Tim reached the road up to the cove and looked back. The bridge was collapsing in a shower of white dust and flames. Hot enough to destroy concrete! That was too close for comfort.
*
They traveled a couple of miles up the cove, and Tim was surprised to see a group of people moving up the cove on foot. It was a deplorable sight; a rag tag bunch with few belongings and many injured. Those people are doomed. There’s no food or water up there, and the only escape route is blocked.
*
There was an hour’s daylight left when they reached the end of the road. The dozers had pushed on just a little farther than when he had left them. The machines lay abandoned where they had quit working, one of them on its side. It had driven up a steep incline and lost its grip and tipped. Tim drove the van as far as he could. Now the going would be much slower the rest of the way and it would be dark soon. Tim was concerned because as he had passed one of the machines he spotted a brown stain on the side running down from the operator’s position. Blood was his guess, and would explain the other turned over machine.
The carrier Arty was on would transport him easily, but Tim and Ann would have to walk the distance. They moved Arty to the first ridge, and Tim returned to the van where he removed a piece of the protective covering from it. Returning to Ann, he draped it around her. He turned toward the van and aimed his left hand at the rear where the hydrogen tank was located and fired. The van disappeared in a blinding flash.
“What the hell was that?” Arty shouted.
“What the hell did you do that for?” Ann shouted almost in unison.
“I don’t want anyone to find the van or the stuff in it. It would mean questions,” Tim explained.
“Oh great Tim,” Ann sneered. “You wrecked our wheels. I don’t believe you.”
“Where are we?” Arty asked.
“Well, believe it or not, about three blocks that way is where we used to live.” Tim pointed off to the left. “This is what’s left of Mountain Cove Arty.”
“Wow, you weren’t kidding about the earthquake. Where do we go from here?” Arty asked.
“Yeah Timmy? What the fuck do we do now?” Ann sneered.
“We go up the mountains, troops,” Tim said.
“I don’t believe this shit,” Ann grumbled.
Chapter 9
Timtown
It must have been a strange sight, the two people walking, the third floating along behind on a halo of green light. That’s what Tim figured the two people he spotted watching them thought. There was going to be some trouble, he was sure of that. Tim wanted to make it to the base of the mountains quick. They were now in the open and far too visible. Tim’s fears were justified. On the ridge to the left and above he saw a glint of metal reflecting the setting Sun. He quickened his pace.
“Look you two, we’ve got some company and I don’t think it’s friendly. Ann stay behind Arty and watch the rear. If you see anything holler and cover yourself immediately. Arty, you watch to the sides as best you can,” Tim commanded.
Tim removed the pistol from his pack and gave Ann a short course on its operation.
“If anything happens, get this cover over Arty’s head, understand? It will stop bullets, I promise. If you have to use the pistol, don’t hesitate. There are some bad people around, you know that.”
*
They reached the base of the mountains and started up. The Sun dropped below the mountains, but the growing lake of lava behind them was shedding an eerie orange light of its own. The lake was now at least ten miles square and growing. It would not be a dark night.
“This is how the world must have looked in the beginning,” Tim commented. Ann was silent, but she was looking back at the lake as they began the accent.
Tim decided on a show of strength because the unfortunate souls bird dogging them would be looking for easy prey. He would impress upon their minds his little group would be far from easy to overwhelm. When they were halfway up into the first part of the canyon Tim figured it had gotten dark enough so he stopped.
Tim pointed his left hand up the hill to the left and pressed his thumb down. A large rock up the hill exploded in a shower of sparks. The streak of energy would be clearly visible as coming from him. He had waited for it to get dark so there would be no doubt in anyone’s mind. He repeated the shot six more times in a ninety degree arch to the front. Tim turned, and Ann was staring at him with an incredulous look on her face
“A show of strength,” he commented.
“What’s going on? What the hell’s happening?” Arty shouted.
“It’s okay, I’m just trying to discourage any adversaries,” Tim said.
“Where did you get the artillery?” Arty asked.
“The secret is in the hands.” Tim pointed his hand at the rocks off to the side so Arty could see and gave a demonstration. Crack, kaboom, with a shaft of light in between.
“Holy shit Little Brother, don’t worry, nobody is going to mess with you. You weren’t putting me on about the alien story, were you?”
“Nope, and this is just the tip of the iceberg.”
Tim said that they should continue and tried to give Ann a kiss on the cheek, but she pulled away.
He angled the group up out of the canyon on a more direct route to the Walls and the base. The lava lake below was lighting the way perfectly, and if they stayed out of the shadows no one would be able to get close to them.
*
They reached the rock slide at the bottom end of the canyon leading to the Walls in two hours and started to climb. It took them another half an hour to reach the top.
“Look at what’s left of the world,” Ann commented as she looked back. The lava had spread out considerably, and the flow rate was increasing.
How feeble were all the things that man had built to last. The forces of nature could so easily sweep it all away. Tim thought, looking back also. He wondered what made a person think they were so important when it was just the opposite.
“As long as I’m breathing, I count for something!” Tim shouted at the glowing valley below.
“What was that all about?” asked Ann.
