The Dark Rift: Ascension (The Dark Rift Book Series 1)

by RM Brewer

  Jodie pulled a tissue out of her pocket and handed it to Mei. "Are you okay? I mean, are you hurt? Your face. What happened to your face? I can’t remember."

  "I don’t know. Last thing I remember was the train door opening and being sprayed with something. I think I must have fallen right on my face." Mei began gently dabbing the half-dried blood away with the tissue. "Is Leah okay?"

  "I don’t know. I’ll check." Jodie slid over by Leah and rocked her arm gently. She listened and could hear a shallow breath. Jodie touched Leah’s forehead, finding her skin cold and clammy. She felt for a pulse. "She’s not in great shape. She’s barely breathing and her pulse is weak."

  Mei stood up, knees wobbling, and walked slowly over to Leah.

  Jodie stood up and leaned against the wall, trying to stop the room from spinning. She steadied herself and walked to the door, examining the knob, and seeing a deadbolt. She instinctively reached for her gun, finding her holster empty. "They took my gun. We’re unarmed here. We don’t have any fire power to take care of this lock, either." She turned to face Mei and jumped, startled by the sound of the lock opening behind her. Jodie took two steps back, spun, and faced the door as a woman appeared in the doorway. She felt her legs going weak once again.

  "Hello, Jodie," the woman said.

  She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. "Mom?"

  * * *

  Bob ran ahead of the group, trying doors as he went, looking for an escape. Since jumping off the train, they stayed in the shadows, delving deeper and deeper underground. Hours passed since they were separated from Jodie, and Bob feared the worst. If Jodie were alive, surely she would have made her way back to them, by now. He worried about her and about his wife, too. He hated not being able to let Maria know where he was. He knew she’d be scared, waiting for him at home, ready to plead with him to find a different career. He felt dishonest because he never really explained to Maria what kind of life they’d be leading. He would change all that when he returned. For now, though, he knew he was where he should be.

  Jodie was the best field agent he ever worked with - a capable leader, an amazing investigator, a great friend. He knew he couldn’t let her down any more than he could disappoint Maria. Yet, he felt guilty, wondering if he made the right choice, jumping down into a vent, knowing, at the same time, their attackers in the forest really only left them one option.

  He turned around and urged everyone to move on. The faster they found Jodie, the more likely they were to get out alive. As they searched for a sign of her, they picked up whatever useful items they could find, spending more time than they should in a cafeteria, breaking into vending machines.

  Fueled by soda and snack food, they continued on, until they came to what appeared to be unoccupied offices. As he approached, Bob could hear voices near to him, maybe just in the next room, but couldn't see anyone through the windows lining the office walls. He held up his hand, signaling the group to hold up. He crouched down and crept over to one of the office doors, grabbed the handle and it turned. He pulled on it slowly, opening the door a few inches, keeping his head close to the floor, out of sight of the windows, trying to hear what was being said. Without warning, the door was ripped out of his hand and he fell forward. He rolled over to see a gun pointed in his face.

  "I think that’ll be far enough," a man said. The overhead lights shone in his eyes and Bob could only make out the darkened silhouette of a figure behind a gun barrel. "On your feet," the man said.

  "Okay, okay. Calm down. I’m getting up now. Who are you?" Bob thought if he could keep the man focused on his questions, he might be able to distract him somehow and grab the gun. A shot rang out, its sound waves stifled by the walls of the room. He felt a thudding impact in his temple. Then, he felt weightless for a moment, lighter than air, floating, finally landing hard on the floor.

  Bob could hear a dog barking and tried to pick his head up to see what was happening. He saw a figure falling to the floor in front of him. He tried to stand, but couldn’t pull himself up. He heard more voices. The dog kept barking. He wondered why someone didn’t quiet that dog. The barking grew in intensity as a woman started screaming.

  More shots rang out and Bob felt darkness overtaking him. The sound of growling and snapping roared in his head. He recognized Hunter on top of a man lying on the floor, the man’s arm in Hunter’s mouth, the dog viciously tugging and pulling the arm back and forth. Nick was there too, grabbing at the gun and slamming the man’s head against the floor until the man lay still. Bob could see another person splayed on the floor across the room, motionless.

  Christy’s face appeared. He could tell she was talking to him, but he couldn’t answer. Slowly, he felt himself lift, moving upwards without the force of gravity burdening him. He could see the room from above and looked down on his body lying on the tiled floor. Bob watched as a dark liquid pooled around his head and flowed into the seams between the floor tiles. Christy and Nick were there, trying to stop the blood flow, to keep the life in his body, but Bob knew it was no use.

  He loved them all like family. He loved his wife, Maria, but knew he wouldn’t be with her again. Not here. Bob let go and felt his connection to the physical world loosen slowly, like a knot untying, the frayed ends of a rope slipping past each other silently, the faces of the people he loved smiling and urging him on, saying farewell in their expressions. Old faces he knew from the past – his father who lost a battle with cancer two years ago, his best friend from high school, killed in a car accident when they were teenagers – greeting him, welcoming him home into the purest white light he could imagine. He didn’t feel sadness, only the acceptance that came with knowing his fate was determined. He greeted the light and felt it fill him up.

  * * *

  Isaiah crouched low next to the bed and pulled Evan down with him. Even underground, muffled by the walls of rock and office partitions, the sound of gunfire was easy to identify. "I have to check that out. You stay here," Isaiah said.

  Evan nodded, crouching lower near the bed.

  Isaiah scrambled out of the room, moving as fast as he could toward the noise ahead. He thought about what Bonnie Martin told him and Evan, realizing they were both telling him the same story. There was no denying reality any more. As he ran down the corridor, he heard a dog barking and a scuffle escalating. More shots rang out and Isaiah broke into a sprint. The noise quieted and Isaiah slowed, trying not to announce his presence. He crept toward a room and looked in the window. Nick stood before him, gun in hand, tears streaming down his face. "Nick, it’s me, Isaiah," he whispered.

  Nick looked startled and raised his gun. He lowered it when he saw Isaiah’s face, then pushed the door open, motioning Isaiah into the room. "Oh man, it’s good to see you, but, Bob … he …" Nick’s jaw trembled and he covered his mouth with his hand.

  Isaiah looked down and felt nauseous. Two men dressed in camouflage lay on the floor. They appeared lifeless. He turned to see Bob lying on the floor in a pool of blood, his body still. A woman was kneeling by Bob's side. Isaiah rushed over to Bob, bent down and felt for a pulse. His heart sank when he found none.

  "I'm Isaiah Thomas. I'm an FBI Agent. I work with Bob and Jodie. What happened?" he asked.

  Motioning toward the men in camouflage, Christy said, "We ran into these guards, or whatever these people are, and they just started shooting. They shot Bob with no warning at all. He’s gone."

  Isaiah looked around the room. "Where is everyone else?"

  "I’ll go get Noah," Nick said. "We left him back in the hall in a closet when we first heard voices. We got separated from Jodie, Mei and Leah a couple of hours ago and haven’t been able to find them." Nick walked out of the room and into the darkened hallway, trailed by Hunter.

  "I'm Christy St. John. Noah is my son."

  Isaiah turned Bob’s head to the side. "It looks like he was shot at pretty close range. These people are executioners." He glanced at Christy, who began to quietly sob and immediately regr
etted his words. "I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said that."

  Christy wiped her face on her sleeve. "No, you’re right. These people are monsters."

  Isaiah pulled the gun out of Bob’s holster, stood up, and held out a hand to Christy. "We have to get out of here. No telling who heard the gunshots. I don’t want to be here when they come to find out what’s going on."

  Nick walked in the room, carrying Noah, the boy’s face buried in his chest, the sound of his sobs muffled. He held Noah's head close to his body, preventing him from seeing the scene before them. "I told him about Bob. Let's get out of here."

  "Shouldn't we do something with Bob ... I mean, should we cover him?" Christy said.

  "Yes, but we should probably hurry," Isaiah said.

