Utopia Project: Everyone Must Die

by Billy Dering

  Elder-1 continued, “We could initiate such destruction right now. They can try to change access codes, but it is too late. We already set up our own technological defenses to that.”

  “When will this be voted on?” she asked.

  Turning to the dais, he nodded to Elder-10, who also acted as the recording secretary for the 11-member Board of Elders. The elder stated, “We already have. Prior to the this meeting, the Board had an emergency executive meeting and unanimously approved proceeding with taking over the United States GPS satellites and eliminating the old world, in just about one week from now.” Elder-10 looked up and announced, “The event is scheduled for the evening of December 26, 2044 at 2300 hours, eastern standard time.”

  Glancing around the room, a couple of elders looked distressed, some others were grinning, but most just appeared stunned.

  Elder-155 seemed downright distraught. “So, Sir, at that time, everyone outside of our project will die?”

  “Yes. Everyone must die. Remember, with our plans for a phase-in over time, everyone from the old world still would have perished, but it would have taken multiple generations and would have happened through attrition. Instead, we are forced to make it happen all at once. And with the neutron beam weapon, people are eliminated, but structures and technology remain intact, so our rebuild will be very much expedited.”

  An elder from Britain spoke up and asked, “How will we do that, with just those left in this project?”

  “Look around this room. We have more than 200 elders, government, military and civilian, serving in various capacities.” Elder-1 swept his hand from left to right in front of his body.

  When hand-selecting powerful and capable elders from all over the world, Elder-1 did so using his own psychological manipulations. He gave them their own special number in the project, and he had given the elders nearly king-like status when aboard the Utopia Project ships. Although they still maintained a government, military or civilian rank or status in their home countries, they all came to identify first and foremost with their elder position and number in the project. It became their identity. And it became their life. Elder-1’s approach had worked to near perfection. So it was, that the members were not the only ones in the project who were conditioned.

  He continued, “Within our team of elders, we have experts in just about every technological, electrical, and industrial application, as well as most utility systems. We will be able to operate just about anything in the world. We have medical doctors covering all disciplines with redundancy, as well as scientists and psychologists. Among the elders with a military background, we have in our project some of the most skilled military commanders, trainers and tactical planners.” Elder-1 chose not to add that the majority of the elders were not married, did not have close families and all believed in the project with conviction. Most, if not all, would die for the project.

  Still standing, Elder-155 asked, “But, Sir, do we really have to destroy the entire world?”

  “On the surface, one might think we are destroying the world, but the truth is, we are saving it. Because now, going forward, the human race will not only survive, but we will finally achieve the impossible goal that has been sought since the dawn of man- a world at peace, without wars, conquest, or conflict. A world where everyone is together as one. A world without divide.”

  “We are just not sure we agree with going to such extremes.” Elder-155 looked around for support, and few would even look her way. A couple of elders nodded their head in agreement, but by and large, the room was against her. Good.

  “Take your seat Elder-155. We do not wish to do it, but it is the only option. Otherwise, our project is shut down and the world will end. That is a certainty. We trust that all of you understand these drastic actions and will conform and assist. We promise the new world will be one of peace and beauty, without stress and conflict. You will all be the forbearers of that world.”

  Now was when Elder-1 needed to choose his words carefully. He could not lose the room. He paused long enough to gauge the expression on his own face. He needed to look somewhat remorseful, and non-threatening. “But to this end, we must inform you that the trackers inserted in your neck, and my neck, are not just trackers. We will remove them in one week, but they have a failsafe built in, given the top secret plan we have shared with you all today. We do not intend to utilize this function, but there is in fact detonation capability for the devices in our necks.” He noticed that several elders were reaching back and rubbing their neck. “Again, it is just a failsafe in case anyone tries to betray the project. These devices, just for the next week, will reveal where you are, what you are saying, and it even intercepts vision signals to show us what you are seeing. In the worst scenario, if one tries to reveal or compromise the project, then the tracker will have to be detonated. A spark will fire directly into that person’s brain, and fry it in an instant. But, if you are not a deserter or a traitor, then you have nothing to fear.”

