Dark Genesis (Shadow and Shine Book 1)

by Danial Hooper

  “Don’t feed the bears, sweetheart. Don’t feed the bears. Even an ancient blind bear with a wonderfully nagging daughter. Crapping my pants seems to be the least of my problems when everyone else is dead. Wouldn’t you say?” he said. His old hand pulled a few pieces out of his pockets, and he winked his cloudy left eye in Jenna’s direction.

  “That’s enough, dad.”

  “One more bite?”

  “No!”

  His laughter was adorable, and so was Shelly, whose attitude and scolding sounded more like a playful game than a serious attitude. They were a cute pair, those two.

  Jenna missed Robert. They were a cute pair too. Jenna left him though. Shelly would never leave her blind, weak, and helpless father. Jenna left Robert because she was a spoiled, scared girlfriend. She left Robert because he was sick on the floor. She left Robert because she didn’t want to take care of him. She left Robert because she was a bad girlfriend.

  That’s the difference between Jenna and someone like Shelly: Jenna was a bad person.

  -

  It was no surprise to find the basement empty of wolves. Despite Greg’s intelligence, he didn’t know these monsters as intimately as Asher and Ben. They were pack animals unwilling to separate unless there was a plan involved. They were cunning hunters who were aware of their aversion to the light and smart enough to know when to return to their nest. The nest was would be nearly impossible to find an access.

  The rusty smell of the basement and echoes of constant dripping from the walls came into view as Edie turned on the power with a simple flip of a switch. The back-up power was built in a way for even the most technically challenged employee to be able to reset the reserve power. Apparently, there was enough reserved electricity to last two weeks. Enough electricity to work room keys, lights, and kitchen appliances. The Grand American was the most expensive, posh hotel in Salt Lake City with constant renovations in order to stay ahead of the competition. Down here was an entirely different story. The walls were faded maroon with yellow sprinkles and on the ceiling were several stains left by broken water mains. It looked like it had been abandoned and unmaintained for years. Due to the large heaters and conditioners (which were also in decay), the area was cramped and humid.

  “Presidential suite?” Ben asked Edie.

  “I’ve been down here a few times, and it’s never looked like this. This rust wasn’t here last time…How? Where did it come from? How did it get rust…?” Edie trailed off, her mouth hanging open. Her hands broke wilted pieces of the rust onto the floor.

  “How did lunatics kill an entire population overnight?” Ben replied. He smiled at her and kept going, “How are you still alive? How are Asher and I supermen?”

  “Ben.” Asher had enough. Ben was on his soapbox and ready to badger Edie into submission. This could work with Asher, but it didn’t need to happen with her. She was in shock, and Ben was looking to break her will. “Stop.” He admonished Ben.

  “Why? There should be confidence in truth. The wolves aren’t looking to come down here. They’re not moving in. They have no interest in living in a decomposing building, and neither should you. If this place is falling apart, you can believe so are most of the other places in Salt Lake, and if you think they’re not the root cause, well then you’re an idiot. They’re not staying in Salt Lake much longer. Soon they’ll be finished and ready to move on to the next city.”

  Edie smiled back at Ben awkwardly, “And how exactly do you know that, mister?” She looked at Ben like he was an alien under examination, intrigued and curious about the origin. It was an amplified version of how she normally looked at people. Asher enjoyed seeing how it made Ben uncomfortable.

  “Because…have you ever seen one dirty? Any grime on them? At all? Not once. Blood? Sure. They’re not hibernating in the ground or sneaking around in an old rotten basement like this. They’re all together, sleeping during the day where it is safe.”

  Edie studied him. “So, then, you think they sleep somewhere comfortable? Or just clean?”

  “They don’t really sleep, more like recharge.”

  Edie laughed out loud and replied, “So battery powered wolf-people who cause rusty basements?”

  Asher let out a little laugh, as well. She was using Ben’s arguments against him, and it was working like a charm. Now if she could badger him into submission by making a mockery of his stance, she would be Asher’s new favorite person.

