Acro, wake up. It's your shift for watching. There's a cinder block pile by the entrance.
Acros gets up from his sleeping area, which is just a bunch of old newspapers piled on top of each other. Better than sleeping on cracked concrete. Dan takes his spot and he walk to the cinder blocks he was talking about. The Reformers found shelter in an old storage closet. Luckily there is no security systems down here, so they'll never know they're down there unless they check each room. They probably don't even have the physical keys to down here.
Yesterday, they walked down several flights of stairs, and since this place is abandoned, it is freezing cold. The only source of warmth they have is the insulation provided by our suits and the one blanket Harmony found. The suits were never designed for sleeping comfort, only combat. Aria and Harmony sleep under the blanket, and Dan rests without anything.
Harmony has been distraught with Mike's death. She hasn't said much and only wants to be with Aria. Doug thinks they're all dead, but he can't say anything or they might kill him too. Mike's suit was knocked out before his latest footage could be uploaded. They need to leave here and let Doug know that they're still alive. Acros doubts his abilities as leader.
So how was watch. Wasn't is so much fun?
Yeah.
Dan kneels next to Acros before the girls wake. He puts a hand on his shoulder.
I know it's been very confusing recently, but I think that you're the best suited for leader here. I just wanted to let you know that I am in with whatever you do. I know you'll do good.
I'll try.
So how do you suppose we get out of here?
I'm not sure yet. But I do know we can't go up.
Right, uh-
Whatchu boys up to.
Nothing really. We have to find a way out here.
No shit. Harmony! Are you ready to leave?
ヽ(ー_ー )ノ Maybe.
Alright suit up everyone. Let's find our way out of this mess.
If we can find a map, that would be great.
Totally, I wonder how long this area has been abandoned.
Jeez. Has to be about hundred or so years right? Cause look at the doors. No way anyone would pay for real wooden doors.
I mean, it's the government, so they can do whatever they want.
Right. What do you think they're going to do with Mike?
Not sure. They're probably going to find out our suits were stolen and somehow link it to Doug. That's why we need to get out of here.
Yo guys check it. Top secret.
She looks at the sign and puts air quotes around "top secret".
Right, like they can stop me from going in.
I don't th-
Who's going to know? Guess who has all the keys?
She dangles the key ring in the air that she found yesterday.
Alright.
She takes the huge key ring and starts trying every key on the lock. There's at least fifty keys on the ring.
Nope... nope.... nuh uh... nope.
A dozen more keys go by.
Yeah no.
Her suit starts to whine as it charges up a small pulse charge. She fires it in the dead center of the door, the wood instantly turns to ash and she walks in.
I guess we better follow.
They all walk in the door, and inside are walls of filing cabinets with a desk in the middle. Aria is already going through the papers on the desk. Dan is opening some of the filing cabinets.
Looks like these are files of people. But who?
Er- guys... Am I supposed to be able to read this shit?
The paper she looks at is some sort of blueprint with some sort of cryptic writing that nobody can read, with the only readable text being at the top being "The Reborn Project." Everyone looks at it.
Is it supposed to be unreadable?
No clue. Let's look take back to the bunker, and see if Doug knows anything about it. Let's take anything else that may be of use.
A few minutes go by with everyone looking through papers and folders.
Hey guys, I found a folder with folders with all of our information. It looks like the same information from the outage.
But there's six files in here. Mike, Aria, Harmony, Dan, myself, and Jack... Aria, you've been in this group as long as Mike has right? Do you know who Jack is?
No idea.
Alright. Let's just get out of here.
They know we're on their grounds, meaning they probably have all the known exits guarded and blocked off. Unless we find a secret way out, I think we're screwed.
Known exits...
You think there's going to be exits down here? We're dozens of meters underground. So we have to go up, and somehow get out.
You think those fuckfaces are dumb enough to leave the air vents unguarded?
...
Those vents have motion sensors and cameras. We can't-
But we set off the EMP remember?
Er-
If we do try to escape that way we would have to ditch our suits. They're too big for the vents.
Well what other way is there to get out?
I guess it's the only way out. Harmony, you in?
Huuu━━(◕_ ◕✿)━━uuh?
Yeah she's in.
Alright, let's get going.
No.
Doug opens the door of the bunker, where Jack walks. He's startled at the noise at first. He walks with a backpack and a walking stick.
Get in here.
Jack puts his arms up instinctively.
We really need your help.
Is this the Reformers again? You think I'm going to say yes this time?
