by A. Q. Moser
“I think an explanation is in order.” I held out my list and Billy’s too. “Aerial provided us with a list predicting certain events to come. The lists are only making sense when you match them together as a whole. From my list, it reads: A name to remember, a past friend shall point the way. This has got to mean Tamilla, my workout friend, who told us that Cadet can be found in the junkyard. Similarly, May had one on her list that read: Engage the difficult source despite the blow of the wind. Not all is junk.”
May nodded to indicate I had it right. She was bubbling with excitement that Aerial’s lists were helping us out.
“And Wolfgang, you read your list and from there, opened up to us about the secret stash.” I winked to keep a low down on the precious microchip and wires. “Right now, we’re following Billy’s list. Point number three. Careful, the truth will be there if one only looks. A trip back to the same mine will resurge the missing will. Do you see what I see?”
“How’s that worth anythink?” Billy questioned, bordering on sarcasm. “A traitor is a traitor. It does not matter what anyone says. This proves she was lyink. She must be done away with.” His attention to the highway was like a tiger eyeing its prey.
“Billy, instead of acting like an absolute maniac, why don’t you be more like Joel who is trying to make sense of the situation.” May could not believe the extent Billy was willing to go to.
“These are crazy times,” Billy believed. “We need to do what we need to do to be safe.”
“Wolfgang, what are you thinking?” May sought a different perspective with this power struggle.
“I don’t trust Aerial either. The evidence against her is strong. She must have switched sides and be helping the military.” Wolfgang favoured Billy’s side.
Irritated by the lack of cooperation, May threw her hands in the air. Pouting, she turned her attention to staring outside.
“We need a new plan of attack,” Billy advised inconspicuously, his lips tightened. “It’s payback. I know the right person for this job.”
In what would otherwise be a worrisome concept to listen to, it was intriguing to hear that hit men existed to wipe out personal messes. How would one go about finding these types of people? The exact process was compelling.
“It may take a few days to work it out,” Billy said out loud, “but it’s no problem.”
“Maybe we can extract inside information out of her?” Wolfgang suggested.
Billy nodded to Wolfgang’s idea. “Yup, we can use her for intelligence. The traitor is goink to get what she deserves.” He shook a fist in the air in delight.
May turned around to face the group. “I’m going to say this one more time. You don’t know anything for sure!” she yelled and then started sobbing. “We can’t—” Her sobbing took a hold of her and she reached for tissues in her pants pocket.
“If you don’t like it, then don’t listen,” Billy shouted back.
“May, are you okay?” I sympathized with her. I reached back and patted her on the knee.
May raised her arms to wave me away, wanting no part of it. She classified me as one of the boys and not on her side. “Leave me alone,” she sobbed her words out, and then covered her face.
“Leave her alone,” Billy replied jokingly.
Wolfgang shrugged his shoulders as if he could not be bothered with her either. “We have more important business to deal with.”
“Yo Joel, you’re in it with us,” Billy warned, serious in his demeanour. “There’s no backink out of this, unless you run cryink like a little girl.”
“I’m in with you guys.” Each incriminating word burned the back of my throat as they were spoken. I made a pact with the devil’s sidekicks and there was nothing I could do about it. Billy and Wolfgang were doers and things needed to be done.
“We have to pay these people in cash,” Billy said. “Twenty thousand upfront and twenty after the job.” He spoke as if he had this done before. “No more standing idly by as people took advantage of the innocent.”
“I have some cash I can get a hold of,” Wolfgang offered. “We need to go to my bank to get it.”
“Good,” Billy gave Wolfgang the thumbs up. “I’ll pay the first half and then we’ll worry about the second instalment. Joel, do you have anythink to offer?”
“I … I …” I paused to reconsider what to say. “I don’t have that kind of cash.” Deep down inside, I did not want my money to become blood money. “I don’t have a lot of money just a small savings at the bank,” I added, in case they did not believe me.
