Liam places his hand on the inner ledge of the elevator door entrance of the main floor to the Bessborough's lobby. Liam pauses, looks up and pauses stares at the rusted metal elevator shaft door. He scans it over and over in search of a way to open it. "Ahh, ha! Found you!", exclaims Liam. Liam pulls himself up on the thin 3inch ledge, he places both of his feet against the inside walls of the door frame steadying himself. He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a jackknife with a black and silver handle. Liam opens the knifes 6-inch blade. He takes the blade and shoves it up into the space between the door and the frame. Moving the knife around while maintaining his balance until he hears a clicking noise releasing the safety catches on the elevator shaft door. Liam retracts the blade of his jackknife and places it back into his back pants pocket. He places his hands in the small separation of the elevator doors. With all his might Liam pushes against the 100 plus years of rust, the veins on Liam's lean biceps popping up and his face turning red from the stress of fighting the ravages of time. Liam stops, takes a breath to regain his strength and immediately returns to his battle with the elevator shaft door. This time his face turns even redder, as red as a tomato. Liam's persistence pays off finally as the separation doors to the elevator shaft start to slowly move open. As Liam gets the door open inch by inch a noise similar to nails on a chalkboard ring out. Liam's eyes closed as he musters every ounce of strength to pry open the doors to the elevator shaft is oblivious to the hands of Keith and Graham who grab a side of the elevator shaft doors causing Liam to fall flat on his face on the dirt-covered tan marble floor with a thud. Liam looks up to see the faces of Maria, Paulina, Graham, and Keith who happens to be standing in front of him. " Hi, Liam! Fancy meeting you here!", said Keith with a crooked grin on his face.
Keith extends his small right hand out, Liam slaps his left hand onto Keiths' clasping ever so tightly. Keith pulls Liam up off the dirty marble floor onto his feet and slaps him on the back as if they were lifelong buddies drinking in a bar. "It's good to see you, Liam!... How in the hell are you?", said Keith. " I'm good despite being knocked out by Greg and Axel, locked in a crashed and non-functioning elevator car with a bunch of 100-year-old corpses. Then having to scale up a damaged elevator shaft while a thunder quake was happening and then falling flat on my face!... I'm fine!", said Liam. Liam takes his hands and shakes off the dirt from the front of his clothing. " So, are you here to help us out and stop Axel, or join him?", asks Liam. "He thinks we are here to help him but while we are, our new friend Graham here is going down to the basement to rescue the Group Leader and the others!", said Maria. Liam looks Graham up and down staring at the balaclava covering half of Grahams' face and says, "Are you ashamed of half of your face or do you just like wearing that ting for kicks?" "Graham walks up to Liam, puts his large hands on both his shoulders and taps him on the face and says," Good to meet you too Liam!... I'll go and get the others! Good luck with your part!" Graham and Maria walk away through the opening of the dirty plexiglass wall into the old pool area that lies at the back and to the left of the old concierge desk. "Where in the hell did he come from? And where in the fuck is he going?", asks Liam. "We'll explain later? For now, we have to go, time is of the essence as Axel is expecting us!", said Keith. "Fair enough!... What do you need me to do?", asks Liam. "You wait here in case Graham and Maria need some help!... We can't have Axel knowing that you escaped!", said Keith. Liam nods his head as Keith and Paulina make their way towards the entrance to the basement and enter. The large metal door closes with a thud behind them so loud that it rings like a church bell on Sunday morning throughout the large foyer of the old abandoned hotel. Liam looks around at his surroundings, he walks towards the old concierge desk and sits upon it waiting. Liam says," Looks like I got the easy job!"
Preston lowers his head to shield his face from the gale-force winds that slam the raindrops like small stones against his face. He is less than a foot away from the broken window covering to the peak room. " Come on what's taking you so long!", screams out Emil. Preston fights with everything he's got as the wind fights back pushing his arm back as if it were wanting him to fail in his objective. "Come on you son of a bitch! Why won't you just let me get there already?... It's like you want me to fail!", exclaims Preston as he moves ever so closer to the window covering. The wind throws rain pellets after rain pellets at the Preston and his companions. The rain hitting Prestons exposed outstretched arm like multiple bullets being fired at rapid succession and with the feel of it too as it impacts the skin. At last, the determination of Preston pays off as he is finally able to grab hold of the large crack in the window covering in the peak room. He helps pull up Priya and Emil and as the three of them stand with their backs to the wall Emil said, "So what now? Do we just stand here or is there a way to get in? Because the last I heard those covering are impossible to get into!" "Not if they are damaged then you just have to hit them in the right spot and they shatter!", said Preston. Preston takes and balls up his fist, he swings back with all his might and strikes the broken window covering like a sledgehammer. The broken window covering shatters and slides down the incline of the roof to the peak room. "Emil and Priya both look at each other in total amazement at the power of Preston's punch. "It's a good thing that you didn't fight him because you might have ended up like that window covering!", said Priya. Emil swallows back a lump in his throat and nods his head in agreement. Preston is able to slide up the inner metal garage door coverings of the window with his mighty strength. He waves his hand to the others and says, "Come on! Let's get out of the rain!" Preston climbs into the open window followed closely by Priya and Emil. As Emil climbs into the peak room of the Bessborough Preston slams the inner garage door window covering down shut and locks it! "That is strange this wasn't locked!... I wonder why?", said Priya. " I guess we will find out sooner rather than later!", said Preston as he scans the secret dwellings of Graham.
Keith pushes open the metal fire door to access the basement, a large rolled-up thick industrial rope measuring about 30feet and walks in followed closely by Paulina. Paulina turns on her gamma lantern turning the darkened landing into a fully illuminated room bouncing the blueish-green light off the concrete walls like a laser beam. Keith and Paulina look around at the wonder of the complete illumination before their eyes like a child at Christmas. "That is the most amazing thing I have seen!", said Keith. "Then you need to get out more!", said Paulina as she pats Keith on the back. Paulina walks over to the railing, hangs the lantern over the edge and looks down to see the rubble of the crumbled stairwell and the rope lying on the floor. "So what do we exactly do now!" Keith ties the rope to the metal railing, drops it down the abyss of the basement, the rope hits the floor with a thud and says, "This!" Keith takes the walkie talkie off his hip and says," Hey, Axel!... We are all ready for you, you little prick!... The rope is down and waiting, tie the other one on and we will create a pully system!" The crackle of the speaker on the walkie talkie quickly reveals the voice of Axel responding," Alright, didn't think you knew how to even carry a rope you little wimp!... We will be right there and Greg climb right up to help you, it's nothing personal! I just don't trust your wimpy little arms to try and pull up my crates puss cake!" "Well, I'll be waiting for asshole so let us get this over with!", said Keith. A smirk of amusement quickly appears on the face of Paulina as she says, "I am going to miss this banter between the two of you once this is all over!" The footsteps of Greg and Axel echo out through the hollow basement stairwell. Greg ties the other rope to Keiths' and says," Alright, I am on my up!" Keith looks down the abyss and flips off both Greg and Axel as a way of confirming his readiness. Paulina chuckles and says," Man, Maria did rub off on you!"
Greg wraps his right leg in the rope and begins to steadily pull himself up towards Keith and Paulina perched up high on the stairwell landing like royalty looking down on the masses. "That's it, Greg! Now when you get up there make sure they don't try any funny business!... If they do you have my permission to throw them off there.", said Axel. Greg stops and looks down at Axel as his body is suspended about 8feet from the ground. The glare from his eyes is one of annoyance and Greg says," If you don't stop barking orders I will throw you off there!" A surprised look comes over the face of Axel who replies," Wow! Someone has a bit of an attitude going on right now!" "Yes!... It's warranted, you aren't the one suspended 8feet off the ground!... Are you trying to get me hurt or killed, so you don't have to share the money?", said Greg. " No!!!!... We are partners!... It's just that I don't trust that little twirp, Keith!", said Axel. "Hey, I can hear you, Axel!... This room does have an echo!", said Keith as he stares down at Greg and Axel. Greg resumes his ascent towards Keith and Paulina and under his breath, he says," Next time use the walkie talkie! That's what it is for!" Axel looks up and watches Greg make his way up the rope for a minute. Then he casually walks away out of sight of Keith and into the basement corridor. Axel walks towards the crates of gamma guns and the metal briefcase situated on one of them. he approaches the metal briefcase, opens it, pulls out the syringe containing the Lazarus cure. Axel rolls up his jacket sleeve and injects himself with the Lazarus cure. "Now none of them can harm me or the White Dragon!... But poor Greg he's screwed!", said Axel.
"I swear! If he comes in here I am going to kill him myself before that little son of a bitch gets the chance to!", exclaims Hannah as she leans against the wall with tears in her eyes. Grace walks over to her and places her hands on Hannah's shoulders, she pulls her in close for a comforting and calming embrace. Hannah's head gently rests against the ample bosom of Grace with strands of Grace's long red hair hanging in Hannah's face. The tears flow like a river from Hannah's eyes completely soaking the exposed grey t-shirt that lay beneath the tan canvass jacket that Grace is wearing. " If you try he will just try and confuse and play with your mind! He's a master at that!... We make him believe we don't know and then once we get out of here we leave his ass down here when Keith and Paulina get here!", said Grace. "Why, why should we do that and let him live?... He's going to kill us anyway?", said Hannah. A bright white light illuminates the dim-lit mechanical room, both Hannah and Grace put their hands over their eyes to shield them from its blinding effects. The light dissipates and the beautiful, petite figure of Samantha stands in front of them, her bright, long, blond hair flowing down her back and hanging on her shoulders. "Because we have a plan in place to stop him and save you all while trapping Axel down here for the time being!", said Samantha's Ghost. Grace, a stunned look in her eyes asks, "Who are you?" "That I will explain later!... But if it makes you feel any better, I'm a friend, a friend of the Group Leader and yours! And I know this all seems a little weird right now but I am asking you to trust me!", said Samantha's Ghost. "Okay, what do you want us to do then?", asked Grace. "Just wait right here!... Axel will be coming in soon! Don't let him know what's up!... After he leaves, wait right here by this big hole in the wall and all your questions will be answered!", said Smanatha's Ghost. Grace and Hannah let out a collaborative, "Okay!" "Good, I've got to go! But, I will see you both soon!", said Samantha's Ghost. As fast as she appeared, Samantha's Ghost quickly disappears leaving both Hannah and Grace dumbfounded at the sheer strangeness of the events unfolding before them.
