by JN Chaney
Instead, Ross came to Mara with a different plan—a plan calling for her to die. Her death, in turn, would create a power vacuum, which Bishop would undoubtedly attempt to fill.
If Bishop did what she and Ross predicted, then the entire city would finally see how power hungry the colonel truly was.
It would be their chance.
There was a knock at the door. Mara flinched at the sound, but soon relaxed, reassuring herself that she was, after all, expecting company. She glanced at Ava, who was still asleep. “Ava,” she whispered. “Wake up.”
Ava stirred, opening her eyes. “Hm…?”
“Someone’s at the door.”
“Oh,” she said, gently rising to her feet. “Let me see who it is. Get ready to hide if you have to, dear.” She went to the door and peered through the looking hole. “It’s Ross, pretty as ever.”
“Correct,” said the captain from beyond the panel.
“Her ears are impressive,” said Ava. She opened the door and Ross hurried inside.
“Sorry I’m late.”
“How did everything go?” asked Mara. “Did the teacher agree to help?”
“About that,” she said. “I didn’t get around to telling him about you. Sorry.”
“Oh,” said Mara. “So what did you tell him?”
Ross started to answer, but stopped and went back to the door. She opened it and signaled. “Come inside,” she said. She looked quickly back at Mara. “I hope you don’t mind, but I brought him here to see you.”
Ross stepped aside. A man appeared behind her. Mara recognized him from his picture. It was Henry Nuber, the one-armed teacher from the academy. “You brought him here?” asked Mara, a little shocked. It was unlike Ross to do things without consulting her. “I thought all you were going to do was talk with him.”
“Aren’t I right, Henry?”
Nuber stared at Mara, then Ava. “That depends. Are you finally gonna explain what the hell is going on? Why’s the damned matron here?” He blinked at Mara. “You’re supposed to be dead, lady.”
“You’ll excuse me if I don’t apologize for that,” said Mara.
“So what happened?” Nuber asked. “The assassination attempt failed? Did he miss?” He looked at her stomach. “I don’t see any blood, so he must have.”
“We knew he was coming and prepared for it. Captain Ross here was able to procure a bulletproof vest from the armory, along with some other protective things.”
“Okay, so ignoring Ross’s unprecedented skills for thieving, how did you know you were being targeted?” He looked at Ross. “And why couldn’t you tell me about this instead of bringing me here?”
This time it was Ava who spoke. “The answer to both of those questions is the same, I’m afraid,” she explained. “Your commander.”
“Bishop? What about him?”
“He hired the man who tried to kill me,” said Mara. The words lingered in the air.
Nuber hesitated before answering. “This is ridiculous. Ross, tell me you aren’t buying into this. Bishop might act like an idiot sometimes, but he wouldn’t try to murder anyone.”
“It’s true,” said Ross, bitterly. “I overheard the colonel with my own ears. You might not want to believe it, Henry, but everything you’re hearing is the truth.”
“But I’ve known the man for twenty years!”
“So you know better than anyone,” said Mara. “Bishop is a determined man. He’s spent over a decade planning for a very particular future—climbing the ladder, making alliances, starting the program. He’s dedicated his life to this dream of saving the world. Don’t you think he’d kill to protect it?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “Maybe.”
“Look at his recent decisions,” said Ross. “The way he’s endangering those students on the surface. He and Archer justify the risks, saying they’re necessary. You know as well as I do how careless it all is. How long before he kills the rest of them?”
“You think he’s capable?” asked Nuber.
“The bullet he bought for me is proof enough,” said Mara.
“But why would he kill you? Why take the risk?”
“Because I disagreed with him,” she said, bitterly. “And I was loud as hell about it.”
Chapter 18
Private Audio Exchange
January 07, 2347
ECHOLS: What do you have for me?
ROSS: Not much, I’m afraid.
ECHOLS: Not much seems better than nothing.
ROSS: Depends on your outlook.
ECHOLS: I’ll pretend to be an optimist for a few minutes, if it helps.
ROSS: The team’s moved beyond the range of the towers. We’re still getting the occasional signal, but it’s intermittent and doesn’t last long. The farther away from us they go, the worse it gets.
ECHOLS: How often are you getting something?
ROSS: Right now? Every two to three hours. The gap will only grow as they continue moving north.
ECHOLS: I guess it could be worse.
ROSS: Pretty soon it will be. Our technicians are estimating we’ll lose them for good in less than twelve hours. Once we do, we’ll be completely in the dark. The clock is ticking.
ECHOLS: We’d better move quickly, then. Are you certain you can do this?
ROSS: Yes, ma’am. Henry and I are standing by on your orders. We’re ready.
ECHOLS: Alright, do it. It’s time we showed our hand.
End Audio File
January 07, 2347
The Surface
“How’d it get like this?” asked Terry, as he walked alongside John and Mei. The city was before them, though still a few miles away. “It’s like a bad dream.”
“Nature’s taking it back,” said Mei. “Without people around to fix it, everything they built fell apart. The more time goes by, the more it’ll break down. Eventually there won’t be anything left.”
