From below the surface, the Shockwave sent knee-trembling shivers throughout the concrete facilities' frame, upsetting the structure to disorderly ruin.
The concrete cracked and tore like stiff paper. From the remains came dust clouds, and the exposed metal pipes burst forth torrents of scalding-hot steam.
As the sensation came and went in low-thundering vibrations, so then came the bright blinking Flash of the emergency lights. The siren flashed instantaneous oscillations of white and red upon every surface like the blinking of an eye.
At last the Warning was heard.
Their worst fears made true at the automated voice repeating, “THIS IS NOT A DRILL. EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY OR SUFFER POTENTIAL DELETION.” The words echoed off into the thousands of underground hallways, to every open ear.
As the listeners sought exit to destruction in a quick-sweat panic, trampling upon eachother, abandoning their personal belongings, there was no questioning of authority or hesitation to escape.
No one except for one dared to face the threat many feared.
At the lowest vault of the restricted “Level 303”, closest to the reactor core, he found the source. What was once laid to rest and long forgotten, was now reawakened with its mission of annihilation.
Upon entering the high vaulted room, unpierced darkness continued beyond comprehension, interrupted only by the white and red flickers of the flashing emergency lights.
Suddenly then, the derelict technology at the center of the room came to life with an eye-piercing flare of energy.
He grabbed the access card and readied himself. The rumbling grew deeper, now large stones fell from far above, into the bottomless black chasm below.
The machine rattled and whirled, shaking loose the screws, rivets and bolts holding it down, loosening itself at each concussive throw. The power surged back on, and the terminal to the side began flashing, “SUBJECT RELEASE”. And above the machine's cryo-tank, a metal nameplate which read: “Acrid 303”.