The reality I was bearing witness to changed before my eyes. As one scene faded another one came into view. Naxum Research facility was built into Cyrus Mountain. It took over twenty years to build but when finished was one of the most secure facilities in the world. A parameter fence surrounded the mountain. There was one entrance gate which led to a set of blast doors at the base of the mountain.
No one was allowed within a mile radius of the mountain. What I was witnessing I had never seen before. Thousands of people piled up in front of the main gate. I could hear the screams and cries from people begging to be let in. The military police stood behind the gate and in their towers, rifles aimed towards the crowd. In the distance a military transport vehicle sped its way towards the gates.
I knew that despite the promises that the military could destroy the meteor the fact that I had been taken from my home told me that was not the case. The man who picked me up only identified himself as Richard and confirmed my identity before rushing me into the car. I asked if I could call you, David, but they told me the base was on lock down. As we approached the base I saw the massive crowd of people screaming to be let in. I felt horrible knowing I would be spared and all those people would die.
In a flash of light I could see the inside of the vehicle. Clara sat clutching a small bag staring out the window at the mass of people. A dark haired man in a military uniform I did not recognize. I had never seen him before. He was shouting at the driver. I could see that it scared Clara even more.
“We have to move!” Richard yelled. “We’re out of time. Driver, if you have to run them down!”
“No!” Clara cried out. “They are frightened just like me. Isn’t there something you can do? Isn’t there room for these people?”
He told me the facility was created for a specific number of people. In the case of an attack or disaster the facility would seal itself and there would be a specific amount of food and water. It did not make sense to me, how could they know how long they would need to be locked in? What did they know about the meteor that they were not telling me or anyone else?
I could not answer her questions even if I knew how to. No one I knew had any information beyond what the scientists and military brass were telling us. At that time I had no idea the meteor was close to hitting earth. They locked out all access to terminals and video feeds. I knew something was wrong, but there was nothing I could do.
“This is impossible, sir.” The driver said as the crowd began to swarm around the vehicle. “We can’t make it though these people. They are going to tear us apart.”
“We’re out of time.” Richard said. “We need to move to site two.”
I screamed at Richard demanding to know what was happening. What did he mean we were out of time and what was site two. The people outside were attacking the car, they were screaming at us trying to get in. The driver slammed on the gas taking the car in reverse. My God, David, I could hear the people being crushed under the car. I could feel it.
“I’m sorry, Miss Livingston.” Richard said. “What has been reported about the meteor was incorrect. The data shown to the public was modified. The meteor is much closer than what was said. Some who have access to telescopes had already realized this, but as we control all long range monitoring devices we were able to keep much of the public unaware.”
“Unaware of what…?” Clara asked.
I knew the answer before Richard spoke. The military never had a plan to evacuate its citizens. The research facilities built around the world were to protect specific data and specific personal. While there were several it would not even hold one half of one present of the population. It made sense why no one was told of what was happening. The military was making a half-assed attempt to secure the families of personal working at the facility, but they knew if they told the men and women stationed there the true dire circumstances there would be a breakdown. They needed us functioning and doing our jobs, so they lied to us.
He told me everything. The meteor was tracked long ago and was never on a collision course with earth. When they discovered its trajectory had changed they scrambled to come up with a countermeasure. When it was clear there was nothing they could do they began preparations to save and salvage what they could. They called you in David knowing what was to come. It was then that I realized that you didn’t call me because you couldn’t. Either you did not know exactly what was happening or you did and were prevented from calling.
As we sped away from the facility Richard told me that there was a chance we could make it to the temporary site created while Naxum was being built. He told me the meteor would not reach earth’s orbit for another hour. I thought about you and how it could be years before we could see each other again when there was a flash of light. It was blinding, covering everything. The driver lost control I could feel the car spinning off the road. I was about to die and all I wished was that I could see your face one last time.
4
Factor Twelve was the name given to the original research facility built just five miles away from Naxum Mountain. Originally the facility was created to test various technologies for the Alliance military. It was an underground center and much smaller than Naxum Mountain. While in the military, Luis told me about all the weird things they worked on down there. I did not believe most of it. He claimed they were working on a solider enhancing program and various energy weapons. The only story I confirmed was that the militaries interactive holographic matrix program originated there.
The last story I heard about Factor Twelve was when it was shut down just before Naxum Research opened. According to Luis the military was trying to create a soldier that could absorb any energy source and use it to increase his strength and agility among other things. Luis claimed that all humans could do this and that we had a power inside of us that could be awakened. That is what they called it, The Awakened Project.
The facility was shut down after the project failed. Supposedly they took five soldiers to use as test subjects, all but one died and the one that survived went on a rampage. Luis said the facility was sealed to keep the soldier from escaping and after he had killed everyone his body exploded destroying most of the facility. Of course the military denied any of this and it just became a rumor. It was well known that the military tried a number of things to keep the tide of the war turning in their favor. I guess in the end it was not so much that I could not believe it, but that it did not matter anymore.
