by Lara Nance
She released him and took a step back. “It’s not really that funny.”
“I know, but your narrow escape certainly frightened me, and laughing makes it a little easier to bear.” He grew serious. “Now, I know you’ve been traumatized, but we don’t have time to waste if we’re going to stop this spread.”
She nodded and ran her fingers through her tangled hair, meeting knots of resistance. A few twigs and pine needles escaped to the floor. A bandage on her inner forearm and a near-empty bag of clear fluid hanging over the bed indicated she’d received rehydration. Her head cleared a bit as she took deep breaths.
“So after you shower and have a meal, I need you and Dr. Butler in the lab.”
“What is this place?” She studied the white-walled room, bare of furniture except her gurney and some cabinets the same white as the walls.
“This?” He waved a hand. “Is a room in the infirmary. I assume you’re asking where on a larger scale. You’re now in an underground bunker we call Haven. It’s still under the control of the Triumvirate, despite those idiots thinking they took over the government.”
“Looked pretty convincing to me,” she said. “They had the whole capital complex in their clutches.”
“We’ll see,” he said cryptically.
“So, an underground bunker?”
“Yes, it was built as a missile silo in antiquity then converted to luxury doomsday condos. Quite a few people weathered the civil war here. After stability returned, they abandoned it for luxury condos aboveground. The government took it over and rehabbed it to provide a safe house for situations like the one we currently face.”
“It has a laboratory?” she asked.
He laughed a big rolling laugh. “My dear, there is so much here you can’t imagine. The bottom level is a pool and spa. There’s a library, a green room for hydroponics, and an aquaponics section for raising seafood. Some of the floors are apartments, and upper levels house a lab and security facilities. They a library and even have pods programmable to any religion of choice.”
She didn’t know what to say. How did something like this remain hidden all these years?
“You’ll have time to explore later. For now, I’ll show you to one of the apartments so you can clean up and eat. Dr. Butler is already there with your curious new friend.”
He led her to a lift and pushed a button for floor six. They rose in a soundless car, and when it stopped, the door slid open with a whish. They entered a well-appointed round area sectioned into bedrooms, kitchen and living area. Linc emerged from one of the bedrooms, looking fresh and clean in new tan tunic and pants. His frown eased when their eyes met.
“Ria, are you all right? They took you away as soon as we got here.” He came toward her.
A wave of happiness washed over her seeing him well. What would she have done without him? They’d actually made it. “Yes, how long have I been gone?”
“About four hours,” he said. “Do you feel better? I was very concerned for you.”
Manson rocked back on his heels. “A case of dehydration and shock remedied by intravenous fluids and rest. The medic also administered a slight stimulant to help with the exhaustion. I need you both up and functioning. You received an injection as well, Dr. Butler. I hope you’re feeling better, too?”
Linc rubbed a bandage on his forearm and gave the parasitologist a skeptical look. “I’m fine. I think we’re both ready to start working on the cure. It’s a nightmare out there. Do you know what’s going on?”
Manson’s bushy brows came together. “Indeed. We’re tracking the spread. It’s unbelievable. If this parasite weren’t so deadly, it would quite intrigue me with its abilities. I would be fascinated to see how far it could develop, given its rate of mutation.”
Ria shared a glance with Linc. This was no experiment in evolution. This was life or death. Louis seemed a little too enamored with their enemy.
The big man coughed. “Of course, that’s just my academic interest surfacing. The virus must be eliminated, I’m afraid.”
“Yes, and the sooner the better,” she said. “What do you want us to do?”
“For now, I have a program running with a new theory that may prove successful. Go ahead and have some food. I’ll send someone for you when the program is finished.”
The lift door opened. A female soldier entered, bearing a tray with a variety of containers.
“Ah, here’s your meal.” Manson gestured as the woman placed the tray on the dining table. “Enjoy. Now, I need to return to the lab. I’ll see you shortly. Don’t leave this level without an escort. I do have some live victims on Level Ten, so it’s best you not wander around.”
“Great,” Linc said in a flat voice. “I was hoping we’d seen the last of them.”
“I have to have subjects to test my potential cures.” Louis said. “But don’t worry. They’re secure. We have cells on ten instead of the usual apartment setup. They have no way to escape, so it’s not a concern. Still, best to stay away. