The Place Inside the Storm

by Bradley W Wright

  The next day, we came to a section of road that had been washed away by a mudslide. We climbed high up the hillside, above the tree line, and traversed the slide area there. It was tricky. We had to hop from stone to stone, crab walk down the cold, fog-damp sides of boulders, and plant our boots carefully in the exposed dirt and loose shale. Just as we were almost past the slide and ready to make our way back down to the road, I looked up and saw the silver glint of a floater in the distance. It was closer than any we had seen before, and it was moving toward us. I put my hand on Loki’s arm and pointed. Xel had already seen it too.

  “Let’s get into the trees,” I said, and we hurried down the slope. We reached the tree line and ran until the canopy covered us, hiding ourselves at the base of a big fir. We sat silently, backs against the massive tree trunk. My heart was beating fast. It had been days since I worried about being caught. I was sure we had evaded detection. Nobody should know where we were. The floater buzzed by, high above us, then turned and came back by closer to the ground. It passed over twice more, slowly. We crouched in terrified silence. Finally, it turned and flew away into the distance, disappearing over the crest of a foothill.

  “They can’t know we’re here, can they, Xel?” I asked.

  “It seems very unlikely,” he answered, looking up at the gray sky.

  “They can’t track you, can they?”

  “I have military grade encryption, and my data connection is direct to satellite so they should not be able to triangulate my location. They would be able to tell the general five-hundred-mile-or-so area where I am located based on the satellites I connect to. It may be best for me to limit my access to the net from this point on.”

  “Yeah, I guess so,” I said. “Unless it’s an emergency. What are we going to do now?”

  “We’ll have to walk in the forest,” Loki said, “where they can’t see us from above. It’ll be slower.”

  “Yeah, I think you’re right,” I answered.

  We spent the rest of the day bushwhacking through the woods near the road. It was tough going in the underbrush. We put our feet straight through rotten logs, tripped over hidden stones, and took long detours around blackberry brambles. By early afternoon, we were exhausted and ready to camp. Loki hadn’t had any luck with the bow all day, and we didn’t want to build a fire anyway so we chewed on the last of our jerky and opened the last jar of Delia’s pickled beets.

  Later, as I drifted off to sleep, I heard a long, plaintive cry in the distance. An answering cry came from another direction.

  “What was that?” I asked.

  “Wolves,” Xel replied. “Calling to each other.”

  “There are wolves here?”

  “Yes. They were extinct in this area for a hundred years but began to make a comeback early in the century.”

  The howls went on, back and forth, sounding sad but somehow hopeful at the same time. If the wolves could find each other across that great distance, maybe we could find our way too.

  “I hope they don’t decide to come after us.”

  “So do I,” he said. “I think I can handle a wolf, though, if they do.”

  ***

  It wasn’t wolves we had to worry about the next day. We were close to the location of the coordinates and, perhaps, the end of our journey. I had lost track of the days, but it seemed like weeks since I had run away. Now, here I was in the middle of the Oregon wilderness with my companions, only miles away from what could be our last chance. Day after day of being on the run, hiding, looking out for danger had left me worn out to my core. Now, I felt equal parts trepidation and excitement like a current that crackled through me and leapt from the end of my fingers, making them tremble. We were all feeling it, all up early and itching to get started. Even Xel seemed anxious, pacing back and forth.

  We passed the morning in frustration, fighting our way through the forest. Finally, around mid-morning, we stopped to drink from a small stream and rest on a fallen tree from which delicate ferns sprouted like antennae.

  “How close are we now?” I asked, looking at Xel.

  “Only three miles,” he answered. “The coordinates are near an old ranch. It was a kind of resort hotel back in the teens and twenties where people would vacation but it has been abandoned for some time.”

  “If I hadn’t run away, I’d be in science class right now,” I said, shaking my head at how weird it was. “Jonas Johnson would be sitting next to me, and we’d be working on a lab project. Mr. Bhatia would be ignoring the students.”

  “Or maybe you would be at home, recovering from the operation on your brain,” Xel said.

