"What the hell? You two are a little late reporting in don't you think? Are you the reason this alarm is going off"?
Life cuts him off before he can say anymore, "Eddie, you need to get someone to scan the cave entrance where we parked. I think someone is spying on you from there".
Suddenly we feel a rumble shake the complex. Before Eddie can say anything, Mrs. Ivanova walks out of Eddie's room straightening her blouse. She looks at Eddie and asks,
"Who the hell are you talking to Eddie?
What is the alert for?
Eddie turns to Mrs. Ivanova and tells her, "Donna I need you to go to the barracks and calm the men. When you get there open a communications channel with CNC on the encrypted line. I'll let you know from CNC what our situation is".
Donna nods and runs off toward the barracks.
Eddie looks at us, "We may have to find out just how bad ass you two are today! Come with me to CNC. If it hits the fan, I need to know you got my back". We both nod affirmative and the three of us run to CNC as fast as Fast Eddie can run.
AWWWK!!! AWWWKK!!!!! AWWWWWKKKK!!!! The alarm is even louder as we reach CNC. Eddie zips through the identification scanner and like lightening arrives at his post at CNC with the two of us right behind him.
Someone yells "Old Man on the Bridge"!
Eddie begins barking out orders.
"Kill that Alarm"!
Give me a visual on the Water Tower and the Cave entrance parking lot.
Sarah and Roger get down there with our best scanners and hit the parking lot. I have reason to believe we've been bugged.
Franky, shut down external hack on Homeland Internet. I don't want to give them a way into our internal systems in case this is a government attack".
Eddie shouts, "Patch me into the barracks encryption line ASAP"! as the alarm goes into silent mode.
Numerous "Sir, yes sir" chants are heard as Eddie stops for breath. Everyone in CNC is a blur of motion as actions commanded and expected are implemented by the techies.
The Water Tower flicks visible on the large screen in CNC. There is smoke coming from the roof of the tower and fighter jets, bombers and drones can be seen on the horizon. Before Eddie can say anything, a tall willowy figure becomes visible on a smaller screen. He is dressed in the garments of a pastor but he is also wearing a military helmet on his head. The military pin on his shirt identifies him as O'Kelly. I recognize him as the priest from our village.
Pastor O'Kelly addresses our group, " And then shall the Most High say to the Nations of the Dead, See ye and understand whom ye have denied, or whom ye have not served or whose commandments ye have despised! Thus shall he speak unto them upon the Day of Judgment! Look at this side and that (the pastor gestures dramatically) On this side is delight and rest... and there is fire and torment". The pastor nods and a savoy of missiles hit the water tower, knocking out the image of the tower from the big screen in a fiery eruption. CNC shakes violently and power flickers briefly throughout the room.
In the brief moment after the rumbling stops, Franky yells, "Sir, I can't shut down our internet feed"! There's a tracker bug on that Troop transport you brought in! Why didn't I recognize that pattern before! IDIOT"! He slaps his forehead. "Sir, it's armed"!
Eddie shouts over the com, "SARAH! ROGER! GET OUT OF THERE! IT'S TRAPPED"!!!!
BOOOM!!!!!!!! The cave entrance is a cloud of smoke and dust. KA-BOOOOM! The second blast collapses the cave entrance and the violence of the explosion sends anyone standing flying across CNC. Numerous techies are injured and half of the workstations have gone dead. The pastor smiles a toothy grin as his screen goes black.
Suddenly Mrs. Ivanova's voice blasts out through CNC in a static filled electronic wave, "Sir, (sounds of heavy coughing), SIR, a green colored gas is filling all ventilation shafts. Men in...black suits...coming... It...it is difficult...to...think". There is the sound of gunfire and then suddenly there is nothing but static.
Eddie shouts, "Franky, purge the mainframe stat! Emergency Level 1. Evacuate all personnel to Station alpha". Just then CNC begins to fill with a thick green gas. Faster than thought the techies collapse where they are standing. Fast Eddie falls to his knees, wordlessly looks at us and then face plants onto the bridge deck with a thump.