  Elder-155 again bolted to her feet, and seemed quite flustered. “Why would you insert something that dangerous in our neck?”

  Waving for Elder-1 to bend down, Elder-2 whispered in his ear, “We have heard rumor that Elder-155 has fallen in love and was secretly married without our knowledge. Her behavior seems to be confirming those rumors.”

  “Figures,” Elder-1 muttered as he stood up straight. “We all have this device in our neck because being compromised by just one person could jeopardize the fate of all. If we inserted it somewhere else, like an arm, a person could simply cut off a limb. And understand, the tracker cannot be removed, or tampered with, without detonating. So be forewarned- and leave well enough alone. Again, we wish such drastic measures were not necessary, but we hope you understand how much is at stake. Not just the fate of our project, but the fate of humanity itself.”

  Elder-1 looked at the faces of his fellow elders. Many were still stunned, but none moved against him or the Board of Elders. Most of the elders were in the process of accepting their fate and the fact that they had no choice. They will serve the project and stay alive, or they will die. The only annoyingly blind and stupid elder to protest out loud was Elder-155. She was still voicing her displeasure with the device in her neck.

  Elder-1 announced, “Understand, you are the fortunate ones being saved. But we will ask just once- if anyone wants to leave the project now, you may do so. But we will require a signed release and you will not be allowed back, and you will die with the rest of the world. So please come forward to the dais if you would prefer to abandon your role as a forbearer of the new world. To the rest of you, let us look forward to the saving the world. We will have additional planning meetings, but this meeting is now…adjourned.”

  Not surprisingly, Elder-155 came forward to the dais and two other elders joined her. Elder-1 took all three elders to the command center to sign their releases. Or so they thought. As the three elders entered a small office, he said, “This is your last chance to stay in the project.”

  “We are leaving,” Elder-155 stated defiantly, “and the sooner the better.”

  The second elder followed her in. The third elder stopped at the doorway. Changing his mind, he turned and left.

  Pointing at some open chairs along a wall, Elder-1 said, “Sit, and your releases will be brought in momentarily.”

  Elder-155 remained standing and crossed her arms while the other elder sat down.

  Moments later, Elder-1 came to the room with a tablet in his hand. Elder-155 was facing the seated elder, expressing her disbelief at the destruction about to be unleashed on the planet. As she turned, Elder-1 tapped the screen. Elder-155’s head shook violently and she screamed. With a panicked expression, her eyes turned blood-red and bulged until one popped entirely out of its socket. She collapsed face-first onto the ground.

  The other elder jumped out of his seat and tried to run. Elder-1 tapped the screen again. The fleeing elder also yelped and reached for his head, but he too crumbled.<
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  Elder-2 came up behind him and peered at the two bodies on the ground. “They made a poor choice.”

  “They had every opportunity to make the right choice,” Elder-1 responded. “And Elder-155’s decision has turned her secret husband into a widower already. Although he will not be far behind.”

  Overall, Elder-1 was quite pleased with the response thus far. They had only lost 10 elders, although he suspected they would lose some more. There would be at least handful of elders who would try to stop the destruction and their brains would also be blown.

  With the event scheduled for the evening of December 26, 2044, they had only six days to prepare, and there was much to be done. But soon, the world would be reborn.

  Chapter 10

  December 27, 2044

  Tuesday, Early Evening

  New Jersey coast

  The day after the event

  Inside the beach shack, Kid and Jess tossed and turned for an hour, but couldn’t sleep. They arose and walked back to the same supermarket with a new shopping list. They quickly grabbed food, water, and towels, but it took some time to locate a couple of flashlights and large backpacks. All of the supplies were triple-bagged in plastic trashcan liners before being stuffed into the backpacks.

