Batten the hatches

Posted on Sat Feb 11th, 2023 @ 21:51 by Kaylee Ashton BSc & Valjean Beaumont

Chapter: Prologue: Dawn of Avalon
Location: Avalon institute
Timeline: Friday 25th September - During the Sentinel attack
1861 words - 3.7 OF Standard Post Measure

With the klaxons going off around her, Kaylee hurried around the castle making sure that the children that were already at the castle were following the given instructions and returning to their rooms. While she couldn't be sure, Kaylee knew that some of the staff had taken the bus to the nearest train station in order to pick up a load of returning students so the fact that the klaxons had sounded not long after the bus had left told her that something clearly hadn't gone to plan. For now, all she could do was make sure the students already at the institute were safe.

“No dawdling now, get to your rooms and close the doors until a staff member gives the all clear” she called out to a group of kids that seemed to be taking their time returning to their dormitories. Kaylee would have to admit that she was glad that she’d been put through MI-13’s emergency response training, however short it was for those agents in the lab. It helped her to handle the current situation without relying on her other half.

After a moment, Kaylee was content that the majority of students were safely away in their rooms. As such, she began to patrol the castle in anticipation of the bus returning with news.

Valjean, or at least one of the half dozen Valjeans currently rushing around the institute, came to a standstill in front of Kaylee. She seemed to be coordinating the whole 'get to your rooms and stay there' part of the emergency message. "You know these Knights the message refers to?" His accent was still pronounced but it was clear he had spend a couple of days back in the presence of English speakers. "I mean this is a keep, but apart from the janitor nobody has actual armour, non?"

Kaylee shook her head in response, “No I don’t and right now it doesn’t matter, clearly something has gone wrong and the institute needs to go into lockdown. Once the bus returns and all the children are safely in their rooms, then we can start worrying about it” she said as she made a quick scan around the hallway they were in before returning her attention to the person before her, “I’m sorry, I’m still learning names, I’m Kaylee”

"Valjean, at least one aspect of 'im" The cook introduced himself. "I may not remember you fully when you come across me later." It was all the explanation they had time for at this moment, as both of them continued down the corridor. Valjean's duplicates, once reunited with his primary form, only left traces of their memories in him. It had caused him a lot of issues in the past where he didn't quite remember things, like where he left the mixer, or the eggs. An issue compounded in this institute because Claire didn't allow him to run as tight a ship as he did in Wakefield. "Someone needs to open the gate for when the bus comes. It's a two man job." He looked at her expectantly.

Kaylee nodded in response, "alright, you'll have to show me how to open it. Do you, or should I ask does one of you, have the keys to the front door so we can lock it on our way out?" She asked as she made one last quick look around for any more stragglers.

"It's a keep door, the locking mechanism is on the inside." Valjean started to make his way towards the front gate, "we'll lock it back up when we come back inside. The gate is most important." He waited for a moment at the large wooden doors that stood slightly ajar, to allow Kaylee to walk through before him. "The gate is very simple, but it is quite 'eavy."

“It’s alright, I’m sure we can handle it” Kaylee said as she walked out the door and headed for her Land Rover that she kept parked out the front for trips into town. “Hop in, it’ll be faster then walking”

Valjean looked at the gate that was at the other end of the courtyard and then at the Land Rover, wondering if it would really be that much faster. He would've expected it from one of the Americans in the institute, but then again perhaps that was just prejudice talking. "We just need to go to the inner gate, non. There's no gate at the start of the bridge. If they come to the bridge we just have to get out the tar and feather." He pointed at the gate but still moved towards the car since Kaylee was already getting in and starting it up. He shrugged and got in next to her, not bothering to put on a belt.

“Consider it an insurance policy in case we can’t move the gate by ourselves for whatever reason. This baby has some power under the bonnet” Kaylee said as she dropped the Land Rover into gear and drove the short way to the gate, “after all, you did say it was ‘quite ‘eavy’ right?” Perhaps right now wasn’t the time for joking around, but Kaylee’s interactions with Cam had given her the idea that the staff here at the institute liked to play things a little loose.

