," said the Official as he turned to look at Bobby. "Something's come up. I need to get copies of all the notes and files you can have on the Meyer case."
"Meyer case, chief?" asked Bobby.
"Yeah, they got some evidence that might get the bastard off. I want to make sure that doesn't happen," said the Official.
"No problem, sir. I got the stuff in my office," said Bobby as he came nose to nose with Eberts. "What are you looking at Eberts?"
"Nothing, Robert," said Eberts.
"Guys, can you cut that crap out, it's getting old," said Darien from the chair as he carefully put on the white shirt he had brought from home.
Claire smiled and looked at the two of them with amusement.
"Whatever you say, ole' wise one," said Bobby as he glanced at Claire. "Is he gonna make it? Can I leave him for a few minutes while I get those files?" asked Bobby.
Claire nodded. "He'll be fine. I'll look after him."
"Okay. Hang in there, Fawkes. Try not to get injured in the chair," said Bobby as he headed towards the door with the Official and Eberts following behind.
"Ha ha," mocked Darien.
The Official, Eberts and Bobby headed out the door and started for the elevator.
"I don't know about this, sir. Maybe we should take the stairs. Mother Nature was playing a mean game of Yahtze only a couple of minutes ago. She might want another turn," said Bobby.
The Official gave him a sharp look that said he wasn't about to walk up a flight of stairs.
"Or we can take the elevator," said Bobby as he pressed the up button.
The trio waited in silence until the elevator button beeped and the door opened. Bobby pressed the 2nd floor and the 5th floor button. "I'll get that stuff and I'll bring it down to you, chief."
"Good," said the Official with a satisfied smile. "If we can nail these bastards, we might get additional funding for next year."
"Validated parking? Paid vacations?" asked Bobby with excitement.
"More like a new office and a raise for me," said the Official.
Eberts cleared his throat. "And Eberts, of course," added the Official.
Bobby nodded in disgust and sighed as the elevator stopped at the second floor. The Official and Eberts both stepped out. "On second thought, maybe I'll keep the info for myself," said Bobby.
"Don't even think about it, Bobby," said the Official.
Bobby nodded and smirked as the elevator door closed. The elevator rose up to the third floor and was almost halfway up the 4th floor when a forceful wave of shaking ten times worse then before tore through the elevator.
The force knocked Bobby off his feet, causing him to land with a hard thud against the elevator floor. The elevator shook with so much force that he was sure the elevator would come off the hinges.
I knew I should have taken the stairs, thought Bobby as an overhead panel crashed down and knocked him on the head. He passed out several seconds later.
Back on the second floor, the Official and Eberts were making their way back to the Official's office when the floor seemed to open up. The shaking tore through the halls, causing bits of wall and ceiling to crash against the floor.
"Sir!" Eberts cried in a panic.
The Official looked at him with scared eyes and they both tried to make to a door jam, but the shaking was too hard. They were both knocked off their feet and forced to the ground. The Official slammed his head against a wall and slumped into unconsciousness.
Eberts made it to the floor, but was nearly drowned in a sea of debris raining down from the ceiling. He cried out once and then his body lay still against the floor.
Down in the Keep, Darien was about to drift off into a dizzy sleep when the room started to shake violently. "Claire!" he yelled as he saw Claire standing near the refrigerator struggling to stay on her feet.
Bricks were falling from overhead, smashing into the computers and crashing through the equipment. "Darien!" she screamed as she tried to avoid being pelted by debris and at the same time, keep her footing.
Darien quickly got off the chair and dived towards Claire, taking her down to the floor and shielding her from the debris with his body. More bricks and glass started rain down on them from all sides.
Claire reached back for Darien's hand and squeezed it, too scared to muster the energy to speak. She watched in horror as her lab was systematically destroyed by the force of the tremors. Several bricks rained down on them at once, and she heard Darien gasp and moan above her. Then she felt the weight of his body sag against her. Claire struggled to stay calm, but found it was nearly impossible. And then she too passed out, as the constant shaking and shock proved to be too much for her to handle.
The violent tremors continued for nearly a minute, the sound deafening. The sound of a nightmare. And then, just as suddenly as it started, it stopped, leaving a terrible quiet to wash through the floors of the mangled agency.
TBC