  "I'll look for something." Christy pulled open cabinet doors and drawers, finding a sheet. She covered Bob. "Okay, let's go."

  "They might have reinforcements on the way," Isaiah said. "How are you set on weapons and ammunition?"

  Nick held one gun in his hand behind Noah's back and motioned downwards, where he had another stuffed in his belt. "I grabbed the handguns off of the guys who attacked us. I’m ready."

  "We’ve got company down the hall we need to pick up," Isaiah said.

  "Who’s that?" Nick asked, holding the door open.

  "Old friends. Follow me." Isaiah moved quickly down the hallway toward the medical room, wiping the tears clouding his vision. He pushed his grief for Bob to the furthest corner of his mind he could find. He knew he didn't have the luxury of expressing his sadness or anger right now. He turned to see Nick and Noah lagging behind. "We have to move faster."

  "I have to set you down now, buddy. You hold your mom's hand, okay?" Nick gently lowered Noah to the ground next to Christy and they headed up the hall toward Isaiah.

  As they approached the medical room, Isaiah glanced back at Noah, whose eyes were fixed on the floor. "Noah, I think you’ll want to see where we’re headed."

  Noah picked his head up, a questioning look on his face. His gaze gradually moved from Isaiah to the window into the next room where a boy about his age lay in bed. Isaiah could see the recognition in his expression as Noah started running.

  Watching Noah reunite with his friend was comforting for a moment, until Isaiah saw something that troubled him. Evan Watts was gone.

  * * *

  Evan could hear voices in the distance. He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall, recalling Helen's and Jodie's voices from a different time. From the time he thought they were happy. He remembered their vacation at the rented lake cottage, where he taught Jodie to sail. It was just a dinghy and she was only seven years old, but she handled the boat like a seasoned mariner. On the second day at the lake, she was sailing by herself, he and Helen following in their aluminum fishing skiff with the smoky outboard motor, laughing and holding hands, watching their daughter take control of the wind.

  He couldn't really remember when Helen changed. Perhaps, he thought, he preferred only to remember the day when they brought Jodie home from the hospital, a drooling bundle of joy that barely cried and laughed constantly as she grew older. He hated himself for letting Jodie be hurt by the choices he and her mother made. He found himself wishing he'd taken action sooner, maybe even twenty-five or six years ago when their lives turned so sour. But he was here now, at least.

  Evan pulled out his gun, laughing at himself, thinking how he'd bought it for only one purpose and never really even learned how to use it. If all went well, maybe he wouldn't even hurt himself during the process of killing his ex-wife, but if he had to die to get the job done, he was prepared for the sacrifice. Just no more pain for Jodie. Evan walked down the hall and opened the door. Looking at the surprised expressions in the faces of his ex-wife and daughter, he raised his gun, thinking this was, indeed, an odd way to conduct a family reunion.

  Chapter 25

  Jodie felt like she was drowning in confusion. "Dad? What are you doing here? What in the hell is going on with you two?" She searched her parents' faces, seeking answers.

  "Well, Helen, tell your daughter why we’re here. Tell her what was so important you had to abandon her … and me … and the human race. We’d both love to hear your explanation." Evan moved closer to Jodie and closed the door behind him.

  Jodie felt numb since waking in the room with Mei and Leah. She was torn away from her friends and roughly escorted by armed guards. They wove through a maze of hallways leading to her mother's office. Standing in the same room with them, she wondered if she was imagining this scene or if these were really her parents. "Dad, why do you have a gun? Put it down, now. And what do you mean, abandon the human race?"

  "I’m afraid I can’t do that, Jodie. Have you had a chance to talk with your dear mother yet? Has she explained what she’s created here? You have no idea what she’s done or who she really is."

  Jodie’s mother pulled a chair over and sat down. "It’s too late, Evan. No matter what you do to me, the plan will still go ahead."

  "Plan? What plan? Tell me what’s happening here," Jodie said. She could feel her jaw clenching. "People have been trying to kill us ever since we found out about this place. Why?"

