tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39539896724550754092024-03-13T14:27:37.959-07:00Out of the FogContact Congress and Demand Action on Climate Change So That My Fiction Does Not Become Our Reality: http://www.contactingthecongress.org/Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-19841086949865223942015-01-16T11:27:00.000-08:002015-01-16T11:27:00.310-08:00Chapter 52<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Minutes, hours,
days, months, years – an eternity even – passed, yet somehow Graham persisted,
sweat-soaked and motionless . . . his heart racing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Then the boat
shifted course again, and all of a sudden, out of the heat and haze, his eyes
caught something that he never thought he would see – the full span of the
Golden Gate Bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From that distance, he
could not see the long tendrils of growth that hung from the deck like a
grey-brown beard or the decayed and twisted suspension cables that barely held
the bridge in place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, from his
vantage point, the bridge rose from the ocean in a clean silhouette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It looked new, strong, and amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He almost thought that he spotted cars on the
road, sunlight glinting off of windshields.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He imagined the traffic – each car filled with life and conversation –crossing
that glorious bridge every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
heart skipped a beat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe it was all
over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe they could go back to the
way things were before the Collapse.</div>
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But as the boat
sped closer, he began to see the dilapidation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The bridge no longer held its signature orange color.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was drab.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was useless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a mere relic
of a time long past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he watched the bridge
become uglier and older by the second, he wondered if it would have been better
to be born with a chance to change the course of human history . . . and then
to fail, and thus die with shame . . . or to be stuck, as he was, at the bleak
and unforgiving terminus of mankind’s ruinous run for greatness.</div>
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Of course, it was
a question that did not need answering; he could not go back to the time before
the Collapse and the die-offs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Humanity
could not fix what it had broken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Earth’s population had made a choice, collectively signing a pact of
annihilation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Humans had voted every
time an eight-cylinder engine had roared to life or a television was left flickering
through the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been death by
a thousand cuts – a hundred trillion cuts – but individuals everywhere had each
contributed their own infinitesimal, but nonetheless significant dose of carbon
dioxide to the destruction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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It might take a
few years to come into complete fruition, but the end was inevitable now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had known it for a long time; his reports
had been screaming it for years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had
just been refusing to face reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now,
it was clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, it was undeniable –
they were trapped, caged in, with no hope of escape, no chance of a midnight
reprieve.</div>
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He stroked the
scar on his face for comfort, but felt nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His heart ached too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He slowly
got up and walked to the very back of the boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The sun beat down on his scalp; he could almost feel the blisters
forming, but he did not care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thought
about going to talk to Peggy Lee or Charley, but what could either of them say
that would change any of this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
could anyone say that could help him now?</div>
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He opened up one
of the nearby deck boxes and found an old anchor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The chain had long ago been broken, and just
a couple, heavy links clanked together as he heaved it out of the box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He dragged the anchor over to the deck
railing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tried to think about South
Dakota, about his parents when they all were young and happy, about the rain .
. . he tried to bring forth any happy memories, but his mind was fixated on one
thing:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>getting away from this heat and the
broken planet that had completely defined his life. </div>
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He picked up the heavy
anchor, hugged it to his chest, and leaned against the guardrail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked for a sign – a bird, a fish, a glimmer
of life – but there was none to be seen. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He balanced the anchor on the guardrail with
one hand and took his broken pocket knife from his pocket with the other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He dropped it into the ocean. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt nothing as he watched it quickly
disappear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Then, with no
further ceremony, Colonel Graham Snow closed his eyes on the blazing horizon, leaned
forward, and dumped himself into the ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He held the anchor tight to his chest as it pulled him down through the super-heated,
upper layers of the water, down to the cool and dark depths where sunlight
barely penetrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned for a
moment and saw that the surface above him looked gray . . . like his fog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Below him, a vast and empty darkness promised
cold, welcome relief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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He swallowed ocean
water, struggled momentarily, and then as his lungs were about to burst, he
took in a deep breath of saline.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
choked, coughed, spat, gagged, but held the anchor tight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon his lungs filled with water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The anchor slipped from his weakening grasp
and quickly dropped away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His body grew still
. . . and then cold in the wet darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then eventually, a gentle current unknowingly carried it out to sea.</div>
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<![endif]-->Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-92109934020154730132015-01-09T10:50:00.001-08:002015-01-09T10:50:25.406-08:00Chapter 51<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>Graham
instantly felt the heat from the ship’s deck rising up and filling the air
around him.<span> </span>It was just past nine
o’clock, but the sun burned bright and hot already.<span> </span>He walked over to a dark corner of shade
created by the bridge overhead where no one could see him.<span> </span>He leaned against the wall and closed his
eyes.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>He
heard the entrance portal being secured, and then the boat’s engines grumbled
to life.<span> </span>He opened his eyes and sat down on a nearby bench as the ship
began to move.<span> </span>The sunny bulk of the
Platform slowly started to disappear.<span>
</span>There were no gulls here, no squawking, no fluttering about, no
pecking.<span> </span>No people waving good-by.<span> </span>The still air surrounding the boat was empty
– empty and hot.<span> </span>He had been on this
exact trip perhaps hundreds of times, but it was different today.<span> </span>In the bright sunlight, the Platform, the
islands, and the ocean all looked so depressingly desolate.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He remembered a
scene from an old time movie he had picked up a few years back.<span> </span>A ferry filled with families – children,
dogs, smiling adults, and friendly grandparents – departed for a lovely vacation
island somewhere on the east coast.<span>
</span>Everyone wore the anticipation of summer-filled days on their faces as
the boat turned away from the dock and headed out into the seas.<span> </span>The birds, so wonderfully loud and excited,
swooped and cried out, marking the boat’s departure like white fireworks and an
out-of-tune brass band.<span> </span>A little girl
waved to the disappearing shoreline; her father stood next to her in his
stylish sunglasses, breathing in the warm salted air, with a relaxed and
contented smile on his handsome face. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Graham scanned the
vast, flat horizon.<span> </span>There was no sign of
life anywhere, just the massive, metallic boilers floating listlessly here and
there throughout the blue, dead canvas that lay before him.<span> </span>He felt like he was the only living thing for
hundreds of miles around.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Had it been the
fog that obscured this vast emptiness for so many years?<span> </span>Graham tried to remember what he normally
thought about when leaving the Platform – details mostly, boiler performance,
rain accumulation, fog density, soldiers’ assignments, schedules, graphs,
charts, all of the everyday minutiae that seemed at the time so critically
important.<span> </span>Now, the fog was gone, and
the sun illuminated the world as it is, as it truly is without the
manipulations of the water production facilities.<span> </span>Was it the sun, he wondered, or Peggy
Lee?<span> </span>No matter, really, the effect was
like a powerful drug.<span> </span>Everything had changed.<span> </span>A new crystalline reality – bleak, hard, and
stiflingly hot – had replaced the fog of before.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Where was he going
to go now?<span> </span>He realized that he could not
stay at the water production facilities any longer.<span> </span>He would resign. <span> </span>He didn’t want to study drought reports, rain
tallies, and fog production numbers any more.<span>
</span>He could not even stomach the thought of it.<span> </span>Why had he spent so much of his life in this
futile pursuit of water – this futile pursuit of life?<span> </span>He knew now that no matter what he did, the
planet would become completely uninhabitable, maybe just for eons . . . maybe forever.<span> </span>He had no remaining energy for his task – his
life’s mission.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He had been fighting
against a problem that had been created way before his time.<span> </span>Decisions that were made decades, even
centuries, ago – along with the slow responses of government and the reams of
pseudo-scientific justifications and miscalculations created by big,
profiteering corporations designed to maintain the status quo – had caused the
winds to shift and the currents of the oceans to go haywire, the skies to grow
cloudless and the ground to dry up.<span>
</span>Graham had been struggling against the inevitable downfall of man.<span> </span>A long history had led up to this point, and
now a simple, unyielding momentum would carry all of the inhabitants of the
earth into a bleak, red-hot, and lifeless future.<span> </span>Graham stood face-to-face with the fate of
man, and he felt nothing but pure exhaustion.<span>
</span>Extinctions and suffering, catastrophic plagues and famines would
continue, but he knew that he had done enough.<span>
</span>He could stomach no more.<span> </span>He had
participated in this disaster, he had tried to pitch in and make things better,
but now all he wanted was out.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He would not wait
around to hear about the failings of the space exploration program.<span> </span>He did not want to watch the government
scramble and fail to construct a large-scale space station.<span> </span>For, at this point, it was too late; the
sands were running low in the hourglass of humanity.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And even if, by
some miracle, one of the space escape programs turned out to be successful, the
thought of evacuating earth, the only planet that had ever produced life, made
Graham sick.<span> </span>Humans would be leaving as
the destroyers of the planet, the cause of our own demise – the lowly species
responsible for the elimination of all of the other beautiful forms of life
that once ran, flew, and swam across the globe.<span>
</span>Humanity would exit like a lowly dog with its tail between its
legs.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He wanted nothing
to do with it.<span> </span>And he couldn’t bear to watch
it anymore.<span> </span>He could not ignore the decline,
while trying to live out his remaining years in Southern California – or
wherever.<span> </span>He could not pretend that
nothing was wrong.<span> </span>He wanted to go back,
back to the farm, when it was still raining.<span>
</span>He wanted to see the thunderheads gather over the Missouri, to feel
those rising and cooling winds that foretold the coming downpour . . . to taste
those first few drops of natural rain.<span>
</span>He wanted to sit on the porch of his parents’ old farm house to watch
the sheets approach and then fill the barnyard with muddy puddles of cool
water.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He saw images from
the past – the oil rich past – when everyone had a car, and people flew from
city to city without ever thinking twice about the consequences to the earth’s
atmosphere.<span> </span>He wished he had been born
back then, when humans still believed that they were not despoiling the planet
– and that Mother Nature would prove invincible.<span> </span>Maybe he would have been an oil executive,
rich beyond his wildest imagination.<span> </span>The
titans of industry would have come to Graham for guidance – how can we make
more money?<span> </span>And in his blissful
ignorance, Graham would have told them, go faster, drill deeper, burn more,
that’s how you make more money.<span> </span>Graham
was surrounded by opulence and fortune, beautiful women and cars, boats and
bodyguards.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But then Graham
saw how it really would have been.<span> </span>He would
have been a longhair, a hippy, a radical fighting to change the course of human
history.<span> </span>He would have argued, ranted
and raved.<span> </span>He would have painted signs
and marched in demonstrations with his other “extremist” friends.<span> </span>He would have written letters to his
congressmen and organized voters for every election.<span> </span>They would have celebrated victories, all the
while knowing in their heart of hearts the pyrrhic nature of each tiny win.<span> </span>He would have spent a lifetime fighting for a
change that the rest of humanity was not ready to make.<span> </span>He would have grown old, bitter, and
unhappy.<span> </span>He would have thrown rocks at
the windows of the limousines, but he would have never had a chance of influencing
anybody.<span> </span>He would have been an outsider,
a nobody . . . for he would always have been born on the wrong side of history.<span> </span>In this vision, he cared so deeply for his
failing mission that it eventually killed him.<span>
</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sweat poured down his
forehead as he sat staring out at the horizon. The boat turned slightly, bringing the bench into full sun. <span>
</span>He was bone tired and decided that he should just wait there until he
caught fire, immolated like the monks of long ago on the boat’s red hot deck.</span></span></div>
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<![endif]-->Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-36123102245153499812015-01-03T01:57:00.000-08:002015-01-03T01:57:37.433-08:00Chapter 50<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The
intercom blared: “Five minutes until
departure. All personnel returning to headquarters,
please report directly to the dock for embarkation.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Graham
gathered his belongings and put them in his grip. He waited a few minutes before leaving the room. He still felt like he could not face
anyone. He hoped that everyone would
already be on the ship and that he could just slip on board. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Stepping
out of the elevator and onto the dock, he saw something he had never seen before. The sun was beaming down on the Farallon
Platform and the nearby island. Where
the fog had always been the thick and ever-present setting for life on the
Platform, an excruciatingly hot and clear day had taken shape. The attack had been partially successful –
all of the boiler units in the region had been temporarily shut down. The techies were busy restarting systems and
recalibrating the region’s battery backup schedules. Graham shielded his eyes from the sun’s
reflection and walked slowly towards the boat. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Charley
met him at the boat’s entrance. “There
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “Okay,”
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “Is
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “Yes,
fine. Just feeling a bit sick, that’s
all. Didn’t sleep much.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “Let
me know if you need anything,” Charley said, putting his hand lightly on
Graham’s shoulder.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “Thanks. I’m just going to head on up to the deck. Would you mind stowing my bag?”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “Not
at all, Chief. Hey, but listen, the sun
is hotter than hell up there. We were
all thinking about riding topside, but it only took a few minutes for that blazing
sun to force us back down here. The
Captain’s got the air conditioning blasted for us, and there’s some nice strong
coffee in the galley if you are interested.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “Thanks,
but I think that I’ll go up there anyway – at least for a little while.” Graham turned and slowly walked up the steep
stairs to the deck, toward the solitude he craved. </span></span></div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-38810509756022075772014-12-26T09:30:00.000-08:002014-12-26T09:30:03.425-08:00Chapter 49<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Graham returned to
his room, undressed, brushed his teeth, and lay down on his cot. He forgot to turn out the light in the
bathroom, but could not muster the energy to get up and switch
it off. He lay there silently, staring
at the ceiling, his arms rigid at his sides.
His thoughts ran in circles through his head. He could not catch a hold of any one thought,
however, before another tumbled forth, and then another and another: Peggy Lee’s face, skeletal children dying of
thirst, the blackened battery room, his own sorry existence at headquarters,
the kiss, waterfalls, the future, the past, the end of life, and then back to
Peggy Lee – and those perfect eyes that <span style="font-family: inherit;">might possibly contain </span>the entire
universe. His brain was like a carousel
that was stuck in high gear – spinning too fast, the music too loud. He couldn’t focus – even for a single second. He desperately wanted to fall asleep; maybe in
the morning, things would not look so bad.
But his heart was racing, and he was sweating all over. He was dizzy and sick. He thought about getting outside, to move and
walk on the adjacent island, but he found that he was paralyzed in his cot. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Eventually, somehow,
he slept – a dreamless, lifeless sleep as if his soul had collapsed, as if a
coma was the only appropriate state of being, the only safe place. The following morning, he could not remember
falling asleep. He just recalled the
light from the bathroom on the ceiling – a flat, angry rectangle cutting
into the darkness.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> ##</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He skipped
breakfast, choosing instead to wait quietly in his room for their departure
from the Platform. He knew Charley would
load the prisoners onto the boat and take care of the other logistics. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He felt odd – like
someone else had taken control of his body . . . and his mind. He needed to be alone. He needed to wake up a bit, shake off the
events of the preceding night before he saw anyone else. He showered, but forgot to wash his
hair. He walked out of the shower; he
walked back into the shower. He felt
numb all over as he dried off. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sitting on the
toilet, his feet fell asleep. He
realized that he had been staring blankly ahead and smelling his
own shit for what seemed like hours. If
it had not been for the tingling in his feet, he did not know how long
he would have remained there. An empty
feeling rolled slowly over him back and forth like a rolling pin, pressing and
squeezing him. He wiped his ass and mechanically
moved his toes up and down until the blood returned. He rose, pulled up his pants, took a couple
of steps, and sat down on the minimalist office chair next to the bed. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">His thoughts now swirled around Peggy Lee. He knew that he loved her; he would always
love her, but now he could never have her.
