Installation 23
Skybone Mountain Range
The 14th of June, 1997
A computer monitor hums to life, automatically triggered by a pressure sensor buried under a desert road. A grainy video feed shows a tan Jeep roaring down the dirt road, leaving a trail of dust as it drives. The man sat in front of this monitor hits a white blinking button and silences the alarm. He stands from his chair, adjusts his military uniform, and steps outside of the checkpoint door. The Grand Ole Sultan Bilal Demesetelis arrives at the checkpoint five minutes later. Pulling up to the gate, the limo tinted window rolls down and the Sultan pops his head out. "Good afternoon Cas, busy day?".
"Yes sir," Cas bows to the Sultan, than continues. "The family has been in and out all day, making sure the finishing touches are just as ordered. You just missed Caane, he took off about an hour ago to go hike up the mountain with Caleb, said something about double checking the air intakes.
"What are the busses for?" The sultan asks, looking past the gate at 3 dark green busses. He had seen these types of busses on his military bases before, but these had their windows painted over.
Cas noticeably pales, stammering his response. "Oh, uh your brother Baqa brought those. He is taking the construction workers back across the border. Th-they have been living here for four years now, I am sure they are excited to get back home." His eyes suddenly unable to meet the sultan's.
"Interesting.." The sultan wonders what Cas knows. His brother Baqa is a scary man, even to junior members of the family. Being head of the military's secret police does not earn you many friends. Even so, Cas is unusually pale.
At that moment Amir Demesetelis, a spry man of 80, calls out Bilal's name from across the parking lot, and gestures for him to come and park.
"Well, your grandfather is calling me. Have fun monitoring the cacti Cas." With a wave the sultan drives into the lot, pulling into a spot next to Amir's Jaguar. "Uncle Amir!" Exclaims the sultan. "I had a hard time getting up here with my four wheel drive, how the hell did you make it in the Jag?"
"Because I actually know how to drive, Bilal. I did doughnuts around snipers nests in my tank during the war, a dirt road is nothing!" He chuckles. "Come, I'll give you the full tour now that everything has been completed."
The two men walked from their cars up to a metal door the size of a small house set into the base of the mountain. A wave of cool air washes over them as they step into the facility designed to be the last bastion of the Demesetelian family.
"When was the last time you were in here Bilal?"
"Back in February, it looks so much different now that all of the fixtures are in."
"Yes, it looks like a true fortress now. To the right is first aid and next to it is Security Station Beta." He steps up to a platform similar to a subway in the center of the room and presses a button on the console to his right. "The tram takes us from the entry down into the bunker proper in less than three minutes, quite speedy for such a long distance."
"And if the tram is down?"
"There are many escape tunnels throughout the facility, most of which lead to that security station. Each level has its own access, but trust me, you do not want to be climbing all those ladders if you do not have to."
A scraping metal sound announced the arrival of the tram. "Can't they oil that thing Amir? You spent billions on a bunker that breaks our eardrums every time we enter and exit it?"
"Do not be such a baby. If we ever have to use this bunker the sound of bombs will most definitely drown out the squeaking." Climbing on to the tram, Amir sits and unfolds a map of the base. "27 floors, with amenities ranging from an olympic swimming pool to a full government command center. If anything was to threaten the family we could run the country from in here if need be. The facility can withstand any bomb threat without loosening a bolt of its construction."
"Uncle, I thank you for championing this initiative, but do you really think we will need all of this? What enemy could we face that requires such protection?”
"Demesetelis' power and influence is expanding, Badir. Even thought it seems silly now, if our ambitions are to be realized we will piss people off along the way. It is imperative we have a place to keep the family safe in the event our lives are threatened."
"You are very wise uncle, I pray we never have to use this facility for its intended purposes. Let's get going, shall we start at the command center?"
"Sure, hit that red button next to the door." Before he could press the button, a shout rang out across the room.
"Hold the tram!"
The sultan looks up to Caane and Caleb running in from outside. They hop up the tram steps and take a seat across from their Great Uncle. As they pass by, the smell of sweat and something the sultan can not identify whips past him. Badir presses the button and takes his seat across from Caane as the tram begins to move. "I thought you were checking the air vents Caane?"
