-4-
They reached within nine minutes. For a minute Reaper wondered why it took so long until he remembered that the Rangers HQ was in New Mexico and not California.
The upper level of Nevada's facility had been exactly as he had remembered it, with the exception of all the barricades around the facility and the abandoned outposts. It was twilight when they reached. There was a decent view of the level.
The sound of the chopper's blades cutting the otherwise still air was the only sound that hit their ears. The base was obviously still and deserted. John and the men surveyed the perimeter keeping his chain gun cocked for action. Genghis and Phoenix unloaded the equipment box.
"Ground perimeter seems clear, sir."
"Sam," John whispered, "Stay close."
The o'Riley brothers took charge of the box – Phoenix, who it seemed, had fostered some woman bonding with his sisters came around him keeping her protected from the other side. The girl handed Sam a gun.
John could have sworn that he almost heard the question that came out of her eyes when she gave it to Sam. 'Do you know how to use it?'
Sam nodded her head automatically.
Poet was right, they were already getting used to her unspoken words.
Where had he seen those damn eyes before?
John escorted Sam towards the key lock that activated the elevator. She knelt down and identified the box. Opening it, punched in the keys and slid in the small card they had been provided. Nothing happened. She tried it again – it didn't work.
Smith came over and tried to fiddle with the box. Nothing happened.
"They told me this would work." Sam said. Smith tried all override codes. Nothing worked.
John did not miss the looks exchanged between Phoenix and Genghis. He knew what they were thinking. The same thing he was thinking. The problem was from the inside. Either the elevator was screwed up or someone had tampered with the activation.
"Is there another way in? Like a backdoor or fire-escape or something?" Gryffin said, as though looking around for a magic trapdoor.
"Maybe it's because there's no power," said Smith.
"No, this code is designed to activate the internal auxiliary chamber."
Hobbit nervously whispered something to Phoenix. Her eyebrows twitched for a minute and she nodded. She made a motion of jabbing her two fingers into her eyes. It was a sign that he should keep his eyes open. He nodded and he headed towards the perimeter, towards the gate. It was flanked by two deserted outposts.
"What the fuck is he doing?" Genghis said, when he noticed.
Phoenix did not answer.
"I don't understand why the fuck that boy talks to you and not to any of us. He should be taking orders from me, not you." Genghis muttered to Phoenix. Quinn gave an apologetic shrug. Genghis shook his head, "Ah! I'm not blamin' you! I wonder if you remind him of his kindergarten teacher or something."
Phoenix gave bleak smile.
"I'd better follow that kid before he gets his nuts cut off before using them." Genghis muttered and started off after the Hobbit before Phoenix could stop him.
Smith mumbled under breath, loud enough for John and Sam to hear. "It's probably because she's the only one of us who won't bite his head off?"
"Why would you bite his head off?"
"'Coz he makes a lot of stupid suggestions."
Phoenix shook her head and moved out of earshot, taking after Krycek.
"Doesn't the sarge mind her taking authority?" Sam whispered to Smith.
"The sarge doesn't mind her giving Hobbit orders," said Sandman. "None of us do, actually. She's an easier and safer way to handle the kid. We'd probably kill him. Boy's good only for screwin' up."
"Cut him slack, Sandman," said Gamgee, "He's just been into it two weeks."
"It's been three missions already."
"They weren't major ones."
"I learned how to turn how to aim at what I want to shoot in training, Gamgee. That kid doesn't even know how to use the safety."
"Who named him the Hobbit?" Sam intervened.
"She did," said, Gamgee pointing to Quinn. "We kept calling him 'Shorty' coz he's no bigger than Phoenix. I guess Hobbit sounds more fun. She named me too. Appears they're some names from an ancient classic."
"Sam Gamgee…. Right." Sam said, her voice showing the realization. "But the Lord of the Rings isn't that ancient. It's was written around the late twentieth century."
"Beats me." Gamgee shrugged. "I never even heard of it."
John had his eyes fixed on Phoenix. The girl had just turned back from the outpost and was headed towards them. He never imagined that a woman-hater like Genghis would actually have a girl in his group and much less treat her with the amount of respect that he did.
As she came towards them she met his eyes for a millionth of a second and looked away, towards Sam. Why did she avoid his eyes? It was almost as though she was trying to hide from him.
Phoenix nodded at Sam. The words, yet again understood. 'Try it, again."
Sam punched the keys and slid in the card. A low rumbling noise made them step back. Although the surface elevator didn't emerge with the same speed, it did ascended.
