The world shook.

Figuratively.

Literally.

Catastr̶o̴p̴h̸i̷c̴a̵l̶l̵y̸.

The world shook as the first thermonuclear bomb released a white cloud of d̵e̶a̶t̴h over the unfortunate inhabitants of Kafr Salba. The small nation had no missiles of their own with which to answer the taunt. But the Baoxi were not so tame.

It took thirty minutes for the thermonuclear bomb to reach the industrious city of Shaoyang Xin. The Baoxi tried to intercept the lance of death, but they ̴f̷a̵i̵l̵e̷d. The Baoxi launched two of their own in answer. It was not entirely clear to the radar operators who had fired the thermonuclear bomb at Shaoyang Xin, but the Baoxi picked a likely target.

The world shook as the first of the bombs fell, and then s̴t̴i̸l̶l̷ ̸m̴o̴r̷e descended.

Only three had been launched remotely from the Facility, but the match had been struck and the proverbial powder keg was dry.

Seventeen.

Seventeen thermonuclear bombs answered the initial trio. A nuclear hysteria fell over the militaries of the world. Order were given. Prayers were offered. And white clouds of death b̶l̵o̶s̵s̸o̸m̴e̵d̶.

Thirty minutes to reach Shaoyang Xin.

Three minutes to reach Kafr Salba.

Fifteen minutes to reach Muckle.

And then the e̸n̵c̵o̵r̴e̵. Boom, boom, boom.

Planes fell out of the sky. Boats capsized amidst the herculean waves. Men and women disappeared in a c̵r̴i̸n̶k̸l̴e̶ ̵o̴f̷ ̷a̵s̴h̸.

Lakes disappeared in a puff. Mountains were reduced to piles of dust. Distant forests burst into flames and covered the sky with a d̷e̷a̸t̴h̶ ̶v̶e̸il.

And then the last of the bombs fell. And the last plumes of white marked triumph over their enemies.

Quiet.

The world burned. Crinkle, crinkle.

Q̶u̴i̸e̴t.

The dead offered no wail.

Quiet.

The burning of a thousand hundred cities filled the sky with the black mark of defeat.

Quiet.

Those that still lived tried to understand.

And those that had coaxed such destruction trembled in the dark with d̴e̸l̸i̷g̴h̷t̷.

Because the Facility sat almost two thousand miles off the coast of Farataur. Isolated. Remote. S̸a̶f̷e̸.

The ocean rose around the Facility in a massive tsunami. The ocean poured over the island and invaded the Facility. The ocean smashed open bolted doors and shattered military-grade windows.

Deeper and deeper the watery spray invaded. The entire island disappeared under the cover of wet. The ocean forced its way into the most secure sanctums of the Facility like a jealous lover. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh went the sea in a blithe play.

The Facility disappeared. Those within the facility disappeared. Those that knew about the facility... Many had been reduced to dust across the sea. Still others had taken their own lives. Because the failsafe had failed. Something was about to happen. They missed the b̶a̷n̴g̷.

The world whimpered, but it did not die.

In the days that followed.

In the w̷e̷e̶k̶s̷ that followed.

In the months that followed.

In the years t̴h̷a̷t̵ ̷f̸o̸l̵l̷o̵w̸e̶d̵.

In the decades that followed.

Mankind lived. Mankind forgot.

But the Facility. The Facility remained, submerged beneath a hundred thousand gallons of contaminated water. But for those within. Those that had b̸e̷e̸n̸ ̶f̴o̷r̶g̸o̶t̷t̵e̷n. Those that wanted to be ignored.

They d̸e̷l̴i̵g̶h̵t̵e̶d̵ with their hard won treasure.