“I thought Variant did it,” said John.
“Variant doesn’t hurt inanimate objects, dummy,” she said. “It only goes after living stuff. You know, animals and plants…those kinds of things.”
“So…?”
Mei sighed. “So once the Jolt killed off everybody, no one was left to take care of the city. No more maintenance.”
Sarah shifted uneasily. “It’ll be a wonder if it doesn’t collapse right on top of us.”
“I don’t think we’ll have to go all the way in,” said Mei. “The map says Cole’s not far in.”
“That’s not so bad,” said John.
“How do you figure?” asked Sarah.
John gripped his rifle, pulling it close to his chest. “We could be unarmed,” he said. “Going into who-knows-what with nothing but our fists and wits to protect us. Think about that.”
“Some wits are less useful than others,” said Mei, rolling her eyes and smiling.
“That’s why they built me big and tough,” John said, smacking his chest. “Someone’s gotta protect you little geniuses.” He nudged Mei’s shoulder. “Right?”
Mei grinned. “Right.”
“We’re almost there,” said Roland. “The map shows an entrance through the tunnel. Our target’s on the other side. Not far, though. We’re in and out, understood? No sight-seeing this time around.”
Most of them nodded. John shrugged.
They continued walking on the road toward the city, which was fast approaching. They’d be there soon—within the hour, probably. “Won’t be long,” said Alex, who was walking beside Terry. “Yep, not long at all, now.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Terry.
Alex stopped and looked at him. “Well, we’re all gonna die for starters.”
“Geez, Alex,” he moaned. “Why would you say something like that?”
Alex laughed, and the sound of it turned Terry’s stomach. “You’ve never seen these things,” he said. “I barely survived the first time.”
Terry held his rifle closer. “Well, we’ve got weapons this time.”
“Mid to long range rifles,” Alex corrected, “and you’re about to walk into a confined tunnel. I’m sure it’ll work out great for everyone.”
“You’re acting like we didn’t train for this.”
“Realism versus optimism,” Alex said. He clutched his side and coughed. “You’re all idiots if you think those rifles will keep you alive.”
“You’ve got a better idea?”
“You mean other than not going in there?” he asked. “Nope. There ain’t no point to any of this, you’ll see. They’ve sent us here to die.”
“What are you talking about? You’re not making any sense.”
Alex laughed again. “They know what I know,” he said. “They see how strong we are. Every time we went into the chamber, we got stronger. We got faster. We were better. You thought they didn’t notice, but they did. And it scared them. They didn’t need to send you idiots up here after me. They did it because you’re dangerous. We all are. Don’t you get it, Terry? If we’re so perfect, if we can live up here without them, it means they’re useless. They can’t give up the power. They’re afraid of you.”
Terry tried to bite his tongue, but he couldn’t stay quiet anymore. “You’re talking crazy, Alex!” The words fell out of him before he could stop himself. “It’s absolutely insane. Listen to what you sound like!”
To Terry’s surprise, Alex didn’t flinch. He was totally calm. “Say the words all you want, but you know I’m right. Deep in your soul, you know it’s all true. We’re not going back, not even if we make it out of that tunnel, not even if we get all the way to the elevator. They won’t allow it.”
“Don’t you even care if Cole’s alive?”
“He’s not,” said Alex. He continued walking.
“How do you know?” asked Terry.
“Because I know,” said Alex, without looking back.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
But Alex didn’t answer.
Terry felt a surge of anger, but he swallowed it and clenched his fist, digging his nails into his palm. Alex always complained, always pushed the rest of them to fail. He didn’t care about anyone, not even Cole. Every word out of his mouth was hateful and mean. He only cared about himself.
Still, some of what he said rang true. It’d be tough to maneuver in the tunnel with rifles. There was no getting around it. But they had to try, didn’t they? Even if Cole were dead, even if they didn’t find a trace of him other than that chip, it didn’t mean they shouldn’t try.
Terry spotted a rock on the ground and stepped on it. The stone let out a loud crunch and fell apart. Terry’s foot went straight through the rock and hit the ground, nearly tripping him. He slid his foot to the side, and saw only a pile of dust remained.
As the wind picked up, the ash of the rock filled the air and floated out, dissipating. Terry slid his foot back across the pile of sand, kicking up more of the dust, and then again. The rock must have been so brittle and hollow, so lifeless and empty, that all it took was a little outside pressure to break it down.
But Terry shouldn’t have been surprised. The land was either dying or dead. Why not the rocks, too? Even the air was gone. Even the sky.
So much for moving on. So much for a revival. Could anyone ever hope to turn the clock back now? Was it really possible to reverse a single ounce of it? Maybe Alex was right. Maybe the world had moved on.
Terry kicked the ground hard, and he watched as the last fragments of the stone scattered its guts far and away into the afternoon winds—the same winds that carried Variant, the disease that filled up the sky and had become the most hated thing in all creation. The ashes of the stone rose and danced around him like a cloud of gray steam, hovering gently, momentarily, until they finally disappeared, as though a great, invisible hand had come and guided them away.
