SECRET SALVATION

by Chad Josey

  Even Gary, with his potbelly, seemed to be extra svelte in appearance. For Heinrich, he was having difficulty hiding his excitement in his suit as he admired the curvaceous sisters in theirs.

  To say his farewells to everyone before they left, Gabriel met them one last time inside the building. “Wow, you all look great.”

  Everyone was unsure if Gabriel was sincere or faking his excitement.

  “I wanted to say it has been my honor getting to know you. Some of you, we’ve worked together for a very long time… others only the past few weeks.”

  All the passengers looked around at each other as Gabriel spoke.

  “But you each bring something special to Salvation. And, I’m proud to know I played a part in recruiting you all to ensure the survival of the human race.”

  Gabriel’s speech fell on deaf ears. Shock overcame everyone. The moment surreal… this was about to happen. Everything they had known was getting ready to change forever.

  A voice came over the speakers inside the building. “Please proceed to the platform as we will prepare for the final countdown to launch.”

  With the announcement, each person filed by Gabriel, shaking his hand. As Joe and Mary passed, Joe gave Gabriel a firm handshake, while Mary gave him a tremendous bear hug.

  “I feel like I’ve known you for several years… are you sure there’s no way for you to come to Salvation?” Mary asked Gabriel to the surprise of Joe.

  “Mary, I’ll miss you too. But, like I’ve told you all before, I’ve accepted my role. My joy is recruiting those who have gone before you, and those coming after you.”

  Mary smiled at Gabriel.

  “And, don’t worry… in my time remaining here, I’ll live pretty damn well.”

  After shaking everyone's hand, Gabriel led them to an elevator. The platform to the module entrance is seventy meters up.

  As the elevator doors closed, Gabriel disappeared from their view. The eight passengers stood inside, alone together.

  They ascended to the platform. The elevator stopped. An open-air platform awaited them as the doors opened. A technician greeted them and pointed the way inside the living module atop the rocket.

  One-by-one, each passenger entered. The upside-down orientation and the curvature of the module meant most had to climb into their seats. Joe and Mary sat beside each other opposite from the entry door.

  The technicians secured each person in their seats. Air escaped from the locks inside the helmet as a technician fastened it to the flight suit for each passenger.

  A shock-absorbent plastic housing protects the top, sides, and back of the head with a bullet-proof-glass face shield. At both ears, noise-canceling microphones and speakers allow for crystal-clear communication inside the helmet.

  From the viewpoint of the person inside, a holographic image projects onto the glass for video communication. A miniature, high-definition camera points to their face inside their helmet.

  A new set of technicians entered the living module. Their task is to connect various monitoring sensors to the outside the passengers’ flight suits.

  During the flight, the flight crew monitors the passengers' vital signs to Salvation. This ensures the Foundation's precious cargo remains safe and secure.

  The technicians worked to complete their tasks. Joe and Mary held hands across the space between their seats. The fabric of their gloves prevented them to feel each other.

  In the flight module linked above the living module, Amy, and her crew, went through their pre-flight checklists. The flight crew comprised Captain Amy, her co-captain Alison, and her navigator Antwan. Besides navigation, Antwan monitored the passengers’ vitals during the flight.

  Sensor readings came online as the technicians connected each passenger. Antwan checked the first sensor’s readings, which appeared on his computer from Gary, followed by Lin Wu.

  Each passenger's previously collected records provided a baseline. As the reading appeared, Antwan compared them against the baseline.

  All the readings so far, appear to be within the acceptable tolerance levels. This is surprising considering none are trained astronauts and they are about to experience blast-off.

  Every reading was normal… until Antwan read the vitals coming from the last person the technicians had connected.

  “Uh… Flight Control, I am reading an anomaly in the readings from Passenger Seven. Can you please send a technician back inside? Have them double-check the sensor hookups,” Antwan said into the microphone inside his helmet.

  “Everything okay over there, ’Twan?” Amy asked.