When Naxum came online Factor Twelve was sealed and could only be opened by specific personal with a high security clearance. What Clara was telling me was that someone had opened the old center and was using it as a backup bunker. I still could not remember anyone named Richard or why the military would send him to collect Clara. What weighed most heavily on my mind was the fact that she was out there fighting to survive while I was trapped beneath Naxum. I hated the feeling that was coming over me. I rather her had died instantly than to be subjected to what she was telling me. By the feelings I could feel coming off of her I knew her story was far from over.
I did not feel anything, David. The light had blinded me and then, nothing. Then, I could feel someone pulling at me, but it was like being awakened from a deep sleep. Slowly I could hear him calling out to me. It was Richard. Opening my eyes he had pulled me from the vehicle. As my vision cleared I looked up at the sky. David, it was horrible. The meteor had been shattered and thousands of pieces were hurdling towards the earth.
When the meteor was struck our sensors went off line. We lost all communication and could not see or speak to the outside world. By this time we had been confined to quarters as many of the men and women there demanded to know what had happened. I knew exactly what had happened. One of the scientists was a friend of mind and told me about energy detection in space headed towards the meteor. Unfortunately that information came too late as by then I had no way to reach Clara or anyone else.
Angry and distraught I could only think about Clara and what
I had left her to. Many of the others did not know what had happened but were able to guess. Some were grieving knowing their loved ones were dead. Others were angry at the military for keeping them in the dark. We sat locked in our rooms for over twelve hours. When the door to the room finally opened many of the soldiers rushed the door ready to attack whoever was to come through. In an instant the room went from a loud ruckus to a dead silence. I looked up from my bunk to see everyone just standing still staring towards the door. I stood up to see who it was, that was when I saw General Davalos.
Richard helped me to my feet. The vehicle had spun of the road into a ditch. I must have been knocked out, my head was killing me. Richard put my arm around him and we began walking out into a large field. It was then I remembered the driver and turned back to look for him. I could see him slumped over the steering wheel. Richard just looked at me and then continued on towards the middle of the field. I did not know where he was taking me. I didn’t see any doorway or opening to a bunker.
In the center of the field was a large bolder. Richard stopped just in front of it and asked me if I could stand. I nodded and looked up towards the sky. It was like something out of the bible, David. Pieces of the meteor were streaming through the skies like shooting stars. I could see the smoke and fire in the distance. I knew millions if not more would lose their lives and I did not know why. Then there were my thoughts of you and what was going though your mind. In my heart I believed you were safe, but I could not be sure. I wanted so much to run back and try to get to you again.
Richard screamed my name startling me out of… well, I don’t know what happened. I looked at him and for the first time saw a look of fear in his eyes. Then I saw it, in the reflection of his pupils a fragment of meteor had hit the facility. I spun around screaming out to you, the impact caused a blast wave that was headed towards us. Richard was yelling something but I could not hear him. I felt him pull on me and I fell backwards. Only then I realized the bolder was the entrance to the bunker.
Inside Richard pressed a button on the wall sealing the door. I could hear the wave blow by and fell down to my knees crying. I thought you had been killed David. The impact was directly on the entrance. I just sat there crying, wishing I was with you. Then I felt Richard’s hand on my shoulder. He whispered to me that he was sorry, but we were not yet safe.
I was caught between two memories, my own and the one Clara was showing me. Everything she felt I felt. I was drowning, unable to separate them. Her thoughts were intertwined with mine as if she were accessing them, reading my memories while I was watching hers. That day the meteor fell, everything changed. Clara and I were less than a mile from each other, we believed the other dead and were both going through hell.
Richard helped me to my feet. I could barely stand. My will to live had been taken from me in that blast. Even the part of me that hoped you survived was pushed down with thoughts that even if you did, we would never see each other again. What I saw outside in that sky was the beginning of the end. What I saw when the piece struck the mountain was the end.
There was not much said as Richard led me down a small set of stairs to a large elevator door. He pressed a red button and a voice came over a speaker above our heads. The voice was from a man, he sounded young and frightened. His voice was trembling as he asked us to identify ourselves. Richard gave his name and service number. Immediately the young man’s voice changed to one of relief. The doors to the elevator opened and we stepped inside. There were no buttons to press there. The elevator began its decent on its own. After a few moments Richard began talking to me.
“I’m sorry.” Richard said softly. “You need to know something. You need to know the truth of what I did.”
I didn’t understand what he was getting at, but his tone; it was as if he was guilty for what had happened. He looked at me like a prisoner repenting for his sins before execution. I don’t remember saying anything to him. I was still in shock and my mind was not right. After a pause he swallowed deeply and started talking again.
