“See.” John gave her a tap to her arm.
Hunter reached up and grabbed his hand.
“Oh, look he’s protective of you. It’s fine,” John told him. “It’s a way we communicate. Passive aggressive flirtatious touching.”
“Flirtatious?” Meredith asked.
John just shrugged.
“Flirt …” Hunter struggled with the word.
Meredith explained. “Flirtatious. Meaning John likes me and he’s finding any excuse to touch me.”
“No touch in hostile way.” Hunter said to John. “Bad way to show like.”
“I’ll remember that bit of advice Dr. Phil,” John replied.
“Hunter.”
“And I am sure Hunter the Romeo has a better way to show like.”
“Hunter the Romeo?” Hunter asked. “Has John given me a title?”
“Yes,” John answered.
“Hunter likes. Hunter the Romeo.”
“Swell,” John commented. Meredith laughed. It was an interesting journey and they set the next destination as Pittsburgh.
It didn’t take long for Hunter the Romeo to become Hunter ‘What the fuck kind of battle did I get myself into’ Romeo.
It was a priceless, video moment and John was upset he didn’t have a camera when Hunter came face to face with the skeletal remains of the T Rex at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh.
He walked in still amazed by the place, stopped, and as if he believed John and Meredith didn’t see, suddenly Hunter, after a shocked grunt, drew his sword and took a fighting and protective stance.
“I was right,” John said. “He has no clue about history.” Gently John reached out and lowered Hunter’s sword. “Welcome to the beginning of time my friend. He can’t hurt you, he is dead.”
Hunter gently tapped the leg of the dinosaur with his sword.
“I guess he didn’t read the do not touch bones, sign. Well ...” John reached out and cleared the dust. “No one can.”
The museum was remarkably well preserved and in good shape unlike the area just outside. The dust was thick, and some of the artifacts had been ruined by exposure to the elements. But many things were protected. They debated on whether or not to break some of the cases that had been grown over with moss and mold.
Meredith suggested they didn’t. They wouldn’t be the last generation of humans to walk into that building. She believed that.
For those in the future, the items in the cases were a history book.
There were some signs of looting in the museum, not much. A rush for expensive art wasn’t probably forefront on people’s minds when facing an apocalypse.
Outside, the streets were mere parking lots. Buildings were cordoned off, apartments were marked with a FEMA X marking, and the area known for its hospitals and teaching schools had signs everywhere telling the infected where to check in.
Store-fronts on the main road were busted, there was so much concrete and cars that pretty much only grass, weeds, and small trees had broken through.
From what John and Meredith were able to learn, it took decades for the virus to really make cities into ghost towns. Some, like Nashville and Cleveland had been cleared or shut down early on. But Pittsburgh seemed to have survive for a good bit of time.
From its growth, Meredith guessed it was a little over ten years since the city had been completely abandoned or died out...
Probably about the time most people went to Salvation, or found smaller rural areas to live.
Hunter had a pretty good understanding of what he was being told. Other than the dinosaurs, the biggest shocker and surprise seemed to come when Meredith explained the world and showed him a picture of earth. His face filled with shock and wonder.
Meredith tried to put herself in his mindset, thinking that life was only a strip a hundred miles long only to find out there was more.
It had to be natural for him to believe there was more. He was young. Barely older than twenty. Meredith and John were the chance he was waiting for. A chance to venture out. And venture out he would.
They would see as much of the museum as they could and hit the road again, camping for the night outside of the city.
The next day would bring them closer to Champaign. The meeting time and day was still awhile away and John and Meredith wondered if they’d be first to arrive. They also wondered how the others would react to Hunter. He certainly was a sign how much the world had changed.
To Meredith and John, despite their horrendous experience with the Wreckers, Hunter not only was a sign of the changed world, but he was a good thing all the way around.
<><><><>
It was a pretty easy route to San Diego. Most of the major roads were passable. Norris informed him that they were maintained military roads. Not that crews regularly went out, but the flow of military traffic kept the most travelled roadways from being too overgrown.
Clark, the historian told of the great virus and how for the longest time California was spared large numbers of death.
“They actually thought of making California Salvation,” Clark said. “But they opted against that when the death toll started to rise.”
“How did they build the wall so easily?” Malcolm asked. “I mean, I know it took ten years, but still.”
“The Mexican border wall that was erected right before the virus,” Clark replied. “They used a lot of that. Tore it down in pieces.”
That made sense to Malcolm.
During the trip he finally heard Maggie speak into the device that was like a phone. She talked about how they were close to the destination, which was located outside a naval base.
That told Malcolm it was all part of a government project, and that the government made the same provisions for Genesis Lab One as they did for the others.
The biggest hurdle of the journey came when they arrived at the San Diego-Coronado Bridge. The two mile long bridge had a barricade a quarter of a mile from the end.
And it wasn’t an easy barricade to move, or go around. Concrete and trucks blocked the way and the opening was narrow. A small car, or even the solar buggy would fit through. Not the van.
