“The only thing I can think of,” she continues. “is that I don’t deserve it, I don’t deserve happiness. I’ve done way too much evil to expect God to give me a clear conscience. What can I do to make God love me again?
CHAPTER 40
I don’t know how to answer her, so I say nothing. We sit there in silence, not moving at all. But then there’s a commotion. We hear people clamoring and talking rather loud in the other rooms. Brodie, who I haven’t seen since last night, comes rushing into the living room.
“Have you seen Blake?” he asks urgently.
“I saw him in the kitchen,” Val answers back. “But that was a while ago. Why? What’s going on?”
Brodie runs off without answering. Val and I look at each other knowing whatever it is, it probably involves us, so we get up from the couch to find out.
“There are drones everywhere!” someone shouts frantically to the group as he comes running in from one of the tunnels. “I’ve never seen so many. The sky’s filled with them.”
“Oh my God,” Val mumbles. “He’s called the entire air force to look for me.”
Candy, who’s standing close by, becomes agitated. She runs back to the sleeping area and kicks her husband to wake up.
“Charlie, Charlie!” she shrieks; her shrill voice sends shivers up and down my spine. “The Drones are here, the Drones are here! We gotta hide Amy!”
Charlie, still groggy from his slumber, and not sure what the hell is going on, can’t seem to move fast enough for his wife. “Why aren’t you getting up?” She kicks him again. “Don’t you care about our daughter?” Suddenly she whips around and catches us watching her abuse her husband. “What are you all looking at?” she screams. “Is watching a family die amusing to you?” She then zeroes in on me. “And you there,” she shouts. “Yeah you, I think you planned this whole thing out. I think you want us to be captured. You tricked us!”
“Mrs. Carlson!” Blake cries out, cutting her off. “Stop yelling at everyone! I need you to stay calm.”
“Yeah but he was...”
“Stop it!” His voice bellows through the cave.
She retreats and says nothing more. Blake continues walking into the sleeping area. He looks confident, like a true leader. “And that goes for everyone else,” he adds. “We need to stay focused and be ready for anything.” He turns to a gray haired man, standing near by. “Are the entrances secured?”
“They are. Everything is sealed and camouflaged, but um… I… ”
“You look concerned, what’s on your mind?”
“Well, I’m afraid Youth Patrol will come to the main entrance, sir.”
“What makes you say that?” Blake asks.
“Because they probably contacted the local authorities to find out if there are any settlements up here. And if they did, then they know about us. They’ll come around, asking questions to see if we know anything about the missing Youth Nationers.”
“Hm, interesting hypothesis,” Blake ponders. “You’re probably right.”
“Then what should we do?” the guy asks.
“Get your tattered clothes on. It’s time to face our enemy.”
The people scramble and start putting on clothes that are even more pitiful than what they already have on. They throw dusty old blankets over themselves; some even rub dirt on their faces.
Val looks at me all confused. “What are they doing?”
Blake over hears her. “We’ve got to look the part,” he says.
“The part? What part?” she answers back.
“If they expect to find starving One-Wayers, then that’s what they’ll find.”
“What are you talking about?” Val asks.
“Do you remember how the entrance of the cave looked when you first arrived?”
“Yeah, it looked like an old gold mine, so what?” Val responds.
“We built it to look that way,” he answers. “It’s easier to hide out in the open than sneak around in the night. You see, the local sheriff knows about us, they’ve known about us for years, but they no nothing about what really goes on here. They think we’re a bunch of anti-establishment types hiding out in an old abandoned mineshaft on the verge of death. To them, we pose no threat. They figure if there are no kids, why bother. It’s not worth their time.”
“But now, it is worth their time.” I point out. “What are you going to do when one of those Drone’s do show up? You can’t lie to it. It can pick up changes in your heartbeat or the rise in your body temperature. It’ll know if you’re lying.”
“I’ve learned to deal with the authorities over the years. I’m not worried about it.”
“You don’t get it,” I persist. “You’re not dealing with the local sheriff who may have sympathies for the Resistance, you’ll be dealing with Youth Patrol, they can’t be reasoned with, they’re cold-blooded killers.”
