The quiet was worse than the almost deafening noise the master alarms had made. Standing alone in the pumping station Reaper could almost imagine he was alone in the station. There was no movement of any kind. The monitoring station was unmanned and though the machines continued to work, maintaining both water and air pressure, there was a strange stillness to the air. In here the walls were neither the dark grey of most of the hallways nor the artificial bright white of the security stations and offices. Here the walls and atmosphere took on a strange dusty bronze-like feel. Only the occasional blinking of the computer monitors reminded him that he was not in a frozen dream state.
It seemed like endless hours before he finally saw Ryan's first text messages:
Biohazard in Alphaomega labsFatalities confirmed
Number unknown
Total lockdown requested
Reaper's breath caught in his throat. Biohazard.
Everyone's worst nightmare.
Dr. Betruger had finally gone too far.
Reaper instantly contracted into a crouch as the alarms went off again. Without thought he re-clipped the modified PDA to his belt and brought his flashlight up, the long barrel resting on his shoulder as the light shined forward. In this position he could use it to bash a man's head in if he needed to.
Very slowly he stood up again.
He waited.
He listened.
Watching….
Total lockdown had been initiated. Every level was cut off from the ones above and beneath it. Every major segment of Enyo had had its blast doors closed. The final, eerie, moment was when the large machinery lapsed into passivity. Awaiting new orders.
