#i'd been pondering for a while about the first basement level and figured the easiest way is to kinda skip it a bit.

[flatstarcarcosa]

bopping around a bit as things come to me. will compile this into the larger doc file later.

The sound of the security room door shutting is, albeit momentary, a sweet relief. Reese plops down in the chair in front of the computer monitors, tapping impatiently at the keyboard as Slade slides the door lock in place.

"So the computers are password protected," they say.

"Of course they are," he says, coming to lean over the chair. "Try Murkoff."

Reese enters three different variations and spellings they can think of. Nothing.

"Yeah, fuck this," Slade murmurs. "Virtual Wintergreen, audio only."

"Oh, now what?" the suit AI asks. "You're done being pissy with me and decided I can be useful?"

"Since you didn't keep my ribs from breaking, can you override the damn computer?" asks Slade.

"Oh sure, shall I just patch into the mainframe while I'm at it? Would you also like some nuclear security codes, since you seem to think that's how this works?"

"Billy, I am not in the fucking-"

"Oh, I got it," chirps Reese. "Someone taped the password under the keyboard. It's literally Madmin01".

Silence.

"Deactivate virtual Wintergreen," mumbles Slade.

"We're just gonna pretend you didn't show an embarrassingly boomer understanding of computers for a minute," says Reese, "y'know, for your sake."

"Why don't you find out if someone taped instructions on how to raise the blast doors under the other keyboard?" he says sarcastically.

"C'mon it's basic corporate security, there's probably a file path marked BLASTDOORCONTROL in the- what the fuck is that?" Reese freezes, pointing at a security monitor in the corner. Slade turns.

"Is that that fucking priest?" he asks, frowning.

"That weird guy that showed up after you went through the window was a priest?" asks Reese.

"Close as you get in a place like this, anyway," he says. "What's he doing?"

On the monitor, the priest looks up at the camera as he reaches for a breaker box. He holds a finger to his lips, and pulls the breaker. The room plunges into darkness, pairing with the sound of computers dying as red emergency lighting blooms a few seconds later.

"You shit sucking CUNT!" Reese yells at the blank monitor. Slade clamps a hand over their mouth and drags them still in the chair away from the window that oversees the hallway.

Seconds tick by.

No one, and nothing, emerges from the dark.

"Sorry," they mumble into his palm. He drops his hand.

"Those stairs by the elevator go to the basement, that breaker box is probably down there," says Slade. "I'm gonna go turn the fucking thing back on, you stay here."

"You are not suggesting splitting up," they hiss. "What happened to 'arm's length'?"

"It's pitch black and I don't know what's down there," he snaps. "I can handle myself but I can't keep tabs on both of us if I can't see."

Reese clenches their jaw. It's not said directly, and they know logically now is neither the time nor place to be concerned with it, but the unspoken meaning of the sentence is that they're now added baggage he doesn't need.

"Besides," says Slade, "this door has a manual lock from this side, even with the electronics down you can still keep it barred."

"I don't think that big fucker from the library gives a shit about locks," they say.

"Then you should stop arguing and let me go so I can be back before he shows up," says Slade. He unlocks the door and slips out before they have a chance to argue otherwise.

Despite it, they still stand and lock it behind him.

"At least this window is lower," they mutter to the shadows.