“My name’s Raj,” he said as they raced along.
“I’m Clementine and that’s Michael.”
They came out at the bottom of the lot and beside the abandoned attendant booth, where they crossed the road to the Museum of Anthropology.
“We’ll take cover there,” Raj said.
“Seriously?” Michael said. The building in front of them was bright and cheerful. Surrounded by trees, it was still noticeable from the main road and the structure had twice as many large windows as safe, sturdy brick or steel. “Are you sure it’s safe? That’s a lot of glass. Kinda easy entrance. Hard to barricade. Shouldn’t we be looking for a bomb shelter or something?”
Raj shook his head and grinned as if Michael had said the dumbest thing on the planet. “It’s called hiding in plain sight. We’ve been here since the beginning. They’ve crashed and burned all the dorms and totaled the Student Union Building. They tore apart the gymnasium brick by brick and you saw what they did to the library. But they haven’t come here.”
“Right in the open where they’d never expect it,” Clementine said. “Genius.”
Michael frowned.
“And there are good exits,” Raj said. “Behind the museum is nothing but forest. It leads in many directions. Down to the water or around the university and back toward Vancouver. We’ve got stuff hidden in the woods. Food and water. All sorts of supplies. We even got a boat. If we have to leave in a hurry we can get out virtually undetected.”
“You keep saying ‘we,’” Michael said. “How many people are there?”
Raj grinned. “Sixty or so.”
“Is there a guy named Heath?”
Raj paused. “Don’t think so, but that doesn’t mean much. We’re pretty big. I don’t know all the names. But you’ll see for yourself.”
They walked right up to the front doors and Raj tapped several times on the glass. Raj pointed up toward the ceiling and waved.
“Security cameras,” he said. “We’ve got them hooked up to a generator. Someone watching all the time. This ain’t no shoddy operation.”
Finally someone appeared from the left. A girl with long hair down to her waist came over and unlocked the doors. She didn’t look very happy. In her right hand she held something that looked like a Taser. Michael couldn’t tell for sure; he’d never seen one before except in the movies.
“What the hell, Raj?” she said. “Where are Harvey and Carol? Didn’t you find them? And who are these people? Are they safe?”
“They saved my life,” Raj said. “Helped me get out. Got myself into a spot of trouble. Won’t bore you with the details. Carol and the prof are dead. And I couldn’t find the keys.”
The girl sighed. “You’re gonna have to tell Ryder yourself, then. I’m not gonna be the bringer of that bad news.”
“I’ll do it,” Raj said. “But for the record, it wasn’t my fault. I wasn’t the idiot that went out this morning without telling anyone.”
“No, but you’re the idiot that brought back strangers,” the girl said. “And you know Ryder’s policy on that.”
“Relax, babes,” Raj said. “It’s all good. These kids are cool. They’re just looking for someone. They’ll chill here for a bit while it dies down outside.”
The girl locked the glass doors and sighed heavily. “Come on, then,” she said. “Face the music.” She gave Michael and Clementine a glance that indicated they were hardly worth her time. “Follow me. I’ll take you to the boss.”
Michael looked over at Raj, and the chem student nodded at both of them. “She’s right. If we don’t go straight to Ryder, he’ll just have some sort of hissy fit later. Best to get it over with. Come on, I’ll introduce you to our just and fancy leader.”
There was no missing the sarcasm in his voice. Neither Raj nor the long-haired girl seemed to care much for this Ryder guy. Michael figured there was a good reason behind it and he was about to find out why.
They headed through a set of doors and into a huge room filled with impressive artifacts. There were half a dozen totem poles, all bearing animals that probably had some mythological story behind them. Giant stone carvings and wooden boats were on display. Too bad there was no one left to appreciate them. Taking a left, they went through another set of doors, which opened to several more rooms that had hundreds of glass cases filled with all sorts of anthropological items.
Michael wondered where everyone was. Raj said there were at least sixty people. They didn’t see a single one as they walked along. Just how big was this building?
