by A. Bernette
“This isn’t good Stella. I want to see something.”
Stephen pulled out his other memory microdot and opened up his analysis on where earthquakes were projected to happen and the impact on population.
“Look at this Stella. If we just continue doing exactly what we are doing, we could make this whole area of Southern Liberty unlivable. That would mean everyone living here would have to relocate. That’s one of the most urgent area. It’s showing a lot of activity.”
Stephen moved the images and panned out to the southern hemisphere and then the globe. “But it’s not the only area with some scary activity happening. There are hot zones everywhere and the northern tip of Southern Allegiance may also be at risk, but there haven’t been as many reports.”
“What’s that?” Stella said pointing to a region near the Northern edge of Southern Allegiance.
“It’s another hot zone possibly,” Stephen said before pointing to other areas dotted around the map projected of the world.
“And do those colors show the population density?”
“Yeah, the darker the color, the more people. When you put it all together you’d have to relocate nearly half of the world’s population to keep them from being swallowed by an earthquake or swept away by rising water levels. Or even burned alive from volcanoes.”
“Do you even think these other areas could handle twice as many people? We are already living on top of each other,” Stella questioned.
“No, especially since some of those areas are where we grow a lot of our food,” Stephen said as he panned out on the map.
“What are we going to do about that? And there are still the holes in the ground? What about where all that waste is going?” Stella asked looking over Stephen’s shoulder at information she only partially understood.
“I don’t have the answers for those questions, Stella. What I found when doing my models was that people would need to move closer to the center of continents, away from where existing fault lines are and where volcanoes are. Those are the highest risk areas. That type of population movement is not easy. It would mean a lot of work for The Relocation and Population Management Division, the World Consensus, and Regions to relocate what amounts to billions of people over a matter of a year or two,” Stephen said as he continued to click on population files.
“How do you even build residences that fast for that many people?” Stella asked.
“It would be very difficult. The cost alone would probably bankrupt the government and that would be bad for UniCorps and its members. They won’t like that solution. Anything else and… well,” Stephen looked down at his hands, choosing not to continue.
“What happens if the people aren’t relocated Stephen?” asked Stella with hesitation.
“Do I really need to say it Stella?” Stephen stood up and started pacing.
He needed to talk to someone who would be able to help him figure this out. He thought of Marco again. Then he thought of his rude call and realized he needed to talk to him anyway and maybe even apologize.
“I think we should talk to Marco from Southern Allegiance. You know the one in my Science in Life class? If anyone knows how to open some of these restricted files, he will know how. I’m going to make another copy of the data on this microdot and put it somewhere safe. Someplace no one else will even think to look.
“Where’s that?” asked Stella before realizing she already knew. Stephen looked at her and knew she knew.
Stella looked at her watch and realized most of the time their time had already passed. “We probably need to get back and let someone see our faces. Someone is going to start looking for us and then start asking questions.”
“Why don’t you head back and I’ll be there as soon as I’m done. Then you come back and I’ll sneak out again so we can finish.” Stephen gave Stella her jacket and opened the door to let her out.
When Stella slipped back in the side door to the great hall she did it with grace, sliding along the wall with the hopes that no one had spotted her. She was allowed to leave and come back if she wanted; after all, she was almost sixteen. She also knew it was better and easier with no questions.
She saw her mother talking in one group and her father across the room talking to another. They seemed to be having fun.
“Good,” she thought. “The world may be ending, but let’s eat, drink, and be merry. For tomorrow we just may die.”
Chapter Eighteen
Racing
Santoria, Southern Allegiance
“Get back here! Now! Marco! I said get back here. It is….Errr!” the woman, Teresa Garcia, paused, waving a helmet. “You are going to get yourself killed and when you do, don’t blame me!” she slammed the door in frustration.
Marco looked back with a grin and zoomed around the side of their unit. He darted around the corner and then around another before coming on a long stretch of road.
Out here he could breathe. Even with the residential towers lining the street, he felt free when the wind was in his face and his hair. He could feel the ground beneath him and knew he was kicking up tiny pebbles and dirt as he rode through the streets. The helmet was just one more thing to get in the way of him being a free man.
Almost a free man, at least. That didn’t matter though. What mattered was that Alexis had invited him over and he wasn’t missing his one chance to see her before she went back home and back to school. Alexis had finished school early and gotten a jump on college. She’d even decided to take a special camp course in science and technology in Santoria that Spring break. Otherwise, he wouldn’t get to see her for several more months.
He would have been at University with her already if he had taken his final year, last year, seriously. Instead, he still had three classes to finish and only two had been available that year. He was hoping for a summer school miracle on the last credits he needed.
As he was turning into Alexis’s residential building lot, his watch beeped. He stopped his bike and checked to see who it was, hoping it wasn’t Alexis canceling, again. It was the goof from Antarctica. He had not forgotten that Stephen had called him just a couple days ago, waking him out of a dead sleep to say absolutely nothing.
He wasn’t letting him ruin his night. Not that night. He let the call go. Once off his bike he stopped by the front doors of the sky rise building built in a smooth silvery grey finish to check his reflection in the glass. It was another repurposed hotel like so many others. He fixed his uniform jacket and hair and flashed a smile to check his perfect teeth. Satisfied that he looked good, he pulled the door open.