  They made the short walk to a marina on the bayside of the peninsula. At the dock were two boats in the water with winter covers.

  “I’m surprised there is no ice buildup under here. The water under this dock must be too turbulent.” Jess started pulling the winter cover off of the smaller vessel. “This cuddy is only 24 feet long, and isn’t exactly a powerhouse, but it will do.” Jumping into the craft, he added, “There’s no ignition key. While I’m hot-wiring it, can you check the gas level?”

  A few minutes later, Kid said, “Gas tank is almost full, so we’re good. I’ll be back. There are some important items we need to bring if we’re going to have any chance at all.”

  As Kid walked up to the marina building, he grabbed an eight-inch cinder block and used it to knock the glass out of a window. Climbing in, he scoured around and found thin rope. He also found a steel tow hook. The hook itself reminded him of the one worn in place of a missing hand by Captain Hook in the story of Peter Pan, but with a point that was rounded. Tying the rope securely through the eye at the base of the hook, he wound up the rope and slung it over his shoulder. From inside, he unlocked a back door and walked to the dock, picking up an oar along the way.

  Jess touched the right wires together and the boat started. He throttled up and they drove out of the marina and into the main bay channel, pushing aside chunks of ice along the way. Keeping the lights switched off, they cruised at a slow speed, guided only by the glow of the half moon. “Here goes nothing,” he muttered as they entered the Barnegat Inlet. “Hold on tight.”

  Kid kept a firm grip on the top of the windshield as they entered a waterway with a well-deserved reputation for being treacherous. He knew the channel between Barnegat Bay and the Atlantic Ocean had violent and unpredictable currents. Many boats had been chewed up and spit out through the years. Kid had seen many skilled boaters, including Jess, struggle to get safely through Barnegat Inlet on calm days in broad daylight. They were tackling it in the dark of night.

  The boat jumped and skipped, mist splashing in their faces as they drove. Kid held on tight as he could see only a few feet in front of the bow. Within this limited sight-distance, it appeared that the water ahead was flowing in a circular pattern. The bottom of the craft suddenly dropped out from under them, leaving their stomachs behind before slamming down. Jess was trying to navigate his way through, but the swift current was making him jerk the steering wheel from side to side. The boat was being thrown around like a cork in a whirlpool.

  “Watch the rocks!” Kid warned as the bow swung toward the southern shoreline.

  Burying the throttle, Jess turned the wheel. The boat lunged forward, bow in the air, as the starboard rear slammed into a large jetty boulder. A loud scratching sound pierced the air. Jess continued to goose the throttle, trying desperately to turn. He had a death grip on the steering wheel as he passed within a whisker of the last boulder in the line and they burst free from the snapping jaws of the inlet.

  Kid walked to the back of the boat to check for any serious damage. “Just scratched up and dented.”

  “I can’t believe we made it in one piece.” Jess sounded relieved as he plopped down into the driver’s seat.

  “And that was the easiest part of the mission,” Kid noted as they motored toward the three large ships. “Wait, now what is that?” He pointed at the sea between them and the ships. The dim rays of moonlight had reflected off of something in the darkness.

  Jess cut the engine throttle. The choppy water rocked the boat so forcefully that Kid had to break his intent stare. After stabilizing himself, he felt a sudden chill as his ears perked up. He put his hand on his friend’s shoulder and whispered, “Jess… there’s someone else out here.” A mechanical sound was growing louder and seemed to be approaching, so Jess hit the throttle.

  A fast moving boat with no lights emerged and aimed for them. As Jess cut the wheel the bows scraped, and the two crafts veered in opposite directions. Kid caught a glimpse and counted two soldiers.

  Despite the peril, Kid was grateful that they were alerted by the glimmer of light from the moon. Tonight, the soldiers were the moon-cussers.

  Jess turned the steering wheel over hard and the boat canted, almost throwing Kid overboard. “Where are you going?” he yelled as he held on tight.