Axel stands in the middle of the corridor, looking back and forth at the mechanical room door and the entrance to the stairwell. He takes one step towards the stairwell entrance. Then he takes a step back and returns to the same solitary spot! Axel then turns to his right and takes a step towards the mechanical room and performs the same action. He does this three more times till he finally looks all around him and notices that this whole time he has been standing in front of the laundry room door. Axel turns and quickly focuses his concentration on the mechanical room. Making a bee-line towards it he opens the door, sticks his head in and exclaims," Our salvation is here, we will be getting out of here soon!... So, be ready!" Hannah pushes Graces' hands off her shoulders and exclaims," I told you to leave me alone!... Do you have some sort of lesbian crush on me? Because I don't swing that way!" Grace with an irritated look on her face replied," Believe me if I were to have a girl crush on anyone it sure as hell wouldn't be you!" "Good the sooner we get out here the better! Then maybe I can get rid of my shadow here!", said Hannah. "You wish!", said Grace. Axel shakes his head and says," Just try and not kill each other before we get out!... I need you both!" "Can't promise that!", said Hannah. Axel rolls his eyes as he pulls his body back into the corridor, closing the door behind him. Hannah turns to Grace and says," That ought to be enough to keep him off our radar!" A big smirk from ear to ear fills the face of Grace as she replies," Yes, yes it should!... Now, who or what is coming through this hole in the wall!" The two women turn and look at the dark emptiness of the large hole in the brick wall that Axel had put in it with the gamma rifle.
Maria follows close behind Graham aka The Shadowy Figure as they enter the pool area of the Bessborough. broken pieces of glass line the cracked and broken tan floor tile of the pool area. The once classic iron doors that led out to the grand football field like courtyard, now sit covered with the many green door and window coverings that encompass the hotel. "Where are we going?", asks Maria. Graham not saying a thing walks straight into the shallow end of the large empty shell of the pool now littered with old deck chairs and 100 plus years of dust in it. " Okay, we're going in the pool then!... There is no door here, you do know that and if you were wanting to swim, we kind of need water!", said Maria. Graham still silent walks down the slope of the pool's shell and into the deep end. He stops at the wall, bends down and wipes the layers of dust away to reveal a concealed handle on the floor. Graham lifts the handle, pulls it to the left and a cloud of dust shoots up along with a woosh of air from the airtight seal releasing. As the dust clears it reveals to Maria an iron ladder that leads down under the pool into a hidden corridor laden with 100 years of think cobwebs blocking the way. "Okay! A hidden corridor!... Guess that answers my questions then!", said Maria. Graham motions his right hand towards the ladder and the hole in the ground and says, " Shall we?" Maria nods her head and says, "Okay!" Maria clears the cobwebs off the surface and makes her way into the hidden passage, the light from the gamma lantern on her belt guiding the way. She stops after three steps of the ladder, her body already covered with the thick cobwebs and says," Hey! Why am I going down first?" Graham laughs and says," Cobwebs!... Those things annoy me! Figured you could take care of them first!" Maria rolls her brown eyes and says, " Very chivalrous of you!... You will dive to your death to catch me, but you are afraid of cobwebs!... Men!" Graham climbs into the floor entrance to the hidden passage and climbs in following Maria down.
As they reach the bottom of the ten-foot ladder, Maria and Graham look down the once dark thick concrete passageway now illuminated by the gamma lantern. " So, it's your turn to lead the way!... I have no clue as to where I am going, and you do! Man up and face your fear of cobwebs!", said Maria. Graham just laughs and replies," Truthfully, I am not afraid of cobwebs!... just felt like making you go first!" Maria punches Graham in the arm and says, "Asshole!... I attract nothing but smart asses!... First Keith then you!" An uncomfortable look comes over the face of Graham and he says, "I'm flattered!... But, you and Keith belong together, I can see it as plain as day!... I had my great love and she was all I needed and one day I will see her again!" An even more uncomfortable silence fills the space between Graham and Maria, a shade of red appears on her face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that!... I am totally in love with Keith!... Just don't know how to tell him!", said Maria. Keith takes his large right arm and swipes away huge sheet-like cobwebs blocking their way and says," I' sorry too, for thinking that!" "It's okay, misunderstandings happen!", said Maria. "Well, good! Besides, I am too old for you! Haha!... Now that we are past that can I give you some advice?", said Graham. "Sure!", said Maria. " Tell him! Don't wait!... I've seen it time and time again from people who had obvious chemistry not saying anything! They move on to others or not at all missing out on the great love of their lives for stupid things like that or just feeling that something else was better!" "You have a good point!... I mean we did kiss and there seemed to be something there!", said Maria. " Well, then all you two have to do is say it to one another!... I know it's hard but if he is not doing it or seems a little shy, then you need to take reigns and tell him, despite how nervous you might be!", said Graham. A look of relief from the questions weighing on her mind and she says," Now that we had relationship counseling time, can you tell me just how much further it is to where we are going and how in the hell you know about this place!" "Family secret!... That's how!... It's about another 10 yards, which could be about 10-15 min with no obstacles! But this place should be in good shape, it was super reinforced to withstand the quakes and even the building falling on our heads !", said Graham. "That's comforting!", said Maria as she and Graham continue down the passageway.
Liam sits on the concierge desk swinging his feet back and forth, his right foot hits the front of the desk on a rotted spot of the red oak making a golfball-sized hole in the desk. Liam immediately jumps off the desk and says, "Shit!... Oh well, it's an old desk anyways and this place is bound to fall apart sooner or later!" Liam reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small red rubber ball. He paces back and forth as if he were a nervous expectant father in a waiting room, bouncing the ball. The sound of the rubber ball hitting the floor echoed throughout the large foyer. The speaker on his walkie talkie goes off and the voice of Preston can be heard," Attention!... I don't know if anyone is there or can here me!... We made it to the peak room and should have the first generator running! Please acknowledge!" This starting news and the mere sound of the walkie talkie going off-breaks Liams concentration causing him to have the ball hit his boot and roll off into a small hole in the wall to the right of him. Liam waits for a few seconds to hear if anyone responds, thirty seconds later there is no response and Preston says again," Can anyone hear me? Acknowledge please!" Still, no response comes and Liam grabs his walkie talkie and says, "This is Liam! I hear you, Preston, I will tell the others! They are out of range or there must be some interference with the signal!" " Roger that Liam! We will let you know when we are ready!", said Preston. "Roger! I will be waiting!", replied Liam. The walkie talkie goes silent, the only noise now heard is the sound of a rat scurrying across the floor carrying the rubber ball in its mouth. Liam catches a glimpse of it and just laughs. "That's odd! Guess dogs aren't the only ones that like to play fetch!... I've got to find a way to tell the others!", said Liam.
"Shit!... What in the fuck was that?", said Emil as he slams his left foot onto an unknown object hidden in the dark of the Peak Room. Preston removes the backpack from his shoulders and places it squares on the cold concrete floor in front of him. Preston leans down and as the backpack leans against his large legs as a brace pulls out the gamma lantern from inside the depths of the backpack. Preston turns the knob on the right side of the gamma lantern and suddenly the whole room is illuminated revealing its hidden secrets. "Holy shit!", exclaims Priya as she observes the secret apartment of Graham. "You can certainly say that again!", said Preston as he holds the gamma lantern up looking over the treasures that lay hidden. "Holy shit!... There I said it again!", said Priya with a slight giggle in her voice. " Everyone is a comedian!", said Preston as he starts to walk around the room. Preston makes his way to the red oak bookshelf in the far right corner of the room by the double bed. The red oak bookshelf, pressed up against the window covering is securely bolted to it, keeping it from tipping over in case of another thunder quake. Preston runs his hands over the books as Priya, on the other side of the room looks over the papers that lay scattered on the desk. Shuffling through numerous files, glancing over them carefully she notices one similarity, one word. That word being Phoenix! Emil, looks over the pictures that wallpaper the metal wall and under his breath he whispers," Interesting!" "What is that?", asks Preston. "Nothing! There's nothing here!", said Emil as he takes one of the pictures off the wall and hides it securely inside his inner jacket pocket. To the right of him, Emil's glance catches the sight of the gun safe and he says," Well, hello!... What do you have in you?" "What have you found there asshole?", asks Preston. Emil carefully looking over the safe notices the keypad and fingerprint scanner, knowing that this older safe would be easy for him to crack and a look of excitement comes over his face. "Hey!... What have you found?" "Nothing, but an old safe!... Impossible to open!", said Emil. "Well, don't bother than!... Try and find a way out of here!... There has to be an exit somewhere!", said Preston. "I think I found something!", exclaims Priya. Preston walks away from the bookshelf, not noticing that under the bed lies the missing journal that Graham had dropped. "What is it?", asks Preston. Priya shuffles through a pile of papers in her hands and says," All these papers! They are scientific files over 100 years old and they all describe attempts to come up with a cure for the plague!... Now, these papers describe here! They talk about a cure, one called the Lazarus and then something called Phoenix over and over!", said Priya. "Are you saying that these files are proof that the legends are true?... That there was a super cure?", asks Preston. " It looks like it!... It's that there is no proof on here that this cure worked or who it was given to?" Preston looking over the files himself says," Oh! I think this room is proof enough!" "Yes! But who is he or she?", asks Priya.
The ghost of Samantha looks over the lifeless body of Jack hanging from the laundry hook like a piece of meat in a slaughterhouse. She runs her hands over his face and says," Oh my love! Come on, wake up!... Please!" Samantha runs her ghostly hand over and over the face of Jack starting from his shaved bald head, down the sides of his face with her fingertips. She leans in and places a soft kiss on his lips in a sort of reverse snow-white scenario in an attempt to wake Jack from his deathly slumber. " You're not done here!... You need to wake my love, these people need you!", said Samantha's ghost. Jack remains unresponsive and some ghostly tears flow down the face of Samantha. " Rest now!... Oh, Graham, I hope you can save him!", said Samantha. The soft-touch of another ghostly hand, a man's hand and places it's hand on Samantha's spectral shoulders and says," Don't cry!... I'm right here!"
