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

by Mark Kingston Levin

  “Roger that. I am ready to get pulled up!” replied Jennifer.

  As Jennifer emerged from the hole, Kyoko was waiting. The girl grabbed Jennifer’s hands and beamed at her. “You are my friend for life. You helped me control my fear.”

  Jennifer’s heart gave a squeeze at the girl’s love and acceptance. “Thank you, Kyoko. You are my friend for life as well.”

  Rarely had Jennifer felt on equal terms with another woman outside of academia or her military career, certainly not for a very long time, perhaps since she actually was Jennifer Heros’ age. Tears welled in her eyes at the simple offer of friendship. She blinked them away as they hugged each other.

  “I am up and already I miss the adventure and the thrill of discovery,” Jennifer said, breaking away. “Let’s thank each and every person who helped us in the rescue.” They went together arm-in-arm to thank all the workers who rescued them one by one.

  After a couple of hours of sleep Jean-Yves was ready to go down and try the new rope ladder. Jennifer waited to hear from him, wondering what he thought about their work.

  At long last, Jean-Yves emerged, still half asleep, and mumbled something.

  “What?” Jennifer asked.

  “He said he’s very proud of you two,” Shinji said. “Right, Jean-Yves?”

  Jean-Yves sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Yes. I am flabbergasted. We’ll make sure to return here to explore further—maybe you will join us in a couple of days, as I need some more rest. But for now, let’s get you ladies home.”

  After a slow walk through the rain and mud, they waited on the beach for their ride.

  “I will take this time to call your mother,” Shinji said. “She should know you’re no longer trapped underground.” He pulled out his phone and stared at it.

  “Are you sure, Daddy?”

  “…Yes,” he said. “She should know you are out.”

  Jennifer watched Kyoko’s expression, concerned.

  Finally, the girl held out her hand to her father. He looked at her and said something into the phone before he gave it to her.

  “Mother?” Kyoko said. “Please don’t be mad at Papa. He just worked forty-eight hours straight to get us out of the lava tube. He is a good father! Papa trained us well. The earthquake is not Papa’s fault.” Kyoko glanced at Jennifer. “Jennifer and I even found some ancient artifacts!”

  Kyoko listened to her mother speak for a few moments. Then she looked at her father. “She’s on the way to the airport to catch the next flight for Tahiti.”

  Shinji and Kyoko spoke further about her mother coming to Tahiti. Meanwhile, Jean-Yves took Jennifer aside to speak with her.

  “Shinji told me about how you plan to go to university soon. When do you leave?”

  “I leave for Hawaii on August fifteenth.”

  “Listen. You and Kyoko have proven to be instrumental to this expedition. You damn near found as much as we did in six months, but in under three days. And if things had taken a turn for the worse, you wouldn’t have been able to show the world what you accomplished.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “If you want, Shinji and I will work with you to make a publishable paper on your findings. We figure it will help with your application to the university. We can also provide you with a recommendation of the highest order,” Jean-Yves said with a big grin.

  Jennifer couldn’t believe it. The paper might help her get into the university a semester earlier than otherwise, and that would be worth the risk, as the news media would expose her anyway.

  “It’s the least we could offer you along with letters of recommendation,” Jean-Yves continued.

  “I…yes. Yes, please! Thank you!” Jennifer managed.

  Jean-Yves laughed. “Well, all right. I’ll give you my information and we’ll get an online paper together by, let’s say, the twelfth?”

  “Yes,” Jennifer said. She wondered if all trust fund princesses were so privileged. This stroke of luck was certainly to her advantage.

  “Ahoy!” Captain Bligh’s voice boomed across the beach. “I’m glad to see no one’s dead!” He laughed.

  They loaded onto the boat. As soon as Kyoko boarded, Ricky walked up to her and hugged her tight.

  “I was frightened for you. Are you okay?”

  “Yes,” Kyoko said. “Everything is fine! Thanks to you and all the others, Jennifer and I are safe. Thank you, Ricky.” She smiled at him.

