Initiates (The Book of Adam 3)

by Scott Gelowitz

  It was much easier walking that time due to the lack of snow, but a few mud holes tried to hold them back. It wasn’t until they had nearly reached the waterfall that something finally caught Adam’s eye in the flashlight beam. Far up the hill to the left of the waterfall he saw strange markings in the rock wall of the mountain, so he moved closer to investigate. He didn’t recall noticing the markings the first time he had visited the area, so they struck him as strange.

  When he neared the markings, he noticed that they were just a bunch of small natural cracks in the rock. They had probably been filled with snow on his first trip to the area, and now that the snow had melted they were quite visible, although fairly inconspicuous.

  Adam stood at a slight distance from the wall of rock and stared, shining his flashlight all around.

  “What do you see?” asked Linus.

  “I’m just trying to think like my Dad would have,” said Adam.

  “There!” exclaimed Linus.

  “Where?” asked Adam.

  “Hold your flashlight still and I’ll go take a look,” said Linus, and he walked over to the rock wall. As soon as he reached it, he stuck his hand inside one of the cracks and pulled out a metal box. Linus was grinning from ear to ear and Adam ran over to him.

  “Way to go, Linus,” said Adam as he shone his light at the box.

  Linus spun the box in his hands as they both looked at it. It was about the size of three decks of playing cards stacked together, but it didn’t look like there were any seams on any of the edges, almost as if it were one solid chunk of metal.

  “Is it heavy?” asked Adam.

  “Not really,” said Linus, and he handed it over.

  Adam was surprised how light it was. He handed it back.

  “I think I trust you holding this until we get back more than I trust myself,” said Adam.

  Linus nodded. “Let’s get going then.”

  They hiked back to the cliff at top speed and Adam was excited. The box was just big enough that it could have held one of the fake Heartstones, so that meant the real one could be inside.

  “Horton and I decided that I should go first,” said Linus. “If it works for me, it should work really easy for you since you weigh a lot less.”

  Adam wasn’t particularly excited about sitting at the base of the cliff by himself with only his lights as company, but Linus’s logic made sense.

  Suddenly they heard Horton’s voice from above. “Is that you Linus and Adam?”

  “No,” Linus yelled back before laughing at his own sarcasm. “It’s just the ghost light.”

  “I guess I should run away then,” said Horton in a flat emotionless voice. After a pause he said, “You ready to come up?”

  Linus finished attaching the cable to his harness.

  “Ready when you are,” he called up.

  A moment later, Linus was walking up the side of the hill with ease.

  “This works great,” he said.

  “What was that?” came Horton’s voice and Linus stopped with a jerk.

  “Keep it going,” called Linus. “I just said that it’s working great.”

  Not long after, Adam watched a small light slowly descending the side of the mountain. When it reached him he saw that Linus had hooked a light to the end of the cable so they could tell where it was. Adam hooked himself up, double checked everything and called, “Ready,” up to the others. Moments later he was taking a leisurely stroll up the side of the mountain.

  When he reached the top, Horton and Linus grabbed him to make sure he didn’t fall back over the edge, then they unhooked him and they walked back through the emergency exit. Adam pulled the cable and rope in after them and closed the door.

  “Show me this box,” said Horton, his voice not hiding his excitement.

  Linus pulled the box from a compartment in his jacket and handed it over.

  Horton grinned at the sight, then beckoned them to follow him toward the front of the lab where there was more light. He reached a large well-lit table and set the box down.

  “This is called a Derkach box, named after its inventor. It is remarkably light and strong, and there’s only one way to open it. This is some new training for you, Adam. You’re going to open it,” said Horton.

  “Me?”

  Horton nodded.

  “First, you need to connect with the box and tell me what you see inside.”

  Adam did as he was told, and a moment later he was connected.

  “There’s something wrapped in paper on the inside. It almost takes up the entire space,” said Adam.

  “OK, now look around the rim for a long hinge. It should be the length of any one of the sides.”

  Adam wandered around inside until he saw the hinge and said so to Horton.

  “Now try and find some kind of latch or mechanism,” said Horton.

  Adam found it quickly since he knew it would be directly across from the hinge, so there were only two directions to look.

  “Found it,” he said.

  “Good. Now comes the hard part. Do you think you can roll the box in your hands while you’re still connected with it?”

  Adam hadn’t thought that would be possible.

  “How would I do that?” asked Adam.

  “It takes a lot of concentration. You have to balance being inside and outside at the same time. When you pull yourself into the object, you usually do it with all of your strength while you are still new at it, and when you disconnect you push yourself out. You need to find the balance point between the two. You will feel like you are walking through mud on the inside of the object and also like your hands are just getting circulation back after losing it on the outside. At that point you just turn the box and see what happens. We want the latch and hinge to both be at the top of the box. You have to watch the objects inside to know when gravity is pulling them to the bottom.”

  Adam gave it a try. He could feel the pull and push back and forth the entire time, and finally got to a point where he could attempt turning the box. Right away he could tell he was turning it the wrong direction. A few moments later, he had it in position.

  “Done,” he said while he was still connected.

  “Come on out of there,” said Horton, and Adam disconnected.

