The Silver Lining

Everyone working inside the Hive was contained indefinitely. No one can go out. I could see their fears through their eyes as guns were aimed at them while they were forced to work or leak confidential information.

I walked past every door without exciting the alarms. Yes. I know. It felt like this will be a piece of cake from here but they randomly change posts. That's the problem. Eventually, they'll see the real Lt. Burgos. If that sh*t happens before I find my ace, then it's a checkmate for me. Once again, it was a race against time.

Not until I found a very slight opening. The silver lining.

A salute from Corporal Daniel Smith; stated in his badge and nameplate.

But instead of returning the favor, I shook his hands and left him speechless.

I've read internal reports and documents regarding Lieutenant Burgos while I was tying him and found out that he's one hella tyrant official. He loves inflicting punishments on his men. Worse case was a corporal died of drowning finding his watch that he purposely threw in the sea while they were on a mission. He's the brother of the current General. So, he got away with it. No wonder all corporals were on their toes once they see him.

My ace was at the bottom of the Hive. 10th basement. It's a suite that lets one withstand the deadly vacuum of space, powered by dust particles from the same stone that powers Cassandra, equipped of micro nuclear and laser powered weapons. Its system is connected to an independent server somewhere hidden on Earth. It's first of its kind and still has a long way to go but it's all I got.

While I was on my way to the elevator, Cass scanned the basements and found a shocking revelation.

Elon Must and his elite guards were there together with the US president, his secret service, and 2 corporals drilling the chromium door.

"Dots finally are starting to connect" I said to Cass.

They figured out my basement lab but they needed my biometric and DNA data to open it or else they would need to use force.

The entire 10th basement is made of Chromium ang Diamond plated alloy. Drilling through the doors would take weeks. As for bombing, it's kinda not advisable in underground situations.

Elon was so eager in finding out for himself what I had inside probably the reason why he personally appeared. Knowing it could take weeks, he bribed the people around to cooperate.

"Joe, the registration for authorized personel is done. They're shuffling positions again." Cass alerted me as the elevator went down.

"Phew, already??" So fast but..

"Do it now, Cass." I commanded.

"With pleasure." She replied.

Code red! Code Red! Joe Madrid is spotted inside the Hive!

Get him!

"Don't kill him." For the first time, I heard Elon's voice in the comms.

Target captured!!

"Good Job. I'm on my way" Elon replied.

The elevator reached the bottom floor. Elon, the US president, and their guards were in front of the elevator.

"What's he thinking?? HAHAHA" The US president laughed.

"Finally, were a step closer to Global control again!" He added.

Elon was just smiling and stared into Lt. Burgos' nameplate. Then, he whispered to one of his elite guards.

"Yes. They're ready sir." The elite guard replied.

Lieutenant Burgos stoop aside and greeted them with salutations as they entered the elevator. They never return the salutations as if they never saw him. Then elevator went up to the ground floor.

"Corporals?? What are you doing?? Go and assist guarding the president and Mr. Elon! We'll never know what Joe is capable of! "

".. But Sir"

"That's an order!" the Lieutenant shouted.

They stopped drilling and rushed to the elevator. Judging by the drill marks, they're still starting to scratch the doors frame. They'll need at least 3 days more to damage the main door lock and open it so the internal door locks should still be intact.

As soon as they went up, I went in front of the DNA scanner, placed my palm on the biometric scanner, and the retina scanner opened to scan my left eye. This is the order of scanning to open the door but there was one problem.

It didn't budge.

My heart stopped. Did the drilling messed up the locking mechanisms?

Did it cut some wires?

F*ck

F*ck

Now what??

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Then it opened.

Great.

I mean GREAT! I immediately rushed inside and closed the door.

"Hey! Get your hands off me! I'm not Joe Madrid! Can't you guys see it??" Corporal Daniel Smith repeatedly shouted.

"Take him somewhere private. We need to talk." The US president smirked.

Code RED! Lt. Burgos is compromised! I repeat, Lt. Burgos is compromised!

"Wait? That Lt. Burgos was.. THE BASEMENT!!" the US President figured it out.

They all rushed into the elevator. As it opened they found the two corporals inside.

"What the hell are you two doing here??" The president was so pissed he rammed his fist into one of them.

"Now what??" The US President asked Elon.

"Light this place up." He replied.

"Yes sir." His elite guards then escorted them out of the building.

"Shall we?" Cass opened the mainframe of the suit.

"With pleasure." I replied while I stood steadily as the suit slowly covered my entire body with its vacuum tight steel. It's a matte black titanium and stainless steel alloy that can withstand high radiation and high temperatures.

Everything was pitch black until the electronic display kicked in and booted the main user interface. Temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, humidity, radiation, oxygen levels were displayed just on the right corner. Weapon systems were online seconds after the main interface booted up. Thrusters then started to charge. I had a 360° view and the suit was pretty flexible down to the fingertips. Not to mention its very light. It's only like wearing a thick coat in the winter season.

"Fifteen seconds before the thrusters reach full capacity. Opening the multi-layered exit." Cass pertained to a secret pathway that was right above the suit's location. This pathway is a direct vertical exit that leads outside of the Hive in a 45° angle.

FIRE!!

A command I heard from the comms. A loud explosion followed from outside the 10th floor basement. They were desperate to open the door or that's what I thought it was about until Cassandra pulled up the live footage from a CCTV just outside the chromium door.

They actually planted bombs in the basement's pillars!

And they're detonating them!

The only elevator to the basements was destroyed. They don't mind burying everyone in the Hive alive including their own men as long as I am buried too.

"Fuckin' Assholes!!" I couldn't believe how far they went just for power.

"Five seconds"

Loud rumbling was percivable from above and everything in the lab started to shake! The Hive is collapsing on top of us!

"Cass!!" I fired up the thrusters in advance.

"Three sec--"

There wasn't enough time. The sound of the collapsing concrete and humongous steel pillars were really close that the danger alarms were triggered. So I blasted my way through the exit disconnecting the charge with 98% thruster capacity.

[𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚞𝚎𝚍...]