by E W Barnes
“That’s good news,” Director Veta said. She looked around the room. “It looks like we have enough provisions to be comfortable while we make the tunnel safe. What’s left over we can take with us.” For the first time that day, she relaxed.
“We don’t have such good news,” Caelen said as he stepped up with Agent Diogo.
“It will be two to three months before we can eradicate the virus in the temporal mainframe,” Agent Diogo said. “That’s a minimum, and it assumes that our suppositions about how to eliminate it are correct. If they aren’t…” she trailed off shrugging helplessly.
“We can work on it here and continue the research when we reach the CERN level,” the Director answered. "We won’t give up.”
“Where’s Miranda?” Caelen asked looking around.
“She hasn’t reported back on the water supplies,” Director Veta said, tilting her head at the consumables being organized on one side of the hall.
“I’ll help organize until she returns,” Caelen said.
Caelen didn’t make it that far, though. As he passed the door leading to the atrium, he stopped mid-stride. Miranda was leaning against the wall in the shadows, staring out at the blackness of the grounds.
“Miranda?” Caelen asked. “Are you ok?”
She shook her head. “No, I’m not.”
“What happened?”
“The water,” she said in a whisper that was almost a sob. “Caelen, the water. Someone has poisoned it.”
“Poisoned?”
“It’s in every source of water I could think of. Every one. And none of our decontaminates can eliminate it.” She grabbed his arm looking at him intently. “Do you understand what this means?”
“It means we can’t stay here; we need to move up to the CERN level as soon as possible…” he began, but she was shaking her head, eyes wide.
“No, no,” she gasped. “It means someone knew we’d be trapped here. Someone knew we’d need water to survive. Someone poisoned the water to stop us. There’s no other explanation. We have a saboteur and they are still here.” She looked into the hall where the staff was gathered preparing for their survival.
“One of those people can’t be trusted.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
2204 - The Evacuation
The TPC staff met the announcement about the contaminated water with grim acceptance. Caelen expected panic, but instead the revelation there was a saboteur in their midst united them. While the rest of the world’s population fought a battle for the earth on the surface above, the staff were now fighting a battle for the TPC. They had joined their loved ones in common cause, rather than hiding out while the rest of the world suffered and died.
Initially, Caelen argued against disclosure of the sabotage, but Director Veta overruled him.
“They have a right to know,” the Director quietly explained her decision. “They are scholars and scientists. They would learn the truth eventually and would distrust us for not sharing it. Plus,” she continued. “It will keep people alert to suspicious behavior and discourage the saboteur from committing more acts of destruction. We can use all the eyes we can.”
“If we could find the saboteur, they might have the key to eradicating the virus in the mainframe,” Agent MacGregor said.
“And he might know where Sharon is,” Caelen added in agreement.
Now, as Director Veta described the latest incident to the crowd, Caelen closely scanned everyone for reactions that might suggest who the saboteur was. But no one showed signs of deception.
The discussion grew intense. Those who wanted to join the battle as soon as possible argued that they should make their way through the tunnel to the CERN facility without waiting for the caves to be reinforced. Others argued for sending a small group to the CERN facilities to learn how best to support the battle progressing on the surface.
After Director Veta assured the group that she would let them know what she decided, people disbursed, some finding quiet corners in which to curl up and rest, others standing in groups talking among themselves. Agent MacGregor’s security team stood at the entrance to the hall not allowing anyone to leave. Ostensibly it was to wait for the director’s decision, but in reality, it was to keep all staff in one place and prevent more acts of sabotage.
“What do you think?” Director Veta asked Miranda, Caelen, and Agent MacGregor as they quietly convened in a corner near the platform.
“I like the idea of a small group going through the tunnel to get to the CERN facility first, while leaving the bulk of the staff here where they’re safe,” Agent MacGregor began.
“My worry is that we don’t know who the saboteur is,” Caelen responded. “If he or she goes with the team through the tunnel, they can cause damage in the CERN facility, including potentially sealing everyone in. If they’re left here with remaining staff, they can spread havoc and dissension down here.”
“The risk is the same, no matter which option we choose,” Miranda piped up. “If we all stay here, or we all go, if only some go and some stay, the saboteur can still damage us further. Until we can identify them, we are vulnerable no matter where we are.”
Director Veta exhaled and watched the milling crowd on the other side of the platform.
“When I took this job, it was to oversee scholarship and scientific research for what I believe is one of the greatest endeavors in human history. Now I’m tasked with ensuring it survives.” She turned to Agent MacGregor. “There is something to be said for keeping our family in one place. We’re stronger united. Take a small team and secure the tunnel. We’ll be making the journey to the CERN facilities together.”
✽✽✽
When time travel was discovered in 2126, creation of the Temporal Protection Corps was one of the first acts of the united World Government. In the beginning, sharing space with CERN researchers in proximity to the temporal nexus made sense. As time went on and the TPC outgrew the rooms offered by CERN, it became clear a separate headquarters was needed.
