The QuaranTeens, #1

by Keith B Darrell

  “How long will that take you?” Covid asked.

  Keiana shrugged. “With luck, a few hours. Otherwise, a few years.”

  Covid frowned. “Corbin believes Proctor’s attack is imminent. Try to get this working but in case you can’t, I’m going to have Dax and Ian distribute the weapons cache. If Proctor’s men are sighted from the watchtower, we’ll have to fight them off.” Covid ascended the staircase to the bunker.

  Covid, Corona, Dax, and Ian transported the weapons cache to the social area where the remaining teens had gathered. “The attack could come at any time,” Covid said. “We’ll institute daily training drills, starting today, but our information leads us to believe the Utopians may attack within the next seventy-two hours so you each must be ready to defend yourselves and our home.”

  Nessa squeezed Fiona’s hand. “I don’t like the thought of having to harm people,” Fiona said.

  “It beats them harming you,” Dax said, familiarizing herself with the weapon she had been given.

  Coralie gazed up at Dax. “Do you think we can beat them?”

  Dax nodded. “No doubt in my mind. Especially if we take the fight to them. Between these weapons and the defense grid Covid told us about, we can do more than protect the bunker — we can attack Utopia.”

  “If we get those missiles working, we can turn Utopia into a pile of rubble,” Ian said.

  “No!” Maga’s heart jumped. She pulled Covid aside. “You can’t attack Utopia.”

  “I hope it doesn’t come to that,” Covid said. “But they’re planning to attack us. They’re already holding Tristan prisoner, and Kai and Varian are on their way to rescue him. If we lose three of our people I suspect the others won’t rest until Utopia’s destroyed.”

  “My brother’s gone back to the city. He could be injured or killed in an attack.”

  “I’m sorry. As I said, I hope it doesn’t come to that. But we’re fighting for our lives. It was the Utopians who kidnapped my sister and Kai, and later Tristan and Corbin. And it was the Utopians who killed Archer and Robin’s grandmother and friends.”

  “I have to warn my brother.”

  “I can’t let you reveal our defenses to them.”

  “You know I don’t want to help Proctor. He’d likely have me killed if he saw me. But I want to save my brother just as you would do the same to save your sister. Let me bring Donjay back here to live in the bunker. Please, Covid. I won’t betray you. I only want to keep my baby brother alive.”

  Covid sighed. “Take one of the horses if you think you can ride well enough. You’ll both be welcome here.”

  “Thank you.” Maga dashed out of the social area toward the exit hatch.

  “That was foolish,” Dax said. “You’ve endangered us all.”

  “No,” Corona said. “I trust Maga. Covid and I understand the attachment between siblings. I also know she’d never help the people trying to kill her. Is it so hard for you to understand wanting to protect someone you love?”

  Dax glanced at Coralie and returned her gaze to Corona. “I hope you’re right.”

  Proctor looked up when Donjay entered the room. “Tell me you have the codebook.”

  “Not yet. Corbin has gone to the bunker to procure it.”

  “Why aren’t you waiting in the Humvee for him to return with it, as we planned?”

  “I needed to speak to you. Don’t worry; I sent him a message to leave the codebook at a specific location where I can retrieve it.”

  “A message? How could you send a message to someone in the bunker?”

  “I asked my sister to deliver it.” Donjay saw the surprise register on Proctor’s face. “She’s been living at the bunker. Apparently, she wasn’t eaten by wolves. And even more apparently, you lied to me.”

  Proctor grimaced. “She had fled Utopia. I thought it best for you to have closure, rather than wondering if she were dead or alive.”

  “Maga told me she fled because Dr. Carstairs had planned to send her to the farm… with your approval.”

  “You’re becoming far too emotional over a female. Your sister’s only a maid; like nearly all females, she has no significant value to our society.”

  “Maga’s my sister – she has value to me!”