“He’s trying to explain something to the frightened side of himself,” Arty commented. “It’s a powerful force in us all and can never be taken for granted. It can destroy a person in the worst way.”
“Worse than falling into that?” Ann pointed to the lava in the valley below.
“A slow death would be the worst of all,” Tim said, thinking of his mother and what had been responsible for her death.
“Let’s go home, it’s pretty close now.” Tim turned and started down into the canyon.
*
Below the rim of the canyon the light from the lava was blocked by the high walls of rock and it was extremely dark. Tim was cautious, sweeping his light back and forth, surveying every possible ambush sight. They moved slowly. Tim inspected all the nooks and crannies, and kept Ann and Arty pressed against the rock wall. As he climbed into one of the dry rock pools he saw a white flag hanging from a rock on the other side of the pool.
“Hello, who’s there?” he shouted. “What do you want?” he called, again.
“Please, we mean you no harm,” a man’s voice came from out of sight, behind the rocks.
“Show yourself, and don’t try anything. I’m warning you!” Tim shouted.
Tim gestured Ann to pull Arty tight to the rocks and to get down low. He told her to put the piece of protective covering over Arty and herself, and when she started to protest, he cut her short. When Ann had complied, he turned and walked forward toward the flag.
“Come out slowly, and let me see you.” Tim trained his light ahead and was ready with his right hand. He was taking no chances. If something was going to happen, whoever instigated it wouldn’t even have the time to be sorry. Another flag appeared behind the first one and this one was moving so Tim knew someone was approaching.
“If anything happens, you will be the fir
st one to go,” Tim shouted toward the approaching flag.
“We mean you no harm,” the voice repeated.
A man appeared from around the corner of a rock. He was haggard, dirty, and seemed to be unarmed. Tim instructed him to stop about thirty feet away. Tim recognized the man, a Mr. Sims. The man lived in Mountain Cove and had coached Ann’s brothers in baseball.
“Mr. Sims, I believe,” Tim said.
“How do you know me?” the man asked.
“From baseball.”
“Did I coach you? Do I know you?”
“Not important. What do you want?”
“To talk.”
“It’s your dime,” Tim stated.
“I’m with a group of people that need food and water,” Sims pleaded.
“And how would I be able to help you?”
“Look, I saw the display down below, I’m not blind. Also, you have a lot of supplies ‘floating’ along behind you. I’m not asking any questions, just looking for help. I’ve got four or five people that aren’t going to last much longer. ‘I just need help’!”
“I still don’t know how I can help you, we’re in the same situation.”
“Oh come on, are you really? You don’t look hungry, you’re clean, you don’t even look tired. I don’t know what kind of gun, or whatever it is you have, but there are some bad, bad people in these mountains. We would at least like your protection. My wife and kids are important to me, understand? I want them to live. Maybe we could be of some assistance to you?”
“Hello Mr. Sims,” Ann said as she walked up.
“I told you to stay down!” Tim snarled.
“Fuck off General!” Ann snapped back at him.
“God-dammit, you can’t trust anyone!” Tim shouted.
“Oh, just you huh, Heir Colonel?” Ann said it in a perfect German accent, with the perfect German pronunciation, clicked her heels, and saluted him. “I’m sorry, but I’m still compassionate.”
“What’s ‘that’ supposed to mean?” Tim said angrily.
“It means these people are asking for your help, and ‘you’ are turning them down. Do you need any more clues?” Ann said even hotter.
“I’ve got to talk to Arty,” Tim said.
“Arty agrees with Ann,” Arty’s voice boomed out of the dark.
“Welcome Mr. Sims,” Ann said triumphantly.
“Now hold on!” Tim cried. “I don’t even know if I can, I—”
Tim was interrupted by a loud snap, and a bullet striking the sand a couple of feet in front of him. Everyone dove for cover, except him. He looked up in the direction of the boom from the gun and spotted a muzzle flash from the second shot that bounced off his right forearm. He made no attempt to seek cover, but raked the location of the muzzle flash with bolt after bolt of high energy. As the echoes from his barrage died out, Tim looked at Sims lying on the ground, and then pointed his right hand at the man.
“I hope this wasn’t a plan of yours?” Tim said angrily.
“Of course not! I don’t need more trouble. I’ve never needlessly hurt anyone in my life. Besides, I’m not foolish enough to go up against you. You’re not even afraid of bullets.”
“I don’t have to be!”
“It’s very obvious, but we still need your help!” Sims shouted back.
“Tim, come here,” Arty shouted.
“How are you doing?” Tim asked as he approached his brother.
“I’m fine, but I wish I could see more. Why don’t you want to help these people?” Arty asked.
“How can I?”
“Well, you tell me about this wonderful place we’re going to. Don’t you think there’s room for a few more?”
“I don’t know if I can? I’m just a guest there. I can’t say yes, and then find out I was wrong, can I?”
“Well, why don’t you just ask?”
*
Tim contacted the computer and explained his situation.
“It’s your decision, you do what you think is right,” Mr. V answered.
“Talk about passing the buck,” Tim said to Arty.
“What are you so damned concerned about anyway? Christ Timmy, what’s going to happen to these people if you leave them out here?”