He could never truly be with her.
He would have to testify against her.
The whole pathetic tale would come out; Ian would see to that. Investigators would ask him <span style="font-family: inherit;">about </span>his relationship
with Peggy Lee, the set-up, and then the attack.
He knew that even after all of that, he would still want to be with
her. And what would be her
reaction? Anger? Pity?
It didn’t really matter. He knew
that, even if a relationship was somehow possible, she could not be with
him. They were both too broken now.</span></span></div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-33642775979500223842014-12-19T09:39:00.001-08:002014-12-19T09:39:42.278-08:00Chapter 48<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Graham rose to
leave the holding cell. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Wait, there is
one more thing,” Peggy Lee said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“One
more part of my decision not to go through with the bombing that I have to tell
you about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please sit back down.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is it?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“It’s you,” she
said quietly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You remind me of my
father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see pieces of him in you, in
your actions, your humility . . . your kindness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My father always did the right thing, the
honorable thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He worked hard here and
hoped that eventually someone would fix the climate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did it for us kids, for Ian and me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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“When I met you, I
remembered him, and I started to question our plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you and I talked, I realized that I wanted
to be on your side – my father’s side – the side that strives against the odds to
try to make things right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not
destroy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not kill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But to nurture those of us who are left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you showed up in the Brain Room, I felt
like my father had sent you there to help me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You inspired me to change my mind – to stand up to Ian once and for
all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it weren’t for you . . . .”</div>
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Graham put a hand
on top of her hands and squeezed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m
glad you changed your mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I think
I understand what you’re going through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We all feel it somewhere in our hearts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Most people try to ignore the despair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But we’re all, in our own way, waiting to see how long humans will last
here on earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And each year, as temperatures
continue to rise, it becomes harder to have any hope whatsoever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes I too think that it would be best
if, somehow, we all just disappeared, just to relieve us of our self-inflicted misery
and to end the anger and self-hatred that we are all experiencing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I start to think like that, though, it
scares me.”</div>
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“But what are we
supposed to do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s the right answer?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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“I don’t know,”
Graham said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Until recently, I used to
buckle down and focus on my work when I felt too discouraged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would renew my commitment to the facilities
and redouble my efforts to make sure that everything was running smoothly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then if that did not change the way I was
feeling, I would watch my old movies and try to forget everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would push reality aside long enough so
that I could sleep, eat, and live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just
kind of pretended that I was there, one hundred years ago, living my life without
the preoccupation of a sick planet and our pending mass extinction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know, Peggy Lee, I can barely talk about
it even now.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
After a moment, he
continued, “In the past few weeks, though, it has been very hard to maintain my
commitment to this place and to ignore reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is something you don’t know, Peggy Lee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is highly classified information, but I
can’t keep it to myself any longer.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“What is it?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“The water
production facilities are failing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
will stop production much sooner than anyone thinks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your bombing of these facilities would have
caused great misery and death in Southern California, but that’s all going to
happen very soon anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps in the
next five years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shudder at the
numbers when I try to calculate how many inhabitants of the climate shelter zone
will try to escape and run across the desert – and how many millions will just
curl up and die right there once the taps run dry.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Futility,” Peggy
Lee said, more to herself than to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“What?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Futility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never know what else to call it –
self-pity, anger, pain, hopelessness, desperation – but then I always come back
to the same answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s all of those,
but I guess more than anything, it’s the feeling that there’s nothing that can
be done to preserve any of the Earth’s treasures – human or natural.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You hear about well-intentioned, well-heeled
scientists gathering seeds and freezing DNA, but I wonder, for what purpose?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the end arrives, there will be no stage
on which any of those frozen, little actors can perform.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our theatre district under the sun is burning
to the ground, and there are no feasible means of stopping the
conflagration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The news about the
facilities does not surprise me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps
the end is nearer than most people think, but how are we to accept this reality?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a death sentence for every person we have
ever seen, known, touched . . . loved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s the end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are the last
drops from the human faucet – inconsequential and waiting to die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our lives are pointless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe they always were.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Maybe, but what
about–”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“No,” Peggy Lee
interrupted, her voice rising.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I feel
ashamed to be human.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite everything
beautiful that we’ve created – art and philosophy, paper snowflakes, dance and
music, hang gliding, literature, peanut butter and chocolate, love, language –
we have proven ourselves without a shadow of a doubt to be a base, unworthy
race of beings who could not overcome our insatiable desire to own, dominate,
and destroy the world around us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That to
me is just shameful – awful, tragic . . . unforgivable.”</div>
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Tears rolled down her
cheeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled away from Graham and
buried her face in her hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham
swallowed hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had heard what he
needed to hear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He understood, now, why
she had done it, why she had betrayed him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He also understood why she had changed course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was nothing to be done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blow the place to pieces; it would not
matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep reporting and living life
as before; it would not matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Earth’s
current population was simply a disintegrating remnant, the useless, frayed end
of what had once been a wondrous tapestry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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He wanted to hold
her, but he was scared of her as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He felt the despair emanating off of her and sinking deep into his
bones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He needed to get away from her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He rose silently, and without looking back,
walked out the door.</div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-40008781941903526532014-12-12T10:19:00.003-08:002014-12-12T10:19:32.762-08:00Chapter 47<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">“It’s a long story,” Peggy Lee
said.<span> </span>“It’s my life story actually, but
I’ll keep it short.<span> </span>My father was Norman
Englebrook, one of the soldiers on your list of fallen patriots in the mess
hall.<span> </span>He was transferred here in 2068.<span> </span>My mother and brother and I lived in Fresno,
in the family quarters – back when they had family quarters.<span> </span>I was seven years old.<span> </span>My father was a great man.<span> </span>He always tried to do his best by Ian and me.<span> </span>Then–”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“Wait,
Ian’s your brother?” Graham asked.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“Yes,
that’s right.<span> </span>He helped raise me when my
mom got depressed.<span> </span>He has always been
there for me – helping me and watching over me.<span>
</span>I hate him, don’t get me wrong, but I love him too.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“Wow,
I guess there’s a whole world of stuff I don’t know you.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“Sorry
about that.<span> </span>In any case, after a year here
on the Platform and six months at Headquarters, my father caught the Silver
Slayer.<span> </span>It happened on a Thursday.<span> </span>His Hazmat suit – the old kind – was
compromised while he was doing some maintenance on a filtration unit.<span> </span>We were expecting him the following Saturday
for a weekend visit.<span> </span>We had a barbeque
planned.<span> </span>He died quickly.<span> </span>We never saw him again.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“I’m
so sorry, Peggy Lee,” Graham responded.<span> </span>“But
that’s no reason to blow the whole place up, is it?<span> </span>It was an accident, right?”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“There
were some theories about that, actually.<span>
</span>Some of the other wives in Fresno told us that they had heard that my
father had discovered something about the operations that had to be kept a secret.<span> </span>Ian still believes that he was murdered by
the Army to keep him quiet.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“Quiet
about what?”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“First
let me tell you that I’ve researched this issue more thoroughly than anyone
else in the world, and I don’t think that the rumors are true.<span> </span>But conspiracy theorists – and you don’t have
to dig deep to find these people – say that the government <i>created</i> the
mold and spread it throughout San Francisco.<span>
</span>They say that it was a scheme to wrestle control of the water production
facilities away from XHS and to clear the Bay Area of all inhabitants.<span> </span>That way the government could run the
facilities full time.<span> </span>They saw it as the
sacrifice of a few for the betterment of many.<span>
</span>I don’t believe it, but I did for a long time.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“Anyway,
after the funeral, my mother packed us up and took us away from
California.<span> </span>We moved around a lot after
my dad’s death, trying to find a place that made sense, but my mother got
depressed and Ian got angry, and no place seemed like the right place for us.<span> </span>Eventually, we ended up in Georgia living
with some family.<span> </span>Those were peaceful
years for me.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“Yeah,
you mentioned Georgia in the planetarium.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“If
I could go back to any time in my life, those precious few years would be it. <span> </span>But then, Georgia, like the rest of the southern
states, began experiencing prolonged droughts.<span>
</span>The government pumped the aquifers dry, trying to keep the citizens
alive.<span> </span>After just a few years in
Georgia, we knew that we were going to have to go.<span> </span>So, my mom packed us up again, and we moved
to Alaska.<span> </span>I was thirteen.<span> </span>We snuck across the border – back when that
was still possible – and lived there illegally.<span>
</span>It was dangerous, but worth it.<span>
</span>Alaska, it seemed, had endless water resources.<span> </span>By that point, my mother and Ian had begun to
attend Movement meetings on a regular basis.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“You
mean the MER, I assume.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“Yes.<span> </span>After a few months in Alaska, we were welcomed
into a MER militia camp.<span> </span>There was a
school there and a church and pretty much everything that a normal town would
have.<span> </span>The only real difference was that
we were all being trained to rise up to defend the Earth, which in MER
terminology translates into – to put it simplistically – eliminating all of
humanity.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“My
mother and brother took great solace in the mission.<span> </span>And I guess, as a teenager, I did too.<span> </span>We were taught that our father would still be
alive if it were not for the geo-engineers and climate manipulators.<span> </span>We were told that the U.S. Army was a
parasite striving to deplete every bit of life out of the natural system before
finally reducing the Earth to a molten mass of nothingness.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“My
brother and I were part of a new class of MER soldiers.<span> </span>We were encouraged to return to society and
become invisible.<span> </span>We were told that we
would be called on when the time was right.<span>
</span>When we were old enough to go to college, we went, just like normal kids.<span> </span>MER provided us with scholarships and new
identities:<span> </span>Ian Englebrook and his
sister, Peggy Lee, became Mr. Ian Patten, Jr. and Ms. Peggy Lee Swenson.<span> </span>They taught us how to fit in – what to say in
political conversations, how to fly under the radar, what not to profess no
matter what the company.<span> </span>Ian left home before
me.<span> </span>And then, I joined him a couple of
years later at the University of Alaska.<span>
</span>I studied journalism and graduated with honors.<span> </span>I got a job.<span>
</span>Ian did not do so well and eventually dropped out.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“Right
about that time, the Alaskan Secession Wars began.<span> </span>I got my first assignment, which took me to
the front lines.<span> </span>Ian insisted on coming
with me to protect me.<span> </span>He saved my life
a couple of times during our time out there.<span>
</span>That’s how he became my hologramographer.<span> </span>We’ve been together ever since, working as a
reporter and hologramographer, publishing our work, building an unimpeachable
reputation, and all the while, waiting for a call from MER.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“So,
then what happened?” Graham asked.<span> </span>“That
was a long time ago.” </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“I
was just getting to that.<span> </span>So a few
months ago, I got this assignment from my editor – to come out here and do the interview
with you.<span> </span>We reported it, as usual, to
MER through our handler.<span> </span>About a week
later, we received a message that we were being called on to carry out a
mission.<span> </span>We began to meet with a MER team
who brought us all of the equipment, taught us about the bombs, and gave us the
facilities’ blueprints and other information.<span>
</span>I was reluctant at first.<span> </span>I told
them that I had a great life going and that I didn’t want to throw it all
away.<span> </span>But then they started tapping into
my memories of my father and my own repressed reservoir of hatred and suspicion.<span> </span>They began making me watch images of the
destruction that humans have caused throughout the world – dying animals,
swaths of ancient forests decimated in a few short years, ocean shorelines
piled high with rotting marine life.<span>
</span>They showed me pictures from the times before the Crisis – rainforests
and rivers, fish spawning and birds soaring.<span>
</span>All of the glorious stuff that we all miss.<span> </span>They told me that our mission was like coming
across an injured animal in the forest.<span>
</span>You know ‘the kindest thing to do is to kill the animal and put it out
of its misery.’<span> </span>Only, we are, or I
should say, humanity is the injured animal in MER’s philosophy.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Ian was
enthusiastic from the outset and worked me over for days until finally I agreed
to do it.<span> </span>As I look back on it all, I
think I’d been susceptible to their brainwashing when I was young.<span> </span>Then, when they started at it again, I was an
easy target.<span> </span>Part of me knew this
mission was wrong, but that part got buried by anger, confusion, and love of Ian,
my family . . . and the anguish I still feel over the death of my father.<span> </span>Some things you can never quite get over in
life.<span> </span>So after a couple weeks of
training, I was gung-ho.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“So
you’re not going to take any of the blame?” Graham asked.<span> </span>“You were a victim in all this?<span> </span>Is that how you see it?”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>“No,”
she said, shaking her head.<span> </span>“I don’t
know how I see it right now.<span> </span>I guess –
how can I say this – I guess I still think MER’s overall plan has some validity.<span> </span>I still think that as soon as humans are
gone, nature can start the process of returning to a state of balance – it can begin
to heal itself.<span> </span>We had our chance, and
we blew it.<span> </span>Maybe, we just need to get
out of the way now.<span> </span>Many notable
scientists agree that the world would be more habitable, ironically enough, if
human beings no longer lived here.<span> </span>Once
we are gone, the natural processes – those that originally created the rich
diversity of life that used to roam the planet – will commence again.<span> </span>New beings will evolve.<span> </span>They won’t be like us, but then would we want
them to be?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Anyway, that’s
what I believe.<span> </span>That’s not the brainwashing
talking.<span> </span>That’s me.<span> </span>I’ve spent my lifetime thinking about these
issues, and I promise you that I’m not ill-informed.<span> </span>But, tonight, when it got right down to it, I
couldn’t, myself, be the direct instrument of so much human misery and
suffering.<span> </span>I mean, I know that it’s
going to happen soon enough, so I would’ve just been hastening the
inevitable.<span> </span>But I just couldn’t live
with it . . . or die with is on my conscious.<span>
</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Don’t get me
wrong,” she continued.<span> </span>“It’s not like I
had an epiphany that perhaps we can solve all of the world’s problems if we
just stick it out a bit longer.<span> </span>We won’t
fix it because we can’t – the planet has gone way beyond its tipping
point.<span> </span>It’s all devastation and
desolation from here on out.<span> </span>Anybody who
says anything different is just deceiving himself and anyone else who is stupid
enough to listen.<span> </span>But, standing there,
arming that bomb in the Brain Room, I felt the weight of history pressing down
on me.<span> </span>I was about to become one of the
single biggest mass murderers of all time.<span>
</span>I lost my nerve, and I knew that I couldn’t go through with it.” </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Graham hung his head.<span>
</span>“I hate everything,” he whispered.<span>
</span>“I hate it all.”</span></span></div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-78684907464653924672014-12-05T15:27:00.000-08:002014-12-05T15:27:34.950-08:00Chapter 46<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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After he finished addressing
the soldiers in the dining hall, Graham went back to his quarters to clean
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he showered, he pulled small bits
of dried blood from the hair around his ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His nostrils too were filled with clotted blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He blew his nose into his hands and salty,
bright blood began to pour anew from his nose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The water at his feet turned red, then eventually it became pink, and
finally after about ten minutes, it ran clear again. The bathroom filled with
thick steam, which Graham breathed in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His shoulder was sore from the fall, and his rib still hurt from Ian’s
boot to the solarplexis, but otherwise he was physically no worse for
wear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
After he got out
of the shower, he realized that it was nearly midnight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did not know what to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surprisingly, he did not feel tired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted to talk to someone about what had
happened – only one person came to mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
He left his
quarters and went down to the holding cells.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As he passed holding cell A, he took a look inside through the small
window in the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian was lying on his
side on a narrow bed, facing the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
will go to prison for a very long time, Graham thought – probably for life,
whatever that meant now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were many
people like Ian – people who felt guilty about being human, ashamed of
humanity’s central role in the pending destruction of life on earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, almost everyone Graham had ever
talked to about the future of the planet felt a deep-seated (sometimes deeply
repressed, but still present) sadness of some form or another, but people like Ian
turned that sadness into anger, self-loathing, and an overriding hatred of the
human race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham could
partially understand Ian’s feelings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
felt angry every time he read a scientific article updating apocalyptic
predictions of skyrocketing heat and rapidly disappearing species.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He, however, viewed present humans as caught
in a trap – a trap laid years before by the selfish desires and lack of
foresight of many generations of people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The culprits are all long gone now, but they left a legacy that will
last forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every person alive now simply
had the misfortune of being born during the last few decades of life on
Earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian’s fury was understandable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham, however, could not justify his desire
to punish Earth’s current population for humanity’s past sins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham thought: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>aren’t we all suffering enough as it is?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
He then walked
down the hall and looked into holding cell B.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Peggy Lee was sitting on a chair next to the bed, looking blankly at the
door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She immediately noticed Graham’s
face in the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She waved and
motioned for him to come in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He opened
the door with his recovered pass card and stuck his head into the cell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“How are you
feeling?” he asked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Tired, confused . . . but relieved somehow – relieved that it’s all over, I guess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She cast her eyes downward, and he could see
that she was aching inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Won’t you
please come in here for a second?” she asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Mind if I sit