With the development of the temporal amplifier system, which allowed the temporal nexus to be accessed from any place and any time via the temporal mainframe’s use of quantum entanglement principles, TPC leaders realized they could locate their headquarters almost anywhere they chose.
In the end, however, the TPC remained close to its origins, opting to build a new headquarters below its CERN birthplace. As part of an engineering endeavor rivaling any in human history, an access tunnel was opened and a large cavern was excavated. It was this original tunnel that TPC staff now planned to use to return to their former CERN home.
Carrying tools both modern and ancient in design, a small group made its way across the grounds to the tunnel entrance located against the back wall of the cavern. As they walked, two team members planted lamps into the ground. From the atrium, one could make out the team’s progress by following the string of lights climbing across the dark space.
The entrance to the tunnel was around a curve in the rock wall, angled in such a way that it was not easily seen from the building. To find it, Agent MacGregor had consulted the original plans in the TPC archives for its general location, followed by an old-fashioned strategy of tapping on the rock walls with metal implements until he heard an echo. After that it was just a matter of prying rocks away from the opening until they revealed the shaft.
“It’s not as bad as I thought it would be,” Caelen said, shining a flashlight into the opening. He could only see about 15 feet before the tunnel arced to the left. The floor sloped steadily upward and was clear of rocks and debris at the entrance.
“About 25 feet in there’s a big rockslide,” Agent MacGregor answered. “Clearing it will be hard work.”
“Then let’s get started,” Caelen said.
Each of the six-person team had their assignment. Caelen took the lead, moving up the tunnel as they cleared each area. Agent MacGregor was in the rear position, to ensure nothing was missed as they proceeded upwards. They tasked
the rest of the team with helping to clear debris, shoring up the roof, and installing lights on the walls.
It was an arduous process. There were three major rock falls to clean up, the one 25 feet from the entrance, and two more at about 175 feet up and 250 feet up. The team grew sweaty and grimy, and without clean water their thirst was unpleasant. It was also hot and Caelen wondered aloud if they needed to install some means of cycling-in fresh air before they could move the staff.
“Do you hear that?” one of the team interrupted before Agent MacGregor answered. She was panting, pushing hair out of her eyes after shoveling several hundred pounds of rock to the side as they cleared the latest fall.
“Is it a kind of humming sound?” Caelen asked.
She nodded.
“It’s gotten louder since we cleared this last pile,” he said.
“Maybe we’re close to the temporal nexus,” she offered, heaving another load against the wall next to her. “They built the tunnel next to the temporal nexus enclosure.”
Caelen stepped over the two-foot berm of rock remaining to be removed and cautiously crept up the tunnel, his flashlight sweeping up and down looking for signs of instability and stopping as he saw the end of the tunnel. Where the tunnel met the CERN facility, the rock ended, and the floor and walls were metal sheets, ending at a closed door. The door looked like an airlock, made of thick metal with a round wheel in the center. Caelen jumped back as an arc of electricity bounced across the metal disappearing as it hit rock.
He made his way back to Agent MacGregor.
“I think we’ve reached the top, but there’s a problem,” Caelen said.
They followed him up the tunnel until they saw the metal framework and the electricity that intermittently shot across it.
“It’s probably discharges from the temporal nexus,” said the woman who had commented about the humming sound. “It might be caused by the virus.”
“What do we do?” another of the team asked.
Agent MacGregor didn’t answer, instead moving closer until he was within a few feet of where the rock ended and the metal began. Caelen came up behind him, speaking quietly.
“We’ll find another way out,” he murmured. “Maybe we can use the mag-lev shovels and dig around it.”
“There’s a pattern,” Agent MacGregor said.
“What?”
“Don’t you see? The electricity discharges in a set pattern.” He bent down and touched the stony floor. “It’s hot here. The metal will probably burn skin. But if we’re careful, we can make it.”
“Are you suggesting we walk through that?” another team member said doubtfully.
Agent MacGregor turned to face them.
“Yes, I am. There’s enough of a gap between discharges for us to walk through one at a time. It won’t be fast, and we must be careful, but I believe we can do this.”
“What about digging a path around it?” Caelen said.
“It will take too much time. We need water and we need answers. And we can get both through there,” Agent MacGregor said pointing.
“We better try first, just to be sure,” Caelen said. Agent MacGregor looked at him steadily and then nodded.
“You’re right.”
Caelen warily approached the end of the tunnel. Heat surrounded him and the electricity in the air felt like ants on his skin and his hair stood on end.
“Watch the pattern,” Agent MacGregor murmured.
Caelen nodded, feeling the rhythm. He took a deep breath and walked forward. His footsteps clanged on the metal and the hot air made him gasp. He reached for the wheel and thought better of it, pulling his sleeves down over his hands to protect them from the heat. He strained but the wheel wouldn’t turn. By his estimate he had less than 10 seconds before the next discharge. It wasn’t enough time to make it back into the tunnel. He turned the wheel again, grunting until it gave a little. There was a hiss as the door outward. He shoved the door open with his shoulder as a discharge flared behind him. He was through, cool darkness surrounding him.
