Greenhaus:Storm

by Reckelhoff, Bryan

  Sylvia hit a red button and the motor fired right up. The slightest vibrations ran through both of their bodies. “Now enjoy the ride and have fun exploring.”

  He was unsure of the true intent of her statement, whether it was more innuendo or a reference to the tour. She was speaking seductively and acting in a manner to suggest the former, but if she meant the latter, he could get himself into a world of trouble. He wondered if his awkwardness showed outwardly as much as he felt it inside.

  Sylvia opened the throttle, and the front ended popped up as they jolted forward, sending Jacob backward, clinging to her to keep from falling.

  “Nice, just wanted to see if you were good at following directions,” she joked.

  After the front end settled, she drove them forward, starting slowly but accelerating fast. Jacob kept his hands wrapped tight around her stomach and pressed his body close against her back. He felt he could fall off at any moment if he let go, so he squeezed tighter as they went faster. They came to the end of a tunnel and large metal doors parted to reveal the outside world.

  The ride was bouncy, causing Sylvia’s chest and Jacob’s arms to touch often, something she clearly noticed. The ride slowed until they came to a complete stop.

  “Here, just go ahead and get it over with.” She broke the grasp of his hands, and placed one firmly against her right breast and made him squeeze, “Explore all you want. It’s kinda part of your training, but remember to focus.”

  Sylvia was certainly less shy than Jacob. Had the masks not been on, he was sure he would have had his first kiss ever, the moment seemed so perfect. The shock of it all left him silent.

  “Now, hold on, because this is where the ride gets bumpy.” Sylvia informed him. They started picking up speed again, leaving a trail of toxic dust in their wake.

  Jacob knew he couldn’t stay silent, but refused to address the incident and retreated into his shell. His palms grew clammy, and a lump formed in his throat while he waited for something else to discuss to pop into his head. He swallowed hard, but couldn’t remove the lump, so he cleared his throat with a cough. When he tried to speak, his lips moved, but no sound came out. A deep breath brought about some calm, and with it, another attempt at conversation. This time he raised his voice to be sure she could hear him over the wind flowing around their masks.

  “How do you get away from the ‘Haus? The question was all he could think of to change the subject. “Isn’t it forbidden to leave, unless for work purposes or as a Ranger?”

  The rules were clear about this; at least as far as Jacob knew, and he did not understand how a group assigned to uphold the Green Constitution to the letter of the law could violate certain laws so egregiously.

  “That is true, and we must never be seen leaving. But more importantly, we must always come back. Jacob, the law states we can’t abandon our duties or forfeit our obligations to the ‘Haus, but never explicitly states that we can’t leave. In fact, part of every citizen’s duty is to defend the Constitution, and for you and I, this is part of that job. You will come to find that we do things a bit differently than you are used to.”

  “That much I have picked up on, with the restricted access in Zone 1. How is that allowed? And why is there a Decon chamber there in the first place, if there is no annex being worked on?” This was all so puzzling to him and would never be allowed to happen in New St. Louis.

  “Engineering has quite the scam going,” Sylvia started, before slowing them down to finish the conversation. “The ground here around Newer Orleans is soft, and Engineering claimed the ‘Haus was sinking in different places. It was, but not to the extent they stated. The damage Engineering claimed would have happened if the problem wasn’t remedied isn’t even possible. In truth, your father wanted a way to the Outside, so he created the ‘sinking ground’ theory. This allowed Engineering to set up five different exit points. Each has a similar underground network that exits out of sight of the ‘Haus. From time to time, as you guys in Engineering ‘fix’ the sinking, they move to the next spot. The Decon chambers are permanent, and since they are used so often, those that oppose us are none the wiser. Since it is a highly restricted area, it will stay that way.” The explanation appeared to be over until she added, “Your father truly was a smart man, ahead of his time. It’s a shame he was taken from us so soon.”

  I second that thought.

  The ATV began to accelerate again. Through the wasteland they zoomed until a small hill appeared before Jacob and Sylvia.

