Time's End: A Future Chron Novel (Future Chron Universe Book 34)

by D. W. Patterson

  Pearce closed his book and got ready.

  All but two of Cleveland's men agreed to go and those two were married with families to protect. The spin-two generators were loaded into two of the trucks except for Pearce's which was put back in the van so that it could be used if necessary. The van was modified to help make using the spin-two while on the road easier.

  “Pearce I've been thinking.”

  “Yes Dave?”

  “If we use the spin-two generators in a low power mode we could create a negative energy bubble large enough to shield the trucks and van from being seen from above. Any light would bend around the bubble and reflect back from the ground. It wouldn't be a perfect cloak but it might trick anyone that didn't look too closely.”

  “I suppose we could Dave but that would use up the isotopics and we would have to stop to recharge probably several times on the trip.”

  “That's true but it might be something to keep in mind.”

  “I agree.”

  The convoy headed out, two trucks, the van and two cars. There were two each in the cars which went in front and brought up the rear and four in each of the trucks and van, two riding up front and two in back to manage the spin-two generators if needed. In the van upfront was Dave and Edgar, in back were Pearce and Anais. Crawley and Cleveland took turns driving the lead car.

  Reaching the main road Cleveland turned north. They were still in a hilly region with sufficient trees to provide some cover for the convoy.

  “You know Cleveland that we will soon be in what used to be western Kentucky and there is very little tree cover and a lot of open space.”

  “I know Crawley it's that way all the way to Missouri and then it gets worse when we enter old Nebraska. Level as far as the eye can see.”

  “What to do?”

  “We'll stay on the old back roads. Hopefully that will make it harder to find us.”

  “If they are looking.”

  “Oh I'm sure they are looking Crawley.”

  Two hours later and the convoy was trapped on an old two-lane in the middle of open fields. The territorial military craft were already diving on them.

  “What do we do Cleveland?”

  “We keep moving makes us harder to hit. Call Pearce and let him know.”

  “Pearce this is Crawley. Incoming craft from the north.”

  “Very well Crawley, bringing the spin-two online.”

  As the car continued to head north the military aircraft continued their dive.

  “Cleveland they are coming in too steep. They won't be able to strafe us at that angle.”

  “I don't think they mean to.”

  Then the lead craft pulled out of its dive not more than fifty yards ahead of the car and landed, straddling the road. Two more landed on either side. The rest began hovering above and behind those three.

  “What do we do?”

  “Crawley those aren't the same craft that attacked my farm,” said Cleveland.

  “So what?”

  By this time the car and convoy had stopped. Cleveland got out and started walking toward the aircraft.

  “Cleveland what are you doing?” yelled Crawley.

  In a few minutes only twenty yards away from the car Cleveland was talking with men from the aircraft. After a few minutes, Cleveland and one of the men started walking back toward the car. By this time several of the others had come up to the front car including Pearce and Dave.

  When they were close enough Cleveland spoke.

  “Gentlemen and lady,” he said noticing Anais. “This gentleman is Captain Dodge from the Northwest Territories. And he and the rest of his men are here to escort us to our destination.”

  “Gentlemen,” said Captain Dodge, “I would like to meet with the spin-two operators and the vehicle drivers before we begin this journey. Could I see you out here in front of the car?”

  After those requested had assembled the Captain began, “Gentlemen and Dr. Eiffel,” he began. Anais wondered how he knew her.

  “I want to tell you what I expect we will encounter on our trip. I expect several of the other territories to send their military's against us, probably more than once. I've no doubt we will take some losses. But it is very important for you drivers to maintain a tight formation which will make it easier for me to concentrate my forces and protect the convoy. I repeat do not straggle.

  “Now I want to say a word to the spin-two operators. I want all the spin-two generators manned and ready at all times. I understand Dr. Rawlings that your drive is special and may operate differently. For the others I want you to be prepared to put up a barrage of the fast-time bubbles. But only after my men and I are dead. This will be a last-measure defense. And the most important thing is that you get those drives to the Northwest Territory where they can be modified, like Dr. Rawling's, to take on this off-world menace and their accomplices here on Earth.”

  The Captain paused and looked over the group.

  “Is that understood?”

  “Understood Captain,” came the answer from someone in the back.

  “Very well, let's get moving. Remember keep a tight formation. And good luck.”

  Anais and Pearce had settled into the back of the van and it began to roll. Pearce took Anais's hand.

  “Why Anais? How is it that we're involved in all this fighting, this war?”

  “I suppose people have been asking that for thousands of years if not longer. I'm not sure there is an answer. You live in the times you're given.”

  “I know but all I ever wanted to do was study physics and maybe have one of Edmund's pizzas.”

  “Who's Edmund?”

  Pearce explained to Anais about his friend back in the ATL Complex.

  “I expect Edmund, you and me want our lives back but others want something different. And since they are willing to kill for it we have no choice.”

  “I know Anais but I wish at least you weren't in the line of fire.”

