Out of Darkness (Unclean Evolution Book 4)

by LC Champlin

  Albin chuckled.

  At that moment, Amanda emerged from the hall. She brushed her wet hair back from her forehead. “Good morning.” She stopped in surprise when she saw the proceedings in the kitchen. “Albin? You didn’t have to cook. Wait, are those two troublemakers helping? How did you manage that?” she laughed.

  “It’s the rule,” Denver responded with solemn dignity, looking over her shoulder as she hugged the bowl of batter to her chest.

  Albin merely smiled at Amanda’s incredulity.

  ++++++++++++

  June 5, 2016—

  Sophia followed Interstate 25 north. Only a few vehicles joined the Escape on its journey. Mountains passed on the left, dark against the blue sky, hulking in the distance as if biding their time to conquer the land.

  Nathan glanced back at Birk, who kept a nervous watch behind them. “Doctor, what’s this about LOGOS preparing for the ‘final phase’?”

  The researcher maintained his vigil as he replied, “The initial phases of the project didn’t turn out like they wanted, but they’ve finally gotten the control system to a point where they can take the last step.”

  Brows raised, Sophia shook her head. “Last step where, over a cliff?”

  Nathan smirked. “If we push them, perhaps. Where is this test going to take place? Or didn’t they tell a lowly researcher such as yourself?”

  Birk shot him a glare. “It’s at the ‘holding pen’ in Denver: the Broncos stadium. They’ve quarantined tens of thousands of infected subjects there. The government is using a number of arenas like this, but the Sports Authority Field is the biggest in Colorado.”

  Sophia frowned at the road ahead. “What, are they going to open the stadium and let them out? That’s not very creative.”

  “Weren’t you listening? I said they were ready for the next step. Technologically ready. They’re going to try a new technique. The cannibals in the stadium will act as the test group. LOGOS has conducted smaller trials, which were successful, but this will be the biggest. Think of it as the final phase in pharmaceutical FDA approval: large-scale human-subject trials.”

  A new technique? “Are they doing another lay-down?” Memories of the military aircraft roaring over the Bay Area made Nathan’s stomach clench.

  “Eh?”

  “A lay-down. It’s—”

  “I know what a lay-down is. But when—”

  “They used one when they attempted to reprogram the cannibals. Is the agent what they’ve perfected, or is it the radio-frequency pattern?”

  Apparently satisfied that none of the vehicles behind them would begin firing on the Escape, Birk slumped back into his seat, his dull gaze on the sky ahead. “You think you know everything, but you’re still in the Middle Ages compared to them. I don’t know if you read many of my messages in the pictures—”

  “Your journal entries?” Nathan raised a brow. “I read them all. The nanomachines were what convinced me your ramblings were worth the time.” How would the Good Doctor respond to that revelation?

  Birk gave a wry smile. “Good, I don’t have to do remedial with you. LOGOS is using the nanites to form networks in the brains, as I’m sure you know. The geniuses at LOGOS rewired the networks to pick up satellite signals, much like your phone can pick up GPS. It’s rudimentary, but it’s there. Given time, they’ll form a better receiver, located primarily in the divide between the left and right hemisphere. The one they have now is only implantable via surgery. Not very handy, you’ll agree. Anyway, the network’s branches go to all major portions of the brain.” He fanned his fingers. “The nanites are made of the host’s biological matter, which is a massive breakthrough. The body won’t reject them, because it sees them as part of itself. The engineered viruses alter cells’ DNA to enable them to manufacture graphene for the neural network.”

  Sophia grunted. “How do they—”

  “Graphene is carbon, one of the building blocks of life.”

  “Incredible,” Nathan murmured. “CHNOPS.” The acronym stood for the six most important elements in biological molecules: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur.

  “Very good,” Birk congratulated. “However, the exact how would be a waste for me to explain since you two lack the doctorates necessary to understand.”

