17-02-2020, 02:17 AM
"You've been with me both times." Helen said, giving the charge one last look-over before turning to retreat down the hall. "Maybe you're the one who's immune and I'm just benefiting from it."
"I ain't that lucky." Mander replied. "You knew we'd get out of here soon. Why make all those people break open the vending machines and give up their drugs and stuff for nothing?"
"The drug part wasn't nothing, there really are injured who could use something for pain. The rest? Well, yeah, it was a morale thing. Make them feel like they're doing something proactive, they'll know that more must be getting done outside, and even without doing The Thing, they've got something better to do than panic about being trapped down here."
"Well, if you're ready," Suzy-Q told Helen. "I guess I'll get back and tell Susan to call Ramirez and say, 'fire in the hole.' You do what Susan would want you to do."
"Don't die." They said together. Suzy-Q vanished.
The two of them returned to the set. Helen checked her phone. Still no signal, but the clock told her that twelve minutes had passed in their walk to the cave-in and back.
"Everyone cover your ears!" She commanded them all. "We should be safe back here, but it's going to be even louder than before. Doing the old 'duck and cover' might not be a bad idea."
When everyone agreed, Helen gave Ramirez another minute to get everyone clear outside.
"You're waiting to come up with something cool to say before pressing the trigger, aren't ya?" Mander asked.
"Was thinking about it." Helen replied. "Then I thought I'd just do what Propappou would."
With that, she began humming "The 1812 Overture." When Helen got to the part where the cannon comes in, she squeezed the trigger.
* * *
Generalissimo Ramirez and Luc watched the smoking ruins of the Visitors' Center from behind a shielding pane of two-inch thick transparent Lexan at the edge of the parking lot. Rescue workers and Ultimados waited with them; ready to move in as soon as La Pompiere said it was safe. They'd gotten the blaze from the first bomb under control when word came to fall back and get ready for a second.
Susan called Ramirez back and told him that La Contessa was ready on her end. He reasoned that she was giving them some extra time to get clear.
About when he began to wonder if she was going to do it or not was when rocks began exploding out of the giant hole that the first had blown out of the building. La Pompiere moved in to put out the new blaze. Rescue workers followed in oxygen masks and jumpsuits. Once the second fire, smaller now that there was less to burn, was out, Ramirez and Luc joined them inside.
Flashlights sprang to life and pierced the cloud of dust and smoke that they were passing through. There were still stones and boulders to be navigated around, but the way to the set had now been blown clear.
They proceeded down the bombed-out hall, following the map to where the film crew were shooting. It was there that La Contessa, Mander, and what appeared to be a small Dungeons & Dragons convention were waiting. Adventuring parties sat in groups and dice clattered on the bare stone floor. In one area, a group of injured people lay sleeping or dazedly listening to someone reading them a book they'd brought to the set. Everyone had snacks and drinks, as if the vending machines had been broken open and they'd helped themselves. La Contessa held a Coca-Cola in one hand and a cigarette in the other as she approached them.
"Two whole hours, Hernando?" Helen asked sarcastically upon seeing him. "We've already had time to reject the ways of the Above-Grounders and the Then-Then and start a new society down here in the Now-Now. I'm still Contessa, though, we agreed on that."
"I ain't that lucky." Mander replied. "You knew we'd get out of here soon. Why make all those people break open the vending machines and give up their drugs and stuff for nothing?"
"The drug part wasn't nothing, there really are injured who could use something for pain. The rest? Well, yeah, it was a morale thing. Make them feel like they're doing something proactive, they'll know that more must be getting done outside, and even without doing The Thing, they've got something better to do than panic about being trapped down here."
"Well, if you're ready," Suzy-Q told Helen. "I guess I'll get back and tell Susan to call Ramirez and say, 'fire in the hole.' You do what Susan would want you to do."
"Don't die." They said together. Suzy-Q vanished.
The two of them returned to the set. Helen checked her phone. Still no signal, but the clock told her that twelve minutes had passed in their walk to the cave-in and back.
"Everyone cover your ears!" She commanded them all. "We should be safe back here, but it's going to be even louder than before. Doing the old 'duck and cover' might not be a bad idea."
When everyone agreed, Helen gave Ramirez another minute to get everyone clear outside.
"You're waiting to come up with something cool to say before pressing the trigger, aren't ya?" Mander asked.
"Was thinking about it." Helen replied. "Then I thought I'd just do what Propappou would."
With that, she began humming "The 1812 Overture." When Helen got to the part where the cannon comes in, she squeezed the trigger.
* * *
Generalissimo Ramirez and Luc watched the smoking ruins of the Visitors' Center from behind a shielding pane of two-inch thick transparent Lexan at the edge of the parking lot. Rescue workers and Ultimados waited with them; ready to move in as soon as La Pompiere said it was safe. They'd gotten the blaze from the first bomb under control when word came to fall back and get ready for a second.
Susan called Ramirez back and told him that La Contessa was ready on her end. He reasoned that she was giving them some extra time to get clear.
About when he began to wonder if she was going to do it or not was when rocks began exploding out of the giant hole that the first had blown out of the building. La Pompiere moved in to put out the new blaze. Rescue workers followed in oxygen masks and jumpsuits. Once the second fire, smaller now that there was less to burn, was out, Ramirez and Luc joined them inside.
Flashlights sprang to life and pierced the cloud of dust and smoke that they were passing through. There were still stones and boulders to be navigated around, but the way to the set had now been blown clear.
They proceeded down the bombed-out hall, following the map to where the film crew were shooting. It was there that La Contessa, Mander, and what appeared to be a small Dungeons & Dragons convention were waiting. Adventuring parties sat in groups and dice clattered on the bare stone floor. In one area, a group of injured people lay sleeping or dazedly listening to someone reading them a book they'd brought to the set. Everyone had snacks and drinks, as if the vending machines had been broken open and they'd helped themselves. La Contessa held a Coca-Cola in one hand and a cigarette in the other as she approached them.
"Two whole hours, Hernando?" Helen asked sarcastically upon seeing him. "We've already had time to reject the ways of the Above-Grounders and the Then-Then and start a new society down here in the Now-Now. I'm still Contessa, though, we agreed on that."
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