ALARM CLOCK DAWN (An Original Novel - Episode 58)
“But we can't go,” Adam calmly responded.
“You can't what?” Seth responded with a bewildered look.
“We desperately need your help, Mr. Busby. Despite everything you've participated in here at XenTek, you still have a good heart, I know you do, and there’s still time for you to make a difference.”
Seth's face began to redden. “Didn't you hear what I said to you? We're living out what might very well be our last few days, maybe our last hours. It's too late for anyone, even the CEO of XenTek, to make a difference.”
Adam got up from the chair and helped Seth down into it. Seth’s eyes were swollen with tears, and he stared straight ahead as though he was completely numb.
“Mr. Busby, I know this might be difficult to believe, but it's not too late,” Adam said. “We need the combustion chamber from the Phoenix collider right away, and you’re the only one who can help us get it.”
“The chamber? How will this save us?” Seth asked as he continued to stare ahead.
Evelyn looked at Adam with pleading eyes. “I still don't trust him, please be careful. I hope you’re sure before you tell him another word.”
Adam took a deep breath in frustration and nodded. “Trust me, we must take this chance,” he told her and turned to Seth.
“If you help us secure that little combustion chamber, you alone will have provided us with no less than the key to the survival of our species. Without it, humanity, along with our hundreds of thousands of years of collective knowledge, will evaporate just like our atmosphere is. It's that simple. You just have to trust me when I say that.”
Seth looked up at them, Bear and Evelyn both nodded slowly in agreement. “I trusted you from the moment we met, Adam. Okay, let’s make this happen. Maybe this small act of good can be some kind of atonement. Let's go.” He slapped his hands on his knees, jumped up from the chair, and motioned for the group to follow.
Evelyn, Adam, and Bear cautiously followed Seth to the door. As he reached out for the doorknob, he paused, bouncing his forefinger on his bottom lip, deep in thought. “We'll need a distraction,” he said, and he removed his Holo from his suit coat. “Captain Ellis, this is the director. Get down here immediately and bring as many men as you can. I need your assistance right away.”
“Right away, sir,” the captain immediately responded.
“He'll be approaching from the opposite direction of where we're going. This will keep him away from the security cameras and should buy us at least ten minutes. We'd better make the most of it.” Seth smiled maniacally, like a man who had not only been granted a pardon but guaranteed redemption.
CHAPTER 24
“Run!” Seth called back to Bear, who was struggling to keep up with the group.
They blazed down the hallways in the direction of his office. From there it would only be a short elevator ride to the subway that would take them directly to the Phoenix collider.
“This way!” Seth grabbed Adam's arm and swung him around a sharp left turn and almost knocked two scientists in white lab coats to the ground. “The next right, and then we're there,” Seth whispered as they made their way to the lobby of this office.
“Clear my schedule. We have a very important meeting,” Mr. Busby said, huffing and puffing as the group ran past his receptionist. He scanned his C.ID card to unlock the door of his office, and Adam, Evelyn, and Bear rushed in. Busby peeked his head around the door and hastily added, “Ms. Murphy, we are not to be disturbed under any circumstances.”
As Bear door closed behind him, he leaned with his back flat against it, trying to catch his breath.
“Whew! Do . . . you . . . do you have any idea what it takes . . . for . . . someone my size . . . to move that fast?” Bear’s chest heaved rapidly up and down.
“We can rest on the subway.” Adam said.
Seth placed his thumb on the security pad behind his desk and the large steel elevator doors slowly parted. “Step in everyone.” and they filed in and the doors closed behind them. “Level 16,” Seth commanded, and the elevator began its descent.
“Adam, one question. How do you intend on getting the chamber out of here?” Evelyn asked.
“Yeah,” Bear said. “Mr. Busby has bought us enough time to make it to the collider and get the combustion chamber, but that only gets us halfway toward our goal.”
Adam brought his hand to his forehead. “I haven't thought that far ahead yet, but we'll find a way.”
Evelyn stomped her foot and grunted in frustration.
“Come on,” Bear said, patting Evelyn gently on the back. “Go easy on him now. The boy hasn't let us down yet.”
The elevator doors parted and they rushed onto the waiting train.
“Bear, sit down and be sure to hold on,” Adam warned his tall friend. “This will snap your head back.”
As soon as all of them found a seat, the train accelerated like a rocket.
“Whoa! You weren't kidding!” Bear said, grabbing onto seat back in front of him.
The tunnel lights began to blur into one as the train careened towards the Phoenix collider.
Seth studied Adam for a moment and then began to speak slowly. “Listen carefully. The chamber is beneath a circular panel in the floor. It's located precisely in the middle of the craft. All you need to do is pry this panel open and disconnect the two tubes on either end, and the chamber is yours. You'll have to take it from there. I guarantee that by the time the combustion chamber is in your hands, Captain Ellis will be only minutes away.”
“Yes, sir,” Adam said, nodding his head.
The train pulled out of the tunnel into the wide open space of the Phoenix collider and slowed to a halt. There was a look of wonder on Bear's face as the doors opened and the group made their way out of the subway car. He turned around slowly in a complete circle as he looked up.
“Sweet Mary, Mother of God. Look at how huge this place is!”
Just as Bear said this, the light at the tunnel's entrance changed from red to green, signaling another train was approaching from headquarters.
“You must go now. I have given you your chance. You have three minutes, at most, before this whole place is swarming with XenTek security,” Seth warned them.
Adam sprinted towards the silver craft, and Bear and Evelyn struggled to catch up to him. As he approached the craft, the hatch opened. Bear and Evelyn followed him up the ramp.
“Let's get this chamber and get the hell out of here,” Bear said.
“Quiet! We must find another way,” Adam barked, closing his eyes as Bear and Evelyn looked at one another, stunned.
Adam nodded his head and opened his eyes. “Bear, rip the top off this control console. We need to get under this stainless steel cover.”
Bear took a large folding knife from his pocket, quickly slid the large blade under an edge of the metal and began to carefully pry it up at the corner.
“Come on, Bear, faster!” Adam pleaded. “We don't have long!”
Bear pulled the knife with all of his strength, snapping the blade. He quickly threw the knife aside, got his fingernails under the thin stainless steel sheet, and began bending it upwards. The sharp edge of the metal dug under his fingernails and blood began to flow down his arms in streams as he pulled with all the strength he could gather.
“They're here!” Seth yelled from outside the open hatch.
Bear's eyes bulged as he gave the metal cover a final pull. The rivets began popping, one by one, as he peeled back the metal cover to reveal two-hand shaped indentations exactly like the ones on the console of Ikeda's craft.
“Find your seats!” Adam yelled as he heard the thunderous sound of an army of boots fast approaching.
Tune in every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for new episodes of Alarm Clock Dawn! The final episode including a ENORMOUS plot twist will be read by yours truly live at the first annual SteemFest in Amsterdam on Saturday, November 12th.
This novel is the first of a trilogy. The sequel entitled, Truth Is Stranger, will be published in the Spring of 2017.
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ah ! episode 58 just come out. Have to read immediately :)
Thank you, @royalmacro!
Resteemed
Thank you!
hola
I can't believe that this series is already on its 58th episode! I remember reading the first ones and thinking that the story had such huge potential. Great job in keeping the same high quality after so much episodes!