“What do you think they found?” Rey asked.
“Only one way to find out.” Finch tucked the book under his arm, and with the flashlight on again, he and Rey went to find the others.
<><><><>
It was a solemn moment for the crew of Omni-4. They stood on top of the hill looking down below. It was an area the size of three football fields, and spaced in rows evenly across were graves.
Thousands and thousands of graves.
The grass had grown tall, but the wooden cross markers stood out.
“We know…where a lot of the ARC people went,” Nate said. “Not all though. They buried their dead. Now was it when they arrived, or after, or over the five years?”
“This is tragic,” Finch said. “The entire reason for the ARCs was to save lives.”
“People did live,” Tucker replied. “They just didn’t think this was the place to be. Maybe it was dangerous or they found a better place and made a pilgrimage there. We know people left.”
“You have the answers.” Rey pointed to the book Finch still held.
“I think there are a lot of answers other than this book, too,” Finch said. “I also think it’ll take a lot more time to search than just a few hours. Anyone up for staying one more day?”
“I’m game,” Sam said. “There are things we can salvage from here too. I want to check out the medical bay. ARCs kept medical items in storage tanks to preserve shelf life.”
“I’d like to also get the hard drives from the navigation and scanning system,” Nate said. “They’ll have temporary files on them that will give us a clue what they scanned for when they were in space.”
“Then we stay.” Finch looked out to the graves. “It’s the least we can do for these people. Find out why they lost their lives. But I want to set up camp by the ship. Just in case, because you never know if we’ll need to get out.”
The crew agreed.
There was so much to see on the ARC, so much to learn, but ironically without knowing how much longer the Androski would be open, they didn’t have all the time in the world to do it.
TWENTY-SIX
“Okay, just to be clear.” Tucker faced Nate and set a plastic box on a counter—a box they’d use to carry items they found on the ARC. “This is the last thing for today.”
“Yes,” Nate said.
“’Cause if you want to piss around with that navigation drive, you need to get it installed as soon as we get back.”
“I know. I know.” Nate pointed to a line of monitors. “This is it.”
“You sure?”
“Yep.”
“Not like the time when you and Sam had me remove the vault block that he was certain was meds and ended up being condoms.”
“No, I’m sure, this is it,” Nate said. “On a side note. Those condoms could expire.”
“Don’t understand the need for them.” Tucker looked under the counter. “Aw, this is trickier. It’s under here. I have to remove the panel.”
“Want me to do it?”
“No, something tells me you aren’t as fast with a screwdriver as I am.”
“Probably not.”
Tucker crouched down, paused, and stood back up. “Here.” He took off his bag, lifting the strap over his head. “Hold this.”
“I can’t believe you carry a purse.”
“It’s a gear bag,” Tucker said. “And I am carrying everything else.” He cocked an eyebrow.
“Then I’ll carry your purse.”
“Gear bag.”
Nate laughed and placed the strap over his shoulder. “Do you think we can remove one of these ARC monitors? They’re really nice.”
“Think they’re touch screen?”
“Without a doubt.”
“Then we’ll find a way. Let me get this hard drive.” Screwdriver in hand, Tucker climbed under the counter. “All dusty and shit under here.”
“Nate, Tucker, come in,” Finch called.
“Answer that,” Tucker said. “My hands are full.”
Nate grabbed the radio. “What’s up, Finch?”
“It’s almost four o’clock, wrap it up, we want to set up camp for the evening.”
“Tell him fifteen minutes we’ll be down,” Tucker said.
Nate spoke into the radio. “Roger that, Finch. We’re grabbing the hard drive. Give us fifteen.”
“Sounds good. Out,” Finch replied.
Nate put the radio in his pocket. “Is it really gonna take fifteen minutes?”
“No. But you want that monitor, don’t you?”
“I do. You…keep doing that. I’m just gonna…” Nate moved about. “See what else is here that we can grab.”
Tucker groaned, but he continued working.
