“No.”
“You sure? If there’s so much as an air duct anyone can fit through, I need to know.”
“I’m sure.”
“And the next floor will have the same access points as level one and two, but with the addition of bay doors.” Jones made it a statement.
“Yes, sir. That’s correct.”
Jones grunted. “Just wanted to make sure in case they decided secondary emergency routes were only need to know.”
“Not having emergency exits is a safety violation,” Campbell said.
Reese couldn’t argue. “Keeping the test subjects contained was the priority of the setup.
“At the expense of people’s lives?” Campbell’s disbelief echoed over the speaker.
“Just the opposite.”
“Quiet.” Jones hissed the word.
A rhythmic scrape and thump came from behind the door. Jones motioned them back. His team members fell in behind him. They opened the door into the second-floor foyer. The soldiers swept the room, then cleared the way. Reese entered with Rice and Campbell. Their HAZMAT suits made the tight confines more restricted.
Three bodies lay on the floor. One had an arm over the threshold of the elevator. The panels opened and closed, unable to seal.
“I didn’t think that would be on,” a soldier flanking Reese spoke.
“It shouldn’t. Colonel?” Reese said. “Why does the elevator have power but not the lights?”
“Hang on, I’ll find out.”
Jones skipped the beam of his light mounted on his rifle over the body. Beyond the doors, a black void. He moved closer and so did Reese. The darkness broke, revealing strands of wire dangling free. Jones put a hand over the panel, stopping it from sliding from the slot in the wall.
One of the other soldiers stepped up behind Reese. “Where’s the cage?”
Jones followed the shaft with his flashlight. The elevator box was at the top floor. Shredded bits of metal outlined the gaping hole in the bottom.
“What the fuck?” the other man said.
“Reese?” Jones’s light traced the edge of the elevator car. Gouges lined the wall underneath.
Reese didn’t want to believe it, but there weren’t many other explanations. He tipped his hood, making sure the camera would show the colonel the damage on the screen up top. “Colonel, has anyone checked the roof of the facility?”
There was a shuffle then. “Mother Mary, fuck.”
“Yeah, that’s kinda what I was thinking.”
“Colonel,” Jones said. “I’m sending the scientists out until we clear the other floors.”
Both Campbell and Rice protested.
“This isn’t up for discussion.” Jones nodded at one of his men. He herded Campbell and Rice back to the door. “You too, Dr. Dante.”
“And if I go, how do you plan on getting down there?” He flashed his right hand.
“We have explosives and crowbars.”
“Yeah, and what happens when you release something into the air capable of eating through your suit.” Unlikely, but Jones didn’t know that.