“We’re gonna have to walk from here,” Norris announced. “Stick together. No one wanders off. Understand?”
Malcolm and the others agreed. They took minimum supplies as they disembarked the van.
Clark said. “A last stand.”
“What do you mean?” Malcolm asked.
“Many places that could isolate themselves such as this, made a last stand. Quarantined the world from their towns or areas. But the virus, kept hitting, kept coming back and all the diligence in the world couldn’t save them.”
Although Malcolm wasn’t a fan of the smug man who was evidently in his twenties when the world fell apart, he was a vat of information that Malcolm needed.
He kept close to his son, as they ventured across the bridge and onto Coronado Island. Malcolm could smell the ocean. He enjoyed hearing Trey talk about how the smell brought back memories of their family vacation to Myrtle Beach. Their conversation flowed until their arrival on the actual island.
The best course would be to cut through the golf course, but water had eroded a lot of the shore property and that was worrisome for the crew.
The ocean air and lack of human interference had caused the growth on Coronado to make it more of a tropical island state, instead of a dry semi desert. Buildings were buried beneath lush beautiful trees and grass.
The roundabout way was a two mile walk and eventually they located Red Building 19 just off of Guadalcanal. It looked like an office building in the middle of an overgrown parking lot with a small warehouse building not far from it. The Naval Exchange was right up the street.
The building had no markings, or indication that it was a Genesis Lab cover and Maggie displayed her first show of dismay when they walked into the building.
“This can’t be right,” she said. “Where is the lab? It can’t be undergr
ound. We’re on an island. And it certainly didn’t extinguish like your lab,” she said to Malcolm. “This building is intact.”
Norris suggested, “Why don’t we all pair off and spread out. We search this building. Armed and ready for anything, though.”
Armed and ready? Malcolm wondered. For what? If they did run into the recently defrosted lab rats, they wouldn’t a danger, they would be scared and confused.
Malcolm and Trey searched together. Even though Maggie fought to go with them, Clark convinced her that she should join him.
The building was covered and Malcolm had another idea.
The warehouse building.
He informed Norris that he and Trey were going to check out that building. Part of the plan involved transportation post release, and Malcolm was willing to bet that was where they’d find the transportation.
Norris gave his approval.
It was more of a private search between father and son and less likelihood that their every word was being monitored.
“Why the warehouse?” Trey asked.
“Like I told Norris, transportation. They provide it. There has to be enough for one hundred people so it has to be big enough.”
“Maybe your group was lucky.”
“Nah, they would do it for them all.” Malcolm said as he and Trey walked across the lot to the plain white aluminum building. It was completely corroded on the side near the water. “If they woke, they may have found their transportation and at least one of the vehicles will be gone.”
“What if they don’t know about transportation?”
“Then if they’re up, they’re either walking around Coronado, or in the building.” But Malcolm knew the later wasn’t the case when he arrived at the garage door of the building.
It was partially open.
“Someone’s been in here,” Malcolm said.
“You can’t assume that because it’s open.”
“Yeah I can.” Malcolm walked to the door. “It was broken open and the weeds were cleared.” He reached down for the handle. “Help me?”
“Sure.” Trey grabbed hold of the door.
They lifted it together. Nearly three quarters of the way up, the interior of the garage was exposed, Maggie called in the distance.
“Malcolm, leave that,” she shouted. “We found the lab pretty easily.”
Malcolm looked at Trey then into the garage. It was very reminiscent of when Malcolm woke up. The buggies, the tool box, down to the fact that a man wearing the genesis clothing, sat center of it all, just like Malcolm did, trying to put things together.
He looked up, shocked, perhaps even frightened. Without a doubt he was confused
Malcolm held his finger to his lips in a ‘be quiet’ gesture. He then whispered, “Stay out of sight. I’ll be back.” Before closing the garage door.
<><><><>
“I don’t understand …” Trey whispered as they walked from the warehouse. “Why didn’t.”
“Quiet.”
“But …”
“Trey, it’s like a pattern, little things adding up. I can’t see the whole picture yet, but I am certain I am not going to like the picture.”
“Everything okay?” Maggie stopped and looked back.
Shit. Did she hear me? Malcolm wondered. “Yeah,” he answered.
“What picture?”
She did. He shifted his eyes to Trey who had a smug look, as if to convey to his father that he was busted. Then Malcolm replied. “Salvation. Not so sure, I like what you’ve been telling about it.”
“Well, your choices are pretty limited. Salvation, or your son’s farm.”
“There’s a whole world out here.”
“Again,” Maggie said heading into the entrance of building. “Your choices are limited.” She opened the door.
“What the hell was that supposed to mean?” Malcolm asked and followed.
“Dad.” Trey stopped him. ‘I know something inside is screaming at you. Just don’t think too much. Things are cut and dry now in this world. No conspiracies. Honest.”
Malcolm walked in, when he did, Norris stepped from another door.
“Well?” Maggie asked.
“You’re not gonna like it.” Norris replied to her. “This way.”
