Read Online Deep Down (Sam Stone Book 1) by Janean Worth - Free Book Online
Authors: Janean Worth
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deadly. Something so lethal that it required hiding the truth and preventing the exit of the infected until a quarantine unit could arrive.
The men drew nearer, the lead guy pushing his way through the gathering crowd around the dead boy to stand over the crying woman.
“Back up, I’m a doctor,” he told Stone.
Stone rose to his feet and said, “There’s nothing you can do for him. The boy is dead.”
“I still need to take a look,” the man replied. Then he looked around at the milling people as if recognizing the fact that he was greatly outnumbered. “Please take your seats. The guide has another announcement to make.”
Stone tossed Jenny a look, and she knew instantly what he was thinking. She was thinking the same thing. More lies to come.
As one, they both turned to follow the doctor’s instruction, heading back to their table. As they passed the still-wheezing guard on the way back to their table, Stone bent to place two fingers against the man’s neck, as if solicitously checking the man’s pulse. Quickly, keeping his hand hidden between his body and the guard’s, Stone used his other hand to feel around under the guy’s jacket. No one, other than Jenny, seemed to notice when Stone retrieved the man’s gun.
Jenny saw him quickly stuff the weapon into the front waistband of his jeans, then jerk his shirt down to cover it as he removed his fingers from the man’s neck and stood in a supple, fluid motion. She followed behind him as he led the way back to their table while two of the other security guards came to lift Sam from the floor and drag him over to a seat near the exit.
Before she and Stone were able to take their seats, the tour guide began speaking. She had borrowed the clip-on microphone and battery pack that the actor had used earlier in the evening so that she could be heard clearly over the whispered, nervous conversations of the other visitors.
Her voice trembled with nerves as she began to speak.
“Now that medical personnel has arrived, I am able to tell you a bit more about our situation. It is not technically true that the lift is not working at this time. It is more correct to say that the lift cannot be used at this time. Quarantine is in effect for those of us here in the museum, as it has been discovered that the containment case for “Ed”, the museum’s on-site bacteria exhibit, has been broken. This happened in an earlier incident this evening, which involved the boy who was just shot. We fear that the bacteria may be causing the health issues that some of you have experienced tonight.”
Here, the woman paused and looked pointedly at Jenny and Stone and the others in their group.
Loud murmurs of dissent broke out across the room, but the tour guide simply spoke over them, raising her voice as she resumed her announcement.
“Many of you may have noticed a difference in the air. I want to assure you that this should in no way concern you. For the safety of the residents on the surface, the circulation of fresh air in and out of the mines has been temporarily suspended until biohazard filters can be installed over the exhaust vents. However, I have been assured that there is currently several days worth of oxygen down here with us, so no one need worry about suffocation.”
Many people at the surrounding tables rose to their feet upon hearing this, alarm written upon their faces.
Before anyone could say a word, the tour guide continued, her voice squeaking and shaking with anxiety and stress. Jenny felt a momentary pang of sympathy for the woman. After all, none of this was her fault, she was just the chosen bearer of bad news.
“Additionally, all circulation of water has ceased. No fresh water will be pumped down to us, nor will sewage be pumped up from the mines until it is determined where the contamination risk resides. This means that you should please refrain from using the bathroom facilities unless
The men drew nearer, the lead guy pushing his way through the gathering crowd around the dead boy to stand over the crying woman.
“Back up, I’m a doctor,” he told Stone.
Stone rose to his feet and said, “There’s nothing you can do for him. The boy is dead.”
“I still need to take a look,” the man replied. Then he looked around at the milling people as if recognizing the fact that he was greatly outnumbered. “Please take your seats. The guide has another announcement to make.”
Stone tossed Jenny a look, and she knew instantly what he was thinking. She was thinking the same thing. More lies to come.
As one, they both turned to follow the doctor’s instruction, heading back to their table. As they passed the still-wheezing guard on the way back to their table, Stone bent to place two fingers against the man’s neck, as if solicitously checking the man’s pulse. Quickly, keeping his hand hidden between his body and the guard’s, Stone used his other hand to feel around under the guy’s jacket. No one, other than Jenny, seemed to notice when Stone retrieved the man’s gun.
Jenny saw him quickly stuff the weapon into the front waistband of his jeans, then jerk his shirt down to cover it as he removed his fingers from the man’s neck and stood in a supple, fluid motion. She followed behind him as he led the way back to their table while two of the other security guards came to lift Sam from the floor and drag him over to a seat near the exit.
Before she and Stone were able to take their seats, the tour guide began speaking. She had borrowed the clip-on microphone and battery pack that the actor had used earlier in the evening so that she could be heard clearly over the whispered, nervous conversations of the other visitors.
Her voice trembled with nerves as she began to speak.
“Now that medical personnel has arrived, I am able to tell you a bit more about our situation. It is not technically true that the lift is not working at this time. It is more correct to say that the lift cannot be used at this time. Quarantine is in effect for those of us here in the museum, as it has been discovered that the containment case for “Ed”, the museum’s on-site bacteria exhibit, has been broken. This happened in an earlier incident this evening, which involved the boy who was just shot. We fear that the bacteria may be causing the health issues that some of you have experienced tonight.”
Here, the woman paused and looked pointedly at Jenny and Stone and the others in their group.
Loud murmurs of dissent broke out across the room, but the tour guide simply spoke over them, raising her voice as she resumed her announcement.
“Many of you may have noticed a difference in the air. I want to assure you that this should in no way concern you. For the safety of the residents on the surface, the circulation of fresh air in and out of the mines has been temporarily suspended until biohazard filters can be installed over the exhaust vents. However, I have been assured that there is currently several days worth of oxygen down here with us, so no one need worry about suffocation.”
Many people at the surrounding tables rose to their feet upon hearing this, alarm written upon their faces.
Before anyone could say a word, the tour guide continued, her voice squeaking and shaking with anxiety and stress. Jenny felt a momentary pang of sympathy for the woman. After all, none of this was her fault, she was just the chosen bearer of bad news.
“Additionally, all circulation of water has ceased. No fresh water will be pumped down to us, nor will sewage be pumped up from the mines until it is determined where the contamination risk resides. This means that you should please refrain from using the bathroom facilities unless
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