  “If you wish to sit in my chair one day and rule Utopia, then you must rid yourself of sentiment and nostalgic childhood attachments. A week ago, I grasped my mother’s throat and throttled the life from her weary bones. My mother, your sister – like all females, useful only for breeding or household tasks. I see you still have much to learn. If you’ve said anything to Maga then the security of our plan has been compromised. That means it’s time for Plan B.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “We proceed without the codebook; for all we know, Corbin may have been lying about it and the so-called defense system anyway. Instead, we’ll overrun the bunker and capture them through brute force. I’ve already ordered half of our Humvees to be equipped with spare batteries from the other half. While it means fifty percent of our Humvees will be idled, the rest will have sufficient power to reach the bunker and return.”

  “You’d leave Utopia defenseless?”

  “Only for a few hours. By nightfall, the bunker shall be ours and the patrols will once again be roaming the perimeter.”

  “Even though they’re children, they’ll still resist. We could be facing a siege that lasts for days.”

  Proctor shook his head. “Once they watch their friends die they’ll lose their taste for battle. It’s regrettable we’ll have to sacrifice some of them, but—”

  “Maga’s at the bunker. She could be killed in that type of assault.”

  Proctor shrugged. “If so, she’d merely be collateral damage.” He called out for his guards and two entered. “Restrain Donjay.” They each grabbed Donjay’s arms.

  “What are you doing?” Donjay cried.

  Dr. Carstairs entered the room.

  “Perfect timing, Doctor. I’m afraid Donjay has become agitated and requires a sedative. My men will escort him to your laboratory so you may administer a mild one to him.”

  The men pulled Donjay away. “Why are you doing this to me?”

  “I don’t want you mistakenly making a rash emotional decision in your anxious state that might interfere with my plan. Dr. Carstairs will make sure you’re too tired and sluggish to be tempted to do anything we might both regret. I’ll see you later this evening.”

  Donjay struggled as the two guard led him out, followed by Dr. Carstairs.

  Kai and Varian approached the Utopian perimeter. “Wait until that patrol moves on,” Varian said.

  Kai squinted. “I can’t see what they’re doing but it hasn’t moved in a while. I’ll ride in for a closer look.”

  “I said to stay put.”

  “And I flouted your orders back when you were in charge; what makes you think I’d follow them now?” Kai spurred his horse to trot forward.

  Reluctantly, Varian did the same.

  “There’s two of them in the vehicle slumped over,” Kai said. They trotted nearer and saw arrows sticking out of the men. “Archer and Robin came this way.”

  “We need to break Tristan out before they try to kill Proctor and all hell breaks loose.”

  “I remember where they held me captive the first day. If we don’t run into any more patrols, I can lead us there.”

  Kai and Varian tied their horses to a tree and made their way to the dome entrance. “It’s strange,” Kai said. “There were a lot more patrols when Corona and I escaped, yet we’ve only encountered the same one Robin and Archer did.”

  Varian frowned. “That’s not good.”

  “Of course it is; otherwise we’d have been caught.”

  “That’s not what I meant. If the patrols aren’t where they should be, then where are they?” Varian saw the epiphany flicker in Kai’s eyes.

  “They’ve begun mounting their attack!” Kai exclaimed.

  “As soon as we r
escue Tristan, we must warn the others.”

  “You take Tristan back to the bunker. I’ll make sure Archer and Robin come back, too.”

  “I’m not rescuing Tristan only to lose you. For once in your life, just follow directions.”

  “Sorry, Tyrant King. I don’t even follow directions on a can of soup.” He stroked his bow. “Archer taught me how to use this; I plan to show him how well I’ve learned.”

  “And all this time I thought Covid was the sanctimonious hero.” Varian sighed. “Try not to get yourself killed.”

  Kai nodded. “The mansion they kept me in is close to the dome entrance. If Tristan’s not in Dr. Carstairs lab, then he’ll probably be in the same bedroom they put me in, or worse, the Dairy. Follow me.” Kai led Varian into the city and to Proctor’s mansion. Once inside, they crept furtively down the hallway. Kai pointed to a door. “That’s the bedroom they kept me in, and the next one’s where they kept Corona.”