  “Mind control?” Sophia looked at Birk via the rearview. “You gotta be kidding me.”

  “It’s not mind control. It’s stimulating or depressing portions of the brain.”

  “Like in those videos where they put an electrode in a frog’s brain and its leg twitches?”

  Birk chuckled. “Look who was awake during Biology 101. The LOGOS version is much more advanced, of course.”

  “But just as destructive,” Nathan observed. Images of the corpse on Ken’s dissecting table came to mind. The frontal lobe had turned porous and brittle like a stale hamburger bun. Nathan wet his lips. “I’ve seen the frontal lobes of people who have the contagion. It’s like a lobotomy: it also destroys their ability to think, feel emotions properly, and generally be human.”

  Birk looked at his hands, clasped in his lap. “It affects the amygdala, too.”

  Sophia picked up, “That’s the fear center, right? That must be why they show no fear.”

  “Fascinating,” Nathan breathed, settling back into his seat. If they could achieve technological feats of this magnitude, where did their powers end?

  “I’m not sure how we can stop them,” Birk added.

  Sophia wore a confident smile. “Leave that to us.”

  “Oh boy,” he groaned as he rolled his eyes. “Now that the A Team is on the case, nothing can go wrong!”

  “We can always take you back,” Nathan suggested.

  “Haha. That’s hardly a credible threat.”

  “Care to try me?”

  Chapter 56

  Self-Guided Tour

  Mountain Sound – Of Monsters and Men

  Breakfast finished, Albin slipped on his shoes before heading for the exit. Fresh air would do him good. He bypassed the others, who had gathered in the living room.

  Denver hopped up from her seat beside her mother at the breakfast bar. “Are you going out? I want to come.” She bounded to his side.

  He turned to raise a brow of question at Amanda. She nodded, offering a half smile. “Go on.”

  “Me too,” Taylor added, leaving her seat.

  Denver rolled her eyes. “Copycat.”

  “Am not.”

  Albin stepped into the passage, the siblings on his heels. They did not rank as the quietest of exploration partners, but they would do.

  “Are we still going to New York?” Denver asked as they set off toward the central shaft.

  Taylor gave her sister a scathing look. “Where else are we going to go? We’re out in the middle of nowhere.”

  “Yes and no,” Albin responded. “We are at the center of an important location. We are among the very few people who have entered a self-contained bunker community.” Though he could not admit it to the girls, the circumstances surrounding their new situation could not possibly qualify as a coincidence, even if coincidences existed.

  “Who lives here?” Taylor produced her smartphone and consulted the bunker’s application.

  Denver leaned over for a look. “There are a lot of houses or whatever you call them. Are the people actually here? Don’t they get bored? And why are they here anyway?”

  “They think that they can survive the end of the world,” Taylor explained, returning the phone to her pocket.

  “But if the world’s over, why do they want to be here?” Denver looked from her sister to Albin. “They should be figuring out a way to go to space or something.”

  Albin gave the siblings a slight smile. “Perhaps they are. But I believe they assume subjects will still remain for them to govern. If not, they will fight amongst themselves and establish a hierarchy. Humans always find something to rule.” A rule they
inevitably abused.

  Denver opened the brochure to the map page. “Ooh, look.” She pointed to a section as they entered the central courtyard. “There’s supposed to be a greenhouse. There’s an atrium too. It’s on an upper level, so I guess it can get some more sunlight. How do they get the sunlight in here?”

  “Let’s find out.” Albin inclined his head toward the elevator.

  As the trio proceeded toward it, Albin studied their surroundings. No security cameras appeared evident, but they could easily film from concealment. Secreting them around the courtyard would require little effort.

  The explorers rode the lift up four levels, then trekked toward the greenhouse. A passage like those on the lower floor—arched, with beige stucco walls—carried them to their destination.

