Stealing Silence(20)
“Mitch, can you hear me?” she whispered softly.
“Avalon! Girl you scared us half to death!” She could hear Alexa in the background, demanding to know what was going on.
“Sorry, I was out of touch for a few minutes. Listen I need help getting out of here, I am in a bathroom on the south east corner. I have ditched the jump suit and have borrowed a lab coat. What is my best path? There are people right outside the door.” Murmuring reached her ear, and then Peet’s voice came through.
“Avalon, the warehouse shift change is about to happen. If you can join the group leaving, they will be exiting by the south gate. Just walk out and join the workers.
“Won’t someone recognize me? Or want to know what I am doing here?”
“No, they will assume you are a summer student. Join the group exiting. There will be guards at the exit, but keep to the right and just before the guardhouse, you will see the garage for the government vehicles. Walk over there, slowly, as if you have every right to do so. Go inside. It is a small auto body shop. Jump down into the pit for oil changes. There is an underground passage there that will take you beyond the gates to where the oil is stored, about one hundred feet past the gate. Go now, the shift change has started.”
“OK, see you in five minutes.” Avalon unplugged the mic and tucked it away but left the ear buds in place. She was just another bored summer student, with music in place. She grabbed the box and taking a deep breath, opened the door and merged with the people streaming toward the exit doors. Guards were crossing the compound, stopping employees and checking passes. Word must be out to look for an intruder in their midst, but not having a description of the person they sought, they were reduced to checking everyone. Avalon moved to the right side of the crowd and walked alongside the thickest portion, putting as many people between her and the advancing security as she could manage. An angry vibration inside the box set her teeth on edge. She no longer felt smart about taking the bees, knowing how aggressive they were. She slouched a bit and fought the urge to run towards the garages that she’d spied on the right side. As though suddenly remembering something she stopped walking, then turned towards the garage, away from the exiting staff. As she was not trying to leave, the guards ignored her, and concentrated their search on those who were streaming toward the gate.
Reaching the shadow of the garage bay door, she ducked inside. Thankfully, it was deserted. She heard laughter from the next room over. Wasting no time, she jumped down into the bay and found the low tunnel. As soon as she entered it, she started to run. Running was something she was good at and she ran for her life. All her pent up fear gave her feet wings and she sped along the corridor anxious to get out of the facility. When there were no signs of pursuit, she slowed down, uncertain what she would find on the far end. A short flight of steps appeared and she walked up them to be greeted by two pair of boots lying on the ground in front of her. The mechanics had been knocked out cold, and standing over them were Mitch and Peet, and a nervous Alexa who squealed and ran forward to hug her. Avalon smiled at them, handing the box to Mitch.
At the angry buzzing of the box, he opened his mouth to ask what was in it. Peet spoke first, though. “We need to put distance between us and the night security. Whatever you did in there, Avalon, you have them stirred up like a hornet’s nest. Let’s get away from here.”
As Avalon followed them, Alexa holding her hand, she thought you have no idea how right you are.
Chapter 12
The Thumb Drive
I COULD GET USED TO eating every day thought Avalon as she ran her slice of bread through the thick gravy coating the bottom of her bowl. Peet had warmed up a pot of stew and they had set to eating silently, while the box on the side table buzzed noisily. Everyone ignored it, until the meal was finished. Priorities said they needed to eat and relax a touch and let the anxiety and excitement wane, before tackling the next steps. Throughout the meal, Avalon told them what all she had found and seen after they lost communication. Alexa gasped at the bee attack and ‘ooh’d’ at the description of the dinosaur bones, and overall made Avalon feel like a hero, except she really didn’t feel like much of a hero.
Pushing the empty bowl away with a sigh of satisfaction, Mitch smiled at Avalon. Peet filled the bowl of his curving pipe with tobacco and lit it with a match puffing contently. “Go fetch the box, Avalon. You should open it. You are the one who retrieved it all.”
Avalon brought the buzzing box back to the table and gingerly put it on the table, opening it up. She hesitated, then reached inside and lifted out her backpack. She carefully pulled out all the items she had collected.
Once all the items were arrayed on the table, she sat back down. Alexa picked up the photo and stared at their mother and father. Her lips trembled and she put the photo down.
“I feel stupid. I went to all that trouble and I never even found the fertilizer,” said Avalon.
“That’s not true,” said Peet, pulling the pipe away from his mouth and gesturing at the items. “You found the fertilizer all right, only it’s a living, biological fertilizer rather than a chemical one. Not only did you retrieve the fertilizer, but also their food source. You brought back the basis of their research, samples that we can analyze. You did a great deal, for a young one.” The pipe clamped between his teeth once again and he grinned around the stem.