Episode Five: The Lair.
Malvin relaxed but not visibly at Eric's reply. He didn't need the watch to tell him that Eric wasn't fully convinced. At least he had consented. It was now up to Malvin to prove his words.
"Good then." Eisenhower said standing. "Time is not on my side, Malvin. Why don't we carry on to why I am really here."
"Sure." Malvin replied and waved his hand causing the lights to increase and the holographic screen to disappear. "Lead the way Eisenhower. " he said standing and Eric followed suit.
Eisenhower lead them to the back of the bar counter. "Step onto the rug, please. " he said pointing to a chessboard patterned rug. They climbed onto the rug and he tapped a white block twice with his feet and the floor board gave a hiss and began to descend with them on it.
Once the floor was over their heads, the opening they had left sealed itself shrouding them in darkness; which was short lived as lights flooded the vent from the walls. Fluorescent bulbs were built into the wall of the elevator vent.
"The covering above looks just like the rug we are standing on." Eisenhower said and turned to face the back wall. "And descent into the lair can be overridden by the watch. " he added gesturing them to turn.
"Good. That way I can keep track of entry and exit." Malvin replied turning.
"By the way have you named the watch yet?" Eisenhower asked.
"No, can I do that? " he didn't know that was possible.
Eisenhower didn't reply, simply he raised Malvin's right arm, where the watch was camouflaged as an ordinary G-shock digital watch. "Watch drop camouflage." Eisenhower commanded
(Good day, Mr Harvey Eisenhower.) The watch's mechanical voice rang out loud in the enclosed space and Malvin from the corner of his eyes saw Eric stepped back in shock. Malvin turned and gave him a reassuring smile. (Apologies, Mr Eisenhower that command cannot be obeyed. I was programmed only to obey Malvin.) it said and Eisenhower snorted. The watch, Malvin had discovered earlier was hard wired, soft wared and designed to obey only his command and Dr Howard's, who was now dead.
"Watch, drop camouflage and do as Eisenhower commands presently." Malvin instructed. The watch phased and turned to a complex watch head sticking out of Malvin's wrist like a broken bone.
"Ah! Mo gbe! " Eric muttered not believing his eyes.
"Watch you will be given a name and from here onward you will answer to that name. Is that clear? " Eisenhower took obvious pleasure in commanding the watch. Ever since the day Malvin had showed Eisenhower the device, Eisenhower had tried to no avail to get the watch to do his bidding. It was now a thing between him and the device.
(Yes, Mr Eisenhower.) The watch sounded prim. It wasn't happy about the new development.
"What would you like to call it, Malvin. " Eisenhower was grinning from ear to ear in obvious pleasure.
Malvin thought for a second. "You will be called Vinny." Malvin said.
(Well picked.) Vinny replied.
"Good, Vinny can you feel the motherboard of the lair's system? " Eisenhower asked.
(Quite well, Mr Eisenhower) Vinny replied.
"I want you to access the motherboard and override it. Take 100% control. " he said.
(I can't.)
"Why not!" Eisenhower snapped.
(That's because, Mr Eisenhower the time frame for 'Presently' has elapsed.) vinny retorted and Eric chuckled. Eisenhower turned and smothered him with a withering glare and Eric pretended to cough.
"Do it, Vinny." Malvin couldn't help but laugh too. "How deep is the lair, Eisenhower? " Malvin asked since they were still descending.
"Thirty feet beneath the manor. " Eisenhower said in pride.
"Wow." Eric muttered.
"Vinny, can you override the elevator mechanism and make descent faster? " Malvin was beginning to feel claustrophobic.
(Yes.) it replied and after a minute the elevator came to a stop; the lights went off, everything stopped working and suddenly they came back to life and the elevator began to drop at a faster pace.
(Motherboard override complete. System reboot complete. ) Vinny's voice was no longer coming from the watch but the walls. (I am now in control. Beginning physical scan and bio confirmation. ) it said and a green light fell on Eisenhower and Eric. The elevator came to a final stop. (Mr Harvey Eisenhower, Shola Eric Amby: Welcome to the lair.) Vinny announced. Eisenhower snorted and muttered something about him building the damned lair.
