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We scurried back into the city in the complex tunnels running beneath the data centers. The cooling towers, hallways, endless hallways leading to more hallways. Without a map, we indeed would’ve been a rat in a cage. But we had Asrid. She was tuned in and listening. Somehow, her sensitivity fell below the radar scans of the surveillance drones and listening spiders.
She walked without singing this time. Even at 11 she knew this was deadly serious. She was playing her part. Json stayed close to her, encouraging her, coaching her on even as he could see she was getting tired. The anxiety, the hyper-cooling-jets blowing air through the tunnels. On she led us, deeper into the heart of GAA. We’d never even been close to their computing center. The gates and security above ground, and even in the air, was exemplary. But down here, they didn’t have eyes. At least, not that we knew of yet.
As we snaked deeper down the maze, it occurred to Json that he was putting everyone at risk. Astrid. The people on the mission. The resistance in general was just being born and organized. If this failed, it could me Json’s last attempt. Hell, to be fair, it was likely he, Astrid, and the others would not be alive in ten minutes.
“Ten minutes,” Astrid announced as if she was reading Json’s thoughts.
What if it doesn’t work? What if we reveal how much of the DHA-2 had been reconstructed? What if this is the trap we’ve been trying to avoid for the last month on the run. Grandmother’s house was good at the beginning. The team had grown to around 124 people. Now, the problem was food and beds. And this…
“STOP!” Astrid screamed.
Everyone held their breath.
Astrid appeared to be sniffing the air. Or looking for something.
“QUIET!,” she yelled again, sounding like a battlefield commander. She was a gamer, after all.
Astrid paused and looked into the eyes of the five team members. Json was worried. She looked like she was going to panic or run away. Maybe fall down in a faint.
“It’s Clear Now,” she said, calmly walking towards the next blue metal door marked 72 – EAST.
Json resisted the urge to question her. He needed her to focus on the path not on his concerns. He needed her to survive just long enough for them to plant the bomb. He put his arm around her shoulder and walked beside her. Neither spoke.
“Five!” Astrid said. I couldn’t hear the footsteps or gear rattle of our team, the jet-fans were in high gear. Temperature on the surface was supposed to reach 135 today, in the shade. Texas wasn’t even the worst.
Json thought about The Lady in Black. Where was she? Did they get her? Did she get a ride out of Singapore? How was their time together so important? What did it mean? How did the music transmit messages? Not only to Json’s testosterone levels but also to his thoughts? Her beats were often polyrhythmic and unsynchronized. Polyrhythms she called them. Or inter-rhythms. She said once, “I’m playing my part. Like a piece on a chess board. You’re on the playing field too, you just don’t know it yet.
I knew it now.
His body ached from the two months of sleeping on a pad on the ground. His heart ached for companionship. And his mysterious vanishing girlfriend almost seemed to be sending him text messages in his mind.
“This is not the way,” the incoming voice said.
“Hold up?” Json, held up his hand. “Astrid, are you sure we are close?”
She looked wet and frightened. “Yes. I think it’s only two more doors. Blue East 75.”
“Okay.” Json motioned to the small team. “It’s showtime, folks. Keep your heads down.” He could feel the tingle of the nuclear payload in his backpack. He was probably getting a lethal does of radiation anyway, even if they were able to run out of this place before the bomb went off. He didn’t want to think of that now. He didn’t want to think of Astrid blowing up with the rest of them. He kept his eyes on Astrid and his hand on the bomb. Deeper into ground zero, minus ten minutes, max. Heros or victims. Martyrs or victors. Much would be decided in the next few minutes.
The moment arrived. The last door, number 75, was unlocked. It opened into just one more infinite hallway. Something was different. The light. A smell. Json couldn’t pick up the change.
“Hold,” whispered, Astrid. “We’re here.”
She pointed up to a black square, a ceiling tile about thirty feet above their heads.”That’s it. That’s the door.”
“The gateway?” Json asked.
“Back door,” Astrid said, laughing. “There’s always a back door.”
Json put down his backpack and began assembling the weapon. Two others were moving a maintenance lift into position under the infinite black square. It seemed to suck light, like a black hole. Json could feel the cold sweat droplet moving down his spine inside his clothes. He shivered.
“Ready. Armed.”
Astrid screamed again, “We need to run. Now! Keep going to the higher numbers. Keep going East. Don’t stop. Never stop.”
Through three of the doors, the crew ran with gear clanking. Astrid continued to yell directions. “Keep straight. We’re going to the ocean. Keep East. Run!”
Json admired her courage and leadership. He was watching her become a woman. A leader. A warrior. He brought up the rear of the group and checked behind them, as he closed and locked the simple doorknob mechanism.
WHOOMP!
The concussion flattened them and propelled them toward the closed door. A loud ringing in the ear was all Json could make out. He pulled himself up from under some random debris. Astrid was nearby, sitting upright.
“It didn’t kill us,” she said.
“We’ve still gotta run.”
Through blue door number 147 EAST, the group found themselves standing on the beach in the sunshine. Everyone squinted and shaded their eyes from the blazing sun. Above the ringing in his ears, Json could hear the waves coming on shore. He grabbed Astrid in a bear hug and twirled her around several times. They laughed. The team relaxed and took a good deep breath.
In the distance, behind them, a faint wailing of sirens seemed to be growing louder. A dark black streak of smoke pointed straight up into the stratosphere. The first blow had been delivered. Now, they had to figure out where they were and how to get back to the rest of The Resistance.