  “Something didn’t seem right with one reading. I’m sure it’s an improper connection to the suit.”

  The eight passengers sat secured in their seats. Each scanned around at their fellow travelers.

  Two technicians re-entered the module. They started with Gary to double-check his sensor connections followed by the other passengers.

  Joe and Mary held hands while turning their heads to the other. They could not hear anything.

  The flight crew only activates the microphones inside the helmets once out of the Earth's atmosphere. This prevents all the voices coming over everyone’s speakers at the same time. This forced Joe and Mary to mouth simple words to each other.

  The technicians finished checking the sensors connected to Heinrich’s suit. Next, they checked Joe’s, pressing each sensor ensuring a proper connection within the suit. The technicians checked Mary last before exiting the module.

  “All connections are confirmed properly in place,” a technician said via the speakers inside Antwan’s helmet.

  “Roger. Thank you,” Antwan said through his microphone.

  Antwan continued through his pre-flight checklist, re-starting his review of everyone’s vital signs. Passenger One is within tolerance to her baseline readings, as were the others. Antwan stopped again at Passenger Seven as he saw the same anomaly as before.

  “Captain, uh… you need to see this. I’m getting the same readings.”

  “Roger. Push the readings to my screen.”

  Amy pressed a small button on the side of her helmet. The readings from Antwan appeared as an image inside her face shield. She reviewed the readings from Passenger Seven.

  “Antwan, am I seeing what I think I see here?”

  “Yes, Captain, I believe so.”

  “Hold on,” Amy said as she turned on the intercom microphone inside Passenger Seven’s helmet.

  “Mary, this is Amy. I need you to check something out for me.”

  “Um… okay,” Mary said startled to hear the Captain’s voice in her helmet.

  “Your suit… nothing feels loose anywhere does it?”

  She let go of Joe’s hand and moved her arms and legs in her seat. “Um… no. It fits tight, but I can still move my arms and legs with no problems.”

  “Do you see the sensor pad in the center of your chest?”

  “Um… yeah. It’s clear and round?”

  “Yes, that’s it. Use your hand and press down on it to make sure it’s tight against the suit?”

  Mary followed Amy’s instructions and pressed against the clear, plastic disc on her chest. The wireless sensor was secure.

  “I pressed down as hard as I could on it… is everything okay?”

  Several, silent seconds had passed.

  “Yes… uh… yes, Mary, everything’s okay,” Amy said through Mary’s speakers.

  Joe waved at Mary to get her attention. He mouthed the words, Every… thing… okay?

  Mary mouthed in return, I… guess?

  “Captain, what should we do?” Antwan asked.

  Amy reached in front of her, turning on the microphone to the Flight Command Center. As with the past flights of his recruits to Salvation, Gabriel sat inside the center to watch.

  “Flight Command…. we have a problem with Passenger Seven,” Amy said into her microphone.

  “Go ahead, Captain?”

  “Passenger Seven appears
to be experiencing an anomaly. We’ve double-checked the sensors, but we’re still getting the same readings.”

  “What anomaly are you incurring? Over.”

  “Passenger Seven seems to have a problem in her heartbeat readings,” Amy said.

  Gabriel overhead the conversation with the Captain. He leaned over the shoulder of a technician in the Command Center as he confirmed the readings.

  “Can this be right, Captain?” Gabriel asked into the technician’s microphone.

  “Sir, we’ve checked the sensors, and this is showing the correct readings.”

  “Hold on, Captain. We’ll check with Salvation Command to determine how they wish to proceed.” Gabriel’s voice cracked as he spoke.

  “Roger.”

  Launch Site, 1:19 p.m.

  THE FLIGHT CREW atop the rocket on Launch Pad Number One continued with their pre-flight checks. However, all three became distracted for their concern with Mary, Passenger Seven.

  “Go ahead, Gabriel; this is Salvation Command. Over,” a voice said through the speaker system inside the Flight Command Center.