down?” he asked as he entered the room.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Please do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a lot of things I want to tell you.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
He sat down on the
edge of the bed, rested his elbows on his knees, and leaned forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His clasped hands were only inches away from her
knee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“First, I want you
to know that I didn’t think that our operation was going to go down like
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The plan did not involve killing
anybody . . . well, at least not directly, I guess that would be more
accurate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when we got to the Brain
Room, Ian decided he wanted the two soldiers to be killed in the blast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said that he wanted to see their blood –
their “guilt-ridden” blood, as he called it – splattered all over the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So he was going to tether them to the console
where my bomb was placed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said they
deserved it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Just before
pulling the hoods over their heads, I looked into the soldiers’ faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were so frightened, and their eyes
screamed at me for mercy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put the
hoods on so that I wouldn’t have to look at them anymore, but as I prepped the
bomb, I couldn’t get their young faces out of my mind.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Before we came
here, I of course understood that taking out the water production facilities
would result in casualties in Southern California.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But all that death was somehow theoretical,
like I was reading about an event in the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Death was the ultimate goal of the operation, but it didn’t seem real to
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I looked into those soldiers’
eyes, however, I realized that I just couldn’t go through with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something major shifted inside of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess the gravity of the situation finally
hit me full force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read a story recently
about poor children in Los Angeles who only get a small amount of water each day
from the local water dispensation office because most of their ration had been
sold into the black market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Further, it
told of families that desperately pool their water together and carefully
distribute every drop so that some members of the family – the children usually
– will survive, while others voluntarily risk becoming
dehydrated, drying up, and dying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I
attached wires on the bomb, I wondered how bad it would get if we
succeeded in disabling the facilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How much suffering would there be?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“And then, I
thought ‘Who the hell am I to decide who should live and who should die?’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My beliefs are but a whisper in this
tempest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon we will all be gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And there is nothing to be done about it, so
. . . .”</div>
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“So, you decided <i>not</i>
to blow up the Brain Room,” Graham said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Exactly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew in an instant that I just couldn’t go
through with it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to go
down as a mass murderer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was, is, and
always will be the actions and decisions of men before us that caused this
disaster – those ignorant, naive, greedy people who muddied our atmosphere,
changed the ocean currents, and eliminated the rains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>They</i> did it,” she said forcefully, her
voice rising with emotion, “those idiotic fools smiling contentedly in their
graves, not the poor souls who now inhabit this rapidly disintegrating planet –
this hot death row of humanity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>They</i>
ignored the warning signs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>They</i>
continued their antiquated, destructive ways long after it was clear that <i>they</i>
were upsetting the balance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They did it
for profit, for self-aggrandizement – they did it to add more cars, more
helicopters, more castles, more of everything to their fiefdoms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They knew what was happening at the end of
the last century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They just avoided
reality and pushed forward, burning coal and oil, driving, driving, driving –
littering the skies above with imperceptible poisons, all the while sealing our
miserable fates, their own grandchildren and great grandchildren.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And what is our fate, you ask:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to watch in the mirror as humanity’s face
grows gaunt, sallow, and lifeless, in other words, to stand witness to our own extermination.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“So then what did you
do?” Graham asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I walked over to Ian
and told him that I was having second thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He looked at me with such a strange, distant look in his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think he was weighing in his mind whether
it would be easier to break my neck right then, or to intimidate me into
continuing to help him set up the bombs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I guess he chose the latter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
told me that there was no room for second thoughts and to get back to
work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s got a lot of anger, and he
scares me – always has – so I stopped talking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As I armed the bomb, I was trying to think of a way to sabotage the plan
and get Ian out of the way, but he was watching my every move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then you showed up, and I had hope.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham nodded.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“So you saved me,”
she whispered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You saved my soul.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grabbed his hands in hers, her fingers warm
on his skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt a jolt of desire charge
up his arms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite everything he was
still crazy about her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked into
her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She no longer exuded that
energy that he had noticed throughout her visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was exhausted and broken now, but he still
could not help himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even her
betrayal could not extinguish his feelings for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His anger was gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted to run away with her, but he knew
that there was nowhere they could run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was no way off of the Platform without detection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He still loved her, but having her was now more
impossible than ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">“Why did you plan it in the first place?” he asked, replacing
her hands in her own lap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He still
wanted answers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And why did Ian say ‘Do
it for Dad’?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham needed to know what
she was holding inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There had to be
something there – something important.</span></div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-16972831709191176812014-11-21T11:41:00.000-08:002014-11-28T22:21:50.318-08:00Chapter 45<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The wire cutters
clicked softly – almost without a sound.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">“We’re all still
here, right?” Private Eckstrom said.<span> </span>“Looks
like you made the right call, Colonel! <span> </span>The
timer is off.<span> </span>The bomb’s diffused.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Graham continued
to look into Peggy Lee’s eyes.<span> </span>She
looked so small now, like a balloon slowly losing air.<span> </span>Her shoulders sagged; he thought she might
collapse.<span> </span>Her eyes were resolute,
however, as she mouthed the words “I am so very sorry,” and then said to the soldier,
“Same wires for the other bomb.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Private Eckstrom nodded,
walked over to the bomb that was attached to the servers, and quickly disarmed
it.<span> </span>“All clear!” </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Good work,
soldier,” Graham said as he released Peggy Lee.<span>
</span>“Now, take Ms. Swenson down to Holding Cell B and make sure that she has
everything that she needs to be comfortable.<span>
</span>Then meet me in the dining hall for the debriefing.<span> </span>Afterwards, we will reassign stations and
shifts and start the long process of getting this mess cleaned up as quickly as
possible.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">##</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Graham left the
Brain Room and walked to the dining hall.<span>
</span>Approximately twenty soldiers stood in a group near the waterfall,
waiting for him.<span> </span>When he emerged, the
soldiers all cheered.<span> </span>Charley rushed
over to him and shook his hand.<span> </span>“Good
job, Graham.<span> </span>So we’re safe now, right?”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Yes, the bombs
are diffused.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">“That’s great, sir!<span> </span>Did you hear that, men, the facilities are
secured!”<span> </span>The soldiers clapped and
hollered.<span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">“You did it,”
Charley said, turning back to Graham.<span>
</span>“They got the Battery Station, sure, but that’s small potatoes compared
to the Brain Room.<span> </span>Hell of a job in
there, Colonel. <span> </span>Hey, by the way, here’s
your pass card. <span> </span>I recovered it off of
that monster Ian.<span> </span>Man, he’s a brute,
eh?<span> </span>He was still giving us some trouble down
in the holding cell.<span> </span>But we took care of
it.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Thanks again for
showing up just in the nick of time.<span> </span>I’m
afraid of what would have happened had you not been there.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">“All in a day’s
work, right?<span> </span>I think that I might have
scraped some of the skin off of my right hip getting around that corner, but I
needed to lose a few pounds anyway – easier than dieting!”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Yeah, well, like
I said, I’m sure glad you got through.”<span> </span>Graham
didn’t feel like laughing or celebrating.<span>
</span>He just had to get through this confab without breaking down.<span> </span>Then he would have a chance to catch his
breath and figure out what it all meant.<span>
</span>“Now, is everyone here?<span> </span>I’d like
to get started.” </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">“Looks like a full house, chief.<span> </span>Private Eckstrom just arrived.<span> </span>Take it away.”<span> </span> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Graham stood in front of the small crowd,
cleared his throat, and then began to explain what had happened.<span> </span>He skipped over his plans with Peggy Lee to
see the stars and Charley’s seeking out wine for them.<span> </span>And of course, he skipped the kiss.<span> </span>He detailed the destruction in the Battery Station
and then talked about the fight, emphasizing Charley’s last minute heroics.<span> </span>He did not know exactly what to say about
Peggy Lee.<span> </span>She had helped save the Brain
Room, but she was responsible for the destruction of the Battery Station.<span> </span>Instead of going into great detail, he simply
said that she had a change of heart and had turned against Ian in the end.<span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>At the end of the debriefing, Graham
announced that almost everything would go back to the normal schedule.<span> </span>He ordered a replacement shift of soldiers to
take over for the soldiers who had been tied up in the Brain Room.<span> </span>He figured they deserved the rest of the
night off.<span> </span>Then he told them that the
boat for the mainland would leave the Platform at the scheduled time the
following morning – only now with two prisoners in the place of two honored
guests. </span></span></div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-50621849360241379472014-11-21T10:56:00.000-08:002014-11-21T10:56:48.560-08:00Chapter 44<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham backed away
slowly, pulling Peggy Lee back along with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Where are you
running to?” Ian said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You like to back
yourself into corners, I guess, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But this time there’s no way out.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
When Ian was just
a few yards away from Graham and Peggy Lee, Charley slipped out from his hiding
place and began walking silently towards him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As he approached, he said, in a calm, restrained tone, “Hey buddy, you
looking for a fight?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Ian spun
around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before he could utter a word or
defend himself, Charley landed a solid blow to his left eye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham sprung from the corner and threw
himself at the back of Ian’s knees, knocking the giant to the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian fell onto his injured shoulder, twisting
and howling with pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then Charley
jumped on top of Ian and struck him powerfully on the jaw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian rolled onto his stomach to try to protect
himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charley grabbed his one good
arm, wrenched it up behind his back, and pinned him to the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham held his legs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Alright, I got
him,” Charley said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“You can handle
him?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Yeah.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Then I’ll untie
the soldiers, and we can secure him with those straps.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Hurry
though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This ox is even stronger than he
looks.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham ran over
and pulled the gags out of the soldiers’ mouths and untied them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You guys are techies, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go figure out how to get those doors open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Break into the emergency protocol and see
what you can do,” Graham ordered.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Peggy Lee sat down
on the floor, put her head in her hands, and began to sob.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham and Charley bound Ian’s good arm to
his feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lay there silently, like a
roped calf, spitting blood onto the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Peggy Lee, are we
in immediate danger from those bombs?” Graham asked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
She shook her
head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she said, “We have about half
an hour before the back-up detonators are activated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, you will have fifteen more minutes
before they go off.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Charley stepped
over to Peggy Lee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I need to restrain
you as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are under military
arrest.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Don’t bother
her,” Graham replied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She’s not going
to try anything now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we get those
doors open we’ll take them both to the holding cells, but there’s no need to
bind her hands.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“If you say so,
boss.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I say so.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
##</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Within five minutes,
the two techie soldiers had managed to get the doors open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of the soldiers on the Platform burst
into the room ready for a fight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Stand down,” Graham
ordered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Now, do any of you have explosives
experience?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to deactivate these
bombs.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
One of the escort
soldiers from the boat stepped forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“I used to tinker a lot with electronics when I was a kid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could probably help.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“What’s your name again?”
Graham asked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Private Eckstrom,
sir.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Anyone else?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
The room was
silent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, Peggy Lee stood up and
said, “I want to help too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know the
bombs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re very sophisticated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You cannot move them because any motion will
cause premature detonation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you cut
the wrong wire or pull any circuit boards, they’ll blow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You need my help if you’re going to have any
chance of disarming those bombs.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham turned and
looked hard at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why would I trust
you?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Because I helped
you stop Ian.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Okay, but why did
you do that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your mission was clearly to
destroy the facilities.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I changed my
mind, okay?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I helped you, not him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That should be enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s just deactivate the bombs, okay?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“As I see it, I
don’t really have much choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay everyone
clear the room, except for Peggy Lee and Private Eckstrom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charley, take a couple of
soldiers and escort Ian to holding cell A.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The rest of you, get down to the dining hall, where I will debrief you when
we’re finished here.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“You’re staying
too?” Charley asked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham nodded as
he grabbed a toolbox from one of the soldiers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Now go!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
The room emptied
quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham, Peggy Lee, and Private Eckstrom
walked over to the bomb attached to the central console.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Peggy Lee pointed to a green wire and a blue wire, “Cut those two
simultaneously.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Are you sure?”
Graham asked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Yes, I studied
these bombs for months getting ready for today.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“What do you
think, soldier?” Graham asked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Looks plausible
to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The better question is how sure
are you that you can trust this terrorist?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because if she’s wrong . . . .”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham turned and took
Peggy Lee by the shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Look at me,
damn it,” he said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Her beautiful,
blue-gray eyes came immediately into focus on his.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tears streaked her face and her bottom lip
quivered, but her eyes were steady and clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He wondered what she saw when she looked at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her eyes seemed to be pleading with him for
forgiveness, but he could not be sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
wasn’t even sure if she wanted to live or die. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew now that she was lost in this deteriorating
world – that her convictions had dissolved into nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had managed to maintain a polished
presentation to the outside world, but what lay inside was dark and wrought
with confusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something in her
sorrowful gaze, however, assured him that she did not want to hurt him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She nodded just once, and Graham made the
call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Without taking his
eyes off of hers, he ordered the soldier to cut the wires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he was wrong and the room exploded, at
least the last thing that he would see would be beautiful – strange,
frightening, frail, and complicated, but also extremely beautiful.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Alright, sir, I
hope you know what you’re doing,” Private Eckstrom said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
They all took a
deep breath.</div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-56567409103834101512014-11-14T10:39:00.002-08:002014-11-14T10:39:40.960-08:00Chapter 43<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Just
then, Peggy Lee stirred behind Graham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He glanced back and was relieved to see her getting to her feet.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Oh no you don’t,
you little traitor,” Ian roared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Stay
right where you are!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I
will not,” Peggy Lee fired back as she stepped forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You have controlled me enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is all wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We shouldn’t be doing this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s just plain murder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re wrong, too, I know, but blowing this
place up is not going to make a bit of difference in the end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s nothing that can be done to make
things right.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It’s
the principle of thing, Peggy Lee,” Ian said, “you know that.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What
principles exist anymore?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything’s
dying.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She now stood
shoulder-to-shoulder with Graham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“On
three, we rush him with all that we’ve got, okay?” Graham said quietly. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Okay,
I’m ready.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“One
. . . two . . . .”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He picked up the
chair and positioned it in front of his body with the base facing Ian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Three!” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sprinted toward Ian, who immediately jumped
into a fighting stance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peggy Lee ran
towards Ian as well, a few steps behind Graham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Graham
tried to jam the chair directly into Ian’s belly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian however proved much quicker than Graham
had expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The giant pivoted back and
to the right like a matador and pushed the chair and Graham off to his side
with his still-able arm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham fell
headlong onto the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His face and
shoulder struck the linoleum hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blood
immediately began to pour from his nose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The chair had flown out of Graham’s grasp, across the room, and caromed off
of the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Peggy
Lee jumped onto Ian and landed one clean blow with the palm of her hand to the
back of his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian, however, easily
pulled her off and threw her to ground next to Graham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Are you alright?”