Genghis and Hobbit jogged up towards them. Genghis had a funny scowl on his face. John noticed it and couldn't help wondering what it meant. As though reading his thoughts, Poet whispered. "That means he's impressed."
"Frankly," said John, "so am I. What did you do?"
Hobbit's face was so lit up with excitement it almost infected everyone else.
"I…" He broke off to pant. "I figured…that…the gateways might be activated by an external subunit. It's a common rerouting system for emergencies, especially if internal auxiliary units fail."
Sam beamed at the boy. "Good job."
John noticed that Phoenix had a look of approval on her face, too. He wondered if it was because of the scar on her forehead that limited her ability to show some more emotion than what she did. He had heard of some surgeries on the face which would cause you so much pain that you couldn't even wince without crying out.
"Weapons up, people. Let's not be taken by surprise."
Smith, Bazooka and Sandman positioned themselves behind the sidewalls. Before John could motion for Sam to do the same, Phoenix had already dragged her to the other wall. Keeping her body between Sam and any possible entrant.
Genghis motioned for John to do the same. John felt like arguing but he figured it was better to cower like a pansy and ensure that Sam would return home safely than risk it.
The elevator doors opened, with a creak and a hiss. John saw Genghis motioning to Bazooka and Sandman to head in first. They kept keeping one eye on their comm readings the men proceeded into the elevator. When Genghis was assured that it was safe, he nodded to the o'Riley's who went in afterwards. When John came forward he saw the four men inspecting all corners of the lift.
"Should we risk it?" said Gamgee who was staring at the control console of the elevator.
"If we all go in, and something unhappy's waiting for us, we won't be able to call for back up," Gryffin said. "I think that Sammy here and I, oughta check it out first"
"But if you're out numbered?" Samantha said.
Phoenix silently went towards their equipment box and punched in the keys to open it. John wondered if that woman even knew she was in a social environment, that she did things without a word.
The equipment trunk looked compact but in fact it was a whole magic box in itself. There were slots and tiers of weapons, readers, scanners and forensic test kits and toolkits, all underlying the survival kit tier. Phoenix brought two portable sized jacket-boxes out and shut it. As quietly as she did all that, she came forward and tossed the two boxes to the o'Riley's.
The o'Rileys each took out a pair of high penetration vision goggles. One set it to thermal vision mode the other set it to pulse-reader mode. They clipped the jacket boxes to their belts and nodded.
"Be careful." Sam said to the brothers as Bazooka and Sandman exited the lift.
John observed that there was an expression in Phoenix's eyes that made Gamgee nod at her in a reassuring manner as he jabbed the dials of the console. He interpreted it to be her concern.
The doors slid to a creaky close and the only the elevator descended.
"Comms clear?" Genghis spoke.
"Comms clear, sir," Gamgee's voice was heard, a second later Gryffin's voice was heard echoing.
They heard the mild static interference of the lift as it descended. They heard the sound of it stopping.
"I'm blocking the automatic open." Gryffin's voice was heard.
"Scanners read the usual. Infrastructure, machinery composition. Magnesium, Titanium - no thermal signatures. At least not on the other side of those doors. No pulsators." Gamgee's voice was heard.
"Shall we proceed?" said Gryffin.
Genghis held his breath for a second and said, "Proceed."
A sound, which John assumed was the opening of the doors, was heard. Everyone above had held their breath.
"Heading into the main atrium." Gamgee spoke.
"Scanners read no life signs."
"Shall I try to power up the systems?"
"We'd risk detection," said Genghis.
"Seeing the noise that elevator made," said Smith, "I figure they might know we are already here."
"Main entrance secure. All doors secure."
"All right, that's good enough for us. We're coming in." Genghis said, hitting the jack on the elevator shaft. The sound of the elevator ascending was heard.
The doors opened on to the main level. It didn't seem as though the brothers had the power up yet. John felt as though they were walking into the ruins of some sci-fi temple. Except that this was familiar. He remembered the corridors which would lead to the various parts of the facility – except the matter walls blocked all exits.
Phoenix moved past him with the cat-like grace of a soldier and scanned the area. Sandman and Bazooka stay inside with the equipment trunk.
"Gamgee?" Genghis whispered into his comm.
No sound.
"Gryffin?"
No response.
"Sir –" Poet whispered, pointing to one of the exits – there was a light blinking on the console next to it.
Genghis nodded.
John pulled Sam back into the elevator, allowing Smith and Bazooka to leave their positions and follow Genghis. The men positioned around the exit, guns poised.
"o'Riley!" Genghis whispered into his comm.
Still no response.
He nodded at his men. Smith moved forward to the console and checked. "Standard UAC override codes, sir; the o'Riley's might have used them."