  “Call them whatever you want. It doesn’t…”

  “That’s actually what you called them. They recharge like batteries, you insist on calling them wolves, which is stupid, and they sleep in a den of luxury like a beach resort for lunatics. I’m sorry, but you sound silly. You’re better off calling them ants, not wolves. In case you were wondering, ants hunt in packs, but their leader is at home breeding more workers instead of being out in front of the pack. But calling them ‘The Ants’ just doesn’t have the same ring to it huh?

  But anyways, you’re the expert. So I’ll let you fight while I hide. I’ll be upstairs when you pick your jaw off the ground and we can move on to the next project. Thank you, Mr. Van Helsing.” She said and walked away. The girl knew how to make an exit.

  “Wow.” Asher said, smiling at his brother.

  -

  Harry and Greg were on opposite ends of the emotional spectrum as they walked to pick up Mickey. The weight of failure had a devastating effect on Harry as he could not accept the inability to arm a militia. Greg, on the other hand, was ecstatic because they now had access to enough medication to last through several seasons and an area protected from outside intruders. Greg found his first safe house. Not having guns was an inconvenience but not a catastrophe. He would send Harry out tomorrow to find paperwork at the gun store with registered gun owner’s addresses. The following day, they could go to the empty homes to find the weaponry of their choice.

  Greg needed to cultivate Harry’s emotional baggage and make sure not to lose him. Less than forty-eight hours ago, the man planned on killing himself. Greg could not take this lightly. The old man needed someone to encourage him and keep him focused on the bright future, not broken, because of a hiccup in plans. Mickey would need to be careful interacting with Harry. Greg would have to make sure he knew not to rub this in Harry’s face.

  He said to Harry, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint, big guy. We can afford a few extra days of relaxation before going on the offensive. These people need you more than they need a gun.”

  “Guns,” Harry said kicking a rock that disturbed the dust as it skipped across the street. “All those guns, worthless.”

  “All in due time. All in due time.”

  The dusty substance on the ground had grown thicker through the day. Greg couldn’t tell if his vision was slightly blurred or if the falling ash made everything look faded. Either way, it was getting worse.

  Mickey was sitting outside the pawnshop whistling a song with two overflowing shopping carts on each side. As soon as he noticed Greg and Harry, he came running like a dog who missed his owner. “Guys! Guys!” he said. “I found the motherload of all mother loads. Woooo. So much good stuff. You’re going to love this.”

  Greg looked at him with calm eyes. Hopefully he would have enough social awareness to see Harry’s pain and pacify his excitement. “That’s great news. Let’s take a look at what you have.” He said, trying to lead Mickey away from Harry.

  “Any bullets?” Harry asked. Mickey’s excitement was having a detrimental effect on him, and Greg could see he needed a victory. Greg did not see guns as a pivotal resource yet. Hopefully this attitude would evolve into something more productive after a few hours.

  Mickey looked at his cache and said, “No. I got four battery powered walkie talkies, three gas generators, garden tools, blankets, and a ton of rope. I found a bow but no arrows. No guns. No bullets. A couple of knives and a samurai sword, which I know we don’t need, but still sweet.” He sighed and looked back at Harry, “I’m sorry, okay? Thi
s was a weapons and medical trip, and I couldn’t find any. But I found some good stuff.”

  “It’s fine,” Harry replied. A little bit of weight slid off his shoulders and off Greg’s too. Harry walked into the pawn shop to perform his own search, sulking still but relieved. He didn’t want Mickey to find anything valuable.

  “You’re going to love this part. The store doesn’t have baskets or bags big enough to fit this stuff, but apparently some bums left their shopping carts in the park across the street. I saw them walking in. They’re perfect for travel and carrying big loads over distances. Plus, each generator has tires, and there is a wheelbarrow inside too.”