“Name?” the security guard asked as soon as Marco walked into the building. “And which unit are you going to?”
“Marco Garcia. Alexis Murray-Cruz in unit 14-4. Please.”
“Identification.” The security guard held out his scanner to read Marco’s fingerprint for registration. “Have you been cleared already as a secure visitor Mr. Garcia?”
“I’m guessing I have. I was here a few months ago and even before that. I’m pretty sure you were the one who checked me in both times,” Marco said trying to mask the irritation in his voice. He wanted to go up before Alexis had a chance to start the fun without him.
The security guard seemed to be taking forever to add info in his tablet before hitting the button to call Alexis for approval to let Marco come up. Marco peered over the desk and grinned when his screen flashed from red to green.
“You can go on up now. Elevators are out of order, but you can take the stairs,” the guard said sitting back down behind a desk and pointing through the lobby to a rear door.
Marco turned and began walking quickly towards the stairs, just past the elevators. He was pushing the doorway to the stairs when he heard the ding of the elevator doors opening and saw a woman step off. He looked at the security guard who had a smile on his face.
The guard chuckled at Marco. “Sorry. I thought they weren’t working. Didn’t want you to get stuck.”
Marco ran back over to the elevators to try and catch the doors before they closed. He just missed them and shot the guard another look. Waiting would still be faster than climbing the fourteen flights up. He pushed the up button and stood, uncomfortably as the security guard kept looking up with an annoying smile on his face, mocking him.
His watch started beeping. He looked at it and saw that it was Stephen, again. Not tonight. He wondered what was suddenly so important.
The elevator dinged again as it arrived in the lobby. Marco sent the call away and jumped on the elevator once an older couple exited. He took advantage of the mirrors that served as the elevator walls. Now he could see himself well enough to really fix his windblown hair and check between his teeth before stepping off.
Once at the fourteenth floor, Marco stood taller and walked down the hall a few doors to unit four. He placed his index finger on the scanner beside the door and it turned green and sounded the doorbell.
“Hold on, I’m coming!” Alexis called out a few seconds later. Inside the unit Alexis was hurriedly stuffing clothes into the closet and throwing away paper plates and cups. Several minutes passed before Marco finally heard her click the lock and pull the door open slowly.
Marco stepped inside and gave her a huge hug. He’d missed her over the past three months since their last break. She grabbed his hand and pulled him back to the bedroom. He could tell she was excited. Her parents were gone for at least a few more hours so she had the unit to herself. They could really have fun and hopefully not get into any trouble.
Marco took off his button down shirt and threw it on her bed, leaving just his uniform t-shirt underneath. They both walked over to the desk where they pulled up two chairs and sat down in front of what Marco considered his dream computer setup. Alexis had a system that was so fast she could get the advantage over him every time when they did the code and upload race.
Tonight they were planning to hack into the science division of the Southern Allegiance Region’s conservation and preservation unit, where reports from the seismologists were sent each month. Alexis wanted to go for the World Consensus science division but Marco didn’t want to get into trouble internationally. Besides, it was supposed to be just for fun. That was what they kept telling each other. There was no need in completely risking their freedom for what boiled down to a game.
As para-adults they could get into a lot of trouble and get her parents in trouble. If they were caught it could mean being prosecuted by Southern Allegiance and sent for behavioral modification. Their parents could be punished by being fined and imprisoned.
Marco stretched his back and shoulders and shook his fingers as he readied them for the race. His attempts to impress Alexis were met by her laughter. She knew him well enough to know his stretching was only so she’d notice his muscles. Alexis wasn’t sold on Marco as more than a good friend. He was smart but unfocused and too arrogant, at least for her taste.
“Are you ready?” she smiled.
Marco looked at Alexis and said, “Let’s do this.”
Alexis began entering code on her computing system and Marco did the same. They would try to get in two different ways, and hopefully confuse the Southern Allegiance system. Since the funding from private organizations and the support staff available through UniCorps, the World Consensus, and the regions had first class talent in their programming departments.
It was all part of the challenge and the fun. Alexis mumbled as she worked. She couldn’t stand losing or giving up. It just wasn’t in her nature. Marco couldn’t stand the idea of losing to Alexis. That was no way to impress her and losing wasn’t part of his vocabulary.
“Hey, I just thought of something. I think I met a girl at camp this week who you might know. Her name is Stella. She’s got a twin brother. Do you know her?
“I might. Do you know her brother’s name?” Marco asked not slowing down a bit.
“Soren, Sle, Stephen. Stephen! They live in Antarctica right now. Who the heck lives in Antarctica? Ever?”
“Ha! Yes, I know him. We take an online science class together. He actually called me today when I was on my way up here. Small world. What’s his sister like?” Marco asked trying to sound nonchalant.
“She’s nice. She’s got pretty, big hair. What I’d do for hair like that! Why?” Alexis looked at him out the side of her eye with a raised eyebrow. Her fingers never stopped moving.