Graham asked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yeah,”
she struggled to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He just knocked
the wind out of me.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ian
was now bouncing side to side like a boxer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Do you want some more of me?” he taunted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Because there’s plenty more where that came
from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or would you rather just tie
yourselves up right now and avoid any more of these inane confrontations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve got more important business to attend
to.”</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You
have not beaten us yet,” Graham said, wiping the blood from his nose with the
sleeve of his shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My job is to
defend these facilities, and defend them I will.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
got to his feet, rolled his shoulders and his neck and put his fists up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m not done fighting you.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Peggy
Lee,” Ian called.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s not too
late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll forgive you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s finish this guy off and get back to
work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have to blow this place before
the soldiers get through that door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We still
have time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come on, do it for Dad, if
for nothing else.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?”
Graham asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Did he say ‘do it for
Dad’?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“There’s no time
to explain,” Peggy Lee answered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Just
leave it be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And you, Ian, I will not
help you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve fucked up my life for
far too long.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Alright,
that really was your last chance.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian
then made a fist with his one good hand and started walking toward the two of
them. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Just then, Graham
saw something behind Ian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A familiar
face was peering out from behind the server racks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Charley – he had finally squeezed
through the shaft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The odds had now
shifted; Graham tried to conceal his smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-29575118313190710332014-11-08T04:33:00.000-08:002014-11-08T04:33:32.567-08:00Chapter 42<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Peggy Lee jumped
as though being awakened from a dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She quickly stepped over, put her hands next to Graham’s hands on the
server rack and starting pushing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“All we have to do
is keep his arm caught in there until the soldiers--- ”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
But Graham was
interrupted by Ian’s yelling: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You bitch,
I will kill you too if I have to!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the
rack surged forward, and Ian managed to free his arm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In so doing, though, he lost his balance and fell
back on his heels. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham and Peggy Lee then
drove the rack hard and fast back into its spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian tripped backwards into the service
corridor wall, trying to get away from the rapidly advancing rack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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“Pin him in
there!” Graham yelled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peggy Lee sobbed as
she pushed against the rack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
moments ago, Graham had wanted to hurt her for what she had done to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
now, he felt a heart-breaking allegiance to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was trying to save him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was fighting on his side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> H</span>e wanted to grab her and take her away,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> to change everything and disappear
with her forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he realized in
that instant that he would never have her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
The rack picked up
speed as the two of them stumbled forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And then it crashed against the wall with a bang, but there was no thud
of Ian getting slammed in between the rack and the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had jumped to the side quickly enough to
avoid their advance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham’s plan had
worked to a certain extent, but now Ian had sprung his trap and was lumbering
through the darkness of the corridor, bloodthirsty and looking for
revenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would appear in moments, and
then Graham would have to fight him face-to-face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hoped that he had done enough damage to Ian’s
arm to give him the upper hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he
knew that victory over Ian was still a long shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Peggy Lee returned
to the corner where she had stood before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She slumped to the floor and pulled her knees up tight against her
chest.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham glanced
around the room, looking for anything that he could use as a weapon against Ian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His broken knife would be of little use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An heavy office chair lay on its side near his
feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He grabbed it and pulled it
upright, thinking that maybe he could heave it at Ian and get lucky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or perhaps he could use it as a battering
ram.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was not enough time to untie the
two soldiers at the far end of the room, who were struggling to free themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Graham knew that t</span>hey would never get
free in time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Just then, Ian
emerged from behind the server racks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rivulets
of blood flowed down his right arm, which hung loose at the side of his body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His fingers released droplets of blood onto
the linoleum floor, forming perfect round dots next to his boot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His pants were torn at the knee, revealing a
large blue bruise that shot halfway down his shin and was punctuated by a deep
gash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blood had stained the cuff of his
pants dark red.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
When their eyes met, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Graham recognized Ian’s glare;
it was the same hateful look he had been giving Graham all along – only vastly intensified
now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham could have sworn that Ian
smiled at him – just a hint of a smile, snide, cold, and hard – but then maybe
it was a grimace from the pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian ran
his fingers through his hair and spat into the palm of his still fully functioning
left hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham began to
shake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of his knees buckled
underneath him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He almost fell, but then
he grabbed the back of the chair for support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“I don’t understand why you are doing this,” he started.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“No, I don’t
expect that you would,” Ian replied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“You and your kind just don’t see what’s happening – what’s already
happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t see the effect you’re
having on the global environment – on the re-balancing of the atmosphere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">think</i>
you have all the answers, but you are in fact the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We, or rather I should say, <i>I</i>
am here to save this fucking planet.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian
shot Peggy Lee a look over Graham’s right shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She continued to cower in the corner.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“You, Graham,” Ian
continued, “help to perpetuate the existence of vast populations of useless, degenerate, and insatiable humans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We need to make those people disappear before they can do any more
damage to the planet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peggy Lee used to
understand, but now look at her – indecisive and cowardly – she’s put the whole
mission in jeopardy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Don’t
involve her in this,” Graham said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This
is just between you and me.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ian was definitely smiling now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Alright then, we can talk about Ms. Peggy
Lee later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are lots of things
about her that you may not know, Colonel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But we’ll save that discussion for another day.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Graham
nodded.</div>
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“That was clever
work there with the server racks,” Ian continued as he wiped his mouth with the
back of his hairy forearm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I
underestimated you.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Just then, they heard
loud banging from outside the main doors.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Don’t worry about
that racket out there,” Ian said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You
and I both know that the outcome in here will have nothing to do with them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you said yourself, it’s just you and me
now, and I am just getting warmed up.”</div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-5332608253452395272014-10-31T09:41:00.000-07:002014-10-31T09:41:41.839-07:00Chapter 41<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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As he swung the
metal cover, Graham stumbled on some unknown mass at his feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cover flew out of his hands and caromed
loudly against the front of the server rack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He fell forward, catching a glimpse of Peggy Lee standing in the corner
of the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked distraught.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He heard her yell “watch out” (but he was not
sure who she was addressing), just as he felt himself flying through the air
toward a nearby wall.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham quickly realized
what had happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian had heard him bump
into the server rack, crouched next to the corner, and then, with his massive strength,
had thrown Graham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And now, Ian was
advancing on him, fury burning in his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The end is near, Graham thought to himself, the end is upon me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“You just cannot
get enough, eh?” Ian spat as he approached.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Leave him be,”
Peggy Lee screamed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham looked side
to side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was nowhere to
escape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked at the air shaft to
his left, hoping to see Charley popping out to save the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No luck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He could try to slip past Ian, but that seemed almost impossible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other than that, he could retreat into the
maintenance corridor behind the server racks, but then he would be truly cornered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe, just maybe, he thought, he could fend
off Ian with his feet until help arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then, at the last second, he remembered something important about the
last server rack in the row.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unlike the
others, which were firmly affixed to the floor, it was on wheels, for
maintenance purposes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had a plan –
perhaps not a great plan, but it was better than nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Just as Ian was
about to grab him, Graham dove from his spot against the wall and disappeared
back into the maintenance corridor behind the servers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He ran into the darkness of the corridor,
past the air vent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned and then
started slowly backing up towards the end of the long and narrow corridor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Come out of
there, Graham,” Ian coaxed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It will be
a lot easier on you than if I come in there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t you remember what happened a little while ago?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know, back in the room?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come on, let’s not make this any more painful
for you than it needs to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You did
your duty, you tried to save the facilities, but you could not quite pull it
off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t worry, they won’t blame
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come on out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll just tie you up with your other little
soldier friends and maybe, if you are lucky, you’ll make it out of this alive.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Back in the room,
you and Peggy Lee caught me by surprise,” Graham said, as he continued to back
away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She tricked me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I admit it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was duped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then you beat me
and kicked me even though I was bound and gagged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things are different now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am going to stop you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So why don’t you and Peggy Lee just give up.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Ian snickered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Graham, you’ve got to be kidding me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have you cornered like a mouse in the
kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will crush you with the heel
of my boot unless you come out now and just give it up.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian wiped his mouth with his shirt sleeve and
leaned up against the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew the
bully part well, Graham thought to himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That casualness in the midst of violence, that ugly confidence in the
heat of battle – only true brutes who had been in dozens of fights, victorious
and otherwise, had that swagger and that intimidating smile of a cold-blooded,
psychopathic street fighter.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“This whole hero
thing you have going is preposterous,” Ian continued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No one is going to get in through those
doors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You and I both know it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve had all of your security systems in our
files for years now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And you haven’t
updated a single thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it’s just you
and me, and, honestly, you can’t believe that you can win against me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have already been down this road.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Shut up, Ian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hate guys like you, always have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is your last chance,” Graham threatened.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Give it up now.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“All right, you
dip-shit,” Ian sneered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m coming in
there, and I’m gonna drag you out unconscious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I didn’t want to do it to you again, but you’ve asked for it.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Ian spat on his
hands and entered the narrow hallway between the servers and the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham back-peddled quickly until he ran into
the end of the corridor.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Where you
runnin’, boy,” Ian called out as he sped his approach.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham prayed that
his plan would work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had to time it
perfectly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he was wrong, or even off
by a millisecond, he was dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian would
crush him, and then they would blow up the Brain Room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The brute was now half-way down the narrow
corridor, walking quickly with his fists clenched at his sides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham could see that Ian’s jaw muscles were
clenched tight and that a heavy sweat had broken across his brow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was getting too close.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham could almost smell him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was time to make a move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Graham pushed hard
on the server rack that stood next to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Back when he was a soldier they used that end server as a backup for the
Battery Station computer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had
installed wheels on the server so that it could be moved easily between the two
stations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hoped that the wheels were still
in place. </div>
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The weighty rack
began to move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham pushed harder,
putting one foot against the wall behind him for leverage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The server began to roll out of the line and
into the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Hey, where do you
think you are going?” Ian screamed, as he broke quickly into a run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“There is no escaping me.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham gave it all
he had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A small gap appeared between the
back of server rack and the rest of the line as Graham shoved the heavy load
farther out into the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian skidded
to a stop behind Graham and turned to grab him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Graham slid his skinny body through the gap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian reached for him, but just missed,
scraping Graham’s forearm with his fingernails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Graham grabbed the
corner of the server rack and yanked it back as hard as he could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rack slid part of the way back into
place, pinching Ian’s extended arm in between the fixed servers and the free
one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham heard a bone-crushing
crack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All he could see was Ian’s bicep
caught in between the server racks and his arm flailing in pain. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian cried out, “You motherfucker!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham pulled
himself around to the front of the server and pushed it hard again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt it lurch forward as it ripped farther
into Ian’s arm and squeezed his shoulder in between Graham’s giant bludgeon and
the edge of the other rack.</div>
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Graham heard a
roar from Ian and then felt the rack jump back at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian shoved hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham redoubled his efforts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His shoes were slipping on the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could feel Ian quickly overpowering
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In seconds the rack would be free
and Ian would be on him –wounded and furious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Graham glanced over in Peggy Lee’s direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She remained frozen in the corner of the
room.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> “God damn you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Get over here and help me push or he’s going to kill me!” he yelled
at her.</span></div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-79108486098009355752014-10-24T16:51:00.002-07:002014-10-24T16:51:58.145-07:00Chapter 40<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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In desperation,
Graham took what remained of his knife and tried to force the inch or so of the
remaining blade in between the cover grate and the edge of the air shaft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It did not slide in easily, but Graham worked
it into position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With a firm pull, the
screw popped out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A second corner was
free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
He pushed against the
grate again, and this time, it popped quietly open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pulled himself through the hole and into
the Brain Room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He squatted down behind
the room’s massive bank of blade server racks, put his knife back in his
pocket, and breathed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
The racks stood
floor to ceiling about two feet away from the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each blade server held all of the vital
information for a designated group of water production boiler units.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The space where Graham squatted was a type of
maintenance corridor – a narrow, dim dead-end where computer engineers would
sometimes disappear for days to troubleshoot problems with the Brain Room’s
hardware.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The air shaft had been put in behind
the server racks to provide ventilation, preventing the servers from
overheating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was nonetheless very
warm back there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dark and warm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham felt well concealed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
The servers hummed
as usual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He peered through the cages to
see what he could see; all of the indicator lights on the backs of the servers remained
illuminated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wasn’t too late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Ian was yelling
instructions to Peggy Lee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham could
not make out her responses, but their exchange assured him that they had not
detected his entry.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham crawled
over to the end of the maintenance corridor and peeked around the corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In front of the main console, the two rookie
soldiers sat, strapped to their chairs, gagged, and hooded. Two other chairs
lay on their side in the middle of the room, and reams of paper had been
knocked to the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There had definitely
been a struggle, but Ian and Peggy Lee had gotten the best of the soldiers,
that much was obvious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Peggy Lee was
standing over the console with her back to Graham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her head was bowed, and Graham could just see
the edge of her cheekbone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She appeared
to be readying a device of some sort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
could only see a few multicolored wires between her delicate fingers, but he
knew that it had to be another bomb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
He recalled that less
than half an hour ago she was running those same fingers through his hair as
they tumbled into her room in that deceptive embrace – the proverbial spider
and fly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had hoodwinked and betrayed
him, and he had fallen for it completely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If all had gone according to his plan, the two of them would have been,
at that exact moment, sitting outside on the boat, sipping wine and watching shooting
stars – maybe talking about life or revealing secrets to each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a fool he had been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He imagined running at her and pulling her
down to the ground by her hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He realized,
however, that he did not know what he would do after that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Part of him wanted to scream in her face –
loud and angry so she would fully register the depth of his injury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another part of him just wanted to finish the
kiss – to see if it had in fact been a complete lie. </div>
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He could not see Ian
from his vantage point, but he could hear him breathing – just barely – over
the humming servers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sounded like he
was just around the corner, which would make sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along with the central console, blowing up
the main server racks would inflict the most damage and cause the longest
outage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These two had definitely done
their homework, from waiting to detonate the Battery Station explosives until
after they had breached the Brain Room, to attacking the Brain Room when there
were only two soldiers on duty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham backed away
from the corner and returned to the dark, warm safety of the maintenance
corridor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked inside the air duct
to see if Charley was on his way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
such luck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham could just make out
Charley’s large shoulders still laboring away, trying to get around the corner
in the shaft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted to wait for
Charley, but he knew that there was no time to waste.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian and Peggy Lee could be finished at any
second.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was up to him and him alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wondered what Burt Reynolds would have
done in the same situation and wished he could call him on a celestial CB to
get some advice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did not feel like
the right man for this job, but he was the only person standing between Peggy
Lee and Ian’s destructive plot to destroy the Brain Room and the resulting sudden
and massive die-off in Southern California.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He knew he had to do something.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
The air vent’s
cover still hung loosely by one twisted screw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If he could yank the weighty cover free, he could use it as a weapon
against Ian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe he would land a lucky
blow and put Ian on his back before Peggy Lee could get involved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was worth a shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham took hold
of the cover and pulled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The stubborn
screw would not give.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He put his foot
against the wall for better leverage and pulled again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could feel the cover giving way, and then
suddenly it popped free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham fell
backward into one of the server racks with a thud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sat silently, holding the cover in his
hands and listening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thought he heard
Ian whispering, but he could not be sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was afraid that he had just forfeited the element of surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He quietly shifted onto his hands and knees
and crawled back over to the corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Peggy Lee had disappeared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
Graham still was not sure whether they knew he was in the room with them or
not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps she had just finished up
her work on that explosive device and was helping Ian.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
He stayed stock still
for a moment, listening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, he peered
around the corner of the line of server racks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Did they know he was there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
could not tell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could not hear
anything – just the low hum of the servers. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham took a
silent, deep breath, gathered his courage, and counted to three in his
head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On three, he rose up, stepped
quickly around the end of the server rack, and with all his might swung the
metal cover like a baseball bat at a height that he hoped would connect
directly with the base of Ian’s skull.</div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-71668733797537247912014-10-17T10:27:00.000-07:002014-10-17T10:27:10.290-07:00Chapter 39<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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The three soldiers
ran back through the corridor to the stairs at the end of the hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham and Charley quickly climbed the stairs
in the Battery Station until they reached the fifth floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The smoke was starting to clear, but it was
still thick at the top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
exited the station through a narrow door and then ran down a long hallway, past
maintenance access hatches to a large grey door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“What’s in here?”