  It was a thrilling development indeed. Mickey had every reason to be elated about his discoveries. Greg anticipated the pawn shop would have valuables, but sorting through the junk would be time consuming. Now, he had someone who enjoyed it and found a number of beneficial items. “What a gold mine,” he said to Mickey, his voice low enough to be out of earshot for Harry. “Great job,” patting him on the shoulder like a coach. “Any chance you found an air mattress?”

  -

  “What’s your aim in this? You were comparing people to farm animals this morning, and now we’re cleaning rooms like we’re housekeeping.” Asher whispered to Ben. Edie stayed a few feet back. She didn’t have the same confidence in the barely lit hallways as the basement. Asher listened for potential threats or other survivors. He would hear even the faintest of breathing or a subtle turn of a door knob. There was nothing and no response from Ben either.

  “Are you ignoring me?” Asher whispered.

  “Will you shut up? We’re wolf hunting and you want to talk about feelings,” Ben said.

  Asher watched Ben speed up a few steps above their pace. He was focused on a room at the end of the hallway. Asher wanted to press on about his brother’s odd behavior but chose to let it go for now. Maybe he turned a new leaf? If so, Ben wasn’t going to willingly admit to a case of humility. If Asher went after him about an explanation, he was liable to make Ben revert back to being a hunter.

  Ben stopped at one of the doors and looked in the peephole. It was odd to be on the other end of the peephole with a leader looking through. Asher felt the weird sense of déjà vu as his brother tried to see into the room. “One way, smart guy,” Asher said.

  “After you, darling.”

  Asher used the key card and opened the door slowly. His brother nodded in approval and again his tightened grip echoed through the hallway. The laws of suspense say this is when the door creaks, but such a fine establishment as the Grand American does not have creaky doors.

  All the sheets where thrown off the bed and in a giant, wrinkled bundle. The luggage was half spilled, half organized, but littered on the floor. The blinds were stained with random black handprints dripping down to the floor.

  Ben said, “And the Lord said, let there be light,” as he twisted the blinds open and allowed the sun into the room.

  “It smells like the basement, only with a hint of… what is that?” Asher asked.

  Ben held up his hand interrupting Asher. “Burnt popcorn.” He sniffed the air like a dog. Following the smell guided him to the pile of sheets. “Ay matey, I think we found a buried treasure.”

  -

  The day was a success. Food had been found at the nearby gas station, survival supplies had been procured from a pawn shop, and Greg was able to hack into the pharmacy. The group had finally settled into the Grand American Hotel’s dining room for a meal and updates on their respective assignments. Greg was excited to discuss plans for the future, more specifically, Greg’s plans for the future. The open venue with ten chairs circling a large table would be the establishment of the New World’s council.

  Greg appreciated seeing the group having a sense of normalcy. An outsider could enter the dining room of the Grand American and almost be convinced there was a banquet taking place. Lighting, cold water, and cooked food were available, and patrons were conversing and making jokes. It was a welcomed sight, a needed sight. There was even beer in the refrigerator cooling down.

  “Alright everyone,” Greg said. No one reacted to his voice as they continued telling their stories in close proximity. “Everyone!” he said louder. What benefit is a leader who can’t claim his peoples’ attention at the dinner table?

  “People!”

  Still nothing.

  “Hey!”

  Finally, one person made eye contact with him. Mickey, who sat across from him at the table, took matters into his own hands and whistled. Greg flinched at the volume and nearly forgot what he wanted to say. “Hey guys, Greg wants to talk,” Mickey said.

  Greg stood tall over the group, nervous on how to start. He had presented on the theories of genetic epistemology and molecular biology in front of leading minds of their respective scientific fields, but here he was a nerd with a broken face. They looked at him, not as their leader but only as their educational superior and the one who might have enough book smarts to read something to keep them alive.

  “Everyone. Everyone.” Greg searched for the words in his bank, “Everyone. It is wonderful for us to sit down and relax, and I love seeing us bond quickly.” He sucked in air as a large lump rose in his throat. Where was this nervousness coming from? “We have a few more hours before night, and the priority has remained the same: food, shelter, and protection.”

  “Here! Here!” shouted blind Lynn. He was drinking a brown liquor out of a wine glass enjoying himself a little too much. Greg waved him down and regained his energy to continue.

  “I would like to take this time before dinner as an opportunity for us to update one another on the reports from our assignments. Is everyone okay with this?” The crowd looked amongst themselves and agreed in their own desynchronized fashion.

  Greg remembered in his undergrad psychology class an interesting theory on developing submissive behavior in children. Apparently, if one asks affirmative close ended questions and creates an environment where the child is comfortable saying yes, eventually you can get the child to agree to anything. Do you like toys? Do you like candy? Do you like superheroes? Would you please take out the trash? The theorist believed this was also achievable with adults, especially those in traumatic situations. The events of Salt Lake City certainly could be classified as a traumatic situation.

  “Wonderful. I share my experiences with the pharmacy for the end. Before moving forward, we need to establish core expectations for the group. I’m not talking about roles and jobs, it’s still too early for that, but it is imperative we have an understanding of what can and cannot happen.”

  No one spoke. Greg was losing their attention and needed to make this quick. He had not taken time to plot anything out, but it was important to have a set of rules for everyone to follow. They would evolve, as long as they survived. If the group did not value the rules, they would be set up to fail. Unfortunately, they were off to a rocky start.

  “Okay. I’ll keep it simple: do not go outside of the inspected rooms after sundown and never travel alone. Until we have been able to properly examine and learn about our enemy, there needs to be the utmost caution in every decision. Does that sound okay to everyone?”

  Everyone agreed. Other than Ben, who offered no expression.

  “Great, I would like to turn the floor over to Ben, Asher, and Edie. They seemed to have had success getting this facility powered while also...Well go ahead and tell us, please,” Greg said.

  Naturally, Edie was the one to speak up. “Thank you, Greg. And let me say these men are as capable as they are handsome. While I didn’t get to see them in action, per se, they were so confident and unafraid. While I was ready to run away after each sound, they kept focused and got the lights up and running. It was amazing and easy. The only bad thing I can report on was the smell of the basement. We don’t plan on going down there again for a long time, so that can wait for another day.” She looked over to Asher and Ben for approval. Asher smiled, and Ben stared ahea
d unfazed. Ben was the kind of man Greg aspired to be. He was strong, silent, and commanding. He did not need to ramble on or prove his value to the team, nor did he need to smile for the crowd. Ben was secure and unafraid of losing acceptance. It would be smart for Greg to spend more time with him.

  “As for the lock systems, they’re up and running. The only way in is with one of these key cards, and the only way to get one of these key cards to work is with the right password. And, since I am the only person who knows the pass codes to log into the computer, I think we should have plenty of safety. As for the rooms, it would be best if we let Ben or Asher say something about their experiences. I was too afraid to even step foot in any room without them inspecting first,” she said opening her hands to the brothers. She looked like an Asian Vanna White from Wheel of Fortune. Greg felt a hint of attraction to her, even if she was ten or fifteen years his senior. She was striking, after all, and the pickings were slim. Edie smiled back over to him and sat down.

  -

  Ben nodded to give Asher his approval for Asher to speak. Asher’s chair shrieked across the marble floor as he stood. “Thanks, Edie.” The group was anxiously waiting. He cleared his voice and said, “We cleared out two adjoining rooms on the third and fourth floor as per Edie and Greg’s request. Without issue. There are clean sheets and pillows with a few spare blankets. It’s my understanding you’ve already situated your room… situation. But I want to assure you of your safety and ease any possible concerns. Ben and I both made our best attempts to break into a few of the other rooms. There is no possibility of one of them breaking in. When the night comes, stay in your rooms, and you will have no problems.” Asher expected questions, but instead they waited, hanging on every word.