The basement turned out to be nothing like Lon had imagined.
He had expected a dark, damp space with mold-covered walls, rotten wooden planks, and dim lighting, but instead, an entirely different world unfolded before him — one he could never have envisioned.
Massive pipes stretched in all directions, connected by a complex system of valves, from which thick steam occasionally escaped.
Bulky mechanisms with gears and levers worked in unison, creating a steady ticking sound and a faint vibration beneath the floor.
Lon could feel the warmth emanating from these constructions, and the air was filled with the faint scent of machine oil.
He glanced at a pneumatic tube and noticed medical supplies moving through it at a slow pace.
«A syringe… bandages… Is this some kind of storage?» — he mused, watching them.
«Most likely, yes. After all, they wouldn't just send medical supplies down to the basement for no reason… Then again, who knows? This world is so bizarre that even such things seem possible.»
He slowly looked around, observing how the mechanisms interacted with one another.
This place embodied the true spirit of steampunk — an intricate system, flawless mechanical operation, even despite the slight wear.
Lon sighed, realizing how fascinating this world would be to study, but also shook his head, understanding its complexity and the dangers that lay ahead.
— I never would have thought the hospital's basement looked like this, — he muttered.
The doctor walking ahead of him replied:
— Most people never come down here. This place is only for engineers and maintenance staff, who constantly clean and upkeep it. That's why it looks so pristine and well-maintained.
— Though it's way too hot in here… — another doctor noted, wiping sweat from his forehead.
— Well, that makes sense. If everything Mr. Renvel said is true, then the boilers responsible for heating the building are in a critical state.
— Which means there's a risk of an explosion that could have serious consequences.
— And, as you can imagine… — he turned to the other doctor. — That would be disastrous.
The other man nodded, his expression turning serious.
Standing behind them, Lon gave an awkward smile.
===
Gradually, the three of them approached the massive boilers.
Their metal surfaces were slick with condensation, and thick, scalding steam poured from the pipes connected to them.
The heat in the room grew more intense, and the air pressed down on them as if they were inside a blazing furnace.
Sali stood in front of the boilers.
She was staring at something ahead of her, but upon hearing their footsteps, her gaze snapped toward them. Shock was evident in her eyes.
— Sali? — one of the doctors called.
She seemed to flinch before turning to see Lon and the others.
— Mr. Renvel? Mr. John and Mr. Vosen… What are you doing here?..
The doctor named John frowned.
— Mr. Renvel told us about the excessive steam he saw from the window. We realized something was wrong in the boiler room.
— So we came to investigate.
Sali's gaze shifted to Lon, but he merely shrugged.
— You left so quickly that I had no choice but to call for help.
She let out a heavy sigh.
Then, slowly, she raised a trembling hand and pointed at the floor.
Lon followed the direction of her fingers and saw the bodies.
Several basement workers lay motionless on the ground. Their skin was reddened, their clothes were partially burned, and their faces were frozen in twisted expressions of agony.
They looked as if they had just been cooked.
— Damn… — Vosen muttered, stepping closer but immediately pulling back as the heat from the boilers hit him. — The temperature is too high.
John examined the workers' bodies and caught the scent of roasted meat.
— They… they're dead? — Lon asked.
— Yes, — John nodded and continued, — They suffered severe burns, which led to their deaths. Judging by their condition, they died painfully… very painfully...
A chill ran down Lon's spine.
«Dead.»
They were truly dead.
Even though he was a strong person and possessed Renvel's memories, death had an entirely different presence.
It was vast and completely unknowable.
Taking a deep breath, Lon looked at the boilers and reminded everyone:
— The boilers are in critical condition. They've overheated to the point where they could explode like a balloon. If we don't shut them down, they'll burst, releasing scalding steam that could cause severe burns or even kill us.
Vosen, who was standing the closest, frowned.
— But we can't get near them because of the heat…
— So what do we do? — Sali asked nervously.
Lon clenched his teeth, thinking.
— Isn't there an emergency shutdown system? — he asked.
— No… — John gritted his teeth.
«Damn Felix! He didn't even install an emergency shutdown? If an inspection came, they'd hang him by his ears!»
A tiny thought about corruption crept into Lon's mind…
But shaking off the unnecessary distractions, he kept thinking.
Then it hit him.
— If we can't get close… let's try knocking the lever down with something heavy!
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Lon grabbed the nearest wrench and threw it at the lever.
The metal clanged against it, but the lever remained in place.
«Damn it!»
He picked up another metal object and hurled it with even greater force and precision.
Unfortunately, it bounced off to the side.
Lon scowled.
John handed him another wrench.
Lon gripped it tightly, focused, and imagined a small red cross on the lever.
«Come on!»
The wrench shot forward like a bullet and hit its target precisely!
A loud *click* echoed.
The boilers crackled, then rumbled, gradually cooling down.
Everyone let out a breath of relief.