Chapter 80 Inside a Bunker

I couldn"t believe what I am seeing.
When Jayson drove the car slowly towards the small opening of the vault, wide enough for the car to fit in, we saw how high the ceiling of the facility was like it"s some kind of a spaceship. It"s made of overall steel, and the lightings inside are so bright, a sign that the facility is abundant in power source.
It is much bigger and wider than bunker four. Like most of the resources in Arcania are here and most of the well-known people chose to stay here because of the high security in the place and the solid defenses against any kind of attack from the outside. Even the nuclear bombs won"t do anything to it because it was made when there was a nuclear war that happened decades ago and just made to improve again in times like this. It"s like they have predicted that something may happen that would threaten the Arcania one day and unfortunately, their guesses came true and we've all become a victim of it.
All of us watch as the car enter the facility, leaving the bandits outside who were watching us go. I have this feeling of pity for them that they have to endure the outside while knowing there is this good facility that accommodates only several people who could afford their stay here. Even my father, who is a senior class mechanical engineer only got to the Third Level of the bunker where resources are only limited. I wish Timothy could help me get them from that place so we could just go back to bunker four where they will be both safe in Level One with the others.
"I am starting to get a little intimidated about this..." Li whispered while peeking from the window with Mona beside him. It was dark but my eyes saw their hands holding each other and I just lowered my head and pretended I didn"t see it. I am happy for both of them and I couldn"t help but smile and look at Jayson, whose attention is so focused on the platform that the vehicle drove on to until the vault door behind us closed heavily and slowly, the locks clicking automatically after it is closed.
A soldier moved in front of the car and Jayson had to stop, and a machine came forward, spraying water and disinfectants on the car. It cleaned the outer body of it thoroughly, coating it with soaps and bubbles, and sprayed water again, then more disinfectant and a blue ray to kill the bacteria stuck on it.
After the deep outer cleaning of the car, the soldier gave us a sign to get outside of it one by one with our hands on our heads. Before we line to get outside, I anxiously look at the persons lined a little far from the car, watching all of us with speculations and careful eyes. My throat suddenly went dry when I remembered Sgt. Sano and how he almost killed me, a few days after we got into bunker four. It seems I have trauma in higher rank soldiers now because I feel like they always use their power to take advantage of people.
"Do you know any of these people, Timothy?" Roanie asks Timothy, wondering if he is familiar with any of those who are lined to meet all of us. I have no idea but I am wary about those people who are looking at us with a suspicious look in their eyes. I don"t think they are good news.
Jayson went outside the car first and then Timothy. The moment that Timothy stepped outside the car, one of the people stepped closer to him, his face worried and his eyes are all focused on Timothy"s face like he"s some kind of a father to him.
"Master Timothy! What happened to you!" He exclaimed, grimacing and looking at Timothy from foot to head, then I realize how filthy and messy we look like compared to them. Our skin is smeared with grime, our clothes dirty and smells not too pleasant to the nose and our hair are like rags because the last time we had our bath, was when it rained when we stayed in one of the random dilapidated buildings in Zone twenty-three.
Even Li smelled himself after seeing the reaction on the man"s face and even he grimaced at his own smell. We were not conscious of this thing because the first thing that was always in our mind was survival and nothing else.
"Hector, I didn"t know you were here. Is Dad okay?" Timothy asks the guy who"s wearing a black sleek suit like a butler and even though Timothy sees how the man grimaced at his looks and smell, he still gave him a wide smile like it didn"t matter to him how filthy he looks. I guess he got so used to it that he"s proud that despite the dirt and smell, he survived all those struggles and that is more reason to smile than be conscious of his hygiene.
"We better go and give you a warm bath, young Master. How long have you got your last shower?"
All of us lined up, facing the people who welcomed us in this place. Our hands are still on our heads except for Greg, who is now answering the questions of his fellow soldier who jots down what he is saying deliberately, and Timothy who is now standing beside his butler who winces and smiles at him awkwardly, looking unhappy of his smell.
Two men, one in a white suit and the other in his military uniform look at both me and Jayson, their faces stoic and not smiling. They are both taller than Jayson who is already six and one in height so they are both gazing down on us, studying our features and the expression on our faces.
Then Carl, my squirrel suddenly poked his head from my shirt, between my breasts and Jayson"s eyes widened upon seeing the squirrel resting in between there. Carl made a squeaking sound that made the people of the bunker wary of it, surprised by the animal.
"H-Hey, It's just a squirrel. It doesn"t hurt people!" I said to the man in a white suit and he tried to calm himself after being scared like it was the first time he saw a creature like Carl.
"Are you sure that creature is not infected?" He asked suspiciously, his eyes looking at my face trying his best to trust my words and that is already a good start I think we could trust these people because they are willing to trust us too.
"Yes, we meet him during one of our stopovers. His name is Carl. I named him after my brother who is here in this bunker with my dad."
"And that"s the reason why you are all here? Why do you travel so far from Zone four to this place?" The soldier asks, his eyes looking straight at me like he couldn"t believe we had survived every disaster outside the bunkers. "How could you all survive and all the soldiers who are with you didn"t? Isn"t that sound a little absurd?"