“I know who they are. That’s why I’ll have Brodie take you and Val and Candy and her family to one of the other entrances in the cave. Brodie won’t tell me which one. So if a Drone comes and asks me if I know where Valerie Star is or Evan Sparks or anyone else for that matter, I can tell it quite confidently, I have no idea and I won’t be lying. You’ll be safe; we’ll all be safe.”
I shake my head. “No, no, no! Don’t confront it; you’re making a big mistake! If you want to live, stay as far away from the Drones as possible. You guys just have to leave now, leave this all behind. I’m sorry, but that’s just the way it is.”
“I appreciate your concern, but we’ve done this kind of thing before and it’s always worked out. If we look pathetic enough and make it appear we have nothing to hide, they’ll leave us alone. And besides, they might not even show up.” Blake pats my shoulder and moves on to finish his other work.
I watch him go, knowing he’s making a huge mistake. Brodie comes up to me and dumps a stack of dusty blankets into my arms.
“What do you want me to with these?” I ask.
“Help us set up.” He then dumps a stack of blankets in Val’s arms as well. He quickly rushes off to join up with Abby and Blake and all the others as they hurry down the tunnel. Does he want us to follow him? “C’mon guys,” Brodie says, looking back at us. “Aren’t you coming?”
“And what about us?” Candy butts in. “Are you going to leave me and my family behind?”
“No, I’m not going to do that,” Brodie chuckles. “I’ll come back.”
“But what if something happens to you,” she shouts. “We’ll be down here all alone, we’ll die!”
“You’re not going to die, I’ll come back, I promise.” He turns and runs off down the tunnel again.
Val and I follow him–but so do Candy, Charlie and their daughter.
“Seriously you guys,” Brodie says, slightly annoyed. “You’ve got to stay back.”
“I’m doing no such thing,” Candy replies. “I’m going with you.”
“All right,” he says, shaking his head. “Just make sure you keep your kid quiet.”
“We will,” Candy answers. “Don’t worry about that.”
But little Amy squirms out of her father’s arms and goes skipping down the tunnel. “Vinnie loves me this I know,” the little brat sings. “For the Program tells me so. Little ones that have the Chip, they are right, the others wrong. Yes, Vinnie loves me. Yes, Vinnie loves me. Yes, Vinnie loves me, The Program tells me so.”
“Would someone shut that child up?” Brodie yells.
Charlie picks up his daughter again and covers her mouth.
We shadow Brodie through the tunnel that leads all the way to the small opening we crawled through when we first arrived. This is where Blake moved the fake rock. Brodie takes the blankets from my hands and crawls through the small opening. I decide to follow him to have a look around for myself. I see the mouth of the cave about 50 feet away. I peer through it to see if I can see any of the Drones, but I can’t, I’m too far back.
The people are busy rearranging the canned g
oods and boxes so the mine has a more realistic appearance, and still others are continuing to wrap themselves up in the blankets. I have to say, they are beginning to look authentically pathetic. They might actually pull this thing off.
“Evan, what are you doing up here?” Blake says with genuine concern. “You have to stay back behind the false boulder. I don’t want any Drones that are passing by seeing you.”
I nod in agreement and crawl back through the small opening. Blake moves the fake rock back into place, closing us off. It doesn’t fit perfectly, there’s a little light shining around the edge, but nothing that would give us away. We’re safe here as long as we stay on this side of the rock.
Brodie kneels down and peeks through the crack between the reel stone and the fake boulder.
“Hey Brodie” Abby says. “We should go.”
“In a sec,” he says.
It’s apparent Brodie’s apprehensive about abandoning his Uncle.
Then, we then hear the unmistakable hum of the Drone.
CHAPTER 41
“They’re here; they’re here!” little Amy cheers as she jumps up and down. “They’re here!”
Charlie groans and snatches her up. He covers his daughter’s mouth once more while she twists and turns, flailing her arms about, trying to break free. He holds on to her for dear life.
