A Gathering Storm - Prt 02

Zone 21

The Body Shop

Day 05 - 2150L

Mei could only stare out across the city through the cracked glass looking on in horror at what she saw in the distance. Columns of flame reaching skyward while debris and glowing ambers fell slowly to earth across the vast city scape.

She cursed her enhanced vision her ability to focus even at this distance.

Nearest the crater there wasn't much that remained to be seen the force of the blast having reduced nearby buildings to rubble the fire from the blast heating the rock until it glowed.

Further out was much better given that what structures hadn't been pulverized or reduced to rubble had simply been blown off their foundations.

Nearer still she could make out that floaters and other airborne vehicles had been knocked out of the sky or thrown against nearby buildings before crashing into the streets below.

Turning her attentions again to the room she saw that Travis was already rushing back and forth collecting his cloths and dressing while he spoke to a person or persons unknown to her. " Yes, I know what happened. I just watched it happen outside the frakk'n window."

Her gaze followed Travis for a moment or two oddly proud of how well he was handling the situation. The authority he projected as he spoke issuing orders to his subordinates.

Speaking of subordinates her own link was sounding in her head than alerting her that Mrs Wallace was calling via the priority line.

" Speak to me ... "Mei announced opening the connection

" Ma'am are you and the Administrator alright." Wallace sounded back with a note of panic in her voice.

" We're fine Mrs Wallace. I trust we are all aware of what has happened?"

Mei didn't need to see it to know that Mrs Wallace had nodded before she spoke. " Its all over the media channels. There was a blast at the Encorp facility and power is out in 98% of the city."

Mei nodded. " What about power here in this facility? "

" Clarke is already on it. The back up generators should be on line shortly."

" Good, and what about the Administrators Floater ? " Mei inquired turning her attention to getting herself dressed."

" Greene says it was shielded from the blast and that its powered and ready to go as soon as the Administrator says go."

" Good, and what about us? " Mei pressed electing comfort over appearance this time grabbing a pair of worn blue jeans and a t-shirt as she listened to Wallace go down the list while she quickly dressed.

" The shit's hitting the fan all over boss. No inbounds yet but I've already sounded the alert and everyones already in the loop. That said I already have a dozen OCON and OSEC reps on the backline demanding we submit the facility to their authority sighting the OCON Emergency Powers Act 22-10."

Mei nodded her understanding. " Its a OCON directive that states that in times of crisis. That all corporate medical facilities are required to submit to jurisdiction of the local OCON authority. Technically it doesn't apply to us because we are not a corporate entity but in this case you can inform them politely that Administrator Robins is already onsite and that jurisdictional authority is his until he tells us otherwise."

No sooner had she said his name than she found Travis arms around her and his lips teasing her neck. " I need to go... "

Mei nodded knowing full well his duty to OCON outweighed any objection she might have thought up, but than again she was brought up a daughter of OCON and she had always known that OCON always came first so she would never have objected in the first place.

" I'll leave one of my people to handle things with the local heavies. Thankfully he also knows enough to keep himself out of your way. "

He paused than contecting his link to hers to trade contact codes. " Just in case you need me for anything. You can always reach me directly and so I can reach you."

Mei found the thought touching on his part and smiled nodding her approval about to say something but stopping herself short as she watched him depart disappearing up the stairs to the Admin office above.

Sighing she turned her attentions to the windows again placing her hand on the hot glass looking out into the darknesd.

She paused than noticing one of the cracks in the glass growing smaller and still smaller before her eyes before disappearing from view beneath her fingers.

The lights came on than her link sounding in her head almost at the same time. Mrs Wallace's voice sounding the alert over the link that OSEC emergency Service floaters were inbound.