Charley queried, “I never even knew this door existed.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“It’s not a great
place for a storage room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t use
it much anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I think that it’s near
the back wall of the Brain Room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come
on, open her up so we can see.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Charley passed his
key card through the reader, and the door opened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The emergency lights in the room revealed a
dusty, neglected mess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>High metal
shelving units lined the room’s walls and were covered with years of the
Platform’s detritus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Overflowing cardboard
boxes sat among old aprons, rusted cooking pots, stacks of paper, and
tee-shirts from the facilities’ 20<sup>th</sup> anniversary party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“There’s an air
duct in here somewhere, I’m sure of it,” Graham said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Help me pull these shelves away from the
walls so we can figure out where it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’ve got to hurry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they blow
the Brain Room, the whole West Coast water production operation will be out of
commission.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
They crossed the
room, picking their way through the piles of long-forgotten junk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They started pulling the shelves out from the
wall one by one and groping along the walls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After a few minutes of work, they located the air vent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham knelt down next to it, got out the
pocket knife his father had given him so many years ago, and began to remove
the screws that held the vent cover in place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He made quick work of it and pulled the cover off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“No flashlight,
huh?” Graham asked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Nope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could run back.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“No time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll just have to do our best in there,”
Graham sighed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After spending what
seemed like hours bound and gagged in the tiny wardrobe back in the guest
quarters, he was not looking forward to climbing into a dark hole barely wide
enough for his shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Sir, I think that
you should go first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That vent looks
mighty small.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am going to give it a
shot, but I would hate to get stuck in there and then be in your way.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I agree, but give
me a little room in there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want
to feel you nipping at my heels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you
need to communicate with me, just whisper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m sure that I will be able to hear you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think that the Brain Room is
far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least I hope not.”</div>
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Graham then stuck
his head into the air vent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could
feel the thick dust on his hands as he pulled the rest of his body into the
shaft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The vent was not tall enough for him
to crawl on all fours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His ribs hurt
like hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had to shimmy ahead,
pulling himself forward with his elbows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After he had progressed a few feet, he heard Charley climbing into the
shaft behind him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No turning back now,
he thought.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham pulled
himself through the pitch darkness a few feet more until he came to a sharp
corner in the shaft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tried to get
through on his stomach, but he could not squeeze through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of his hips was now caught on the corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His hands began to sweat and his breathing
accelerated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Come on, Graham,” he
whispered to himself, “hold it together just this one time.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He then backed up out of the corner, turned
on his side, and pulled his torso and then his legs through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t think that you’re going to make it through
this corner,” he said softly to Charley.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I’ll do my best,
Colonel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You push ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll catch up, don’t worry.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham could now
see a dim light shining into the shaft through the slats of a vent cover at the
far end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He crawled forward as quickly
as he could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If his calculations were
correct, the air shaft ended in a quiet corner of the Brain Room, out of sight
from the central console.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did not
know what he was going to do when he got into the room; he figured he would
devise a plan once he actually got in there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
When he reached the
vent cover, he glanced out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could not
see much through the slats, but he could tell that he was looking into the
Brain Room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He heard Ian’s voice giving
orders to Peggy Lee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other, muffled
sounds were coming from the room – Graham assumed that the soldiers had been
gagged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pushed on the grate, but
could not force it free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He punched it a
couple of times with his palm, trying not to make too much noise, but it would
not give.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did not want to alert Peggy
Lee and Ian to his presence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, he
remembered his pocket knife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt its
weight in his trouser pocket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shifted
onto his side again and reached down into his pocket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He got out the thick blade and turned back
onto his stomach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Charley whispered
from behind, “Sir, I am not sure if I am going to be able to get through
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You might be on your own.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Ten-four,
Charley,” Graham whispered back, as he began to pry the grate away from the
wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a few seconds, he had freed
one corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he attempted to pry
open the next corner, however, the thick blade snapped in two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham had yanked too hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About an inch and a half of the blade,
including the tip, fell to the ground outside of the ventilation shaft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham was left holding the handle, with just
about of a third of the blade intact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His heart sank – he knew that his father would have been disappointed to
see the knife break in half at the exact moment Graham needed it the most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that had been a big part of the last
years of his father’s life – that disappointment.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
His anxiety began
to balloon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he could not get the
grate off in front of him, how was he going to get out?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charley was blocking the other end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if Peggy Lee and Ian detonated the bombs
with him trapped in the ventilation shaft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Flames would consume him, and he would not be able to move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would squirm and wriggle and fight to get
away, but he would die in the fiery confines of that tiny metal shaft.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The air began to feel very hot, and his hands
shook uncontrollably.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bile formed in his
throat, and his stomach felt like it was turning inside out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could taste his dinner – acid and sweetness
in his mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-26856040065696342052014-10-10T14:32:00.000-07:002014-10-10T14:32:23.431-07:00Chapter 38<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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As Graham reached
the third floor, the smoke grew so thick he could scarcely see anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Angry flames licked the blackened Battery Station
walls, and the heat from the fire was almost unbearable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He covered his mouth with his shirt, ducked
down low, and kept going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he got as
close as he could to the fire, he squeezed the handle of the fire
extinguisher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A powerful stream of white
powder shot onto the flames and eventually killed the majority of the fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Once some of the
smoke had cleared, he dug through a pile of frayed, broken, and blackened wires,
smoldering memory boards, and melted silicon plates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All that was really left of the central
console was a black, gaping hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charred
pieces of plastic, some still aflame, lay strewn about his feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A thick power cord snaked by his feet, spewing
sparks and dancing wildly a few feet away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The spilled electricity had already started to melt the metal grating under
the cord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sparks rained down through
the smoky air all the way to the ground floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was nothing salvageable here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The battery system for the region had been completely disabled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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And then he
noticed an odd component in the rubble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was too hot to hold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He used
his shirt sleeve to protect his fingers and picked it up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The alarm
continued to whine overhead as he turned to leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he stepped toward the stairs, he saw
that the heat from the electrical cord had already melted a hole in the metal floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cord fell through the hole and began to swing
lazily from side to side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hundreds of
kilowatts spilled out of the wire, dissipating into thin air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will take months – maybe years – to fix
this, Graham despaired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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He jumped over the
hole and ran down the stairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he
descended, he noticed three other soldiers talking with Charley on the ground
floor.</div>
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“Sir,” Charley
shouted as he saw Graham approaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“All
soldiers have taken up their attack-ready positions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We think that the terrorists are probably
heading for the Brain Room.”</div>
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“I think it’s safe
to guess that they’re already there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Look, I found this in the debris upstairs.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham showed the soldiers the burn component
in his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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“What is it?”
Charley asked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“It’s part of a
remote detonator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They probably waited
until they were already in the Brain Room before detonating this explosion by
remote control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That way, they tripped
the alarms only after they had gained entrance to the Brain Room. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re in a lot of trouble, boys.”</div>
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“What do you
mean?” one of the soldiers asked.</div>
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“With the central
alarm activated, the Brain Room doors will be jammed shut,” Graham
explained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We set it up that way years
ago so that no attackers could access the Brain Room once the central alarm was
tripped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doors are on a timer and
will only open after three hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
figured that would be enough time for us to regain control of the Platform
through reinforcements from headquarters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is no override code because we were afraid that terrorists might try
to torture it out of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We never
counted on the attackers gaining access to the Brain Room <i>before</i>
tripping the alarm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now we are locked out,
and they are safe and sound inside, behind those thick, titanium reinforced,
security doors, with three hours to rig their bombs and blow the place to
smithereens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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“Soldier,” Graham
continued, “who do we have on duty in the Brain Room?”</div>
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“The Brain Room is
manned by a couple of rookies tonight,” a baby-faced soldier responded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Private Adams and Private Peterson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think that they’ve been trained in
any attack scenarios.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are both
techies and were planning to fix some of the bugs that have crept into the
system over the past few months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
scheduled them to have their shifts at the same time so that they could help
each other out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither of them is much
of a fighter – as far as I know anyway.”</div>
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“So we can’t count
on them for much,” Graham said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So here’s
the plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want you three to go and see
if you can break through the main entry portal to the Brain Room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gather everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All hands on deck for this one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those doors are heavy duty, so it will take
some time to get through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get the blow
torch, blast the door open, do whatever it takes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just don’t hurt our guys inside or the Brain
Room computers in the process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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“In the meantime, Charley
and I are going to try to get in through the air ducts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember that there was a vent behind the
main server racks, and I think I know how we can get to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we are lucky, we can surprise the
attackers and gain the upper hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does
everyone understand?”</div>
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“Yes, sir,” the three
soldiers replied in unison.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Yeah, Graham,
let’s do it,” Charley answered.</div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-89685646350242745512014-10-03T11:17:00.000-07:002014-10-03T11:17:22.901-07:00Chapter 37<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“What the hell is
all of this?” Charley asked as he undid the gag and cut the strap binding Graham’s
hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Instead of
answering, Graham lay down flat on his back, his body still pulsing with pain,
and stretched his arms out wide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took
a long, deep breath and then sat up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
wiped the mucus and saliva off his face with the outside of the hood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He rolled his head back and side-to-side and then
glanced out into the hallway, past the broken door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two bottles of red wine sat on the floor
across the hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charley had been true
to his word; he had sought out the wine for Graham’s rendezvous with Peggy Lee.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I was waiting for
you down by the boat,” Charley said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“When
you didn’t show up, I came here to see if everything was okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried to open the door with my pass card,
but the lock was jammed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even tried
the override code, but it still wouldn’t open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lucky this is one of the older doors, so I was able to bust it
down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what’s going on?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where’s Peggy Lee?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this some kind of weird sex game gone out
of control?” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham shook his
head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, no, Charley, we have a real
problem on our hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve got to find
Peggy Lee and that son of a bitch, Ian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I think they’re eco-terrorists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
think they’re planning on destroying the Platform.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Are you kiddin’
me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I’m afraid not,”
Graham said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Charley helped
Graham up off of the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham
moaned and almost toppled over, catching his balance by grabbing the side of
the wardrobe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you okay?” Charley asked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Yeah, no, I don’t
know,” Graham answered, “maybe a broken rib or something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that doesn’t matter. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come on, let’s sound the central alarm,
and then we’ll track them down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
nearest trigger is in the dining hall.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
They hurried out
of the room and started running down the corridor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as they were about to round the corner towards
the dining hall, a loud boom shook the hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The lights dimmed and then flickered completely off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seconds later, the emergency power system kicked
in, and the lights came back on at half strength.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The blast had come from behind them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A local alarm from down the hallway began to
blare, and then the central one kicked in.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Shit,” Graham
said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sounds like they started in the
Battery Station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s get down there before
they can do any more damage.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
They turned around
and sprinted past the broken door and the bottles of red wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then they jumped down the two flights of stairs that led to the Battery Station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham stumbled but caught himself on the
railing and kept running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hot, thick smoke
filled the approach to the station, but they did not slow down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They ran straight through the smoke and onto
the main floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
A small fire
burned on the first floor right above them, but most of the smoke was coming
from the third floor, where sparks spewed from the central command
computer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The giant overhead fans had
been disabled by the blast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The alarm blared in their ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dimness of the emergency lights combined
with the bitter, black smoke made it hard to see anything clearly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham choked and coughed as he assessed the
situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It looks like Peggy Lee and
Ian aren’t here anymore,” he yelled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You
take the fire on the first floor, and I’ll work on the upper one.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He grabbed two fire extinguishers, handed one to Charley, and then started running up the metal stairs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
As he climbed, he recalled the conversation he had had with Peggy Lee earlier
that afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had been surprised
that she had even noticed the central computer way up on the third floor,
barely in sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But now he understood; she
had used him to double-check her specs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Now the water
production system had been significantly compromised, and it was totally his
fault.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He should have never allowed them
to come out to the facilities in the first place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He should have seen it coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He should have known that something was
amiss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He should have realized that
there was no way in hell such a beautiful woman would ever be attracted to
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The burning computer, the acrid
smoke, the shrieking alarm, they were all proof of desperate gullibility and his
sad, shameful naiveté.</div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-61406874424200217332014-09-26T10:17:00.000-07:002014-09-26T10:17:59.617-07:00Chapter 36<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Outside the
wardrobe, Graham heard Peggy Lee and Ian moving around the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a few minutes, they left, closing the
door quietly behind them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crammed in the
closet, Graham could hear nothing but the sound of his own intensely labored
breathing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sweat dripped down his brow
and into his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside the dusty hood,
the air became nearly unbreathable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
arms ached, and his stomach throbbed from where Ian had kicked him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted to scream, but his tongue’s effort
against the ball in his mouth made him gag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was afraid he’d throw up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
thought he might choke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He struggled
against the straps that bound his wrists, but he could not free himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He recalled the terror in Ginger’s eyes back
in the silo – those many years ago – as she yowled against the violent storm of
corn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wondered if his eyes now looked
like hers did then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted, he needed