<><><><>
“Desperation,” Finch said. He flipped a page in the logbook. Rey was sitting next to him, sharing the view of the book as they sat at an old picnic table outside the ARC. “Total desperation, ramblings.”
“Looks like he lost it a good week before he took his life,” Rey said. “At least he kept writing. What does ‘Pinhead ate the worm’ even mean?” she asked. “Seriously. Makes me want to jump ahead and watch the deterioration. Something triggered it.”
“Without a doubt. All these storage drives. I’m curious what they are.”
“Hopefully they’ll work with our system,” Rey said.
“Sam said he grabbed something already to ensure it.”
“So many entries. Years. I mean, is there another book?”
“There might be.”
“We should read from this together every night. Make it a routine,” Rey suggested. “Like a bedtime story. The tales of the lost ARC.”
“My, my.” Finch chuckled. “Didn’t know there was a romantic side of you.”
Rey laughed.
“What’s funny?” Sam asked, arms full as he walked by.
Finch looked up. “Nothing in the book. Rey, she’s making a joke.”
“I wasn’t joking,” Rey said. “I suggested he and I read from this nightly like a book.”
“Bedtime stories?” Sam asked. “Sounds like a nice romantic idea.”
“What the hell, guys?” Rey asked. “I’m sure parents didn’t look at it that way when they shared a book with their child.”
“Oh, so now I’m a father figure?” Finch joked.
Rey, with a smile, shook her head.
“I’m headed to the ship now,” Sam said. “I think I have everything I need. I’ll check tonight and can come back in the morning before we take off.”
“You want this dolly?” Rey pointed to the small, portable dolly by her.
“Nah, leave it for Tucker. I think he has a bunch of stuff.”
“We’re right behind you,” Finch told him. “Just waiting on Tucker and Nate.”
Sam nodded and walked off.
Rey had been thumbing through the pages. “Hey, Finch. Look at this.”
“What?”
“It’s dated two years ago,” she said and read aloud. “What have they become? When did it all turn? My head is still reeling from—”
“Hey, guys!” Tucker called out. “Sorry. We’re ready now.”
Finch turned around. Tucker was carrying not only a box but a large monitor as they walked toward them. “What the hell did you get?”
Tucker pointed to Nate. “It’s like he shopped at a thrift store or something. But he can’t even carry anything.”
“Hey,” Nate defended. “I got our purse.”
Finch looked at Rey. “Well, remember this page.” He pointed down to the logbook. “Let’s head back.”
Rey closed the book and stood up at the same time as Finch.
“Here,” Finch said, moving to Tucker. “Let me help you.” He grabbed the monitor, easing the load for Tucker.
“Oh I can see now,” Tucker said.
“You think you guys got enough stuff?” Finch asked as they walked back to the Omni.
“I think we have enough to piece things tog
ether,” Nate replied. “We’ll know tonight.”
They arrived at the ship as Sam emerged.
“You need help?” Sam asked. “Holy crap, guys. Do we want it inside or you leaving it out for the night?”
“In,” Nate replied. “I want to make sure I can get the drive working.”
“And look, Sam,” Tucker said, “a monitor. Touch screen.”
“Ha, ha, ha.” Sam took the box from Tucker.
“How’s Buster?” Tucker asked.
“In his glory. He’s examining that hard drive you got from their med bay,” Sam said.
“Oh shit.” Rey snapped her finger just as she started to enter the ship. “The dolly.”
“Do we need it right now?” Finch asked.
“Nah, we can grab it tomorrow,” Rey replied.
“You know what?” Nate said. “I’ll get it. I don’t want to take a chance on us forgetting it.” He stepped back.
“Oh, look at the geo guy doing something,” Tucker joked.
Nate laughed and walked with a brisk pace to the dolly.
It was already unfolded and he opted not to fold it back up. Instead, he pushed it at a leisurely pace.
A few steps into his return to the ship, it happened.