"Gryffin, Gamgee!" Genghis spoke louder into his comm. "You two better answer me, now."
No response.
"Something's wrong." Bazooka drawled in a low baritone voice.
Genghis nodded towards Smith who punched in the codes again. All guns cocked as the door opened. No one seemed to be on the other side.
"Smith, Sandman." Genghis nodded at the men.
They moved forward, scanners open. John could not see them anymore. There was no light.
"No life signs, sir." He heard through the open comms. "Not even the brothers." Sam gripped his elbow.
What the fuck was going on? Where were the o'Rileys?
"Angus!" Genghis shouted loudly. "Sam!"
"Proceed, sir?" John heard Smith say.
"Proceed." Genghis' voice came in response. "Phoenix, Poet, you two stay here."
John could see the shapes of the two soldiers come back into the main area as the rest of the team proceeded in.
Phoenix shut the door. She surveyed the area again. Then she went over to the reception interfaces, using the aid of her torchlight. Her hand froze mid air.
A sharp shrill piercing screech reverberated through the walls. John's knees bent a little as he directed his gun in the direction of the sound. Phoenix sprang onto the reception table and did the same as Poet scuffed over to an area exactly opposite hers.
The shrill was followed by a horrid growl.
"It's from above!" Poet cried. Sam hastily opened the trunk and scrambled to get a scanner. When she found one, she kept her gun, in one hand and the scanner in the other, as three chain guns were directed to the ceiling.
"Two life signs!" she said. Then her face paled. "It's over…our heads."
"Poet! Phoenix! What's going on there?"
"Something's in the overhead shaft, sir!" Poet said, heavily.
"Unlock the exit, we're on our way."
A pounding could be heard over the ceiling – the guns followed trail – but the shrill was too ambiguous to localize.
Phoenix lost her patience and fire three rounds.
The screaming stopped.
Breathing heavily she scooted to the door and began to jab in the codes.
"LOOK OUT!" Sam screamed.
It happened in the blink of a second. The vent door burst open just above Quinn's head and a dark, burly figure fell through, pouncing on her.
"Stay here, and use the door if you have to!" John ordered Sam and rushed towards Phoenix. He couldn't aim at the thing since the reception table blocked him, he made his way around it.
Smith hurdled over the table and then suddenly stopped.
John heard the sound of an oomph coming from the creature as it was flung onto its back. Phoenix fluidly straddled the thing and used the butt of her weapon to slam its face.
"Owwwwww! Dammit!"
It was a human voice.
"That's right, Gamgee," she hissed as she gripped the dark figure's throat. "Oww."
She dropped her gun and balled her other hand into a fist and punched his jaw. Enough to hurt, and yet enough to keep him alive.
The door opened and the band of men burst forth and froze in their spots as they saw Phoenix sitting over a trapped Gamgee.
Suddenly there was a whirring noise and light filled the whole place. From the same vent that Gamgee fell through, Gryffin popped his head out and burst out laughing.
"Looks like I'm fifty bucks richer!"
"GRYIFFIN! You nutless sonnva' bitch!" Genghis roared. "What the fuck do you two think you're doin'?"
"Why nothin' sir!" Gryffin drawled. "Me and my li'l brother had a little bet, which I just won."
Phoenix rose and picked up her gun, she kicked Gamgee in the stomach before stepping off him.
"That's not funny!" Samantha cried.
John felt his anger boil over. "Sergeant Krycek!"
Genghis had his attention.
"Please instruct your men," he roared, spitting every word out, "that we are here on a potentially fatal mission and not some company picnic!"
"Sir," Gamgee wheezed. He coughed as he tried to scramble up. "We were just –"
John strode over to him and caught his collar. "Have you seen those creatures, Gamgee? Even been close to one?"
Gamgee nodded furiously. "Deimos."
"And you yet have the gall the joke about them? Do you know how many men have died in this stupid station?"
Gamgee sputtered. John shoved him away. "The next time you pull something like this, I'll blow the shit out of your head with my gun!"
"Gryffin get the fuck down. I should kill you!" Genghis muttered.
Gryffin jumped down, landing on his feet, in time to catch Gamgee as he fell back.
"The two of you are going to lose your RnR time because of this, am I understood?" Genghis barked.
The brothers nodded.
John turned around to see Phoenix standing just next to him, breathing heavily. Her eyes could have burned a hole through the brothers from the way she looked at them.
"Are you okay?" he said, softly.
Those grey eyes snapped back to glare at him. 'Don't you dare coddle me' was the message he got.
"My mistake." He retreated.