to touch his scar, to try to calm himself down, but he couldn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham tried to
stand up, but the wardrobe was too short.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He hit the top of his head and then fell forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could squat, but that was no help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tried to push the wardrobe doors open with
his knees, but he could not get any leverage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The wardrobe seemed to be getting smaller and smaller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham felt his breathing quicken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew that he had to calm down, but the
sides of the closet were closing in on him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now the air in the hood turned to thick gravy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each breath filled his lungs with dirt and
grit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each breath became faster, shorter,
harder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham flipped himself
onto his back with his feet in the air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His arms were pinned painfully underneath him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tried to calm himself down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The image of Peggy Lee’s face came into his
head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was so beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could she have done this to him?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had seemed so genuine, so caring and
kind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The thought of her crying in the
hover transport vehicle made his stomach drop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Was it just an act?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt sick
with shame, and then the anger took back over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
He had to do
something to get out of there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With his
feet, he kicked the side of the wardrobe as hard as he could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The banging was deafening inside of the
wardrobe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew that trying to signal
someone was a long shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The soldiers’
quarters were far away, as was the rec room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Perhaps some of the guys had lingered in the dining hall and could hear
him, but he doubted it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a few
minutes of continuous kicking, he stopped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was exhausting himself, and no one was coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham began to pass
in and out of consciousness. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his
haze, he remembered a story about a woman who had been caught cheating on her
husband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The husband happened to be one
of the most powerful traders in ancient Rome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had loved his wife with all of his
heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his anguish over discovering
her infidelity, he ordered that she be buried alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The execution, however, was designed to send
a message to all of the other wives in the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trader commanded the gravediggers to
install an air tube from the grave to the ground above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They forced the woman into a coffin-like box,
and then the lid was nailed shut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
gravediggers attached a ceramic tube to the box and lowered her into the
ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the gravediggers filled in
the hole, the end of the tube stuck up from the ground about six inches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woman survived for days and days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was slowly dying of thirst and of
hunger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ghastly, animalistic screams
rang out from the tube all day and all night long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The husband stayed by her graveside listening
and lamenting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes, he would pace
back and forth on the soil above his wife’s dwindling body and suffering
soul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When finally the tortuous whimpers
had ended, the husband drank a solution of hemlock and died a few moments
later, with his hand next to the silent ceramic pipe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham awoke with
a start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could feel the heavy dirt above,
the sides of the coffin pressing in against his arms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could hear the hopeless screams echoing
inside the tiny box, the stifling air filled death and unbridled fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He twisted and struggled on the floor of the
wardrobe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gag pressed down into his
throat and the thick hood seemed to tighten around his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His heart was about to explode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tried to pull his hands free, but it was
no use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He needed to get some air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had to get out of there.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
And then he heard
a sound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was faint at first, far
away, but he had definitely heard something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He listened intently, trying to ignore his heart pounding in his
ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then he heard it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Charley:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Graham?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hey, Graham?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you still around
here?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham started banging
the side of the wardrobe again with his feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After about thirty seconds, he stopped and listened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Graham?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that you?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Charley’s voice was coming from the hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was nearby. </div>
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Graham banged
once.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Why don’t you say
something?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
With all his might,
Graham kicked and kicked, shaking the wardrobe violently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Okay, okay, are
you in Peggy Lee’s room?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
One bang.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham heard Charlie
trying the door and then a loud crash as he knocked it down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where are you?” he asked as he flipped the
light switch.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham banged on the
cabinet one last time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He listened as Charley
untied the ropes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed to take
forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His body was shaking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His arms involuntarily pulled against the constraints,
tearing away the skin on his wrists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
The doors swung
open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charlie pulled Graham out of the
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<![endif]-->Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-73649236383500089182014-09-19T12:26:00.002-07:002014-09-19T12:26:43.716-07:00Chapter 35<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Peggy Lee began
looping rope through the wardrobe door handles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As she paused to undo a tangle, she said quietly – her voice trembling –
into the crack between the doors, “I’m sorry, Graham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is something that has to be done – for
your sake, for our sake, for the future of the planet.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham hands –
still tied behind his back – were balled into shaking fists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could he have fallen into this trap?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had been faking the whole damn time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did she really think an apology whispered into
the darkness – as she locked him into a closet – was going to make him feel
better?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did she really think that she
had him that wrapped around her little finger?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No, no, no, Graham thought to himself, I don’t think so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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And then she said
something that sent him over the edge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“If it’s any
consolation, I really did – do still – like you.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
He instantly shifted
his weight and whacked the doors with one of his knees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peggy Lee had not yet tightened the
ropes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the handles broke free and
the door smacked her in the face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
screamed in pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As she tried to shoulder
it back, he kicked it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The blow knocked
her to the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He fell out of the
wardrobe and then struggled to his feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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He stood stock
still, breathing hard against the ball-gag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He shook his head in a vain attempt to get the hood off of his head.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
All was silent
except for the sound of Peggy Lee crying quietly on the floor beside him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“So that’s how you
want it, eh?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian said from across the
room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Graham heard the
sound of a metal chair scraping across the floor as Ian got up from the
desk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He heard Ian walking slowly over
in his direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tried to kick in Ian’s
direction, and Ian laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham
stepped forward and tried to kick him again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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This time Ian caught
Graham’s foot and yanked it high in the air, throwing him back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham fell violently, cracking his skull
against the bottom edge of the wardrobe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unconscious for a moment, Graham came to just as Ian kicked him square
in the stomach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The air from his lungs
surged out against the gag and came out of his nose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mucus and saliva covered Graham’s face as he
struggled to catch his breath.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“How do you like
that, lover boy?” Ian said as he pulled Graham up to a sitting position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You like beating up pretty girls?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What kind of sick, army pigs do they have
running this joint?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Ian cuffed Graham
upside his head, knocking him back to the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Stop it,” Peggy
Lee said, “it was my fault.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“You’re bleeding,”
Ian said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I’ll be all
right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s just get him secured and
get on with the operation.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Ian grabbed Graham
by the arm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Come on now, get in the
closet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll kick the living shit out of
you if you try anything like that again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Got it?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Ian shoved Graham
back into the wardrobe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In just a few seconds,
he had tied the handles of the wardrobe closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“See how easy that was?” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham could hear them
moving around the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, Peggy Lee
said to Ian, “Remember, no one gets killed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You can’t go overboard, okay?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I know, I know,
no more Tarrytowns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know the drill.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham knew
immediately what Ian was talking about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tarrytown,
New York, was the site of the Center for Combating Global Climate Change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hundreds of geo-engineers from all over the
world worked collaboratively to find new ways to recreate a livable climate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Center had produced the huge shade
canopies that covered large parts of the Great Lakes and LA Climate Shelter
Zones and had been responsible for many life-saving improvements to
solar-powered air conditioning technologies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Graham had given multiple presentations there on the water production
facilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Ten years ago, seven
militants from a subgroup of the Movement for Earth’s Rebalance had stormed one
of the central buildings on the Tarrytown campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lab’s scientists had been working for
years on “Project Ice Floes,” which involved a new chemical that could raise
the freezing point of salt water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
ultimate goal was to create large-scale ice masses around Antarctica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The floes would reflect sunlight and aso counteract
the warming trends of nearby ocean currents.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
The project had
been controversial from the start because it involved dumping massive amounts
of a highly classified freezing agent into the Southern Ocean, an action that
could harm many aquatic species and threaten the survival of the last remaining
population of penguins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the Center saw
the project as the potential silver bullet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The trade-off seemed worth it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
was one more extinction among the many thousands, after all?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
The MER militants
entered the lab with the aim of destroying everything related to the project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A struggle ensued, however, between the armed
men and the scientists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After shooting
two of the lab workers, the militants took twenty-seven of the top scientists
hostage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lab was sealed off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The U.S. Army surrounded the building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Negotiations proved unproductive and
slow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then, in the middle of the
night, the lab blew up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fueled by large
quantities of flammable liquids, an immense fireball exploded into the night
sky, blowing out windows for half a mile in every direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of the militants and scientists perished
instantly, along with seventeen soldiers who were positioned too close to the
blast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one ever discovered exactly what
happened that night inside of the lab.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
While successful
in terms of accomplishing its primary objective, the action became a public
relations disaster for MER.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Movement’s leaders denounced the attack and claimed that they had had nothing
to do with it, but no one believed them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The media thrashed MER for weeks, causing many of its supporters to leave
the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, one of MER’s leaders
was shot and killed at a restaurant in the East Coast Climate Shelter, and the
Movement went underground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since then
MER had been relatively quiet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two years
ago, the U.S. government had released an assessment that downgraded the threat
presented by MER to “existing, but likely insignificant.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Clearly the
government had been wrong.</div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-81672711955804932312014-09-12T11:02:00.001-07:002014-09-12T11:02:45.515-07:00Chapter 34<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Graham could not
get enough of Peggy Lee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted to
open himself up and drink her into him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She kissed him back passionately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His hands were exploring every curve of her body, breasts, buttocks,
thighs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He untucked her blouse to feel the
warmth of her flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt a lifetime
of loneliness fueling his longing, his need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He desperately wanted to consummate his new life and simultaneously
close the book on the past twenty years of utter solitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
But then, he heard
a shuffle behind him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was someone
else in the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Desire gave way to
alarm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pulled away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A voice hissed, “Now!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Before he could
turn around, he was being tackled and pinned to the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peggy Lee had adroitly stepped away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Now, get the hood
and straps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And don’t turn the lights
on.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham recognized Ian’s
voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I know the
protocol,” Peggy Lee hissed back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham could not
believe what he was hearing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thought
for a second that it was a terrible joke, but he could feel Ian’s knee grinding
down on his spine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was no
joke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian’s weight pressed the air out
of Graham’s lungs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could not catch
his breath enough to call out for help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He gasped hard with his cheek pressed against the linoleum floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He struggled against Ian’s grip, but to no
avail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian had his arms locked behind
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peggy Lee located a flashlight and
was digging through Ian’s camera bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Quickly she passed some things to Ian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Graham tried again to struggle free.</div>
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Ian wrenched
Graham’s head back and forced a ball gag into his mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He affixed the straps of the gag tightly
around the base of Graham’s skull.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
he put a large hood over Graham’s head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He pulled the hood’s drawstrings around Graham’s neck.</div>
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“Not so tight,”
Peggy Lee said, “he’s claustrophobic.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Graham hated the pity in her voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He wanted to strike out at them, but he could barely move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Make sure he can breathe, Ian.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Ian then bound
Graham’s hands behind his back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Listen,”
Ian said menacingly into Graham’s ear, “do what I say and you won’t get
hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s as simple as that, okay?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham nodded his
head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Get on your
feet.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Ian pulled Graham
up from the ground, holding him roughly by the nape of his neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Peggy Lee,” Ian
called.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Shine the light over here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve got to find his pass card.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Ian searched
through Graham’s pockets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham
considered kicking him, thinking maybe he could land a knee to Ian’s face –
maybe break his nose – or to his groin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But he quickly decided that would be a bad idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could never best Ian in a fair fight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With his hands tied behind his back and his
eyes blindfolded, he would be beaten to a bloody pulp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian found the pass card in Graham’s shirt
pocket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Got it,” he said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Okay,” she
replied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Now get him into the wardrobe
and get your bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make sure he can
breathe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean it.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Ian walked Graham
over to the wardrobe and pushed him inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Graham tried to yell but the gag was too tight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He struggled, but Ian manhandled him back
into the wardrobe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I said cooperate,
damn it, or I am going to bash your brains in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You wouldn’t be my first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, get
in there and sit still.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Ian shut the
wardrobe doors.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Tie those handles
together,” Ian instructed Peggy Lee, “and do a good job so your boyfriend can’t
get out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll finish getting the
materials ready.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Okay, Ian.”</div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-6712683127425499512014-09-05T16:17:00.001-07:002014-09-05T16:17:25.455-07:00Chapter 33<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
When Graham walked
out into the dining hall, he found Peggy Lee standing near the waterfall.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Good evening,” he
said as he crossed over to her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Hello.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come look, you can see a gorgeous rainbow in
the spray.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham had seen
the rainbow hundreds of times; it was always there – it was part of the design
– but he wanted to share it with her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
she pointed, he breathed her in deeply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She smelled like orange blossoms, honey, and cucumbers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there was something else as well,
something acrid, something industrial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He could not quite pinpoint it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He tried to smell her again, but she had taken a step back.</div>
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“Where’s Ian?”
