by Phil Maxey
“How you feeling?” asked Zach to Abbey.
She sipped the water. “Parts of me feel like they don’t like me much, but I’m dealing. You?”
It was the first time she had asked how he was since that moment when they embraced days before. “I’m dealing too,” he smiled, and then turned his attention back to the road. Way off in the distance glows could be seen in the direction of the camp. He clicked on his radio. “This is Captain Felton from rescue squad one, we are approaching east gate two, would be appreciated if it was open when we get there. Are the walls being attacked, I can see what looks like tracer fire. Over.”
No response came. Zach repeated the request, after a few minutes a voice came on the radio that he didn’t recognize.
“Captain Felton, the gate will be open for you, but we are experiencing some attacks from E.L.F’s on the north side. Over.”
“Okay, we should be in around ten minutes from now. Over.”
“What is it?” asked Fiona.
“North wall is being attacked.”
A few moments later the thin strip that was the silver gray of the wall lit by the moon above was visible through the trees on the horizon. To the north around eight miles off, explosions and streaks of red lit up the sky.
“Home sweet home,” said Abbey not meaning to sound sarcastic. She looked at Raj. “I guess you got a lot to write about when you get back to the lab?”
“You wouldn’t believe how much, I’ve filled this…” he held up his notebook. “But first I need a drink.”
“Didn’t know you drank doctor?” asked a surprised Fiona.
“Ha, I never used to.”
The convoy slowed as they moved through the opening huge steel gates, up ahead there were lights of vehicles on the road.
“Looks like we got a welcoming party,” said Raj.
“We got lots of wounded, be good if they could be seen quickly,” said Zach as the convoy stopped. A solder in his late thirties walked up the outside of the Humvee and stood just outside the window, which Zach opened.
“Shall we just follow?” said Zach.
“Captain Felton, we understand you have two Cascaders under your command, we need them to come with us.”
Zach sensed Fiona reacting next to him and put his hand up near her. “Sergeant is it?”
“Sergeant Bower, Sir.”
“On whose authority has this order been issued?”
“By the authority of the council, Sir.”
“The people you talk about are military, and the council has no jurisdiction over them.”
“That changed earlier today. The council voted to find and detain all those that have been effected, including any in the military. Sir. Now please, will you tell those affected to come with us, I believe they are Cal Rodriguez and Abbey Reisner.”
Zach realized that the lights were spreading out around the convoy and just visible alongside them were the barrels of automatic rifles.
“There’s no fucking way they are taking him, Zach,” said Fiona, who had her hand on her door handle, and he was sure the other hand on a handgun.
“Zach, please don’t let them take me!” Abbey’s voice pleaded from behind him.
The world around him slowed and started to fall apart at the same time.
He clicked on his radio. “This is Captain Felton for General Trow. Over,” static came back from the speaker.
“Captain, General Trow has been relieved of duty. We are ordered to take these two with us, we don’t want to use force, but we will if we have too.”
Zach turned to Fiona and Abbey. “We can’t fight our way out of this, if we do, they will shoot us.” Fiona went to open the door, and he put his hand on her arm. “Fiona! They will shoot him.”
Fiona looked at Raj. “Can’t you do anything?”
Raj looked back stoned faced. “If the council have voted…”
Zach turned to Abbey. “Go with them, I promise I will have you back with me as soon as I find out who’s in charge.”
Abbey’s face changed to one of resignation. She put her hand on Fiona’s shoulder. “I’ll make sure he’s okay, Fiona, you have my word.”
Zach turned to the soldier waiting outside. “Okay, they are coming with you.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Zach’s humvee slid to a halt outside the main gates to the Core as rain fell from above. The sound of distant gunfire to the north mingled with the rain hitting the vehicle’s roof. Two guards stood in front with their guns raised. A third walked around to the driver’s side and the door’s open window.
“We’re not letting anyone in tonight.”
“I’m Captain Felton, I need to see whoever has replaced General Trow.”
“Captain, the Core is now under the authority of the council and like I say, there’s no one going in there tonight, those are my orders so I suggest you turn around.”
“Where’s the General now?”
“I have no idea.”
As the intensity of the rain increased around them, Zach backed up the Humvee. “We need to find Trow, maybe she can make sense of what’s happening.”
“We find out where they are and break them out tonight,” said Fiona, her anger just about being controlled.
Zach looked at her in the shadows, next to him. “This is not some abandoned town we can just walk into, do what we want, and walk out of. They will be well guarded, and then what? We will have to make it out of the camp. Breaking them out isn’t an option right now,” he emphasized the final word.
Fiona sighed in frustration.
“We need more information on how this came about. Tinley’s dead, that’s got to count for something. I think I know where the General calls home, let’s try there.”
Soon they were driving through a residential area in the south western quadrant. Large multi-story homes with gates swept by, most of which had exterior lighting.
“So much for limited night time use of electricity,” scowled Fiona.
