RJ disconnected the link and pushed an intercom button. “This is Anderson; we'll start securing the facility in ten minutes. All external personnel must leave immediately.” RJ had several armed guards already waiting at the tunnel entrances, while others did a quick sweep of the facility, searching for anyone who might be trying to remain behind. She got up from her seat and headed for the elevator that would take her up to the central tunnel. When she arrived, she saw Amy and Brad had already made their way to the passageway and they too were watching proceedings.

The last of the external workers left the facility, and the word was passed confirming the sweep had successfully ensured everyone had gone.

Four front-end loaders were backed into the tunnel and positioned two at each end, facing outward. The drivers quickly jumped down from the vehicles and they too, exited the facility.

RJ pushed an intercom button on the wall and gave the order to close the doors. Less than a minute later the blast-proof doors at each end of the tunnel started to slowly close. It took almost five full minutes from the time the doors began moving until the time there was the loud metallic thunk as they locked into place.

Brad was suddenly overwhelmed by the sensation of being trapped in a tomb. He glanced at RJ and Amy. “What becomes of all those hundreds of people who were working on this place? It seems cruel just kicking them out, knowing they'll be dead in a few days.”

RJ shook her head. “You don't need to worry about them. For maintaining secrecy regarding anything they saw here, they all get space for themselves and their families in a shelter about a hundred miles north of here,” she explained turning away from the closed blast doors. “If we go to the command center we can at least watch them work.”

“True. We aren't accomplishing much here,” RJ agreed, as she headed for the elevator.

When the trio entered the command center, Brad activated the eight foot by five-foot LED monitor built into the wall and pulled up a view of the west entrance. He also brought up a view of the east entrance on one of the two smaller screens.

At least a dozen workers busied themselves at each entrance, moving heavy pressure-treated wooden beams into place. These beams would serve as a frame for the huge wall which was being constructed about a foot from the steel blast doors.

Nick a communications technician, was at one of the computer terminals and spoke up. “What's the purpose of the wall?”

RJ explained what was happening outside. “The team outside will collapse the end of the tunnel to disguise the entrance. The wall will keep the dirt and debris from getting into the door mechanism and causing any problem when we try to open them, after the sleep.”