Greg lifts his right hand above his left and pulls himself up yet another few inches as he draws himself closer to the landing. Keith looks down at the inchworm behemoth drawing ever closer and is tempted to cut the rope and let him fall to his death. Payback for all the years of men who look like Greg that shaped his life and tormented him for not being the picture of what they deem a real man. Then he remembers all the good things that have happened in his life, the friends he made in Master City, the degree he fought to get, and Maria. Maria the one person who didn't run away from his weirdness, as she is equally as weird as him. The one person who has given him the strength to not be afraid of life and do things recently that he never thought he could do! That's right! Maria, her crooked little smile, her big brown eyes that just turn brighter when she laughs and smiles. And that laugh, the kind that could take a bad day and make it brighter. She was the one that took the chance and made a move first and expressed her feelings instead of running to something better. Keith then thinks to himself how a part of him was ripped to pieces when he thought she was gone. But, then miraculously, she came back and that is a gift for all his good. Those who have done wrongs to him and others will eventually get dealt with by karma. Greg lifts his hand for Keith to grab, Keith stands oblivious caught in his trance of deep thought. "Hey! Loser! Are you going to stand there all weirdly and leave me hanging?", exclaims Greg. Keith slams his right hand into Gregs and pulls him up saying, "The thought had crossed my mind, along with a few others!" Greg pats Keith on the head like a child and says," Well you just try!... Lord knows you never would be able to!", said Greg. Greg walks away from Keith, pulls out his walkie talkie and says, "We're all ready for you Axel!... Start sliding in the crates!" "Alright! I'm on it!", said Axel. "Wait! Axel is going to carry those heavy crates all himself?... And you called me weak!", said Keith. "Don't worry, he has helped!", said Greg.
The door to the mechanical room swings open and Axel pokes his head in exclaiming," Time to go!... Both of you!" "What about the generator? If Preston radios then someone needs to be here!", said Grace. "It will only take a few minutes, help us move the crates and you two can come back until we have them all lifted!", said Axel. Grace rolls her eyes and says, "Okay!" Hannah takes the handgun in her right hand and pokes it in Graces back to play the part of pretending to be Axel's loyal associate and said, "Quit your complaining and move!" Grace walks towards the boiler room exit door, trying not to laugh and replies, "God, be careful with that thing!... I'm moving!" "Move faster and we won't have a problem than!", said Hannah as she and Grace walk through the doorframe, exiting their temporary confines. " God you are a mouthy little bitch!", said Grace passing by Axel, who wears a grin on his face thinking he is about to win the day.
"What in the hell is this place?", asks Priya as she scans over the photos hanging on the concrete and metal wall. "It's someone's apartment obviously, stupid!", exclaims Emil. Preston walks up behind Emil and slaps him square across the back of the head to dish out retribution for his rudeness. Emil's head goes flying forward, he turns around with an irritated look on his face that could cut glass. " That's another!... One more warning and the next time you will be on the ground!", said Preston. Preston turns and walks towards the photo wall by the cluttered desk where Priya was gazing over the photos. Emil rubs the back of his head and says with a fiendish grin on his face," You'll be the one down on the ground asshole!... Down for good!"
"Did you find anything?", asks Preston. "No, just a bunch of scientific papers, incomplete actually!... What do you think this place is and who left them behind?", asks Priya. Preston shuffles through the papers on the desk. Unknown to Preston as his and Priya's back is turned to him, Emil has been fiddling with the safe. Emil looks over his shoulder every so often glancing at the Preston and Priya as to not get his actions noticed. Furiously, he taps the faded keypad on the safe to figure out the 4 digit combo, at about his 5th try, by pure luck he figures it out as a clicking noise is heard. Emil quickly glances back and still see's Preston and Priya going through the papers on the desk, giving him more time to now work on the fingerprint scanner. Emil leans in and breaths on the keypad revealing the image of a fingerprint left by the oils of Graham's thumb. The safe lets another clicking noise loose. Emil looks back again and seeing that Preston is not aware turns the handle opening the large metal gun safe. As he pulls the safe door open ever so slightly the safe reveals a treasure, a loaded 45 ACP Glock and whispers to himself," Well, Merry fucking Christmas to me!... This is just what I wanted!" Emil quickly grabs the Glock and tucks it in his back belt loop. Priya turns and looks at the wall of pictures, an all too familiar face catches her eyes. She turns and looks at Preston, then turns and looks at the picture wall again. "There is not much on here we can use! Maybe if we can get this computer open?... You, think you can Priya?" Only silence comes from Priya's direction as she stares at a family photo on the wall. " Hey, Priya!... Are you alright?", says Preston. Preston walks over to the picture wall, places his large right hand on Priya's shoulder and says," Did you hear me, can you unlock the passcode on the laptop on the desk?" Still, no answer comes from Priya's mouth. Preston, concerned looks at Priya's face, her dark brown complexion, now as white as a ghost! "What's wrong? You look like you saw a ghost?", Preston says with a slight glib undertone. She points to a family picture on the wall and forces out a response, "You're not far off!" By this time Emil has walked up behind them and notices the picture Priya is staring at and exclaims, "What in the HELL!" Preston grabs the picture off the wall with a look of shock on his face. "What the fuck s going on here?", exclaims Priya.
"Can I ask you a question?", said Maria. Graham walks down the half-moon shaped secret corridor, he stops reaches his hand into a large, thick cobweb that stretches from wall to wall. It is as thick as a bedsheet, in it hang the carcasses of numerous bugs, but the most prevalent is the trapped bodies of large rats. Graham pulls apart the cobweb and it falls to the floor, he carefully steps over the downed cobweb, careful not to step on the carcasses of the dead rats trapped in it! "Sure! What did you want to know?... Careful where you step!", says Graham as he watches Maria walk over the cobweb he just broke apart. "Thanks!... What happened to your face that you wear the balaclava?", asks Maria. " A little side effect I got from a fight I got into 155 years ago!", said Graham. Maria gingerly steps around the bodies of rats that fell out of the cobweb, Graham and her walk a couple of feet and approach another thick cobweb. The same procedure as before is performed by Graham and the two of them continue. " That would make it about the time that you got your gifts, it has to be internal because on the outside your face looks just fine!", said Maria. Graham stops, turns around and looks at Maria, snaps his the fingers on his right hand and says, "Bingo!... You are a winner!" Graham turns back around, shines the gamma lantern which reveals a brick wall signaling a dead end. "So, now what?... There is nowhere to go!", said Maria. "Not entirely true!", said Graham as he turns to his right, he presses his large right hand on the cobblestones lining the wall. He feels around and says, "It's got to be here somewhere!" "What are you looking for?... And how in the fuck did you receive and injury if you can heal rapidly? And how does the balaclava help?", exclaims Maria. Graham feels around on the cobblestones and says," A lever to open the doorway to the next part of the hidden corridor!... I will explain all that in good time, we have to hurry to get to jack before it's too late! But, I can tell you it helps me to breathe and it looks pretty fucking cool!" "Fair enough! You can explain it to me when we to Jack or better yet when we are walking down this next corridor!" "If we ever find it!... Wait! That's the ticket!", said Graham as he pushes in a hand-shaped cobblestone. The corridor echoes out the sound of 100 plus years of pressure letting go along with a huge cloud of dust as the door to the remaining hidden section of the hidden corridor opens. As the dust clears Graham shines the light down the small narrow cobblestone hallway that starts with a couple of flights of stone steps carved out of the ground. Maria looks on in amazement and says," This place just amazes me!... After you!" Maria gestures her right hand towards the doorway. Graham nods his head and walks in followed closely by Maria.
Graham and Jack lie in the burnt rubble of the observation room back in 2022. The 3rd-degree burns that once covered Jack and Graham now nonexistent. Jack lets out a groan and slowly rolls over, Graham pulls himself up slowly leaning on one knee trying to regain his bearings. "What in the hell was that?", said Jack. "That was! That was I don't know but it sure is some straight-up comic/ Twilight Zone shit going on here!", exclaims Graham. Jack slowly pulls himself up, he places his hands on his hips, moves his hips from side to side and in a circular motion stretching out the lactic acid before it builds up. Graham looks around the room at every piece of charred metal and concrete, on the floor in front of him lies what remains of the gamma rifles, now just pieces of plastic and metal all melted and burned on the floor in front of him. He also looks around the room for Dr.Larson with no sign of him. "Man this place is a mess!... One thing for certain, I'm not cleaning it!", exclaims Jack. "I'm surprised we even survived this all!", said Graham. "Do you think that Dr.Larson might have survived? After all, I don't see his body anywhere!", asks Jack. "I would assume so! But I don't know how he would have? This blast should have killed him, maybe The White Dragon took him!", said Graham. Jack looks around the room as well for some sign of Dr.Larson. "I have to say I feel like I am in a comic book, with a name like The White Dragon it feels like it!... I think I found Dr.Larson!", says Jack with a surprised look on his face as he points at a pile of ash lying on the floor with a metal identification badge sticking up from the pile.
Preston removes the picture from the petite hands of Priya and walks away from his companions staring at the photo of what looks like him, as white as a ghost. " Preston! What the fuck is this all about?... Do you know who this person is?", exclaims Priya. Preston paces around in a circle in front of Priya and Emil holding the picture of Preston and his family in his hands silent. " Preston! Did you hear me?", said Priya. Preston drops his hands to his side, the picture resting against his right leg. " I don't know who in the hell this is! That's the god's truth, it has to be some sort of weird coincidence!", said Preston. Emil walks up to Preston and rips the photo out of his hand, looks at it and slams it against the chest of Preston. Preston clutches onto it carefully not to drop it as Emil walks away from him. "That's some coincidence asshole! I call bullshit, you know who this is or this is you!", exclaims Emil. Preston hands the photo to Priya, grabs Emil's left shoulder and turns him around and says," You fucking think that I took a photo, planted it up here in the off chance that you would find it?... Fuck, I would hit you but I am sure that the shots I gave you have given you brain damage!" " Then who is this guy Preston?", said Emil. " I don't know!", said Preston. Priya hangs the photograph carefully back up on the wall and says," There is one thing for sure and that is that this guy, whoever he is, is still here!" " How do you know that?", asks Emil. " Because this room is in too good of shape to be abandoned!", said Priya. Emil walks up to the wall of pictures followed closely by Preston and says, "Okay, if this guy is still here then where in the hell is he right now?!"
Liam walks around the vast emptiness of the main lobby to kill the time as he waits impatiently for some word on what he is to do next. He paces around the room like a small child longing to leave but his parents are not yet ready to. Liam stares up at the large crystal chandelier hanging high above and wonders how this did not fall long ago from the thunder quakes and corrosion. From the centuries-old crystal, an intricate cobweb is formed from the many years of neglect. "Man, that is some chandelier!... I wonder how much something like that would be worth?", said Liam. Liam lowers his head and walks up to a faded section on the north wall. The kind of faded imprint left by a picture that once hung there. "Hmmm, I guess someone looted this place long ago! Must have been some painting that they took!" Liam deciding to take a break makes his way back to the large red oak concierge desk and sits back on it to give his feet a rest and wait patiently for a word from his companions. He picks up the walkie talkie he had left strategically placed on the desktop and stares at it waiting for someone to say something.
The new passageway that Maria and Graham have entered is smaller than the last about only a half a foot in width. The condition of the old passageway is littered with massive cobwebs and the floor is caked with a 3inch layer of dust and dirt. Graham walks ahead of Maria holding the gamma lantern in his left hand while his right-hand breaks apart the massive cobwebs that impede their way. "So, I take it that this place hasn't seen anyone down here in years!?", said Maria. "Really?... How did you notice?", said Graham sarcastically. Kicks off some dirt that has landed on her boots and says," It's the lack of dusting done in this place!... If I were you I would fire your maid and hire a new one!... So, are you going to tell me the reason why you wear a balaclava like you said you would? There is no better time than now?", asks Maria. Graham lifts his large claw of a hand and swipes through the massive thick sheeted cobweb and says," Once we help Jack! Then I'll tell you!" "Fair enough! But, you better remember to!", said Maria. "Oh I don't think I will forget!... Trust me!", said Graham.
Jack bends down, stares intensely at the pile of ash that once was the late Dr.Darren Larson. Graham walks up behind Jack, he looks on with great curiosity as his compatriot studies the pile of ash. "What are you doing?", asks Graham. Jack shyly touches the tip of the ash pile, then quickly pulls his hand back as if bitten by an animal. "What is it?", asks Graham. "It's ash!... What did you think it was? A pile of pudding!", sarcastically replies Jack. " Ha, Ha! That's not what I meant! I was wondering why you pulled your hand away so quickly? Is it still hot or something?", asks Graham. Jack turns his head around and says," No, the ash is cold! Cold as ice in fact! It's like it has been in a freezer and it should be still warm, we couldn't have been out that long!" "That's fucked up!... I'm no scientist but everyone who has made a campfire or fire in a backyard fire pit or fireplace knows ash doesn't get ice cold like a deep freeze in such a short time!", replies Graham. Jack turns his attention back to the ash pile and gingerly tries to remove the metal ID badge from the pile. A task so easy takes some effort for Jack as he has to yank on the badge to free it from the mountain of ash. " That's interesting!", says Jack. "You put that mildly! It seems that you had a bit of issue removing that like it was stuck in there!", said Graham. "It was stuck in there! Frozen in fact!", said Jack as he stands back up. Jack turns around, holding the ID badge in the palm of his hand he holds it out towards Graham and says, "Feel it! It's almost like a block of ice!" Graham reaches his index finger down towards the metal badge, touches the top of it with the tip of his finger and pulls it back quickly! "That is fucking cold man!... What the hell is going on here?!", said Graham. "I don't know? But this is all a whole new level of weird shit!", said Jack. "Weirder than my dad! Haha!", said Graham with a chuckle. "Nobodies that weird my friend!... Your dad is on a whole different level all on his own!", said Jack. The two friends start to laugh but are quickly interrupted by the sounds of high pitched sirens ringing out loud throughout the entire lab. "Oh great! What the hell is going on now?", asks Jack. Screams of terror and pain are heard in the distance over the sirens signaling that something horrible has happened. "I think we know where the White Dragon is?", said Graham. "He sure is not big on subtlety!", said Jack. "No, he sure isn't!... Shall we go and help to see as to how we might be the only ones that can stop him!", said Graham. Jack rolls his eyes sarcastically and says," Oh why not!... I've got nothing on my social schedule!... But let's try and not get 3rd-degree burns again or severe frostbite!" "Can't promise anything!", said Graham as he slaps Jack in the middle of his back. "I was afraid you were going to say that!", said Jack. Graham sticks his head out into the hallway checking for some sign trouble, looks back at Jack and with his large right-hand motions for Jack to follow as the coast is clear then makes his way into the hallway. Jack moves quickly out into the hall following Graham who has already started ahead.
Jack sprints down the hallway quickly catching up to Graham showing off the skills that made him a great long-distance half-marathon runner. "Hey! Hold up!", exclaims Jack. Graham just smirks a mischievous grin and says, "I knew you would be able to catch up!... A little out of practice I see!" Jack punches Graham in the shoulder and says, "Asshole!... I haven't run a race in 3 years!" Graham pats Jack gently on the back and says, "No time like the present to get back into shape!" Off in the distance at the end of the hallway, a loud explosion goes off shaking the building and shooting a large fireball out at the left-handed L-shaped corner. "Okay, I think I liked it back the other way!", said Jack. "Come on Jack, we've both come this far!... It's not like you to stand by and let something bad happen!", said Graham. Jack rolls his eyes and says, "Yeah, you're right! But if we take another ass-whooping you owe me a coffee!" Jack and Graham quickly jaunt down the corridor towards the ruckus taking place no more than 500 meters away from them.
As Graham and Jack near their final destination, they are surrounded by the lifeless bodies of 20 soldiers. Some are charred and burned by the exposure to the fireball, others are missing limbs and a few have been decapitated. The one thing that they all have in common is that the hearts were ripped out of their chest. Graham stops suddenly and picks up a couple of the gamma pulse rifles that he and Jack possessed earlier. He hands one to Jack who says, "Thanks, I was wondering how we would fight the White Dragon again!... Because you know these worked so well last time!" "We have to try something bud!... Turn up the pulse rate to the max, that should be enough to knock him down!", said Graham. Jack adjusts the knob on the gamma rifle, turns to Graham and says, "Well, immortality was fun for a little while!" Graham holds his gamma rifle up in an intimidating fashion, that reminiscent of an 80's action star and says, "This isn't the end brother!... Its the beginning, the beginning of something new and exciting!... This is not the end, this is a new beginning!" Jack looks at Graham with a mischevious grin and says, " Couldn't have written it any better myself!" Graham laughs and says, "You did, I stole it from one of your scripts!" Jack laughs and shakes his head and says," Thought it sounded familiar!... After you!" Graham nods his head and walks into the doorway to his right ready for a fight followed closely by Jack.
Jack and Graham make their way down another dimly lit corridor littered with charred walls and bodies of soldiers in the same condition as the other corridor. The sounds of screams get closer and closer, a flash of a bright orangish white light brightens the end of the hallway from a door on the left. "Well, I guess we know where the screaming is coming from!", said Jack. Graham nods his head and the two compatriots move closer to the action with every step. As they are ten meters from the door out jumps a creature that once was a man, his skin a purplish-grey color, his eyes as red as blood and teeth so sharp and pointed like a great white shark. The mouth opens from the creature and instead of words comes a high pitched screech so loud it could shatter glass. The veins on its arms are all black and protrude from all portions of its body. The only stitch of clothing it has on is some ripped cut-off jeans. "So, I take it that this is a Scavenger!, said Jack. "Yup, either that or a really ugly hairless cat!", said Graham. The Scavenger runs at Jack and Graham on all fours like a predator ready to strike. Jack points his gamma rifle and as the scavenger leaps in mid-air to finish its attack, Jack fires his assault rifle and fires. The greenish-blue light of the rifle shoots out like a shooting star, hitting the Scavenger and quickly disintegrating it to ash. "Well, that was easy!", said Jack. Within a second of saying that four more Scavengers leap out of the doorway. "You had to say something!", said Graham. Jack and Graham fire their rifles which produce the same results as the previous Scavenger. As quickly as those Scavengers were destroyed seven more revealed themselves and are met with the same welcome. Nine more Scavengers take their place, Jack says to Graham," These things multiply quicker than cockroaches!" "Yeah, they are even as attractive as them too!", replies Graham. Wave by wave Scavengers come out the door and in greater numbers. " This is fucking nuts!... We are not even making a dent we need to find a way to subdue them and beat them back into containment!", said Jack. "I have an idea!", said Graham. Graham takes and adjusts the setting on the gamma rifle to mid-grade and the beam to expand. Graham presses the trigger and a wave of 6 simultaneous beams is released knocking the Scavengers back. He fires again with the same result, Jack noticing this does the same adjustments to his rifle and follows Graham's lead. The Scavengers are getting weakened and retreating from the beam strikes. They move farther and farther back into the large containment hall the size of a warehouse until they are all back in. Any attempts to move forward are met with hits from the gamma beams. Then all of a sudden they all stop and the room goes silent. An opening is made in the middle of tens of thousands of Scavengers in their makeshift cell. Like the parting of the Red Sea, the Scavengers move and standing in the middle is the man now known simply as the White Dragon. His hands raised in the air, the White Dragon brings order and attention to his minions. "I can see you two survived and those regenerative powers are pretty powerful! I guess that makes you truly immortal!", said the White Dragon. "It seems like that, but there are some other gifts too, but we don't have time to get to those!", said Jack. "Oh believe me! I don't have the time to hear it even if I wanted to!... I've got plans!", said the White Dragon with a devilish grin on his face. "Graham keeping his weapon and sights on the White Dragon replies, "And what would those be, dinner?... Couldn't be because you killed your wife and your best friend!" His face becoming intense with anger by the look in his eyes, the White Dragon replies," She was a liability that I don't need they both were you see! No, I have all this power and a purpose now, a purpose to make the world mine and anyone who resists will be eliminated!" "And how do you plan to do that?... Oh, wait you are the bad guy! You psychopaths always have some over the top selfish scheme!", said Jack. "Alway with the wit! Which is as good as your writing, just useless trash!", said the White Dragon. "Hey, my writing is not that bad!", said Jack. "Can we focus here Jack?!... Your time is up White Dragon, and as a rabid animal it is time for you to be put down asshole!", said Graham. "You're first you peons!... Once I end you two then its the world! My army and I here will feast on their flesh and change anyone we deem worthy!... But before all that, I want one thing from you to help me?", said the White Dragon. "What's that sparkles?", said Graham. The White Dragon pauses in silence for a moment to add to his menacing demeanor and says, "The journals, your fathers' journals! He has something in there that I want!... Don't know which one has what I am looking for but I just want them, there are gems of inventions that I can use to further my cause!" Graham looking directly down the barrel of his weapon with his index finger lightly pressing the trigger says," No chance in hell dickwad!" The White Dragon stands motionless and says, "Then I guess I have to find them myself!... And you both are just an obstacle, so!" Like a flash, the White Dragon hits both Jack and Graham with a blast of energy from his hands. The blast directed at Jack hits in front of him just missing his feet but still powerful enough to send him flying backward hitting against the concrete wall. The blast directed at Graham hits him square in the chest and throat knocking him down and scarring his skin and internal organs. The White Dragon starts to make his way towards the exit door of the containment room. As he lifts his hands to signal the Scavengers to follow he is hit with a large blast from Jack's rifle which knocks him down, the Scavengers wait for their orders from their new master in pause mode. Graham struggles to get up, Jack runs over to help him as the White Dragon lies stunned. The two men exit the room, but before they leave Jack says," Not so fast sparkles!" Jack and Graham exit the room, Jack takes and sets the containment field on high to suppress the White Dragons powers. The White Dragon stands trying to bang on the protective glass and says," This won't keep me forever assholes! I will get out and you two are done and those journals are mine!" Jack waves sarcastically at him and then turns his attention to Graham who has now collapsed to the floor. "Are you alright buddy?", said Jack. Graham opens his mouth and no words come out, his breathing becomes more erratic and then he passes out.
Graham and Maria continue down the narrow corridor, Graham stopping every few half ft to clear some cobwebs out of the way. Behind him, Maria follows at a not too close but still a little ways away to not bump into Graham. As Graham reaches up and clears the latest large, thick cobweb in their way a rat the size of a basketball shoe big enough to fit Shaquille O'Neil falls out of the cobweb and slams down to the floor. It's the body all dried and deprived of its blood, falling at the feet of Maria who lets out a bloodcurdling scream and kicks it forward out of reflex. The carcass of the dead rodent flies through the air and slams into the back of Graham's head! Graham turns and says, "Umm, I know this passage is taking a while to get through and I accidentally dropped this out of the cobweb! But you don't have to kick it at my head because you are trying to get back at me! Hahaha!" Maria places her hands in front of her face which turns red in embarrassment and says," I'm so sorry!!!!" Graham clasps the back of his head, rubs it and says, "It's quite alright! At least I didn't get any rat guts in my hair!" After the momentary scene of hilarity and embarrassment Graham and Maria continue down the corridor. "How much further is it?", asks Maria. Graham ripping his hands through another cobweb says, " About another 10 feet." "Okay, do you think Jack is alright?", asks Maria. " I don't know! I hope so!!", said Graham. The two continue on their way in silence as fast as they can with the obstacle of the cobwebs stopping them making their journey even longer than it should.
Tears of sadness turn to tears of joy as they flow down the face of Samantha's spectral face. She reaches out her ghostly arms and places her hands on the face of Jack, now a ghost himself. Samantha flips her right hand running the back of her fingers on the apparitional cheeks of Jack up and down. She pulls herself against Jack and the two embrace. The power of their love, now reunited turns their spectral forms a bright shade of white rose gold-like light. "I've missed you so much!", said Jack. "Me too!", replies Samantha. The two lovers embrace ever so tightly making the light even brighter and sway back and forth ever so brightly to some unheard slow love song for 15min. Samantha looks up at her love and says," I mean it! I've missed you so much, it feels great to hold you once again!" Jack his eyes bursting with love looks into Samantha's green eyes and says," I never thought this day would come again! I thought the other option was the only way I could do it!... Guess I should thank Axel and Greg, they brought me back to you!" Samantha pulls away and says, "That's why you cannot stay lover!" "What are you talking about?... I am where I need to be! You said it yourself, I had to give up the foolish idea and just move on!", replies Jack. Samantha places both her hands in each of the respective hands of Jack's and says," This is not what I meant! You needed to move on to with someone else!" "But, there is no one else my love! There is only you, my heart's true north.", said Jack. Samantha grasps Jack's hands even tighter and says, "And I was the luckiest woman alive and dead to have that kind of devotion!... I have seen it, there is another out there that is your true north! A blast from your past and that's why you need to carry on with your quest and to make sure that Axel or The White Dragon don't get those journals!" "There is no way I could even if I wanted to, the last of the serum is with Graham and it is too late to inject it! I'm dead! Besides, he has the journals safely hidden and will destroy them if need be to keep them out of the hands of those lunatics!", exclaims Jack. "Things have gotten even more complicated, Axel has injected himself with the Lazarus and Graham is on his way down here! Those journals are unprotected and so are the rest of your team!", exclaims Samantha. "How are they in trouble?", said Jack. "Axel plans to sell them off like cattle to The White Dragon and his followers, well the men! The women he plans to give to him as sex slaves to be brutalized and over and over by that psychotic sadist!" Jack pulls away from Samantha's grip, floats back and forth, he turns back towards Samantha and says, "I could always help in this form, they would never see it coming!" "You can't lover!... There are limits on what one can do in this form, we are bound by limits! If you go too far you will become the very evil that you are fighting against!... Besides, it is in your previous form where your destiny lies!" "Even if I could go back I cannot! The serum will not work if I'm dead for too long!", says Jack. Samantha places her arms around Jack's spectral waist, embraces him and says," There is one way!" Jack pulls Samantha away, looks down at her with ghostly tears in his eyes and says, "There is no way I am letting that happen!" "That's my choice, not yours!", said Samantha. " It would kill you completely and wipe you out of existence! I can't let you do that, you deserve some sort of existence." "But....", said Samantha. "No buts about it, I am not letting you sacrifice your life energy to bring me back! Graham can handle this all now!" " All right! I won't argue with you on this! Just hold me!", said Samantha. Jack wraps up the 5ft ghostly petite frame of Samantha in his own spectral body and the two sway back and forth to the unheard music again. The background fades away and the soft sound of Frank Sinatra's rendition of Moon River plays. " This is where I want to be, now and forever! So glad you changed your mind on sacrificing your life energy!", said Jack as he holds Samantha ever so close to him. Samantha with a look in her eyes of non-compliance in her eyes that Jack cannot see says," Me too!"
Hannah and Grace move the last of the crates along with Axel to the stairwell. Axel having created a makeshift pully from the thick ropes ties up the first of the crates yells up the abyss at Greg saying," Okay! All tied on, you can pull the first one up!" The large metal crate, the size of two coffins side by side slowly makes its way up. "Back-up ladies! You don't want to get crushed by that sucker if that rope breaks!", said Axel. Hannah and Grace back up away from the rising crate and watch it rise ever so slightly into the blinding light of the gamma lantern as if it were ascending into heaven. Grace whispers to Hannah just loud enough so Axel would not hear," Are you thinking what I'm thinking!" "I am! When the last crate is on it's way up I will do it!", said Hannah.
"Have you found a way out of this tomb of a room and get us to the generator yet asshole!?", exclaims Emil. Preston searches along the wall, gamma lantern in hand and says, "Not yet! But it should be here!" Emil walks over to the cot against the wall, sits down and says," I'm just going to sit down until you do because I have a feeling this will take longer than the journey to get here!" Preston turns and gives Emil and disgusted glare and quickly returns to his search for the entrance to the generator room! Emil sits swings his feet back and forth, he stops and lies back, his head hanging off the other side of the bed. Looking down on the other side of the bed he notices the misplaced journal that Graham dropped lying halfway under the bed. Emil turns over on his stomach and reaches down, picks up the journal. He opens it on the floor on the other side of the bed as to not draw the attention of its presence to Preston and reads right on the first page," Journal #25-Property Of Pops Brilliant" He flips through it quickly and stops halfway through the journal. Emil whispers to himself, "Son of a bitch! This is a Merry Fucking Christmas!" The sounds of Preston yelling at him become oblivious for a moment until a small pebble of concrete hits him in the back of the head breaking him free from his little world. "Emil turns and says, "What the fuck was that for?" "What in the hell are you doing, sleeping?... Man, I cannot wait for this to be done so I don't have to deal with your assholish face!", exclaims Preston. "Me too!", said Emil. "You want to come over here and give us a hand or am I interrupting your beauty sleep!", said Preston. "Yeah, I'll come and help! Maybe I can find it and get out of this godforsaken room and away from your ugly face!", said Emil. Preston returns his attention to searching for a way out, Emil quickly closes the journal and tucks it into his backpack lying by the foot of the bed. He then walks over to the metal wall a sinister look encompassing his pitted face helping with the search for the entrance.
Liam lies on the concierge desk looking up at the white marble ceiling, with only the darkness to keep him company. Outside the heavy sound of raindrops hit the side of the building like bullets. A deep sigh of boredom rings out from Liam's mouth followed by a yawn. Liam lifts his right hand holding the walkie talkie that is resting on his lap and lifts it to his mouth. " Hello Graham, please tell me that you are almost there?", asks Liam. The sound of Graham's voice comes over the walkie talkie responding," Not quite! What's up?" " I am so bored right now!", said Liam. " And what would you like me to do about it? I'm a little busy right now!", exclaims Graham. " Could you at least tell a Pops Brilliant story to pass the time?", asks Liam. "I'm a little busy now! I don't have time to tell you a story like you are a 5-year-old at bedtime!", said Graham. "Oh come on man! It will help kill time for all three of us and to tell you the truth if there isn't something to pass the time I will go mad and run into the storm naked to end this suffering!", said Liam. A brief pause of silence fills the room and after 2 minutes Graham responds, "Okay!... Now, where were we? Oh yeah, Harold left them a clue as to where he was next or was it?"
