by John M Grier
~***~
Twenty meters below the surface, Suzie said “The occupant of the vehicle has emerged. I’ll put the video surveillance on the screen behind you.”
The cameras that still worked had been virtually unused and un-maintained for the better part of the last two centuries. However, there still existed a scant few in operating condition, of a sort. They no longer moved, and the pictures were grainy and cloudy from the haze on the lenses, but they provided an image.
The image they showed was a young lady in a short party dress, wearing high heels. Her back was to the camera and there was no sound that they could hear, but Suzie was able to pick up something from somewhere. She said “The girl from the limo is looking for you, Paul.”
Jack couldn’t believe his luck. He had lived here alone and undisturbed for ten years now and after one day with a visitor, the government came knocking on his door. “No doubt she followed this ‘chip’ of yours as some sort of homing beacon, Paul. This is just great” Jack said with bitterness in his voice. “Now the government knows this place exists and will no doubt want it back.”
“Now Jack, don’t get too excited. It may just be the one person. Maybe I should go out there and see what she wants. She may not know about you, if you have no chip.”
“Well, I still don’t like it. But okay, your plan makes some sense. But be careful. I’ll follow you to the top of the stairway. Suzie can monitor from here.”
“Okay. I should get going before she hurts herself in those heels she’s wearing. Why would someone come out here dressed like that anyway?” Paul retraced his steps to the stairwell and climbed to the surface. After securing the door, he emerged from beneath the rubble and approached the hoverlimo. As he got closer, the mysterious lady in the high heels and party dress turned and for the first time Paul saw Janet. Needless to say, he was shocked.