Chapter Two
There wasn't a time in the day when the Walkways weren't busy.
The rows of elevators gave way to a kind of crossroads where people selected a direction and took the appropriate Walkway out of the building. We wound through the crowd, heading for the south side.
A group of Wardens, dressed in sleek grey uniforms, marched through the crush of bodies and we moved aside to allow them access to their separate walking lane.
The Wardens were appointed to patrol the city and maintain the peace. The city was under their constant surveillance, they used millions of CCTV cameras and microphones to keep an eye on us. Privacy was a concept that didn't really have much meaning.
Harbour city was a rabbit warren of skyscrapers interconnected by huge glass Walkways. The long tubes jutted out of each building on the one hundred and fiftieth floor. They connected all of the buildings within the city and once you were in one, you moved fast or got knocked aside.
The Wardens were assigned their own lane to allow them quick, unrestricted travel throughout the city. Sometimes VIPs used the Warden lanes too but for the general population, it was all about leg power and elbows.
I could never resist sparing a few moments to gaze out through the reinforced glass. The view was really quite beautiful, especially at night. The twinkling brilliance of the city always took my breath away and the sheer scope of it was humbling in its enormity.
Someone shoved me aside and I bit my tongue to cut off a curse as I spied the bottle green uniform of the culprit. The Harvesters pushed their way between the crowd. There were six of them in all and they each held the same superior, arrogant look on their faces.
"I would consider a job in hydroponics if I didn't think I would end up like one of them," I muttered.
Taylor laughed appreciatively as the Harvesters turned off of the Walkway and headed for a hydroponics building. They did brilliant work and were rewarded with great apartments and the general respect and adoration of the public for providing the city with all the food we needed to survive. However, it tended to go to their heads and they were generally all puffed-up assholes.
"You could just work in produce. It's almost the same," Taylor said as we passed an exit for a produce building. The queue outside was already long despite it being early.
"Yeah, because distributing food is exactly like helping to create it." I shook my head and upped my speed as the crowd thinned slightly.
The skyscrapers within the city were allocated for various purposes; population buildings for housing, school buildings raised the new generations to be productive members of society, health and wellbeing buildings held gyms so that people could exercise, and so on. We passed by many of them on our way to the cable cars and people swarmed on and off of the Walkways at the various exits.
It took us forty minutes of switching Walkways and passing through buildings to reach the edge of the city at the south side and enter the skyscraper designated for 'Cable cars and Wall maintenance'. We joined the back of a line and waited for a retinal scanner to register our arrival. I huffed impatiently and Taylor raised an eyebrow at me.
"What?" he asked.
"I just hate having to queue all the time," I sighed. Taylor shook his head at me, he never found the city rules as irritating as I did.
I stepped forward and leaned into the scanner. A red light blinded me momentarily and the door slid open to admit me. We moved into a wide, open hall where the other members of the expedition were already gathered. We joined the back of the large group who were all converging around a small, balding man.
Professor Delo was one of the city Guardians, the scientific leader for Harbour City. He was in charge of any expeditions outside The Wall. Not that there were many. He was also the leading expert on the contamination and its effects so was responsible for keeping the city contagion-free. It was a job he took very seriously and, presumably, he did it well seeing as we were all still alive. He stood, raised up above the crowd, commanding the attention of the room as he laid out our objective.
"We are doing vital research for the continued prosperity of our great city," he called out in a rather wobbly voice. "But it is imperative that you all remain safe. Stay within your groups and maintain radio contact. If you think there is a reason to fear anything at all then check back with us before proceeding. If you or your equipment are compromised, your first concern is for the population. We can't risk any contamination entering the city."
A chill ran down my spine. In all the excitement about going outside The Wall for the first time, I had forgotten about the reasons for staying in. My mind brought up images of the contaminated and I pushed them aside with a shudder. There was nothing left alive out there anymore.
"You can collect your biohazard suits from the lovely gentleman to my left and sign yourselves in with the less lovely gentleman to my right. We will be leaving within the hour." As he finished speaking, Professor Delo dropped down into the surrounding bodies and was quickly swallowed by the crowd.
"Striving forward together!" he called out from the depths of the group as an afterthought.
"For the good of the population," everyone chanted back instantly.
"So kids, are you ready to head into the big outdoors?" Taylor's dad, Artie, appeared behind us and laid a hand on each of our shoulders. He was a tall man, thick with muscles which had softened a little over the years. His head was topped with more full, black hair than a man his age deserved and a matching moustache to round it all off.
Taylor was him reborn minus the moustache and with the lighter hair he took from his mom.
"Sure Dad. I'm gunna jump in line for the bio suits. I don't wanna end up with a gross one or something," Taylor said as he moved away and disappeared into the crowd to the left of the room.
"Thanks for getting me in on this Artie." I had the distinct feeling that I must have looked as though I was about to burst with excitement.
"No problem gettin' you on board, it's my numb nuts son who I have to pull the strings for 'round here." He laughed, a deep rumble in his chest. I ducked aside with well practiced speed as he reached out to ruffle my hair.
"You're getting too slow old man." I flashed him a smile as I turned and moved across the room quickly, leaving Artie behind and stopping at Taylor's side.