"Wait, wait, wait! So are we still in Paris or Amsterdam or what?", said Liam over the private walkie talkie channel. "If you would let me even get this started then I can tell you what's going on! Sheesh! Did Jack have this problem?", said Graham. "Unfortunately he did, but it was from Keith! He loves to interrupt and ask questions!", said Maria. " Well if we can just let me continue and not Melvin during the story then I can get to all the details!", exclaimed Graham. "What in the actual fuck is Melvin'd?", asks Liam. "It's the asking of stupid questions before getting all the details or getting them just to be annoying! Does that answer your question?", said Graham. "Okie doke!... You can continue!", said Liam. "I'm so glad I had your permission, now if all the Melvin's are done let us continue!... So, Harold was in Amsterdam, but by the time they got there, he was long gone and just found another clue as to his next destination! That didn't stop Pops from making his scheduled appearance there making his usual comments that left people stunned and eating lots of toast! From city to city they went wherever Harold had left a clue but no sign of him just a picture of the latest invention from the journal he stole. With no sign of catching him insight and the tour at an end Pops, Karen, Agent Becker, and Agent Greene return home to Toronto just in time to celebrate Christmas!"
Snowplows clear the freshly dropped powder of winter from the runways of Toronto's Malton Airport with tenacity as Mother Nature drops the gift of winter. Parked on the runway, fresh from its arrival back into its homeland a Merlin-powered Canadair Northstar awaits the groundcrew to start the unloading. A small pick-up truck backs up a set of metal stairs to the front door of the airplane slowly being guided in by a heavily bundled up man whose appearance cannot be made out. The truck slowly rests the steps against the plane, locking it into place and drives away so that the unloading procedure can commence.
The stewardess struggles with the door release on the airplane as she tries to open it in a panic. "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PLEASE HURRY!", yells out an elderly female passenger. "I'm trying the best I can! But it's stuck!", responds the blonde-haired stewardess. She struggles and struggles, her blonde hair comes out of its tightly pulled out bun resting just above her waist. The silverish blonde shimmering in the light coming through the airplane window. Her 5ft 4inch curvy frame pushes with all her might. Out of the crowd of people a lean, but toned bald man sporting a beard with shades of silver in them and glasses wearing a long grey wool dress coat and matching trilby approaches the door. "Do you mind if I give you a hand?", says the male passenger. "I can manage!", said the stewardess. "I'm not saying that you can't! Just wanting to help and maybe get the pressure from the other passengers off you!... What's say we do this together? Okay?", said the male passenger. The stewardess stops struggling with the door and looks at the male passenger. Her glare is paused for a second by the piercing green eyes of the male passenger. Speechless and lost in time she feels as if she knows him and says, "Sure! I guess a little help won't hurt!" "Okay, let's do this together!", said the male passenger. The blond-haired stewardess and the bald male passenger place their respective hands on the door handle of the plane door and push it in then up opening the door almost immediately. A rush of cold air pushes its way in and makes itself at home in the airplane. "It's about time! Get out of the way!", says the elderly woman as she pushes her way past the other passengers even hitting a middle-aged man with her purse. The passengers quickly file out of the plane out into the winter conditions of Toronto. As the last of the passengers start to exit the plane the blond-haired stewardess looks at the male passenger with a kind and flirtatious smile on her face, points to the nametag on her chest and says, "Thank you! My name is Desiree!" "You're welcome, my name is Joseph!", responds the bald male passenger as they shake hands. The last of the passengers to exit is Pops and says," Oh for the love of god! Make sure you ask her out! You never know if you will get another chance!" Pops exits the plane, Desiree and Joseph's faces both turn red respectively and Joseph asks, "Would you like to get a coffee ?" "I would love to! I love coffee, how did you know?". said, Desiree. A smile comes over the face of Joseph and he says, "I just had this feeling!"
At the bottom of the airplane's steps Agent Becker, and Agent Greene waits for Pops as he makes his way to the snow-covered asphalt. " Really? Really?", says Agent Becker. "What? What did I do now?", responds Pops. "You just had to fart on the plane right on approach!? We could have crashed right in Lake Ontario!", said Agent Becker. " Well if we did, we could have used you as a floatation device you judgemental asshole! ", said Pops. Agent Becker reaches to try and choke Pops for his rude comment but is stopped in his tracks by Agent Greene and he says, "Now, now you two stop this arguing! It has been non-stop since we left London!" "Okay, Hoss! If you say so!", said Pops. "What the fuck! How in the hell are you able to get him to stop like that and he shows me no respect!", said Agent Becker. Agent Greene looks Agent Becker directly in his brown eyes and with a look of irritation says, "It's because I've shown him the respect which you have not since day 1! If you want respect, you have to earn it Becker!", said Agent Greene. Agent Becker looks over at Pops, a smug smile on his face as if he just got away with his hands in the cookie jar. He turns his attention back to Agent Greene and says," Man he's got you fooled!... When your inactions towards him cause him to screw up so royally, you will no one to blame but yourself!" "Regardless I believe in Pops and he sees that! Now go and help Mrs.Brilliant with the luggage!", said Agent Greene. Becker pushes away from Agent Greene and says, "Gladly! As long as it gets me away from that little hellion!" The winter wind blows the grey trilby off the head of Agent Becker, he bends down to pick it up. Pops walks up to the two agents and crop-dusts Agent Becker as his mouth is open feeling the full force of the bodily gas expelled by Pops. Agent Becker starts choking and coughing, he places his trilby back on his head and struggles to get words out of his mouth as he attempts to expel the fart taste from his mouth. Walking away to avoid another confrontation with Pops and Agent Greene, he looks back through the blowing snow, with a sinister look on his face says, "One day I will make you pay for all you've put me through!" Agent Becker turns back around and towards the entrance of the airport to escape the blowing snow. " So, that's where mother is!... Thanks, Hoss!", said Pops. "You need to be nicer to him! I know you don't trust him but being nicer can go along way! Now come on let's get out of this storm!", said Agent Greene. " I'll try!... Just wait, I want to see something!", responds Pops. "Why", said Agent Greene. "Just give it a minute!", said Pops. Agent Greene pulls his overcoat close to him in a hugging embrace and says," Okay, but not too long! I'm freezing out here!" Out of the airplane door, Desiree the stewardess and Joseph the passenger walk down the steps laughing. They stop in front of Pops and Agent Greene, Desiree says to Pops," Thanks for the suggestion!" The couple walks away and a smile of satisfaction comes over the face of Pops. Agent Greene stands with a look of confusion on his face and asks," What was that about?" "Oh, just thought that those two would make a nice match and told the guy to ask her out!", said Pops. "See, this why I know that Agent Becker needs to get to know you better!... Can we go now?", said Agent Becker. " Yes! That's all I wanted to see! Now, let's get out of the storm before I freeze my ass off. Pops and Agent Greene make their way through the blowing snow towards the entrance of Malton Airport.
On the top floor of the Royal York Hotel, in the office of Mr.Pervus, Mr.Pervus sits behind his large oak desk looking over files as the blinding storm makes the Toronto skyline hard invisible! He reaches over to the intercom, presses the button and says, "Miss. Sutherland, do we know if the plane got in before the storm hit?" " It landed about a half-hour ago! They should be here soon!", said Miss. Sutherland. " That's great!... I'll be glad when we have the rail line complete to Malton Airport!... Send them in as soon as they get here!", said Mr.Pervus. "Will do sir!" Mr.Pervus returns his attention to the file on his desk and says with great interest," Son of a bitch!"
The blinding snow makes travel impossible through the downtown core of Toronto slow and seemingly impossible. The car's bumper to bumper on the roadway. In a taxi waiting for the traffic to start moving more quickly and not at the pace of a turtle, Agent Becker and Greene, Pops and his mother Karen Brilliant. Agent Becker sits in the front seat of the cab as he and Pops do not want to sit near one another. Pops sits in between his mother and Agent Greene in the backseat. Pops slaps Agent Greene in the arm and says, "Tell me again, why the fuck didn't we take the train back to see Pervert?" Karen looks down at her son with disgust for the language he is using, the look causes Pops to shrink in his seat. "It was Agent Becker's idea, he thought it would be better to come back this way as Harold might anticipate our return and sabotage the train.", said Agent Greene. Pops grabs a piece of paper from his coat pocket, crumples it and flings it at Agent Becker hitting him square in the back of his head. Agent Becker turns around with a look of anger and ready to leap over the seat to throttle Pops but contains himself. "What was that for?", asks Agent Becker. " It's for picking this dumbass way home!... Smooth move asshole!", exclaims Pops. "Hey, if Harold anticipated our departure then he could have planned something to stop our train!... He is like you, remember that?", said Agent Becker. "No shit Sherlock! How could I forget that he's part me and me him!... Did you anticipate this snow dickwad?! I think not! We could have taken the train, there is no way Harold would do anything now!... I could shit faster than this traffic moves!", said Pops. "Why Pops?", said Agent Greene. " Because he is not done with that journal yet! Until he wants another he will just taunt me!", said Pops. "What makes you think that Pops?", asks Agent Greene. "It's what I would do, and like Pecker said Harold and me are the same! We could have taken the train!", exclaims Pops. Karen looks over at Pops and glares at him again with an even more irritable look and says," That's enough! You sit there and be quiet! We will get to Pervus' soon enough, Agent Becker was just trying to help and you are being rude!" "But, but!", said Pops. " But nothing I've let a lot slide over the past few months because of circumstance dictating so! This though is one time I cannot let it slide! You just sit there, shut your mouth and be kind the rest of the way or I will turn you over my knee and spank you so hard it will look like someone tattooed a handprint on your little ass!", exclaims Karen. An aura of silence fills the cab, Pops sits silently not knowing what to say, leans back against the seat, crosses his arms and pouts. Karen looks out the cab window, Agent Greene stunned by Karen's comments of parental punishment and looks out his respective window as if he was given the ultimatum by Karen. Agent Becker turns back around and a smile comes over his face at the satisfaction of the small unintended victory on his behalf by Karen and whispers to himself, " That's a first! And it is about time!" The cab slowly starts to crawl along again at a bit faster pace.
The cab pulls up to the Royal York Hotel and the motley crew of travelers returns to the place where they had first started their journey. Pops, Agents Greene, and Becker along with Karen Brilliant quickly file their way in the main entrance of the Royal York Hotel, through the lobby and into the elevator taking them to Mr.Pervus' office.
"Can I say something?", Pops says with a snarky tone to his voice. Karen looks down at her insolent son and responds, "No! Not unless you change that tone to your voice!" Pops shuffles his feet one at a time lifting them higher each time. "Pops, stop that please! ", asks Karen. Agent Becker turns around thinking he has a leg to stand on says, "Yes Pops! Listen to your mother!" An irritated look comes over the face of Karen who takes offense at Agent Becker trying to discipline her son. "I would appreciate it if you would not do that! He is my son and just because I took your side once doesn't mean I like you!", said Karen. " Well, I can see where your son gets his attitude from!", replies Agent Becker snidely. Pops reaches back ready to hit Agent Becker square in the balls for his comment towards Karen when Karen grabs Pops' fist and says," No son! I don't want you hitting!" "Yeah, listen to your mother Pops!", replies Agent Becker with an even more arrogant tone. Karen extends her right foot back ever so slightly and forward with an even greater force hitting Agent Becker Square in the balls causing him to hunch over in pain. As he slowly lifts his head the elevator doors open and Karen balls up her fist and cold cocks Becker square in the jaw sending him flying backward out of the elevator. Pops observing all of this with great interest says with joy, "Mom! I never knew you had it in you!" Karen, Agent Greene, and Pops file out of the elevator. As Agent Becker lay unconscious on the tan carpet of Pervus' waiting room Karen stands over him and says," I told you never to tell to try and discipline my son!... Pops, you know what to do!" "with pleasure!", said Pops as he hovers his ass over Becker's face and lets a loud smelly fart explode into Beckers open mouth. " Hope you enjoy that treat! I had eggs and garlic on the plane!" Pops stands upright, slaps his right hand on his right butt cheek and exclaims, "Kiss it! And suck it Pecker!" Agent Greene starts to chuckle a bit as he follows Pops and Karen in the open office door being held by Miss. Sutherland. She is also giggling with joy at Agent Becker's misfortune and closes the door behind her as she follows Pop, Karen, and Agent Greene into Pervus' office.
Miss. Sutherland follows close behind the Brilliants, her long raven-colored hair in a ponytail instead of its usual bun shakes back and forth in time with her steps. Dressed in her usual dark grey skirt with flecks of black in it and white blouse. Miss. Sutherland's attire is as if she only had one set of clothing for her work attire or her closet is just full of multiple sets of the same outfit. As the Brilliants and Agent Greene edge ever so closer to the massive oak desk situated at the front of the room Mr.Pervus stands and waits for their arrival. The site of this from the view of the Brilliants and Agent Greene is as if they are about to receive their final judgment. Mr.Pervus doesn't say a word as they approach his desk, he just extends his right hand out and motions towards the Louis the 16th antique chairs. Karen, Pops and Agent Greene sit in the respective chairs situated in front of the desk, Miss. Sutherland stands behind them. Mr.Pervus looks on at the motley crew of people in front of him, still standing and says," Where is Agent Becker?" Pops starts to laugh, his deep voice booming throughout the vast space of Pervus' office, a voice that deep so unusual for a boy of 10 sounding more like a man in his late 30's. Miss. Sutherland starts to laugh as well and soon enough Pops' laugh spreads its contagious aura to Karen and Agent Greene who are both now chuckling. "Did I miss a private joke? Can someone tell me what in the hell is so god damned funny?" Miss. Sutherland stops laughing for a bit, composes herself and says," He's taking a bit of a nap out on the carpet in the lobby courtesy of Mrs.Brilliant!" A confused look comes over the face of Mr.Pervus' face and before he can say anything Karen said," Long story short I was sick and tired of his condescending persona, asked him to stop and he pressed on so I cold-cocked him!" "Oh yeah, you did!", said Miss. Sutherland. Miss. Sutherland holds her right hand up and Karen slaps it with her bare right hand, giving her a celebratory high-five. " That's an understatement! My mom kicked him square in the nuts and then when he was bent over she gave him one hell of an uppercut as the elevator opened! The arrogant prick went flying out backward into the lobby and is still there! Yeeeeaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!!", exclaims Pops with glee. "Well tell him to quit nursing his pride and get in here!", exclaims Mr.Pervus. "I'm afraid that won't be possible!", said Agent Greene. "Why is that?", asks Mr.Pervus. "One because Karen has one hell of a punch and he will be out for a while! Two, Pops let a fart rip over his open mouth, so he should be unconscious for a while!", said Agent Greene. Mr.Pervus trying so hard to hold his composure starts to laugh and sits back in his big comfy leather office chair and says," I'm sorry, that is priceless! I know it is not professional but this was just too funny!"
The office door flies open and in walks Agent Becker, his face red with anger it could rival a tomato. He moves at an aggressive pace towards Pops and Karen, he lifts his left hand and points his index finger at the Brilliants and says," How dare you lay a hand on me and you! What you did was just simply disgusting!" Before he gets to within a foot of Karen and Pops Mr.Pervus stands as does Agent Greene. " Now hold it right there Agent Becker, if you lay a single finger on either one of them I will have you suspended indefinitely! And not even your connections to the PM will help you!", exclaims Mr.Pervus. Agent Becker stops in his tracks and says," But sir! Did you know what they did? They assaulted me!" Mr. Pervus annoyed by Becker's attitude slams his hand on the desktop and exclaims," I don't care! Your behavior towards them and in general was eventually leading to this and quite frankly I have had enough of your attitude! As of now, you are on leave for 3 months and then you will be reassigned to the Alberta office!" "But sir! I have never been out to Edmonton and I am not familiar with it!", exclaims Agent Becker. "Well, get yourself familiar with it over the next 3 months! Because that's your new home!", said Mr.Pervus. "But, but...", said Agent Becker. "No buts about it or any other words from your mouth! You are dismissed and I have some very important things to discuss here regarding the case you have been taken off of! So leave now!", said Mr.Pervus. Becker all dejected from the tongue lashing he had just received from Pervus turns and walks away, his head hung down in shame and anger. Pops gets up from his chair and walks over to Agent Becker, he reaches into the inside pocket of his black polyester suit jacket and pulls out a small package wrapped in bright blue Christmas paper with a gold ribbon on it and extends it to Becker. " Here! I hope there are no hard feelings! I intended to give you this before this all happened!", said Pops. A smile comes over the face of Becker, touched by Pops' generosity, he takes the package in his hands and says," Thanks Pops! I'm sorry for all that happened, I guess I misjudged you!... Thank you and Merry Christmas!" Pops lightly punches Agent Becker on the left leg and says, "It's no problem Pecker, let it not be said that Pops doesn't have the Christmas spirit!... Open your gift!" Agent becker rips through the paper on the small but yet long rectangular box. Karen, Miss. Sutherland, Agent Greene, and Mr.Pervus are all stunned by Pops' sudden generosity to Becker. But, then they all think hey, it's Christmas and a time for peace and love. Those thoughts are suddenly erased when Becker opens his package to reveal a long thick piece of human feces, he drops it on the office floor and walks out in anger saying," Why you disgusting little shit! There are no limits to your depravity!" "Hey, Pecker, I just wanted to give you a little something to remember me by!... Merry Fucking Christmas!", said Pops as he stands giving him the finger.
Pops covers the package of shit up and leaves it lying on the floor, he walks back over to his mother, Miss. Sutherland, Agent Greene, and Mr.Pervus. He sits back down as the same question runs through everyone's collective minds. Only Agent Greene asks," How long did you have that in your suit jacket?" " Since we left London!", replies Pops. "You mean to tell me it's been in there for the past 10 plus hrs?... You are something else Pops!", said Agent Greene. Karen pats her son on the leg and says," When we get home we are going to have a little talk about hygiene, but I believe Mr.Pervus has something important to talk to us about!" Mr.Pervus sits back down in his chair, grabs the closed file folder on his desktop, leans back in his chair opens the file, looks it over and closes it saying, "It can wait till after Christmas!... You all had a long journey back! A couple more days won't matter! You all go and have a great holiday!" "Thank you, sir!", said Agent Greene. "Are you sure?", asks Pops. Mr.Pervus gets up from his chair, walks around his desk and extends his hand in friendship to Karen, then Pops, Agent Greene, and Miss. Sutherland and says," I'm sure! You all have a Merry Christmas!" "Pops and I would like you all to come over to our place for dinner and some Christmas cheer! You are all family to us and have done so much for us both and would love you to come over!" Smiles of joy and happiness come over the collective faces of Agent Greene, Miss. Sutherland and Mr.Pervus. Miss. Sutherland and Agent Greene nod their heads at Mr.Pervus in agreement. "Speaking on behalf of us all, we would be more than happy to!", said Mr.Pervus. " Great! Come by whenever or we can all just go together.", said Karen. "No time like the present! Let's go now!", said Mr.Pervus extending his right arm towards the office door. They walk out of the office, leaving the package containing the shit on the office floor. "What about Beckers shit stick?... You're not just going to leave it here!", said Karen. "The cleaning crew is coming in, I informed them I was meeting with Pops, so they were prepared for something like this!", laughs Mr.Pervus.
The lights to the office shut off and the solitary package of shit lies on the floor in the darkness. As the office lay silent the door to Pervus' secret elevator to the rail system opens and out walks Harold. He walks behind the desk, opens the file on it removes a paper from it, replaces it with another he had tucked in his inside suit jacket pocket. Harold closes the file, carefully leaving no trace of his presence and walks over to the box of shit, closes it, picks it up and takes it with him. He gets back in the elevator with a sinister grin on his face saying, "Thanks Pops, you make this all too easy!"