“I made it,” he called back panting.
“What do you see?” Agent MacGregor asked.
“A hallway, doors to offices, maybe laboratories,” Caelen answered, raising his voice over the thrum of the discharges. “But no people. They may have already fled to the surface.”
“If they got to the surface, then we can, too,” Agent MacGregor said as Caelen analyzed the discharges to cross back into the tunnel.
“There’s plenty of room on the other side for people to move away from this opening,” Caelen answered. “But we must seal the door again once everyone is through.”
Even though Caelen’s escapade was a success, it was with obvious misgivings that the team packed up its materials and made the journey back to the cavern and TPC headquarters. The return trip was fast and easy thanks to the work they’d done, but still took close to an hour.
“We’ll need to take the travel time into consideration as we plan this,” Caelen said as they crossed the atrium and entered the hall. People brought juice squeezed from fresh fruits from the orchard. It wasn’t enough to quench their thirst, but it was better than nothing.
“Let’s report to the Director,” Agent MacGregor said to Caelen. After instructing the team not to discuss anything with anyone— “The decision is the director’s call”—they left them to rest after thanking them for their hard work.
They crossed the hall quietly—most of the staff were sleeping against walls and in clusters in corners, though here and there small groups talked softly among themselves.
Director Veta and Miranda were still in the corner behind the platform. Both were awake and waiting for them.
“We made it to the top, but there’s a problem,” Agent MacGregor began. He explained about the electrical discharges and the pattern, and his belief they could make it through one person at a time.
“What do you think, Agent Winters?”
Caelen looked uncomfortable. “I think it’s a risk,” he said. “But I also agree that we have limited options. It may be worth the risk.”
The Director looked to Miranda for her opinion.
“Our people are trained professionals, Director,” Miranda responded. “Properly prepared, I have every confidence they can do this.”
“I agree,” Director Veta said. “What do we need to tell them?”
They discussed the journey. Each person would have to carry a share of the collected resources and materiel with them and be prepared for a journey of over an hour.
“Once we get to the top, there will be a delay as each person waits for the break in the discharges to pass through,” Agent MacGregor explained.
They decided the staff should make the journey in groups, each accompanied by someone they could trust.
“We want to be sure the saboteur doesn’t hinder our escape, whether here, in the tunnel, or up top,” Agent MacGregor asserted.
They waited until morning to make the announcement to the staff, wanting all to be as well rested as possible. After diving the staff into groups and spreading their resources among those who could carry a pack, Agent Diogo led the first group to continue her work on clearing the virus from the temporal mainframe in the CERN facilities.
Ninety minutes later the next group left under the guidance of Agent MacGregor’s trusted lieutenant, Martin Nguyen. They were followed by a third group led by Director Veta. Caelen’s group, along with Miranda, was to follow Director Veta’s, and Agent MacGregor would accompany the last group.
Caelen’s group moved quickly. By this time the path from TPC headquarters across the cavern was well trodden, and the lights showed the way clearly. Similarly, the work done to clear and support the tunnel walls was holding up well. His group stopped about half-way to take a short break and then proceeded until they reached the line of people waiting to cross the discharges. There were five people left from the previous group, Director Veta being the last to make sure her team crossed successful
ly. He saw staff on the other side waiting to assist people after they crossed.
“Now,” said a man on the other side, holding out his arms as if he would catch the next person. The woman next in line almost ran across, heaving a sigh of relief when she safely made it to the other side. Caelen saw someone help her with her pack and escort her into the facility.
It took another 30 minutes before Caelen’s team made it through. Then he joined Director Veta at the end of the tunnel to wait for Agent MacGregor’s group. They did not have to wait long. Within five minutes Caelen saw the first person come around the corner. Then, one-by-one, they made their way across between discharges.
“How are things going?” Miranda appeared at Caelen’s side, watching each person make their way to safety into the CERN facilities.
“Good,” he answered. “There are only four people left; then Agent MacGregor.”
“I’ll be relieved when everyone’s here safely. We’ve found water and communications equipment we can use to monitor what’s happening on the surface. We’ve also disabled the elevators, so we don’t have any unexpected visitors.”
“What about the stairs?” Caelen asked as a discharge shot across the opening with a loud crack.
“They're filled with debris,” she answered. “We’ll have to dig through later.”
Another discharge ricocheted from metal wall to metal wall.
“The pattern is no longer holding,” Agent MacGregor called from the tunnel. Two people were left besides Agent MacGregor, and he was talking to them quietly. Then:
“Go now!” he commanded, and both ran across at the same time. They avoided the discharges, but one fell against a metal wall, crying out in pain as the heat burned his skin. He was assisted immediately by medical personnel there for just such an emergency.