  “We are sending you the vital readings from Passenger Seven. We have confirmed that they are correct and need to know how you wish to proceed.”

  Given the distance between Earth and Mars, a time delay exists between return radio responses. Due to the elliptical orbits of both planets, at their closest point, the time delay is three minutes. At their farthest, the delay is twenty-two.

  Fifteen minutes later, a different voice came over the speaker system in the Flight Command Center. This voice was deeper, more authoritarian. It was the voice of the Leader at Salvation.

  “Gabriel, continue with the flight as scheduled. We will make the proper arrangements on our side to take care of her upon arrival.”

  Receiving his orders direct from the Leader himself, Gabriel reached for the technician’s microphone. “Captain. Gabriel here.”

  “Go ahead, Gabriel.”

  “Amy, we spoke with Salvation Command. You are instructed to continue with the mission. Take them to Salvation.”

  “Say again, Gabriel?”

  “Take them to Salvation, Captain. You have your orders.” His voice was stern.

  “Yes… yes, Sir.”

  Antwan shook his head in disbelief at what he heard. “Captain, but we’ve never—”

  “Antwan, we have our orders.”

  On the computer terminal in front of Antwan, he switched to Mary’s heart readings. He made a manual entry into his computer. The anomaly required an update to her baseline information.

  Antwan typed: Passenger Seven - heartbeat at 85-bpm & heartbeat number 2 at 107-bpm.

  Launch Site, 2:01 p.m.

  THE PASSENGERS SAT secure in their seats. Each experienced an elevated heartbeat with the anticipation for lift-off.

  For five months, this moment had been a fantasy for Joe. Now, he faced the surreal reality of sitting upside-down, seventy meters in the air on top of a rocket.

  Why the hell did we have to board so early if all we will do is sit here?

  A video played inside the helmets on their face shields to help calm everyone during the flight crew’s final pre-checks. The same image of a man appeared to the passengers.

  The man wore a form-fitted suit like those of the passengers, making him look muscular. His salt-and-pepper hair provided the indication of his advanced age. To Joe and Mary, his face seemed familiar, but neither could place where they may have seen him.

  Inside their helmets, passengers heard the man as he spoke, except for Mary. Her audio did not work as she only saw the man’s lips move.

  “Hello. Welcome to Salvation. You are about to depart on a life-changing adventure… not only for you… but for all mankind.”

  As the video played, Joe and Mary continued to hold hands across the space between their seats. They faced each other, focused on the man speaking.

  Mary mouthed the words, I... can’t... hear... anything. Joe did not notice Mary as the man held his full attention.

  “Soon, you will arrive here to Salvation. You each will play an important role to ensure humanity lives on. I am sure when we approached you to join; it seemed unbelievable. But, based on your actions on Earth, we have chosen you to join us.”

  Mary’s hand squeezed Joe’s through their gloves. Joe shook her hand to get her attention from the video as Joe understood her nervous signal.

  She glanced at Joe. He mouthed, Mary… I love you… it… is… okay.

  Her smile was bright within her dark-tinted face shield. Her grip loosened reassuring Joe, Mary was fine. If only someone could reassure Joe.

  The man in the video continued. “When you arrive here in less than a month, I will personally greet you, then. But, let me be first, now, and introduce myself…”

  Joe’s attention became laser-focused on the man filling Joe’s field of vision. Finally, a sense of peace overcame Joe by putting a face behind the mystery eluding him who was in control at Salvation.

  “… I am the leader here at Salvation. Everything that happens here comes through me. My name is Jacob, and I am pleased to meet you.” The leader smiled a wicked grin. “I will see you all very soon.”

  With his introduction, the image of the man disappeared from everyone’s screen. The flight crew still had deactivated all the microphones inside the passengers’ helmets. Blast-off is less than a minute away.

  With the image gone, Mary closed her eyes. She whispered a prayer to herself.

  Mary felt Joe’s hand tremble like hers did earlier. She opened her eyes and focused on Joe’s face inside his helmet. Mary had not remembered a time his hand had shaken from nerves before.