  “I, um.” Ricky shifted his weight between his feet, nervous. “I got really nervous after I heard you got into some trouble. Do you want to go out sometime?”

  Kyoko looked surprised for only a second. Quickly gaining her composure, she said, “I would love to. However, my mother is coming here tomorrow, so I should rest tonight.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  “But the day after should work.” She smiled at him.

  “Great! I mean.” He smiled sheepishly. “Sounds good. We’ll get dinner?”

  “Okay!”

  Kyoko crossed to Jennifer and hugged her.

  “Today has been a very good day,” Kyoko said, hugging her tighter.

  “Yes. Yes, it has.”

  Jennifer’s cold heart was warmed by the twenty-four-hour sunshine of the Jennifer she was becoming. Yet a possibility remained that all the publicity could blow her cover and lead to the demise of her friends, parents and all the Naturals for all time.

  She jumped on that thought with both feet to push it down deeper. She could do nothing to change Kylie’s future if she forgot her role here and failed to conceal her true nature.

  * * *

  Two days later, Jennifer was writing up her discovery back at the hotel when the phone rang. Eeva and Jules wanted to meet for brunch in the hotel restaurant.

  “I will be down in a few minutes.”

  She continued to write up her thoughts from her notes and photos. After setting down her iPad, Jennifer threw on a dress and sandals. She found Jules and Eeva already at a table with coffee.

  Jules said, “Good morning, Jennifer! I am so sorry about your experience.”

  “No! No! It was a wonderful experience,” she replied. “I was able to stumble on a major find in archaeological science and that made any inconvenience a pleasure for both Kyoko and me.”

  “Were you not scared?” Eeva asked.

  “During the earthquake, I think all of us were terrified. But as soon as that was over, we all focused on the tasks at hand.”

  “Jean-Yves tells us you pulled off some impressive heroics,” Jules said. “First the dolphin, next Kyoko? It must be in your blood. Your parents would be proud.”

  Jennifer didn’t know how to respond to that. She looked down, thinking about her parents, Pierre and Michelle. Tears filled her eyes. She put her napkin to her eyes. Then she thought about André and Colette and got back in character. She was still so conflicted over her own behavior and all these events. “I hope they are happy!” Jennifer finally exclaimed. She wondered about her past and future. She didn’t know anymore what was right or what was best.

  Picking up on the silence, Eeva said, “So did you get along with Kyoko? I’m sure you did some serious bonding down in the lava tube.”

  “Yes! We plan to keep in touch. We’ve already sent a few messages back and forth. Yesterday was quite an eventful day for her.”

  “Oh?”

  “Her mom flew in from Japan. Kyoko tells me that although she and her father were worried about her mother’s reaction, Sato was actually quite relieved. They had a long talk over dinner about how she was heartbroken that she wasn’t there for Kyoko and Shinji in a time of need. And so, Sato said she wants to have their family operate more as a whole now, despite the divorce. Kyoko hopes for it to be the first step of them…well, getting back together.”

  “That would be wonderful,” Jules said. “Shinji has always been a big family man. Being separated from Sato broke his heart.”

  “I’m glad to hear Kyoko’s doing well,” Eeva said.
“Does she have any other plans while in Tahiti? Another lava tube to get stuck in?”

  Jennifer laughed. “She’s going on a date, actually! Tonight, after we work on the paper.”

  “Well good luck to her.”

  Jennifer thought back to one rainy day at the Canadian lake house, Her father was leaving after a fight with her mother. The screaming was fresh in her ears, ears much too young at nine years old to hear the accusations of infidelity that flew back and forth. She ran to catch Pierre for a hug goodbye, but he just said, “Your mother is kicking me out because I betrayed her trust. I’m sorry, my precious one. Daddy will always give you hugs and kisses.” He picked Jennifer up and she held onto him crying for what seemed like an eternity. Her mother came outside and hugged them both and said she was sorry for being jealous. “Daddy can stay and have whatever he needs but please let me know so I do not walk in on him in the act in our marriage bed.” Pierre told Michelle he was sorry; in the future, he would invite her first. But he still walked out for several days before returning. Jennifer did not understand at the time but now she understood they had made up and moved on. Perhaps Kyoko’s parents could do that. She would try to help in any way.

