All the computers crashed at exactly the same time. Almost immediately after the tannoy announced that all employees left in the complex where to go up to Level 1 Conference room now for an emergency meeting.
Anthony Morris swore at the screen and only barely heard the announcement. He was working late on his report, which was 2 days overdue already. He debated not going, but he spotted Mac Blocker and some security goons wandering his way across the open plan office telling the few others here that they had to go. Anthony pressed the ‘on’ button on his PC, but the stupid machine stayed dead.
“Fuck” he said to himself. Good job he’d saved only a minute or so before the crash.
“Time to go Morris” Blocker said to him in a slightly bored voice. Anthony got up and looked down at the thick set man. At 6’ 8” and 250lbs Anthony towered almost everyone, but Blocker scared him, maybe it was because he held ultimate power over him, or because he had a pack of goons, either way he mumbled
“Ok. Give a few minutes to get my stuff”
“Now, Morris” Blocker said sharply.
“Right” Anthony answered and grabbed his case. He threw in his essentials; backups, notepad, laptop, mobile and left his desk. He knew Blocker was watching him as he headed for the lifts, but he tried to walk confidently.
Anthony stood in the lobby with the 3 other people heading upstairs. He thought about how much he disliked Blocker. Ever since his first day here when Blocker forced him from the weight room he’d hated the man, yet at a word he could get him fired, one meeting with Director Rothman and bang, he’d be bounced back to working for crap money at crappy Mid-west no-name Universities. Hell Blocker would probably arrange it so he’d end up out of science completely! Anthony tightened his grip on his case- he could not lose this job, his project on mutagenics and the Human body was nearly finished.
Just as the lift came Anthony’s mobile rang. He looked at it dumbly- only a few people had that number. His companions held the lift, but Anthony waved them on, then pulled out his phone and looking at the number calling. A thrill ran though him at the name showing on the small screen. He answered the phone.
“Hello” he said quietly.
“Hello Morris” the commanding voice said.
“Mr. Johnson” Anthony said in a flat voice. He suddenly realised he might be over heard and walked quickly into the bathroom.
“Well I guess you where not expecting this call, but I’ll come right to the point. I am calling in your service. Time for you to return home Morris. Perform well and you know the rewards, I do not need to tell you what happens otherwise”
“No sir” Anthony said clearly.
“Good” Anthony could heard him smile “Your task is nice and simple. There is a backup store on level 2 next to the CEO’s office I want the Hard Drives from it brought out of the complex and taken to this location” Anthony’s phone bleeped as GPS co-ordinates arrived by txt. “Can you do?”
“Yes sir. Easy”
“Good. I will expect to see you then”. Johnson hung up.
Anthony let out a huge sign and leaned against the cool tiles of the bathroom. Finally he was going back to a decent lab and decent facilities. No more Blocker or his goon squad. No need to maintain his stupid cover story about dead end University jobs and teaching morons. He felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his back. Damm it felt good too! He washed his hands and left the bathroom, remembering to wipe the stupid grin off his face. He was not out yet.
Anthony called the lift and rode it up 2 levels to Level 2. This was where the offices were plush and had real daylight from windows, not just arboretum shafts. Everyone knew which office was Rothmans and Anthony quickly moved past it to the door marked ‘private’. He tried the handle and was not surprised to find it locked. He was about to try looking for a swipe card when the lights went out. Looking round at the deserted corridor he leaned back and smashed his not inconsiderable shoulders into the door which splintered loudly. Two more charges and it broke open. He looked around again into the red lights of the emergency system- no one around. He went in.
The room was a small cupboard packed with machines; security monitoring stations, network computers, air conditioning machines. Anthony looked round lost- he was a scientist not a techy. Still he searched and eventually found a Pc labelled backup. He dug out a screwdriver and shut the machine down, ignoring the various screen warning messages about being on UPS power backup or something. Quickly he got the cover off and started unplugging the cables.
