Both Kyle and I cycled our bicycles quickly to our hideout, hoping that we could still assist Captain Quentin and Jonathan on preparing the alien traps inside the partially destroyed buildings. As we had finally arrived back to the hideout, I was really surprised to see that both of them had already went back from the buildings, looking very tired, and particularly Jonathan, who seemed to be sleeping in his sitting position.
"I would not wake him up if I were you…" Captain Quentin said, "That was hell of an energy he had back there…"
He did not say anything more about Jonathan, but based on how he said it, it would be most likely that they ended up deciding to rush the process, forcing both of them to let out more of their energy to the task, especially Jonathan. They also seemed to be had not arrived too long yet before both Kyle and I also arrived at the hideout.
"I guess that means that we will also evacuate the survivors later on?" I asked Captain Quentin, making sure.
"If you are also going to ask if we will also have to prepare for the big fight tonight, then yes…" he responded.
As soon as Captain Quentin said it, none of the others seemed to be surprised, leading me to assume that he had told all of them about the plan for tonight prior to Kyle's and my arrival to the hideout. In response, I only nodded to him. He then turned to Virgil, asking about the upgraded power source
Virgil responded by saying that he had managed to also install three switches, as well as connecting the station's public notice speaker to the circuit board. In an instant, I asked him on how did he get the switches, to which he responded by saying he took the ones from the office and restrooms on the second floor.
Aside from that, he also mentioned that he took the speaker that was installed on one of the pillars at the third floor. He pointed the spot where he had taken the speaker from, and I immediately noticed that some kind of an electronic device had just been removed from there, as there were several cables unplugged around the pillar.
"You are sure that the thing works right?" Captain Quentin asked Virgil.
"You want me to test it now? I can if you wan-" Virgil responded, before being cut by Captain Quentin.
"No, no need. I will just take it as a yes…" Captain Quentin replied as he shook his head once.
To be honest, I felt that there was actually a need for us to test out the speaker. Not because I was not sure of Virgil's result, but more about the fact that there was no guarantee that it would definitely work without any technical obstructions.
On the other hand, I could also understand what seemed to be Captain Quentin's concern that if we were to check the speaker right away, it would most likely attract the unwanted attentions of numbers of aliens out there. Therefore, I only reminded Virgil to not give the speaker too much of a power later on when we had to use it.
"Well, just do not overpower it like you did with the lamp earlier then…" I said to him.
Virgil nodded, as he continued to test out the switches that he had just installed. As he pedaled the power source and turned one of the switches on, two of the five lamps that were connected were lighted on. He proceeded to turn the same switch off, and turned on the other switch which resulted in the other three lamps to light on.
I asked him on what did the third switch do, to which he responded by saying that it was for the speaker system. He then explained to us that aside from the two lamps, the first switch was also connected to the Morse code machine. I also asked him on how hard he should be pedaling if all of the switches were to be turned on, to which he responded by saying that he did not plan to all along.
Virgil's response made most of us, except for Captain Quentin to show confusions in our faces. He explained that right from the beginning he had been planning to first alert and then notifying the survivors on the street by using the speaker, to evacuate to the elevated railroad loop of the eastern side.
As he was alerting them, he would also signal them to follow the lighted lamps. Right after that, he would turn off the speaker's switch, and then turn on the switches for the lamps. Therefore, it would save more energy, as well as less pedaling would be needed.
"Wait a minute…" Ryan said, before asking, "Do you plan to also make this power source on the other station?"
"I plan to, yes…" Virgil responded.
"Okay… and with whom are you planning to go with?" Ryan asked again right after he fell silent for a moment.
"Would you mind be the one coming with me there?" Virgil responded to him.
As their conversation hung, Ryan eventually turned to me and Captain Quentin, perhaps signaling for some sort of a suggestion. Captain Quentin tilted his head once, signaling that he did not mind with Virgil's decision. Realizing that I would also have to say or at least respond something to them, I only told them to be careful not to fall down to the street below as there was a large hole formed on one of the railroad tracks.
"I will just give you both a little warning here. There is a large hole between the second station from here and at the designated second hideout." I said to them.
"Got it, thanks." Ryan responded to me briefly.
Just then, Ryan looked like he was about to ask my permission to borrow my submachine gun again. I cut his sentences off before he had finished asking, to say that it was indeed would be best for him to bring it since he might need it on their way.
Virgil on the other hand, brought the rest of the other spare materials he had used to make the power source and put it inside another bag. I was curious about the bag, but it seemed that he noticed it and said to me that it was his bag all along that he had carried when he was running away together with Kyle on the first night of the invasion.
Right before they went on their bicycles, Della approached them and asked if they would mind if she wanted to tag along as well. She reasoned that she was curious as what kind of instant food and drinks supplies were still stored inside the food court of the second hideout.
At first, I was confused by her reason, but then I also got reminded myself that since she was a baker, she might have an idea on how to create a new cooking there. Therefore I ended up asking Kyle if she remembered that the stoves or other forms of cooking ware also seemed to be still working.
Kyle responded by saying that she could not remember. However, she did confirm that she noticed that there were a couple of gas cylinders there, with each still installed under the food stalls, implying that perhaps the stoves there could still be working.
Right after Kyle had finished her sentences both Ryan and Virgil finally allowed Della to go along with them. She immediately rushed downstairs to the second floor to take her bicycle, before going up again to the third floor and climbed down to the railroad. Before they left, I returned Ryan's flashlight back to him as he would definitely need it more than me.
"Took you a while before you can finally return it back to me, huh?" Ryan said to me as he smiled.
"Well, I guess right timing is also essential after all." I responded to him, chuckling.
Before leaving, Virgil also told us that he would try and see what he could do there to establish another form of alternative communication system. Kyle asked him if he was planning to make some sort of an a makeshift Morse code machine, to which he responded by saying that he was not even sure about it, but nevertheless still an idea worth considering if the necessary parts and materials were sufficient.
I responded to him by saying that I would stand by the communication system, and wait should they were able to somehow establish one at the second hideout. Virgil nodded, and promised that he would try to contact the first hideout should he somehow managed to make one. With the conditions agreed, they finally departed the first hideout, and slowly began to be engulfed beneath the dense fog as they moved forward…