  Jodie’s mother laughed. "Oh, Jodie. You and your misfit cast of characters. The only reason any of you are still alive is because of me. I had my men force you into the tunnel. We ran a maintenance train to pick you up."

  Jodie’s face was growing hot. "Mother, from what you just said, it seems the only reason any of us are here to begin with is because of you. I don’t understand what you're doing here. Where are my friends?"

  "Well, of course you don’t understand, Jodie. You’re too good for all this, right?"

  "I don’t even know what the hell all of this is, for God’s sake. Now, somebody fucking tell me the truth." Jodie felt a growing rage rising up and her fists clenched. She looked over to her father, his face filled with contempt and hatred. His gun was trained on her mother. She wondered if he could really pull the trigger.

  "She’s abandoning ship, Jodie. She’s taking her little lab into the sky as one of the chosen. A perfect genetic specimen to start a new world, don’t you think? Your mother’s made a deal with the devil. An extraterrestrial devil, no less. She’s taking part of the gene pool and leaving us all behind to watch the world fall apart, literally."

  "You can come with me," Jodie’s mother said. "You can be part of it all. What kind of life do you really have here, anyway? Acting the way you do. Those people who you call your friends ... the rest of the people in the installation ... they're not important. They don't have a role in the larger scheme of things."

  "What exactly does any of that mean? Everyone has importance. That's something you never understood, did you? You might be my mother, but you don't know anything about me, so don't assume I would join you in whatever you're planning. All I know is, I've been chased since last week, ever since I started asking questions about this place. People ... innocent people ... have died." Jodie's disdain for her mother was increasing with each connection she made. The woman she hit on the road, the coroner, her neighbor, maybe even the man found by the boys in the river, probably all dead because of the Gypsum Corporation. She wondered what her mother's role was, exactly. "What are you planning here?"

  "What we're doing is bigger than a few innocent people. It's bigger than all of us. It's necessary for the continuation of our species."

  "If you would both stop talking in riddles, I might be able to figure this out. This place … this is what you’ve been doing with your life? Both of you?"

  "Only your mother, Jodie. I’ve been more of a casual observer, so to speak. She’s been making her own little gene pool, a concoction of only the best ... isn’t that right, Helen? To send into space and colonize. She thinks she’s saving us, but she’s really killing us."

  "Send into space? Are you both insane?"

  * * *

  Noah stood by the bed, staring at his friend. "Fester? What ar
e you doing here? How did you get here? We've been looking all over for you."

  "My dad. He had some guys bring us here when I was sick. Cool dog," Fester said, shifting in the bed to see Hunter.

  "He’s not mine. He’s Nick’s," Noah said, pointing at a blood-covered weary Nick who was being helped to a chair by Noah's mother. Shifting his focus back to Fester, Noah said, "Man, you look bad. What happened at your house? I went through the window." Glancing up at Bonnie Martin, Noah felt embarrassed. "Uh, sorry, Mrs. Martin. I got inside and the door was all busted up and stuff."

  Fester looked at his mother and she nodded.

  "They broke in our house, these guys with white suits on. They grabbed my mom and took her to a van parked in our driveway. Then they came for me. I kicked one of them hard, in the ... well, you know where. I pulled off his mask and he got all freaked out, like he couldn’t breathe or somethin’, and ran out the door. I ran behind him to try to get to my mom and another guy chased me down the street, but I had to stop cuz my leg hurt real bad. You shoulda been there. It was like, epic."

  "What did you do then?" Noah asked, feeling a little bit sad he'd missed all the action.

  "I thought I lost the guy chasing me, so I went back to see where my mom was and the van was gone, so I went in through the window and locked the front door so they couldn't get back in. I looked all over, but she wasn’t inside. Then, I heard the van again, so I went back out the window. That’s where some big dude grabbed me. He, like, put his hands around my neck so I couldn't breathe and stuff. It was really weird. They drove us in the van all night to some office building. We got in this elevator and came down here. We came in and my dad was here."

  "Did they grab him, too?" Noah asked, thinking he already knew the answer to that question. He already knew Mr. Martin was creepy.