2041 Sanctuary (Dark Descent) (78 page)

Pleased with the breakthrough, but distressed by its current debilitating effects and feeling too tired to move, let alone run, Sarah used the enforced break to peer into the laboratory next to her. Nothing significant caught her attention until she focused on the rear interior wall, where a large screen relayed multiple data feeds along with an intriguing image of what looked like live footage from some kind of space station, the large circular structure drifting through what could only be the blackness of space. Moving closer to the window she could make out, in the bottom right hand corner of the screen, the words U.S.S.S. Archimedes, the NASA insignia and, next to that, a silver, winged emblem containing two distinct words.

‘Project Ares,’ she read out loud, captivated by the scene, which couldn’t have been more removed from her current location. Wondering what the American civilian space agency could possibly have in common with Sanctuary and the Anakim, Sarah moved to the next window, where she recognised another artefact she’d seen before, also in the SED’s shuttle bay. Inside, resting on the floor, lay the bulky form of a jet-black hexagonal, onyx-type container; one of three fifteen foot long and ten foot high vessels discovered by an archaeological team in the hidden catacombs of Sanctuary Proper, and part of the hoard of artefacts that had included the Anakim shield she’d recently held. The last time she’d seen it the lid had been open, displaying within three rows of small round spheres. Now, the top lay shut, the perfect lines and unblemished reflective surface showed off the fine silver script and symbols that flowed around it.

Her strength was slowly returning, but she was still in no shape to mount any kind of escape. Her curiosity once more getting the better of her, Sarah decided to take a closer look. Rounding the corner, she stepped through the airtight door, its glass frontage adorned with the same Project Ares logo she’d seen moments before, and was subsequently doused in another jet of sanitising vapour. Moving inside, she ran her fingers along the length of the object, relishing its smooth surface and magnificent workmanship. How it had survived so long in such pristine condition God only knew. She’d be fascinated to know where it had been found, such context vital to determining the history of any artefact.

Ignoring a warning sign on the door and passing into another room, Sarah pushed through into a transparent tent which had been erected inside. Within this, on a square aluminium table, sat ten of the multi-sided orbs that could only have originated from the coffin-like creation she’d just visited. Each of these orbs, or more accurately regular dodecahedrons, consisted of twelve pentagonal sides. They were each made of different materials; some had rough, brightly coloured surfaces while others were dull and smooth. All, however, had fine silver symbols inlaid into every one of their sides. They also seemed to be producing some kind of strange high-pitched oscillating noise that made the roots of her teeth tingle.

Trying to dispel this unusual sensation, she leaned in for a closer look. Like the other much larger artefact she’d seen, the scientists had attached to each of these geometric orbs a number of wires, which led off to a host of monitoring equipment bolted to a nearby wall. Opposite, a digital screen displayed various charts and graphs, the data collected plotting across them as she watched.

Deciding these palm sized orbs were perfect for stealing and knowing they would prove difficult to explain away by the scientific community on the surface, Sarah selected the one closest to her. Detaching the small cords around it, she picked it up, noticing as she did so the corrugated surface and extreme weight for something of its size. It felt like a lump of solid lead. Believing two of the orbs would weigh her down too much, she cut her losses and exited the lab, just the one orb cradled in her hands.

Suddenly feeling a lot stronger, her energy levels climbing, Sarah looked at her watch; she had to get back, and soon. As she went to secure the orb in her pocket, a strange tingling sensation ran down her spine, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. The orb grew lighter, its metallic green and yellow flecked surface vibrating and turning smooth. Her hands shook as an intense pain lanced through her head. Crying out in agony she stumbled, the orb falling to the floor and she to her knees. Looking down at her hands, she saw silver symbols on her flesh disappearing as her fingers curled inwards involuntarily. A tortuous seizure tore through her body and she crumpled to the floor, her limbs in spasm. Fitting uncontrollably, Sarah’s eyes rolled up into her head before darkness consumed her and time lost all meaning.

Chapter Fifty Six

Sarah groaned and opened her eyes. A few feet away, resting on the smooth concrete floor, her eyes focused on the small orb that had rendered her unconscious. Rolling to her knees, she removed her helmet, shook her head and rubbed her face before checking the time. Thankfully she’d only been out for a few minutes and apparently no one else had been alerted to her presence, as all was quiet in the highly restricted chamber. The ten grey twin-tiered labs stood silently around her, unmoved by recent events and – mercifully – still unoccupied.

