by Lee West
“What is this place?” asked Meg.
“We’re standing in the main spoke of one of the tunnel’s primary wheels. It’s the juncture between various points on the campus. Go that way, and you get to the hospital. Those three tunnels lead to the dorms, auditoriums and sports facilities.”
“How did you know all of this?” asked Marvin.
“I didn’t. It’s taken all of us a lot of trial and error to learn the system. Now it almost seems second nature. You guys need something to eat or drink? We have plenty.”
Cases of bottled water and various sports drinks sat piled up in the corner. Large boxes of snack foods completed the stockpile.
“This is amazing. Was all of this down here?” asked Brett.
A gush of cold air followed by a loud door slamming interrupted them. Two men approached their location.
“Joe!” Meg shouted.
Joe and Meg ran toward one another, meeting in the middle of the room for an embrace. Nancy turned and moved farther back into the lounge space in order to give the couple privacy.
— 34 —
Joe held Meg tightly, not wanting to let her go. He could tell she felt the same way—she squeezed almost hard enough to crack one of his ribs. They clung to each other for a moment longer before she broke their embrace.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” she said before kissing him gently.
“I was thinking the same about you,” he said. “What is this place?”
He had only seen a system like this once. A high school friend had gotten into trouble years ago and landed himself in jail. Joe had visited the man a few times during his six-month period of incarceration. The lines on the floor and the vast tunnels leading in all directions reminded him of the prison system.
“I’m Ed,” said a tall thin man.
They shook hands. Joe noted the man looked rested and clean, in sharp contrast to how he must look to the others.
“Where are Mike and Frank?” asked Marvin.
“Frank hurt himself on the way here. I jogged ahead to see if the rest of the trip was worth the effort. I’m guessing it’s worth the effort.”
“Let’s have a seat and I can quickly get you guys up to speed,” said Ed.
Joe sat next to Meg on one of the worn couches. Nancy and Brett squeezed on the small couch next to them.
“I was working when the lights went out. At first we thought it was localized, impacting just the university. I joined the other staff members on campus to try to figure out what happened. We couldn’t find the source of the problem until parents started showing up looking for their kids. It was through them that we learned about the outside world.”
“What did you learn?” asked Brett.
“We learned that some sort of high-altitude nuclear explosion triggered an EMP, knocking out the grid. We also know the feds were ready. They rolled into town almost immediately after the power failed, grabbing people from their homes.”
“Where did they take the people?” asked Joe.
“Detention centers. The centers are scattered all over the place.”
“Sorry to interrupt, Ed, but I need to grab our friends. I can’t just leave them sitting out there all night. I need to head back for them before it gets too dark for me to find them,” said Joe.
“You said your friend is wounded. Is he able to walk?”
“He rolled his ankle. When I left, he couldn’t put weight on it without pain.”
“Alright. We need to send a transport out for them. You shouldn’t be walking around alone out there. Where did you leave them?”
“It’s hard for me to say exactly. However, I should be able to find them. By now, Mike would have built a small pile of sticks on the side of the road as a marker for me. I’m sure I can find them if we drive slowly.”
“Then you should ride with the others to their location.”
“What? No! I won’t be separated again!” said Meg.
“Can we both ride along?” asked Joe.
“Sorry, but no. The vehicle is a small old junk car owned by one of the staff members. It hardly holds two in the front seats and two in the back seat. It would be best if you stayed.”
“I don’t like it,” said Meg.
“I don’t want to leave you either, but I’m the only one who can find them. We can’t just leave them out there overnight. It’ll be fine. They aren’t too far from campus. It took me no time to jog here.”
He kissed her softly. She nodded her head slightly, agreeing to the plan.
“We’re good. Where should I go?” he said to Ed.
Ed spoke quickly into his handheld, indicating they needed to get someone into the tunnels to meet Joe.
“I’ll take him,” said someone nearby.
A young fit man stood from a lounge chair and walked toward them. He extended his hand to Joe. “I’m Steve.”
“You sure you want to go before your shift?” said Ed.
“Positive.”
“What sort of shift?” asked Marvin.
“We have guards posted all over campus. We spotted the three of you coming as you passed the front gate,” said Ed.
Joe gave Meg one last kiss and then set off with Steve through the tunnels in a different direction from where he had entered. He hoped the man knew what he was doing. The vast system seemed dizzyingly complex to Joe. Just the sort of place someone could get lost.
— 35 —
Frank massaged his ankle before elevating it as much as their situation allowed. He couldn’t believe he had been so careless. He had purposefully set a slow, intentional pace through the forest in order to avoid this kind of accident. Now he sat on the side of the road, waiting to be rescued like a little kid.
“How’s the ankle?” asked Mike.
“The ankle is better than my pride. I’m embarrassed about getting such a stupid injury. I’ve been slowing everyone up since we set foot on land. Now this? We’re going to need a wheelbarrow to get me to wherever we’re going. Damn it!”