“No reason. Just wondering. Normal question.” Marco paused and looked at what appeared on his screen. “I think I’m getting close. I think we are almost in. We’re gonna need you to work your magic next. I hope you are ready over there.”
“Don’t worry, big shot. I’ll be ready,” Alexis teased back.
Marco’s watch started beeping again. “Why do you have that thing with sound on? So annoying…and distracting,” Alexis moaned.
“Speaking of the devil. Well, I guess in Antarctica it’s too cold to be the devil, but it is Stephen. I’ll call him back when we are done. It’s the third time today. I wonder what’s going on?”
Marco had barely glanced at his wrist, not wanting to slow down and miss the pace Alexis was setting. After the repeated calls he was becoming curious about why Stephen was trying so hard to reach him.
“Hmmm. Maybe he forgot what his work was for the break and figures you’ll have it. Don’t know why anyone would think you’d have it, but …” Alexis let her voice trail off and let the thought dangle. She never left him alone for slacking off in school.
“Are you almost ready? Do you have everything up over there? I’m about to go for the migration so our systems talk to each other for the breaking of their password key. Remember, it changes every seventy-five seconds. Get ready with the passwords and the key. One. Two. Three. Boom!”
Alexis hit a button and the screens began mirroring each other with code and data flying between the two as if they were talking. Marco and Alexis were silent, waiting for the confirmation that they had gotten through the password so that the system could match the correct key. Then they’d be in. This time, they would get what they were coming for.
“Come on. Come on. Hurry up. I thought you said you had one of the fastest systems, Alexis!” Marco charged irritably.
“I do. Faster than yours for sure. Their system’s faster and probably five times as expensive, so don’t get pissy with me.”
“Wait. Wait. Ha! We’re in baby. We’re in!” Marco exclaimed and turned, giving Alexis a kiss on the lips. He surprised both of them as they both leaned back and got back to their own seats.
“Okay…well… you’ve got nice lips but I’ve got work to do. Let’s get in and get out. Fast. You sync the files under 10-86 and I’ll do the UP1K file.”
Alexis and Marco started synchronizing the folders when Marco’s watched beeped again. Alexis rolled her eyes at him.
“It’s him. Again,” Marco said with a shrug before accepting. “Hey, what’s up? What’s the emergency?”
Stephen looked blank for minute trying to think of where to begin. “Do you have a minute Marco? Oh, I’m sorry about the other day. I wanted to talk something over with you but had to get my thoughts together better first. Is now a good time?” Stephen felt desperate and he was sure he sounded that way too.
“I’ve got a couple of minutes but I am in the middle of something. What’s up? Oh, before you start, you’ll never believe this. My friend Alexis met your sister Stella at camp this week. Crazy, right?”
“Yes that is a coincidence. Did you hear that Stella?”
“Wait,” Alexis chimed in, “Stella’s there? Put her on.”
“Hold on,” Stephen said, walking away from the view. A moment later he returned. “I’m back. Stella’s here.”
“Stella! Hey it’s me. Alexis. Such a small world!” Alexis grabbed Marco’s wrist, pulling it closer so she could talk.
The moment Stella heard Alexis say her name, she bumped Stephen out of the way so she could get in view.
“Oh my god! Alexis
! How are you here? I thought you were going back to Australia,” asked a confused Stella.
“Long story. You know my dad and stepmom are here and since I avoided really being here much all week, I’m here for now. I leave tomorrow morning. They are much too in love for me.”
Stella was about to say something when Stephen nudged her and interrupted. “I know the two of you want to talk, but we have something more important to talk about. Stella and I need to talk to Marco, privately.”
“Alexis can stay on Stephen. She was my roommate this week at camp. I trust her and she might be able to help us.”
Stella felt certain that the four of them being there was no accident. “Besides, we don’t have much time. The party is going to be over soon and you know mom and dad will be coming by before heading to bed.”
Stephen nodded accepting Stella’s logic.
“Okay. You both have to swear yourselves to secrecy. Do you swear that you will not speak of or share this information with another living soul outside of the four of us? Sharing it with anyone could result in death,” Stephen threatened.
“Stephen! Stop being dramatic. Just promise you won’t tell,” Stella said shoving her brother.
“I would rather not know anything that may actually cause me death,” Alexis complained.
“You can leave now then if you want to Alexis. There will be no hard feelings,” Stephen said firmly.
Stella rolled her eyes. “Just start talking Stephen,” she said nervously.
“I need them to promise they won’t share this information first. Do you both promise?” Stephen said, remaining firm.
“Yes. I promise,” Marco said anxiously.
“Fine. I promise too,” Alexis gave in. She was curious about what could be so important.
“You probably both know our parents work down here on a project funded by the science divisions of World Consensus and UniCorps. They do a lot of different things in monitoring, collection, analysis, climate monitoring, ecological systems, and engineering. The ARC is its own little world, in a way. We’ve recently started more detailed tracking of things like tremors, earthquakes, volcanoes, fault lines, and ocean life and following those trends to understand them better. They have access to data that goes back longer than we’ve been alive and have other historical data from even further back. It’s a lot of data,” Stephen said before pausing.