It was getting hot in the little room, all the air con was dead due to the blackout. Anthony started sweating into the machine has was struggling with, the drops of sweat making hissing noises as they landed on the hot components. It was a struggle but eventually he got the 3 hard drives out. Just as he pulled the last drive out the power came back on. Anthony jumped as machines started humming and booting up. He dumped the three drives back into his case and headed out quickly.
The lift up to level 1 seemed huge and empty. Anthony did not feel guilty about his actions. His boss would not ask him to break cover without a damm good reason. Anthony tried to guess what it would be- breakthrough? He’d heard nothing- he knew his research, like so many of the others scientists work was being funnelled into the Big project downstairs, but he had no idea what for; he was not cleared for that level of access, though rumours came though- some big breakthrough in DNA sequencing and Human genetic reversion, though no one could be sure. Hell now he didn’t care either!
Anthony stepped out of the lift into the huge marble lobby of the complex. All the conference rooms where here as where the parking lot, reception, and main security point. The place was deserted, but Anthony could here voices coming from the main conference room.
“……………leak. So for your own safety we will be shipping you down to hotels in Otter Falls overnight, just until the problem is past” Dr Harman, Rothman’s second in command was saying as he walked in. there were about 50 people in the room, including several security guards- though Rothman and Blocker were missing. Did they know about the backups already? A large muscular lady stuck up her hand
“Yes Mrs Ivers?” Harman said
“We live in Otter Falls sir, could I go home?”
“Yes I suppose that would be alright. I would have to check”
“What’s going on?” Anthony whispered to Janice who was from his floor while he slipped into a chair.
“Leak from the power plant. Its caused a land slide and cut off the main road. They are putting us up overnight”
“Right” Anthony said.
The whole thing was very quickly organised. Harman sorted out a driver and the first load of employees left in the company mini-bus. It would take 2 hours or so each way on the back road, then the others would go. Anthony tried to get on the first bus but they went down floor by floor so he couldn’t.
Anthony kept checking his phone and the coordinates. They where on the back road about half way to town. He was nervous but in the time they had he could do nothing but wait. He did some work on his laptop and chatted with the others. Some of the 30 people in the room slept but Anthony was to wound up. He kept expecting Rothman or Blocker to burst in and arrest him.
It was only an hour before dawn when the bus driver came back. The room stirred back to life as he came in and reported to Harman who nodded and started giving orders for everyone to get ready. Anthony grabbed his case and slipped the laptop back in. Nearly time.
As they waited in reception the stairs door burst open. A dishevelled Rothman and 4 heavily armed people came out. The lead man, obviously a commander spoke first
“Who’s in charge here?” he ordered. One of the security guard stepped forward
“Mike Hawkins, sir” the well built guard said sharply.
“I’m Dace. What going on here?”
“We were just about to take the last civilians down to Otter Falls sir. Orders came down from HQ earlier on. No one contradicted them”
“You have communications?”
“Yes sir”
“Good give me a damm phone now!” Hawkins led the agitated Dace to the security desk. Dace grabbed the receiver and punched a number. Rothman stepped forward and talked to Harman. Anthony watched all the activity and wondered exactly what had his boss got him involved with?
Rothman talked to the CEO Michael Knox after Dace then he, Harman and Dace conferred. It was a simple decision to send the civilians down to Otter Falls, despite the virus it was the safest place for them and Dr. Noc would keep them safe from the virus. With Blocker loose in the complex and likely to be heading for this level what else could they do, the main roads would be blocked by now and communications were very patchy.
“Listen up people!” Dace shouted. The crowd of civilians went quiet as ordered.
“You are being shipped out as planned. Dr. Jones here” he indicated a good looking lady to his left “will be going with you to get through the various patrols that are out. We estimate you will be back in the afternoon” he paused to see if anyone would question him, no one did “Mr. Masters, take the group to the bus”
The driver Bob Masters followed his directions and soon the bus was full of people, including Dr. Harman. Anthony signed with relief as it began to move away from the complex.
“Nearly time” he said to himself.