Victor Avalon rushed out of the elevator and headed for the excavation site while shouting"JAKE, LYRA, COME OUT QUICKLY!"
Jake saw the worry in his father's eyes, he held Lyra's hand and walked out to his father as quickly as possible.
"Dad, we're here" Jake called to his father who rushed to them and hugged them both.
"Are you two alright?" Victor quickly asked the two as he let them go.
"Yes Dad, we're fine, but what's going on?" Jake asked with worry.
"Yeah, Uncle Victor, Jake said some bad people are in the mine, and we had to leave and look for you." Lyra asked Victor as she was scared.
'Shit' Jake was worried his dad would be suspicious if he knew what was going on.
However, to his surprise, Victor didn't pay attention to how Jake knew and just answered Lyra.
"Don't worry Lyra, I promised your father I would take care of you two right? So let's get out of here first, I'll make sure no bad guys trouble you two okay?" Victor reassured Lyra before leading the two kids to the office.
Victor quickly signed on and looked at the feed.
Victor sighed before quietly mumbling "This is bad, it's a good thing I warned them." Jake had heard his father although Lyra didn't.
Victor thought for a few seconds before he turned to the two children and said "Alright kids, here's the plan, We won't be able to go back the way we came. There's an emergency tunnel about 1km from here so we'll have to be fast."
The three quickly left the office and ran as fast as they could past the excavation site and into the north tunnel.
"There it is." Jake shouted to his father as they reached the small elevator on the side of the tunnel.
Jake and Lyra who were tired from running sat down next to the elevator to rest while Victor configured the panel.
(Jake, it seems they have finally arrived down here.)
Jake, although a bit scared but was confident as his father was with him said to the Atlas 'I know, but we're all okay and we'll get out soon.'
"DAMN IT." Victor shouted in anger that stunned both Lyra and Jake who turned to look at him in worry.
"D-dad what is it?" Jake asked his father.
"They fried the panels, I couldn't access the elevator at all." Victor spoke with a sigh.
"There must be a way right?, Isn't this an emergency elevator? Will it not trigger if there is an emergency on this level." Jake questioned his father.
"Let me think, yes we can force the elevator to open up if we trigger an emergency on this floor, if the sensors pick it up we can get out of here. Nice thinking son." Victor rubbed his son's head as he thought of a way out.
'Thank you, Atlas.'
(Not a problem Jake.)
"Alright." Victor squatted down to look both Jake and Lyra in the eyes as they say on the floor.
"Listen very carefully you two, I'm gonna head back and trigger the emergency sensors at the excavation site. As soon as it opens I want you both to go, no waiting for me okay." Victor spoke to both of them.
"But dad what about you? I won't let anything happen to you." Jake spoke angrily to his father.
Victor smiled before rubbing his son's head.
"Hey now, it's a father's job to worry about his kids, not the other way around. Listen to me Jake, your mother and sisters are alone at home, you need to get them and go to Lyra's house. There's a ship just outside the elevator shaft so head to it. Clarence will keep you all safe and I will join you after." Victor explained his plan to Jake and Lyra.
"Promise Uncle Victor." Lyra was the one to speak out after in a quiet voice.
"Yes...Lyra I promise." Victor put on a reassuring smile before hugging them both.
"Jake remember, I love you all, so while I'm gone you're gonna have to take care of the family. Take care of Lyra too alright? I'll join you as soon as I can." Victor spoke to his son.
Jake who had tears welling up spoke to his father "Yes father, I promise."
"Be safe you too." Victor spoke his final words to them before running back to the excavation site.
"Jake, I'm scared." Lyra who was now scared as Victor had left them alone grabbed onto Jake's arm.
(Jake we will use the transporter your father left outside for us. We should head for your family first and then to the Winters. Lyra's father should be able to get us off this moon and maybe out of the System.)
'Got it Atlas, let me calm Lyra down first' Jake replied to the Atlas.
Jake turned to Lyra who had tears falling down her face. He wiped them with his sleeve and hugged her.
"Don't be scared Lyra, I promised my dad I would look after you and after we get my family we will head straight off to yours okay?" Jake spoke into Lyra's ears.
Lyra, who had managed to calm down, hugged Jake tighter before she nodded which brought a smile to Jake's face.
The two waited for 20 minutes before a loud bang was heard from the excavation site.
"DAD" Jake shouted, worried about the safety of his father.
A loud beep was heard and an evacuation message started to play 'EXPLOSION DETECTED ON SUB FLOOR X-1 IN SECTION A7-B. ALL PERSONNEL ARE REQUIRED TO EXIT IMMEDIATELY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE NEAREST ELEVATOR SHAFT.'
The message continued to play and the lights had turned red. A mechanical sound was heard as the emergency elevator quickly opened.
"Jake, it opened let's go." Lyra quickly pulled Jake into the elevator.
Jake, who wasn't paying attention to anything else continued to stare down the tunnel for his father.
'Atlas...' Jake's thoughts trailed as his darkest fears slowly crept up on him.
(Yes Jake, he lied. However, your current state of mind will prove detrimental to our escape. Do I have your permission to block them?)
Jake continued to stare at the tunnel before closing his eyes 'Do it.'
(Suppressing negative thoughts and emotions. I'll release them when we get out of here. I'm sorry I had to do that Jake.)
Jake stopped staring, turned and pressed the evacuate button on the elevator and the doors swiftly shut. His eyes became sharper as all senses of fear and grief were blocked by the Atlas.
Lyra immediately noticed Jake's change but left it thinking 'Jake is being brave for me, I can't let him down.'
The elevator was faster than the main elevator as it was made for emergencies and smaller groups and the two quickly reached the surface.
They had arrived at another tunnel entrance that was near a storage section of the mine.
"There, the Ship." Jake quickly noticed the shuttle and ran with Lyra towards it.
When they reached the door an automated system quickly spoke 'SHIP LOCKED-AUTHORISATION REQUIRED.'
(Jake, say your name and ask the ship to open up, your father must have had this prepared so he probably gave you and the family access.) The Atlas quickly advised Jake.
"Jake Avalon, unlock the ship." Jake spoke to the ship.
'IDENTITY CONFIRMED, WELCOME ABOARD CAPTAIN.' The vessel flashed a green light as the door to the ship opened.
"Let's go Lyra." Jake spoke before the two entered the vessel.
The vessel was a bit larger than a standard transport and looked to be customised significantly.
(Jake, it appears this vessel was customised for interplanetary travel, the thrusters are much more powerful and the storage and seating compartment have been customised for long travel. There also appears to be some stealth shielding to hide from planetary scanners on certain sections. It appears your father prepared for this.)
'I see' Jake replied to the Atlas as he went to the cockpit with seating for two.
"Lyra strap in, we're going to my house first." Jake called Lyra to the co-pilot seat who quickly arrived and strapped in.
"Umm, Jake? Can you fly this thing?" Lyra asked Jake.
"Well the ship should automate most of the functions so we'll be fine, let's go."
Jake quickly entered their destination and started up the ship with help from the Atlas.
The transporter let out a roar as it fired up its atmospheric engines before coming to an idle, the sound of a low hum filled the interior of the ship.
The ship lifted a few hundred metres, before heading towards the Avalon home.