They moved through several more rooms before finally stopping in front of a door that had the word “office” stenciled at the top. The girl turned and smiled wickedly at them.
“He’s doing whatever it is he does,” she said. “You’re on your own from here on out.” Without waiting for a response, she knocked several times and then disappeared back down the corridor.
“She’s polite,” Clementine said.
“She grows on you,” Raj said, and he gave Michael a wink. Opening the door, Raj leaned to the side and motioned with his hand for them to walk through.
Michael went first. The room was long and cast in shadows. Against the back wall, a man in his early twenties sat behind a desk. Beside him a small lamp burned. There were no windows in the room and no other doors. It must have been some sort of storeroom at one point.
The desk was filled with papers. The guy sitting behind it was scribbling something meticulously in a notebook. When he finally glanced up, his eyes met Michael’s and there was no missing the jolt of surprise that forced him to straighten up and push his chair back a few inches.
“Raj?” The guy’s voice was calm. “What is this?”
“They’re cool,” Raj said. He quickly explained the situation, starting with how they’d all met and ending with the deaths of Harvey and Carol. It didn’t take very long.
“And you know these people are safe because . . .”
“Well, they haven’t killed me yet. Or anyone else.”
The guy named Ryder stood up and walked out from behind his desk. He approached Clementine and grabbed her by the arm.
“Hey!” Michael grabbed Clementine’s other arm and yanked her back toward him.
But the guy held firm. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a flashlight and brought it up to Clementine’s face. Pointing the light right into her eyes, he studied them carefully. Once he finished, he did the same thing to Michael.
Michael immediately understood. He was searching for black veins or a lack thereof. Proof that they were still human.
“You both need to leave this room,” Ryder said. Clicking the flashlight off, he placed it on the table behind him. “Please wait outside. I want to have a chat with Raj alone.”
Michael stood his ground. He didn’t like the way Ryder smiled. His lips may have been turned upward, but his eyes were cold and deadly. He stepped closer to the guy in a way that forced Clementine behind him. Staring straight into Ryder’s eyes, he waited.
Raj got him to back down. “It’s cool,” he said. “May be better if we sort stuff out anyway. Gotta talk about the prof and how we’re gonna find those keys. If you head toward the hall, you’ll find Katarina. She’ll take you to the cafeteria. Just tell her I said so.”
“Come on.” Clementine spoke directly into his ear. He allowed her to take his hand and lead him out the door. Ryder closed it behind them and there was a click as the dead bolt slid into place.
“That guy gives me the creeps,” Michael said as he stared at the door.
“He can’t be that bad,” Clementine said as she tugged gently on his arm. “Especially if he’s managed to keep all those people alive. He’s smart enough to be checking our eyes. We should be doing that too. Come on, I could use a drink. And it gives me a chance to look for Heath. If Raj isn’t back in half an hour, I’ll let you break down the door and be a hero.”
Michael finally nodded and followed her. They walked through a few of the
display rooms before they found Katarina. Clementine repeated what Ryder had said. She didn’t look very happy about the idea, but she nodded and led them straight to the cafeteria.
There they found more survivors.
A bunch of them were hanging out. There must have been at least twenty faces. Most of them were drinking cups of coffee poured from a gigantic espresso machine. A few others were eating food that must have been prepared in the big kitchen. The food smelled warm and surprisingly appealing. Clementine squeezed Michael’s hand as they walked past a girl eating a slice of pizza. Melted cheese fell in long strands from her lips.
Katarina ushered them over to a corner where there were some empty tables. “You can sit here and wait,” she said. “Raj will come for you when he’s finished.” Without waiting for their answer, she turned and walked away, her heels clicking on the tiled floor.
“I want a generator,” Clementine whispered in his ear. They sat down together on the same side, their backs to the wall. “These people are living like kings. I haven’t had pizza in forever. Where do you think they got the cheese? Do you think they have a working freezer?”
