They all watch as jets fly east toward Denver. Soon after they see the jets drop a payload of napalm on the city, which sounds an explosion and sends it up in flames. Three more jets scream overhead and follow in the release of napalm on the city. They jump back into the truck and speed away and back to the house.
Chapter 21
John sits with his family under the massive sunlight lamps, enjoying the peacefulness while making sandcastles with his kids. He thinks to himself how it almost feels like the real sun. He wonders how long they will have to stay in the Ark to be out of danger and safe. The country has taken a turn for the worse, and it sure seems like it’s not getting any better.
Will they be down here for days, weeks, months, or maybe even years? Can they survive down here for that long? Has he and a handful of others thought of everything to survive for an extended period of time? What if the builders or the engineers or what if even he himself made some sort of miscalculation or misjudgment somewhere along the way? Maybe they didn’t even choose the right materials for the Ark. The threat of nuclear attack aside, what if the Ark doesn’t even last or if everyone involved just plain screwed up!
John sits there getting more and more nervous with every thought that enters his mind. There are a lot of people’s lives at stake, including, most importantly, his family’s. Sweat trickles down his forehead, and he’s not sure if it’s from the sunlamps or his stress level rising. He is second guessing every move he’s made pertaining to the Ark, and his sandcastle begins to crumble.
Erica looks up from her sand wall she’s building and furrows her brows at her father. “Daddy, what are you doing? You’re ruining the sandcastle. Now we’re going to have to start all over.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. Daddy’s just got a lot on his mind, that’s all. Here, why don’t you start over without me, okay? Daddy’s got some work to do.”
He stands up and brushes the sand from his pants and steps out of the sandbox. He kisses his kids each on the head and walks over to his radio sitting on the bench. He presses the button for Adam, and his face appears on the screen.
“Yes, sir? What can I do for you this afternoon? Would you like an update on the Denver and Boulder situations?”
“No, no, updates every few hours is fine. Right now I want you to get the operations manager and meet me in the recreations area as soon as possible. We need to go over a few things.”
“Copy that, sir. I’ll get Sasha, and we’ll meet you down there in about thirty minutes, okay?”
“Copy.”
Just as John lowers the radio, he sees Stacy and Bill walking briskly in his direction. He’s pretty sure this is going to be about Maggie and how to help her, considering it would be about the tenth time.
“Stacy, Bill, how are you two holding up? I haven’t heard any new news on how she’s doing, and as far as I know, nothing has changed in her situation. She and her friends are still safe and sound in the bunker. Last time we spoke she was going to meet with the military that was moving into the area, so they should be very safe.”
Stacy lowers her head and lets out a deep breath. “John, now, I know you worry about our little Maggie just as much as we do, so I don’t need to reiterate how worried we are about our little girl. But damn it, John, we just can’t stand around and do nothing while our little baby is out there and in danger! We’ve got to do something, John. We’ve got to go out there and get her. Damn it, it’s the only way!”
“Stacy, now you know that’s not possible right now. We just don’t have the means or the intel to be going out on a rescue mission. Now, that doesn’t mean that it’s not being thought about because, on the contrary, it most certainly is. Let’s just say the wheels are in motion, and we’re working on a way that we can retrieve her and her friends in a safe and effective way. But it’s not that easy, and it’s just not possible right now. That bunker they’re in was built to withstand a massive attack and enable her to outlast any prolonged duration of time down there. She’s got enough food and water for her and her friends to last for over a year. So try not to worry so much, okay? And rest assured I’m working on getting her out of there.”
Stacy grabs his hands and begins to cry. “I know you’ve got it under control, John. You’ve done wonders for all of us by building the Ark; I won’t question that. But you have to understand how it feels when your only daughter is out there in harm’s way. It just tears my heart out. So, please, whatever you have planned, just please do it as fast as possible so we can go out there and rescue her from the evil that surrounds her. She might be safe for now, but we don’t know how long that will last. So I just want my baby back home safe and sound, that’s all, and I’m willing to do anything and everything it takes to make that happen.”
“I know you will, Stacy, and you know I will too. Like I always say, sis, that girl is like a daughter to me, and I will do everything possible to get her back here safe and sound. You have my word.”
They both hug and cry a little, wiping their tears as they let go. He looks up to see Sasha and Adam walking toward them.
“But, hey, I’m really sorry, sis. I hate to have to leave you like this, but I’ve got some things I have to take care of. And try not to worry; I’ll be sure to update you guys on the situation as soon as I can. You’ll be first to know. But for now, just have faith that God is watching over her and keeping her safe. And our prayers are the only thing that will help with that.”
“I know, John. I know, and I pray every day. Thank you, and I love you, little brother.”
“I love you too, sis, but I don’t want you to worry so much, she’ll be alright. She’s a smart, strong young woman, and she’ll make it through this just as we will.”
John hugs Stacy again and then Bill. He wipes the tears from Stacy’s face and smiles at them just as Adam and Sasha slowly start to walk up. Stacy and Bill give a smile and nod and walk away.
John shakes both Sasha’s and Adam’s hands, and they start to walk. “Thanks for meeting with me. I appreciate it under such short notice, and, you know, for the fact that we just spoke a couple hours ago. But a lot of things have been on my mind lately, so I want to learn about the basic diagnostics and monitoring of all of the systems within the Ark. I’m pretty confident in the security details I’ve been receiving from Adam, so Sasha I need for you to just walk us through the day-to-day operations that go on around here, okay? So . . . wherever you prefer to start.”
Sasha fumbles for some words, obviously taken off guard by the inquiry. “Ah, okay, most certainly, sir. Well, ah, since we’re right here in recreation, let’s start here, shall we?”
“Nah, I already know everything there is to know about this. Let’s move to something else.”
“Ah, sure, okay. Then follow me. I know just the place to start.”
She leads them to the elevator, and they go up to a level John has never been on. They exit the elevator and follow Sasha into security, where they are processed and sent through. They walk into a control room filled with monitoring equipment.
“Welcome, gentlemen, you are now standing in the Ark’s central monitoring control systems, where we monitor every operational aspect from within the Ark. Everything from monitoring the main power supply to checking to see how the thermal heating system is working. This will know if anything is wrong with our air or water quality long before we will. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, sir. We’ll know if there’s an earthquake nearby, or even if the earth’s core is heating up, all while constantly testing the structural strength and integrity of the Ark. And, of course, everything is tied into the security station, which I can go into more detail about if you’d like?”
John just stands there smiling for a second before he looks at Adam. “Did you know about this place?”
He slightly smiles and chuckles a little. “Of course I did, John.”
“Oh, well that’s good. But ah, no, Sasha, that’s not necessary. This place is great. I just can’t believe it’s m
y first time in here, but I guess you don’t really think about the inner workings of most things; let’s move onto something else.”
“Ah, certainly, sir. We’ll take the elevator and go to the farms and grow houses. How does that sound?”
“Fine, let’s go.”
When they exit the elevator on the farms and grow house level, they are met with the pungent smell of the farms.
“Okay, well, as you can probably already smell, we are in the farm area. We have basically everything that you’d find on a standard farm, anything from chickens and cows to corn and wheat. The farm level actually spans about three levels, but a lot of that is the grow houses, which we are entering now.” They all walk into a very large and very humid grow house. “This grow room actually emulates the rain forest and grows many of the super foods you’d find only in the rain forest and South America. This grow house and the one next to it grows things like Acai, Camu Camu, and Gogi berries, just to name a few. And it is one of the first in the world that’s been able to grow these fruits out of their natural environment, quite amazing if you ask me.”
Adam pulls a berry off the bush and eats it. “Wow, that’s amazing, I’ve tried these once in South America, and it tastes exactly the same.”
John pulls a berry off as well. “Damn, that’s good!” They stand there for a minute just popping berries in silence.
“Alright, let’s get down to brass facts; the reason why I pulled you guys aside and made you do this was because I’ve just been stressing out about this place and if we’ve made all the right decisions toward the safety and well being of every living soul in here. I know about how this place operates. I’ve been over it time and time again, but what I’m looking for probably can’t be answered by any of us, and it can only be answered with time, I guess. Listen, in the last few years, I’ve put almost every waking hour of my life into this place, but I guess I’m just going through some kind of second guessing-slash-mid-life crisis phase, and I apologize for dragging you two into it.”
Adam has been pulling more berries off the bush and popping them in his mouth. When John pauses in speaking, Adam interjects, “Sir, I think I understand somewhat how you feel. Sometimes I lie awake at night thinking about this place and wondering if I’ve made the best possible decisions at the time and with what I had to work with. And I quickly fall asleep when I remind myself that this whole thing you’ve done here, building the Ark, creating a safe haven for hundreds of people, this is something that was orchestrated by a higher power, something that’s bigger than any of us. What you’ve done here, sir, is quite frankly a miracle and a divine intervention if you ask me. So, when you begin to question yourself and the choices you’ve made, just remind yourself that everything happens for a reason, that our fate or our destiny was something that was supposed to happen not what just happened to happen.”
“Well, I’m speechless. I had no idea you were so spiritual, Adam.”
“To tell you the truth, John, neither did I, not until I met you. You’ve single handedly changed my life for the better. You’ve made me see things and realize things that I didn’t think existed, and for that I’m eternally grateful.”
“Well, I’ll be damned. I guess the teacher becomes the student because you just reminded me why I never used to worry in the past. Because you’re absolutely right. This is our fate. This is our destiny, and everything always works out for the best. Thank you for reminding me, Adam.”
John hugs Adam, and they both turn to Sasha, who looks dumbfounded. He puts one arm around Adam’s neck and the other around Sasha’s, and they begin walking out of the grow house.
“We’re all going to be alright, and there’s no need to worry or stress out about any of this because there’s a plan for all of us; we’re just the instruments. Now let’s head up to the engineering department. I’ve got a plan I want you both to see.”
