[Taocow PBEM] [Alex] Book 3 - Chapter XVII

[Aaron Clausen]

[GM]
As Vesper and his familiars leave, Alex is left behind with the leader
and the three other volunteers. The four quickly lead Alex down the
stairs and into the bowels of the building. Here the centuries of
exposure to water have done their real damage. The concrete of the
stairs at points has simply crumbled away, leaving the steel frames to
rust to the point where they can support no weight. Here the locals
have built ladders made out of metal, wood, wire and whatever else
they can scrounge. After they've gone down a few floors even the light
of the leylines and nexus have disappeared and only torches and Alex's
own equipment shines the way.

Finally they reach the level the locals have been looking for. By
Alex's estimate it must be about four floors down. There is an old
steel door that has been blocked as best as could be managed with
large pieces of concrete. The company moves quickly to push aside the
rubble and then they push the door open.

Alex is confronted by a vast space, at least two thousand feet long
and probably the same wide. Huge pillars hold up the ceiling, which
stands about twenty feet high. The entire space is filled with
"autos", that is vehicles. There must be a few thousand of them, row
after row, makes and models from the last days before the Apocalypse.
All look to be civilian vehicles; some wheeled, some hover, a few even
on tracks. Most of the vehicles are in incredibly poor condition,
having rusted by storms that washed in water from above.

All is dark, save for a faint luminescence about seven or eight
hundred feet away, a blinking red light.

The leader tugs at Alex. "We have to go, the A-Yee lives here, and it
has bots that guard the place. Most don't work so well, but a few can
hurt."

He points ahead. "There's a hatch that leads down to the water
tunnels. Now run!"

The four don't even wait for Alex and start running. As she follows,
she sees the red light begin to blink faster, and a green light
appear. She hears the "crunch" of something approaching, probably on
treads. Meanwhile her companions have reached what appears to be a
large manhole cover, and are busily trying to lift it.

And then a voice booms in an English accent out, "Alert! Alert!
Security breach! Alert! Produce your ident card or number and await
the concierge. If you lack authorization, please place your hands in
the air and do not move, and an Authority will arrive to facilitate
your detainment and your punishment."

Alex here's the crunching sound approaching from her left, and the
faint light of a scanning beam searching for whomever is on this
floor.
[/GM]



-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com

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