  Albin’s card unlocked the door. He led the way inside. Ahead stretched beds of greens. Hydroponic in design, the greenhouse could produce a considerable amount of plant matter. Some plants sprouted from stacked shelves or PVC pipes. The facility resembled the massive greenhouse in Epcot. Light, as he pointed out to Denver, came through solar tubes in the ceiling.

  The trio toured the garden, with the girls ranging ahead.

  As he followed an aisle back toward the entrance, Denver and Taylor returned to his side. The younger Muster pursed her lips is she looked about at the vegetables. “Can we go outside? I want to see the horses.”

  “Can we?” Taylor asked, looking up at Albin.

  “I see no reason why we should not.”

  They took the elevator to the surface level. The doors opened on the garage, which lay empty. Albin led the way out the service door. After checking that it would not lock, he held it open for his traveling companions.

  They meandered down the dirt driveway, past pastures. Beyond the white fences grazed horses with rippling muscles and gleaming coats. The colors varied, from roan to chestnut to black. Quarter horses predominated, but Arabs also made an appearance.

  A silver dapple mare and a palomino gelding grazed near the fence. As the humans neared, the horses looked up. Albin stooped and pulled a handful of grass from the side of the fence post. He held the blades out to the palomino. Nickering, the horse approached.

  “Hello, boy,” he greeted the horse. “My apologies, it’s just grass,”

  This did not seem to bother the beast, for it accepted the gift as if Albin had presented a sugar cube. He stroked the velvet-soft muzzle.

  Oohs and aahs emanated from the girls. They attempted the offering of grass with similar success.

  Albin stood back as the sisters enjoyed a moment of normalcy. They had endured much in the last few weeks, including the loss of their home and their way of life. On the surface, they appeared to cope well, but how would it affect them in the long run?

  “I see you found your way out.” Max Kingston approached, grinning.

  “You have beautiful animals.” Albin nodded to the horses.

  “Thank you.” Shoving his hands in his duster pockets, Kingston halted beside Albin, attention on the sisters. “Here.” He produced two apples and handed one to each girl.

  After quick thank-yous, they proffered them to the beasts.

  Kingston watched with approval. “Your daughters seem to be enjoying themselves.”

  “Ah, they are not my children.”

  “Oh, sorry. That’s what I get for assuming. Is Amanda—”

  “We are friends.” Albin’s gaze remained on the horses.

  “Got it.”

  “Mr. Kingston,” Albin shifted topics, “how is locating transportation proceeding? I attempted to reach one of my contacts by satellite telephone, but I could not. Have the authorities contacted you?” Another call on Albin’s part seemed warranted.

  “We’re working on it, don’t worry.” At the last word, Kingston slapped Albin on the shoulder, drawing a flinch. “You’re in good hands. We won’t leave you high and dry.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “You’re free to walk around the ranch, but don’t go too far off the property. It’s fenced in, so you don’t have to worry about mistaking where the boundary is. We don’t want to lose you if we have transportation that needs to be taken advantage of quickly.”

  Albin gave him a sidelong glance. “Of course. We are grateful for your hospitality. When the banks reopen, I will see you are compensated adequately.” If the banks reopen, a doubtful voice murmured in the back of his mind.

  Kingston frowned. “I was serious when I said not to worry about that. Well, I have to get back to work. Enjoy your time.” He sauntered off.

  Denver continued stroking the mare’s nose. “Albin, are we going to be okay? Are we ever going to be able to go home?” She looked over her shoulder at him, meeting his gaze fully. Beside her, Taylor also looked to him for answers.

  His jaw clenched. He did not lie to children or to animals. He had broken this Conrad commandment once and regretted it. “I will do what I can to ensure we reach safety. I can guarantee you nothing, however. Everyone, and that includes you both”—he looked each in the eye in turn—“must do his or her best to assist in that end. The time will come when we must choose between comfort and duty.”

  Taylor turned back to the horse. “That’s like what Dumbledore said about choosing between doing what’s right and what’s easy.”

  “The difficulty comes in knowing what is right,” Albin remarked.