"Would the two of you tell me, what the fuck is going on? Don't tell me, you were up in the shaft just to play boo!" Genghis roared at the brothers.
"We rerouted, with a bit of rewiring, the power from the auxiliary unit to the entrance. I thought it was a better way – only the level that we work on is operational…"
"Did I goddamn authorize you to –"
"Sir…" Poet broke through the conversation. Genghis looked at him. "I hate to admit it, but that is a better plan. Until we know how much power the generators have, we can't risk a sudden blackout."
Genghis scowled at Poet and then nodded.
"Okay, people, lets get started. Smith, try and get an uplink through that console. Gryffin get me schematics. Our plan as of now is simple; we try and get to the Hub. If the Hub is secure we make that our mission control. If not, our lives just became tougher. Once secure we dispatch. We retrieve all cam information, all logs – we make sure we get to know everything – even the tiniest movement of air that might have taken place in the last one month. Use extreme prejudice and don't play any games, AM I CLEAR?"
They all nodded.
As Smith worked his fingers furiously on the reception interface, Gryffin tried to access the main frame from the entrance.
"Dr. Grimm has the command codes. You're staying here, with them." Genghis ordered, to which Sam gave a short nod. "Reaper, you are with us."
John reluctantly nodded and followed the team.
They headed through the corridor towards until they came across a two way. One leading to the Ark the other one towards the Hub. The hub was the home of the mainframe.
"Unable to contact HQ from here, sir. It's simply equipped for transfer protocols."
"Acknowledged."
"Complete schematics available sir, HQ seems secure."
"No risks." Genghis ordered.
Phoenix punched in the override codes to gain entrance to the Hub. Bazooka and Sandman, went in first. When they had secured the room, the rest followed.
"Rerouting auxiliary power to Hub."
Light filled the room; the Hub was an impressive room. It seemed like the bridge of a spaceship.
Sandman immediately got on the job of activating the cameras.
"Surveillance online, sir. You boys want your own personal surveillance?"
"Smith, get up here and try HQ from here. Gryffin, upload schematics onto console 8, and then get up here."
"Auxiliary power is at 100 percent, sir," Gryffin reported.
"Acknowledged."
"Main power is at 100 percent, also." Poet reported as he fiddled with the mainframe. Should we activate it?"
"Not yet. Where's the ark?"
Poet presses a button. A whirring sound was followed by the main window shades being slid to the side. Though the Hub overlooked the Ark, it was too dark for them to see anything.
"Ark needs the main power."
Genghis nodded.
Smith jogged into the room and took his position on console 3. He began computing in series of programs.
"Satellite is not responding, sir."
"Give it two more tries. If it doesn't work, use our comm box." Smith nodded.
Samantha came in, followed by Gryffin who took up console 8.
"Schematics online"
The main screen showed a level by level map of the entire base. Genghis ordered the Ark level on the map. John came around and observed it. Phoenix came up beside him.
"Sweep scan shows no life signs, sir. Programming in our signatures."
"Armory on level 2, east quarter." Genghis said to Bazooka. "The Lab is on the 3rd level, same side, it seems to have entry through an airlock."
"System sweep shows no usage in the last twelve hundred and seventy seven days."
"That was when the facility was sealed off." Sam said.
"Then how the hell could that beacon have stopped functioning?" Genghis said. "Gryffin, get me the exact location of that beacon. I want to see it for myself."
"Tower 12 sir. Above the surface."
"This schematic does not include the support systems of this base." Phoenix said suddenly.
Everyone turned to look at her with a general 'huh' expression.
She shrugged and continued to look at the images on the screen. "All it shows our pathways, sections and tiers. Nothing else."
"Well, honey, that's what the base is made off." Sandman said, condescendingly.
Phoenix turned to look at Sandman, but John knew that he blocked her view. He was about to step away so she could see Sandman but her eyes seemed to bore through John as though he was like a glass wall.
"When you go to the toilet, Sandman, where does the shit go?"
"What?"
"Answer the question."
"She's right," John said, realizing what she meant. "She's talking about sewers and vents – elevators shafts."
"These maps are horizontal sections." She said, turning her had to look at them. "We need to look at the longitudinal ones."
"The sewer and vent cams are not responding." Sandman said, nodding his head.
"Not just the sewers." John said, "We need to have a look at the water pipes, gas shafts. This was a research facility – anything could be anywhere."
"Looks like we gotta make a full sweep." Genghis said.
"Sir, activating main power might bring the sewer and vent cams online."
"Yeah, I guess its time we saw the Ark, too."
