30th Century: Escape (30th Century Trilogy Book 1)

by Mark Kingston Levin

  “I am a person with a lost past, but I offer you friendship.”

  “Hai, Arigato gozaimasu,” Kyoko replied, dipping her head in a bow.

  The car came to a stop. “Ladies, we’re here,” Jules said. “When the day’s done, Shinji will take you two home.”

  “You’re not coming with us?” Jennifer asked before leaving the car, a sinking feeling in her heart at being left with strangers yet again.

  “I’m sorry, no, I cannot. I have an echocardiogram scheduled and I missed the last one. You’ll be okay—they’re good people. You can tell me all about it when you get home. Maybe I will go next time.”

  Jennifer stepped outside and pulled on her hat and her backpack. Each turn of events was making her feel less in control. “Thanks so much for arranging this, Jules.”

  “Jennifer, do be careful.” Jules smiled at her.

  “I will be fine. Thank you.” Jennifer returned a tight smile, attempting to squash the butterflies in her stomach.

  Jennifer and Kyoko walked a small distance until the teen spotted her father. He was waiting at the top of the trail, speaking on his cell phone.

  “The girls are here now, Jules,” he said. “I’ll speak to you later.”

  He grabbed Kyoko for a hug as soon as she approached him. After, he turned toward Jennifer. “Miss Heros? I’m Shinji Matsubara.”

  “Yes.” She held out her hand, grabbing at her experience as a capable adult and leaning on her adaptability as an SS agent for meeting new people with an assumed name. “Jennifer Heros. I’ve had the pleasure of your daughter’s company for a little while now.”

  “Ah, well you’ll have to enjoy it for a little longer,” he said, laughing and shaking her hand. “We have a bit of a trek ahead of us, as I’m sure you know.”

  His casual attitude put her more at ease. The trio started the hike upward through the wet trail and then walked back down to the water’s edge, where a sport fishing boat was waiting for them. They got into the dinghy; a seventeen-foot wooden vessel with gorgeous wood interlaced to make up the floorboards. A small motor on the back slowly worked the dinghy toward a sixty-foot Hatteras sport-fishing yacht named Blue Hole.

  “This Blue Hole was built for speed, blue water, and chasing big game but today it is our transport,” Shinji explained.

  “Dr. Matsubara, why are we taking a boat to the site?”

  “The site is inaccessible by roads,” Shinji replied. “It’s in an undeveloped area with all natural jungle growth.”

  “I love boats, but I am curious why we are taking a sport-fishing yacht?”

  “Archaeology is a competitive field,” Shinji said. “There are some people who might try to swoop in and claim that the dig site was their find. Secrecy is key. We’re even working with the French government to keep the location to ourselves for now. So we’ll ride for about an hour, just to make sure we’re not being followed. After we’re certain we are in the clear we’ll proceed to the site.”

  “Okay, that makes sense,” Jennifer said. “Thanks for explaining it.” Jennifer was used to secrecy. In both her old and new lives.

  “Father, can I try to fish while we troll around?” Kyoko asked.

  “Yes, of course!” Shinji said. “I even brought my camera just for that occasion!”

  “I love fishing,” said Jennifer. “It kept me alive when I was on Moruroa.” She found this was no longer a lie; she had enjoyed fishing with Alice.

  They reached the Blue Hole. The captain, a tall Caucasian man, waved to them from aboard the yacht.

  “Permission to come aboard?” Shinji asked.

  “Come aboard,” the captain replied.

  They exited the dinghy onto a transom platform adjacent to the yacht. The first mate, a handsome teenage boy, climbed below onto the transom and tied the dinghy to the mooring. He saluted Shinji and waved at Jennifer and Kyoko.

  “Welcome aboard,” the captain said. “I’m Captain Martin Bligh. This here is my first mate and son, Ricky.” Ricky waved at them again. “This here is the Blue Hole. She’ll do her best to treat you all gently.”

  “Thank you, Captain Bligh,” Kyoko said. She and Jennifer introduced themselves.

  “Good to have you both,” Captain Bligh said, nodding to them. Ricky echoed his father’s sentiment, then set to preparing the boat.