“They must have,” Michael said. “But this can’t be safe. How is it they haven’t been spotted? It makes no sense. It can’t be this easy.” His eyes came to rest on a guy with flaming red hair. He had a large espresso on the table in front of him. He spooned in a generous amount of sugar. There wasn’t any fresh cream, just powdered milk, but Michael couldn’t care less. His mouth started to water.
How unfair was this? Some people were living in hellholes without water and light and the monstrous Baggers still managed to find them and hunt them down to almost extinction. How was it this incredibly large group managed to hide right out in the open and have luxuries like coffee and pizza? Not to mention a generator that most likely gave them an abundance of hot water. Looking around, Michael couldn’t see a dirty face among the lot of them. And their clothing was fresh and probably smelled like detergent.
“Hey.” The red-haired guy finally noticed Michael studying him. “Want some coffee, man?”
“Sure,” Clementine said, elbowing Michael in the ribs before he could refuse. It was amazing how well she knew him.
The red-haired guy went over to the espresso machine and expertly prepared two cups for them. Afterward, he dropped the coffee off at the table and immediately left. That appeared to be the limit to his hospitality. The same went for the rest. Although they gave the occasional nod or smile, the group stayed as far away from Michael and Clementine as possible.
Michael took a sip of his hot drink, trying not to make a face. It was very strong and he couldn’t even remember the last time he’d actually had real coffee. The red-haired guy hadn’t offered them either sugar or powdered milk, and he didn’t want to get up from the table to get it himself. With all those eyes watching them, he didn’t think it would be a good idea to make any sudden moves. Katarina had her Taser. Who knew what the others might be concealing?
Clementine gave him a sharp nudge in the side. “Do you think we should ask them about Heath?” she whispered.
Michael shook his head. “Let’s wait a bit. Once we clear everything with that Ryder guy, maybe then they’ll be friendlier. Right now I think they’d rather toss us in front of one of those white vans.”
“Yeah,” she said. “Good point.”
They waited.
Other people came in. They wandered over to tables, where they sat with the others. Many of them whispered to each other, trying to pretend they weren’t looking at or paying attention to the new strangers. But no one came over.
Clementine sipped her coffee politely. Michael could feel her foot tapping nervously on the floor beside him.
The silence grew louder. The stares and whispers became more blatant. Finally after an unbearable ten minutes, Raj walked into the room. He looked around until he spotted them, waved, and then headed over to their table. He moved nonchalantly through the others, stopping to slap palms with the red-haired guy and speak a few words to a group of girls who were eating pizza.
Raj pulled out a chair and sat down across from them.
There was a nice red mark on his face from where someone had hit him.
“Are you okay?” Clementine said. “What did he do to you?”
“Ah, it’s nothing, babes,” Raj said. “Just a bit of a misunderstanding. But it’s all cleared up now. You’re both welcome to spend the night. It’s probably too late for the two of you to be heading back. The scouts said the main roads are heavy with those crazies. They didn’t like our little library escapade.”
Clementine looked at her watch and her eyes widened. “You’re right. I didn’t realize it was so late.” She turned to Michael. “Should we try and make it? We said we’d be back an hour ago.”
“What am I, a broken record?” Raj shook his head. “I just said it’s not safe. Can’t let you leave, babes. Not on a clean conscience.”
“You don’t understand,” Michael said. “We’ve got others waiting for us. If we don’t show up on time, they’ll worry.”
“They’ll understand,” Raj said. “Anyone who’s made it this far is bound to understand. You missed the bus. Couldn’t find a taxi. It’s not like you can call Mummy to come pick you up. Stay with us. You can return in the morning. Besides, you don’t want to miss the show.”
“Show?”
“The rally.” Raj leaned forward until his chin was almost touching the table. “Our plans for disorderly destruction. We have them every night. Keeps us angry. Keeps us aware.”
“Huh?” Michael put his coffee cup down.
