Caldera

by Larry LaVoie

  Jason’s eyes didn’t go to the door, but scanned the room for the grate. It was on the floor in plain sight. He scrambled up and draped the blanket over it.

  “What is all the racket in here?” Mishenka demanded.

  “Just a little lover’s spat,” Jason said.

  Carlene still on the floor glared at him.

  Behind Mishenka a voice said, “I’ll take it from here. Joseph Talant pushed past Mishenka and entered the room. “Leave the door open,” he said. “We will be all right.”

  Mishenka grunted and left.

  “What’s going on?” Jason asked steering himself to the cot. Carlene got up and sat beside him.

  “You mentioned you were thinking of joining the cause,” Talant said. “Before you make up your mind there is something you need to know.

  “There’s a lot I need to know,” Jason said. “Like —”

  Talant lifted his hand cutting him off. “I’ll tell you what you need to know. Understand?”

  Carlene glanced at Jason. Jason nodded. They had to keep Talant’s attention focused on them and not the room. If Talant became curious he would discover the escape attempt.

  “What is it you wanted me to know,” Jason said obediently.

  “I’m your father,” Talant said. There was no emotion in his voice. He said it as matter of fact as if he were ordering fast food.

  “My father died on St. Helens,” Jason said.

  Talant didn’t waver. “I used the eruption as a cover to disappear. We were looking for a natural disaster even back then, but St. Helens was not large enough.” He smiled. “Yellowstone has fulfilled our purpose.”

  “You’re lying. It isn’t true.”

  “Think about it. John Trask, Joseph Talant. We even have a strong resemblance, don’t you think. Why else would I have rescued you from Yellowstone?”

  “You mean kidnapped.”

  “I am not used to having my word challenged,” Talant said.

  “What about Mother. You must have loved her.”

  “Love? I could have snuffed her out like a house fly and never lost a minute of sleep. You should be grateful I left you to live a normal life.”

  Jason was incredulous. What kind of game was he playing?

  “You may have been the sperm donor but you’re not my father. Am I supposed to be grateful you’re not dead?” Jason’s voice rose in anger and he felt Carlene’s hand squeeze his thigh. He couldn’t lose it now. There was too much at stake.

  “What about the organization?” Jason asked. “What is so important that a man will abandon his family?”

  “A new world,” Talant said. His eyes lit up and his lips turned up in a smile. “Our leader has shown us a way to build a world without turmoil, poverty or strife. You can be a part of Nicolai.”

  “Yeah, you have a dream just like Hitler and Lenin did.”

  “Hitler was a madman. Our leader abhors violence. Of course a little is necessary to bring those around who oppose us.”

  “Have you missed what happened to Russia? I’m supposed to abandon my country for some failed notion of utopia?”

  “Your country only exists because of the accident of birth. If I had gone a different direction you would have been born in the Motherland. Because you were born here, does that give you special rights? Where was your government when you wanted to evacuate those in the path of destruction? What kind of a government is that? They left you up there to die.”

  “You forget they were coming to get us until you showed up.” Why was he arguing with this madman?

  “You would have died like the others. Only one of the helicopters made it out of the blast zone.”

  Talant was amazingly calm. He was used to controlling the situation. Jason could see he had either been brainwashed or the man really believed in what he was doing. How do you argue with someone like that?

  “And what gives you the right to dictate what people should believe?” Jason asked.

  “Son, I did not come in here to argue with you. Our leader has ordered your death. I asked him to give me a chance to explain. He was kind enough to grant me that opportunity. I am sure once you hear me out you will see that I am offering you a better alternative.”

  “Of course,” Jason said. “I’m sorry, this has been so sudden.” He hung his head, “It’s all so sudden.”

  “Good,” Talant said. “I will tell Telska you are with us.”

  When the door closed Jason made his way over to the toilet got down on his knees and lost his breakfast.

  “Are you going to be okay?” Carlene asked.

  Though he couldn’t see her he felt her near. He reached out and felt her leg. “I’ll be all right. Give me a minute.” His mind went to the trips up to St. Helens, the hours spent in reflection, his mother who was still grieving. To this bastard and his cause they meant less than a dead insect. “His name didn’t deserve to be on the memorial plaque,” Jason said. How many people had known the truth and not told him? “I’m sorry you had to hear this,” he finally said. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  Even standing on Jason’s shoulders, Carlene could not reach the opening. Climbing up his back, Carlene had jabbed her boot in his side and he had cried out in pain. Now she stood with her hands touching the wall stretching to reach the opening where the grate had been. “It’s got to be close,” she whispered standing on her tiptoes.

  “Hang on. I’ll give you a boost.” He grabbed her boots and tried to lift, but the pain in his side was too much. “Gently step on my head,” he said.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Do it!”

  She placed her hands against the wall for balance. “Help me remove my boot.”

  “Forget it. There isn’t time.” Jason guided her leg with his hand. “Now lift yourself up. You should be able to find the opening.”

  “I found it!”

  He felt the weight ease from him. He moved his hands from her legs to the bottom of her feet and hefted her up. The pain in his side turned into a constant burning, like being seared with a hot poker.