  “We’ll be leaving shortly, so hang on,” Captain Bligh said. After a few moments, he moved the throttles forward and the yacht rose up out of the water, speeding across the ocean waves at some thirty plus knots.

  “We’re now making thirty-six knots,” Ricky shouted to them over the wind. Ten miles from shore Ricky pointed out some birds flying by. Jennifer remembered it meant that fish were nearby.

  “Ricky, can I help with one of the outriggers?” Jennifer asked.

  “Sure.” Ricky pointed. “You handle the port outrigger and I’ll handle the starboard.”

  “Aye-aye.” Jennifer rigged one of the baitfish and was first to have the bait in the water. She rigged it about forty feet out and the captain slowed the vessel to trolling speed in seconds. Within five minutes there was a strike on the port outrigger.

  Jennifer offered the fishing pole to Kyoko. The girl looked helpless. “Please teach me how, Jennifer?”

  “Ricky, could you help Kyoko?” Jennifer asked. “You will probably be better at teaching her than I would.”

  “Sure.”

  Jennifer unstrapped and switched places with Ricky. He gestured for Kyoko to sit in the seat. Hesitant for only a moment, she sat down.

  “Good. Now strap in.” He watched her fit the buckles then continued instructing her. “Add the drag here and pull up sharply to hook the fish, then let it run for a while. It’s most likely a yellowfin tuna, so it’ll take some time to tire. Are you ready for a challenge?”

  Kyoko nodded.

  “Good,” he said. “I thought you would be.”

  Kyoko blushed and set her jaw, watching the line where it entered the water.

  After twenty minutes of coaching from Ricky, Kyoko had the fish next to the boat. Shinji took several photos of his daughter as she worked to reel in her first fish.

  “The fish is really big, Daddy!” Kyoko shouted, a grin splitting her pretty face.

  “I believe in you!” he shouted, taking more pictures.

  While Shinji was taking pictures of his daughter fishing, Ricky gaffed the fish, pulling it aboard with the long hook, and weighed it in at sixty-six pounds.

  “Yes!” Shinji shouted, and hugged his daughter. She was laughing, exhilarated from the catch. She turned and hugged Ricky, who looked surprised.

  “Thank you, Ricky,” she said, and squeezed him one last time.

  “You’re welcome.”

  Jennifer watched the two with a smile as they continued to talk—about fishing, their mothers, Paris, Japan. Their conversation flowed as easily as the waves in the ocean. Jennifer left for the bridge to leave the two of them to talk in private.

  When Jennifer arrived on the bridge, Captain Bligh said, “Great job!”

  “Thank you, Captain, but Kyoko did most of it.”

  “She did very well,” Shinji said, beaming. “I haven’t seen her so happy since the divorce.”

  “We’re getting close now, Shinji,” said Captain Bligh. “Ricky, get the anchor ready.”

  “My colleague, Jean-Yves Satre, should be alerted,” Shinji said. “He will meet us with the Zodiac.”

  “I…I know that name.” Jennifer frowned in thought.

  “I’m not at all surprised. Jules told me you’ve been reading up on archaeology,” Shinji said. “Jean-Yves has written several prominent papers within the field.”

  “Yes, that’s right! I read his paper on the use of plants in determining the locations of potential dig sites.” Jennifer nodded. “I look forward to meeting him.”

  Ricky walked up to the bow cabin and pushed a button that released the anchor. Another motor churned. The Zodiac, gray and sleek, skipped along the wa
ves as it headed toward the Blue Hole. A tall man with a thin black beard was at its helm.

  Kyoko waved goodbye to Ricky as she exited with Shinji and Jennifer from the transom to the Zodiac. Shinji pulled the Zodiac up on the beach as he hugged his daughter closely.

  “We’ll be back at five o’clock at this location,” Captain Bligh said, marking the location with a flagged buoy. He hit the throttles, and soon he and Ricky were gone.

  “This must be Kyoko!” the tall man said, and shook her hand across the Zodiac. “Kyoko, you have a wonderful father. This all wouldn’t be possible without him.”

  Shinji gave the man a small bow.

  “Really? How so?” Kyoko asked.

  “Well, not only was he my partner on the first exploration, but he’s the one who acquired funding from the Japan Science and Technology Agency.” He whistled and held up two fingers. “This operation cost over two million U.S. dollars.”