They all turned towards the direction of the Ark view. As Poet powered the whole system, they saw the Ark looking the way it did. John pushed back the memories of seeing people dead, women and children alike. The Ark was deserted. The core silent. It looked like it had been that way for years.
"Bazooka, Gamgee, you're with me."
John watched as they men disappeared from the connecting matter door, entering the Ark slowly and cautiously.
"Damn it," Sandman muttered.
"What?" John turned.
"Sewer and vent cams are not coming online."
"Maybe, you need to turn on another switch. You know like a control box or something." Hobbit said.
"Maybe this place is good for your knees, kiddo," Gryffin said, his face lighting up as he turned to the console and furiously began playing with the inputs.
"Why my knees?" Hobbit said.
"'Coz that's where your brains are. And it seems you've decided to use them ever since you came here."
Sam snorted in disgust but the Hobbit was beaming. John smiled – he missed his days in RRTS. This group was so alike his own…
"Ark area is secure. Poet, it's all yours."
"Acknowledged, sir."
Poet was the Quantum specialist. He had worked in the second stages of teleportation – according to his Military Research designation reports, he had been on the team that perfected it to 98 percent fluidity. In simple words – less teleportation sickness.
Poet began to whisper, rhythmically as he unloaded the stuff he would need for his work. "Questioning the lights around, they answer me;
Certainty is ours for the grasping;
Dialogues in front of me I query thee;
Can you see the argument that's missing?"
"What does it mean?" Sam asked, smiling broadly.
Sandman drawled, shaking his head. "Don't even bother asking him. Even, he doesn't know what he's saying."
Sam had a queer expression. "But isn't that why he's called the Poet?"
Smith snorted. "Nope! That started after Phoenix here gave him that name. I think he feels it's his moral obligation to live up to it.
Poet grinned and finished. "Stand for a time, in one place, of one mind;
Share the patterns of our destiny."
"So, why'd she name you 'Poet'?"
"'Coz my name is Homer."
"Yeah, his name used to be Simpson before Phoenix here rechristened him!" Gryffin chuckled. "You know, that really old cartoon, bald yellow guy with a belly. Looks a lot like our Poet here actually!"
"But Poet?" John said, equally curious.
"Homer was Greek Poet. I think he wrote that Trojan War story?"
Sam nodded. "The Illiad."
"Yeah well I'm Greek too…and…'" Poet smiled and broke off. He shook his head and gave them a mock salute before he headed for the Ark.
Sam looked at Phoenix whose eyes were glued to the schematics as though she was plotting something. It seemed to them, probably being the outsiders in this unit, that she wasn't even part of the conversation. John suspected that somehow her silence was her way of communicating.
"You read a lot, huh?"
Phoenix turned around and nodded, before she went to the console that Gryffin was working with.
"I still think we should have stuck to Simpson." Gryffin mumbled.
John went over to where Phoenix stood leaning over Gryffin's back rest.
"And what?" he said.
Both heads turned towards him. Gryffin mouthed their expression. "Huh?"
"He said he was Greek too, and…something. He left before he could complete. 'And' what?"
Gryffin looked at Phoenix and then back at the console.
"Homer, the poet, was blind." Phoenix said, quietly, keeping her head directed towards the screen.
"So?"
"Didn't you notice Poet's eyes?" Phoenix said, turning her head and giving him her grey gaze.
He hadn't. So he shook his head.
"Well, I guess that doctor really was good then." Gryffin mumbled.
"What do you mean?" Sam said.
"Observe his pupils," Gryffin said. "They neither dilate nor contract. He has optimers...you know? Bio-prosthetic retinas?"
"He's blind?"
"He used to be. Now, he sees better than we do – no need for head gear."
"How?"
"Accident while working with the core reactor. Got exposed. That's why he was transferred to active forces. The exposed core radiation is twice as harmful to optimers as to human eyes. They didn't want to risk it, the second time."
Before John or Sam could say anymore, Genghis, Bazooka and Gamgee came back into the Hub.
"Okay – we're set here? Right? Gryffin, Smith, Sandman and…Poet?"
Poet's voice was heard. "Affirmative." The other three nodded.
"Okay. Smith, use our comm box. Give HQ an update. We're going to proceed to the Labs. Sandman – you're the all-seeing eye. So you better keep it open."
"Personal cameras coming online in three seconds." Sandman nodded.
"Trackers online in two."
Their individual blips appeared in the schematics console, soon followed by their individual cam views.
"Head for the airlock." Gryffin instructed. "It leads to three sections. UAC's Bio-research lab – that's where you'll find the sick bay, the Ordnance research lab and Archaeology. Each section has its own airlock."
Genghis nodded and they headed for the main airlock.
