Chapter 752: Awaiting The Prodigal son.
In the days that followed, Sunshine lived in a world of lightning and humming energy. All of her anger at the rules was channeled into perfecting her craft. She spent nearly every waking moment training to repair virtual rifts under Vortan’s strict guidance.
Nine was just as busy. He had a new spark in all of his eyes. He started taking on every job he could find, even the messy ones which came with high risks and high rewards.
"If they need fifty Masters to start the training, then I’m going to be number twelve!" he would shout before scuttling off each time.
Despite that, they all knew that it was not enough. Twelve was not fifty, and they had not found a loophole around the rule so far, to get it changed. None the less, Sunshine and Vortan supported Nine and encouraged him. She was even providing food for all his long missions that required him to sleep in foreign worlds like she had done, for some days.
In the real world_ specifically fortress four, things were getting very tense. The leaders were preparing for the Volcanic Storm, a disaster they had been expecting for a while now. According to the timeline Sunshine had given them, it was already time.
One of the sure signs of its arrival was the restlessness of the animals in the base. Even Zulu had taken a few days off air, claiming to be down with the fever. But the bird had said it, that there was something wrong with the air.
As soon as Hades heard that, air purifiers were turned on in the base and masks were now being used by those who had health problems. As for the rest, they would mask up when the sky turned deep grey.
This morning, Hades stood by the massive, reinforced window of the command center. Outside, high up on the ridges, he could see the Watchers. They looked like tiny, dark shadows against the light grey sky. Smoke had been sailing in the clouds for a few days, coming from mountains miles away from their base.
The voices of the watchers carried through the animal translators_ they sounded excited, almost giddy. They were cheering because they believed the base was about to be buried in liquid fire.
Lisha stood at a control panel, her fingers moving like a blur. She heard the Watchers’ cheers through the speakers and scoffed loudly. "Idiots," she muttered. "They really think we’re just sitting here waiting to be turned into charcoal. If they only knew how much work we’ve put into preparation for this disaster."
She hit a final key, and outside, the massive towers let out a heavy hiss. Instead of water, they sprayed a fine, dark mist_ the hard ash mixture. When it hit the ground, it turned into a protective shell that lava couldn’t easily melt.
Every once in a while, she liked to do this to reinforce the protections around the base. With the watchers around, one could never be too calm.
"The hard ash works perfectly," Lisha announced, her voice full of pride.
Hades didn’t turn around. His eyes were fixed on the horizon. "And the air? I want to know about the air filtration system again. I don’t want a single breath of toxic gas in the base."
Lisha sighed, but it was a kind, patient sigh. She knew he was worried. "Hades, I check it every day because you ask every day. It’s running perfectly. And just in case the bad air gets in, the Reddix vaccine made by Dr. Sing has been given to almost everyone. At least, everyone with a brain."
She paused, her face turning into a scowl. "A handful of people are still being difficult because of personal health beliefs or religious practices. Not to forget a few of the rich idiots. They say they don’t believe in immunization shots and that their private air purifiers are better than our science. I did see Tracy Kingsley get the shot in secret."
Hades turned then, a cold smile on his face. "Then they are fools. They are on their own. We offered them the shield; if they choose to stand in the rain, let them get wet. I believe they understand the risks; they just think their money can bribe the toxic fumes."
Lisha nodded, then hesitated. She looked at a report on her screen. "Hades... what are you going to do about Cassius?"
Hades stilled. The name seemed to make the temperature in the room drop by ten degrees.
"I heard that the supply team that went to Camp Zenith came back with news," Lisha continued. "That he’s been staying there, but he’s already left. And he’s on his way here, to Fortress Four."
Hades looked back out the window. "I am waiting for my prodigal son to return," he said with malice. He could not wait for the reunion.
Lisha didn’t know what to say. The response sounded calm, but she saw a cold glint in her cousin’s eye. It was the look of a predator waiting at a watering hole for prey. She thanked the heavens that she wasn’t the one who would be on the receiving end of that wrath. The apocalypse had changed Hades, and he could kill now, when he had to.
Cassius’s fate was either the prison, or a grave. Her brows rose and her fingers froze on her mouse. Shardling lake was also a possible destination.
Hades checked his watch. He needed to check on the electrokinetic teams. They were training intensely because Sunshine had said the rift repairs would start in a few days. They needed to be able to provide huge amounts of support to her.
But as he turned to leave, a sound like a thousand thunderclaps shook the entire base.
BOOM!
The floor vibrated softly. Hades rushed back to the window. The dreaded footage from drones they had sent far started pouring in. Thick, black smoke poured into the sky. Glowing orange lava started to spill down the slopes like a river of blood.
The Watchers outside went wild, jumping and pointing in an excited way.
"Oh my God, it is starting," Lisha whispered, wrestling with her keyboard to get the cameras in focus. They all paused, staring at the screens.
Hades nodded slowly. "It’s time to see if our measures will save us. Let the lava come."
Lisha looked at him, worried. "Should we tell Sunshine?"
"No," Hades said firmly. "She needs to keep her mind on the rifts. We handle the ground; she handles the sky."