Now he could see results of fight. Blood, pieces of flesh, grenade explosion marks, bullet impact holes. When they turned right Jennifer looked around her trying to see everything.
“I’ve never been in this part of facility. I was always in the labs or apartments. What is here anyway?”
“Storage, manufacturing plant, power plant and morgue.”
Their first stop was morgue.
“Stay here! I have something I need to do.” He took backpack and pushed the door.
He found himself in white room with table, chair, computer, and locker for autopsy reports. He headed to computer, plugged in his contact tablet and started to browse files. All subjects deceased more that six months ago have been cremated and disposed of. But ashes of Tom and Kate are still stored in Cells 02 and 06. He headed to storage cells then. Door was sealed. No way he’s going to breach it.
He returned to computer, he looked for a way to open the door. He couldn’t find anything.
He started to think about using all explosives he had and try to breach the door but then a wild idea formed in his head. He focused on renewed connection between him and Gillian.
“Hey Gillian… you there?” He talked to her using the connection hoping that his words will reach her.
“What?! John is that you?” Her confused voice came back.
“Yeah me, I need help.”
“Can’t it wait? I’m in shower right now.”
“Can you find Caroline or Claire or anyone who can open this damn door?”
“Give me a minute.”
Ten minutes of silence followed. Then Claire spoke over radio transmitter.
“I was very lonely, sitting on your table, but Gillian came to talk. She informed me that you require assistance.” Was that a hint of sarcasm?
John was trying to open the door using brute force of his armor.
“Do you still have control of facility systems?”
Door in front of him unsealed and opened.
“I still possess full control of facility.”
John was glad to hear that.
“If you can open every door in my way that would be fine. And… you can always call me when you are lonely.”
He proceeded to cell 02. There was an urn inside small cabinet with glass door. He broke the glass with fist. Urn was ceramic marked by metal plate:
Subject Sigma
#6572394
Female
Age: 17
Born: 25. April 2003
K.I.A. 24. April 2020
John’s thoughts darkened. “A day before her birthday. And I couldn’t do anything to save her… It was my fault I should have aborted mission.”
“There was no way for you to know.” Jennifer was standing behind him.
Same process with cell 06.
Subject Alpha
#65017209
Male
Age: 18
Born: 6. June 2002
K.I.A. 24. April 2020
John put both urns into his backpack and went away from that place.
They walked towards manufacturing facility. The place was huge. Crates, weapons, machine parts, machines, wires, computers and a lot more. John was looking for one machine in particular.
Jennifer broke silence with question. “What are we looking for?”
“3MD.”
“What’s that.”
“Mobile Multifunctional Manufacturing Device.”
John found that name when he was downloading database.
Jennifer turned right after a while. “Got it! Right over here.”
It was prepared for shipping out packed into wooden crate with sing “3MD.” John used blade to open it then he grabbed handle on it’s side and pulled it out. It looked like steel cube with several handles, buttons and lever. John pulled the lever and opened the workbench. Interface was adapted to hybrids. Instead of touch screen there was contact foil.
“Find cable and plug it I want to test it first.” John looked at Jennifer.
She ran away between crates and tables to find power source. Suddenly alarms went off.
Jennifer returned with fear in her eyes. “I just plugged it… and… and.”
Lights turned off and two of them were left in darkness. Computer voice echoed through silence.
“Reactor malfunction, emergency power supply depleted, system shutdown imminent.”
John peered into darkness.
“Well… shit.”
He lit two lights on front side of his armor.
“See those small boxes? Take as much as you can put in this crate.”
He said and gave Jennifer one of crates from cart. Then he picked up the 3MDand put it on the cart next to empty crates. He pushed cart to separate room where computer components were stored. John kicked down it’s door. I looked like someone was looting before them shelves were half empty but there was everything John wanted. He took everything what was left it wasn’t much, just enough to fill one crate. He also took few screens and holo projector and placed them on 3MD.
“What do you want to do with all this stuff?” Jennifer asked looking at empty shelf.
“I don’t know yet, but I have some ideas. Our last stop will be armory.”
“What do you want there?” Jennifer tried to move the cart but she couldn’t.
John left that question unanswered. He pushed the cart through dark corridors until they came to armory door. There was no way to open it normally so he put all breaching charges on it. They stepped back and John blew it up. There were few things he wanted, rocket launchers, mortar and some more guns.
“Is this all you want from here? Guns?” Jennifer was upset.
“No I want ammo too. Look for big green boxes with “80mm” on them.” John said jokingly as he placed mortar to last crate. After they loaded ammo on already overloaded cart they headed out.
Sunlight blinded John when they came outside. Caroline was waiting for them.
“Where the hell have you been? We’re leaving in 60 minutes and you do what? You go inside and gather whatever you can. I don’t even want to know what is in those crates and why you are taking that machine. I don’t care take what you want, nobody will miss it. Jennifer get someone to bring it to the truck so they can take it to my house. John, go back to your tent and pack your things.”
They went to do what she said without saying a word, John took backpack with him. For some time they went together, before they parted their ways they shook their hands.
“Thanks for help down there and with Gillian. I hope we’ll meet again.” John said and then he went away.
Gillian waited for him in his tent.
“Why are you here? You should be packing.” He gently placed the backpack on his bed.
“I want to spend some more time with you. They want us to live separately as far from each other as possible. Do you need help with armor?” She put her hands on his chestplate.
“Some help wouldn’t hurt.”
They couldn’t find a way to cooperate to take off armor so John did it by himself.
“We should go. It’s been almost an hour I can’t believe they don’t have machine for this.”
John locked his armor in a crate.
“You should build one… wait you don’t need to. You are not taking it with you, are you?”
Gillian was worried.
“It’s not that simple.” John said while picking up backpack.
“What is it John?” She stood in his way.
“I’m going back.”
“When? Why? You don’t have to. You can live normal life. Is it because..?” She looked at his artificial arm.
“I have to. Have you seen those marines? They were about to start they guard duty here and I would most likely kill them after some time. Now? They are going to war. I don’t know where. I don’t know why. We were supposed to be there instead of them. After so many years here… I don’t think I can do anything else.”