Each computer controlled or monitored a different aspect of the reaction chamber. They had to find the one to control the temperature of the water rushing through the chamber.
The main computer ticked off seconds like gunshots being fired. Where the hell was it? "Over here," he heard from Alisa; he rushed over.
He took a deep breath. He set his fingers to the keyboard, clacking them in a definite pattern. He was trying to lower the temperature of the water running through the reaction chamber. If the fuel rods turned to plasma, who knew what it could do?
No one. That's who. A final clack of the return key. The clock read three seconds. This had to work. What would become of them if it didn't? Two seconds. If that plasma seeped down through the Earth, was there a chance it would eradicate the universe? Hell, anything is possible. One second. He unconsciously held onto Alisa. Right before it hit zero, he willed the temperature to cool.
He braced himself for what could and would happen. Nothing. He bit his lip in cautious elation.
He could not move for the next five minutes other than to take deep, cautious breaths. It was a good sign that nothing had exploded, yet.
He stood and walked over to the main computer.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHUT DOWN THE REACTOR? (Y/N)
He looked at Alisa and shrugged. She nodded. He hit the Y button on the keyboard. They then headed for the door, hand-in-hand.
There was a car outside with keys in it. After a brief discussion about whether it would really be breaking the law, considering the situation, they drove off in search of help.
No one had driven by for hours. A cold, harsh rain had begun to fall about an hour ago, just after the sun began to set. They sat in the car wishing that they had run out of gas rather than have had their battery go dead. But with no one passing by, no one living in the immediate area and rain of that caliber, there was no way they would be going anywhere that night.
Dark, cold; the night was unbearable. He finally got up the urge to speak; to break the silence. "Alisa, why don't we get in the backseat, lie down and get some sleep. Keep each other warm?"
She looked up from her hands. "Sure. I'd rather be next to you than freeze to death. I'd rather be next to you than be next to Kitler. I'd rather die by Kitler's hands than not be next to you."
He smiled. She either loved him, or had an endless infatuation with him. He didn't care as long as they were together. He knew this was love.
They climbed carefully into the back of the car and lay side by side on the small backseat, stomach to stomach. They then fell asleep.
The morning sun woke Taylor. He turned to shade his eyes and jostled Alisa's arms which had become entangled with his own during the night. He guessed it was some subconscious feeling that they shared. The need to be together.
Then he heard a sound that jolted him from any leftover state of sleep.
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