  “Is that why you said duty?” Denver regarded him, brows knitted.

  “Our standards define us, and from our standards comes our duty.” Given time, perhaps they would understand his words.

  Chapter 57

  Paranoid Realities

  Ends of the Earth – Lord Huron

  Albin and the Muster sisters left the horses and continued on their tour. They passed outbuildings and stables.

  As they reached the last structure, a garage, the odor of cigarette smoke tainted the mountain air. By habit, Albin turned to find the source of the pollution so he could level a glare at the offenders. Four men in jeans and wearing matching blue-plaid shirts under grey jackets loitered around the service door. They wore revolvers in leather holsters on their hips.

  “Are those cowboys?” whispered Denver.

  Taylor elbowed her. “Don’t stare, Den.”

  “I’m not!”

  “Why are they dressed alike?”

  The men filed into the windowless garage.

  After a few moments, Albin started toward the building. No sound emanated from it. He motioned for the siblings to wait as he went to the door. A card reader like the ones beside the lift in the bunker occupied the wall beside the entrance. Swiping his card caused a green light to appear on the reader. After taking a breath, he pulled the barrier open.

  A freight lift waited before him. A railing guarded three sides, while a gate opened on the fourth. The far wall hosted a rollup garage door. The lift must lead to the community below.

  Albin returned to the girls. “There is a lift inside. An elevator,” he clarified as they wore blank expressions.

  Taylor withdrew her smartphone. “Wait a minute. The elevator isn’t on the app.”

  Albin produced his brochure. The map listed it as Freight Lift. A large oval of grey shading surrounded the location and bore the words, Staff Area. It came as no surprise that a facility such as this would employ armed guards and claim a large restricted sector.

  “What other differences are there?” He held the brochure map beside the screen.

  Denver put her head to one side as if the angle would offer her a clearer understanding of the image. “This.” A line ran from the group of home bunkers out toward the ranch in the northwest. Evacuation Route. Several other tunnels connected to the ranch, but their origins lay outside of the image’s borders. A circle with an H within occupied an area beside the ranch. A helipad?

  Albin turned the brochure over. A careful study showed the last update occurring approximately one
year ago. The landlords had since thought better of the detailed map, evidently.

  “This is all cool,” Denver began, doubt edging into her voice and making the but that followed no surprise, “but I think it’s really weird, too. It feels . . .” She shook her head, then shuddered.

  “Creepy?” Taylor supplied.

  “We should try to meet some of the people here.” Denver looked up at Albin for approval.

  He nodded. “At the least, we should learn who lives here. It may prove enlightening.”

  But first, he should explore the lift. A small portion of his mind balked at the idea of trespassing. Creeping about the employee-only passages bordered on paranoia. However, in days of strife, one did well to suspect everyone and to investigate every location that might pose a threat. At the least, one should hold to the peacetime precaution of finding alternate exits. Ah, perfect cover for this investigation.

  “Come.” Albin led them back the way they had come, past pastures and horses, to the garage and its lift. There he escorted them to their accommodations. The rest of his companions had vanished, except for Amanda, who waited for her daughters to return.

  “Mom!” Denver ran up to her, eyes and grin bright. “They have horses! Come see.”

  Amanda laughed, the first time she had done so in thirty-six hours. “All right, all right. You can show me the horses.”

  Taylor glanced at Albin for permission to speak, but he shook his head. “Amanda, where are Marvin and Josephine?”

  “They’re exploring the rest of the building, or campus, or whatever you call it.”

  He lacked the time to search them out. While their assistance would prove useful, he did not require it.

  “I will walk with you to the horses, shall I?” he offered.

  “All right.” Smiling, she and the girls stepped out the door he held open for them.

  The quartet took the lift to the surface level. When they exited the garage, Albin drew closer to Amanda. “We discovered more than horses on our excursion. There are locations listed on the brochure that are not listed on the mobile application.”