  Jacob assumed she would veer to either side at the last minute, but they were going at it full speed ahead. Before he had a chance to bail, they launched off the top. Six feet in the air they soared. Splat! Right on the marshy ground they landed and mud sprayed everywhere.

  The vehicle moved slower on the squishy ground. Grasses and ferns had taken root in the drier places. The only other green Jacob had ever seen was the small patches of grasses near the construction sites. The terrain was also much different than the dust bowl he was used to seeing through the glass in New St. Louis. The slower speeds caused the tires to make loud sucking noises as they sloshed through the mess.

  There is plenty to see if one only knows where to look. As Karl’s words played back in his head, Jacob now saw the truth in the statement.

  “What’s the matter Jacob, why are you so shy all of a sudden?” asked Sylvia.

  “Shy? I’m not shy, just scared witless from the jump, and in awe of the landscape. I’ve never seen anything like it,” he exclaimed as he looked around him. Off in the distance Jacob noticed something that he was taught existed only on the Inside or in the texts of Old Earth. Trees… and a lot of them.

  “There,” he said, as he pointed in the direction of the trees. “I want to go there. What is that place?” he asked, staring ahead in wonderment.

  “That, well, all of this, is called the Oasis, a place to get away and relax. We bring the trainees here, a place free from the spying eyes of the ‘Haus. Mother Earth is cleansing herself, and the readings there say it is almost habitable again. Another couple of generations and we might be able to build things on the Outside and not have to return to Decon. It may be possible to have a civilization out here someday.”

  That was a rather shocking revelation for Jacob, who had been led to believe all life outside was dying.

  “This place, all of it, was discovered by a great man, as far as its discovery by one of us, anyway. The man who found it had to chase some Outsiders away, but I think you will like the setup,” she explained as they trudged through the last of the mud toward the cluster of trees. “These are the lowlands. When high tide recedes, it leaves these tide pools behind. Some are teaming with life,” Sylvia explained, as she pointed out examples they passed.

  Jacob’s head swiveled all about, checking every small puddle for fish, eyes wide like a newborn seeing the world for the first time. At twenty-six, Jacob was having a rebirth, seeing a new world, one that he was taught no longer existed. “Why aren’t we taught about this place?”

  “Well…” Sylvia pondered the question and seemed unsure what response to give. “There are many reasons we aren’t taught about this. One is that very few know of its existence, just us Whisperers. Secondly, if they taught everyone about this place, would they want to stay inside the glass walls and abide by the rules and restrictions of the ‘Haus?”

  That question struck Jacob. “Of course not. They would want to leave and seek adventure, a chance to make something new on the Outside,” he replied, adding only somewhat in jest, “I already don’t want to go back Inside.”

  “Exactly. If just one in every ten left, we’d lose a lot of cogs in the machine. Though I think we both know the odds are that many more people would leave. The resulting exodus would cripple the system and throw everything out of whack,” Sylvia explained. “Population, production of necessities, Sustainability Charts et cetera. The system is very complicated, very precise. The slightest variation can throw everything off. A m
ajor alteration to the formulas would be disaster.”

  “I’m sure people would go through any means necessary to get out too,” added Jacob.

  “Yes, they’d revolt for sure. Only I’m not sure there would be many to stay and fight if they knew what was out here,” Sylvia said before switching topics. “Jacob, once you are granted access to go out on your own, you must never leave anyone out here. If anyone leaves the ‘Haus, they must return at all costs. If not, the question of their whereabouts will be raised when they don’t check in. Their missing EPC will not register at any doors or place of work. It will raise suspicions and cause undue trouble. Trouble we don’t need, understood?”

  “Yes,” he replied before letting out a “Whoaaa,” as they entered the forest.

  His senses overwhelmed him. The scent of the evergreens was the strongest of the smells. The sight of so much life in a world he thought to be dead made him again question everything he was taught. “This is aaaaa-mazing,” he said in a voice full of wonder.