“Let’s worry about this later.” Billy wrapped an arm around my shoulder to express his solidarity—or was this male bonding? “Right now, we’ll see what Cadet has to offer with this crazy tunnel idea.”
In a true tyrant fashion, Billy decided the next course of action. And as such, no one dared to say otherwise. He was, after all, the official driver and the unofficial decision maker of the group.
Heading north on the highway, we embarked on a return trip to see Cadet and his incomplete tunnel. The drive was sombre, most likely a result of any definite explanation as to why we were going there. Being on the opposite side of the secret drop point, Billy had to drive to an exit further ahead and cross a bridge to get on the west side of the highway. As Billy looked to the dense forest to locate the secret trial, Wolfgang and May seemed more interested at gazing anywhere else.
Seeing the discarded log as I left displaced by the entrance, I pointed ahead. “There’s the spot.”
Billy nodded and cautiously drove onto the unpaved shoulder of the highway before re-entering the marked trial. The inside of the vehicle echoed noisy sounds of the branches and shrubs smacking against the sides of the station wagon. Seeing the end of the driving space between the dense foliage, Billy reversed and lodged the station wagon up against a thick tree facing the exit. The vehicle was prepared for a quick getaway should it be needed. He opened his door and examined the area, all the while wondering where to go next.
Trained in military discreetness, Cadet emerged from the foliage like a well-adapted chameleon blending with its surroundings. He ran over to the vehicle bearing a big smile, maybe for the first time since the encounter in the city junkyard. “I knew you would return.”
Billy smiled back. “You knew, good. ‘Cause we’re here to help you.”
“I’ve got tools for getting through the concrete,” Cadet explained in case we would leave again.
Unable to open the car door because a hefty tree was in the way, I climbed out from Billy’s side. It was an odd feeling to be guided back by a nightmare, never mind returning to what was earlier believed to be a big waste of time.
“How did you know we would come back?” I posed to Cadet.
Having our full attention, Cadet examined each one of us as if he were preparing to explain something really personal. “I dreamt it. When I needed you the most, my dream told me you would return.”
Just like Billy had a nightmare about a tunnel that I did not have, the same was also true with Cadet. And yet, May also had that nightmare about the flagpole in the forest. There was some odd connection here that I could not put my finger on. Rather than confuse the matter, it was best to let it go for now.
Cadet reiterated the single rule he had by placing an index finger against his lips to indicate complete silence. He pointed for us to move and herded us across the terrain to the excavation site as stealthy as possible for an untrained group of civilians. Militant in his manner, he handed each of us a flashlight and waved us into the tunnel. We did as we were shown but with lots of bumping into each other as an uncooperative group would. Wolfgang went first, followed by May. I took in the forest smell, a humid scent alive with wild vegetation as if it were my last opportunity to do so. Satisfied, I descended the stairs careful not to step on the third step where the corpse of the mouse laid. Billy made up the rear.
Cadet squeezed past all of us to take the lead. We followed him in total silence, an act espe
cially uncommon for Billy. With flashlights turned on, we experienced the same dank and damp sensations as before. Nothing has changed except that we knew what was at the end of this subterranean tunnel—a fortified, concrete blockade.
At every step, flashlights jarred everywhere examining the condition of the carved out tunnel. The excitement from reuniting still lingered but fear had a stronger hold. Who knew if a cave-in was eminent in this crudely built underground passageway?
Unexpectedly Cadet stopped in mid-stride. As no one was paying attention, Wolfgang jerked backwards causing May and me to knock heads due to our proximity.
“Ouwee,” May muttered.
“Sorry.” I rubbed my forehead where we collided.
“We’re at the wall,” Cadet redirected our focus on the task at hand.
As if trained to do so, we all aimed the beams of our flashlights at the dirty concrete wall ahead. Rock pieces and steel cable bits were carved out and scattered everywhere. Being near the back of the group, it was difficult to see exactly how deep the carving went.