  “Is that what all this is about? Well it doesn't matter whether I, you or your friend Edmund are in the line of fire now. I suspect that those that aren't in the fight now will soon be given the same choice we've been given. Stand and fight or sit and die. Even if dying is only metaphorical.”

  Pearce took her hand.

  “I just thought if I ever had to fight for something, my loved ones would be behind the lines and safe.”

  “Dear Pearce there are no behind the lines anymore.”

  “I guess you're right,” he said as he kissed her.

  Edmund had enough. These new rules and laws were so arbitrary. A man couldn't run a business under such a system. One day serving beer was all right the next it wasn't. One day soda was taxed like food the next it was taxed like poison. And the businesses and their owners that disappeared made no sense. You would think that random repercussions was the goal.

  Anyway he had decided to join the coalitionists even though they had been forced to go underground. The coalition was where the real leaders were, the ones running the government both local and territorial were just appointees who parroted what those in control wanted. But who really was behind it all? Maybe the coalitionists would know.

  CHAPTER 23

  “That is the germ of my great discovery. But you are wrong to say that we cannot move about in Time. For instance, if I am recalling an incident very vividly I go back to the instant of its occurrence: I become absent-minded, as you say. I jump back for a moment. Of course we have no means of staying back for any length of Time, any more than a savage or an animal has of staying six feet above the ground. But a civilized man is better off than the savage in this respect. He can go up against gravitation in a balloon, and why should he not hope that ultimately he may be able to stop or accelerate his drift along the Time-Dimension, or even turn about and travel the other way?”

  Pearce drifted off to sleep his Emmie across his chest. He began dreaming that he was in one of his old physics classes and the Professor suddenly in mid-sentence started m
aking booming sounds. Pearce woke up.

  The booming was real and it was overhead and seemingly all around. Anais who had drifted also woke.

  “Where are we?” he said.

  Anais consulted her Emmie.

  “We're on the east bank of the Mississippi River just across from the old town of Keokuk Iowa.”

  “We've made good time,” said Pearce.

  “Yeah, until now.”

  They could both feel the van beginning to slow. Pearce got on his Emmie to call Dave while Anais got the spin-two ready.

  “What's happening Dave.”

  “It looks like someone is attacking our escorts. They haven't broken through yet but I'm afraid it looks like they're outnumbered badly.”

  Pearce moved to Anais's side and brought up some of the outside van cameras on his Emmie. Pointing them into the sky he could see the battle proceeding. As best as he could tell there was about two dozen craft overhead. If true that meant the defenders were outnumbered two to one. Pearce wanted to do something. But what?

  He could put up fast-time bubbles but hitting his own side was a real possibility. Then he saw one of the craft falling from the sky. It was hard to tell but with two others pursuing it he figured it was one of the defenders.

  He couldn't sit any longer and do nothing. It would be tricky but when he could ID one of the enemy he was determined to put a fast-time bubble on it. He had to wait and watched another craft fall from the sky, probably another on his side. By this time the van had pulled off to the side of the road as the river was just ahead.

  Then he saw his chance. He had a clear shot at an attacker. He brought the spin-two up and identified the target to its Emmies. The generator began tracking the craft and placed a small-diameter fast-time bubble in its path. At that diameter, the bubble would spin up almost instantly creating the fast-time region that the enemy craft would fly through to its detriment. But at the last minute the craft swerved, avoiding the bubble.

  Pearce was irritated.

  They must have something to sense the bubbles. Very well, if that's the game you want to play I can play it too.

  Even if he couldn't hit the enemy he could harass them enough to allow the defenders a fair chance at hitting them. He couldn't see the complete sky through his cameras but he could concentrate on a quadrant. It wasn't long until he was putting fast-time bubbles in the way of most of the enemy craft in that area.

  Suddenly Anais jumped up and kissed him and headed for the door.

  “Anais where are you going?”

  “To one of the other spin-two generators.”

  “Are you crazy?”

  But Anais was already gone.

  In the cab of the van Dave could see what Pearce was doing. He also decided to use one of the spin-two generators in the other trucks in exactly the same way. He would patrol a part of the sky just as Pearce was doing. Before long a third spin-two generator run by Dave came online and most of the sky was getting too dangerous for the enemy craft.

  As the enemy craft dodged the bubbles they often found themselves in the sights of the defenders. Sometimes avoiding the bubble caused the craft to swerve into the flight path of another craft and both would go down if their pilots weren't quick to take back control.

  It was only a few minutes until the overwhelming advantage of the attackers was wasted and those left took off for safer skies.

  The sun was going down when the Captain and the rest of his craft landed near the convoy. Pearce and Anais had gathered at the front of the van with some of the others. Captain Dodge walked up to Pearce and instead of offering a hand in congratulations knocked him on his back with a right cross.

  Cleveland and Crawley grabbed the Captain and pulled him back.

  “What in hell are you doing Dodge?” said Cleveland.

  “This physics professor,” he said pointing to Pearce, “disobeyed my orders.”

  Pearce, already back on his feet said, “I'm not under your command Captain, I'm a free man.”