Again, the wheels started spinning with Malcolm. What wasn’t she going to like? Had the lab burned out, been decontaminated like his lab? Although, unless that lab unit was sealed there was no way to contain the fireball.
Curious, Malcolm stepped through the first door and then through a thick steel one, which brought him into the lab area.
“Whoa,” he heard Trey say behind him.
The walls were the same clinical white. But instead of a super long hallway it looked more like a prison with two floors. The lights were still on and it had the clinical smell that Malcolm remembered very well.
Some of the doors were open. Some looked as if they never opened.
Maggie walked slowly down the hall looking up and down.
“Did you check the storage?” Malcolm asked. “There is a storage room that should have food. You can see if they …”
As if he weren’t even being heard, Norris spoke. “As you can see, the hatching took place.”
“Hatching?” Malcolm questioned.
“That’s what we’re calling it,” Norris said.
“Oh, so now you hear me.”
“Excuse me?”
“Nothing.”
“How many?” Maggie asked.
“We estimate twelve unaccounted for. The automatic door looks like it opened five days ago.”
Malcolm stated. “So about the same time as us.”
“More than likely,” Norris said.
“Any indication where they are?” Maggie asked.
Norris shook his head. “They aren’t here.”
“Fuck!” Maggie screamed. “Are you kidding me? Twelve? And they have days on us.”
She veered into a verbal temper tantrum, spouting off more things, Malcolm honestly stopped listening to her when she started stomping her feet like a child. His mind spun again. Trey said there were no conspiracies in the new world, but was Trey right or misled? It didn’t make sense to him at all. If they truly were there to look for a cure, then look for a cure. The whereabouts of the Hatched was understandably frustrating. But the Hatched weren’t the point of the mission.
Or were they?
<><><><>
Marilee had become Nora’s point of contact and source of information. She learned how those in Rantoul lived and had survived all this time outside the walls of Salvation.
“Never really thought about it much,” Marilee said. “I didn’t know the world before the virus. Just the way things run. I know I heard that people die younger now outside the walls. But they can live until seventy in Salvation.”
“Or longer.”
“No. Seventy,” she said nonchalantly.
Nora thought her manner of response was odd, then again, it could have been because Marilee was explaining the ins and outs of Rantoul. How they farmed, canned, tried to get some normalcy, and hunkered down in the winter, venturing out to hunt. That was when they got most of their meat.
Rantoul had three cows they used for dairy. But most farm animals were part of the wild. Cows and pigs, chickens. Which explained the gamey taste to the pork the community served as a meal.
It was a lot of information for Nora to take in. In a way, it reminded her of the stories she read about settlers, or back in the Little House on the Prairie era. Rantoul was not the only community. There were others. None were close and barter exchanges took place about every eight weeks at the trading post which was located about two hundred miles away.
Marilee said everyone was excited about the exchange. They had their best batch of moonshine to date and it was going to be a commodity.
“Exchange is three weeks off,” Marilee said. “Would be wonderful if you guys were back and we could use one of those sun cars you have to
draw our cart. We’d be there in a day.”
“Well, you know,” Nora said. “The others are supposed to arrive here. I don’t see us needing three buggies to search for Salvation. Maybe we can leave one. No promises.”
“That would be wonderful. But it would be more wonderful if you stayed. Didn’t leave at all. Everyone is excited about having a preacher and more people in the town.”
“We may be back. I just know we have to find Salvation.”
“They aren’t gonna let you in,” Marilee said. “They are a different breed. Although I hear about them making checks to look for the virus. Other things they can scavenge.” She shrugged. “Just rumors. I never saw Salvation people. But I know they won’t let you in. Even if they believe your story, won’t they blame you?”
Nora produced an awkward smile. “Why would they blame us?”
“Well, you were frozen to ensure you’d live right? Part of a project you said. I’d immediately assume you were the ones who started it because you knew it was coming. Not you personally, but guilt by association.”
“Do you blame me?”
“Heavens no. That’s silly. Salvation is a different thing.”
“I need to find my husband, my daughter, I know they survived and went there.”
Marilee sang out a ‘hmm’ and continued packing jars.
“What was that about?”
“I just have a different point of view. I mean, I know it wasn’t that long ago to you, but it was a lifetime ago for them. They moved on. They have lives now. For you to come back …” she must have seen the look on Nora’s face, because Marilee stopped talking. “Forget I said anything.”
Nora nodded, she was glad to stop the conversation, but it didn’t leave her. Not at all.
The temperature had dropped drastically as soon as the sun dipped in the sky. More so than it had recently. Nora already had a shoestring wardrobe and she found herself at the thrift shop rummaging the racks in the semi dark store. It was kept up. More of another trading place rather than an abandoned shop from days gone by.
People brought their old clothes there and traded them for others. Rantoul had an abundance of clothing. Scavenger hunts in the earlier days filled the business, keeping their doors open as some sort of homage to the days before the virus.
Reset (Book 2): Salvation Page 13