  “We have to get back to land,” Jess said. “I only got a quick peek, but I can tell by the size of their engine that we can’t outrun them in this.”

  Looking back, Kid could hardly see anything in the darkness, but he heard the whine of the soldier’s boat engine and knew they were giving chase.

  Moments later, Jess called out, “Hold on! I am going to ground us.” As the boat plowed through the surf, he pulled back the throttle. They came to a sudden halt in the shallows when the engine dug into the sand. The boat fell on its starboard side and the retracting waves flooded the stranded craft.

  Jumping out, they sprinted up the sand dune. Kid’s heart raced as he glanced back to see the soldiers’ boat speeding toward the shore. Turning to the beach block, he saw an amusement park area with two tall water slides that were familiar to him. A large crane and other construction equipment sat idly in the far corner of the property. Making a break for it, he and Jess jumped an orange rubber construction fence and found the steps leading up to the water slides.

  Having gone there multiple times, Kid knew this attraction. The tops of the two tall slides met at a large wood platform with a control room. Patrons could choose one of two slides, and both followed winding courses down to the pool. Each slide was a long tube, fully enclosed for most of the descent. The pool was deep, but currently empty and covered with a winter tarp. He noticed two large circular valves on the side of the small building nestled next to the stair tower. That was when an idea hit him. Turning to Jess, he said, “Start unlatching the fasteners holding the pool cover where the slides exit. Get as many as you can. Go!”

  Jess took off and Kid ran over to the valves. With considerable effort, he was able to turn and open both of them. He heard water sloshing through insulated eight-inch pipes that ran up to the control room on the platform. With the water partially frozen, it sounded as if the pipes were carrying sand.

  Jess came around the corner and yelled, “They spotted us from the top of the dune and are coming this way!”

  “Go up the stairs to the top!” Kid instructed.

  “Seriously?”

  “Go!” he repeated as he ran right behind him.

  Ascending the tall, wooden switchback stair tower, Kid asked, “How many cover fasteners were you able to unlatch down there?”

  “The first eight on one side,” Jess answered as they reached the platform at the top.

  Kid easily shouldered open
the control room door and in the faint light, he could see a stack of plastic chairs. As he approached them, he noticed the next set of water release control valves in the corner. He turned them on and peeked out the door. Water sputtered out and then shot down the slides, again sounding like sand. At first the water was too viscous to flow with any real force, but it thinned and accelerated as it continued to pump out. Satisfied, Kid turned off the valves.

  “They’re on their way up!” Jess warned. “Why did we come up here?”

  “You’ll see.” His plan hinged on the soldiers following them step for step, like when the guys had jumped off the pier. He didn’t even want to contemplate how dire their situation was if he was wrong.

  He gave Jess a plastic chair, and quick instructions. “The slide is steep, and the back of the chair is pretty smooth, so lay down in the chair and push off. When you come out at the bottom, pull back the tarp, even if you have to unlatch more fasteners. I’m assuming they’ll follow you down.”

  Jess laid the chair down at the entrance of one slide, while Kid put a chair in front of the entry to the other. “Just before they come into sight, push this chair down” he continued. “Then you go down and make sure they see you, at least for a second.” After leaving additional chairs on the platform behind Jess, Kid ducked into the dark control room and hid next to the water release valves.

  As the enemy neared the top of the steps, Jess pushed the empty chair down the slide next to him. The soldiers reached the platform and looked at the covered slide. They could clearly hear something going down. They turned and spotted Jess laying back in a chair, as if he had tipped over backward, so they drew their weapons and ran toward him. But Jess used his hands to push off and started down the slide.

  From his dark hiding spot, Kid could see the enemy. They ran across the platform and stared at the slide entrances. Seeming determined to follow, the soldiers holstered their weapons and grabbed the two conveniently placed chairs at the base of the slides. One soldier glanced at the other and a smile appeared to flash across his face. They both laid back in chairs and pushed off.