  “We’ll check them both,” Varian said. “Guard the hall.” Kai drew his bow and notched an arrow, placing his back to the door. Varian slowly turned the doorknob, gently inching the door open while hoping the hinges wouldn’t creak. He saw the back of a guard’s head as he sat facing the bed while reading a book. Tristan lay on the bed, one wrist handcuffed to the bedpost. Varian pulled Corbin’s gun from his waistband and pushed the door wide enough to pass through. He slipped behind the guard and placed the gun barrel against the back of his head. “I have a gun pointed at your head. If you move too quickly, it may go off.”

  The guard froze. Tristan sat up, surprised. Varian noticed the handcuffs.

  “Do you have the key?”

  “Yes,” the guard said, perspiration beading on his forehead.

  “If you unlock the handcuffs and trade places with Tristan then I won’t have to kill you. Or, I can shoot you and take the key from your dead body. Which way are we doing this?”

  “I’ll be sent to the farm if I let the prisoner escape.”

  “You’re talking about your future; you won’t have one if you don’t.” He poked the barrel into the guard’s head. “This gun’s getting heavy. Do I have to decide for you?”

  “All right! Don’t shoot.” He stood and walked toward the bed.

  “Slowly, now. I want to see everything you do.”

  The guard unlocked the cuff around Tristan’s wrist. The boy jumped off the bed and ran to Varian.

  “Now, place it on your wrist. I didn’t hear it click. That’s better.” Varian replaced the gun in his waistband and turned to Tristan. “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah. How did you know—?”

  “Corbin. He made it back to the bunker.”

  Tristan stared at Varian in disbelief. “You risked your life to rescue me?”

  “You’re not rescued yet. Let’s go.”

  They stepped into the hall and Tristan saw Kai. A huge grin enveloped his face. “Kai!” He rushed to hug him.

  “Good to see you, kid.” Kai looked up at Varian. “You can handle it from here?”

  Varian nodded. “Good luck, Kai.”

  Tristan glanced at Varian and then at Kai. “What does he mean, good luck?”

  “There’s something I have to do. Go with Varian and do everything he tells you. It’ll keep you safe and make his ego feel better.” Kai smiled at Varian. “Good luck to you, too.” He turned and headed in the direction of Proctor’s office.

  “Come with me,” Varian said. “The horses are tied to a tree outside the dome.” They ran down the hall.

  “What about the guards?” Tristan asked.

  “We’re unlikely to run into any. They’re all heading to attack the bunker. If we ride quickly, we can take a more direct path the vehicles can’t and get there in time to warn the others.”

  They came to the dome entrance. Varian pointed. “There. Can you see the horses?”

  “Yes.”

  “We’ll make a run for them. Mount a horse and follow me.”

  “Got it.”

  The boys ran to the tree and untied the horses. Seconds later, they were galloping away.

  Maga gulped as she saw the domed city ahead. Even if the patrols were still on the lookout for her, there appeared to be none in sight. Nonetheless, she felt a wave of terror gazing at the city and realizing, patrols or no patrols, Dr. Carstairs would still be there waiting to make good on her threat. Maga swallowed and took a deep breath. This wasn’t about her safety; it was about Donjay’s. She tied her horse to a nearby tree and proceeded on foot into the city.

  Once inside the familiar mansion, Maga took a cloak from a closet and covered her head with the hood. Furtively, she made her way through the mansion until she reached Donjay’s room. She pushed the door open and found him lying on the bed. He blinked his eyes. “Maga? Is it really you?” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “The drug must be making me hallucinate.”

  Maga sat by his bedside. “Donjay, it’s me. Wake up.” She shook him.

  “Maga? You’re really here?” He tried to sit up.

  “What have they done to you?”

  “I’m groggy. Dr. Carstairs drugged me.”

  “We’ve got to get out of here. The bunker kids are going to attack Utopia.”

  Donjay shook his head. “No, no. It’s the other way around: Proctor’s launching an assault on the bunker.”

  “It’s not safe in Utopia. We have to leave."

  “Help me stand.” Maga assisted her brother to his feet. “Wait here. I’ll see Proctor and demand he guarantee your safety.”

  “You can’t make demands of Proctor,” Maga said. “Come with me. We must flee the city.”

  “Walk me around the room until my head clears. Then, I’ll talk to Proctor.” With Maga’s help, Donjay staggered across the room.