  “The man who found this place is very special to the Whisperers, as you will soon see.” She picked up the pace as the elevation of the land rose and it became less soggy. The bogs were left behind as they zigzagged up a slight incline, following a narrow path until they came to an opening in the thick forest.

  Jacob could not believe his eyes. A giant stone bust of a most familiar face sat in front of him, staring into his eyes, a stare Jacob had missed for many years. He remembered the last thing this face had said before he left Jacob for the final time. His eyes began to well up. Tears of sadness, from all the years of missing his father, but also tears from an overwhelming sense of pride, knowing his father left a lasting legacy that Jacob would have a chance to add to. Flashes of heat raced through his body

  She broke his grasp and stepped off the ATV and said, “Well, waddya think?”

  “It looks so much like him,” he answered. “Just like I remember.”

  She extended a hand to help him from the vehicle before turning her back to him and saying, “It sure does. He is a hero to all of us, for finding this Oasis and giving us this sanctuary free from surveillance.” She pulled him close once again. “You should get used to the favorable treatment I have shown you today. Once your identity is revealed, things will be thrown your way by many others, Jacob. You have to learn how to handle all of it. Your father truly was a great man. Which is why I find this so hard to do.” Without warning or reason, she grabbed the back of his head with both hands and thrust her hips and legs backward.

  Before he knew what was happening, he had flipped forward and was on his back, stunned from the impact. Sylvia pulled a blade from inside her suit. Unable to move, pinned down by his sudden attacker, Jacob’s struggles ceased when the cold steel touched his throat. He closed his eyes and stopped moving. He could not believe this is how it would end for him.

  The flirting and friendliness evaporated and a new persona emerged. “Jacob Niles, I like you, I really do, but you have a lot to learn. You have failed your second test MISERABLY.”

  Chapter 18 (Ella Storm)

  The sound reminded Ella of a distant storm, but unlike the intermittent thunder that follows bolts of lightning, this rumble never stopped. It continued to get louder as the source approached. At first, her dreams incorporated the sound, but as it got closer and louder, that was no longer possible. The ground shook and the rumble in the distance grew. Ella jumped from her cot still half asleep. Confused, she rubbed her eyes to be sure this wasn’t just a dream, and noticed the vibrating objects all around her.

  Much commotion ensued outside the tent. The shouting voices were drowned out as the thundering roar approached. Ella exited the tent, clueless as to what awaited outside. Guards had left the tent unattended and the courtyard was clear, so she followed the rumble. Ella ran to the passageway, which was already open, then through the maze of twisted metal and inoperable vehicles. She followed the noise to the south side of the fortress, where a large congregation of the camp was assembled, spread out across the wall, peering over it cautiously with weapons in hand.

  Ella joined the growing militia, ready to fight whatever was approaching the fortress. She was helped up by one of her nameless followers, a man in a dark red mask and a tattered green trench coat with shiny brass buttons. He frantically yelled over the rumble, “Elder Storm, what should we do?”

  Unsure of what was on the other side, she had no answers and nothing but questions herself. Have the Rangers finally come to attack us? Or maybe the White Army tracked Jeremiah here? She quickly popped her head up over the edge to get a look, but could see little. Four dim red flashing lights approached in the fog.

  If the Rangers had come to attack, how will they fight what they can’t see? “Off the wall,” she yelled, “Off the wall now,” she repeated. “We are making ourselves easy targets, so spread out.” As she was shouting instructions, the rumble stopped, which froze everyone in their tracks.

  The silence of the night was interrupted only by the ever-present wind whipping through the fortress, causing a symphony of background noises that Ella learned to tune out a long time ago. A loud creak broke the tension and was echoed by several similar sounds. Ella crept to the fortress wall to try to get a peek, but all she saw was darkness; even the flashing red lights were gone. A loud click came from the other side and she maneuvered herself to get a better look. A faint amber light now cut through the fog, surrounded by a large halo. The light provided no clues, but Ella heard several voices. She motioned for snipers to take position, ready to fire on her command.

