But everything felt right.
He beckoned to the others, waiting until they were all inside before releasing the door mechanism. “When we reach the top, everyone get down on the floor before the doors slide open. Press the control, Jak.”
The door hissed shut, and the albino teenager pressed the recessed button that carried the illuminated symbol of an arrow pointing upward.
Ryan flexed his knees to absorb the movement, watching the lighted panel above the door that showed their progress up the deep shaft. His index finger was tight on the trigger of the powerful SIG-Sauer. Everyone was on full condition red, blasters cocked and ready for instant use.
The humming of the predark machinery sounded smooth and fluid, taking them steadily toward the top part of the old redoubt. Nobody spoke.
“Right,” Ryan said finally, as the orange light gleamed close to the top.
There was a slight jolting as the cage came to a halt. A moment’s pause, then the steel sec door slid open, revealing a brightly lit corridor.
Ryan relaxed. No shooting. No mines. No trap waiting for them.
“Let’s go take a look,” he said, standing and stepping warily out of the cage, glancing both ways and seeing that there was no sign of anyone or anything.
“There’s a notice.” Krysty walked across the far side of the passage, to where a large multicolored plan of the redoubt was fixed to the wall. A hand-lettered piece of faded, pale blue paper was tacked next to it.
“What say?” asked Jak, last out of the elevator, allowing the door to slide shut behind him.
“Gaia! Give me a chance.”
They gathered around the tall flame-haired woman as she read the notice, following the clumsy writing with her long index finger.
It was short and to the point.
“To anyone it concerns. This redoubt is now fully emptied on orders of Washington. Emergency quarters available only on limited basis in Section JA 33.”
Beneath it, in a different hand, someone had scrawled in pencil: “And put your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye.”
J.B. shook his head. “Means there won’t likely be any armament anywhere. Shame.”
“But it might mean some food and beds.” Ryan looked up at the map. “Section JA 33. Where the…? The green box up close to the main entrance is marked JA.”
“There it is,” Mildred said. “Right by the entrance. Same level as we’re on here.”
“Wouldn’t mind a good night’s sleep in a decent bed before we tackle the outside world.” Krysty glanced at Ryan. “What do you think, lover?”
“Sounds good to me. Let’s go find this section. Best stay on orange.”
FOLLOWING THE COLOR-CODED wall markings, it was easy to find their way through the maze of deserted corridors to Section JA 33. The whole complex was completely cleansed, with the majority of the side doors locked tight. Those few that responded to Jak’s eager hands were echoing vaults of empty darkness.
“Here we are,” J.B. said, pointing with the muzzle of the Uzi at the letters and numbers, painted in green. “Must be through that door.”
“Watch out for boobies,” Ryan warned. “Open it real careful.”
But there was no wired gren or cocked scattergun behind the sec door, just the same kind of setup that they’d seen on earlier occasions. Four white-walled rooms each contained a dozen metal-framed beds, each with a rolled, plastic-covered mattress and neatly folded gray blankets. An olive green metal locker stood alongside each bed.
There was a pair of identical bathrooms. When Mildred turned on the chromed faucets, nothing happened for several long seconds, then there was a distant gurgling sound, rushing closer. The water that gushed out was initially rust colored and cold, but it quickly cleared and began to warm up, eventually pouring out, steaming.
Jak had immediately headed straight for the dining and kitchen section.
“Ace on line!” he called. “Plenty food.”
“CURRIED KING-CRAB gumbo,” Doc said, allowing the words to roll off his tongue. “Succulent is the word that springs to my mind.”
The white dish bore an Army stamp. It sat on the table in front of Doc, brimming with a variegated sludge, his spoon settled on one side.