  “My belt,” she said.

  “Right.” He got down and found the large buckle. “Are you ready?” He listened hard wanting her voice to guide his throw.

  “I’m moving back. Try and hit the opening.”

  Jason did an underhand toss and the belt and buckle came crashing back to the floor. He found it and tried again. “Third time’s a charm,” he said tossing it up again. This time it didn’t come back.

  “How are you going to get up here?” Carlene asked.

  “I’m working on it. Get back I’m tossing you the blanket.”

  “The blanket? What for?”

  “Never mind. Get back.”

  He heaved the wadded-up blanket, heard a thud as she caught it.

  “Got it,” Carlene said.

  “Is there anything to tie it to?”

  There was a long silence.

  “Nothing,” Carlene said.

  “Is there a ledge or anything for you to brace against?”

  “A small lip is all.”

  “Lower the blanket. Keep hold of one end”

  He tied the grating on to the lowered end. “Okay, hoist it up.”

  He steadied the grate to keep it from clanking against the wall. Soon it was out of reach.

  “What now? This thing won’t fit in here.”

  “Sure it will. Turn it sideways and pull it in.”

  “I don’t understand,” Carlene said.

  “Do you have the grate inside?”

  “Yeah, but ...”

  Drop me the loose end of the blanket and place the grate with the edge against the inside lip of the opening.

  “Jason, this isn’t making any sense.”

  “Is the edge against the lip?” Jason asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Then sit on the grate to hold it down. I’m coming up.”

  It was harder than he’d imagined. With the door set back under the vent openi
ng there was no way to get leverage with his legs. Every tug of his hands to lift himself tore at his wounded side. He climbed hand over hand. When he felt his knuckles crack against the hard wall above the door he considered dropping and telling Carlene to go by herself. He hung for a few moments garnering more strength, but he was exhausted.

  “Carlene.”

  “Get up here,” she said. “I’m afraid this thing is going to slip.”

  “Go on without me. I can’t make it.”

  “Damn you! You got me into this mess and you promised to get me out.”

  Jason felt his grip weakening. The pain in his side was too much. He felt like he would pass out.

  “I can’t get out of here by myself,” Carlene said. Her voice was trembling. “Jason, you make it up here and I’m sure we can make it out. I can see daylight.”

  Jason gritted his teeth, wrapped a leg around the blanket and inched his way upwards. To his surprise he raised his head into the opening. “Are you there?”

  Startled that he was so close, Carlene let out a scream.

  “Quiet,” Jason said.

  “You startled me.”

  “What did you think I was doing?”

  “Never mind. How are we going to get you in here?”

  Jason reached through the opening and locked his fingers in the grating. “Don’t move.” He pulled his upper body across her legs. “Grab my belt and help.”

  There was barely enough room for both of them in the opening. Carlene slid out from under him and scooted down the vent tube while Jason untied the blanket from the grate.

  Far down the vent they could indeed see light. They moved in that direction, intent on finding a way out before they were discovered missing. Jason could see the small silhouette of Carlene ahead of him. He was glad the vent was large enough to crawl on hands and knees. He hadn’t spent this much time on his knees since he stopped going to church as a teenager. Should have spent more time there, he thought.

  Carlene stopped at a junction where the light was reflecting off the wall.

  “Let’s take it,” Jason said. “The sooner we get out of here the better.

  As they approached the opening, voices drifted in through a grating. Jason edged past Carlene. “I want to see where we are,” he whispered.

  “Be careful.”

  He edged up to the grill and peered through. What he saw gave him a new appreciation for the size of the organization that had captured them. It was a munitions storage area.

  Soldiers moved about with purpose. Computer screens were lit and men with clipboards were directing the removal of arms. Jason saw everything from bombs to missiles to rocket launchers and grenades. They appeared to be U.S. made by the markings on the boxes. That asshole masquerading as my father wasn’t kidding. Every time he thought of Talant he felt his neck bulge in anger.

  “We can’t get out here,” he said to Carlene. “Let’s see what’s in the next room.”

  The ventilation tube they were crawling through was honed out of solid rock, about three feet in diameter. Impossible to stand in, it was taking a toll on their knees.

  “I can’t go any farther,” Carlene finally said. “My knees feel like hamburger.”

  “We don’t keep moving we’ll both be dead meat,” Jason said trying to make light of the situation.

  “Damn you,” Carlene said. “I can’t think of anything good that’s happened to me since I met you.”

  “I could say the same for you. Now move your cute little ass forward.” He patted her butt gently. Carlene was in a squatting position rubbing her knees. She started walking like a duck. Jason laughed and covered his mouth.

  He was past the point of pain. Everything he owned was screaming for him to get up and walk upright. The tunnels hadn’t seemed this long when they had walked from their room to the War Room. Just then he caught sight of a faint light past Carlene. He hoped the vent continued to the outside but the closer they got to the light the more he doubted they would find an escape route.

  At the junction Carlene stopped. “You go ahead.”

  She sat down and massaged her muscles. Jason continued down the corridor toward the light. He was certain this must be the War Room.

