It started with a bang, or at least the scientists thought it did. In reality, it took a bit longer.
Dr. Samuel Perry was sitting in his office at the time, reading the evening paper after finishing his work. He heard an explosion from somewhere above him that caused the ceiling to shake and the lights to flicker. He sighed as the klaxon went off, its shrill tone permeating the nice silence he was enjoying.
He opened the door and followed the rest of the staff as they filed down to the lower levels. As he passed the stairs he took a quick glance to check no one was watching and hurriedly ran up two floors. Walking out into the now quiet hall of Floor 3, he walked along until he found Testing Chamber 14A. With a slight push the door opened inwards softly. He took a seat near the observation window and waited.
CI mole Alex Johnson (also known as Special Agent Beta Six to the CI) jogged through the breach, where the PETN had left a hole, grinning wildly. Command ordered them to head to the lower levels and secure any hostiles or anomalous objects. As they passed a small stairwell Alex paused. “Beta Six, going dark,” he whispered into his microphone. “Received Johnson,” replied Command. Alex turned off the radio and headed down the stairwell softly hoping the rest of Beta Squad Two didn’t hear him leave.
“Hey Command, Alex has gone off again. We pursue?” said Squad Lead Agent Rhodes as she watched Alex try to sneak down the stairs. “Negative, he will rejoin you later.” was the reply. She shrugged at the rest of the group with a smile and set off back down the hall. The sound of gunfire echoing down the narrow corridors enticing her to join in.
Alex walked down the hallway counting the doors. On the 7th one, he opened it. “Heya Sam,” he said grinning. They embraced each other for a second then both sat down. “Site-21 is gonna have to take the hit, unfortunately, you are required to return to the main base and be debriefed,” he said sadly.
“Well hey, been good working with you,” replied Sam with a nod. He took a small wristwatch from his pocket, eying it critically. “I shall go grab anything I left in my office. I assume I will have time?”
Alex nodded. “Yeah, the charges will go off in about 10 minutes. Hopefully we will be all done by then.” Sam passed Alex a small notebook labelled 'briefing' with a quick nod. Alex pocketed it for reading at a later date.
With that, soon-to-be Ex-Dr. Perry exited the office. Alex checked his phone. One new message. “Secure Tempus-032 at all cost. Risk level has escalated, and we must not let the Chaos get hold of it.” Alex stood still for a second, his brow furrowed; looks like he still had some work to be doing. Retracing his steps, he took the stairs deeper into the bowels of the facility.
Arriving in the Safe containment section, he grabbed the notebook from his jacket. Thumbing through the pages till he reached Operation BlastChamber, he read through Sam's scribbled writing until he found the location and passcode to the room. Popping the book back into the folds of his pockets he headed down the stark maze-like corridor. Stopping at a seemingly inconspicuous door, he entered a code into the pin lock. The door swung open quietly, its hinges well oiled and cared for recently from the look of it.
He cautiously entered the chamber. Alex next took out a Mini SRA device from his pocket, something the researchers had been working on recently, and activated it. Opening his bag he grabbed a metal box and placed the activated mini SRA inside. Entering the pin code from the book once again into the locker in the middle of the chamber, he extracted a metallic spike object and placed it within the box. Retrieving his phone, he sent the phrase “Storm averted”. Hiding the box back inside the backpack, he worked his way back to the stairs.
Heading upwards, Alex turned his radio back on. “Are we good to go Command?” he asked. “Indeed Johnson, return to your unit as soon as possible.” was the ensuing reply. He jogged back up the stairs, following the sound of his squad dispatching the last of the facility guards. Heading upwards he grabbed some PETN from his backpack, it was time to have some fun.
Ex-Dr. Perry surveyed his desk; he had nothing much sentimental there. He grabbed the Christmas photo of himself and the Site-21 staff, his notebook and pen and a badge with a blue chameleon over the letters AV. The rest wasn't really his, merely inherited from the guy who used to use this office. The last thing he grabbed was the newspaper. The front page would look nice on his wall, he thought. Ex-Dr. Perry hoped he would see Alex soon; he liked to think they had become friends along the way. Taking a quick, final look back he opened the door and left quietly, very alike to his arrival at Site 21 he thought. No evidence of his life there remained.
A quick tap of a button was all it took and with that, Site-21 lit up like an early fireworks show. Beta Squad Two and Seven sat on the hill near admiring the view. The structure buckled as its supports were destroyed from under it. Groaning under the weight, the roof finally collapsed, the shriek of metal bending like music to their ears. The group let forth an explosive cheer.
Rhodes grinned, “Alright, people. Time to head back to base. Command wants a debrief.” With a few good-hearted grumbles, they trooped over to the waiting transport trucks.
As Alex turned to leave, the sun glinted off a badge just below his shoulder, a curled up red chameleon above the letters AV. A symbol of a kind. And with that, the sun set on a successful mission. And it ended as it had started.
With a bang.