He was just pushing it along, hands on the handle, when a high-pitched whistling sound rang out a split second before something blasted through the left side of his belly. Sparks emerged from him and he flew forward a few feet, landing face-first on the ground.
The instant shock of the moment didn’t stop Finch from seeing it.
It stood tall in the doorway of the ARC. Red, metallic, and shiny.
It could only be one thing.
A Riser.
“Get in!” Finch ordered Rey. “Sam…” He pulled out his pistol. “Fire up the ship. Now!” He aimed outward at the Riser as it walked toward Nate. He fired at it as he ran.
The shots hit and ricocheted off of the robot. It jerked at each hit it took, but it still kept moving.
Then another appeared and another.
Finch ran, arriving at Nate the same time as Tucker. He kept firing until his clip was empty.
Tucker reached down for Nate.
Weapon still in hand, Finch helped Tucker quickly lift Nate to the dolly. Once he was on, Tucker ran fast and Finch grabbed another clip.
He was moving backwards, shooting as best as he could. But nothing he did made a difference.
Four of them kept coming. They kept firing whatever type of weapon they had but they weren’t aiming at Finch. They were aiming at Tucker and Nate.
Halfway down the stairs in front of the door to the ship, Rey waited.
They moved so fast, everything was a blur to Finch.
Before Finch could even lend a hand to his injured friend, Tucker had Nate over his shoulder, and with Rey’s help he was on the ship in seconds.
Finch made it up the stairs just as one of the Risers fired. A blast of what seemed like an explosive hit the edge of the door.
He leaped inside, grabbed the rope for the stairs, and pulled them up. “Tucker, the door!”
It was Rey who lunged forward and, using all of her body strength, slid the door closed.
“Latch it!” Finch ordered as he made his way to the front. He heard another shot hit the ship. He didn’t know what was happening with Nate, nor did he have time to think about it.
Finch raced to the front of the ship. The system was running, engines firing. He had to get them out and fast.
It was ridiculous for Nate to get the dolly, that was what Rey thought when he’d raced back to retrieve it. After all, at the time they weren’t leaving. But she supposed the area with the dolly would be too dark in the evening, and like Nate said, they did stand chance of forgetting it.
When she saw him run back, she’d taken the logbook inside.
Everything was good.
Normal.
In fact, she was thinking about what to make for dinner since it was her turn to cook. Contemplating that, laughing about Buster’s robotic enthusiasm for medical stuff, and thinking nothing out of the ordinary when it turned on a dime.
A single gunshot rang out followed by Finch shouting for Sam to fire up the ship.
It was an order Sam didn’t instantly follow. Before Rey could register more shots were fired, and Sam raced to the door.
“Oh my God, Nate’s been hit.”
At that second she expected Sam to run out, but instead he ran to the front of the ship to get it started.
There was a whirling sound as Buster moved behind Rey to the door.
“We cannot hesitate on treatment,” Buster said. “It must be done fast.”
Rey couldn’t even see what happened. By the time she had arrived at the door, they were racing with Nate on the dolly. She climbed down a couple steps to help Tucker.
Finch kept running backwards, firing and finally Rey saw.
They were frightening and still in circulation…the Risers.
It was happening fast.
Tucker carried Nate inside, Finch pulled the stairs, and Rey closed the door.
She could hear the Risers shooting at the ship.
By the time she stepped back from the door, the ship was moving quickly.
“Grab hold of something,” Finch ordered over the speaker.
Rey felt the pressure of the ship barreling full speed ahead.
Tucker was on the floor, one hand securing Nate while his leg extended to the wall, bracing himself.
Rey dropped down, pushing her back against the wall and held onto a seat. The ship jolted and bumped as it sped down the uneven path.
Rey closed her eyes when she felt the pressure in her chest as the ship shot upward, faster and at an angle it had never done before. She grasped as tight as she could until she felt them punch through the atmosphere.
When she opened her eyes, Buster had lifted Nate into his robotic arms and moved toward the medical bay with him.