*******
The collapsed tunnel stood before them like a monster, filled to the brim with shadows and debris. Empty cars lined the inside, crammed so closely together that it was a wonder any of them had made it as far as they did. Quite a few of the cars had crashed, undoubtedly due to the overwhelming sense of panic the drivers felt to flee the city, as though leaving could actually save their lives. The traffic appeared to be jammed far into the tunnel.
Terry wondered what all those people must have thought as they watched the sky turn into a hellish purple and crimson hue, and they were completely unable to comprehend the meaning behind it all. It must have been the most terrifying sight any of them had ever seen, and it was only the beginning. Soon, the gas would surround them all, rip the oxygen right out of their lungs and quickly replace it with fire.
Terry knew exactly what it felt like, the same as any of the other students.
Out of everyone who had died to the gas, out of all the rest that hadn’t, only Terry and his classmates had gone through death and come out the other side still breathing. They were the only ones who could possibly understand what any of these people had endured.
That was why they lingered now before the wreckage of the tunnel, before the ancient piles of metal tombs.
“I wonder how many there are,” muttered Mei.
“Must be hundreds,” said Sarah, setting down her pack. She got the radio equipment out. “Maybe more, depending on how far it goes.”
Terry sat on the ground and examined his pad. He went over the map. The tunnel stretched beyond the limits of the pad’s sensors so there was no telling how far it extended. It didn’t really matter, though. Sixty-seven yards beyond the entrance, the wall had collapsed, blocking them from their goal.
Alex shrugged. “Doesn’t matter how many there are.”
Mei glared at him. “You would think so…”
“It’s true,” he said. “A hundred cars or a thousand…it makes no difference. The Jolt didn’t stop at the end of this tunnel. It killed everyone all over the planet. A hundred or a thousand—what’s it matter how many died in this little spot? Why waste your time sitting here all quiet when the rest of the world’s no different?”
“It’s out of respect,” Mei said.
Alex snickered. “None of them can see you. None of them care. Dead is dead.”
Roland pushed through the two of them. “Enough,” he said, walking to one of the cars. He examined it for a moment, reached into his pack, and pulled out a flashlight. He shined it on the nearest wall, then followed the wall as far as he could before the light disappeared into the dark. “We’ll have to find a way around. At first I thought we could find a way through the rubble, but with all these cars in the way, I’m not so sure.”
Terry continued examining the map. The closer he zoomed, the more detailed the tunnel became. There were several rooms adjacent to it, and they were all connected by hallways and smaller tunnels throughout the infrastructure. He searched for the closest access door.
“So we’re leaving?” asked John.
“There’s bound to be another entrance” said Roland.
“Do you have any idea how far it is to the next tunnel?” asked Mei.
“It’s our only option,” said Roland. “We have to follow the mission. There’s no other way.”
“Actually, there is,” said Terry.
“You just don’t like the idea of giving up,” said Mei. “We could turn around now and head home, but you’d rather we kill ourselves than go back. Am I right?”
“Of course not, but we’re not giving up.”
Mei grabbed her pad and shoved the screen in Roland’s face. “Have you looked at the map? It’ll take us a day to reach another tunnel!”
Terry stood. “Guys?”
“Or maybe you don’t like hearing my ideas,” said Mei. “You tried ignoring me when I said we should change the route Central gave us. You wouldn’t even listen to me until Sarah told you to. This is the same thing.”
“Stop whining,”
snapped Roland. “If there was another way, don’t you think I’d consider it? But all you’ve said is we should give up. That’s not a plan!”
“It’s better than blindly going in there and risking our lives!”
“Shut up!” snapped Terry. “Shut up, both of you!”
Everyone looked at him, their eyes wide with surprise.
“I found a way in, okay? Stop yelling at each other for two seconds and I’ll show you.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Sarah.
“There are maintenance tunnels connected to this one. Look at your pads.”
“I saw those already,” said Roland. “None of them connect to where we are.”
“Not all the way out here. You have to look closer. There’s an access door about a hundred feet into the tunnel. See? It’ll take us all the way around. It’s faster than the alternative, don’t you think?”
“It’s not a bad idea,” said Sarah.
“How do we know those rooms are even safe?” asked Roland. “The pads can only show what’s in front of us. Those old tunnels might not be there anymore. We’d be going in blind.”
“All true,” agreed Terry. “But it’s still better than the alternative.”
“If things get hairy, we can always go back,” suggested John.
Roland seemed to consider this. “You’re sure the tunnels lead to the other side…to where we’re supposed to go?”
Terry nodded. There was a long pause.
“Fine,” said Roland, finally. “But everyone stays close together, and I don’t want to hear any arguments when I give an order.” He looked at Mei. “Do we understand?”
Mei stared back at him.
“Everyone understands,” assured Sarah.
“Good,” he said, turning to face the tunnel.
Sarah continued unpacking the radio gear. “I’m almost done with the equipment.”
“Can we really reach Central from way out here?” asked John.