"Col. Rivera, I think we have to give them time to clean themselves first so they could wear comfortable and fresh clothes, right? Uhhh..."
"Harriet. My name is Harriet Fontaine, ma"am." I addressed the kind-looking woman who was with the soldier wearing a lab coat. Her hair is stretched back to a neat bun and she"s wearing round glasses and on her hand, a record sheet, like she"s expecting us already to get in here and the information must have been from the mayor of the chancellor of Bunker four.
Then I remember Roanie isn't on the list and I hope they wouldn"t mind about it.
"Okay. There is plenty of time for questioning. I guess we let them enjoy a bath and eat first. We"ve been waiting for all of you for weeks now and we"re glad that all of you are safe, especially Mr. Flitzenberg's son who"s so brave to travel with you, young people." The man in a white suit said, smiling admiringly at all of us. He seems young to be a chancellor though but I think he is, the way he talks.
"Timothy, are you not going to join us?" Roanie called on Timothy when the butler walk him to the opposite side of the outer facility of this place.
"He"ll have his own space for this, Roanie. Don"t worry. He will be alright. He"s the son of the richest man in Arcania!" Li tried to reassure Roanie as she watch him go away with the butler, and waved at Roanie telling her he will be back in a bit.
Jayson looked at me, his eyes are attentive and careful while observing the whole place. The process of newcomers is just as same as the Bunker four and the woman who is probably the head of the medical team in the outer facility led us to the steps and gave orders to her people to assist us in the process. Since it was not our first time anymore, I tried to explain to Roanie as clearly as I can what is going on so she won"t feel scared and anxious about the process.
"They would just literally bathe us and tend to any of our wounds," I explain to her, her eyes wide as the uniformed ladies who ask us to take off our clothes scared her to death. "You"ll be all right. They don"t bite." I added with a little humor.
Despite being scared of the new environment and how big this place is, Roanie still tried to make herself as calm as she could and just let the uniformed ladies do their job to scrub her while she was under the shower, and the fear that made her hesitant to do all of this went gone when she finally got rid of all the grimes and the filth on her skin. Her smile is just so pretty that even I and Mona smiled at her, finally having to take a bath after almost a week of just changing clothes and cleaning our teeth, sparing a little eater to cleanse it.
"I told you, I said to her and she just nodded thankfully, cannot imagine she would experience this kind of thing in here."
After a satisfying bath, the ladies brought us robes and then told us all to proceed to the next step which is the medical check-up. All was well with the three of us so we just process next to a room where the ladies gave us fresh clothes, the uniform of the residents here in Bunker Twenty-Eight. A white long-sleeved tracksuit. I am pleased with the image I see in the mirror after I get cleaned and pulled my hair into a ponytail when I saw a jar of clips and hair ties on top of the small table near the Full-length mirror. Mona just let her shoulder-length hair loose and Roanie braided her brown hair like a crown and put flower pins on it which look attractive on her. Her smiles didn"t leave her face which made me glad because, after all the struggles and ugly things we had seen while we were on our way here, it"s cool to see them looking genuinely happy again.
"You look great, Roanie." I compliment her as she twirls in front of the mirror and smiles.
"Do you think, Timothy would like it?" She ask, her smile didn"t face even after she ask me those questions like she was being open with her feelings for Timothy.
I was a bit surprised by the sudden change in her feelings from Jayson to Timothy. But I guess, it"s because Timothy is really a gentleman and I think since we get into the tunnel, the two of them got fond of each other and I am happy for both of them as much as I am happy for both Li and Mona.
"Of course, he will! Only a dumb guy would not like the way you fixed your hair. You"re really pretty."
"And you are really pretty too, Harriet." She said to me, a little shy, and then she sat beside me, and fiddled on her fingers like what she wanted to share is a little embarrassing for her. "I could never compete with you for Jayson. You are way more amazing than I am, you know that?"
I was shocked at first when she opened up her feelings about it and I didn"t know what to say so I just decided to stay silent and let her talk.
"I mean, I like Jayson because he"s a really mature and responsible guy. Every time he talks it seems like he"s in charge of everything but I was wrong. He trusts you in every heavy decision you think. He"s the leader but you are his Queen, Harriet. He has so much respect and love for you that I would never have a chance to compete about it. Just seeing him look at you already makes me think that it"s impossible for him to like me."
"And Timothy?"
"He just said that I am an amazing and fearless girl and he likes that about me. And then just yesterday night, he just confessed to me if it"s ok that he ask me for a date when we survive tonight and I hope he remembers that,"
"He will," I answered her, and I laugh at what she had said because it sounded like a déjà vu to me. But whatever it is, I am glad that Jayson doesn't have to worry about Timothy pursuing me anymore because it looks like his attention is now on Roanie.
"And I am happy for you and Li, too," I said to Mona making her blush and the three of us chuckled. We were surprised when a uniformed lady enter our tent and told us to finally process an identity check.
"Let"s go," I said to the girls and I feel like I am one more step to see my father and Carl again.