Raj leaned back in his chair. “It’s simple. Revenge. It’s our way of righting wrong. The Baggers took away a lot of things. We’re taking it back.”
“How do you plan on doing that?” Clementine asked.
“Come to our meeting and you’ll find out.”
* * *
They waited in the very back of a large exhibition room. The room was empty of furniture except for a bunch of folding chairs and a currently empty podium. But it was filled with people. Raj had told them there were at least sixty people living at the museum. They were all crammed into the small space. Michael figured they were mostly refugees of the university, students who had gathered together when the earthquakes and killings began. Most of the faces he saw were under the age of thirty. There were a few older ones, maybe former professors or staff. Michael had trouble believing that educated professionals would actually listen to someone like Ryder. But as Michael scanned the room, he saw that most of the older people did look like they wanted to be there.
They’d arrived late because of Raj; he’d disappeared for a bit, leaving them to continue sitting in the cafeteria until the sun went down and darkness set in. Now they stood with their backs up against the wall because all the chairs were gone.
“He’s not here,” Clementine said as she scanned the crowd for her missing brother. She studied the faces and heads as people walked past them. But she didn’t venture off on her own. Michael could tell she preferred to keep close to him. She kept chewing on a thumbnail and ignoring the girl with long ponytails who’d taken it upon herself to make sure they didn’t try and sneak off before the rally officially began.
“He’s really amazing,” the girl said. “He’s got this way of talking. You can’t help but fully believe everything that comes out of his mouth.”
Clementine turned and whispered in Michael’s ear, “I seriously doubt that.”
He smiled.
“He’s okay,” Raj said, but not loud enough for the ponytailed girl to hear. “He’s got some ideas. Bit of an extremist, but he has kept everyone alive. That counts for something in my book.”
The lights dimmed. Music began to play over the speakers. The crowd came alive, cheering and stomping their feet.
All this for that guy? I so missed something earlier. You’d think he was a god or something.
“You are trapped.” A
voice echoed over the PA system. Michael raised his head and looked around.
The crowd cheered louder.
“They have tried to steal your soul. They have chained down your life. Taken your family. Abused your mind. But we have a weapon too.”
The crowd went ballistic. Michael looked at Clementine and she rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue at him.
The lights in front of the podium went on, flashing red and blue as Ryder took the stage. He held a microphone in one hand, a judge’s gavel in the other. The people in the front screamed harder and waved their hands at the dark-haired man. Someone lit a lighter.
“Kinda loud, isn’t it?” Michael asked Raj. “I mean, don’t you worry about the sounds reaching the street?”
“Completely soundproof,” Raj shouted back. “Can’t hear a thing past the main lobby. Besides, we’ve got people guarding the place outside. We do this almost every night. Nothing bad has happened yet.”
Ryder puffed up his chest and raised the gavel into the air. “This ends now! We will take back our world!” Slamming the gavel down on the podium, he grinned ravenously at his followers. “We will not let these monsters keep us hidden. We need to rise out of the darkness. Take back the light. They try and give us warnings?”
“WARNING WARNING WARNING,” the crowd chanted, eyes alight. One of the girls in the front started crying and threw herself down at Ryder’s feet. Her antics only made the crowd that much more crazy.
“We will give them hell!”
“WARNING WARNING WARNING!”
“We will give them pain!”
Clementine turned and stared at Raj. “You believe this crap?”
Raj laughed, showing perfect white teeth. “Never said that, babes. I said he’s doing a good job keeping us safe. He’s still a bloody chav. All bright lights and glam. Keeps the stoners interested, though.”
“It’s nothing but a light show,” Clementine said. “We used to do the same tricks with cheerleading.”
“It’s not so much the delivery as the entire message as a whole,” Raj said. “Flashy lights aside, I do think we need to rise up and kick some Bagger arse. There are a lot of us hiding in this city. If we manage to organize ourselves better, we could actually take them on. It’s all about the numbers.”