  “Well you won't be for long if you keep disobeying my orders. Martial law gives me all the authority I need to put you under arrest.”

  “Captain,” said Anais. “If Pearce Dave, and I had not done what we did you wouldn't be here to punch the man that may have saved you and the other's lives. Did you think of that?”

  “Ma'am all I know is that he disobeyed orders. Now it might have worked out this time but maybe we won't be so lucky next time.”

  “It wasn't luck Captain,” said Dave. “Me and Pearce and Anais as well as others here know how to operate the drives. It was skill that saved your ass and you know it.”

  The Captain looked like he was about to punch Dave also when he said, “Mr. Cleveland can I see you alone?”

  “Yes Captain.”

  The Captain and Cleveland walked away. Before they followed one of the other military pilots walked up to Pearce and said, “Thank you Dr. Rawlings.” He then turned away to follow his Captain.

  “Captain Bligh, I presume,” said Dave.

  “Actually Dave,” said Pearce. “Bligh was trying to do his duty as his crew became more sloppy and unruly. I understand why the Captain slugged me. But it doesn't matter I wasn't going to sit by and watch all those men killed without trying to do something.”

  Pearce then left to return to the back of the van.

  Cleveland came back.

  “Okay everyone that's it for the day. Let's get something to eat and then rest. They are going to airlift us over the river tomorrow and we will continue our trip. Where's Pearce?”

  “He's in the van Max,” said one of the men.

  Cleveland went to the back of the van. Pearce and Anais were inside.

  “Pearce I talked to the Captain. He said for me to apologize for him. He shouldn't have hit you. He wants to talk to you about making your actions standard operating procedure for the rest of the trip. I hope you can see past the insult, it would be best for all of us if you two can work together.”

  “Don't worry, I'll work with him. Right now though I just want to get something to eat and rest.”

  “Of course,” said Cleveland. “We'll have dinner ready soon. You rest until then.”

  Early the next morning military craft hovered above a vehicle while the soldiers with Cleveland's men helping attached support straps. When ready the military craft lifted its attached vehicle into the air. It then slowly turned if necessary and headed over the river. Another craft transported the men across. On the other side the craft slowly descended until the vehicle it was carrying rested on the ground. The men brought across by the second craft then unhooked the vehicle. In this way all vehicles and people were ferried across the Mississippi and set down in an open space that was once Victory Park in Keokuk.

  With the sun up, the convoy waited for a time until the electric vehicles were completely recharged. It wasn't long until the vehicles were fully charged and ready to go. Their isotopics were constantly recharged by the thin-layer photo-voltaics spread almost like a paint over every possible surface of the vehicle. Connected in a mesh that “grew” throughout each layer and between layers, the resultant grid-like structure could usually keep a vehicle charged all day as long as it got several hours of sunlight. The isotopics could also be plugged into a power grid if such was available.

  Pearce and Captain Dodge met briefly confirming that should the Captain's craft be outnumbered by more than two to one then Pearce and the others were to proceed as they had the day before. Pearce agreed to the condition and passed the word along to Dave and Anais who would each be riding in one of the trucks with an online spin-two generator ready.

  The morning sun was climbing into the eastern sky when the convoy pulled out. Old highway US 136 was still passable but in bad need of repair. The convoy would pass through downtown Keokuk with the military craft scouting ahead.

  Pearce had his Emmie on and had a split view of the front, back and both sides of the vehicle as well as the space above. Keokuk was bigger b
ut otherwise reminded him of the town in north Georgia he and Dave and Anais had been before they were attacked.

  What had been a well-developed main street with not much development on the cross streets was now nearly a deserted street. Pearce saw only a few people and maybe half a dozen buildings that looked like they were still in use before the convoy rolled out of town heading west.

  It wasn't long until the flat fields of what was once the state of Iowa were all that could be seen. Many of them were still farmed, not by human hand, but by robotic machinery which was mostly self-reliant. What humans were still on the land were either fleeing from a tower complex or working for one of the corporations that kept the food flowing to the territories and the rest of the world.

  The going was slower today because of the condition of the roads. They were somewhere east of the Omaha Tower Complex when enemy craft showed up again. Pearce carefully counted the number of incoming enemy craft which turned out to be somewhat less than the Captain's threshold for him and the others to engage. So all he could do was watch.

  Apparently the Captain knew his men's abilities well. The enemy's rank had been thinned by two craft within ten minutes and they had not gotten a shot at the convoy which had stopped.

  Then just as the odds were about to even up came another formation of enemy craft. Pearce counted. It looked like the Captain and his men would be outnumbered by three to one once this group engaged. Pearce called Dave and Anais informing them that they could crank up the generators.

  As previously agreed they had divided the sky into three sections each focusing on his or her section. The incoming attackers were in Pearce's section. He immediately started putting up the small fast-time bubbles he had used previously. Only this time they weren't working. The enemy craft avoided the bubbles gracefully and kept in formation. Unlike last time there was no disruption to their plans. They kept coming.