They pulled up outside a pleasant looking 1930s house, befitting the status of whom resided inside.
“I think this is it.”
A curtain briefly moved on the lower floor.
“I think they know someones here to see them,” said Fiona.
Getting out, they quickly moved past the gate, walking through puddles and where knocking on the secure looking wooden front door.
Footsteps came up to the door, which then opened revealing a tired looking General Trow. Without greeting them, she gestured them inside.
The large entrance hall was cold and dark, which they quickly moved through and into an equally large living room, lit with numerous candles.
“Please take a seat.” She waved in the direction of the plush looking sofa positioned around a large marble coffee table. She then fell rather than sat into an armchair, and picked up some whiskey in an expensive looking glass.
“What the fuck happened?” said Zach standing. Fiona sat.
“The fact that you are here, means I presume you already know I’ve been relieved of my post. Do you want a drink?”
“I’ll take one,” said Fiona.
“Zach sit,” said Trow as she poured out a second drink, and handed it to Fiona. Zach slowly sat.
“I’ve always served at the pleasure of the council. I was blamed for Tinley’s escape… and they never knew about your mission to bring Abbey back.”
“But Tinley’s dead and it was Abbey that did that.”
“And they are pleased about that, but it wasn’t enough to save my job or Abbey I’m afraid.”
“So that’s it, Cal and Abbey, they are just going to be kept away from the rest of the camp?”
Before she could answer Zach continued. “I thought you said the vote would go the right way?”
“I thought it would. The word was we had the numbers, but at the last minute Sawyer changed his vote, and it went three two against us.”
“And what does that mean?” enquired Fiona.
A feeling of dread descended over Zach and Fiona.
“But Abbey’s the reason any of my squad and the others that came with us are alive! And Cal!”
“I know, Bass kept me well informed.”
“Didn’t the council take that into account?”
“Zach, right now we don’t know how those affected will continue to act, all we know is that they have these abilities and they are connected somehow to the E.L.F’s.”
Zach looked at her concerned. “You sound like you agree with this?”
The General looked away from his gaze momentarily. “I don’t know what I agree with. Before you went, I was sure segregating those that were affected wasn’t a good idea, but now…” she took a sip on her drink. “In Bass’s report, it seemed as if she controlled a huge E.L.F and used it to basically wipe out a lot of the enemy’s soldiers.”
“Yeah she saved us,” said Fiona.
“That’s not how the council saw it. They saw someone who has the power to create chaos and threaten the camp, and obviously we know, Abbey is just one of a few hundred that probably have that ability.”
“What if it was someone you cared about, that was taken, and used as a lab experiment?” said Fiona.
The General picked up an overturned picture frame, which was near her whiskey and handed it to Fiona. “That’s my grandson Anthony Trow, he was taken soon after the vote.”
Fiona didn’t know how to respond. “I’m sorry.”
“Both of you have my word, I will do all I can, but unfortunately it’s not much anymore.”
“Who’s in charge now?”
“The council have taken control of the military as well. Everything goes through Holland.”
“Can you get us in to see them?”
Trow looked down. “I might still have some connections I could call upon. They are monitoring the frequencies, but if I send you a message tonight or in the morning that I have some homemade Apple pie for you, then that means I’ve got you in. Get me some of the paper over there, I’ll write you down the location.”
*****
Abbey sat up. The stone floor was doing no favors for her back, and sleep wasn’t happening. It was cold in the huge open space that used to be some form of factory and she immediately gathered the one blanket she had been given to her shoulders. All around her a few hundred people of all races and ages lay wherever they could find a flat dry surface. A single lantern positioned near the outside wall provided insufficient light to dispel the gloom and shadows lurked in most corners. Looking around she wasn’t sure where Cal was, or if he was even here.
Pulling the blanket back from her lower half she looked down at her thigh and the new bandage a medic put on her. At least they care enough to keep us alive. She also had a splint on her left wrist, so moving it didn’t hurt as much as before, but her body still felt ten percent of what it normally did, and every movement was an effort.
After being taken near the gate, they were brought here. Wherever here was, as she and the others were blindfolded. But she could hear cries and pleading of worried people asking why and where they were being taken. Those in charge told everyone that they needed to run some experiments, and when they were done they would be free to go. That calmed most down, but nothing about this situation felt right. Her grandfather sometimes talked to her when she was a child, about his time in the concentration camp during the war. What he told her was similar to what she had seen and heard over the previous few hours. But this is different, she kept telling herself.
But even if she could escape, where would she go? She was in an unknown building, inside the virtually impenetrable walls of the camp. If she ran home, or involved Zach, he would be jailed just as quickly as she would be again. At least this time her prison cell was much larger and had others inside with her. I’m not with him. She shuddered thinking about her time in that damp office back in Atlanta, waiting for death to walk through the door. Swallowing she realized she was thirsty and looked around for any sign of water, but there wasn’t any.