"Do you think they come in different sizes? I wouldn't want to go out with my ankles on show," he joked.
"More likely I'd be tripping over extra material in that case."
"Next!" a pale man called out as we found ourselves at the front of the queue. "One XL male one XS female," he yelled over his shoulder as he threw a brief, searching glance in our direction. "Move to the left. Next!"
We quickly shuffled aside to let the queue keep moving and had matching white suits handed to us.
"Enter the cubicles and strip off everything you're currently wearing. There are lockers out the back. Put on the suit - it should be skin tight but shouldn't cut off the blood. If you need a different size, shout." A frazzled looking woman with a bird's nest of grey hair directed us towards the changing area.
"See you on the other side." Taylor winked at me as he disappeared behind a grey curtain.
The suit was definitely skin tight. It was like a big, elasticated baby-grow with individual fingers lined with high sensitivity pads. It ended at my neck and ankles with a series of clips to attach the head gear and boots.
I tried not to focus on how revealing it was and moved back outside. Taylor was stepping from foot to foot.
"I feel weirdly self aware." He grimaced, pulling in vain at the material which was clinging to his chest.
"At least they considered your modesty," I laughed, pointing to the padded shorts area on the suit.
"Well I'm not concerned about that, but it is nice for the less well endowed men not to have to try and compete."
"You're a moron," I said, rolling my eyes as we reached the lockers.
"You can't call me a moron; I'm your on
ly friend, what does that say about you?" Taylor took my clothes and shoved them into the same locker as his.
"That I take pity on you."
"I vote to agree." Artie had appeared with perfect timing as usual, dressed in his own biohazard suit.
"You can't agree with her again, where's the paternal bond?" Taylor asked.
"Are you suggesting he puts blood before the truth? We're working with facts here," I added instantly.
"I vote to agree again," Artie smiled.
"Oh no, I won't be drawn into one of these, I'm off to sign in." Taylor walked away as Artie slapped me a high five.
"He's too easy," I smiled as we watched him join the back of the other queue. Most people had already joined their groups and headed to the cable cars.
We moved aside as a group bustled past us. Artie nodded to Dr Lomax who was leading them. Rebecca Adeler waddled by, trying to look superior as she shot me a scowl. Rebecca was in my class and had tried her hardest to make my life hell since I'd been sent to live on forty. The problem was, I found it hard to be intimidated by a girl who hadn't even figured out how to brush her hair properly and only lived on ninety six even with her family intact.
Most of my other classmates had avoided me since my demotion and many pointed out on a regular basis that I no longer met the requirements for our class. Luckily, the education Guardian had decided that, as my demotion was due to bereavement, I could stay where I was. Besides, I only needed Taylor.
The room was slowly emptying as the various groups formed and were led out to the cable cars. I took a breath and tried to gather my thoughts, plucking at the material that clung to my left arm. I was actually going to see what the outside world looked like for myself.
"Trying not to burst?" Artie asked.
"Is it that obvious?" I attempted to stop grinning like an idiot.
"Only to me kid. Are you eating with us tonight?"
"So long as Jane isn't experimenting again," I said cautiously.
"She's sworn off home cooking, only pre-packed meals from now on."
"I've heard that before." I shook my head as if I wasn't sure, but we both knew I'd be there.
Taylor reappeared at our side.
"I signed both of us in, and guess who our team leader is? One Dr Jackson."
"I've heard he's a total asshole," I said, dropping my voice.
"Yeah I think he's a real jackass," Taylor agreed.
"Who'd have thought to put a pair of idiots like you in my group?" Artie gave us a scowl while he tried to hide a smile beneath his moustache.
"That's the rest of the team over there." Taylor jerked a thumb over his shoulder towards the final group of people who were all staring at us.
I recognised another boy from our class, Daniel. He turned his gaze from mine as I glanced in their direction. I didn't know why they expected me to want their approval. They certainly didn't get mine.
"Ah, that's the cue for me to make a dashing and impressive entrance kids," Artie said, brushing down his bio-suit and running his thumb and forefinger along his moustache before he strode over to them. They swarmed around him with a little too much admiration and started competing for his attention.
Artie was in his element and we moved over to join the edges of the group, waiting for everyone to settle down.
"We're getting put into research pairs so that's you and me," Taylor said, taking my hand as Artie started splitting everyone else into pairs.
"Is that up to you?" I asked suspiciously.
"Didn't you see who our group leader is?" He gave me his most sincere look. "Dr Jackson at your service." He bowed his head in mock introduction.
"Junior. And you aren't a doctor, either." I nudged him with my elbow.
"Ah, the insignificant details that ruin my greatest plans," he sighed.
"And save the rest of us from near certain destruction." I reclaimed my hand and tried to ignore the irritation that flashed across his features.
"Maya Summers you're with Taylor Jackson." Artie's voice floated over to us and Taylor smiled broadly.
"Group twelve, Dr Jackson?" The frazzled woman was standing by the entrance to the cable car room, ushering us towards her.