  Joe was visibly agitated by the introduction of the man. He squirmed in his seat attempting to get loose from his restraints. With less than thirty-seconds until blast-off, the Captain locked everyone in place as a safety measure.

  With his free hand, Joe tapped the side and top of his helmet in a failed attempt to activate his microphone. Mary knew Joe was not okay. She squeezed his hand hard until he calmed down and focused his attention on her.

  Inside the living module, the walls and seats roared vibrating underneath them. The seventy-meter-tall rocket came to life. Engines fired. The sound was incredible.

  However, inside the passengers’ helmets, everything was quiet. The noise-canceling speakers block-out ninety-five percent of all ambient sound.

  A strange, calm silence enveloped their heads. In contrast, horrific sounds surrounded their bodies coming three-hundred feet below.

  Joe and Mary made eye contact. Joe attempted to mouth something to Mary.

  Mary tried to understand what Joe was saying. The violent vibrations and knowing what was about to happen prevented her.

  An electronic countdown played over the speakers in everyone’s helmet: twenty-seconds… nineteen… eighteen…

  With each passing second counting down in reverse, everyone’s heartbeat skyrocketed. The two heartbeats beating within Mary did as well.

  Seventeen… sixteen… fifteen…

  Joe never wavered. He continued mouthing the same words over-and-over to Mary. It was impossible for Mary to understand. Her seat vibrated side-to-side as if a large giant was outside shaking them like a toy.

  Eleven… ten… nine…

  Mary mouthed back to Joe in frustration, What?

  Five… four… three...

  “Mary, please understand what I’m trying to say…” Joe said out-loud inside his helmet. No one could hear him.

  Two… one….

  The vibration turned violent smacking everyone in their seats. Their bodies became three times their normal body weight due to the gravitational forces of lift-off.

  Mary gave up trying to understand Joe. She closed her eyes so tight she saw her red blood veins within her eyelids. Inside her helmet, a constant guttural scream emerged from deep within her lungs; heard by no one.

  All eight passengers’ heads bounc
ed and bobbed as the rocket climbed. Joe closed his eyes. He displaced the shear reality of what was happening by replaying the man’s voice introducing himself in his mind.

  Jacob… Jacob… Jacob Bishop?

  The rocket continued its climb. The blue skies of Earth darkened into black space.

  A savage jolt ricocheted throughout the living module. The rocket below them ejected the connected modules forward to Salvation.

  A strange silence and calm filled the inside of the living module considering the mayhem of the last-minute. Joe and Mary resumed their focus onto each other.

  Joe continued to mouth words Mary did not understand. The only thing Mary heard was silence.

  What appeared as silence to Mary was quite the contrary. Inside Joe’s helmet, he no longer just mouthed the words… he screamed them.

  “He is my father! He is my father!”

  End of Part One

  Epilogue

  “DR. BISHOP, THE NEXT SAMPLES are complete. How should we proceed?”

  “Send the results to my computer.”

  Joe stood at his corner workstation in Wing B of Salvation Station 4 reviewing the numbers from the lab staffer. He compared the latest data set to the previous fifteen samples.

  “Not again,” Joe rubbed his hand against his forehead, “I can’t figure out what is happening.”

  The lab staffer stood next to Joe. “Dr. Bishop, I followed the new testing protocol you established. Do you think we should perform the next test on the latest patient?”

  Joe paced the lab. Light steps long had replaced his once heavy gait on Earth. The latest testing protocol required the magnetic floor, meant to provide a sense of gravity within the Salvation compound, turned off within the laboratory. An unknown source of the anomalies in Joe’s samples had frustrated him for weeks.

  “Let me think about it. I’ll review the past sample runs when I get back from my meeting with the Leader.”

  Joe grunted as he returned to his workstation to collect his reports. Why is the decay rate speeding up in the cell samples?

  “While you’re gone, Doctor, I will cleanup the sample stations.”