Just to her right and slightly behind her she felt eyes on her. Swiveling around unpainfnully as possible she just caught a small head duck down behind a blanket.
“What’s your name?” said Abbey.
A young boy of maybe ten years old, with dark hair appeared from behind his gray and blue blanket.
“Anthony, but my friends call me Ant.”
Abbey smiled. “I’m Abbey, nice to meet you Ant. Where are your parents?”
“My grandmother is at home.”
She sighed and felt anger at their plight. So far though they hadn’t been treated terribly. They were alive and together, even if the conditions weren’t luxurious.
“Don’t worry Ant, hopefully we can all go home tomorrow.”
The young boy forced a smile and disappeared back under his blanket.
Scouring the walls of the cavernous space she couldn’t see any soldiers, only two doors and a large metal shutter sealing them in. She suspected the doors were locked and even if they weren’t, there definitely would be guards on the other side anyway.
She then turned her attention to the people imprisoned with her, some who were sleeping and some who were obviously not. Focusing in the gloom on their faces, she tried to see if Cal was among them. But she couldn’t see him. Most were buried in their blankets. Maybe he’s just sleeping. She would find him in the morning.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Even in the early morning mist Zach could see the large crowd of people some with placards as he drove up the dirt track towards the security gate. He was in the north eastern quadrant of the camp, in a largely unpopulated area. Ahead an old large aircraft hanger sized building stood out amongst the trees and surrounding low hills.
There were a high number of troops, and military vehicles. No breaking them out today. Even if he could, he wasn’t sure what the next part of the plan would be. In the current situation they were safer inside the walls than outside, and the camp wasn’t so huge that eventually they couldn’t be found anyway.
“Cascaders are not like us!”, “We are all human beings, Free the Cascaders!” People shouting and holding banners which were for and against those inside the large building pushed and shoved along the fifteen foot high metal fence. Amongst them Zach spotted people crying and pleading with the guards to let them in.
Fiona sat in silence.
He drove up to the gate and stopped. He showed his security card to the man at the gate who radioed someone. The entrance then opened and he drove forward. They were soon parking next to a number of Humvees that were already there. He noticed Raj walking quickly towards him as he and Fiona got out.
The sounds of distant gun batteries on the wall firing, boomed on the horizon. Raj handed them more security cards, which were white with the words “Visitor” on them. “Trow had to do a lot of convincing to let you see them. Follow me.”
As they walked to the closest door, the pot marked and fire stained walls of the old building loomed above them. Large multi-paneled windows from a different era reflected what there was, of the morning light. They all showed the guard their credentials, he then swiped his own card and they walked into a corridor with bare concrete walls.
“Remember, don’t be fooled by how old this place looks, everywhere you are on this compound you are being watched.” His eyes flicked upwards to a camera discretely placed in the corner near another door. “I only have access to internal doors, even I can’t leave the building without someone letting me out.” He swiped his card, and a wall of noise hit them.
For a moment Zach’s focus was lost amongst a sea of people sitting, standing and laying on the multitude of bundles of blankets, but then he saw her. Abbey was sitting on a small wa
ll talking to a small group of people, next to her was Cal.
“You only have fifteen minutes, make it count,” said Raj looking guilty. Fiona gave him a stern look, then she and Zach ran over to Abby and Cal.
Each couple immediately hugged, causing Cal and Abbey to both smile and wince in pain.
An elderly man in his early seventies, a woman of similar age, and a young boy who Zach and Fiona immediately recognized were all sitting and standing nearby.
“We don’t have long, how are you?” said Zach, kneeling down in front of Abbey.
“Everything considered, I’m doing okay.”
“They haven’t started any weird experiments on you yet?” said Fiona. The elderly woman hugged the young boy to her.
Abbey looked at the young boy. “No need to worry Ant, it will just be a few tests, then we can all go home.” She looked at the elderly woman. “Maybe Ant might want to see the rest of the factory?” the lady nodded and walked off with the young boy. Abbey then turned to Zach and Fiona.
“They said they will start today, but we have no idea what kind of tests they are going to do.”
“Damn brown-coats the lot of them, I know my history, this is how it begins,” said the elderly man.
“I’m going to talk to Raj and find out what exactly they are planning to do, if anything don’t sound right, we will get you and Cal out of here, I promise,” said Zach leaning into Abbey so not to have to talk too loud.
“And then what? Where will we go? And there seems to be more attacks on the walls nearby? We have been hearing it for most of the night.” said Abbey.
“We can survive outside these walls if we need too,” replied Fiona.
“Where in the camp are we?” said Abbey.
“North eastern quadrant. There are multiple layers of security. Two sets of security cards by the looks of it, and then there are guards, and then an exterior fence about half a mile out,” replied Zach.
“We need to cause a fuss, if we all refuse to cooperate, what they going to do, shoot us all?” said the old man.