Two: Terminal Twenty-Two

Chest wound?

Did she mean a bullet to the chest?

What was going on?

I stared at the windows to the customer service desk that was now closed off. It looked like I was going to have to get help from someone else.

Here at the first tower wouldn't be very useful, considering that the entire lobby is deserted. Maybe if I keep looking around, I might run into another worker.

My stomach started to remind me that I haven't ate anything yet, so I quickly dug out the peanut butter sandwich I made and wolfed it down. I could use a minute to think anyways.

When I hear chest wound I think of a bullet wound to the chest...or maybe the patient was stabbed by another crazy patient?

I shook my head. If that were the case, the medical staff would of gotten it under control and the entire station wouldn't have to hear about it. It was something else, but what!?

I looked around the empty lobby as I finished up the rest of my sandwich. I took out a water bottle and drank some of it to wash don the remains of peanut butter stuck between my teeth. There had to be someone around who could help me, or would at least let me know where my father is.

I crushed the tinfoil my sandwich was in with the palm of my hand and tossed it back into my bag along with my water bottle. I listened carefully for any sound of movement....

Nothing.

It's like everyone completely abandoned the space station, well, this section at least.

If I wanted help, I was going to have to get to the second tower, despite whatever emergency this is, there was probably guards patrolling the area to make sure it's secured. I looked up at the signs on the walls ahead of me:

Diner ^ Gift Shop ^ Theater -> Transmit Car/Transportation <-

I needed to go left to get to the transmit cars. Taking a transmit car is like taking the train or a trolley to get to somewhere for a brief amount of time. I guess the workers of The Amhul wanted to design something that would make people feel less cramped.

Looking carefully at the arrows on the walls, I made mt way to the transportation section. I'd look up and around me every time I've entered a new corridor. I guess I was a bit paranoid from what that lady told me about the whole chest thing. However, I was also looking for security cameras.

Yesterday when my father and I both arrived on The Amhul, my father told me if there were any type of emergency or suspicious activity, the captain would turn on these high quality security cameras that will go off if they catch a glimpse of movement in their beams. The bright side to this was that they weren't EVERY WHERE on The Amhul. I won't have to worry about sneaking around twenty security cameras for one hallway.

They were most likely installed in forbidden areas such as the captains headquarters that was somewhere in tower two, and they'd probably be in the medical wing to inform doctors if a patient was trying to escape. I was overreacting a bit, but unlike my father, I didn't know everything about this station. In fact I know close to nothing about it. For all I know, there could be a security camera in each area, that's why I'm trying to be careful.

On second thought, maybe it would be a good thing if I did leap into the beams of one of the cameras, then maybe the captain or my father would recognize me, or maybe it would startle everyone else on board making the situation worse. So I best not do that. I would hate to loose my father's respect if I caused such trouble like that. I don't think I could ever forgive myself.

Like the lobby, the square-shaped waiting area for the transmit cars was empty. Shocking.

I hit the white button that read: CALL in black bold letters that was by the gates to where the transmit car received people.

I listened as the gears and engines whirred to life and the wheels clicked as they pulled the cart to my direction. I was expecting to hear the automated voice or captain Jeremy D. Seely's voice over the intercom again, but there wasn't. For now I hope.

I feel like if there wasn't any warning messages then that means that everyone would probably be locked in their chambers. Which brings the chances of anyone in the second tower close to zero. I had to take the chance, I was already here.

The metallic like gates slid open automatically for me as the elevator appeared. Inside the transmit car was empty. No surprise. I stepped inside and smacked the green button, closing it behind me. I sat down in one of chairs lined up against the wall of the transport car. I felt the vehicle start to move, I cold feel the slight vibrations beneath my feet.

I spotted the stop schedules of the terminals the vehicle stops to on the wall in front of me. I wanted to make sure I got off at the right spot. the second tower wasn't too far from the first tower, according to what my father told me, and to my surprise, this cart moved fast.

I turned slightly over my shoulder to look out the observation window behind me, although there was nothing to see. The statistic feedback from the speakers on the walls of the car caused me to jump in my seat.

"Attention! Attention passengers! This is Captain Jeremy D. Seely, please remain in your chambers. I repeat, remain in your chambers! It's not safe to come out yet! I repeat IT'S NOT SAFE! I've seem it myself I-"

More feedback came from the speakers and his voice started to break up, his sentences were starting to become chopping, making him sound like he was underwater.

"I've-seeen-itttt....."

I listened carefully, wanting to be able to hear him as clear as I could, but the line from his end went out. Everything was quiet once more.

Seen what? I couldn't wait to find someone so that I could know what the heck is going on.

I looked back at the stop schedule, crap! I lost track on which terminals we've gone by!

To my relief, I spotted a screen above the doors with the number of the terminal we're arriving to.

Carefully, I got up to my feet and walked over to the stop schedule.

Tower two...

I pointed to the bold writing and dragged my finger across the laminated paper to it's terminal number.

Twenty-two.

I looked back up at the screen to see what terminal we were arriving to.

Twenty-four.

AH! Quickly I slammed my palm onto the red button that spelled: STOP in bold black letters. On instant the entire cart came to a screeching stop that sent me tumbling to the floor, landing hard on my right side. I hissed through my teeth as I felt a sharp pain shoot up my side from the impact with the hard ground. Carefully, I lifted myself up to a sitting position and then grabbed one of the support beams to hoist myself up to my feet.

The car doors slowly opened to terminal twenty-four. It wasn't too far from the main communication center, I don't think. If it was, I would just use the maps on the walls as my guide and at least I was still in tower two. I stepped out of the transmit car, rubbing at my side that was still tender from the fall.

The waiting room area for the transmit car were empty. Of course.

However, there were abandoned bags scattered and seemed to be thrown around, dumped open, and tripped over. The scene looked like a twister hit it, or like everyone panicked and fled would be a more appropriate description.

This was good news, abandoned objects means that people have been here.

I just had to find them.