I don't care if you don't want to get involved with what we are doing, but everyone is at the government building right now. I don't know if they're dead or alive.
Please, can you just drive over there, and pick them up if they run out. This whole operation failed.
If they come back or not, you can leave and never worry about us again.
Doug lies, knowing he can't be let back out knowing where the bunker is, without him being 100% onboard.
Jack thinks for a minute.
Fine. Fine... I'll do it... only if you can guarantee my safety.
Done.
The air vent they climb is is lined in dust and dirt. They ditched our suits back in the boiler room back where they climbed in the vent. They slither like snakes, defenseless with only our pistols.
Where are we going specifically?
Where do you think?
I think our only option would be the roof. They're gonna be blocking every door to this place.
How are we going to get down without our suits?
Either we're going to have to jump and run or call Doug and hope they won't jam incoming and outgoing signals.
Shit.
What?
Good news we're at our exit, bad news, we literally have to climb like 25 meters straight up.
We have to what?
(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
We're going have to wall climb up. I'll head up first and see if there's anyone up there.
Acros begins to climb up the vent with his hands and feet pressing against the walls like some sort of spider, being sure to keep three points of contact. A few feet up, his left foot slips when he moved his right hand. His left arm catches him, but makes a huge bang. The vent dents.
You good up there bossman?
Yeah. Fine and dandy.
As he reaches the top, he pokes his head out slowly looking for any anyone standing anywhere near. Seems they were dumb enough to not guard the roof. He lifts himself out of the vent, letting out a sigh of relief. After breathing for a second, I call down to the rest, making sure to be quiet, just in case.
Alright guys. I think it's clear.
You think?
Acros stands up for a quick second and turns in a circle to be sure it is clear.
Yeah, it's clear.
Sweet.
Dan and Aria climb up without trouble, but Harmony is having a little of trouble.
Need a little bit of help down there?
-_- Yea...
Hold tight. We'll find something.
Do we have some rope?
Uh. No.
Let's search this roof then. There's gotta be something up here.
They all search the roof for a few minutes and Aria stumbles upon some painting supplies and a long rope.
Boss, I got one.
Sweet. Throw one end to Harmony and we'll pull her up.
Okay I'm ready. (*^‿^*)
Three... two... one... pull!
Everyone starts to pull the rope, it goes well at first but then it looses all of its tension. Throwing the group back.
What the fuck was that.
What happened down there?
~(>_<~) Uh. I let go of the rope. Sowwy.
oml.
Alright. Just tie it around yourself or something this time. Maybe around your waist.
(*^‿^*) okayyyy~
Alright. Let's try this again. Three... two... one...
The group pulls the rope. After a couple seconds Harmony climbs out of the vent.
Welcome to the gang.
Alright. We're all here. Now we gotta find how to get out of here.
Can we use the rope to climb down?
They're going to see us if we do that. The closest perimeter fence is over there, to the east. We can try and see if there's a ladder that we ca-
HOLY SHIT GET DOWN.
Acros drops down to the ground instinctively before he even realizes what happened.
Oh what the fu—
An attack drone the size of a small building flies above them shooting right where they were standing.
Rope it is I guess.
Acros ties the rope to the base of a communication tower and throws the rest down.
That's going to hurt. Our hands will be fried.
Would you rather die here or get some rope burn that would heal in a few days. Now c'mon.
One by one the gang slides down the rope, each scraping flesh off their hands. Again, Harmony is the last one. She tries to use her shirt to protect her hands as she slides down. It rips.
(>。<) Owwy.
They know we're here. We gotta move.
They all run toward the fence.
I hope you guys can climb fences.
Guns are fired at them from the behind from the search team and the drone overhead. Dan is hit on the leg, and limps the rest of the way. Harmony pulls a high explosive grenade and tosses it to Acros.
Wh— whats this? Where—
What does it look like. Just throw it.
At the fence?
You expect us to climb a fence with our hands like this?
Acros throws the grenade at the fence, and a few seconds later is explodes, kicking up dirt and metal. They all stop running for the slightest moment, flinching at the explosion and its debris.
The gang runs through the fence, Dan being helped by Acros.
Just keep running. Aria, can you try and contact Doug?
On it.
HONK HONK
HEY!
Who?
HONK HONK
HEY!
Jack?
Jack sits in the white van with the cargo door open.
GET IN THE VAN!
Doug's on. Patching you in.
Doug, why is Jack here?
Acros get in the damn van.