Wolfgang swept his hands across the cracked barrier, examining the once solid structure. “Wow, you’re at least a few feet deeper.” He relayed an impression expression to Cadet on how he accomplished such a task in a short time span.
Cadet retrieved a chisel-drill-like tool by his feet. “I weakened the structure and cut through the steel cables with tiny soundless blasts. Then I used this expanding putty to do the rest of the work of breaking up the concrete.” A plastic bucket of expanding putty lay by the wall along with a putty knife.
Grabbing Wolfgang’s wrist to steady the illumination on the wall, Cadet set to work on the barrier. He retrieved a set of protective goggles from his pocket and adjusted it over his eyes. He used his torso to lean on the tool and press it against the concrete wall. Tiny rock chips flew off in all directions. Entirely soundless, Wolfgang covered his face using his tweed jacket for protection.
“I’m using a high-pitched sound blasting chisel. Virtually inaudible to a human ear and probably most sound-detecting microphones,” Cadet explained without looking away from his point of aim.
May, Billy and I stood back trying to avoid the dusty debris. Bits of concrete scattered around and in no time, a faint light evolved from the other side.
With a sense of urgency, Cadet turned to us. “Lights off.”
We did as we were told, mesmerized by the radiance from the other side. Literally, it was our light at the end of the tunnel. Warm air also proceeded from the other side, calling us to receive its warmth. The feeling was most welcoming. I would compare it to discovering gold in a mine.
Enjoying the moment, Cadet resumed his deliberate stabbing at the wall with the chisel tool, oblivious to the extent of the flying debris. For each minute that passed, he would wipe the sweat off his forehead. He had that look of determination that came with years of sacrifice at a task so close to being finished.
I watched with intrigue. We were absolutely so close I could taste it. With this wall out of the way, we could get our hands on secret documents about this experiment. We could expose those responsible and have them pay for the atrocities. The truth would be told.
A set of cold hands grasped my shoulders; Billy was attempting to see more from his back row spot by shifting me off to the side. From my angle, a lit white room was becoming more obvious with each strike of the tool. Cadet skilful hands made every blow count. It was only a matter of time before we had full access to this white room.
Wanting the process to go faster, Cadet handed the chisel tool to Wolfgang while he retrieved the plastic bucket on the floor with the expanding putty and putty knife. Wolfgang, unsure and unsteady, stepped up to the barrier and made his mark. Cautious not to get in Wolfgang’s way, Cadet dapped the putty inside the cracked concrete, pushing it deeper inside with the knife. They worked together as a determined team would while May, Billy and me provided the illumination with our flashlights.
Chip by chip, piece by piece the opening grew and our curiosity peaked. What was on the other side? What documents could we get our hands on to expose the detrimental experiment and the adverse effects on our lives? What a clever idea to launch an attack from the underground. The brilliance of it all had us bypass all the security, like worker ants infiltrating a home from the underground. This was a welcomed blow to the establishment that be.
The hole was wide enough to peer in but Wolfgang and Cadet continued their barrage on the concrete fortress. As the putty expanded, a lower chunk of concrete dropped off without any further application of force. Wolfgang worked to remove the interlaced steel bars that strengthened the concrete foundation. The opening was enough to squeeze through, enough to get inside and enough to see all.
Having come so far, we were so close to the truth. It was within our grasp.
Energized by the job well done, Wolfgang waved to Cadet to o in first. Cadet removed his goggles with care and stepped up to the rabbit hole. He took a deep breath and reached inside for support and pressed his skinny frame in with ample room. Wolfgang did the same but had to wiggle in a bit to fit through.
Since May was closer, she was next. “Joel, you go before me,” she offered.
Accepting and without any hesitation on my part I stepped into the enemy’s lair.
Content to be inside, I took in my surroundings. I stood in a pure white room with linoleum tiles, lit by incandescent ceiling lighting that was flickering on and off. There was a shiny steel table centred in the room overtop a water drainage system. A tin garbage can was stowed next to the table. In the corner next to the tunnel opening, lay two instruments covered with plastic covers. The instruments resembled casino slot machines with coloured buttons and levers.
Billy pushed through and shoved me aside to see for himself. “There’s nothink here.” He looked around disappointedly.
Coming in last, May entered the linoleum room but remained by the tunnel cavity, as if standing guard for an easy escape.
Over by the steel table, Wolfgang bowed down to view the top of the table at different angles. Perplexed, he glided his hands across it examining the scratches in order to decipher what experiments were performed on it.
“Any ideas what it’s for?” I asked.
“Autopsy, maybe,” Wolfgang replied. Trying to gather more information, he headed to the plastic-covered machines.
The linoleum room had a creepy feeling to it. “Why are the lights on?”
“Someone must have forgotten to turn them off. See, there almost dead. If I recall correcting this was an abandoned storage room. We can use this as an access point to the other rooms and as a get-away that would go unnoticed,” Cadet justified, as if it were his master plan to tunnel to an unnoticed quadrant of the army base.
“If the room was for storage only, then why store a table in the middle of the room?” Wolfgang questioned still huddled by the covered instruments.
“Anyways, let’s go and get what we came for, evidence linking the people to the project,” Billy remarked excited by the progress of the break-and-enter.
Unperturbed by the boring room, we turned our attention to the opposite end of our entry point, the two doors with the frosty glass.
Now a choice was needed. It occurred to me the nightmare with the two doors at the end of the hallway. A freaky coincidence, of course. I shivered at the thought and focused my attention at making a decision.
“I think we should cover the hole up in case it’s noticed.” Apprehensive, May crutched down as if expecting an aerial assault within the bunker.
“You stay here and we’ll go on,” Billy directed, not amused by the hesitation.
May appeared discouraged and frightened by the current course. “Joel, stay with me,” she pleaded, bizarrely nervous for a high profile reporter whom you would expect to be used to this sort of inside work.
“This way.” Cadet reached out for the doorknob to the door on the left.
45
The door on the l
eft swung out and an old man with deep blue eyes emerged as if out for a stroll and in part expecting to greet us.
Overcome by fear, I froze at the unexpected intrusion of the old man. The ghastly figure stared back knowing we were caught in the act. We were in serious trouble and the room stunk of it.
“It’s a trap.” Billy cried in terror, scampering back for the hole to the tunnel.
“Billy Coax Dangal freeze,” the old man shouted in a fatherly tone.
Figuring he was caught, Billy stopped moving. The old man knew his full name. The thin, old man with a large nose that dangled hairs out from it knew who he was. He sported a pristine white lab coat over jeans and a t-shirt with the Olympic rings centred over his chest.
“In fact I know all of you. May Eva Chao, Joel Daniel Taw, Wolfgang Tobias Pauli and especially you Corporal.” The old man pointed to each one of us while maintaining one hand behind his back as if not expecting any physical resistance.
Mindful of our precarious situation, there were two things that struck me as odd: the old man knew our full names and he was peculiarly calm despite our break-in.
“How do you know us?” Wolfgang inquired with a valiant step forward.
The old man nodded. “I know what was done to you.”
Indeed, a frightening truth lay in the old man’s comments. With a discouraging statement, he validated every point Cadet had described involving the military. The admission of a corporate-sponsored project, the tests on children, and the grief brought on by the subliminal experiments for the amusement of curious scientists.
Sadly, everything made more sense now. My pain was foreign in nature—not self-inflicted but placed there by someone else. There was a moment of relief and liberation. The tangled web of emotion devolved into fear and bitter anger. I was like an ex-con, unjustly imprisoned to twenty years of hard labour, and then released from bondage to an unfamiliar world. I was ready to unleash a retribution for the suffering incurred.