  “True,” I answered. “I shouldn’t lose sight of why I ran in the first place. I haven’t seen or heard that floater all morning. Do you think it’s safe to walk on the road?”

  I looked at Loki and Xel. Loki opened his mouth to answer but just then Xel jumped up on the log between us, eyes searching the sky above through the canopy.

  “It’s back,” he said. “I can hear it. Pretty far away at the moment. We should keep moving, stay under the trees.”

  Loki and I silently hefted our packs. There was nothing we could do but keep on toward our goal. As we walked, casting nervous glances up at the sky, I noticed that there was more sky visible. The forest was starting to thin. As we continued on, the trees became smaller and more sparse. There were barren patches where few trees grew that we had to skirt around. I could feel that we were high up. We had been gaining altitude since we left Jed and Delia’s homestead. The air was thin and cold and breathing was more difficult.

  “We’ve reached the peak,” Xel said, circling back and facing us. “From here, there will be less vegetation.”

  “The rain shadow effect,” I said, remembering it from science class. Maybe I did learn something in science after all.

  “Yes,” he answered. “The rain falls on the western side of the mountain range as the clouds rise. The clouds are depleted once they reach the eastern side.” He cocked his head, turning his ears. “The floater is approaching. Get down and remain still.”

  We ran to a large tree and crouched at its base. Once again, the airship passed over us slowly, then made a wide loop and passed by again. This time it slowed though and seemed to hover just above our position. The fear grew in me and I shivered, looking up at the metal belly of the floater a hundred feet above. Its four propellers spun almost soundlessly, blowing an icy wind down on us. The floater had no markings to indicate that it was a police vehicle. The more I looked at it, in fact, the more it seemed kind of old and beat up.

  “What do we do?” I asked. “They know we’re here.”

  “Run,” Loki answered, pointing. “Run to those rocks over there. We can get behind them with the cliff to our backs. They’ll have to land and come after us.”

  He was pointing to a pile of boulders a hundred yards away at the base of a cliff some fifty feet high. We would have to run across a meadow with no tree cover to get there. Still, I didn’t have a better plan.

  “Okay,” I said. “Let’s go.”

  We stood and ran as well as we could with the heavy packs on our backs. As soon as we broke from the cover of the trees, the floater passed over us and began to descend.

  “It’s going to cut us off,” I yelled.

  We came to a stop in the center of the meadow, panting in the thin air, as the floater came to rest on the ground before us. Xel stood in front, ready to spring. The rotors slowed, and the meadow grass which had been flattened by the wind slowly began to poke back up. I put my arm through Loki’s, staying close to him as Xel backed up and leaned against my legs. There came a clank and the door on the side of the machine rolled open. A man stood in the opening, holding his hands up. He was dressed in old, well-worn clothes. They looked a lot like the surplus gear Loki and I were wearing--cargo pants, boots, a parka. He had a broad and open face. He took a deep breath, exhaled, and a cloud of condensed water vapor hung in the air for moment between us.

&nb
sp; “Tara?” he called out. “Tara Rivers? I’m here to help. We sent you the message with the coordinates. We’ve been waiting for you.”

  I stood, dumbfounded, staring at the man. Was it possible? I hadn’t ever pictured who or what we would find at the end of our journey into the mountains. I had been fixated on the goal of getting there. A guy in a beat-up floater wasn’t what I expected, though. I didn’t know what to say.

  Xel took over for me though, relieving me of the need to speak. His voice rang out. “Who are you and why did you bring us here?”

  “My name is Alphar,” he answered. “I’m from a community near here. We know about the mind experiments Xia Yu corp is doing. We warned you so you could get away. Gave you the coordinates so you could come here for help.”

  I turned half away, facing Xel and Loki. “What do we do?” I asked.

  Loki was giving me a strange look. “I’m sorry, Tara, but I feel one coming on. It’s going to be a bad one.” He squeezed his eyes shut hard and pressed a hand to his forehead, swaying.

  I turned back to the man in the floater. “Help me!” I called to him. “Loki needs help. He needs a doctor. Help me carry him.”

