Adam Meyers wandered around the basement facility. He’d meet with Young Sam (why did he remind him so much of his lost brother? Was it the shared name? The accent which so similar to his baby brothers? What..?) and the others only a few hours ago and got permission to look round their proposed base. They’d blindfolded him but failed to realise his watch was GPS-enabled so despite their best intentions to keep the location secret for the moment, he knew exactly where he was.
He pulled up a metal panel in the floor and looked encouragingly on the deep space beneath. More than enough space for drainage pipes and power cables to be installed. It might be best to use quick hardening cavity foam to fill the space afterwards to prevent rodent or any other form of infestation. The wall panels were ceramic and again hid cavities that would make adapting the space a breeze, especially if Bethany called in a few favours with the “Kid’s”…
If they could also be persuaded to part with one of their Arc Reactors, it could generate enough power to run the whole base off the grid and also support container town above. They also really needed to find out where the well was supplied from. That independent supply could be used to supply water for all of the base’s needs including the reactor which could spit the liquid into hydrogen and oxygen, with the hydrogen being used as fuel for the Raft…
Reminder to self, alter one of the rear seats on the Raft to better fit Young Sam’s physique and put in double side doors for faster deployment of his wings if he decides to decamp mid-air… he typed a quick memo into his watch.
Finally he stopped at the end of the long walkway… As he stared at the rusting platform at the end, he looked at his GPS and did a quick mental calculation. Smiling to himself, he wondered if the scrapyard had a small container he could adapt?
A day later, and a successful walk around both the Junkyard and Container Town had confirmed what he thought. Sam had also pointed out whose container apartment or whatever backed onto the space he’d identified. Serendipity indeed!
Now what was it he’d read about Banshee’s powers on HeroNet? Wonder if Bethany knew how her insubstantiality worked?
While Mary was out for the day he set to work. First he found what he wanted in the scrapyard; a small shipping container and cutting away the one damaged side, he used the raft to drop it on the foundations he’d laid and got busy ‘welding’.
When the team came back that evening they found that Mary’s Container was now welded to half of another old container, cemented into the ground with double doors to the side. Looking inside they found a large square metal plate on the floor, a small ventilation grill beside it and a raised unit with some sort of security panel.
There was also an air vent into Mary’s container. Whilst they watched Adam walked over the wall that connected the two containers together and touching a concealed button, watching their reactions as a section of the wall slid aside to reveal Mary’s bed!
“If what I’ve been told is right, ah, Banshee can turn into some form of gaseous form then she can also use the vent to get access to this… I’ve made it so it can be manually opened in case of emergencies.”
With that he walked over and placed his hand of the panel which lit up. “I’ll need to get you to register your biometrics to activate this, but… Can you all stand in the centre?” With that the floor panel started to lower into the ground taking them all down into the dark. A few seconds and about 8 metres later the lift stopped with a heart-wrenching shudder and Adam pushed a panel aside to show a tunnel leading into the basement area.
“At the moment I have temporarily used some of the electricity from the solar panels upstairs to power this. The shaft is sound but the mechanism is over a century old and needs replacing. It must have been used to transport heavy objects to the surface. The hatch above was rotten so it was just luck no-one had fallen through and broken their necks. I’ve temporarily put a metal sheet in place but… Mechanically its sound just needs the actual mechanism replacing and a new lift floor fitting. Also, once we sort out your own supply, I’ll also be able to power this door and the security blast doors further down the tunnel. And Banshee can also use the air vent in the container floor above to flow down to here.”
“I’ve left in the side doors in the container in case you need to move equipment down here.”
As he walked down the corridor, he said “the tunnels are the most solid parts of the complex; walls are granite. Putting a couple of cameras and security in and you could turn them into some sort of temporary holding cells to trap anyone who comes down them.”
“I could have this place semi-operational in about three months if I can persuade Bethany to request some non-Unionised help. That’s assuming you want to hire me, of course?” He smiled and went on “assuming you agree it might be best if I were to move in here to monitor the systems. Once I get the toilets working and some power down here of course. Oh and a decent connection, can’t live without my Netflix! So, have I got a job?”
Superhero Adventures, UK Style 