  “Elder Storm,” cried a voice from the darkness. It was not a voice she recognized, but because it had the muffled sound of a gas mask, she assumed it was the voice of an Outsider. Even still, great caution had to be utilized until the visitors were identified.

  “Identify yourself or I make the call to shoot.” Ammunition was a precious commodity, and all Masked knew the straits were dire if the threat of gunfire was used.

  “Whoa, whoa,” returned another voice with a hint of panic to it. “It’s Zac Cloud here. Me and Swifty and the rest of the scout team you sent out.”

  On Ella’s orders, the snipers lowered their weapons and retreated from their positions. She climbed down and met him in the open space.

  “You found fuel?” she asked, something made obvious by their return but, surprising nonetheless.

  “Yes, but we ran into a bit of a problem,” replied Zac.

  “Really?” replied Ella. I thought finding fuel would be the problem, but you certainly solved that one.

  “Yeah, we ran into another camp and they appeared ready to attack, but using the tread on these monsters to run them down, we got most of ‘em.”

  “So what’s the problem then?” Ella inquired.

  “For starters, we lost a couple of our members in the struggle, they too were crushed. I believe they were from the Blood camp,” answered Zac.

  That’s the last thing we need, more lost souls. “How many?” she asked.

  “Three, but that’s not all,” Zac continued. “We weren’t really sure what to do with the rest of the camp that attacked us, so we brought them here.”

  “Good, the camp can always use a fresh set of hands,” Ella said.

  “Well, fresh isn’t the word I would use to describe them. They are…” he paused, unsure what to say next. “Different,” was the word he decided on.

  “Different how?” Ella wondered aloud.

  “Elder Storm, I don’t know how to explain it. This is something that you will have to just see for yourself.”

  Chapter 19 (Jacob Niles)

  Jacob hit the ground with a hard thud. An ‘ooomph’ noise escaped his mouth as the air rushed from his lungs. His mask flew off and his back cracked, as did his ribs when Sylvia jumped on top of him. He was not sure what he did to get into this predicament, nor was he sure how, or even if, he would get out of it.

  The cold steel pressed against his throat, combined wit
h the weight of Sylvia’s body, immobilized him. His breathing was labored as his lungs never refilled from the fall, prevented from doing so by Sylvia’s mass centered on top of him. He gasped for air, but no relief came.

  Sylvia hopped off Jacob and he took loud, deep draws of air, scrambling around trying to find his mask as he did. It rested near Sylvia’s feet. She allowed him to get close, then booted it from his reach. “You don’t need it here, this air is breathable enough,” she yelled.

  Still searching for his breath, he stopped his pursuit of his mask and took to rubbing his throat as he replied, “What did I do? I don’t understand…”

  “Stop. Keep quiet,” she commanded, cutting him off mid-sentence in a fierce tone. “Your last three words summed it up. You. Don’t. Understand.” She paused, a stern look frozen on her face, both hands on her hips. “What did you do?” she asked, mocking Jacob. “How about this one? What did you not do?” There was another pause. Sylvia was waiting for an answer, but must have felt she waited long enough. “Need a little hint, do we? Think real hard. Last page of the charter. STAY SAFE. FOCUS.” She thumped his head. “It’s not by coincidence that it’s the last thing you see, it’s put there to make a lasting impression. Clearly didn’t work with you.”

  “How so? I’m safe,” he stated.

  “Oh really?” she asked. “So if I jump on that ATV and scooted out of here, you would be able to find your way back?” She let out a laugh before her next comment. “You sure seemed safe a minute ago with me on top of you,” Sylvia barked as she slid the knife back into some unseen sheath inside her safe suit. “I know this much— you have a long way to go before you are anything like your pappy.”

  “Well, you surprised me. I thought we were having a good time,” he offered an excuse for his mental lapse.

  “Ah-ha, there it is,” she exclaimed, her face lit up as she pointed in his direction.

  “There what is?” a confused Jacob asked, still unable to comprehend what was happening.