  He turned to Jennifer. “And this is?”

  “Jennifer Heros,” Jennifer said, reaching out her hand. “Good to meet you.”

  “Likewise,” he said, shaking her hand. “Jean-Yves Satre. Glad to have more hands available.”

  After securing the Zodiac with a chain and padlock on the beach, Jean-Yves led the way through a wooded area full with banyan trees, bamboo, and a large host of other kinds of trees. This area was jungle-like, with flowered plants like ginger, passion fruit, guava, and many others along the way.

  “You can see that we hacked this trail through this thick jungle recently,” Jean-Yves said.

  Jennifer felt something different from when she explored all the tourist sites—this was still Tahiti, but a Tahiti entrenched with a deeper kind of history. Something completely out of touch with modernity.

  “How did you find this location?” Jennifer asked.

  Jean-Yves glanced at Shinji. “Your guest, your call. I trust you.”

  “Can I swear you to secrecy for about eighteen months?” Shinji asked.

  “Yes!” said Jennifer. “I won’t reveal any information about this place.”

  Shinji studied her face for just a moment. “Go ahead.”

  “The area was found by my son, who is a scuba diver,” Jean-Yves said. As he spoke they arrived at a small, sunken valley between two steep and rapidly rising ridges on either side. Streams bubbled around the steep hills with small waterfalls spouting from the high ridges into the valley. In the center of the heavy wooded area was a derrick about thirty meters high. Jennifer marveled at the sight.

  “He was in a submerged section of a lava tube when he noticed that it led to a section that wasn’t submerged at all. He wondered what one might find in that un-submerged section. So he called me up and, after some verifying, we arranged an expedition to explore the lava tube.”

  “Did you find anything?” Kyoko asked excitedly.

  “I’m surprised your father hasn’t told you,” Jean-Yves said.

  Shinji smiled sheepishly. “Slipped my mind.”

  Jean-Yves laughed. “Well, Kyoko, we’ve found ancient weapons, bones, and other artifacts.”

  “So, does that mean we’ll have to go underwater to explore it?” Jennifer asked.

  “No, actually. We decided that by water was too difficult to transport some of the larger equipment,” explained Jean-Yves. “So we located the roof using an ultrasound device and drilled into this location. And that’s the hole you’re looking at right now.”

  Jennifer peered into the hole, unable to make out anything in the darkness, save for a ladder secured to the edge.

  “We are expecting to get other grants from Europe and America after we publish,” said Jean-Yves. “Then we will be able to bring in more researchers and graduate students.”

  “Are you two ready to get started?” Shinji asked.

  “Hai!” Kyoko said.

  “It’s Sunday, so our workers have the day off,” Jean-Yves told them. “It’ll just be the four of us descending today.”

  He handed Kyoko and Jennifer helmets. He put one on his own head.

  After a twenty-minute video on safety, Shinji pointed to the top of the helmet. “That’s the power switch, so turn it on now. There’s also a microphone built into the helmet for communication. These helmets are very important for when we go down there so never remove your helmet while in the cave.”

  As he spoke, Shinji lowered an electric light down into the darkness. Jean-Yves turned on the generator that would supply the primary light source.

  “There is one more thing,” Jean-Yves said. “This is not a mine. It is a three-hundred-thousand-year-old lava tube. Tahiti Nui was formed about three million years ago. Tahiti Iti was formed only three hundred thousand years ago. While the lava tube is extinct, there are natural factors at play that are unpredictable. Exercise caution at all times, and always stay close to us.”

  “How long will we be down there?” Kyoko asked.

  Shinji answered, “We will stay down for about two hours and then come to the surface for a picnic lunch. We have some shrimp, fruit, sashimi from your catch this morning but also many French cheeses with fresh French bread, and a bunch of other foods. There is also some wine, but since you’re underage, Kyoko, you can just have coconut water. Jennifer, are you—”

  Jean-Yves laughed. “Asking a lady her age? Shinji, how bold.”

  “Not to worry, I prefer coconut water,” Jennifer said.

  Jean-Yves gave them each a large canteen of water, and kneepads.