General Davalos was made head of Naxum Research soon after it opened. The job was to have gone to General Pierce who was head of Factor Twelve. The official story was that Pierce retired, but Luis believes he was forced out because of the incident with the Awakened Project. The little I knew of the general was that he was a war hero and a scientific genius. Most people believe it is impossible to be as strong and as smart as General Davalos was, but he was living proof they were wrong.
He did not look like a scientist, tall and built like a tank with a squared jaw he was almost action figure like in his appearance. He spoke like a commander in the heat of battle, but every world he spoke was well thought out. It was him and his team that helped to discover the new energy source and was tasked by President Gardner to work on the Global Science Initiative. General Davalos respectfully turned it down wanting to return to his work with the military.
I only personally talked with the general twice. Once was when I began my job at Naxum, the second was after Clara’s parents died. He took notice of my distraught and spoke to me for almost an hour. I respected him for that and looked upon him kindly ever since. Pretty much everyone respected General Davalos except the few who were loyal to Pierce, they were soon sent packing.
When I saw the general walk through the door I no longer respected him. He knew what was happening and would have had to sign off on keeping everyone in the dark about what was going on. Everyone else was trying their hardest to respect the man and the chain of command. I did not care anymore.
“You coward…!” I yelled rushing towards him from my bunk. “You knew they would die and did nothing, said nothing. We could have saved them!”
A group of soldiers held me back but I could see they did so reluctantly. It was then I noticed he had come alone. There were no military police or guards of any kind. The barracks had cameras and he would have known how angry we all were and yet he came down there to address us alone. The general just looked at me and then panned over the crowd.
“I am not going to blame what happened on global command.” General Davalos said sternly. “The meteor the science teams were tracking was on a collision course with earth. The order was given to secure specific citizens and personal in the bunkers. This was kept from the public and from you. This facility can only support a specific number of human beings. Therefore, we were unable to bring anyone else into the facility.
What you need to know is the meteors course was changed. As of yet we do not know who is responsible, but we do know it is not any of the remaining factions on earth. Just as the meteor entered earth’s orbit it was struck with something powerful enough to shatter it. However, the blast only broke the meteor into smaller pieces which rained down upon the earth causing massive damage and casualties. One of the pieces struck this facility trapping us inside. We have teams working on a secondary exit, but we need your help. You have two choices, stay here and think about what you have lost or help us dig our way out so we can avenge those who were killed.”
General Davalos was always one to tell you how it was and accepted the consequences. I am sure many of the people there wanted to stay in their bunks and grieve, but we were soldiers and as such you fight first and grieve later. It was not that easy, it never is, but that is what we did. Nobody stayed behind. I had a job to do and that would have to keep my sadness at bay. Once the job was done it would be hatred and anger that would take over.
Just as Richard was about to speak the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened. I stared ahead in disbelief of what I was seeing. There were all the military families, our neighbors David. They were all huddled in a small storage room. The young man ran up to the elevator, he looked no older than nineteen. He saluted Richard and nodded at me. The room was small, no bigger than our living room. At the far end of the room was a massive steal door. At first I thought that they were waiting for us before they would go further in. Richard could see by the look on my face that I had m
any questions and turned to me to answer them.
“I first want to apologize for lying to you.” Richard said. “I am, was, with Naxum Research. My name is Captain Richard Dixon. I was transferred to work under General Davalos head of Naxum Research only a few weeks ago. I will cut to the chase. We knew about the meteors change of course and measures were taken to preserve human life, but only specific people. You and the families of the military personal of Naxum Research were not among them. I fought and eventually pleaded with command to do something, but was rejected.
Once it was clear nothing would be done I took it upon myself to save as many people as I could. I found the records on this facility and used my access to gain entrance and then began rounding up the families. You have to understand once your husband entered Naxum he could not leave. They told him nothing and kept him in the dark. Only now is he realizing what happened and most likely believes you are dead.
This facility is far enough underground that it will protect us from any further impact, but that is all it can provide. I did not have time to gather many supplies and this room is the furthest we can go. That blast door head of us has been sealed and cannot be opened. There was an experiment that went wrong and contaminated the entire facility. We are safe from it here but this is all we got.
There may be hope, since it appears the meteor was broken apart, but that hit at Naxum Mountain created a blast wave that has caused unknown damage. In a few hours I will take the elevator up to see if we can leave.”
I couldn’t believe what he was telling me. After the service the men and women of the military had given, after all the lives loss in the war, after all the sacrifices made by their families. In that moment I hated the military, the government, everyone. You had told me so many stories about your time in the service, what happened to your country, your grandparents. I understood it would be impossible to save everyone, but what they did was inexcusable.
Life-After Page 5