Chapter Sixteen: Rock and Stone

We stood before a small structure, it was in the juncture of two barren, rocky hills, almost perfectly hidden from view. The others were huddled near the door, discussing the means to get inside – whether to break the door or smash it. Addison was standing next to me as we stared down at a skeleton lying flat on the ground, partly covered. It was as if someone, a very long time ago, tried to flee but never made it far.

Really, Addison and I were trying to mind our own business; not for any particular reason – just to take a breather, perhaps. Eventually, when we heard about using a few grenades to blow open the door, Addison hurriedly went over to put a stop to things, "I have the key," she proclaimed, producing a key from her pocket.

Before anyone could say anything, she stepped up to the door and seconds later a soft click sounded. She pushed open the metal door, and went inside without another word. The others followed immediately after; I lingered a moment longer to stare at the skeleton before catching up.

Inside was an efficient, albeit small, space; a large desk filled the center, leaving little room to walk, whatever used to be on top of the desk had since fallen off, save for a terminal; two doors fanned either side of the desk, one labeled as a restroom and the other a closet. I opted to take the closet while the others busied themselves doing other things.

The closet's door swung open with little resistance, it wasn't even locked – not that I noticed a means for it to lock. The interior was small, and stacked with shelves in different states of disrepair; but it didn't give me any sort of cramped feeling. Most of the cleaning supplies I'd have expected to be there were missing, save for a metal bucket and a wooden mop; neither of which I could carry, so I left them. As I turned to leave, I noticed the carpet was loose.

Crouching down, I ran my hand over it... and immediately regretted it. After wiping my hand, I moved the carpet with my foot and found a footlocker hidden underneath. When I tried to pry it open, it wouldn't budge – it was locked. Grabbing my screwdriver and a bobby pin, I set to work on the lock.

I'm not sure how long it took me to get it, but it eventually clicked and I dumped the contents into my bag. Just in time, too, as Addison announced she found something. I turned around just as the back wall slid apart, revealing another door, but this one led to a small, cramped looking room.

An elevator.

We all boarded the thing and someone pressed a button, it zoomed downward. Within moments, it opened to reveal a new scene: a chamber about thrice the size of the elevator and mostly bare, save for five doors. Two on the right, one on the far end, and two on the left. We shuffled out and observed the space, or, rather, the doors; each had a label of some kind, an indication toward what was behind each door. But upon further inspection, some left me more confused than enlightened.

"We should split up, check each room," Anton suggested.

Kyle scoffed, "We aren't even aware what could be behind any of these doors. It's dangerous to go alone!"

"No, that would be more effective," Blake commented, already eying one of the rooms.

I nodded an agreement as Addison gave her own agreement. I wrote a few things down and showed the others: Addison and Kyle, you two stay out here. Kyle, stay on watch. If someone finds anything important looking, call out for Addison, have her help. Anton, you take the open door. I'll take the one by Addison. Blake, do your thing.

They all gave their consent and I headed for my own door – it was labeled calculations. Pushing the door, it creaked open with little resistance. The room inside wasn't spacious, partly because it seemed as if much of the area had experienced a cave in; flooding with dirt and debris, and it wasn't recent, as under one of the mounds of stone was a half buried skeleton.

Stepping toward it, I knelt down and rubbed the dome of the head, it felt rough and coarse. The cracks gave a strange sensation against my palm and outstretched digits. The clothing, tattered and dirtied from time, lay precariously across the skeletal frame; it, too, stuck under the rock, just like its owner. A small name plate attached to the chest identified the skeleton as a Mrs. Cirreaux. Clutched within the loose grip of the skeletal hand was a pencil, I snatched it up and plopped it into my bag, before standing once more.

In the part of the room that was clear, there rested four desks, each complete with a terminal and a slew of papers scattered about. After picking one up, I found it blank, and proceeded to spend the next few minutes picking them all up (and inspecting each and every one). Rolling them up slightly, I slid them into my ever-filling bag before turning my attention to the first terminal.

The screen had a small crack running the surface and it appeared slightly rusted, despite not being all that available to the weather. But I don't remember much about that book I read on rust, so maybe I'm remembering it wrong. The keyboard was dusty, but all the keys were there. The power button had dulled, and as I thumbed it down, the terminal hummed. And then...

Nothing.

That was a bit disappointing.

I then headed for the next terminal, it, too, had a crack in the display screen. The keys were covered in dust, much like the rest of the machine – and everything else here, for that matter. With one push, the terminal flickered to life, the screen running through the standard startup process before displaying the main screen. There were a few entries on the system, one caught my attention right away.

Attention: security alert gamma has been engaged.

Warning: security code gamma is now in effect.

The date of the message was October 23rd, 2077 at 9:14 in the morning. This warning was given out nearly two hundred years ago. Has it been in effect all this time? What caused it?

I wouldn't find answers just sitting there, so I went back to the main screen and looked at some of the other things. One was labeled as things I need and when I opened it, it was a little underwhelming. At first I thought it was some sort of supernatural script, as if summoning something; but then I realized it was just a bunch of mathematical equations.

Without hesitation, I went to the last thing on the terminal. Someone's journal log, it seemed. Reading through, I found it belonged to Grace Cirreaux, and much of the logs were filled with her excitement at getting to work here and crunch numbers – her most favorite of pastimes. She was also incredibly talented, as she was scouted for the position and chosen over everyone else.

After reading through, I shut off the terminal and checked the last terminal. It, like the first, carried no hints of life. Not feeling let down in the slightest, I began searching the room. Checking near the rocks, inside, under, and around the desks. By the time I was done, I had found a 10mm pistol in a very poor state, and thirty rounds for it.

After a few moments more of searching, I couldn't find anything else, so I decided to regroup. When I stepped out of the room, the others were there, save for Anton, who came out a moment later. "I found a few things in there, you guys could go take a look."

Kyle shot a glare at him, "And what about you?" His voice and tone were full of hostility.

"Me?" Anton inquired calmly, "I was just there, I don't believe it's much of a burden if I stayed here. Now is it?"

Kyle's glare softened ever so slightly, then he let out a short sigh and waved his hand dramatically, "Whatever."

"I'm glad you agree, Mister Kyle," Anton replied with a gentlemanly smile.

Meanwhile, Addison and Blake were observing one of the final doors – security. It lay at the far end of the room, opposite the elevator, and carried the most fortified defense. It was sealed tight. Sidling up beside Addison, as she knelt down trying to better grasp the door, I took a look myself.

The door was made of what had to be a thick and sturdy metal, it carried no visible handle, and wouldn't budge when pushed. The texture, when I run my hand over it, was coarse, rough, as if it's suffered under the passage of time. Further up, along the wall directly adjacent the frame, rested a small indent, hardly noticeable at first glance. When I touched it, it hissed open and displayed a small pad. The words keycard required imprinted above some sort of display.

Before I knew it, though, everyone else was gone; as when I turned around, no one was there. Looking around the small room only confirmed the matter more. Shrugging, I turned back to the door and attempted to unlock it. After a few minutes, nothing happened.

"It seems to be shut tight."

I nearly jumped out of my skin; turning, I found Anton crouched down beside me. He was nonchalantly staring at the door beside me. After a moment, I calmed down and thumped the door a few times, indicating the lack of movement. It really was sealed tight. I was about to take my book out when the others joined us, "Let's get a move on, shall we?"

Blake stepped into the elevator without missing a beat, Addison soon followed. Anton and Kyle both looked at me, as if waiting for some kind of affirmative, so I nodded and began to follow after. Once we were all on, the doors slid closed and we rocketed down.

-Transmission In Progress-