She got to her feet and took a few unsteady steps before her head cleared and the familiar sensation of clarity returned. Unwilling to let this potent object defeat her, Sarah tore a strip of cloth off her lab coat, folded it over so it was nice and thick, and picked up the orb. She waited to see if the same reaction occurred, ready to drop it to the floor the instant it did. After some time passed she deemed it safe enough to tuck away into her Deep Reach coveralls. Feeling light headed but refocused, she glanced at the phone on her wrist, she was overdue; she had to get back to Trish and Jason or it was game over.

Jamming her helmet back on, a jog turned into a run as Sarah headed back to the hatch she’d entered on her way into the secure area.

‘Hey!’ a voice said, making her heart skip a beat.

Looking left she saw the scientist she’d knocked out had also returned to consciousness, untied himself and was now running towards the same exit. She sped up, the distance to the door rapidly decreasing as the man also closed the gap, the two of them converging on the single point. Reaching the hatch first, Sarah spun the wheel as the scientist bore down on her. Hauling it open, she dived inside and yanked it shut just as the man arrived outside, his hands slamming against the tiny window.

They stared at one another through the small window; Sarah turned the wheel before meeting strong resistance as he tried to pull it back the other way. Despite his slim build he was deceptively strong and Sarah knew she couldn’t keep him out for much longer. Searching for something to jam in the mechanism, something else caught her eye. Reaching out a hand while holding the door closed with her body, her fingers brushed against a red button. Unable to activate it, she let go of the wheel, sending the hatch swinging open.

The scientist appeared in the doorway, a look of shock and horror on his face as he saw Sarah slam her palm against the button.

‘No!’ he shouted.

A thick metal plate shot down from above, sealing off the entrance and stranding the man inside. The white lights around her turned red and sirens blasted out a continuous warning in response to Sarah activating an emergency contamination lockdown and facility wide alert. If she hadn’t realised it before, this time she knew the shit really had hit the fan.

♦

Captain Williams of USSB Sanctuary’s Special Forces Subterranean Detachment had worked in the army’s scientific laboratory complex for many years. Originally he’d worked out in Sanctuary Proper alongside the elite teams of the SED, but after suffering a broken leg during a climb he’d been re-tasked with babysitting duties. At the time he’d bemoaned the fact that he’d effectively become a glorified security guard for a bunch of prissy self-involved geeks, and after six years not much had changed. He hated his job and the idiots he was sworn to protect, but apart from demoting himself and taking a hefty pay cut by becoming a regular he was pretty much screwed every which way.

Currently Williams was pulling a nightshift with his colleague, Sergeant Shaw, who had just received a transmission via his radio.

‘Roger that, Control,’ Shaw said and then looked at his Captain. ‘Power’s been fully restored.’

Williams shifted the grip on his rifle. ‘’Bout time.’

‘I wonder what caused it?’  

Williams huffed. ‘Probably some fool messing with something he shouldn’t.’

Just as he uttered those words the lights around him turned red and a siren echoed out into the corridors.

‘Fuck, what now?’ He turned and looked through the glass into the zone he protected.

‘You better get in there,’ Shaw told him, ‘it’s protocol.’

‘Screw protocol, the last time they tripped this alarm ten people ended up dead; they don’t pay me enough to have my face melted off.’

‘Melted?’

‘I saw the bodies,’ Williams said, determined not to set a foot in there unless he was ordered to do so, ‘but by all means, if you want to follow protocol, you’re more than welcome to take the lead.’

The sergeant considered him for a moment. ‘Let’s wait; someone will be down in a minute.’

‘Good call.’ Williams eyed the area as a scientist came running through the security scanners in a white hazmat suit.

Shaw backed away and cocked his rifle. ‘How did they get out?’

Captain Williams held his hand up at the scientist as they pulled open the thick glass door. ‘Stay inside,’ he said, walking backwards away from her.

‘I’m okay.’ The woman held her own hands up in the air in supplication. ‘I’m the one who triggered the system.’

Williams kept his weapon at the ready in case she got too close. ‘What’s going on in there?’