“Don’t get mad at yourself, Frank. Seriously. This time it’s you. Next time it’ll be one of the others. It was only a matter of time before one of us got hurt. I’m just glad it’s not life-threatening.”
“I guess you’re right. I should be grateful that it’s just a sprain. Within a day or so, I’m sure it’ll be fine. It needs ice and rest.”
“Two things we can’t provide,” said Mike. “Well, maybe we can get you some rest.”
“I’m not counting on it,” said Frank. “We keep getting the rug pulled out from under us.
“It is what it is, I guess,” said Mike. “We’ll be fine. Joe should be back soon.”
Originally the men had attempted to hide in the forest while they waited for Joe. However, moving through rough terrain with his sprain proved more difficult than either of them had anticipated. Sitting in the deep ditch would have to provide enough concealment from the road.
“Got any more food?” asked Mike.
“Nothing. I’m completely out. I guess we should’ve prepared for a longer trip. I mean, who would have thought the military would have been swarming all over this area? There’s barely anything out here.”
“I feel like we’re surrounded by them. And I still have no idea where my family is other than in a detention facility. What do you think they’re doing at those facilities?”
“Who knows? I have no idea why the government would be doing any of the things we’ve seen. None of this makes sense.”
“You hear something?”
The sound of an approaching vehicle broke through the cacophony of chirping crickets and other nocturnal insects. High beams appeared in the distance, headed in their direction.
“Shit! Now what?” said Mike.
“You need to run! They might be able to see us!”
“Not a chance I’m leaving you behind. If we get caught, so be it. Maybe I’ll finally get some answers!”
“Get down at least! You don’t have to flag them over!
”
The vehicle sped by them, fast enough for Frank to raise his head and take a quick peek. It continued a little farther down the road before slowing to a stop. When the car’s white reverse lights suddenly activated, he dropped back down.
“They’re turning around?” said Frank.
“Military?” said Mike.
“I don’t think so,” said Frank. “Looks like a regular car. Still. There’s no reason to take a chance.”
The car slowed considerably as it rolled past them, eventually coming to a stop just beyond their position in the ditch. Frank willed his body to be as flat as possible to the ground. He cursed himself for never losing the spare tire, which now prominently rose from the flat earth at the bottom of the ditch. A car door opened and slammed shut.
“Mike! Frank! It’s me!” yelled Joe.
Mike started to answer, but Frank stopped him with a quick shake of his head. His friend got the message and lay back down. Frank sat up tentatively, still not convinced this wasn’t some kind of trap. For all he knew, Joe might have gotten himself captured on the way to the university. Maybe they had his wife and had forced him to give away their position along the road. A few seconds later, he was convinced that Joe’s rescue was legitimate.
“We’re good,” said Frank.
“Joe? Holy shit! You found us!” said Mike, helping Frank to his feet.
“Where’d you get the car?” asked Frank.
“It’s a long story. Come on, let’s get you guys out of here,” said Joe.
Joe and Mike lifted Frank from the ground and helped him into the car. Watching the scenery speed by him, he smiled at their good fortune.
— 36 —
Nancy waited with the others for the men to return. She stuffed herself with salty snack foods before turning to sugary treats. Their current situation had torpedoed her usual dietary habits, which included avoiding most junk food. Now that the dam had broken, she found it impossible to stop snacking.
“You going to save some Oreos for the rest of us?” said Brett.
“Nope. I never understood the allure of these things until now. I’m just getting started.”
“I hope they’re able to find Frank and Mike. It’s probably pitch dark out there by now,” said Brett.
“I know. I was thinking the same thing. Mostly, I just want Joe to come back, for Meg’s sake,” said Nancy.
Meg sat by herself, waiting for Joe. The poor woman looked absolutely lost without him.
“The car has returned to campus!” announced Ed after briefly talking on his handheld. “A total of four passengers.”
“That’s great news!” said Meg. “That should be everybody.”
Meg stood and paced the room, as she had periodically done after Joe left. Nancy could hardly stand the pacing. It made her nervous. She would much rather Meg go back to silently sulking while they waited for the men.
“Look who the cat dragged in!” shouted Joe as he walked through one of the shadowy tunnels toward them.
“They found you guys!” shouted Marvin.
The friends joined each other with handshakes and hugs. Before the men had returned, Nancy didn’t realize how worried she had been about their safety. Now she understood the depth of the bond that had been forged by necessity between the group.
“We should get that ankle looked at. But first, I’d like you guys to meet someone. He’ll be here shortly,” said Ed.
“Who?” asked Nancy.
“A man who escaped one of the detention centers while he was out on a work assignment.”
“That’s crazy,” said Brett. “Not to mention brave.”
“Wait until you meet him. Brave is an understatement,” said Ed. “You could also add scary to the list. Scary in a good way.”
A muscular, hard-looking man wearing camouflage pants and a tan T-shirt emerged from the dim of one of the tunnels. No one had ever come from that direction, prompting Nancy to wonder exactly where the tunnel led.