“Charlie!” Candy screeches. “Take her back, before it’s too late!”
He obeys and goes off running down the tunnel. His wife on the other hand stays with us. She cautiously and carefully creeps up to Brodie.
“Uh, sir?” she says, sounding quite worried. “Please take us somewhere safe. You promised.”
“I will!” Brodie barks. “Stop bothering me! Just stay over there, and shut up!”
“But you promised,” Candy pitifully begs. “You said you’d help us.”
Brodie doesn’t get up, he doesn’t move. He continues to stare through the cracks. This is too much for Candy to take, she breaks down and cries. Abby comes over and puts her arm around the frightened woman.
“Why don’t you go back with Charlie,” Abby says softly, “We’ll only be a minute or two.” Candy nods and reluctantly heads down the tunnel, weeping with every step.
I kind of feel sorry for the ugly hag; even I’m concerned about why we’re still here and not running like hell to get out of this tunnel. But Brodie is determined to stay, and it’s pretty clear he didn’t appreciate how Abby intervened, it’s like she undermined his authority or something. He shoots her a look. She shoots one back. I get a feeling that we’re not leaving anytime soon, so I kneel down next to Brodie and peek through the cracks too.
I can see Blake wrapped in a blanket, sitting with the others. “Ok people,” he says. “Just like how we did it before.”
The sound of the Drone gets louder as the flying metal cylinder gets closer. It lands at the mouth of the cave; its tentacles unwrap and easily move the rocks aside, making a clear path for itself. The Drone enters with ease. It begins to twist and flip around. The high pitch sounds from the hydraulic pistons reverberate throughout the tunnel. The air pushes through the metal joints as the Drone transforms into the familiar walking Drone you might see at a polling station during the voting holidays. The top of the Drone slides open and a small silver tube rises up and then falls forward, revealing the eye. Its glowing red light surveys the cave. It stops at Blake. He cowers, but I think he’s acting, at least I hope he is.
“Is… is… is there anything I can help you with?” Blake stutters, keeping his head low.
“That all depends on what you know,” the Drone says in a metallic hollow voice. “We’re looking for two people?”
I can tell by the Drone’s cadence that it’s Jeremin on the other end. He’s probably sitting in some command center somewhere, monitoring this little encounter. He’s modified his voice no doubt to make the Drone sound more ominous, more terrifying. He’s succeeding.
“Two people?” Blake answers with a nervous chuckle. “Is it two specific people you’re looking for, or will any of us do?”
The Drone seems annoyed by Blake’s response. I know that sounds improbable that a Drone can seem annoyed, but it just does. It moves past him and intentionally begins to gaze upon the others huddled together. It takes its time to look at each and every person. “You can’t all live here, can you?” it says.
“Yes we can,” someone responds as the others nod in agreement.
“All of you?” A light switches on above the Drone’s eye, illuminating the far end of the cave. “How far does this mine go back?”
“Not too far,” Blake jumps back into the conversation, but the Drone doesn’t turn back around to face him, it keeps looking down the cave.
“You don’t freeze when winter comes?” the Drone asks.
“No, we do okay, we tie up the plastic tarps to block out the storms,” Blake answers.
The Drone continues, peering deeper into the darkness. It’s only a matter of time before he finds the fake rock.
“I just don’t think this place is deep enough to keep you warm,” the Drone argues.
“But it is,” Blake interjects.
The Drone’s metal tentacles uncoil and start reaching out and touching and probing the walls. It’s coming closer and closer to where Brodie and I are hiding.
“What are you looking for?” Blake cries out.
“The truth, you better tell me how you stay warm.”
“Okay, okay!” Blake gives in. “I’ll tell you the truth.” The Drone stops just as a tentacle was about to press onto the fake rock. “We light fires to stay warm,” Blake admits.
“Is that so!” the metallic voice responds in what can only be described as a joyous tone.
“I know we’re not supposed to do it, but it’s the only way we can stay alive,” Blake explains.
“Destroying wood, are we? You do know that is a capital offence.”
“I’m very aware of that, but it’s either that or we die.”
