He took a deep breath, the cool mountain air crisp in his lungs. “I hope dad knows I’m sorry for playing a part in his death, even if it was for the greater good. After all, I’m partially responsible for leading Alkott’s men to him.”
“I understand, Nathan. Anything else weighing on you?”
“Yeah,” Nathan said. “There’s someone besides myself I need to forgive.”
40
Six Months After McMurdo
From the outside, Paco’s Little Pub looked like a typical civilian barrack: grey concrete walls; no windows; small slab in the back with a stone oven. Bennie had chosen the location, and according to him, fifty varieties of beer were once brewed in a hand-dug cellar out back. Bennie and Nathan’s father used to meet here for the thrill of it, Bennie had said. And because the brew was as good as it got. Now it was a favorite hangout for construction workers, and a secret knock was no longer required to enter.
Nathan looked around and soaked in post-Sanctuary 87. Cranes and wrecking balls towered over rubble and empty concrete barracks. Several thousand feet above, a Barrier had been erected as new buildings and infrastructure were underway. Nathan could see the Barrier ripples clearly and with little effort.
He looked down at Ian in the wheelchair beside him. “Well, you insisted on seeing your grandpa’s favorite hangout. Here it is. It’s not exactly the best place for a kid.”
“Neither was that awful hospital, but I managed.”
“Good point.”
“I’ll just do some gaming while you and Bennie talk.”
“That’s fine, Ian. We’ll just need a couple minutes alone.”
Nathan cracked open the barrack’s wooden door and entered. The strong aroma of stout ale filled his nostrils. Through the murky darkness, he spotted Bennie at a card table in the corner. He was seated by himself with his back turned, sporting his old blue ball cap.
“It stinks in here,” Ian said, crinkling his nose. “Why did Gramps like coming here anyway?” He maneuvered his wheelchair to the opposite corner of Bennie’s table, then he activated a SyncSheet on the chair’s console with a verbal command. His eyes moved up and down as he manipulated his favorite game with his pupils.
Nathan pulled up a stool beside Bennie, removing his backpack.
“I’m surprised you want to see me again,” Bennie said, tossing Nathan a sideways glance, then a quick look over his shoulder at Ian. He took a long swig from a mug of frothy beer, wiping his chin on his sleeve. “How’s your boy doing?”
“He’s back to being a typical teenager, I suppose.” The truth was, his boy was still paralyzed. But he was alive and healthy and back where he belonged. What more could a parent ask for?
“Congratulations, Nathan. You’re the reason your kid’s here today.”
“And because of dad’s sacrifice.”
“Agreed,” Bennie said, taking another swig from his mug. “How’s it going with the Sanctuary Resettlement Program?”
“Exhausting. Billions still need to be vetted, but at least most residents have been moved to Barrier cities until new cities are established.”
Bennie drained his mug and yelled for Paco. “Guess that means the world’s safe while it starts over with Rankcon’s liquidated assets.”
“Safe from the sun, yes. Safe from each other, never. Did I ever tell you I nearly had my throat slit a few blocks from here?”
“No, you never told me that.”
“Now you know.”
“What’s the latest on that device that’s supposed to stabilize the sun and save humanity?” Bennie asked.
“The last I heard, a team of engineers in the UK are working on it…something about ten years of development before they’re ready to send up a prototype.”
Bennie laughed. “You can bet your right arm it’ll take triple that time. From what I’ve gathered from the news, those blueprints we sent back to ourselves from the future are calling for composite materials that haven’t even been invented yet.”
A middle-aged Hispanic man came through the back door. He opened a big bottle and refilled Bennie’s mug with the last of its contents. He turned to Nathan and shrugged. “Sorry, amigo. All out. The construction workers have drunk me dry.”
Bennie drank, his gaze following Paco as he exited through the back door. “Aidan and I sure had some good laughs here. Too bad it’s all over.”
Nathan tapped on the table. “Look, Bennie, I wanted to meet with you to make something perfectly clear.”
“Oh?”
“I wanted to say that I don’t hold any grievances against you.”
“You should.”
“I forgive you, okay?”
Bennie turned to Nathan, his eyes intense. “What I did was a terrible thing, Nathan. I betrayed your father. I abused your trust and led Alkott straight to Aidan. I might as well have pulled the trigger on Aidan myself.”
Nathan patted Bennie’s shoulder. “Chairman Alkott threatened your granddaughter and made you choose between her life or dad’s. You were desperate to save her. Sometimes we do crazy things when we’re desperate.”
“Yeah, I suppose.”
“Is your granddaughter okay now?”
“She’s never been better. We had breakfast together on the beach last week.”
“Almost forgot.” Nathan reached into his backpack and pulled out a blue ball cap with Global Communications Task Force lettering. “I brought you a gift. I’m tired of seeing you wear that grimy thing.”
He slid it across the table. Bennie grabbed it and studied it, adjusting the notches in the back and bending the bill. He removed his forty-year-old version and put on the new one, giving it a few quick twists. “Fits me like a glove, Nathan. Thanks.”
“Why didn’t you upgrade thirty years ago?”
“I’m a sentimental old man, so sue me.”
“There’s one more thing I want to discuss.” Nathan pulled a thumb drive from his pocket and handed it to Bennie.
Bennie fingered it. “What’s this?”
“It contains all of dad’s work for Ian’s synaptic device. Schematics, diagnostics, research, everything.”
“No kidding? How did you get it?”
“The Keystone authorities mailed it to me three weeks after McMurdo. They found it in the bunker dad was hiding in near the Rushmore ruins.”
Bennie pursed his lips, then his eyes lit up. “I know some old colleagues of Aidan who would be thrilled to further his research. What do you say?”
“Go for it.” Nathan glanced at his son, still gaming with his eyes. “Ian would like that.”
Bennie stuffed the thumb drive into his pants pocket. “It’s the least I can do to honor Aidan’s memory.”
He yelled for Paco to bring out some water for Ian and Nathan. The door opened in the back, and Paco came to the table with a jug and two dingy glasses. He filled them and left.
Bennie spun around and shouted at Ian. “Put down that video game and get over here, will ya? We’re making a toast to your grandpa.”
Ian deactivated his SyncSheet and maneuvered closer to the table.
Bennie pointed at one of the glasses. “That one’s yours, Ian. Use your imagination and pretend you’re holding it, okay?”
Ian nodded.
Bennie and Nathan lifted their drinks.
“To Aidan!” Bennie shouted.
“To dad.” Nathan said.
“To Gramps!” Ian joined in.
They banged their mugs against Ian’s wheelchair with a loud clang.
Ian grinned. “So are we done here?”
Bennie stood and adjusted his new ball cap. “We sure are, kid, considering there’s nothing left here to drink anyway.”
“Then let’s get out of this dive,” Ian said, leading the way out.
Barriers Page 25
