I slipped my wallet out and taking an ATM card out I slipped it into the slot between the door and the frame where the lock was and the door popped open. Warily I peered inside the darkened room. It appeared to be living quarters with the only notable thing about it being the skeletal remains of a woman propped up against one wall.
A pistol lay on the floor beside her and the story was clear enough. She'd managed to lock herself in here when the attack had begun and then out of fear of what the natives would do, as they banged on the door she'd taken her own life. I can't say that I blamed her for her choice given her circumstances.
Jane was lucky, because this could've easily been her. Even if this woman had been coerced into her work, as Jane claimed to have been, it was hard to feel sorry for someone who by their efforts had helped usher in the slaughter of over 1 billion people globally by the Code's takeover of the world. If the Agency hadn't stopped the Code the number of dead would've been far worse.
By rights people like Jane should be made to stand trial for their part in the slaughter as their excuse for helping because of coercion was little better than the Nazis death camp guard shoving stick figured Jews into the gas chambers trying to get off the hook because he was only following orders.
I did feel sorry for the woman in one way, she was the classic example of a life wasted and the atmosphere of the room reflected the loss of spiritual hope not secured by this woman. I left the room and went to the only other door still closed.
It was a key lock type door and lo and behold there was a key laying on the floor farther up the way I had already come. I went to it and picked it up and tried it in the lock. It went in and the tumbler turned and the door creaked open ominously.
Would this be the snakes writhing on the floor part?
I pushed the door open farther and stepped into the room. Lights came on automatically illuminating an extensive lab like environment. There was a flashing light directly beside the door. It was an alarm indicator and I had 10 seconds to disarm it!
I ripped the panel off to reveal lots of colored wires. So many options, but which to pull?
Two seconds left.
I had narrowed my options down to a blue and a green wire. I pulled the green one and alarms rang out echoing throughout the lab and out into the temple. I yanked the blue wire and the alarm stopped.