The ship was still slanted, albeit not as much. Rey scurried to her feet, then held on with every step she took on her way to follow Tucker as he rushed to aid Buster with Nate.
When she got to the medical bay, the ship leveled off and it was apparent that Buster didn’t need any help.
“Buster, is he…?” Rey asked.
“Do you mean…expired? No. But I must work quickly.”
Nate wasn’t moving. He lay on his back on a table. Buster’s arms moved fast, almost in a blur as he attached an intravenous drip to Nate.
“He’s not bleeding,” Tucker said. “Why isn’t he bleeding?”
“He was struck with an EC7 burst,” Buster replied. “He is fortunate it wasn’t an EC9, or he wouldn’t be with us.”
“What is an EC7 burst?” Tucker asked.
“Enforcer control,” Buster spoke as he worked. “Designed to produce an injury that will cause death. It was used to extract information from detainees. Their lives were saved if they volunteered the information needed.”
“So you can save him?” Tucker asked. “I’m not a medical professional but it looks like that blasted a hole in him.”
“They did,” Buster said. “I will repair the damage. Rey, I need you on the other table. Hurry. Remove your shirt.”
“Excuse me?” Rey asked. “What…me?”
“Of everyone on this ship you are the closest match to him. You share the same blood type and other markers. I need to perform a skin and organ cloning. Please. Hurry.”
“Wait,” Tucker said. “You can’t take her organs, even to help Nate.”
“I am not taking her organs; I am cloning them to repair his. We must not wait.” He moved backwards, spun around, and retrieved a small rolling table.
“Is that possible?” Tucker asked.
“The procedure has been around for seventy-one years. I assure you it is perfected.” He positioned himself between the two tables.
Rey climbed up on the one that was across from Nate and removed her shirt.
&nb
sp; As soon as she lay down, Buster’s torso opened and from it emerged an eight-inch square object. Out of that ejected two arms thinner than drinking straws. They moved outward like spider legs, each with four prongs on the end.
One arm rested on Nate’s wound, the other on Rey’s abdomen. She cringed when she felt the pinch.
“This will sting. I am told it is not very painful but now is the time to ask for an anesthetic,” Buster said.
“I’m good. Go.”
To say she was nervous was an understatement. Her body shivered from cold and nerves, despite how badly she tried to control it.
“My apologies,” Buster said. “It is nothing against your bravery, but for the sake of this procedure, I must administer a sedative.”
“Go on.” Rey nodded. She looked over at Nate.
Poor Nate, he looked pale and was barely breathing. She raised her eyes to Tucker, who stood looking just as nervous. One arm draped across his waist while he bit the nails on his right hand.
Then Finch appeared. “We’re steady and on our way…what…what’s going on?”
“He’s saving Nate’s life,” Tucker said. “Some sort of cloning transplant thing. Don’t ask. Rey’s a close match.”
“And you just let her do it.”
“I’m fine,” Rey said.
“No, she is extremely nervous. Her heart rate is too high,” Buster said. “Administering sedative now.”
Rey felt another pinch.
Finch asked, “Will he make it?”
“I believe so,” Buster replied.
“And what about Rey, will she be alright?”
Rey didn’t hear the answer to that. The sedative kicked in and she passed right out.
TWENTY-SEVEN
What happened?
Nate remembered getting that dolly and he went from that, to playing with his daughter, to opening his eyes and seeing Tucker.
“Hey, buddy,” Tucker said. “How are you feeling?”
“Sore, I think.”
“Yeah, you were shot up pretty bad. Took some sort of Riser hit to your belly.”
“Why didn’t you let me stay dead?” Nate asked.
“You never died.”
“Sure I did. I died.”
“Nope.” Tucker shook his head.
Buster approached. “Your vitals are stable, it may pain you to sit up, but unfortunately, the commander has informed the humans they must place on their life support suits.”
Bleaker Page 16