  “They’re coming!” Fiona shouted from atop the watchtower. She clambered down and ran to the others. “At least a half-dozen vehicles identical to Kai’s not-a-sports-car are headed this way. They have rifles mounted on them.”

  “The not-a-sports-car can hold four people,” Blaine said. “That’s up to twenty-four armed Utopians invading the bunker.”

  Corona turned to Esme. “Go back into the bunker and find out if Destine and Keiana have the defense grid ready. Tell them the Utopians are attacking and we need it now.”

  Esme nodded and raced off.

  “Blaine, gather the younger kids and secure them inside the bunker,” Covid said. “Fiona, take Nessa and Coralie inside. Then seal the door and don’t let anyone open it.”

  Fiona brushed away a tear and nodded. Corona, Dax, and Ian huddled around Covid. “If Destine and Keiana can’t get the defense grid operational, then the four of us are the bunker’s last line of defense.” He turned to Corona. “There’s still time for you to join the others inside.”

  Corona shook her head. “This is all my fault. If I hadn’t been so eager to explore the outside world, then the Utopians wouldn’t even know we existed.”

  “It’s not your fault,” Dax said. “We have as much right to the planet as they do. Proctor’s just another bully… and he’ll meet the same fate they all do.” She picked up a sack of grenades. “Better grab your rifles; I hear their engines.”

  Covid, Corona, and Ian took their rifles and scattered as the Humvees rolled into view.

  Kai peeked inside each door he passed hoping to spot Archer and Robin. He kept his bow ready in his hand, well aware he was deep in enemy territory. He opened the next door and realized it was Dr. Carstairs laboratory. He saw her bent over a Bunsen burner heating a flask. Kai started to close the door but Dr. Carstairs glanced up and saw him.

  “Kai!” she exclaimed. “How delightful to see you again. Does Proctor know you’re here?” She took a step toward him.

  Kai raised his bow and notched an arrow. “Keep back. Where’s Proctor?”

  “In his study, I’d presume. I was going to begin the sperm extraction procedure with your friend Tristan but you’re a much more mature spe
cimen. Come with me to the Dairy and we’ll get you strapped in.”

  Kai shot his arrow at her Bunsen burner, knocking it over. The fire spread to the chemical-stained tablecloth which burst into flames. “Not this time, Doctor. Besides, I think you have a fire to put out.” Kai shut the door behind him and dashed down the hall, trying to recall the location of Proctor’s office.

  Proctor never heard them enter. Granny had trained them well in the art of stealth. The furtive siblings stood inside Proctor’s study to the left and right of the door. Robin reached into her pocket and pulled out the St. Sebastian medal. Proctor looked up upon hearing it jangle in her hand.

  “How did you get in here? Guards!” He realized as he was shouting, he had sent most of his men to the bunker and the remainder were on foot patrol within the city. He stared at the pair of teens, studying their attire and weapons. “Are you bunker children?”

  “We’re Raiders,” Archer said.

  Robin tossed the St. Sebastian medal onto his desk. “Is that yours?”

  “My St. Sebastian medal! I thought it lost forever. Tell me, whom do I have to thank for its recovery?” Proctor’s hand edged surreptitiously closer to his desk drawer as he spoke.

  “I’m Archer.”

  “Robin, his sister.”

  “Such fitting names. All you need to complete the motif is some forest green outfits.” His fingers wrapped around the drawer handle and slowly pulled it open. “Wherever did you find my medal?”

  Robin and Archer raised their bows, aiming their arrows at Proctor. “It was at the Outpost,” Archer said.

  “On the ground,” Robin added. “Beside my grandmother’s body. We reckon Granny tore it off the neck of the man who killed her.”

  Proctor’s eyes narrowed as his fingers wrapped around the revolver in his drawer. “Your grandmother! Yes, I see the resemblance now. You have your mother’s eyes, Robin.”

  Robin wavered, lowering her bow by an inch. “You knew my mother?”

  “He’s lying, Robin.”

  “Now Archer takes after your father: rude, arrogant, self-righteous… I don’t know what my sister saw in him.” He furtively slipped the revolver from the drawer.