“They’ll probably die,” Tim said solemnly.
“What choice do you have then?”
“That’s not the point, dammit. What if something happens? How can I trust these people? What if it’s a mistake to take them in there?”
“What the hell are you so worried about?” Arty sounded frustrated with Tim. “That Mr. V said it was okay, right?”
“He said it was up to me.”
“Yeah, so what’s your problem?”
“Mr. V doesn’t have any control outside the base. He can make no decisions concerning anything outside his base. It isn’t in his program, understand? Secondly, I’m taking you there because you can be helped. You’ll die otherwise.”
“Sounds just like the same problem with this Mr. Sims and his people, doesn’t it?”
“Look Arty, I’m not sure what this Mr. V has in mind for us, understand that also.” Tim had finally admitted it to himself. “I’m excited about the possibilities with Mr. V, but the power ‘that machine commands’. It could be a grave risk to anyone going in there.”
“Phew, elegant talk Timmy. I see your point, but what about Ann? You’re planning on taking her in there.”
“Yeah, I guess I decided to risk it, so I guess a few more.” He stopped in mid-sentence and looked squarely at Arty. “There’s so much inside this mountain that is so far beyond us. Arty, what if it’s a trap? It could turn out so horrible, much worse than what could happen to Sims out here.” There was concern in Tim’s voice.
“It could turn out terrific too,” Arty added.
“Yeah,” was all Tim said as he headed back toward Sims.
“Get your people ready, and no weapons of any kind, you won’t need them,” Tim said to Sims.
“Where are you taking us?” Sims asked.
“The only way I can help you is to take you with us. We’re going someplace safe, I hope. Please don’t ask any more questions until we’re there.”
“You are the boss, I guess,” Sims said.
“It seems, and let’s hope it stays that way.”
I’d like to explain my uncertainty to him, but I don’t even know where to start, and we need to get inside quickly.
*
All of Sims’s group were scratched and dirty. They had little clothing and were ghostly silent. As Tim approached the group the women and girls backed away, except an attractive, dark haired woman who was watching Tim intently. The group consisted of twelve counting Sims. There were three men; one was wounded in the arm and shoulder and was obviously in great pain, though he wasn’t complaining. There were a couple of boys a little younger than Tim, and an older women Tim was certain was Sims’s wife. There was an old man and woman that looked to be a couple. The pretty dark haired women, in her late twenties or early thirties, and two young girls about Ann’s age. One of the boys and one of the girls were apparently Sims’s children.
*
As Tim entered the pool containing the entrance to the base he spied a camp fire and signs of considerable human presence.
“Oh shit, we’ve had some company,” Tim snarled.
“Not to worry, this is our last camp,” Sims explained.
“Did you know there was anything different here?” Tim asked.
“Not at first, but I found some footprints coming out of solid rock in the crevice, over there,” Sims pointed, “and I got a little suspicious.”
“That crevice is where we’re headed,” Tim said as he walked into the crack in the rock. He instructed Ann to follow closely with Arty.
“Something tells me I’m going to be amazed,” Sims said, as he watched Tim walk up to the rock wall at the back of the split.
Tim stopped at the back of the crevice and took out his comm unit. He activated it and
spoke to Mr. V. The rock in front of him began to shimmer. The light grew in intensity until the once solid barrier was transformed into the soft blue light. The sterile smell of safety greeted his nostrils. He let out a big sigh and turned around.
“Follow quickly!” Tim instructed loudly. He stepped aside, and once Ann and Arty were inside, he ushered in Sims and his people. Each one of Sims’s group passed by him as they entered the base. Some were eager, some were apprehensive, and some showed total indifference. The dark haired woman, last in the group, showed the most emotion. She rushed through the crevice and whistled as she skipped into the base.
*
Tim gathered everyone in the tunnel leading down into the heart of the base, instructed everyone to stay put, and returned to the outside. He was concerned about the tracks they had left in the soft sand. He used the sheet of protective material to wipe out the tracks, then went back inside, and resealed the opening.
*
He then led the people down the tunnel. He could hear the people whispering behind him, but everyone was staying calm.
“It’s true!” Ann finally said, as they entered the control chamber. “It’s really true. Oh wow!”
“Just amazing, and you just found all this? I going to have to hear that story again,” Arty said.
There was a fair amount of chatter from the rest of the people, but Tim was intent because there was much work to do.
“What kind of place is this?” Sims asked as he walked up behind Tim.
“That will take a lot of explaining,” Tim answered. “Just follow me for now, please.”
*
Tim led the group down to the living chamber, and instructed Sims and his people to stay put. Sims guaranteed they would.
“See to it that all of you do just ‘that’!” Tim said sternly. It suddenly occurred to him how cold and calculating he had become. It’s necessary for the times, he thought to justify himself.
*
Tim returned to the control chamber where he had left Arty and Ann.
“Do you want to rest, or get started with Mr. V?” Tim asked Arty.
“Are you kidding, I’ve waited long enough already? Do you really know how to run all this?” Arty was rolling his head from side to side, trying to take in everything. Ann was off to the side inspecting the plant walls. Tim was looking forward to showing her around.