  Horton drew a large X on the top with a marker.

  “Tell me about the lock mechanism,” said Horton.

  “It’s just a spring loaded sliding latch in the middle. It unlocks by sliding toward the hinge along the top.”

  “Did you notice anything else about it?” asked Horton.

  Adam shrugged.

  “What color was it?” asked Horton.

  “It looked like aluminum,” said Adam, remembering what he had seen.

  “I thought it might be,” said Horton.

  “Why is that?” asked Adam.

  “That tells me your dad probably built this box. He loved using aluminum for locks because he could unlock it with his special lapel pin. It has really unusual properties,” said Horton, as if he knew something that Adam didn’t.

  “Yeah, it attracts aluminum like a magnet,” said Adam.

  Horton looked a little surprised. “You know about the pin, then. I didn’t realize you knew how it worked, although I knew you used it to get around in Grayson.”

  “I tested it after I examined some of the mechanisms,” said Adam, remembering the teasing his friends gave him for stopping and investigating the mechanical aspects of some of the doors.

  “Too bad you don’t have it here. That would make opening this box much easier since I don’t have any of that particular material around. It’s pretty rare,” said Horton.

  “Actually,” said Adam, “I do have it here. It’s in my room. Should I go get it?”

  “Absolutely,” said Horton.

  “I’ll be right back,” said Adam and he began to move.

  “Do you want me to come with you?” asked Linus.

  “That’s alright, I’m going to run.”r />
  “Well, run quietly. It’s nearly one in the morning,” said Horton.

  Adam nodded and off he ran.

  He skidded around the corner into the common area of the boys dorm and was surprised that Derek was walking through.

  “What are you still doing up?” asked Adam.

  He startled Derek. “You scared me,” he replied. “I couldn’t sleep so I was going to go get something from the cafeteria. I do that pretty often.” He eyed Adam, and suddenly his face changed as if he remembered something.

  “You just got back from checking out the river again,” he said, realizing where Adam had been. “Did you find anything?” he asked.

  Adam nodded. “A metal box. We’re just about to try and open it.”

  “No way,” said Derek, the excitement starting to build in his face. “Do you think they’d mind if I come watch you try and open it? There’s no way I’m going back to sleep now. It’s ok if you say no, though. I’ll understand.”

  Adam considered it for a short second. “I can’t see them having an issue. It’s just Horton and Linus.”

  “Thanks!” said Derek happily. “Let’s go.”

  “I just need to get something first,” said Adam. “Wait here.”

  He ran into his room, grabbed the pin from its hiding spot and ran back out again.

  “Do you mind jogging back with me?” asked Adam.

  “Not at all,” replied Derek, and they ran all the way back.

  “You brought back an audience?” asked Horton as they stepped inside the lab.

  “He couldn’t sleep so I invited him along,” said Adam.

  Horton nodded his approval.

  Linus looked at Derek. “Didn’t make it to the cafeteria yet?” he asked.

  “Warm milk and honey. Works every time. I told you to try it next time you can’t sleep, but no more than one teaspoon per cup of milk.”

  Linus laughed. “I don’t know about that.”

  Linus noticed the confused look on Adam and Horton’s faces. “The security team runs into Derek getting his warm milk and honey some nights. You’d be surprised how many people have sleep issues and wander around this place at all hours.”

  “I know Kevin’s a pretty light sleeper. You ever run into him at night?” Adam asked Linus.

  “Yeah, a couple of times,” he replied.

  “Speaking of sleep, let’s get this done so I can go get some for myself,” said Horton. “You’ve got the pin?”

  Adam nodded and handed it to Horton, but Horton refused.

  “You get the honors,” he said, and turned the box toward Adam.

  Adam took the pin, placed it where he thought the latch would be and moved it slowly toward the middle. Nothing happened, so he tried a couple more times before attempting the same thing on the other edge. The first try worked and the lid popped open slightly.

  Adam pried the lid open and it creaked because the hinge was so stiff, and then he looked inside. It looked as if the paper was wrapped around something, but when Adam reached inside, he found that it was just crumpled into a large lump. He straightened out the paper, and once again saw familiar handwriting scrawled across one side.

  I’m sorry to tell you that you are too late. This is where the Heartstone resided for a short time while I came up with a better solution. Now it’s far away in long-term care surrounded by deadly guards that never sleep.

  Disappointment registered on all of their faces as they read the note.

  “That sucks,” said Derek, breaking the silence.

  “You can say that again,” added Linus.

  Adam just stared at the note. He had been so sure that the Heartstone was inside the box that he could barely accept the fact that it wasn’t.

  “You were right,” said Horton, patting Adam on the shoulder. “You had the hunch that your Dad hid the Heartstone down there and you were right. I’m sorry for not believing you.”

  “But it’s not there anymore,” said Adam, disheartened.

  “But it was there once, and soon you’ll come up with another idea where it might be,” said Horton, “When you do find it, you’ll remember that you needed this step to get there. I really believe that.”

  Adam smiled a weak smile back at Horton.

  “Thanks,” said Adam.

  “Anytime. Now go to bed,” said Horton, “and don’t forget this.” He handed Adam the metal box and piece of paper.

