Dace’s team awaited their leader’s news. Dace filled them in quickly.
“That’s bad news” Gabby said.
“What gets me” said Blankan “is how come we still have lights and power here” Blakan nodded at the brightly burning lights.
“Dr. Rothman?” he said. Rothman looked round, the level marker placed them on level 5, just over half way to level 1.
“I think we are above the level of the blackout. Dr. Summers labs are only the level above the labs where the virus was made. If we come out here and check the labs on this level then we can be sure.”
“Ok, team fan out” Dace said. Gabby and Blankan took up position either side of the level door. Brown covered Dr. Rothman with his bulky body while Dace swiped his card through the door lock. When he got no response he nodded at Mr. Brown and swapped position with him. Brown took a brief glance at the door then simply shoulder charged it. There was a crack of wood that made Rothman wince. Brown stepped back and then simple ripped the left hand door off its hinges. Rothman stared at the man, those doors were steel reinforced!
With the way open the team quickly spread out inside the new level guns drawn. There was nothing in the lobby. Dace gestured Rothman threw the doorway, the scientist took another look at the broken door as he went through.
“Do you know this level well?” Dace asked him. Rothman looked at the lobby and the two pastel coloured corridors leading from it.
“Not really, my offices are above here, but I know this is the library and low level research areas. There should be security and network access available”
“OK. Blankan?” Dace turned to the younger man. Blankan whipped out a small folded map.
“If using the standard architecture, Library and information should be that way”. He pointed down the left corridor.
“Right, let’s move”
Rothman was again surprised by how well the small team moved together. Gabby and Blankan did the forward scouting, Dace or Brown covered him while the other brought up the rear. They reached the library quickly, the doors were not locked. Inside the library was built clean of line and very tidy. A long check in desk and office were on one wall Low height bookcases held scientific and medical journals, there were comfortable looking sofas and reading areas. Blankan made straight for the row of computers on the far wall while Gabby checked the office. Dace gestured Rothman to a sofa. Brown sat with Rothman.
“Office is empty” Gabby said from inside it. “There is a security computer here too”
“Good” Dace said and heading in her direction. Thing went quiet. Finally Rothman spoke
“Have you always been that strong?” he asked Brown.
“Yes sir. Grew up on a farm before college and joining the company” Brown smiled.
“But that was an extraordinary feat” Rothman said still awed.
“Not really. I simply channelled my energies into my arms and did the job”
“I don’t understand” Rothman said to the big man.
“It is a technique I learned in college. It’s about channelling chi and focusing the mind. I have found it most useful in this line of work”
“You’re a martial artist?” Rothman found the idea of anyone build that huge doing those fancy spins and kicks.
“Ah. Not quite. It’s a mental technique. But yes I do practice the martial arts, don’t be deceived by the bulk, I can move exceptionally fast, its all in the head.”
“Oh”. Rothman went quiet again.
Blankan broke into the Network setup easy. He ran various traces and diagnostics on the network- what his software told him was not nice. Everything below this level was dead, killed by a virus. Someone had stopped it from destroying everything- he started a trace on that. Power was on in the upper 5 levels only. All lifts were out. All the electronic locks below this level were sealed.
“Sir” he called. Dace came over along with Rothman.
“Security computer is dead. What you got” Dace said sharply. Blankan ran them though the findings.
“So is there any way out of those levels?” Dace said when he was done.
“Three. The lift shafts, stairs, and this” Blankan brought up the map of the complex, and spun it to show the lower levels, and a particular pipe.
“That’s the flush exit pipe for the lower labs” Rothman said. “That’s how the virus got out. It’s not big enough for people”
“No, but we have to consider it” Dace said.
“Can you get people tracking on that?” Rothman asked.
“Nah, it’s not up for that. Besides, the system is shot to shit. That corp virus ate through stuff all over the place. Should have locked down the entire complex”
“No one should have had access to that” Rothman exclaimed.
“Looks like someone did. I can’t trace the source of the execute command. It could be internal or external.” Rothman shook his head
“I know that Hammersmith does not like me, but even he would not try and destroy the lab this way” Rothman said “I told the board we had things under control, they know you’re here Mr. Dace, so why would they try and cut us up like that?”
“Perhaps the board decided to go public and destroyed the files now rather than face an investigation” Brown mused.
“Unlikely that they would go public” Gabby said “they are probably covering their asses”
“That’s if it was external” Blankan said “it could be an inside job. Who has access?”
“Me and the CEO Michael Knox” Rothman said grimly.
“That means someone could have faked the ID’s. I’d say that narrows it down to Blocker, Amleth, or Lee” Dace said.
“Lee’s loyal to the company to a fault; we bailed him out of a very dangerous situation involving a Senators son. Amleth is one of Summer’s team, I don’t know him that well, but Dr. Summer trusts him, and Mr Blocker it seems is capable of anything” said Rothaman. Blankan’s computer bleeped, and brought up the trace results he wanted.
“The paths are a little shot, but I think the virus was stopped by Lee. Its path though the system is countered from a source in the Server Room. He saved some of the power and network.”
“That leaves the Board or Blocker” Dace said quietly.
“Mac has no computer background” Rothman said.
“Therefore it was external and the Board is trying to shut us down” Dace smiled slightly. He had standing orders for this sort of situation.
“All right if the Company is abandoning us then we have to fall back on Rule 2. Hostile situation, it’s a matter of survival now. We get to the surface and get verification of intent. Air supply and power status?” Blankan’s hands flew over the keyboard
“Lee was good but not infallible, he saved power and air recyc on the upper levels but since the links between top and bottom are severed when the power plant does not receive its 12 hour diagnostic it will shut down then we lose power and air”
“ETA?” Brown said
“Given its just gone dawn……..I figure 1 hour tops” Blankan began to pack away his equipment even before Dace had given any orders.
“Right then. We head out for the surface; anyone we meet is either coming with us or hostile. Deal with any resistance as per normal”. Dace turned to Rothman “you can come with us or stay sir, it’s your complex. I will not force you” Rothman look back at the burly squad leader
“It’s a choice of staying with you or staying here with Blocker. I come with you”
“Good. Let’s get out of here”
The team moved back to the stairs and with a quick recon began their accent to the surface.