  Chapter 15

  The Cedar Creek Commune

  The man hopped down and rushed forward to help me with Loki. Together we carried him to the floater. I had begun to cry. I couldn’t help it. All my emotions were boiling to the surface. I could barely concentrate on what was happening. I felt like the center of a top--the sharp point that makes contact with the ground. Everything was spinning around me in a blur. I must have helped get Loki up into the floater, but I didn’t really remember it. When the spinning slowed down, I found I was in a chair. A harness was buckled, holding me in place.

  Xel was next to me. He looked at me and squeezed his eyes. “It’s going to be all right,” he said.

  Suddenly, the floater rose, banking to the right. The man was talking but I couldn’t understand him. I saw the trees outside, a vast ocean of treetops stretching away, rippling into valleys, and climbing mountain sides. Rain spattered the window and was blown away. Down below was the road we had followed, meandering its way through the trees. I saw a lake. I looked over and watched the man piloting the floater. He reached out and flipped a switch. Instrument panels glowed green and amber on the dash.

  “Where is Loki?” I asked Xel.

  “In a passenger seat behind you. He is strapped in.”

  I turned and looked. Loki was harnessed into a reclined seat. He seemed to be sleeping.

  “Where are you taking us?” I asked the man, straining to speak loudly enough to be heard.

  He looked over at me. “Cedar Creek Commune,” he answered. “Our home. You’ll see. It’s not too far. You’ll be safe there. We can get your friend medical help.”

  “He has a device in his brain,” I said, feeling hollow. “He needs surgery.”

  The man stared at his hands on the flight controls for a moment, saying nothing, then lifted his eyes back to the windshield. “I’m sorry to hear that,” he answered. “That’s serious. He must be one of the early ones. We’ll do what we can.”

  We flew for about twenty minutes in silence before we began to descend. There was a mountain ahead with a bald face of rock, boulders, and scree. As we got closer, I saw that there was a flat area like a step on the mountainside. You couldn’t see it until you were close. The man lowered the floater and landed it gently on the flat area. We were facing a sheer wall of rock. Small, gnarled trees twisted out of cracks and crevices

  “What’s this?” I asked. “I don’t see anything.”

  “One moment,” he said, holding up a finger then pointing at the rock face. There was a flicker and the stone disappeared, replaced by a massive hangar door that was rumbling open. “Hologram,” he continued.

  Beyond the door, I saw a big, high-ceilinged open space. A man and a woman, both in jumpsuits, ran out carrying cables and clipped them into recessed hooks on the front of the floater. There was a jerk and the floater began to move forward, drawn in by the cables. We rolled into the hangar and came to a stop.

  As soon as we were inside, the man jumped up, went to the side door, and pulled it open. “We need medical,” he yelled. “And get Yarrow. I have Tara Rivers. There’s also a boy who’s sick.”

  I fumbled with my harness and managed to unhook it. Loki’s pack was on the floor with mine. I dug in the side pocket and found the bottle of medicine Delia had given us. It was a concentrated version of the tea she had made for him. With the bottle in hand, I crawled to the side of his chair and knelt.

  “What’s that?” the man asked.

  “Herbal medicine,” I replied. “It helps him when he has a seizure. He needs it.”

  I reached out and gently pulled his chin down, parting his lips. He was gaunt and his face was caked with dust and dirt. I was sure I looked the same. I hadn’t had a shower since we ran from Wen’s house. My hair had not been brushed for longer. It was a matted mess under my hat. Carefully, still holding his chin, I dribbled a few drops into his mouth. His body jerked, and he made a sour face at the taste of the tincture, but he seemed to relax a bit after that. I moved my hand to the top of his head, feeling his soft, short hair.

  “You’re going to be okay, Loki,” I said. “We found them. We made it. They’re going to help.” I said the words, but I wasn’t sure I believed them. I didn’t know who to trust anymore.

  “Tara?” The voice came from behind me.