Valjean's eyes narrowed a bit at her seemingly joking about his accent. "I will 'ave you know that I 'ave a British passport." he folded his arms, waiting for them to cover the distance to the gate. Were he any other man he'd admitted that taking the car as a plan B to closing the gate was quite a good idea. But he wasn't. Too proud or too stubborn, he just huffed a bit. As they rolled to a standstill he opened the door again, with the car not completely stopped. He stepped out and made his way over to the old mechanism that would allow them to close the gate. Wondering if it had ever been used after the formation of the United Kingdom. He pointed at a similar crank on the other side. "Counter clockwise." He started to pull but there was little movement to be had in the crank.

Looking over at where Valjean had pointed, Kaylee made her way over to the mechanism and let her physics brain take over, “hmm, could use an update. Maybe Cam should add this to his list of things to fix up” she said before grabbing hold of the winch and giving it a push with all the might she could muster.

"I'm sure it's on there, right behind 'raid pantry' and right before 'buy new eggs to replace the two dozen I ate this week'" It was Valjean's way of saying that while it was definitely something that had been noted by both Cameron and William it wasn't really high on the priority list. He pulled back and heard a distinct CLACK as the rust gave way and slowly but surely the pressure he was putting onto the crank was making movement in the gate itself.

Both of the faculty members were pulling away at the gate's closing mechanism, and they were almost done closing the doors, when a distant rumble was heard coming closer. Not quite knowing what it was made Valjean only want to work faster, that was until he heard the distinct noise of the beeping of their school bus horn. "Oh Merde."

Hearing the sound of the bus’ horn, Kaylee stopped for a moment before looking over to Valjean, “keep closing the gate. I’ll have them park the bus in-front of the gate as a road block” she said as she got back to moving the winch. As soon as the gates were shut, Kaylee stepped back from the gatehouse, took a deep breath in and out before holding out her hands in-front of her. After a moment, her breath became visible as small particles of ice started to form. Taking in one last breath, she focused her powers through her hands and formed an Ice ladder over the fence.

Valjean paused a moment as the arch of ice formed clearing the gates. It was an impressive show of her abilities. "Watch out that you do not slip." He continued to wind at the crank, but now only his side of the gate kept closing, since nobody else was on the other side pulling the weight there.

The bus came to a stop as Kaylee approached them onto the bridge, and the student that had been put in charge was quick to open the door. "Mister Johnston said to drive the bus back to the school. We took all the kids we could. But there's. I mean. There's like a dozen or so of them still inside that station." He looked over his shoulder in panic. Feeling like he should've done more than be the bus driver.

“Don’t worry, you did well. Now lead the others into the castle and head straight for your dorm rooms. Close the doors and don’t open them until a staff member comes to get you. Do you understand?” Kaylee said, already thinking of climbing into the bus and taking it back to the station for another pickup.

"Yes ma'am," The kid didn't recognise the woman giving him all these instructions but he knew enough about how the institute functioned to know that he better follow her lead. He looked over at the arch of ice over the gate. "Is that safe?" The group of kids that were exiting the bus were already gathered in front of the steps leading them across the gate, but none of them were brave enough to to actually start crossing it.

Looking back at the arch, Kaylee nodded, “it’s safe, Chef Valjean will be waiting for you on the other side. I will follow you shortly” she said in reply as she turned back to the bus for a moment.

“come on, do it. You know you want to” the voice said to Kaylee, playing off of her need to help people. “the keys are still in there. Just think of how proud they’ll all be of you for rescuing them. Save the day hero. Ha ha ha” the voice’s laughter echoed through her mind, taunting her.

Clenching her fists, Kaylee walked up to the bus, climbed into the drivers position and with a trembling hand reached forward for the keys. Was this it? Her chance for something? Could she do this? Grabbing hold of the keys that were still in the ignition, she took a deep breath in, held it for a few seconds before turning the bus off and pulling the keys from the ignition. As she climbed down from the bus, Kaylee slowly released that breath.

“Coward” the voice said gruffly. Kaylee could feel that her other half wasn’t angry exactly, more disappointed.

Turning back towards the institute, Kaylee returned to the group of kids and guided them over her icy arch.

Fin: