The door's mechanism whirred before swinging open, revealing a brightly lit living room. Stepping through the bunker's threshold, the door closed softly behind Ryne, sealing him in. An air filtration system quickly whirred to life, pulling the aged air from the bunker and replacing it with air cleaner than he had ever breathed. The freshness was almost overwhelming, a stark contrast to the grime and stench of Fracture.
To his left, a small device in the wall held a dark pouch. He grabbed and flipped it open to see a recent photo, a serial number, and a badge. His data band on his wrist vibrated as he lifted it up. He double-tapped it and the information made his mouth gape.
"My data band must have provided my personal information."
[Ryne Connors - Part-time exo-mech operator. Sergeant of the Nova City Security Force.]
'So, I'm actually a sergeant? Will that work in Nova City as well?'
He pocketed the badge and viewed the living room surrounding me. Pristine couches beckoned invitingly, their plush cushions seemingly untouched by the passage of time. The room exuded a sense of comfort and serenity amidst the ruins above, an oasis of tranquility nestled within the forgotten bunker.
Bookshelves lined the walls, adorned with old but meticulously cared-for books. Their weathered spines whispered tales of forgotten worlds, beckoning him to travel to realms of adventure and imagination. The scent of aged parchment and ink filled the air, carrying with it the weight of countless stories waiting to be rediscovered.
In one spare section of the wall, untouched by bookshelves, a painting of a woman standing in frame with a plane behind her shone brilliantly, lit up by two lights beneath it. A plaque sat beneath the painting.
"1937. Amelia Mary Earhart. Reaching heights that no woman ever had before her." Ryne said, reading the plague out loud.
He looked over the details. The painter had put a lot of effort into every stroke. Ryne appreciated the artist's work. Probably influenced by Hank.
'I guess that was the important date used for the bunker code. Some people really are obsessed with the past.'
A couple of tables stood proudly in the center of the room, their surfaces devoid of decorations. The few decorations left were Phoenix Flowers, genetically engineered flowers that go through a continuous cycle of life and death, but these, without water, remained forever wilted.
Hanging from the ceiling in the center of the room, the holovision stole the spotlight. As he approached, it flickered to life, casting a warm, dancing glow across the room. Scenes from a bygone era unfolded before his eyes, projected with an ethereal clarity that defied the decay surrounding him.
'An older model, but still quite functional. Maybe I could get Maira to tune this into Nova City's channels.'
He sank into one of the pristine couches, its embrace comforting and familiar. The room seemed to welcome him, as if it had patiently awaited his arrival through the ages. With each turn of a page and every holographic scene, he immersed himself in the stories and histories that lay within this hidden sanctuary.
'I should move on. I don't have all day, since he'll be waiting for me to return.'
He sighed in response to his own thoughts as he continued to explore the bunker's secrets.
Beyond the living room, the next door led him into the kitchen. Though modest in size, it held the promise of culinary creations. Pristine pots and pans, remnants of a time when savory meals were crafted, rather than the tasteless rations provided to those in the streets above. A phantom aroma of spices and freshly baked bread whispered through the air, as if the spirits of forgotten cooks danced amidst the forgotten utensils.
From the kitchen, it appeared there were no other doors leading to additional rooms.
'The system mentioned stock, though. There had to be more to this. The people of Fracture are a resourceful bunch, and surely they were just as crafty when this place was built.'
He meticulously examined every corner, his hands gliding over the smooth surfaces and the undersides of the countertops. He peered closely inside all the cabinets, systematically emptying every compartment in the kitchen. The heap of utensils, crockery, pots, and pans in the center of the kitchen grew steadily, and he leaned back against a countertop as he surveyed the chaos he had created.
"Surely, this is a logical action, right? Or have I just been influenced by the people of Fracture too much? Maybe the food stock was supposed to be in these cabinets and the supplies have already been used up," he mused aloud, though no one was there to answer.
He emptied a drawer at the end of the kitchen and noticed its depth didn't match its apparent size. Ryne tapped on the bottom, and a hollow thud echoed in the silent kitchen. Using a knife from another drawer, he pried the base free, revealing a hidden switch.
With a click, a concealed panel swung open on the wall above the cabinet, revealing another scanner. He placed his face in front of it, and a soft beep sounded from the scanner's speakers. The wall beside it groaned as a door-sized partition pushed in and slid to the right, revealing another staircase leading further down into the depths of the bunker.
The hidden doorway led him into the sleeping quarters. Exploring them further, he found five large hallways that led to bedrooms and bathrooms, with the first room also containing a laundry at the end of the hall.
The beds, neatly made but untouched for years, beckoned him to rest, promising respite from the harsh realities beyond the bunker's walls. Yet, he resisted their allure, knowing that man and Cassie would be waiting for him.
He counted five rooms with double beds, and nine rooms with two single beds. Each room had closets at the far walls, but only the rooms with double beds had personal holovision projectors.
The bathrooms were stationed after the first set of single-bed rooms. Each one identical, had a shower, toilet, vanity, and mirror. The fixtures, although older models, resisted time itself, gleaming with a touch of stubborn cleanliness. The mirror reflected a glimpse of his bruised and weary face.
'I look so sad... So tired... Once I settle everything, I'll give myself time to rest. I will be able to rest when we're safe.'