A large 7ft douglas fir sits in front of the bay window with numerous silver and gold Christmas balls on it, red garland encircling the tree from top to bottom. Generous helping tinsel hanging off it that accent the blue and white bulbs that light it all up. On the top of the tree sits a large gold star keeping watch over the house and the numerous presents below. A roaring fire burns ever so brightly adding that extra touch of heat and holiday nostalgia. Lined along the front of the red brick fireplace is a couple of stockings. One has Karen's name on it, the other is much larger stuffed to the top with a wee hole in the bottom and the name Pops on the top of it. Family pictures past and recent line the mantle of the fireplace. The decor is the standard for a modern 1957 household with a mix of some antique furniture to add that little bit extra. A large punchbowl sits on the center of the coffee table. The sound of Nat King Cole's "A Christmas Song" fills the room mixed with the sound of laughter coming from Agent Greene, Mr. Pervus, Miss. Sutherland, Karen, and Pops. In essence, it is a very Norman Rockwellian type of Christmas scene. Hollywood could not have written or filmed such a scene! They would have used it as a benchmark for films and television." That was so funny! I almost bust a gut laughing when that happened!", exclaims Agent Greene as he takes a sip from the glass of punch. " Well, that cop was so rude in Belgium, so I gave him a view of Belgian Moon! By the moon, I mean my bare ass! Hahaha!.... And I'm not Belgian!", said Pops. "Oh Pops!... Now I know why the police chief from Brussels was so upset about!", said Mr.Pervus. " These stories are making me laugh so hard I'm crying!... Sounds like you all had some fun on that tour!", said Miss. Sutherland. "Yeah, we did!... But, we never did catch, Harold!", said Pops with frustration. "We will but for now let us forget about him and just enjoy the evening and have a Merry Christmas!", said Karen. Mr. Pervus stands, his 5ft 7inch lean but yet muscular frame filling out his dark grey suit. He holds up his glass of punch and says," Quite right Karen!... Tonight it's about us! So, let me say that it has been a pleasure getting to know you Pops and your family over this short time. My wife died before we could have kids, and I put myself into my work...." Tears start to flow from Pervus' eyes, after a few seconds he wipes his eyes and regains his composure and says," What I am getting at is all of you here have become like family to me! Merry Christmas and here's to many more good memories because this is what it is all about, family!" Karen, Miss. Sutherland, Agent Greene and Pops all stand and clink their glasses to the touching toast made by Mr.Pervus. "That was one hell of a toast sir!", said Miss. Sutherland. "Toast! That reminds me, Mom! We need to put out toast and apple juice for Santa! Don't want that fat man to leave me nothing!", said Pops. " You leave him toast and apple juice Pops? Not milk and cookies?", asks Miss. Sutherland. " Nah! That's the reason he is so fat is because of all those sweets, and if he keeps drinking all that milk he's going to have to become lactose intolerant and be shitting for days!", said Pops. The whole room fills with laughter as the record stops, Karen walks over to the stereo and starts it again. "Anyone for more punch?", asks Karen. "Please!", replies Mr.Pervus. " Did I ever tell you all about when Pops was born?", said Karen. "No!", said Mr.Pervus. "Well, it was a rainy evening and Pops was in a hurry to be born and have some toast!", said Karen as the room starts to fill with laughter again.
Outside the snow starts to pick up again and standing outside, on the front sidewalk Harold stands watching the Christmas joy inside the Brilliant household. " Enjoy your happiness while you can Pops because I am about to bring you more misery!", said Harold with a sinister tone. Harold pulls a cigarette out and lights it, pulls down his trilby over his eyes and raises the collar on his trenchcoat and walks down the sidewalk towards a black Cadillac Eldorado Brougham. He motions for his driver to go and the car drives ever so slowly by the Brilliants residence then speeds up down the street, it's taillights disappearing into the snow and darkness.
"Wow! That is some story! I can't wait to hear what happens next and what Harold has planned!... The others will have to be filled in on what happened!", said Liam. "Indeed they will! But we are getting closer to the laundry room and will contact you when we have Jack!", said Graham. Liam looks up at the morning light coming in through the cracks in the window covers and says," Roger that! I will be waiting!... One more thing?" "What is it Liam?", asks Graham. "Merry Fucking Christmas!", said Liam with a laugh. "Yes, it is that time of the year, isn't it?... I have lost all track of time out here and it lost all meaning after a while! Thank you, and a Merry Fucking Christmas to you too Liam!", replies Graham.
Preston, Priya, and Emil continue to search for the entrance to the inner core of the Peak room where the gamma generator sits waiting for them to reboot it. Preston slides his hand over the metal wall looking to feel an edge or risen section of the wall hiding the handle. "It's useless!... Maybe there is no entrance from here!... Maybe the only way in was from inside of the hotel !", exclaims Emil. "Then how did this all get in here?... No, there has to be a way in! Just keep looking!", said Preston. Priya slides her hand over the same section of the wall she looked over as did Emil. The dust of the room gets to her allergies and she lets out a sneeze so loud it could raise the dead. The sneeze removes causes her to brace the wall long enough and with enough pressure to reveal the panel to the handle to open the door to the inner room. "Umm Preston!... I think I found it! " Preston comes running, looks at the discovery made by Priya's sneeze and says," Well will you look at that!... Don't doubt the power of a sneeze!" "Guess my allergies finally proved useful!", exclaimed Priya. "I call it dumb luck!", said Emil arrogantly. "Dumb luck nothing! This is fate giving us just what we need!", said Preston as he grasps the handle, pulls it out of the casing, unlocking the door and slides it open to reveal the inner room. The three stand there in awe of the futuristic look of the room. "Merry Fucking Christmas!", exclaims Preston. Emil looks over at Preston in shock of him using the familiar phrase. "What are we waiting for? Let us get this thing running before time runs out!", said Preston. Priya and Emil nod their heads and they all walk into the inner room towards the gamma generator.
Hanna and Grace stand watching as the next crate ascends towards the landing high above. They then look at the other four still sitting on the ground. "Hey! Shouldn't we go back to the mechanical room in case the others get the upper generator working?", asks Grace. Axel turns and says," When the last crate goes up you can! But, not until then! Besides you can make it back there in time if they call!" Grace rolls her eyes and glares at Hannah who does the same, taking advantage of Axel's lack of attention to their facial expressions.
Graham and Maria stop at a brick wall at the end of the long narrow corridor. "Okay! So, where is the entrance or is this a dead-end?" Graham places his hand on the right-hand wall and pushes on a grouping or bricks. The sound of gears moving after years of inactivity echoes in the corridor and a large door-sized section of the brick wall open up revealing the old hotel laundry room. "Yee of little faith!... Does that answer your question?", said Graham. " I stand corrected!" said Maria as she walks into the old laundry room followed closely by Graham.
"This place is fucking creepy looking!... I'm waiting for some deformed guy to jump out and kill me!", exclaims Maria. " I see they still show old horror movies!", said Graham. " Yeah, those did not go out of style!... Old movies, in general, didn't! Those and books, well, what we survived!", said Maria. The bright illumination of the collective specters of Samantha and Jack catch the eyes of Maria and Graham. "What in the hell is that?", yells Maria. Graham says nothing and runs towards it followed closely by Maria who says," Wait! Don't leave me standing here alone!"
Graham stands watching Jack and Samantha embracing in a ghostly dance Maria stops dead in her tracks as she catches up with Graham and says," Holy shit! Will you look at that!... Guess we are too late?"Jack and Samantha break their embrace at the sound of Maria's and Graham's voices. The two old friends stop and stare at one another. "It's good to see you again old friend! Been a long time!", said Graham. "Yeah, like 150 years!", said Graham. "I'd say a little less than that!", said Jack. Graham looks over at Jacks lifeless body hanging from the large laundry hook of the conveyor belt. "You never looked better!", exclaims Graham. "Yeah, I shaved off a few pounds of flesh!", said Jack with a sarcastic tone. "It shows!", said Graham. Graham moves over to Jack's earthly shell hanging, lifts it down and lies it on the floor. Maria follows him over and pulls a knife out of her backpack, then proceeds to cut the ties off the lifeless body of Jack. "Do you still think there is time?", asks Maria. Jack floats over to Graham and Maria kneeling by Jack's body. Graham looks over the body and says, "I don't know!... But, it doesn't hurt to try!" " It's too late old friend!... I'm happy where I am, don't waste that on me! Save it for yourself!", said Jack. Graham ignores Jacks ghostly pleas, he removes the phoenix formula from its metal casing and stabs the needle into the artery in Jack's neck. " I will do what I want with it and besides we had a deal!", exclaims Graham. Maria waits for the body of Jack to come back to life and after 3 minutes nothing happens and Jack's spirit remains floating beside them. "Is it supposed to take this long?", asks Maria. Jack places his right hand on Graham's shoulder and says," No, it should have taken effect immediately!... Leave it alone old friend! Let me be at peace!" Graham turns to him and says, " You are needed!" "They have you to help them! Find the final plan and execute it!", said Jack. Tears of sadness fill Graham's eyes and then are replaced quickly with a look of intensity. "Not if I have anything to say about it!", says Graham who starts to compress Jack's chest and perform CPR. "We both know that is not going to help, so stop!" Graham ignores Jack and keeps trying until Samantha places her hands on Graham's back causing him to stop. Samantha says," Please stop! It won't help!... But, this will!" "What are you doing? I asked you not to!", exclaims Jack's Ghost. Samantha smiles and says," I love you! I always have and always will!... But please respect my wishes! You have to fix all this, you were meant to!" " But, I can't go on without you!", said Jack with ghostly tears in his eyes. " You can! You were never meant for me!... You thought you were, but there was someone else that you should have been with!", said Samantha's Ghost. Jack's ghost tries to approach Samantha's, she raises her hands pushing him back, she looks at Graham and Maria and says," Stand back, and Graham take care of him and help him!" Graham nods his head in agreement, Samantha smiles, places her hands on Jack's corpse. The room is filled with a blinding light, Graham covers his eyes as does Maria. "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!", yells out Jack's ghost as it disappears quickly. Samantha's ghostly light burns brightly, illuminating the entire room as she sacrifices her essence to bring Jack back to life. Samantha's ghost takes one last look at Jack as his eyes begin to open and she says, "I love you! Now go find her!" An explosion of light like fireworks fills the room as Samantha's ghostly form is no more from her sacrifice. Jack sits up, starts to cough and is quickly tended to by Graham and Maria. "That was intense brother! I'm so sorry, but it's good to have you back!", said Graham. Tears fill Jack's eyes from the events that just happened. A quiet tension fills the air until Maria says, "You two have a lot of explaining to do here!"
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