Submerged

Chapter: 08: Discovering a Global Threat

"What is this?" Ashley questioned as she and Melvin entered a spacious chamber. The cylindrical room measured twenty feet across, but the majority of the area was occupied by pipes, conduits, and bundles of cable.

"This is one of the maintenance shafts," Melvin answered. "They were built into the core of every building, allowing easy access to all gas, electric, water, plasma, and data lines installed. If any repairs or additions were required, they're simple to do. It's also pretty well ignored by security, giving us free access wherever we want to go."

"We're looking for the central computer," Ashley remembered out loud.

"There," Melvin pointed out a bundle of cables with a combined thickness greater than the width of his chest. "Those data lines have to be going somewhere. Let's start there."

Melvin stepped over to a vertical pipe. Fitted around the metal pipe was a sleeve of matching alloy. The exterior sleeve was attached to a floor plate wide enough for Melvin and Ashley to stand upon, and hand holds resided at chest height. Taking their positions on the floor plate, Melvin and Ashley got a firm grip on the padded hand holds. Melvin twisted the handle in his hand to activate the electromagnets inside the pipe. The magnetic field expanded outward from the pipe and seized hold of the exterior sleeve. The electromagnets were constructed in rings up the length of the pipe, and they activated in sequence, shutting off lower rings while turning on those higher up to pull the exterior sleeve and attached lift platform up. Melvin and Ashley soared away from the floor of the maintenance shaft and up toward the level where he had pointed out the bundles of cables entering a side junction.

When they reached their chosen level, Melvin eased back on the handle controls to slow their rate of ascent. Melvin got off first, followed by Ashley, but the old platform cracked, causing her to lose her balance and teeter backwards. Melvin lunged after her, grabbing her arm with one hand while holding onto the central pipe with the other. Ashley hung on and managed to pull herself back up onto the ledge of the branching passageway with Melvin.

"Thanks," Ashley said between gulps of air.

"I had one partner die on me; you won't be the second," Melvin answered grimly.

Melvin's heart was still racing as he led the way into the branch tunnel while following the bundles of cable. Watching Ashley nearly fall to her death brought up bad memories of his past, and he kept having to force them aside to prevent them from interfering with his ability to concentrate.

Looking ahead, Melvin was suddenly made aware of why the maintenance shaft had been ignored by security. The end of the branch tunnel he and Ashley traversed was blocked by a reinforced security door. It also served as an extra barrier against flooding in case the maintenance shaft was ever compromised.

"This is going to be a problem," Melvin grumbled.

"What?" Ashely asked, coming up behind him and looking over his shoulder to see the door. "Oh."

"Do you know any computer hacking?" Melvin questioned.

"I do, but it doesn't matter," Ashley answered. She pointed through the thick glass window of the door. "The access terminal is on the other side. There isn't a way to open this from the inside."

While she was still talking, the door unlocked and slid up into a hidden compartment in the ceiling.

"This way," said a pleasant and feminine voice. "There is no need to be afraid. Please come in."

Melvin thought the voice sounded like a spider inviting a fly in for dinner, but Ashley nodded her approval when he glanced toward her. Keeping a cautious eye on his surroundings, Melvin edged forward. He was looking for the exits and any probable locations for an ambush.