‘A big leak.’ Now out in the hallway she moved away from him. ‘I’d start running if I was you, the whole place could go up!’

‘What?!’

‘Run!’ She sprinted off.

Williams looked round to see his colleague disappearing down the corridor in the other direction. ‘Crap,’ he said and pelted after him.

♦

Sarah sped around a corner, pulling off the top of the biohazard suit as she went and throwing it aside. With her shoes squeaking on the tiled floor she left the soldiers far behind her as she ran as fast as she could.

I can’t believe I got away with that
, she thought, the adrenaline coursing through her system as sirens continued to wail around her.
You’re lucky they didn’t shoot you
, her internal voice admonished.

Trying to get her bearings, she skidded to halt as she spied some signs. Discarding the bottom half of the hazmat ensemble, Sarah scanned though the directions for a way out.

‘That’ll do,’ she said, seeing a sign reading
Smithsonian Vaults
and darting away to follow the arrow as if the hounds of hell themselves were nipping at her heels.

She flew up some stairs and soon crashed through an exit to emerge inside the compound containing the museum’s vaults. Back on recognisable ground, Sarah went up the spiral staircase and across the bridge, noticing the area was now brightly lit and military trucks roared up the access road beneath her.
If they aren’t after me yet they soon will be
, she thought, keeping up her pace as she smashed open a door to carry on towards the museum and the SED beyond.

Hurdling a barrier, Sarah banged open the first of the hatch doors she’d left unlocked on her way in. With their heavy metal frames crashing into the walls at her passing, the sound echoing down the halls, Sarah saw a familiar figure ahead.

‘Sarah?’ Petra frowned and moved to bar her way ‘
You’re
the security breach?’

Without breaking stride Sarah swung a fist at Petra’s smug face; knocking her out cold.

‘Yep!’ she said, glancing back and feeling a disturbing abundance of satisfaction as she continued on her way.

Before she knew it she’d traversed the museum and the lift back down to the SED. Now running through the brick tunnel, Sarah prised open the rusting iron door, half expecting to see a line of soldiers standing there with their guns trained at her chest. Instead there was only emptiness, the dimly lit atrium as yet undisturbed by her deeds back in the vaults and laboratories. Rushing forwards into the building, Sarah worked her way inside and back up to the SED’s Command Centre.

Opening the door to the Control Station, she moved through to find the area empty.
Where the hell are Trish and Jason?
she thought, looking down into the partially lit shuttle bay below.

‘Looking for your friends?’ a familiar voice said.

Sarah turned around to see Cora standing behind the door.

‘Strangest thing,’ Cora turned on the lights and walked towards her, ‘Riley rang me up in the middle of the night asking if I’d seen his multifunction card. Of course I hadn’t, but then that’s because you have it, don’t you?’

‘Where are my friends?’ Sarah backed away from her, noticing she held a wicked looking climbing axe in one hand.

‘Why? Are you planning on going somewhere?’ Cora moved towards her, axe raised. ‘According to the military chatter you’ve been a very naughty girl.’

‘Where are they?!’

Cora smiled and tapped her nose. ‘Now, now, impatience is not a virtue. Besides, you should be more worried about yourself than them.’

Sarah realised Cora wanted her to run. Her eyes narrowed and she halted her retreat.

‘You’re a brave girl.’ Cora’s face hardened. ‘Let’s see if I can cut that out of you.’

She swung the axe and Sarah leaned back, the blade nicking her cheek as it slashed past. Diving to the side, she rolled back to her feet before having to evade another strike as Cora slammed the axe down into the desk she’d just been in front of. The woman wasn’t trying to stop or maim her – she intended to kill!

Sarah ducked again as another strike came in, but this time Cora had overreached and Sarah was able to counter-attack with a punch to her chin. Unlike the fragile Petra, however, Cora walked through the blow to deliver a head-butt to Sarah’s nose. Pain exploded in her face as she felt the bone break. A knee took her in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her, before a fist connected with her temple. Sarah staggered back and Cora advanced, looking to finish her. Sarah yanked the heavy Mayan tablet from her pocket just as the axe swung down at her head. The point connected with the metal plate, the impact throwing Cora off balance and allowing Sarah to scramble clear.