The group surged forward and we moved through a large doorway into a holding area with a sealed door on the far side of the room. Benches lined the walls and everyone took a seat. Taylor and I entered last, so I got stuck sitting next to Daniel. He wrinkled his nose and leaned away from me.
The woman handed out the boots and head gear which completed our suits.
The helmet was entirely closed in with a ventilator at the front to filter the contaminants out of the air. A visor cut my peripheral vision in half and directed my sight ahead. It all clipped securely to the suit and effectively blocked out the world. It was kind of claustrophobic if I spent too much time thinking about it.
Frazzle wasn't wearing a suit so I presumed she wouldn't be joining us outside. She moved back to the door we had just entered through and closed the vacuum seal behind us. The air in the room constricted around us and my ears popped. My heart started to beat a little faster.
"Do these helmets filter out Dweller stink?" Daniel whispered loudly enough for the whole room to hear as he shuffled away from me.
The girl sitting next to him giggled appreciatively.
"You wanna watch your mouth if you don't want to end up staying behind," Taylor said without bothering to drop his voice.
"Thats not up to you." Daniel curled his lip.
"It is up to me though." Artie moved to stand in the centre of the room with his arms folded and Daniel dropped his gaze.
"It was just a joke," he muttered.
"Daniel, you're eighteen next week right? It must be so exciting for you," I said sweetly.
"Why?" He narrowed his eyes at me.
"You'll finally be old enough to visit the Body Perfect building. I know they don't work miracles, but there must be something they can do for your face."
Daniel opened his mouth to reply but Artie chose that moment for a not-so-subtle throat clearance and he dropped it.
I stood and flashed Artie a smile which he attempted not to return. I wandered over to stand by the outer door, readying myself for my first ever sight of the world beyond The Wall.
The door itself was a circular piece of steel that blocked a hole in the side of The Wall. It was around two meters wide, perfectly smooth and was operated by a keypad and retinal scanner.
I reached out and placed a hand on the smooth, sandy stone of The Wall.
It was cold, even through the material of my glove. I ran my fingertips along its surface. I had never been so close to The Wall before. It was hard to take in.
"So what are you peeing yourself with? Fear or excitement?" Taylor asked as he joined me.
"Ah, I didn't actually think about a bathroom break, maybe that would have been a good idea," I smirked.
"Oh great, now I need to go," he said.
I raised my eyebrows at him.
"I'll make it, don't worry," he said, raising his hands placatingly.
A deep vibration started to radiate through The Wall as the vacuum seals around the outer door were released.
Thunk, the door shifted like a plug being pulled from a sink. The thick steel split in the middle and opened smoothly to reveal the cable car landing point beyond. A whoosh of pressure pulled at me as a balance was created between the outer atmosphere and the air within the room.
I could feel my pulse throbbing in my wrist.
"Please make your way onto the cable car and brace yourselves for motion," the frazzled woman called as she ushered us through.
Taylor and I were nearest to the door and as we walked out onto the platform, I could hardly breathe. We were in a tunnel built of some kind of semi-transparent perspex. Above my head was the mechanism for the cable cars and I could see the wire moving along steadily.
At either end of the tunnel were open doo
rways, long plastic tassels blocked the view outside but as I watched the entrance to our left, the cable car pushed its way through them. As it got closer, dark grey smoke was blasted over and around it from vents that lined the tunnel wall, momentarily concealing it in a cloud.
The smoke disappeared and the cable car pulled slowly level with us on the platform. Droplets of water ran down its surface and the door slid quietly open. I stepped inside.
It was a large, glass sphere with a sliver handrail running all the way around the edge. There was nothing else to prove that there was a barrier between us and the outside world so the view was completely uninterrupted. Everyone piled in behind me as it glided along the platform and then we were moving through the tassels at the tunnel's exit.
I walked straight to the far end and gazed out, straining my eyes to take everything in. I reached out and placed my hand on the glass in front of me as if I could push my way through.
Beyond The Wall was a wasteland. A scorched desert of grey-brown dust extending endlessly to the north, west and south. The Wardens went out to burn anything that grew there and sew salt in the soil to keep it clear. To the east of The Wall was the ocean stretching away beyond the horizon, providing all the water the city could ever need and more.
I had never had a clear view of the sea before.
It was just so big. I couldn't comprehend it. My eyes darted back and forth as I watched the tips of the cresting waves moving in a constant dance. The city was perched high above the shore on a row of cliffs and I couldn't see the point at which water met land.
I turned back towards the west and the endless waste. For a second, I thought I saw a glimpse of green but when I looked again there was just more brown dust. My imagination was playing tricks on me.
The ground loomed ever closer, it was pockmarked with the odd interruption of rocks or other immovable pieces of the terrain that didn't hold any life. It was impossible to make out anything with any clarity but I wanted to see it all. I shuffled my feet and flexed my fingers, anxious to get moving.
Directly below us, there were clusters of something which I guessed must be the housing. They looked like little boxes from our vantage point and their roofs were a patchwork of different colours.
The scene didn't change much as we descended but the lumpy clusters of housing became more defined, their colours revealing themselves as everything from burnt red, to dark brown, to steely grey.
It wasn't a lot to look at, and yet, it was the most beautiful sight that I had ever seen.