Chapter 6 - Trapped Below
The explosion beneath the pier rattled the concrete foundations.
A section of the old staging warehouse collapsed into the harbor, throwing a massive cloud of dust and ocean spray over the pier. Arthur Sterling and his guards quickly jumped into their SUV and sped away through the rear gates, locking the automated perimeter behind them.
"They set explosive charges on the underwater drill head!" Daniel shouted over the roar of rushing water. "They're wiping out the facility to destroy the evidence before federal marshals arrive!"
"Daniel, look!" Sarah pointed to the lower control room beneath the pier walkway.
Through the reinforced glass walls of the semi-submersible monitoring station, she could see two young civilian technicians banging frantically on the sealed emergency hatch. Water was pouring into the room through a cracked ceiling seam.
"The automated lock engaged when the explosion hit!" Daniel yelled. "The water pressure inside will drown them in five minutes!"
Without hesitation, Daniel sprinted down the narrow metal staircase leading beneath the pier, with Sarah right behind him.
The lower corridor was already knee-deep in cold, violent seawater. Electrical sparks rained down from exposed ceiling conduit.
"Get to the manual release valve!" Sarah shouted, grabbing a heavy emergency crowbar from a wall-mounted fire station.
Daniel waded through the surge, grabbing the frozen steel wheel of the mechanical bypass valve. His veins bulged against his neck as he applied all his strength to turn the rusted lock mechanism.
"It's jammed!" Daniel roared, his boots slipping against the wet iron floor.
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"Not alone!" Sarah yelled, wedging the steel crowbar into the spokes of the wheel.
Together, the nurse and the Admiral threw their combined weight against the lever. With a deafening screech of tearing metal, the valve turned. The hydraulic pressure hissed out, and the heavy airtight hatch swung open.