“Hm. Interesting dilemma. Die by the state or die from the elements.”
“Please don’t arrest us, we’re not hurting anyone.”
“Tell that to the trees,” the Drone says, turning to the rest of the group. “So what should I do with you all? Throw you into prison?” The Drone pauses allowing its words to sink in. The people begin to cower, and this time it’s no act. They’re scared. “But who wants to do that?” the Drone continues. “Hauling you down the mountain would be a pain in my ass. I should just fire bomb the place. That would definitely solve my problem. I wouldn’t have to file a report, or deal with all of you whinny little faggots. So what should I do? Round you all up or just kill you here and now? What should I do, hmm?” The Drone’s eye lowers and looks straight into Blake’s eyes. “Tell me, what should I do?”
Blake doesn’t say anything; in fact he looks away.
“Enough of this bullshit!” the Drone blurts out. “I know who you are, Mister. You’re the spittin’ image of your son. I know he was coming up here to find you, and he was bringing Valerie Star with him too. So tell me, where is she before I fuckin’ kill you all.”
Blake looks up. He doesn’t look cowardly anymore. He faces the Drone stoically, tough and unafraid.
“Hmm,” The Drone reacts nonchalantly. “I seem to have your attention now, don’t I? If I did a DNA scan of this cave are you telling me I wouldn’t find any trace of her?”
There’s another long pause. “All right, you win,” Blake answers. “We found her wandering around. We gave her some food, she stayed the night, but she’s gone now, she said she had to leave.”
“And where is she now?”
“That I don’t know.”
“Was she alone?”
Blake shakes his head. “No, she wasn’t alone.”
“Was she with this person?” the Drone projects a hologram image of Dirk.
Be careful Blake, they could have found Dirk’s body by now. This could be a trap. Just tell them th
e truth.
“No,” Blake finally responds. “She was with someone else.”
“Who?”
“You really don’t know?” Blake replies.
“No. Who was she with?”
“Are you trying to trick me? Catch me in a lie?”
“No, I want to know who it was.”
“It was The Boy Who Changed Everything.”
“Evan Sparks?” the Drone answers surprisingly.
“Yeah, that’s who it was.”
“That’s impossible, he’s in a coma.”
“Well, he was here.”
The Drone begins to laugh. “Perry sure pulled a fast one on us. I wonder if he takes after his father?”
“I’ve told you everything I know.”
“Have you?”
“I have.”
“Do you like living up here?” the Drone asks.
“Excuse me?”
“Simple question, do you like living in this cave?”
“Of course I don’t.”
“What if I told you, you didn’t have to live up here?”
“I’d say there’s a catch involved.”
“How would you like an Immunity Card, Mister? You could live anywhere you want, buy anything you desire.”
“I would like one of those, but I’m afraid what you want is something I can’t give you.”
“All I want is to know where Valerie Star is right now.”
“I told you, I don’t know.”
The Drone laughs. “Look at you, all grounded in your principles, not swayed by the temptation of materialism. But maybe someone else in your clan might not be so devout.” The Drone turns to the group, but no one even risks looking at it. “Tell me,” it says. “If any of you lets me know where Valerie Star is, the Immunity Card will be yours. You’ll be able to see your family again, worship freely without any fear of Youth Patrol. In fact, I’m feeling so generous right now, if anyone of you comes forward, I’ll give you all an Immunity Card. You’ll be a hero.”
“We don’t know where she is,” Blake interrupts.
Suddenly, without warning, the Drone’s tentacle shoots out, pinning Blake against the wall. “I wasn’t talking to you,” the Drone says angrily. “I was talking to your friends. So tell me, people, where is she?” Everyone remains silent; their heads bowed low still avoiding eye contact. “I know how none of you want to be known as the rat, so let me do this for you.” A compartment slides open on the side of the Drone, spilling out a bunch of small devices onto the cave floor. They look like little flashlights. The tentacles pick up the devices, and place at least one at the feet of each person. “What you see here ladies and gentlemen are remote beacons. Each of you should have one by now. Please pick it up and take it in your hand.”
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