Amanita: Poison Shot

Chapter 125: Break The Cycle Of Hatred

The pristine white of the tiles and the furniture in the BioBank's basement shimmered with the chaotic, oscillating, red glow of the fire spreading around us. The electrical equipment kept making a series of unnerving bursts and uncontrollably threw golden sparks all around them. Every beat in that final-countdown-like kind of melody only made every beating of my heart an unwilling dancing partner.

"Hydrogen is an explosive gas and it needs oxygen to burn," Eros briskly explained while the nasty smell of charred plastic materials, varnished wood and different metals burning assaulted my nostrils. "If you put together suitable volumes of hydrogen and oxygen and provide a spark to start the reaction, one oxygen atom will combine with two hydrogen atoms, and will release energy in the process."

"That's genius talk for kaboom, I guess," Gabi commented with dread.

We were sweating profusely due to the recent efforts of fighting, and at that moment, due to the panic.

"Yes. The rapid release of a considerable amount of energy," Eros went on speaking faster than ever but with difficulty due to the gunshot wound, "causes the surrounding air to expand suddenly, resulting in a sharp explosion."

"Fuck," Ray said rather hopelessly.

Some of the lights in the ceiling above us gave way and fell around us, tearing a panic-driven shriek from the throats of some of my friends and myself.

"If an explosion took place, it would send radioactive particles flying through the air and into the water," Eros replied brusquely. "The smoke from the blast could block out sunlight and hinder life forms at sea that depend on photosynthesis to survive. No crops would live on either. The radiation exposure could cause severe health problems in any life form that would manage to persevere. Humans would be affected as well."

"We're all doomed," Ray concluded.

"Unless we put this fire out right now! MOVE!" Eros yelled promptly. "The hydrogen tanks aren't far from the fire! They're in the adjoining storage room, here!" He pointed to a door near him.

"Come on!" I urged them all. "Go find anything to put this fire out! ANYTHING!"

We hurried to find fire extinguishers in that same basement and on the ground floor. I was hoping to find buckets and fill them with water in the restrooms.

However, the fire was spreading faster and more violently than we expected. Not only was the main area of the basement affected, but also the few neighbouring rooms. Some of them stored office equipment and other biochemical substances, but nothing harmful like hydrogen.

"Eros," I told him with worry when I realised that none of our efforts, either by pouring water or using the fire extinguishers, actually worked fast enough, "do you think I should take the tanks elsewhere instead? Are they attached to something? Is it wise to move them?"

"Sure, move them. That could work." He smiled briefly at my idea. "They're not attached. Get them outside the building, far from the fire."

"K8! Come with me to the storage room!" I urged her, yelling. "We're the only two people who can handle this!"

She gave her fire extinguisher to Eros and followed me. Then, I yelled to the rest:

"Keep trying to put it out while we take the hydrogen tanks outside!" Then, I turned to the locked door behind which Kono had trapped many clone cops and androids. "Hello! Are you okay in there?"

After a brief moment of hesitation, I chuckled. I wondered what was going through their minds, whether they found it weird that a rebel was asking about their wellbeing. So, I went on: