Chapter 21p4 – Shut This Thing Down

Dr. Fester was banging on a keyboard as Tic and his entourage entered the NCVD chamber. Fester loosed black cackle. “Won’t work! But I predicted it!”

Mr. Leon pulled Dr. Fester away from the keyboard. “Sorry, Doc. I wish that had worked.”

Tic took charge. “Anyone who thinks they can shut this thing down, get to it. Otherwise, clear out! The exit tunnel should be open by now.”

Most of the scientists took off, leaving only the Leons, Dr. Fester, Tic, Milly, and Overard, with Dunter still chained to the railing.

Mrs. Leon said, “I don’t suppose there are any yetis around.”

“Actually,” said Tic, “there’s one clearing the exit.”

“Just one? Not good enough. Two would do it.”

“There’s also a dead one…” offered Tic.

“Dead yetis can’t swallow.”

“Huh?”

“Yetis have incredible neutralizing mouth and stomach linings. See these two nozzles? This is where the corrosive vapour will come out. Two yetis could safely gulp the stuff all down, if they swallowed fast enough, but with just one, the spray from the other nozzle will disintegrate him in seconds.”

Tic’s heart sank. He’d watched that second yeti die at his feet…

The NCVD control console beeped another refusal. “It’s locked tight!” said Mr. Leon.

“Come on,” urged Tic. “There has to be something you can do.”

“Our only hope is to limit the damage,” said Mr. Leon. “There are four valves in here. If we wait for the firing mechanism to kick in, then immediately start cranking all four valves… Well, it’ll probably still go off, but the effect should be much smaller.”

“But the risk to whoever stays behind…” said Mrs. Leon.

“I know.” Mr. Leon sighed. “Any volunteers? Millions of lives are at stake!”

Mr. Dunter raised his head. “I’ll do it.”

About Tim Sevenhuysen

Tim Sevenhuysen writes sci-fi and other genre fiction. He is a microfiction expert, having written over 600 fifty-word stories. He is also a noncertifiable lunatic.

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