"I was father" Said Caane, panting and looking towards Badir with bloodshot eyes. "We just went a little ways up the mountain, everything is fine!" He flashed his most charming smile towards his father.
"Why are your eyes so red Caane? And yours too Caleb?" The sultan asked, narrowing his own.
"Oh... uh a dust storm" Said Caleb.
"A dust storm!" Exclaimed the sultan. "I did not see any dust storms on my way up here?"
"He means the wind kicked up some dust in our eyes." Injected Caane, while subtly elbowing Caleb. "Nothing to worry about, we will be fine. I have some eye drops in my room here."
"Hmm. You boys be careful. I do not need you falling down a gulley. Also," The sultan glares at Caane "Baqa told me he caught you riding your bikes in the corridors yesterday. We just finished the base, do not tear up my carpet with your tires!"
"Sorry sir" Caane hangs his head "How much longer are we going to be here anyway? I was finished getting my stuff ready last Friday!"
"Ask your mother Caane, I just got here. I will be leaving for my Batavian visit at 6am tomorrow, if she has nothing planned for you perhaps you can accompany me."
"On to more pressing matters" Pipes up Amir, clearly annoyed at the interruption of his presentation. "Located within the command center is a state of the art satellite uplink that....."
As Amir drones on about the subtleties of running a nation from underground, the tram continues to whirr deeper into the mountain complex.
Installation 23
Skybone Mountain Range
The night of the Commonwealth assembly
Cas, current head of security for the installation, was sat in Security Station Alpha when Caleb's alert went out. Code orange procedures? Jesus people will be arriving within the hour. He thinks to himself. Standing from his desk, he presses the intercom button and makes an announcement. "Attention all personnel. A Code orange has been declared. Please follow your code orange procedures. The family should start to arrive soon, we need the facility running at one hundred percent by the time they get here." He does not have a headache yet, but Cas pops a Tylenol anyway, knowing the commotion ahead will most certainly give him one. Sitting back in his chair, he pulls out his phone and Facetimes his wife Adeela. She picks up quickly. "Adeela, did you get the message?"
"Yes, we are all getting ready to head out. Do you think this is serious Cas?"
"Do not worry my love, Caane is fine. And besides, this all happened in Britcan, it is simply a formality for the family to take shelter while we figure out the situation. Is Amir up?"
"Actually, I haven't seen him move this spryly since... well forever. He is moving with such purpose, here he comes now." Adeela flips the camera to show Amir carrying a military backpack and a rifle, striding down the steps, cane in hand almost forgotten.
"Come on Adeela, start bringing bags out to the car. I am going to get a headstart, they need me in the command center." Shouts Amir
"Amir, certainly you are not going to drive yourself? Let one of your security team take you there."
"Nonsense! I know the way by heart, besides those slowpokes would take ages."
Adeela grabs a suitcase and follows Amir out to the driveway. She rests the phone on the floor of the SUV and begins to load up the car. "Cas, we should be leaving in just a bit. Your grandfather is driving on his own. do you know how the rest of the family is faring?"
"I had to turn my phone on silent, all the group chats and pings. It seems everyone else is ok and getting ready to head to the mountains."
Isabella, Cas' 14 year old daughter can be heard in the background "Mom! Can I ride with great grandpa?"
"Ask him yourself" Adeela shouts back "He probably does not want you slowing him down!" She chuckles.
"Grandpa, pleaseeee?" Begs Isabella.
"Alright sweet pea, you know I can't say no to those puppy eyes, get in, we're taking the Jaguar."
"Bye mom!" Yells Isabella.
"Drive safe Amir! Isabella, stick with your great grandfather. I will see you there. Waive for your father!" Adeela picks up the phone and points it at the car, where Cas sees Isabella waving out the window. Past her he can see Amir turn the key to start the car and then orange fills the screen. The sound of the blast blows out the phones microphone, so all Cas hears is a loud thud. The phone lands propped up against something and Cas has a full view of the burning wreckage. All he can do is stare at the screen, mouth agape, as his brain tries to process what it has seen. As the smoke clears he can see his wife slumped inside the garage, having been thrown by the blast. Debris begins to fall from the sky, and a mangled Jaguar hood ornament lands in front of the phone.