* * *
They walk back through the farms and take the elevator up to the engineering and manufacturing levels to find Evgeni. When they finally find him, he is nose deep in his computer, hammering on the keys. They let him finish his work and decide not to bother him. They know how angry he can get when he is disturbed while working, so they wait it out until he lifts his head up from his screen. He turns around and pushes his glasses back on his nose and stares at them for a second, almost like his brain is switching modes.
Once he realizes who it is, he jumps up out of his seat and walks over to greet them. “Well, hello everybody. So nice to see you. Come sit. Sit, please.” He finishes shaking everyone’s hands, and John takes a seat, followed by Adam and Sasha.
John sits up in his seat, eager to talk. “How’s it going, Evgeni? Have you gotten anywhere with our little project?”
“Oh, most wonderful, Mr. Angelite most wonderful, very well, yes.”
“That’s great to hear, and like I’ve said in the past, please call me ‘John.’”
“Of course, Mr. . . . I mean John. Het problem—sorry—I mean no problem. Damn Russian words sometimes sneak in, you know? So, what can I do for you today?”
“So, tell me how things are coming? Are you making progress?”
“Oh, yes, of course, of course. I’m making very good progress. I was actually working on the schematics right now. Would you like to hear about it?”
“Yes, please, of course I would, and I think Adam and Sasha would like to know what’s going on as well.”
Adam turns and looks at Sasha, and they both shrug their shoulders. Adam then looks back at Evgeni and John. “Ah, yes, please, fill us in. We are completely in the dark on this one.”
“No problem, no problem, if you’d turn your attention to my computer monitor I will give explanation of what we are talking about. Please, come closer. It is a small screen.”
“You know, Evgeni, you can always display anything you are working on using the big overhead screen, and if you need another monitor for your computer that’s larger, that’s not a problem.”
“No, no, there’s no need, and I can never figure out how to do fancy computer tricks. I just type.”
John walks over to his computer, presses a keystroke, and the image displays on the massive monitor on the wall.
“Wow, look at that, Mr. A, I mean, John. How very nice that is!”
“No problem. Now, why don’t you explain to us what we’re looking at?”
“Yes, yes, of course, of course. Okay, so, what you are looking at here is the first rendering of what we have named ‘Havoc.’ I have a quarter for anyone who can remember where we got that name from. Huh? Huh? Anyone?”
They all look at each other, confused.
“Anyway, the Havoc is a massive, all-terrain vehicle capable of crossing any terrain except water of course, which is not terrain, but I just thought I’d make that clear anyways.” He explains that the Havoc is about the size of a motor home just not as tall. It’s made of a special blend of rare metals, making it the strongest vehicle ever made, capable of withstanding most non-nuclear attack. It has the ability of transporting about a dozen people comfortably. The inside command center has the ability of monitoring the outside using computer imaging from satellite feeds along with constant testing of the air quality. It will be equipped with dual fifty-caliber machine guns, small missal bays, a front loaded flamethrower, and a battering ram.
Adam uncrosses his arms, puts his hands on the back of his head, and interrupts Evgeni. “Ah, what the hell is this for?”
John pats Adam on the back and smiles. “We’ll get to that, buddy. Don’t worry. Let’s just let Evgeni finish.”
Evgeni goes on describing how the shape of the vehicle resembles something like the fuselage of a stealth bombers rounded top that flares out on the sides. This is mainly to make it more structurally sound, able to withstand ten times more than a standard military vehicle. The main reason for the flared sides is that all around the vehicle will be retractable circular saw blades capable of clearing most objects that are in the way, su
ch as trees or most any type of debris along with mobs of infected. In the situation of being completely surrounded by hundreds or even thousands, the blades will come out and saw them in half. The two mounted swivel gun turrets will clear out everyone else, and worst case scenario, there are gun ports for men to fire out of. And last but not least, there is a dish capable of delivering a sonic boom in any direction, sending anyone or anything in its path flying backwards.
Evgeni gets out of his chair and walks over to the refrigerator and pulls out four metal water bottles and hands them to everyone as they soak in all the information that he’s laid out before them. He takes a drink from his bottle and stares at John, waiting for him to say something.
“So, John,” They both smile when Evgeni remembers to use John’s first name, “Is this what you wanted when we spoke the other day? If not, please let me know, and I will start over?”
“No, Evgeni, it sounds and looks perfect. Let’s sleep on it a couple days, making sure we’ve thought of everything, but then let’s get to manufacturing it within a couple weeks, and as I mentioned before, I need three of them. By the way, what about fuel for these vehicles. What will they need?”
“Oh, yes, yes, I almost forgot to mention . . . The entire top covering the steel shell is solar panels, and the drive train is also equipped with the alternator axle technology that we use on all our vehicles. We’ve actually been engineering the drive train for another vehicle of this size for some time now, so the hard part’s already pretty much taken care of, as we are just transferring everything to this.”
“Perfect, Evgeni. You are a genius, my friend. We’ll talk later on this, but great work, and get your men and the manufacturing facility ready to produce these vehicles. What did you call them? The Havocs?”
“Yes sir, the Havoc. We’ll be ready as soon as we get the go ahead.”
The Ark of Asylum (The Ark Series Book 1) Page 15