“Larry! These are our new guests. I was hoping you’d fill them in on your experience,” said Ed.
They shook hands, and Larry took a seat on one of the tables. Normally, Nancy would be afraid of such an imposing, serious-looking man. Now she waited on the edge of her seat to hear his story.
“The night of the blackout I was working security at Raw, a busy club downtown. I’ve bounced there for years. Without any warning, the power went out. People were screaming and running for the exits. It was insane. Everyone, including me, thought it was some sort of attack inside the club. Like a gunman or something, but nothing like that happened. Eventually, we realized the entire city was down.”
“Do you live in the city?” asked Joe.
“Yeah. Just two blocks from Raw. Anyway, after the club emptied out, I headed home. Before I could so much as shit and shower, the military rolled into town.”
“That fast?” asked Nancy. “Like hours?”
“Not really that fast. The event happened late at night, maybe thirty minutes before last call. It was all within the same twenty-four hours. I crashed out and woke up when it was light out. They rolled in at some point late in the morning or early afternoon. They were everywhere, shouting with loudspeakers that we needed to evacuate for our own safety.”
“That’s still too fast,” said Nancy. “How could they possibly mount a response that quickly?”
“Did they tell you what happened? Other than the obvious?” asked Brett.
“All they would tell us was that there had been an attack on the United States, and we needed to be brought to a processing facility for our own safety. Nothing made sense to me or the others who got on one of the trucks. The whole shit show smelled like the government was hiding something from us.”
“Where were you taken?” asked Mike. A hint of desperation edged his voice.
“We were driven about an hour out of the city to some huge makeshift facility. The entire thing was sealed off by sandbags and concertina wire, like a jail. All I could think of was that I’d rather take my chances on the outside than be held like an animal at some shitty government facility.”
“What did they do to you at the facility?” asked Nancy.
“First, they made us strip and wash. They provided these nice clothes for everyone. Then they swabbed our cheeks and stamped us.”
“Holy shit! What do you mean swabbed and stamped?” said Marvin.
“I mean they marked us like cattle with a bar code on our left inner forearm and took DNA.”
He turned his arm over, displaying a shiny patch on his forearm.
“You were right! They’re probably using some sort of ink that can be read under certain lights,” said Brett to Mike.
“That’s not all these bars can do. The mark can also be detected at night by the troops. I have no idea how, but it can. It’s almost like a heat-detection amplifier.”
“How did you figure that out?” asked Joe.
“One night we were shooting the shit, minding our own business inside our tent, when someone tried to escape. We heard a loud commotion, so we stood outside the tent and watched. The entire landscape around us was pitch dark. Nothing could be seen out there for miles. A team of soldiers ran out after the man. They held some sort of flat screens like tablets. From where I stood, I could see the screen of one of their tablets. It clearly showed this poor asshole running for his life. The bar code bounced along as he made a run for it. He never stood a chance.”
“Could be some kind of trace radioactivity,” said Frank. “Something a sensor could detect.”
“Nobody told us anything about the bar code,” said Larry.
“What happened to him?” asked Meg.
“I don’t know. They grabbed him and dragged him back to the camp. Once inside, they took him to an unmarked building. We’d seen people disappear into the building before. None of them came out.”
Larry’s words had a chilling effect on the group. Nancy sat stunned by his revelations, unable to make sense
of the events that had brought them together.
“How did you get away?” asked Joe finally.
“They formed work parties to create new facilities. One day while I was out, I took a chance. We stopped for some reason, and I decided it would be better to live free than die in a cage—so I jumped from the truck and ran. Fortunately for me, the two soldiers guarding us didn’t notice. They were too concerned about fighting with the driver of another transport to see me. Once my boots hit the ground, I ran like the devil was on my tail.”
“Sounds like he was,” said Mike.
“Why take swabs? You’re talking about cheek swabs, right?” asked Marvin.
“Exactly. They did the same to me when I did time a few years back.”
Larry’s revelation that his past included time in prison did not surprise Nancy. She just hoped he had been rehabilitated from whatever caused him to commit a crime.
“We think the government orchestrated the entire event in order to have a log of the DNA of every citizen in the U.S. There’s no other explanation,” said Ed.
“Why would they do that? It’s a lot of effort to go through to get DNA,” said Meg.
“Over the past few years, people have gone crazy with those DNA test kits. They’re looking for relatives or just more information about their genealogy. The problem is that once DNA is out there, it can be used for all sorts of things. We think the government wants in on such data.”
“Like what?” asked Joe.
“For starters we think the pharmaceutical companies are secretly purchasing DNA from genealogy companies in order to use it in experiments,” said Ed.
“So? Lifesaving drugs sound like a good idea to me,” said Joe.
“No. Not lifesaving drugs. We think the companies are using the DNA to figure out personality traits, and selling the information to marketing companies. We also think they’re using it to concentrate their research into only the most predictably population-dense diseases.”
“That means if you have something outside the norm, forget about treatment. The companies will only provide drugs for the popular diseases,” said Marvin.