章 21: The Storm (One)
"What happened?" Victor queried. He was curious about what the emergency report was about. Thus, he waited patiently until Violet finished reading the email and shared it with him.
After some time, Violet's calm expression was replaced with terror. Victor was startled when she suddenly made an abrupt stand from her seat and announced,
"The storm supposed to head northward is taking a different path."
Victor stared at Violet. Looking at her concerned appearance, the storm intensifies. He had an awful premonition about it. "It's going to land, and it will hit us?"
Violet nodded. "The Mainland Observatory Center notified the affected regions to warn its residents to take shelter as the typhoon increases its strength as it reaches the land. The storm carries both strong winds and rain."
"That sounds so bad. Initially, this storm wasn't supposed to be a threat." Victor mumbled, almost just to himself.
The other day, he watched the news regarding a storm forming in the eastern part of the country. He paid little attention as it stated that the storm was weak. But why did it develop tremendously just overnight? Isn't it suspicious? Victor had this thought but chose not to share it with Violet.
"Then? Are you going home?"
Victor snapped himself back to his senses when Violet asked him a question. He looked at her with a soft gaze and replied. "Yes. I should be on my way now."
"Is it safe to stay on the farm with this superstorm?" Violet grew restless; she could not help questioning Victor. She was worried the superstorm might catch him along with the ranch.
"Don't worry. I will be fine. I need to make sure that the horses are kept properly in their stables and the cattle in their sheds." Although he could send a command to his robotic farm workers, Victor is still concerned with all the animals he raised on the ranch. The Robo-farmer was programmed to take care of the farm animals' welfare without a human's presence; still, he wanted to ensure that his house would survive as well.
"Okay." Violet still wanted to stop Victor from going home. But who is she to demand that he stay? All she could do was bid him goodbye. "Take care, Victor."
Nodding, he smiled at Violet assuringly before he hurried out. Victor then climbed on his electro-cycle and turned it on. Electro-cycle is a new type of bicycle that replaces motorbikes. It was powered by electromagnetic waves coming from ultraviolet light, so it did not need gasoline.
At the door, Violet followed Victor to send him off. "Victor! You can come back anytime and take shelter here."
Putting on his helmet, Victor stopped and looked in Violet's direction. He replied, "I will monitor the news for any updates. If the storm gets stronger, I will consider taking shelter here."
"You are always welcome to come in." She emphasized Victor could enter the premises anytime he wished. There is a strict security protocol in the White House Garden as they have VVIP guests. But it was the first time Violet granted someone an exemption which she had never done before, even to offer to Allen, who owns the Mainland Observatory Center.
"Thank you, Violet! I always consider your kindness."
"Likewise!" Violet smiled shyly. She watched Victor disappear from her line of sight. Even though he was long gone, Violet remained in a daze. If it weren't for Mike, she would not have returned to her senses.
"Miss, what is your order?"
Violet adjusted her expression before she looked up and met Mike's gaze; her bodyguard was waiting patiently on the side.
"Where is Anthony?" she queried when she didn't find him standing next to Mike.
"He went ahead to the Security Monitoring Tower, Miss. Anthony is waiting for your order."
"I see. Alright. Let's head there too."
"I'll summon the car, Miss." Mike slightly bowed to Violet. Then, he summons a car from the underground garage. The monitoring tower was just three miles away, so they arrived in less than two minutes since they could not speed up inside the botanical garden.
"What is the status, Antony?" Violet instantly queried when her one foot stepped inside the central control room. She strode toward the command chair and sat down.
"The superstorm will make its first landfall in the southeast of M Country. In ten hours, it will hit Mainland City." Anthony reported.
"Why did they just send out the announcement when it was a superstorm?"
"The weather authority paid no heed during their observation; it was just a weak one. But the storm suddenly builds up its strength."
"Is that so?" Violet thinks it sounds suspicious. When there's a storm forming in the Pacific Ocean, the MOC always announces a week before it might land. The news reported a storm in the pacific ocean; however, it would not land, so the weather authority did not send out any early warnings.
"Flora sent out the forecast warning to all the guests," she instructed.
[Forecast Warning sent out.]
"Now make a live announcement to every corner of the White House Garden. Let them know a storm is about to hit us, and so we are doing some preparation to put up the shield."
[Announcement initiating... It was live now.]
"Alright. Send out our drones and give me an aerial view."
[Drones are launched.]
Soon, aerial views of every corner of the botanical garden, lake reservoir, and natural forest parks came into the monitoring screens.
"Continue broadcasting the announcement to inform every guest inside the forest parks."
[One hundred thirty-five guests inside the forest's parks. A special message notification was sent out twice. 60% responded. 15% refused, and 25% ignored the warnings.]
Violet furrowed her brows. It was clearly an emergency warning, but almost half of these guests didn't care for their safety.
"Fine. Send out the air patrol to relay the message in person."
[Air patrol was notified and carried out the mission.]
"Great. Now let's close the west and east canals." Violet further command.
[Warning activated. Countdown to close the gates.]
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