  I turned and saw a woman, stocky and strong looking with a lined face and gray hair pulled back. She wore a long, roughly knitted sweater and jeans. Behind her stood a slight man dressed in gray medical scrubs. “I’m Yarrow. This is Sky. He’s a nurse. We need to take your friend to the infirmary and have a look at him. You come with me. I’m going to get you a meal, a bath, and a bed.” As she talked, she directed her gaze to a point about two feet to my left. Even as disoriented as I was at that moment, the lack of any attempt at eye contact was unusual enough to startle me.

  “His name is Loki,” I said. “He needs help. He has an implant in his brain.”

  Yarrow nodded. “We’re familiar with it. We’ll do what we can. May I have the medicine? We will need to see what’s in there.” She reached out a hand, and I gave it to her. She passed it back to the other man, Sky, then held her empty hand back out toward me. “May I take your hand?”

  I hesitated for a moment then reached out my hand, clasping hers.

  She let go almost immediately. “Come along now. Your friend Loki will be looked after. They know what they’re doing. The kitty can come with us. Come on, kitty. We’ll get you a bath and a square meal, Tara. You’ve been on the road. Traveling in these mountains isn’t easy.”

  I looked back at Loki. The pilot, Alphar, and Sky were unbuckling him. I stepped down out of the floater and Xel followed me. We watched as they carried Loki out and put him on a rolling stretcher.

  “We’ll let you know how he’s doing. Don’t worry, please,” said Sky.

  His voice was higher pitched than I expected. Something about his voice and his inflection made me think that my initial impression was wrong and Sky was actually female. Then I looked at him again and he looked like a man. My brain was tired and confused.

  “I’m going to take care of him. Let Yarrow take care of you,” he said, and they began to roll him away.

  “Wait!” I called out. I ran to the side of the stretcher. “I can’t just leave him.”

  “He’s going to be okay,” Yarrow said, standing beside me. “You’re no use to him in your condition.”

  I reached out and touched his shoulder. “All right,” I said. “Xel, will you go with them? Can he go with? And keep an eye on Loki.”

  Sky nodded his assent.

  “I will protect him, Tara. Go with Yarrow. You need to eat and rest.”

  I watched them roll him away, hugging my arms across my chest. Xel followed--my two companions.

  With a light touch on my
shoulder, Yarrow led me to a big steel door across the hangar and from there into a concrete corridor with soft lights glowing in the ceiling. We stepped into an elevator and rode down. When the door opened, we emerged into a long, wide hallway. Walking slowly, we passed a large room where several people were seated at long wooden tables. Soft music was playing inside. A couple of the people looked up, and I just caught their glances as we passed. Another door just down the hallway led into a kitchen with stainless steel counters and industrial food preparation equipment. After that, we passed several closed doors. Yarrow stopped at one of them and pulled a ring of keys from her pocket. Inside was a storeroom with shelves of boxed food in cans and jars and instafood packs. Near the back was a shelf of neatly folded clothing--T-shirts, pants, socks, sweatshirts. Everything seemed broken in and neutral in color--gray, black, tan, white. Yarrow looked for a moment then selected a shirt, pants, socks, underwear, and a hooded sweatshirt. She also grabbed a pair of flip flops and a small mesh bag of toiletries.

  “Not a lot of selection,” she said, smiling, still looking somewhere off to my left. “We’ll clean up your shoes. They look fine.”

  “What is this place?” I asked.

  “Used to be a government base. They left it empty. We bought the land in an auction and took it over. That was years and years ago. We’ll tell you all of it, the history. First, a shower and a meal.” She led me out of the room, down the corridor, and into what looked like a locker room. There were metal cubbies on the wall and a wooden bench. The floor was white tile. “Showers are through the doorway there,” she said, pointing. “Get cleaned up. I’ll wait outside. Leave your clothes on the bench, and I’ll take them to the laundry.”

  “My pack!” I said, remembering I had left it in the floater. It felt weird to be without it. It had been my constant companion for the past weeks.

  “It will be brought to your room.”

  “My room?”

  “Yes--I’ll find a nice room for you. Don’t worry. Take your time.” She turned and walked out, the door swinging closed silently behind her.