  After an enjoyable brunch, Jennifer got back to work. She called Kyoko and they met in the afternoon, writing up their experience in the form of a story and discovery paper for the scientific journals. First, the story was written for the local newspaper and magazine in French. They both had their interviews filmed by the local TV station for later release. They eventually started on the scientific paper and worked until late in the afternoon. It was then time for Kyoko to get ready for her first date. Jennifer was excited to finish the first draft of their paper.

  The next day Kyoko called in the morning. “I had my first and second kiss,” she exclaimed. “It was delightful. I really like Ricky!”

  “I’m so happy to hear that, Kyoko,” Jennifer said, remembering her first kiss from long ago as though it were yesterday. “I can’t wait to meet with you so we can talk more about Ricky and the paper.”

  Over the next few days they worked together on the paper, doing their best to polish it as much as possible before handing it off to Shinji and Jean-Yves for revision. Kyoko also went on a few more dates with Ricky, ever charmed by the boy.

  Jennifer and Kyoko arranged for a return to the archaeological site they had explored together and worked in the field with Jean-Yves and Shinji for about four hours. While there, Jean-Yves and Shinji reviewed both articles—the write-up for the newspaper and the scientific paper they planned to submit to Science.

  Jean-Yves said, “I am in awe of what we had done in three days of discovery and writing.”

  Jennifer and Kyoko agreed that Jean-Yves and Shinji could make changes as they saw fit, but that Jean-Yves and Shinji’s names should be first on the paper. They had given the girls a great opportunity.

  Jean-Yves said, “We will add a portion of this new archeological work to the Science paper as well.”

  Everyone agreed and headed back by boat with Ricky and his father.

  * * *

  Back at the hotel, Jules gave Jennifer the passport with a visa to enter America as a student. J.B. Bernard had come through.

  Jennifer called him at the Immigration office. “Hello, J.B. I want to thank you for these astonishing results in such a short time. Your help in getting me to Hawaii is appreciated.”

  “Jennifer, it was my pleasure to do the work for someone who saved Mr. Rodrigues and survived for months alone on Moruroa Atoll!”

  “Thank you very much for all your assistance and understanding,” Jennifer said

  “Please study hard and come back to see me in Tahiti often. I want to have lunch with you again when you visit.”

  “I will contact you through Jules when I return,” Jennifer promised.

  She hung up the phone and crossed to the hotel window. There she watched Tahiti’s daily scene unfurl. Later, after finalizing some more notes on the discovery, she settled down with a bowl of frozen yogurt and slices of papaya.

  CHAPTER 17

  Back on the Albatross

  Jennifer almost couldn’t contain her excitement at soon being back on the Albatross with all her friends. She packed her duffle bag and called for a cab. When she got downstairs, she found Jules and Eeva waiting for her.

  “I’m happy to see you both!”

  “We knew you wouldn’t want to impose on us for a ride,” Jules said, “but Eeva wants to see the Albatross land.”

  Eeva laughed. “Don’t let him fool you. He wanted to make sure you were off safely.”

  Jennifer smiled, happy that Eeva and Jules cared about what happened to her. They reminded her of her parents. She hoped living in this century so far away from them would not make Pierre and Michelle LeVe’s faces fade in her memory.

  “They land at ten,” Jennifer said.

  “We will be on time,” Eeva said.

  “Yes, and they will need a break before they head off to Honolulu,” Jennifer said. “That is about two thousand nautical miles due north.”

  When they arrived at the Faa’a International Airport terminal, Jules dropped off the ladies and parked his wife’s car. Then he and Eeva stopped to purchase leis for the arriving friends while Jennifer continued to Gate 4, which was one of the gates for private flights. At Gate 4, she saw Lacy’s parents waiting for her. Jennifer thanked them for Lacy’s help with her visa.

  They waited a few minutes until the Albatross landed. Alice was piloting. Mike was beside her in the co-pilot seat. Jennifer couldn’t see Marty or anyone else.