Graham asked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“When I stopped by
his room, he didn’t look so good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
said that he had slept all afternoon and that he was feeling flu-ish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt hot to me, so I think he might have a
slight temperature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was going to go
back to bed so that he would feel better by morning.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I should send the
medic over to his room.”</div>
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“That’s not
necessary, Graham,” Peggy Lee answered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“You know, Ian always does this, really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To be truthful, I think he is a hypochondriac.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“But you said yourself
that he felt hot,” Graham pressed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What
if he really is sick?”</div>
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“Oh, no, no, no,”
Peggy Lee said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He always gets himself
worked up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it will make you feel
better, we can stop by there before we go out and see the stars, and then you
can check him out yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll see
what I mean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, I thought you
might be pleased that he wasn’t going to join us for dinner.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Well, sure, but—”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Exactly,” Peggy
Lee interrupted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So we’ll check on Ian after
dinner, and for now, let’s enjoy each other’s company in this fabulous tropical
grotto.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“All right,”
Graham responded, laughing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
They sat at a
small table at the edge of the pond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Graham hoped that Charley would notice Ian’s absence and leave the two
of them to eat alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Charley
entered the dining hall, he did just that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead of coming over, he sat down at a long table with the escort
soldiers and some of the guys stationed at the Platform.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
The same soldier
who had served them lunch appeared with two plates of green salad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He returned a few minutes later with soy
burgers and a plate piled high with steaming garlic curly fries to share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peggy Lee pecked at the fries and barely
touched her burger.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
During dinner, Graham
talked about his childhood, basic training, the helicopter accident, and about
his career at the water production facilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Peggy Lee talked a bit more about her years in Georgia, but then Graham
could not get her to open up further.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
wondered if her inability to talk about herself might be a consequence of her
job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe, she just had trouble getting
out of interview mode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he felt like
it was something more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had mentioned
her father leaving her family, but avoided going into particulars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He decided not to press her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The loss of a parent in whatever form can be so
very painful; Graham knew it well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
after a few attempts to get her to open up, he respectfully steered clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
After dinner, they
headed back towards the guest quarters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As they walked, Peggy Lee said, “You know, Graham, there is a lot that I
want to tell you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel like I can really
trust you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I just can’t talk about
certain things with you right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
hope you understand.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham wondered if
she had been reading his mind.</div>
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“Just because my
life is an open book doesn’t mean that I expect anything from you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope you didn’t think that I was trying to
pry into your personal life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m just
interested, just curious about you, that’s all.”</div>
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“I wish I could be
more open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honestly, I really like you,
Graham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are a trusting, honest, and
good person. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What you have done here is
extraordinary. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You deserve so much in
life for all that you have done for others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Your altruism is commendable . . . even heroic in this time of crisis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is what makes this whole thing so damn
hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what’s been bothering me
all day.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Her head hung
low.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She seemed on the verge of
tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her bubbling energy was
gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked into his eyes for a
moment and then looked away again.</div>
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“What are you
talking about?” Graham asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What has
gotten into you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not upset with you
about anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m nothing but
extremely thankful for your visit and for your putting up with me for the last
couple of days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have brought
sunshine into my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truly, you have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may not realize it, but you’ve changed me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve opened some doors for me that I
thought had been sealed forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know
it sounds extreme, but it’s true.”</div>
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Peggy Lee
responded with silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were
approaching the guest quarters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham
could not figure out why she was so sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She would not look up at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Peggy Lee, what’s bothering you so much?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t understand.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I’ll explain it
to you on the boat.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tears welled in her
eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Let’s stop by my room,” she
continued, “so that I can pick up a scarf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then we’ll check on Ian, okay?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
This was not at
all how he thought the night was going to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He thought back on their dinner conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had he asked her too many questions?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something had really disturbed her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt terrible, but he didn’t know why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It felt like they had been pulled apart by
some unknown force, and now the rift between them was growing with heartbreaking
speed.</div>
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“Before we go in,
there is something that I need to do,” she said.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Peggy Lee, I want
to apologize if I upset you in any way.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Oh, Graham,
please, just be quiet for second and close your eyes.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
He diligently closed
his eyes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
He felt her hand
gently touching his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She drew
slowly close to him and said, “Keep your eyes closed.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham could not
believe it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe this was it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe he had served his time in solitary and
the guards were now going to pry open the doors of his cage and let him out
into the sunlight, into a free world full of color and love and life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt her body press up against him, her
arms wrap around his neck, pulling him close.</div>
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She rose up on her
toes and ever-so-slowly brought her lips to his.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She paused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Graham felt her breath on his lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He didn’t know if she was watching him or if she had her eyes closed as
well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt a roaring, hungry desire
building inside of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted her so
badly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
She whispered, “I’m
sorry,” onto his lips, and then she kissed him, first gently and warmly, and
then hard and strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She gripped the
back of his neck, pulling his head down to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He kissed her back, pressing her against the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled her key card from her pocket and
opened the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham backed her into
the room, kissing her neck, her cheeks, her wonderfully soft, wet mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
She moaned
plaintively.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The door swung closed
behind them, and a darkness that promised freedom enshrouded their embrace.</div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-17511317160813019432014-08-28T13:07:00.000-07:002014-08-28T13:07:00.624-07:00Chapter 32<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Graham returned to
the Brain Room to talk some of the soldiers and to check on a few details
regarding operations at the platform.<span> </span>He
had done two tours out there, each for about sixteen months, and he remembered all-to-well
the persistent feeling of isolation.<span> </span>At
headquarters, a few soldiers passed through each week as they were being
deployed to different substations.<span> </span>There
were always a couple of fresh faces around.<span>
</span>But once you got out to the Platform, you could be stuck interacting
with the same guys day in and day out for weeks at a time.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Platform had
been built directly adjacent to the Southeast Farallon Island, one of the
biggest in the chain of rugged, rocky islands located about twenty-seven miles west
of San Francisco.<span> </span>A narrow footbridge
connected the Platform to the island as an emergency escape route.<span> </span>When Graham had been stationed there, he frequently
took long walks on the island.<span> </span>After he
was finished in the Brain Room, he decided to step outside for a bit of fresh
air.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Graham had read a
lot about the history of the islands.<span> </span>While
some of the smaller islands in the chain had disappeared with the rising ocean,
the Southeast Farallon, along with its nearby neighbor, Maintop Island,
remained.<span> </span>They had first been inhabited
by Russian seal hunters who coveted the soft pelts of the seals that lived on
the islands.<span> </span>Graham had seen a picture
of a street in Moscow in which hundreds of men walked shoulder to shoulder all
wearing identical hats made of seal fur from the faraway islands.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then, after the
seals had been wiped out, the United Stated took control and built a few
residences and a lighthouse high atop the Southeast Farallon Island.<span> </span>A few years later, some entrepreneurial San
Franciscans responded to a shortage of eggs in the City by boating over to the
Farallons to collect millions of eggs from the hordes of seabirds nested along the
craggy shorelines.<span> </span>Competition between
the egg collectors grew intense.<span> </span>Graham
read that there was even an “egg war” between rival companies, which left two
men dead.<span> </span>After the island chain was
given protective status by the government, scientific researchers set up shop.<span> </span>In their journals, the researchers explained
that the islands were so covered in life that they could barely walk on its paths
for fear of crushing eggs or new-born chicks and that the surround seas teemed
with white sharks, elephant seals, and an astounding variety of fish.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All that was long
gone.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Graham walked the silent
paths to the ruins of the government housing and the lighthouse.<span> </span>He imagined the cacophony of millions of seabirds
squawking and the scientists’ delight as they tagged birds and studied seal mating
behaviors.<span> </span>The afternoon was perfectly
calm.<span> </span>He could hear no waves breaking on
the shoreline below.<span> </span>He felt like his
senses had shut down.<span> </span>The thick fog obscured
his vision, and the silence of the island, where once so much life had thrived,
gripped him by the throat. <span> </span>He could not
believe that the final chapter of the islands’ incredible history would be so empty,
so quiet, so meaningless – just a few lonely soldiers walking aimlessly through
the fog.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">##</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>At
five, Graham returned to his room to freshen up for dinner.<span> </span>Throughout his career, he had stayed in countless
small, bare rooms such as the one he occupied that afternoon.<span> </span>The walls were empty and white, devoid of
history or personal attachment.<span> </span>They
simply divided space.<span> </span>The floor was
hard, cold, and bare.<span> </span>The Army did not even
provide a small mat by the bedside to prevent the occupants’ feet from getting
cold first thing in the morning.<span> </span>A round
window the size of a diner plate displayed the same grayness he had lived with for
the past nineteen years of his life.<span> </span>A
large, institutional wardrobe stood imposingly in a corner.<span> </span>A metal desk and chair rounded out the décor.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Graham had the
urge to pin something up on the walls or scratch his initials into the desk, as
a tiny reminder to his soul that he might have had something more – something
that did not feel so much like a prison cell.<span>
</span>Then, he reconsidered this comparison.<span>
</span>The room was less like a cell and more like an oubliette, where jailers used
to strip prisoners of all their clothing, lock them away in a tiny cage in the
dungeon, and literally forget them until they had repented their misdeeds and
committed themselves to a better life . . . or the prisoners died.<span> </span>He wondered what he had done to deserve a
lifetime of penance and isolation.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The sterile twin
bed, shoved up against the wall, reminded him of his first days as a
soldier.<span> </span>He pictured himself sleeping
there as a young man – curled up and all alone.<span>
</span>He remembered that some nights the loneliness seemed to carve deep pits
into his heart.<span> </span>All he could do was lie
still and wait for the night to end.<span> </span>For
the past decade or so, he had almost convinced himself that he had outgrown that
feeling.<span> </span>They say one can get used to
anything.<span> </span>His noble role was to
sacrifice so that others might live. <span> </span>What did he expect?<span> </span>Real sacrifice was not easy.<span> </span>But now, standing in that small, dark room,
he realized that he wanted more.<span> </span>The image
of his body curled up in endless solitary confinement – young, middle-aged, and
eventually old – burned deep in his gut.<span>
</span>He lay down on the bed and stared at the gray ceiling.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Why was Peggy Lee
being so kind to him?<span> </span>Charley thought he
had a chance with her.<span> </span>Charley thought
it was worth a try.<span> </span>Graham wondered for
a second if Charley was just toying with him, pushing him into a situation that
was bound to backfire.<span> </span>But no, Charley
would not do that to him.<span> </span>So maybe there
was a glimmer of hope. <span> </span>And she kept
encouraging him.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But it was so
hard.<span> </span>He had never felt so
insecure.<span> </span>He was in completely unchartered
territory.<span> </span>The intensity of his feelings
scared the shit out of him, but this fear also made him feel alive – more alive
than he had felt in years.<span> </span>Maybe, just
maybe, there was a sunnier future for him.<span>
</span>But it was all too much.<span> </span>Joy and fear.<span> </span>Euphoria and devastation.<span> </span>Was this what it felt like to fall in
love?<span> </span>She was shaking his
foundations.<span> </span>Like Ingrid Bergman in <i>Casablanca</i>,
Peggy Lee had changed the all rules.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">##</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Graham showed up
to dinner a few minutes early.<span> </span>He went
into the kitchen to check on the menu to make sure that everything was
vegetarian.<span> </span>The soldier from lunch was
preparing a large salad.<span> </span>He apologized
for the gaff with the squid.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“That’s okay,”
Graham responded.<span> </span>“I know you were just
trying to do something special.<span> </span>And it
would have been nice – very well appreciated, in fact – with most other guests.<span> </span>I didn’t know that our invitees were so opposed
to eating meat.<span> </span>Don’t trouble yourself
about it anymore.<span> </span>I hope you all back
here enjoyed them.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Thank you, sir,
we did.<span> </span>Might I add – um, well – have
you ever seen such a horrified expression on a person’s face?<span> </span>It was like we were serving them fried
grandmother or something.”<span> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I know, I know,
she seemed a bit overly-shocked from my vantage point too.<span> </span>But we all have our convictions, and Ms.
Swenson is clearly against eating meat.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“No, sir, I wasn’t
talking about her.<span> </span>I meant him, that big
guy.<span> </span>When I came back into the room with
the soup, he was still pale, and his eyes were fixed on the plate of
calamari.<span> </span>It looked like he might blow
chunks right there at the table.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I didn’t notice –
I guess I was focused on Peggy Lee.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>“Well, let me just tell you, it was strange all right,
<i>real</i> strange.”</span> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></span>Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-23997675198289184902014-08-22T17:09:00.000-07:002014-08-22T17:09:50.854-07:00Chapter 31<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
After lunch,
Charley excused himself, and Graham took Peggy Lee and Ian on a tour of the
Farallon Platform.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the dining hall,
they descended two flights of stairs to a large, secured door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham inserted his key card into the slot at
the side of the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The heavy door
slid silently to the side revealing a large room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On one side of the room, a bank of computer
terminals was manned by five soldiers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Above them, huge flat-screen monitors displayed hundreds of images from
the solar fields.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Opposite the soldiers’
work stations, an imposing array of ten blade server racks lined the wall,
locked securely in tall, black metal cabinets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A technician had one of the cabinets open and looked to be replacing a
component in one of the blade servers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The lights on the remainder of the servers blinked regularly, and the
room hummed with the reassuring sound of computer processing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Welcome to the
‘Brain Room,’” Graham said as they walked over to the monitor wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“From here, we have eyes on every solar panel
in all three fields.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These computers
keep track of the kilowatts coming out of the fields and then coordinate
deliveries to the boiler units.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much of
the power is stored in batteries located here and on floating storage stations
throughout the boiler unit fields.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These
computers help monitor our stored energy and tell us when we are low on
juice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to keep all of the
boilers at full capacity all the time – or as close to it as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At times, it becomes a delicate balance
between the sun, the panels, the batteries, and the boilers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These computers keep the whole system running
smoothly.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“And where were we
this morning?” Peggy Lee asked nodding towards the large screens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“We cruised through
the eastern section of Solar Field A, so we would have passed by solar panels
134, 135, and around there,” Graham explained, pointing up to the appropriate screen.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I see,” Peggy Lee
responded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Ian started to get
out one of his cameras from his shoulder bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I’m sorry, Ian,
but filming in the Brain Room is out of the question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope that that won’t be a problem for your
story, Peggy Lee,” Graham said. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Of course, we can
always work with the footage we’ve already shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I appreciate you showing us around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And of course, as my editor and you already
agreed, you have final approval over the content of my story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll try to avoid writing about anything that
could compromise security.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I’d appreciate
that,” Graham responded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well then,
let’s continue.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham led them
back upstairs to a narrow hallway that led to another large door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham swiped his card again, and the door
opened onto the bottom floor of a wide cylindrical room five stories high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The room was warm and loud with the intense
whirring of massive fans high above them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Each story had a circular, metal walkway and seven hatches located at
regular intervals around the walkway. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“This is the
Farallon Battery Station,” Graham said loudly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Each hatch leads to a battery bank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The batteries produce a lot of heat, so we keep this place
well-ventilated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each battery has the
capacity to power approximately thirty boilers for twenty-four hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every night, we use about a third of that
capacity to keep the units running when there’s no direct power coming from the
solar fields.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rest of the capacity
is built in to give us time for repairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s not a lot of time, but we have relied on the batteries a few times when
working out kinks in the Brain Room, and once also, when a main power cable was
damaged during an earthquake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you can
imagine, it is important to have some juice in reserve for unanticipated
interruptions in power supply.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Yes, of course,” Peggy
Lee said over the din of the fans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s
all quite impressive.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
After the tour,
Graham led Peggy Lee and Ian to the guest quarters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He always stayed with the soldiers, but this
time he had assigned himself a room in the guest quarters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told Charley that he just wanted to make
sure Peggy Lee and Ian were comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In reality, he wanted to be as close to Peggy Lee as possible for the
remaining hours of her visit.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham took Ian to
his room first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian set his camera bag
down on the bed, and looked around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“This’ll do,” he said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I believe you can
find your way to the dining hall for dinner tonight,” Graham said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Let’s meet there at about six o’clock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s an alarm clock on the bedside table
if you want to take a nap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You also have
a hologramovision in that cabinet.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Okay,” Ian
grunted.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“See you this
evening then,” Graham said as he backed out the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Peggy Lee
hesitated in Ian’s room for a moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Shall
we discuss the footage?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“No,” Ian
responded. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Come by around five and
we’ll do it then, okay?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
She walked out the
door and joined Graham in the hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
After they had
taken a few steps away from Ian’s room, she confided, “He really is a bit of an
ox – big, difficult, and stubborn.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“How long have you
two been working together?” Graham asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He did not want to agree with her too quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He still did not understand their
relationship.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Well, that’s just
it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve been together since the
beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s why I don’t even
consider changing cameramen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m a loyal
person, and he has helped me get this far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So there doesn’t seem to be a good reason to change things now – except of
course that I get tired of his moodiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But I’m pretty sure I can put up with it for a few more years.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I admire your
loyalty,” Graham said as opened the door to her room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Until tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And remember, we are meeting for dinner at six.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No squid this time, I promise.”</div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-47703404470265199462014-08-15T09:55:00.000-07:002014-08-15T09:55:13.009-07:00Chapter 30<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
The boat pulled up
through the fog to the end of the Farallon Platform’s main pier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham, Charley, Peggy Lee, and Ian
disembarked and walked down the pier to an elevator door in a huge, cylindrical
pylon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Above the door, a rectangular red
light shone – its color diffused by the swirling fog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost all of the Farallon Platform, save
this entrance, was shrouded – as always – in fog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No other pylons could be seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the pier, the entry pylon towered up and
disappeared without giving any indication of the size of the structure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham reached out through the grayness and
pressed the elevator button.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“It’s a mystery
elevator,” Peggy Lee said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What lies
above, no one knows.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Yes, it’s strange
alright,” Graham said, “and once you see how enormous the Platform is, you will
be amazed that we do not have a more fitting – that is grander – entrance.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Just then, as if
on cue, the red light turned green, and the door slid open.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Come on, everybody,”
Charley said, “let’s go get some grub.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
As they ascended,
Graham noticed Peggy Lee’s foot tapping away once again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s go; let’s get a move on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She quietly wrung her hands a couple of times
as well . . . as if she had something pressing to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was like a clock wound too tight; too
much energy in those springs, Graham thought to himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or maybe she was just hungry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been a long time since breakfast.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
The doors slid
open, and they stepped into an enormous, air-conditioned warehouse high above
the Pacific Ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Welcome to the
main staging area on the Farallon Platform,” Graham said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Tons of equipment and supplies come through here
all the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a couple of cranes
outside – located just over our heads, in fact – that can lift massive loads up
from the pier and into this warehouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But we can talk about all this after we eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I promise a full tour after lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come this way.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
As they crossed
the giant room, their footfalls echoed around them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They passed large stacks of wooden crates and
a series of forklifts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham led them through
a small door directly opposite the elevator, and then they walked down a long
hallway and into the dining hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
The room had high
ceilings with banks of sunlamps shining down from above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clusters of palm trees grew in planters in
each of the corners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tropical-themed
murals covered the walls, depicting towering mountains in the distance and thick
foliage in the foreground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Large
succulents surrounded the sunken dining area, and a thin, graceful waterfall
spilled from a ledge two stories up into a pond covered by blue and white
lilies and edged by thick stands of papyrus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Oh my,” Peggy Lee
gasped, “how perfectly lovely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like
those scenes of rainforests from the old documentaries.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“It’s not your
typical military mess hall,” Graham conceded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“But then, living out on this Platform is not a typical military
assignment either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The soldiers deserve
a few perquisites for working out here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t the military that created this Shangri-La.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Years ago, before my time, a very salty
soldier, named T.Y. Gibson, spent ten years out here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could have requested a transfer, but he
said he liked the solitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each year a
new group of soldiers would come in to assist him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They always complained about the dreariness
of the Platform and the mess hall in particular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually old T.Y. retired and a few years
later he died of cancer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When his family
opened his will, they were surprised to find that he had left all his money to
the Army in a trust dedicated to the creation of this dining hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his will, he included design notes and architectural
drawings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“The military was reluctant
at first, but once some of the high-ups got hold of the story, they approved
the construction right away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come on over
here,” Graham continued as he pointed to a plaque on the wall, “you can see the
dedication he wrote.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Peggy Lee read the
plaque out loud: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This room serves as a testament
to the fallen soldiers who strove to keep the boilers boiling day and night so
that the American citizens in the L.A. Climate Shelter Zone might survive the
current emergency, overcome the challenges of this bleak moment in our nation’s
proud history, and create a future society that prioritizes the preservation of
our natural environment above all else.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Peggy Lee slowly ran
her finger down the list of soldiers who died in the line of duty at the facilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham had already made plans to add Private
Mirosevich’s name to that list.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“He was no poet,”
Graham said, “but his sentiment was heartfelt.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Peggy Lee flushed
and turned away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only Graham
noticed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why the emotion?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of the men on the list had died years
ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She cares, he thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She really cares.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Well, I think it’s
a beautiful dedication,” she responded, recovering quickly. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s not Keats, I grant you that, but it’s beautiful
nonetheless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And what a wonderful,
hidden surprise of a room.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I’m glad you like
it,” Graham responded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s quite the posthumous
achievement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And our soldiers really like
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, they still ask for a
reassignment first chance they get.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
I believe they’re a bit happier because of this peaceful place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway, on with the show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s eat.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
A soldier in an
apron had been standing down in the sunken dining area, waiting for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham waved and the soldier saluted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We are ready for you and your guests
whenever you are ready to eat, sir,” the soldier called out.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham and Peggy
Lee stepped down in to the dining area, followed by Ian and Charley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They crossed over to the table nearest the
waterfall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The soldier with the apron
disappeared into the kitchen and then reappeared with a small plate of sautéed
calamari.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“What is this?”