With a soft mechanical hiss, the wall we stood facing split apart to reveal a sea of darkness.
Malvin was the first to step out of the elevator and the others followed. The only light which came from the open elevator, disappeared when the elevator doors slid back together.
"Lights, Vinny?" Malvin called.
When the lights came on Eric gasped and Eisenhower grinned. They were on an elevated platform and the Lair was spread out before them.
"Welcome to the command center. " Eisenhower said dramatically and pressed a button causing the platform to descend.
From the paneled floor of the lair to the magnificently vaulted ceiling was about another 20feet. So from the lair's floor to the manor was a total of 50feet.
When they touched the floor, they stepped off the platform and it remained. The command center was drilled into a very large rectangular space. At the right and left walls stood two metal doors each. These doors stood adjacent to each other. And dividing the right wall horizontally at the center was a metal platform, like a balcony which held glass cases like the ones you would find in a mall.
One of the cases contained a hollowed mechanical suit a man could enter and It was similar to the weaponized suit used in the movie G.I Joe.
Another case contained a metal pack with a pair of goggles and ear piece resting on a utility belt. The case following that one held a hazard suit and head gear. The other cases held white featureless mannequins.
Malvin turned his gaze to the left wall, where a platform had divided it too. Instead of cases this time; the platform held stacks and shelves of weaponry. From bladed weapons, to deadly projectiles, to automated guns and explosives enough to wipe out Douglas.
"This is a computerized table." Eisenhower said pulling Malvin from his study. They had been moving forward the whole time and now they stood at the center of lair.
A round table with a diameter of 180 inches took up most of the space. Fluorescent lights were suspended above it casting a silhouette on everything that wasn't on the table. The top of the table itself gave off it's fluorescent glow.
"What can it do?" Eric asked. Malvin was glad he was taking interest in what Eisenhower was saying, cause when he went Avenging, Eric would be here covering his back.
"Oh it can- Eisenhower paused to touch the table top and a horizontal 3D hologram of Africa's relief formed. - run blueprints, schematics, maps both in 2d and 3d. It has other functions too, like holographic communication and the rest. Consider it a new age table top computer. " he said and Eric nodded. "And now the command console or bridge. " Eisenhower added with flourish, turning to the end of the command center.
On an elevated plaform, like a stage; A very big stage five feet above the ground, was a super computer. Its monitor was divided into three. Each as tall as the ceiling and together, they covered the length of the entire wall.
We got onto the platform from stairs built in at the end of each side, to the right and left. At the base of the gigantic monitors, was a keyboard as long and tall as a normal office table. The only unique thing about it was, it was designed to curve like an arc around a swivel chair. The keys on the board were all foreign to Malvin. Silently he hoped Eric would figure how to use it.
Eisenhower moved forward and tapped a key twice and the gargantuan monitors came to life. It had camcorder views of every where in the city.
"I took the pleasure of bugging the city." Eisenhower explained.
(I believe that was a waste of resources. Mr Eisenhower.) Vinny said. (I can hack into the traffic network and make use of their eyes.)
"The traffic network has eyes only on the good side of the city." Eisenhower snapped.
(True but you forget, I have access to satellites and I can see everything.) vinny retorted.
"But not hear everything." Eisenhower came back. "The cameras were designed to look like flies, so they are mobile and can be used for Reconnaissance. " he added.
Eric gave an exasperated sigh. "Will you two cut it out? " then he turned to Malvin. "Boss would it be pointless to remind you that I got an F in computer, in My WAEC?"
Malvin laughed. "No worries Eric. Vinny is in control of everything. He will guide you through everything. All you need to do is ask and he will do." he refrained from calling the watch an it.
"I thought it only answered to you? " Eric cocked a brow.
"You have no command over Vinny as a watch. But as the lair's motherboard you do." Eisenhower explained. And Malvin nodded in agreement.
"Vinny? Can you pull up a satellite image of the Imo state government house. " Eric tried something.
(Absolutely Mr Amby.) the monstrous screens began to show the government house. People were flooding in and out.
"Thanks." Eric muttered.
"Eisenhower what are those? " Malvin pointed to the glass casings on the right wall.
"Those? Follow me." he lead down the console's platform and had them climb a ladder to get to the casings.
He started with the metal pack and goggles. "This is a legioner's pack." he touched the glass panel and it slid open. He lifted the pack and gestured Eric to come forward. Eric tentatively stepped forward, and Eisenhower turned him around and placed the pack on his back. Instantly a metal spine shot out of the pack and clasped onto his back.
"Ah!" Eric exclaimed. Eisenhower placed the goggles on his eyes, plucked the ear piece into his ear, strapped the utility belt around his waist and then stepped back.
"What now?" Eric asked when nothing happened. "Whoa! Mo gbe!" Metal wings shot out of the pack and with one languid flap lifted Eric 6ft above the platform.
"I got the idea from the Movie avengers. I just knew there was a tech like that out there, I just had to get it." Eisenhower was grinning. "I call it the Nighthawk, it can serve as a drone and as well a flight pack. It has an A.I of its own. I am sure vinny can override it."
(I have done that already.) vinny added.
"Eh? Bros oooo. How I go remove this thing. I no like heights, my eye dey turn me." Eric called when the flaps got stronger lifting him higher from the ground. "And I am hearing vinny in my head? Is that good?" he asked in a panicked voice.
Malvin laughed. "It's totally safe. "
"Instruct it to come off." Eisenhower said. Eric did that and the metal spine unclasped from his back, dropping him with a thud on the metal platform. Eisenhower was quick enough to pluck the pack from the air before it crashed. "You should have waited until you were on the floor. " he reprimanded. Placing the pack back into the case and retrieving the rest of equipment from Eric who was rubbing his sore side. He moved to the weaponized suits. "And this is a mechanized suit. "
"Let me guess, another idea from avengers?" Eric said dryly, pissed from his fall.
"Oh it's nothing as fancy as the iron man suit." Eisenhower ignored his tone. "But it increases the physical performance of its wearer by a hundred fold and I am not exaggerating. " he parsed loudly. "It can fly, burrow through earth, cut through metal, it's water resistant, it functions under zero and below zero temperature. It's made of Proto Adamantium and vibranium." he continued.
Malvin rolled his eyes at all the science. "Where do the other doors lead to?" he asked to cut Eisenhower short.
"The doors beneath us?" Eisenhower asked and Malvin nodded. "The door closest to the super computer leads into a medical bay, gym and lab for forensics." he lead them down the ladder. "The other one, holds an interrogation room and state of the art holding cells." he added pointing. "Do you want to see them? "
Malvin gave a dismissive wave."The other ones? " he gestured the other two doors at the left wall.
"You need to see for yourselves." Eisenhower grinned and made one high pitched noise like an excited teenage girl. He led them to the first door on the left wall and clicked a green button by the side.
As the door slid open, lights came on in the chamber. Malvin stepped in behind Eisenhower and his breath caught.
Standing beautiful, in raven black was an improved version of the DFL-1238. The craft was well waxed and polished, so pristine that the lights of the chamber bounced off it. This one was customized for a single passenger. Designed for speed and maneuverability, he could tell from its dynamics.
"Malvin, Meet the Nightingale, DFL- 1300" Eisenhower said smiling. "Isn't she a beauty, she can move four times faster than the DFL-1238. It's a vast improvement; a submarine, a boat and space craft. It's made of Pro-Ada-Vib (Proto Adamantium & Vibranium) too." he explained.
Malvin was enraptured. His love for planes sent him into a sort of trance. He walked forward and touched the craft and it came to life like a beast.
(Bonding with the Nightingale successful.) Vinny announced. Sending a mental command, Malvin caused the cockpit's hatch to open and climbed in. Sitting himself he picked up the headset and wore it.
Before him where the controls were meant to be, were just screens with touch command effects. There was no steering gear or wheel.
(The craft runs on mental and voice command, sir) Vinny explained from the headset. (But if you prefer a more manual approach, that can be remedied.) what looked like a glove compartment opened between Malvin's knees and a steering wheel pushed forward.
"That's better Vinny. Keep the steering wheel out always. I feel weird sitting in a craft without a gear or wheel." he said into the headset. He glanced around the chamber through the wind shield. The chamber held nothing else but another door - more like an exit hatch. It was big enough for two planes to fly in and out simultaneously.
"What's behind that door?" Malvin asked when he had joined Eisenhower and Eric on the floor.
"That's not a door, it's a hatch. And behind it is a tunnel that runs out to the excavated gullies in Aba road." Eisenhower said pronouncing the igbo words stupidly.
"What would prevent people from entering the tunnel from the other end and getting here?" Eric asked.
"At the other end there's another hatch cloaked to look like the gully wall and besides I bought off that part and closed it off, then we filled it with debris. Trust me no one would near there. " Eisenhower answered. He then proceeded to lead them out of the chamber to the command center and through the second door.
They stepped into a smaller chamber. It was retangular in shape and not as big as the other one. It was empty and half portion of the ceiling was opened to become an elevator dyke. The chamber itself was divided by a metal lift shaft, which was grounded.
"Where does the lift lead to?" Eric asked.
"Up to the isolated garage, at the far end of the Night compound, where the car can leave the compound through a hidden gate, undetected. " Eisenhower answered.
"The car? What car?" Eric asked climbing onto the shaft to peer up into the dyke, but he ran into an invisible barrier and Eisenhower laughed.
"Kai!" Eric exclaimed pressing his hand on the barrier.
"Vinny? " Malvin called.
(the car sir.) Vinny replied and a shimmering black car phased into sight.
"An invisible car?" Eric said in shock.
"Indeed." a grin was evident on Eisenhower's face.
"How manage? There had to be a shadow with all the lights. " Eric asked clearly admiring the car.
"The body was designed to refract light in stealth mode, hence zero shadow. Same with the Nightingale. " Eisenhower explained.
As he rattled off the many many things the car could do, Malvin took his time to study it. It looked like a sports car, with just three seats. The drivers seat in front and at the middle and two others at the back- he knew this from Eisenhower's droning because the wind shield and window were made of mirror glass so he couldn't see inside of it. But he did notice it had no tires, just a flat under. "Where are the tyres? " he asked.
"You haven't been listening. " Eisenhower glowered at him. "It has no tyres but a hover system, it's like a big hover board. The hover system runs all through beneath the car. Those exhaust pipes you see there, is really a thruster, used to propel the car forward." he explained pointing to the five exhaust pipes. "It can hover on any surface, name it." he added.
"How can you get it to change direction? " Malvin asked curious.
"That's a lecture meant for sitting and eating cakes." Eisenhower waved away the question. He probably didn't know the answer, Eisenhower was the last person who would give up the chance to lecture."Believe me it can change direction. How we got it to? Is a long lecture. "
Malvin simply nodded. "Is there any other thing I need to know?"
"Yes the roof can retract like a convertible. The glass is bulletproof. And in times of heavy artillery, a metal shield protects the glass to prevent penetration. And inside, the windshield can act as a screen to show you the way when the metals are up." he parsed. "The car was structured to always land upright if it tumbles."
"Good, cause something like this can easily be displaced. " Eric pointed out.
Malvin wanted to agree when Vinny cut him off. (Someone is trying to force entry into the study.) he said.
"I guess that's our cue to resurface." Eisenhower said whistling as Malvin lead them out of the chambers, His face filled with simmering fury. Who dared to invade his privacy? Why couldn't they have called?
Was the manor under attack? Had they found him? He couldn't jump to conclusions yet. He needed to control himself. Vinny would have warned him of imminent danger if there was any. He just had wait and see.
He was the lion here, if they came to his den? Then they must be stupid or really desperate.
A/N
There! Finally! I really had ups and downs posting this. Was busy yesterday and today but I was determined to drop this.
I know there was a lot of tech involved in this, so I am up and ready for any questions you might have.
Now, I must appreciate all those who followed this story as I built the characters and plot. I have laid the foundation, now expect some action.
Episode six. Comes up on Friday.
Yours with a pen and keyboard. Malvin.
*sighs in relief