  Voices again. This time he recognized one of them. He moved close to the grate and scanned the room. Something had changed. There was frantic activity. He saw cities listed on the large screen across the room. Philadelphia. Chicago. Los Angeles. What were these? They couldn’t be cities affected by the eruption.

  “We will bomb only one.” It was the voice of Joseph Talant. “The others will surrender just as the Japanese did after Nagasaki. Americans are such big babies. They have already suffered tremendous loss. They won’t sacrifice more of their citizens.”

  An unknown voice asked, “And if they don’t surrender?”

  Talant said, “I believe we have covered that contingency. I’ve instructed the soldiers to execute one-thousand people an hour on satellite television until we get unconditional surrender. We will also show the location of the additional explosives in other cities. They will surrender, I am certain.” The voices faded.

  Jason locked the three cities in his memory. They must already have forces in those areas. Satellite television would be affected by the ash cloud. They had forces beyond the fallout zone. He returned to Carlene.

  “You ready?” he asked.

  “You lead. This looks like a dead end.”

  He could hear the frustration in her voice. He put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her but she brushed it away.

  “No matter what you’re thinking I didn’t cause Yellowstone to erupt and I had nothing to do with us being here,” he said.

  “Oh yeah! Why do you think we were kidnapped? Tell me that wasn’t your father trying to recruit his little boy into his idiotic scheme to take over the world.”

  “I didn’t know, okay? We can either stay here until they use us as targets or find a way out. Which is it?”

  Carlene was crying again. “You go ahead. I’m slowing you down.”

  “We’re going this way. You first.”

  “But that’s a dead end.”

  These tunneling machines need a place to start and finish. They don’t go in reverse. I’ve got a feeling they didn’t stop this close to the edge of the mountain and ditch the machine. Let’s check it out.”

  Jason was behind her again. She was faster in her awkward waddle than he was on his hands and knees.

  At the end she said, “It’s boarded up.”

  Jason caught up to her. “Good. This should be above the main entrance.”

  “Good?”

  “We wait until nightfall then kick out the boards.” Jason said.

  Jason sat down and rubbed his knees.

  Carlene scooted next to him. “I’m sorry. It’s just ...”

  “Shhh.” He put his fingers to her lips and kissed her. It was a long and passionate kiss. He wondered if they would make it out alive. His plan only went to the exit, then what?

  Chapter 30

  “It is on your watch, Joseph Talant,” Vladimir Mishenka said staring at the ventilation grill lying on the floor. “I’m not going to take the fall for your stupidity.”

  They were standing in the empty cell where Jason and Carlene had been.

  A soldier with a German shepherd entered the room. The dog was excited, its eyes shifting from side to side ready to start the search. “Do you have something for a scent?”

  Mishenka handed the blanket to him.

  The soldier held it up to the dog’s nose. “Find them,” he said to the dog. Then to Talant, “You think they got out through the vent?”

  “The only way,” Talant said.

  “I’ll need a ladder,” the soldier said moving toward the door. He returned dragging an extension ladder and placed it up to the open vent. The soldier lifted the dog and placed him on the ladder. “You want to help me with him,” he said to Mishenka.

  Mishenka and the soldier steadied the
dog as it clumsily climbed the ladder. The soldier climbed up behind and coaxed the dog along. At the top the soldier gave the animal a sniff of the blanket again and commanded him to seek. The dog hooked his feet into the opening and immediately scrambled into the vent.

  “What will the dog do?” Talant asked the soldier.

  “He will obey my commands. I have a radio on his collar. I will know when he finds them.”

  Talant was upset with the time this was taking and glared at Mishenka. “You forget,” Talant said. “When I suggested we get dogs to protect the tunnels, you were in full agreement. Why were they not in place?”

  Mishenka glared at the soldier. “You, why were they not there?”

  The soldier responded nervously, “They were injuring their feet on the sharp edges of the rock. We thought it would be just as effective to deploy them when there was a threat.”

  “Idiot,” Mishenka slapped the soldier across the face.

  The soldier wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth. “I think they have been found,” he said placing his hand to his earpiece.

  “What did you see back there,” Carlene asked. “You’re trembling?”

  “Enough to know these guys are serious.”

  “You think they’ll succeed?”

  “If they do a lot of innocent people will die.”

  “My daddy won’t give up. How are they going to get people like my daddy to give up?”

  “Let’s worry about how we’re going to get out of here first.”

  The tunnels channeled the sirens like a giant glass fiber. Carlene and Jason bumped heads when the deafening scream reached their ears.

  “We better get ready to move. I’ve got a feeling that alarm is for us,” Jason shouted above the noise.

  “But it’s not dark yet,” Carlene blurted.

  “I forgot to tell them my plan.” He rocked down on his back and started kicking the heavy wood planks with both feet. Nothing was happening. Carlene got down beside him and started kicking. Voices were now in the tunnel blocking out some of the blaring horns.

  “Kick harder. I don’t have a backup plan,” Jason said.

  “They’re coming. I can hear them.”

  Jason wanted to glance back, but knew it wouldn’t do any good. What if they couldn’t get out? The screaming noise dropped a few more decibels like something was blocking out the noise. There was definitely something moving through the tunnels toward them.