Graham asked, looking a bit surprised.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Well, sir, we
heard that we were having important visitors, so Private Adams and I decided to
take it up a notch for the guests’ first luncheon on the Platform.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know if you are aware, sir, but we
have been monitoring a very pale species of squid that has taken up quarters
along the side of the northwest pylon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
know that we are supposed to immediately report all rediscovered aquatic life
to the Life Preservation Department.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
we were just preparing a report for you, when we heard you were coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are thousands of them down there, so we
figured that no one would miss just a few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Private Adams and
I dove down there just this morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then, we researched old recipes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is approximately how they used to eat them in the old days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that it is a bit off protocol, but
with your penchant for history and all, we thought you might think it was
pretty cool to eat a dish from the past.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Well private,
normally I would have to punish you for violating the regulations, but my
stomach counsels leniency,” Graham said as he stuck his fork into one of the
calamari rings and dipped it into the accompanying bowl of aioli.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was tender; it was delicious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Ah, Graham,” Peggy
Lee said as she grabbed his arm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I hate
to be rude, but Ian and I are strict vegetarians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can’t eat this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must have communicated that to you before
we came.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Oh right, of
course, I remember,” Graham said, swallowing quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How inconsiderate of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Private, what else do we have for lunch
today?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our visitors never eat meat.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“My
apologies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the excitement of our
discovery, sir, I overlooked that detail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everything else is vegetarian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
will return immediately with your soup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m so sorry.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The soldier
disappeared without removing the calamari.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Graham set his
fork down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something about the way Peggy
Lee had said “We can’t eat this” made the appetizer taboo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nearly everyone was a vegetarian out of
necessity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meat of any kind was just too
expensive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But most people, even strict vegetarians,
would, if given the opportunity, eat meat just to say that they had done so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a sign of status.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham was extremely hungry and that first
bite had been sublime, but now it seemed disrespectful to eat the
calamari.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charley followed his lead and
did not touch the appetizer.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
The waiter quickly
reemerged with four bowls of soy milk and lemongrass soup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham motioned for the soldier to remove the
calamari.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Now this is very
nice,” Peggy Lee said after the calamari had been taken away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Lemongrass soup is one of my favorites.”</div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-801999399707418572014-08-08T11:30:00.000-07:002014-08-08T11:30:52.797-07:00Chapter 29<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
Someone tapped
Graham on the shoulder, startling him out of his nightmare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He jumped, gulped air, and looked
around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sunlight reflected harshly off
the ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His uniform was drenched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peggy Lee stood over him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Peggy Lee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hello.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was having quite a
dream.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“I was
worried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sun’s so intense out here.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“Yes, you’re
right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll be back in the fog in just a few
minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess that’s where I belong,
huh?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“No, I think you’d
do just fine in the real world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You just
have to be careful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come on, let’s sit
in the shade.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
They walked over
to the bench beneath the bridge and sat down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The fog curtain loomed on the horizon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Graham tried to ignore the heat and enjoy the bright light while it
lasted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They sat without speaking for a
few moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham could have sat there
in silence with her for the rest of the day, but he was also curious about her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“So where are you
from originally?” he asked, hoping that it did not sound too much like a pick-up
line.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“My father was a
soldier, so we lived all over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent
time here in California, and then moved to the South before the drought and the
wildfires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out of all the places we
lived, I liked Georgia the best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
where my family’s from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We moved back there
in 2071, when I was thirteen, and stayed for four years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We lived in a big house in the county.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had family barbeques and spent a lot of
time outdoors, camping, swimming, fishing, and just hanging out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes the air in the woods got perfectly
still and the humidity climbed through the roof.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even after the Collapse of ’67, areas of the
south remained wet for quite a few years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I remember breaking a sweat just by walking the few steps out to the
pond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We slept in a screened-in porch on
muggy nights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would lie on my cot trying
not to move, listening to the frogs and watching the fireflies. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some afternoons, the sky would just open up
and rain would pour down from the heavens like a waterfall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everybody was in a good mood then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like the entire area had been granted
a reprieve from the thick heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you
ever live in a place like that?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“No.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sounded like a dream to Graham.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
“‘Course, Georgia
has changed so much since then,” Peggy Lee continued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I read somewhere that it has not rained –
you know, like a real rain – for over fifteen years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everywhere else in the South is dry as a bone
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything that was lush and verdant
and beautiful, well, it’s gone, just gone – dried up and disappeared.”</div>
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“Hard to believe,”
Graham answered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thought about
telling her about his childhood home, but kept quiet instead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was all too depressing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to a news story he had seen recently,
scientists had figured out that the entire dried-out state of South Dakota had
sunk approximately 250 feet because of subsidence and that the Missouri River
would never flow again – not a drop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
story focused on three abandoned towns along the river, tiny Chamberlain among
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The streets were crumbled and
twisted and filled with tumbleweeds and trash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A picture of Main Street included a view of the old corner store where Graham
used to buy candy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The store fronts were
smashed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sand drifts covered the display
areas behind the broken glass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sign
above the front door had become unhinged on one side and hung diagonally over
the doorway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It looked like a movie set
of a ghost town, but Graham knew that it was all too real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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For a few days
after seeing that story, he could not stop thinking about his father’s
death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why had he given up?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had been happily married, and Graham had
never questioned that his father had loved him as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But his father had not run away from his
family or his responsibilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, he
died of heartache – a sizzling, rainless, and unbearable heartache.</div>
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##</div>
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The boat slipped
back under the fog curtain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And again
they passed through Purgatory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The intense
sun was replaced by intermittent sunbeams cutting through the gaps in the fog
banks and lighting up slivers of the ocean’s gray surface.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ian was now standing toward the front of the
boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He changed the lenses on the three
main cameras and filmed the lightshow as they continued into the fog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Another ten
minutes and the fog grew soupy once more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ian had all but disappeared at the bow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The boat slowed to a cautious speed, and Graham went inside to retrieve a
couple of raincoats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pivoted to
return outside, but stopped for a moment at the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peggy Lee had crossed the deck and stood at
the railing again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was now a mere
outline in the dim grayness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He quickly
stepped into the fog and headed over to her; he feared losing sight of her . .
. lest she disappear forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<![endif]-->Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3953989672455075409.post-31291443110302742182014-08-01T13:30:00.000-07:002014-08-01T13:30:04.723-07:00Chapter 28<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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The boat pulled
alongside a metal pier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The escort
soldiers hopped off and tugged on mooring ropes until the boat was secured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then they hooked a walkway from the pier to the
boat’s deck. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peggy Lee, Ian, Graham, and
Charley disembarked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Despite the slight
morning breeze, the air was quickly growing stale and heavy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dark steel pier concentrated the sun’s
intensity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Above them, the top of the three-story
pontoon radiated thick heat waves; it looked like the sky was melting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham noticed that Peggy Lee had broken a
sweat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She produced a neatly folded,
blue handkerchief from her back pocket and wiped her brow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham wanted a drop of her sweat on his
tongue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He imagined that it would taste like
sweet tea.</div>
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The group walked up
a flight of stairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time that
they reached the top of the pontoon, everyone was sweating profusely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The breeze was stronger up top, but it did
not really make a difference; this kind of heat penetrated everything, even the
wind.</div>
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From the walkway
that circled the massive pontoon, they could see down into the boiler unit,
which was framed by a second immense pontoon about a mile away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Between the two pontoons, a vast network of cables
hung like a web under four feet of water, supporting thousands of heating nodes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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“It’s amazing,”
Peggy Lee said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While Ian set up, Peggy
Lee checked her face in a compact and then positioned herself next to Graham at
the guardrail overlooking the network of heating elements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Is this the right spot?” she asked Ian.</div>
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“Looks good to
me,” he answered as he flipped on his array of cameras.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
##</div>
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After the interview,
they all returned to the boat and took refuge from the heat in the
air-conditioned bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boat headed
farther west to the solar farm, where long rows of giant, floating solar panels
reached out to the horizon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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“Three solar farms
power the water production facilities,” Graham explained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This one is the largest, with dimensions roughly
the size of Rhode Island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each panel is
approximately the size of a football field and is set at a 32-degree angle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They track the sun from sunrise to sunset.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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“They look like
huge wedges of metallic cheese,” Peggy Lee remarked as they began to cruise
between two rows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Graham continued,
“The electricity that’s generated is transmitted via massive underwater cables
to the central power transfer and storage facility on the Farallon
Platform.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From there, the power goes out
to the boiler units, which transform it to back to heat and then to fog.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
As he spoke, Graham
wondered what would become of the solar panels after the facilities were shuttered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would the U.S. government try to sell them?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or install them back east?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would pirates beat the government to it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or the Alaskans?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or would the panels just sit and fry in the
heat – a remarkable relic – until they eventually sank to the bottom of the
ocean?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
##</div>
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After touring the
solar farm, Captain Sherwood set a course for the Farallon Platform.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the comfortable cool air in the
bridge, Graham returned to the deck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peggy
Lee was busy talking to Ian, and Graham did not feel like disturbing them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, his stomach rumbled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was looking forward to getting to the mess
hall on the Platform.</div>
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He sat down on a bench
with no shade and closed his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
sun burned into his pale forehead and cheeks, but he wanted a fair dose of vitamin
D before heading back into the fog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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As the boat rocked
towards its destination, he drifted into a semi-sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had been thinking about Peggy Lee, and now
a somnolent dream took shape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
riding a mule into the desert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peggy Lee
had been right behind him on a white horse, but when he looked back, he couldn’t
see her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sky was heavy red
velvet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sun, a hazy globe directly
overhead, scorched his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Small clumps
of desert grasses burst into flame at the mule’s feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Large cactuses on the horizon smoldered like
torches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked behind him again, but
he still could not find Peggy Lee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was
he the last human on earth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he could
find Peggy Lee, perhaps together they could survive.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
The mule turned
down into a large basin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham wanted
to go back and look for Peggy Lee, but it was too late – the mule refused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A windstorm kicked red dust high into the
sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dust commingled with the velvet
sky, creating an upside down bowl of dark, thick heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sky began to press down on the landscape
while the bowl’s edges crept down the sides of the basin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham spurred the mule on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did not want to get caught in the wind and
dust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew now that he would never
see Peggy Lee again – he knew that this remaining capsule of land and sky was
all that was left of the earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
they reached the lowest point in the basin, Graham surveyed the sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sun was gone, swallowed by the thick, red
clouds that swirled around him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stood
inside the shrinking globe of breathable air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The mule tossed him to the ground and ran, braying madly, headlong into
the dust storm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Graham could do
nothing to save himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dense,
blowing sands were upon him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
struggled for air; he covered his mouth and nose with his shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wind whipped his bare skin, chaffing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The blood on his arms became instantly caked
with grit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He fell to the ground and
tried to shield himself from the force of the storm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sand below him gave way and he fell
headlong into the earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His descent
slowed and then stopped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He found
himself buried alive in the depths of the sandy desert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The winds were gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Light was gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Graham could not move, and he could not breathe.</div>
Joshua A.H. Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14058849570734337652noreply@blogger.com0