  “You will have water in these aluminum canteens,” Shinji said. “To prevent contamination with garbage, we do not bring in any food or disposables below.”

  Jean-Yves added, “A line stretches from the inside of the cave opening to the farthest we have gone, which is about one and eight-tenths miles inland from the opening. Clip your safety harness to the line and you should be able to find your way to the opening should power fail. Your battery in your helmet will last for forty-eight hours, providing you with voice communications and light.”

  After some additional training on how to operate the radios and the emergency equipment above ground, the group descended the ladder. Jean-Yves led the way, followed by Jennifer and Kyoko. Shinji was the last to climb down the ladder.

  The lava tube was well lit, with several electric lights hung down the wall. Jennifer was surprised at how smooth the walls looked. Alongside the glow of the lights, the tunnel almost seemed carved by people. She hopped over a puddle that had collected in a small dent in the ground.

  “How far down are we?” she asked.

  “A little more than a hundred feet,” Jean-Yves said.

  Kyoko pointed. “Oh, look, Jennifer! Bones!”

  Jennifer turned and saw a collection of human-looking bones jutting out from part of the tube. Shinji shook his head.

  “The actual bones were sent to France for examination,” he said.

  “These were replicas placed exactly where we found the real bones,” Jean-Yves continued. “The ornaments and tools, meanwhile, were sent to Japan instead. Let’s keep going.”

  They walked in the center of the lava tube as Shinji and Jean-Yves took turns trading facts about the excavation out loud, for Jennifer and Kyoko’s benefit.

  “We’re heading toward the sea right now,” Jean-Yves said.

  I wonder if I’d be able to speak about an operation like this so knowledgeably, Jennifer wondered. She dragged her fingertips on the lava tube’s walls—cold, damp, and smooth. Kyoko asked that the group stop for just a moment so that she could observe a few spiders she found.

  “They’re endemic to this lava tube,” Jean-Yves commented.

  As they approached the sea, Jennifer could hear the surf crash into the cave. There was a large electric lighting system with about five fluorescent lights above a pit filled with mud.

  “Look, over here we have made models of all of the bones and artifacts found buried in the mud.” Shinji said. He opened a large steel box and showed the hundreds of replica bones
and artifacts. “These are some of the first ones we found.”

  Jean-Yves said, “These original digs will be made available on our website once we publish and there are replicas being made to eventually show the public this site. We expect that this archaeological site will someday be a tourist attraction but hopefully after our research is completed.”

  Jennifer opened her mouth to ask a question but was quickly cut short by the sound of Kyoko’s stomach.

  The teen smiled sheepishly. “Gomennasai,” she said. “I thought about the sashimi.”

  “No problem,” Shinji said, and rubbed his daughter’s head. “We can head back now and eat some lunch.

  “Jennifer, I can answer as many questions as you like on our walk back.”

  Jennifer nodded enthusiastically. She asked questions about the wildlife, their predictions of the age of the bones, if any animal bones were found, the difficulty of the operation. Her line of questioning grew longer and longer. She even asked questions as they climbed the ladder back up, and as they ate.

  “You remind me of Kyoko,” Shinji said, sucking shrimp flesh out of its tail. “Only she asks this many questions.”

  Jennifer blushed and Kyoko scolded him for embarrassing her.

  “I’m sorry, Jennifer! I didn’t mean anything by it!” he said, and offered her a shrimp. She gladly took it.

  After a great lunch, everyone in the group was excited to see the new exploration. This group of archaeologists and young explorers reentered the lava tube and, this time, headed northwest. They passed several areas where bone and artifacts had been found and those were shown with replicas.

  “This is a new area,” said Shinji. “We have not started digging here yet but have laid out the electric line and lighting.”

  “Do you want to continue?” Jean-Yves asked.

  “Yes! Let’s explore for real,” Kyoko said. She looked more excited than Jennifer had seen her all day.

  Jennifer’s heart pounded in her chest; she was also very excited. This was one of two of her major goals; first to explore the twenty-first century and second to explore archaeological sites of the Polynesian people.

  “Yes, I’m coming,” she told him.

  As they continued to the northwest, the lava tube climbed in elevation until they came to an area that was no longer lit.