The Shadow: Chapter II

[Volais]

?Alert! Alert! Security breach in containment labs! Security breach in containment labs!?
The ear shattering alarm sent Steven flying out of his bed.
?What the devil? What?s going on? Sergeant Greet??
Steven?s Sergeant had just marched into the room to and started kicking the other members of his squad awake.
?On your feet soldiers! We got ourselves an emergency!? Greet looked somewhat nervous, an unusual characteristic for the Sergeant, ?One of them Bio-Freaks got outta containment! Already took out a whole room of researchers and a security guard! Its unknown if any were perma-killed.?
Steven, looking shocked kicked another soldier standing next to him that was falling asleep.
?Sir?May I??
?ALERT! Notum Energy Core ruptured! Self-Detonation imminent! Evacuate! Evacuate!?
Steven, recovering from the sudden alert turned to Greet.
?Sir! We have to help get everyone out! If the Notum Core was ruptured, the research team wont be able to grid outside!?
A couple of the soldiers nodded their heads in approval of Steven?s proposal.
?Alright.? Greet quickly looked over his troops before going on, ?The compound is split up into several levels. Now, the people on levels 1-4 can easily get out. But those on levels 5-7 wont have an easy time. The Notum Reactor is on level 5 and the floors most likely an inferno. Chances are no ones alive there. We?ll have to hurry, that reactor could blow any minute!?
The squad turned around to grab their equipment and headed out to the compound, which, by now, was on the brink of becoming an inferno.

Rodney punched in his ID code and stepped into the level 7 emergency room.
?Ok, one of these buttons should do it?AHA! Success!?

Rodney was a researcher on level 7 of the compound. A member of the Biological Research Team, he was closely connected to the researchers killed by the escaped specimen. Like most of the people, he was a Solitus. His once thick brown hair had fallen away leaving a little patch of gray hair on the back of his head. He wore a long white trench coat with its hood up. His eyes had dark rings around them from his lack of sleep?it had been along night.

The screen flickered a few times and came to life.
?Report compound status.?
The computer started humming and displaying a list of information. A computerized voice responded to Rodney?s command.
?Biological and Meta-Physical Research Compound running at 43%. Notum Energy Core has been ruptured, explosion is imminent. Emergency grid stations are without power. Life support systems failure. Security systems failure, automated defenses fail??
?Alright! I get the picture! I?m screwed.? Rodney interrupted, ?How much longer till the Reactor Core blows??
?Estimated time of detonation is 5 minutes.?
?Damn!?What the..?
Rodney spun around upon hearing glass shattering.
?Who?s there?? Rodney was holding up gun, shaking and turning around nervously.
A figure appeared at the door. It was a young man with short black hair and a medium build. Rodney recognized him at once as a member of the Elite guard.
?Who are you?? Rodney said looking at the stranger.
?My names Steven, my squads here trying to evac as many people as possible.?
?Thank god,? Rodney said with a sigh, ?But?you don?t have much time?the Core set to blow in about 4 and a half minutes now.?
?Hm? Your kidding?LETS GO!?
Steven grabbed Rodney?s arm and pulled him out of the room toward the stairs leading to the 6th floor.

?It?s stuck!? Rodney look to Steven ?How are we gonna get outta here now??
?Move aside!? Steven pulled out a mine and stuck it on to the stuck door. ?Hit the dirt!?
Steven and Rodney jumped behind a pile of crates just as the door to level 6 blew open.
?Good, follow me! Hurry!? Steven tugged on Rodney?s coat and the two made a mad dash to where Sergeant Greet and the rest of the squad were checking for survivors.
?Sir!? Steven yelled from halfway down the hall ?Sir! We gotta get out of here! NOW!?
?Steven! What is it?!?
?Sergeant! This place is gonna blow in about 3 minutes! Forget the search! We gotta get outta here!?
Greet started sweating before yelling out ?Alright! Lets get the hell outta here!?
The group turned and ran up the flight of stairs that would lead them to the outside, and safety.

?Alert! Core reactor detonation in 50 seconds! All hands evacuate!?
The group had finally escaped from the compound when the sirens started blaring to alert everyone to take cover
?Guys! Take cover! NOW!? Greet was running as fast as he could toward the nearest bunker
?Warning! Core reactor detonation in 30 seconds!?
?Sir! Over here!? one of the soldiers was standing inside a small empty bunker yelling at everyone to get in.
?Good job Soldier! Everyone iun!? Greet yelled at the squad members and the numerous researchers with them.
?WARNING! WARNING! NOTUM CORE DETONATION IN 5?4?.3?2?1??

It was as if the world had fallen silent?not a sound. No sound of the gentle breeze?no whispers from astonished soldiers. All of a sudden a bright light erupted from the compound, bathing the area in a blinding glow that even a man wearing keelarrs would be forced to turn away. Then the silence was broken by an ear shattering explosion, the likes of which had never been heard by Steven, as he looked on at the ball of fire in from of him, he was struck with a sense of both awe, and terror. He saw the arch of fire, the flaming debris, and swore he could sense the cries of those that were unable to escape in time.

Everyone stepped outside to look at what had happened. Not only was the compound destroyed, but most of the surrounding area was left in ruins. The question went through the minds of many people??How could one person be capable of this?? The research team, especially looked at each other in horror, it was perhaps their fault that this happened. They created something the likes of which no one had seen before, and it destroyed them. Some commented on the fact that not even a Cyborg could survive that, so the Specimen couldn?t have survived, and gaurds were swarming the area so escape was unlikely. Their words were cut short however, for from the inferno, a man bathed in shadows emerged?.his sights locked on the army that stood before him?

[Volais]

This one Im really proud of! It took me two days (I took off work today to finish it...and watch Portal!) to write this one up. Its by far, the LONGEST segment of a story Ive ever written. I made sure that everything was spelled right, written right, and yeah know...the works!

I thought it would be hard to write chapter 2, but...well it was hard..but REALLY fun! Well...I hope you liked it. Please feel free to comment...or you could roleplay..yeah know..talk about what was going through your mind during these events.

[Flameforge]

Have you been playing Half-Life?
Good chapter two! I enjoyed it. The notum core is an interesting idea, and obviously this one was devastating when breached...

[Volais]

Have you been playing Half-Life?

Bah! What kinda question is that? Ive only had Half-Life 2 preordered since the day it was announced...

[Volais]

/me notices the relative unpopularity of his stories

/me yawns and walks off

[Cogs]

Good stuff, ole boy, awaiting the follow up in suspense

[Volais]

lets see...there will probably be 3 more chapters at most