  Adam looked at him, stunned.

  “Your dad made it. You might as well keep it until the Senior members want to see it,” said Horton.

  “Thanks,” replied Adam, already happier than he had been just a moment before.

  “Come on,” said Derek. “I’ll make you a cup of my special sleeping potion.”

  “Sure,” said Adam, and he turned to follow.

  “You guys want some too?” he asked Linus and Horton.

  They both shook their heads.

  “I’m going to bed. I’ll tell Augustus that it’s just you two in the cafeteria tonight so he doesn’t bother you,” said Linus.

  “Thanks. See you tomorrow,” said Adam, and they wandered out the door.

  “Can I drop this off at my room first?” asked Adam.

  “Sure,” replied Derek, and they headed to the dorms.

  Adam’s mind raced the entire walk back. Derek went to his room to use the bathroom while Adam put the metal box on his bed before returning to wait in the common room. Moments later Derek returned looking refreshed.

  “Let’s go,” he said with a large grin on his face.

  They walked into the cafeteria and instead of going to the coolers for milk, Derek led Adam back into the food preparation area.

  “Since I started working back here, I know where the freshest stuff is kept,” he said.

  Adam was still stuck in thought about the metal box and how his dad was able to get back up the side of the mountain using the winch if the controls didn’t reach all the way down. That’s when he though that Ed might not have been alone.

  He barely noticed that Derek had unlocked the door to Minnie, the small Radome where the food transported into Area 51. Derek rang the bell that signaled for transport.

  Adam was only half-thinking about what was happening when Derek turned to him and noticed the confused look on Adam’s face.

  “The freshest milk comes on this transport,” said Derek.

  Suddenly Adam came out of his daze and focused on what was going on in front of him.

  “That doesn’t make any sense,” he said after Derek opened the Minnie’s door.

  “Sure it does,” said Derek walking back to Adam. “Just think about it.”

  Minnie rang in reply to Derek’s signal.

  Before Adam could do anything, Derek sprung at him, grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. In no time, Derek had tied Adam’s hands behind his back with what sounded like a zip-tie. Adam let out a partial scream, but Derek covered his mouth right away, and then tried to stuff something inside. Adam struggled and made as much noise as he possibly could, but he knew he was overpowered and outmatched.

  “I’ve been waiting for this for too long,” Derek whispered in Adam’s ear as he forced him toward Minnie. “I’ve been the mastermind behind everything the whole time – even working with Karl. My dad is too weak to do what I’ve done. Always talking about power, but never brave enough to grab it. I’ve been the one in contact with Larix all along, even while we’ve been here. We’re going to see him now and he’ll decide what to do with you after he rewards me with more power than John Gunderson has ever known.”

  Running footsteps sounded behind them, and Adam heard a familiar voice.

  “Get off of him,” yelled Kevin, and he tackled Derek like a football player, the pair of them rolling toward Minnie’s open door.

  Derek managed to shift his weight just enough that he launched Kevin inside of Minnie. He dove on top of Kevin and held him tight, then hit the transport switch. Derek smiled at the last moment and Ad
am watched the pair disappear in the shimmering light.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  Adam was horrified. Derek was gone and had taken Kevin with him, and there was nothing Adam could have done to prevent it.

  He rolled to his feet and ran to Minnie, but Minnie was completely empty. He yelled in frustration and anger.

  The door to the Food Services area burst open. Augustus shone a flashlight in Adam’s face and yelled, “What’s going on in here!”

  Adam spun and showed Augustus that his hands were bound behind his back. “Get me out of this,” he yelled. “Derek Gunderson tried to kidnap me, but my friend Kevin stopped him. Derek transported away with Kevin. We need to follow them.”

  Augustus understood quicker than Adam thought he would. He remained silent while he cut the zip tie around Adam’s hands.

  As soon as he was free, Adam stepped on the transport panel button to follow.

  “It won’t do you any good,” said Augustus. “That little dome is out of power if it just sent them.”

  “Where does this one go?” asked Adam in a panic.

  “The only place it can go is to the RTS Hub, but the shipping/receiving area, not the section for personnel transport,” replied Augustus, and then he thought for a moment.

  “Follow me,” he said before he turned and ran back through the door.

  Adam tried to keep up, but Augustus was fast and kept getting further away. Regardless, Adam thought he knew where Augustus was going.

  When he caught up to Augustus at the main Radome in the Arrival chamber, Augustus had already unlocked and opened the door. He had signaled the RTS Hub for transport and was just waiting for the reply tone.

  “Get in here now!” he said to Adam and yanked him inside at the same time as the reply tone sounded. Augustus stepped on the switch and a moment later they were gone.

  When all of his molecules had rearranged themselves enough that he could speak, he yelled, “Where is the shipping/receiving area?”

  The old man they had seen before was working once again. Adam’s yell startled him.

  “Around the corner in Ellen’s Energy Adventure, why?” asked the old man.

  “Call over there, now,” yelled Augustus. “Tell them to look for two kids and one accomplice. One of the kids has just been kidnapped by the other and they used the food transportation system. We’ll head over there as fast as we can.”