  Once the doors to the plane opened Lacy stepped out carrying several small boxes. Bill and Ken were behind her, carrying larger boxes to the baggage cart.

  “Aloha, Jennifer, we missed you!” Lacy said, before pausing to greet her mother and father. She hugged and kissed each cheek, a French custom. Afterward, her father kissed Lacy on each cheek as well, then spoke with his five and daughter in Chinese for a few moments.

  Jennifer and Lacy then talked briefly in French before Lacy said au revoir. “I am going to lunch with my parents,” she told Jennifer.

  The other students left after saying hello to Jennifer.

  Marty came out of the plane after everyone but Jennifer had left.

  “You look wonderful!” he said to her.

  “It great to see you again.” Jennifer blushed, unsure of why she was blushing. Marty didn’t seem to notice.

  “Did your guardian take good care of you?” Marty asked.

  “They were great. I saw so many wonderful things.”

  “Where were you when the big quake hit Tahiti?”

  “I was visiting an archeological site discovered by Jean-Yves Satre and Shinji Matsubara.”

  “You were caught in it?” he asked. “You must have been terrified!”

  Jennifer shook her head. “It was a little frightening but I had company. Kyoko, Shinji’s daughter, was also exploring with us. I wouldn’t take back the experience of that dig for anything.”

  “I’ll bet,” Marty said, smiling. “We have about three hours but we need to file a flight plan, fuel the plane and check weather. Do you want to get coffee before?”

  “Sure, as long as you let me buy.”

  “A gentleman always pays.”

  Jennifer laughed. Such a quaint sentiment this century had of protecting and providing for women. She liked it.

  * * *

  Jennifer and Marty sat down at the airport coffee shop to sip their drinks.

  “I still do not remember anything,” Jennifer said.

  “That’s awful,” Marty said. “I’d hoped something would come back to you when you visited your home.”

  “I feel a little helpless, to tell you the truth. As though a piece of me is missing.” The statement was true. Jennifer did feel like something was missing. Just not her memory.

  “Look on the bright side. You’ve found part of your past and that includes a fat bank acco
unt and a wealthy guardian. You won’t ever have to worry about money.”

  “I have been very lucky. First, in the kind people who found me. Second, in the people who knew my parents and took me in.” And third, she thought to herself, in looking so much like this young woman who had disappeared with her family.

  When they were almost done, Jennifer saw Jules and Eeva on the other side of the coffee shop window. She waved at them and they approached the table with two leis. Eeva placed one on Marty’s neck, kissing him on the cheek.

  “Where is Mike, the co-pilot?” Eeva asked.

  “I’m sorry, but he left to do some errands. Thank you very much for the flowers,” Marty replied with a big smile.

  “Please join us,” Jennifer said.

  Jules took out his camera, showing that same video of Jennifer saving the dolphin. She laughed, picturing him as the proud papa.

  “That’s amazing!” Marty said. “You’re so brave and super strong for a woman.”

  Jules told Marty about the woman they’d met at the restaurant after the dolphin rescue, Yvonne. He bragged about Jennifer’s trip with his friend, Shinji, and the work she’d done on the dig site. Jennifer flushed as Jules went on and on about how heroic she’d been in both instances.

  “We have enjoyed her company so much,” Jules said. “Both my wife and I will miss her! I do hope you and your crew know what a treasure you have.”

  Marty nodded. “Jennifer is an extraordinary woman with many skills. We will make sure to take care of her. Alice is taking her to the hospital tomorrow, to continue her treatment.”

  “We have letters from the two archeologists she helped on the dig site to help her get into school,” Eeva said. “Jules suggested that you might be able to contribute another.”

  “Of course,” Marty said.

  Jennifer shook her head in wonder at such a “mom” thing for Eeva to suggest. Tears pricked her eyes at the acceptance of these people and how they treated her like a daughter.

  They spoke for a while longer before Jules and Eeva rose to leave. They both hugged Jennifer tightly and asked her to call or email them every day.