Deep Dark Blues

Chapter 12- Voices From the Deep

"Are you sure? Completely positive?"

"Yes, absolutely positive! There was someone there!"

"What did they say? Is somebody coming for us?"

...

...

"I...I don't know... The signal got cut..."

"Well, what are we doing here? We have to try to answer!"

"We have been trying everything, but we can't reach them-"

"Then fucking try again! Keep trying! There is got to be a way."

"Ryan had already tried to-"

"Keep. Fucking. Trying."

"Reed? Anything on the sonar?" Alex's tired voice echoed through the radio. Reed sighed, reaching for the communicator.

"Nope, we are clear..." she mumbled for what felt like the tenth time in the span of a few minutes. Her eyes scanned the green light of the sonar once more, confirming that the creature that had been haunting them for the past few days was in fact gone.

"Alright... Ryan said recalibration might cause flashing lights... Keep us posted..."

"Roger that..."

The radio went silent, leaving Reed alone with her thoughts once again.

It's been five days... Five days since the world went dark around them, the maw of Noctis swallowing the Vault whole...Five days since the end of the world as they knew it.

The first few days were filled with despair, the Vault team huddling in the Observatory like a bunch of scared hares waiting to be dragged out of their burrow. Some cried. Some lay in the bunched-up blankets, praying quietly. The only thing Reed remembered from those days was the feeling of Ryan's body resting against hers while they sat in silence, swallowed by darkness with each other as the only source of comfort. It was only on the third day that things were finally set into motion with Isabella.

"Where are you going?"

"Lab, we have research to complete..."

"...What?"

"You heard me... Everybody get up..."

"Isa-"

"Get up..."

"You are being unreasonable-"

"Unreasonable?! So what we just sit here and wait? Wait for what?"

"Rescue Isabella... The radio-"

"I am the leader of this operation and I am telling you all to get up... We are done wasting time..."

"Everybody stay down-"

"Undermine me one more time Doctor Roberts... I dare you... Are you guys just content sitting here?! Sulking? Get up..."

"Isabella please..."

"Get the fuck up... Ryan, you go look at the wiring and see if we can save at least one of the fridges before the food expires! We have to save the food at all cost. Reed, you go monitor the outside in the Radio Room, it still has power right? We can look out for any broadcasts... Aksel and Alex, you guys secure the floodgates. I am done sitting here waiting for that thing... If we act like we are dead, then we might as well be..."

Reed glanced at the scanner once again, her finger tapping against the glitching screen. Everything seemed in order so far... She couldn't shake the nervous feeling, listening intently to the radio for any news from Alex. While looking at available blueprints, Ryan discovered that there could be a possible way to save some of their food supply by recalibrating a few transmitters, successfully breathing life back into each member. There was a chance and that was enough for everybody to eagerly pick up their tasks. The very moment they woke up today, the three men had set out into the corridors, unscrewing some of the floor panels so that Ryan could take a look at the wiring...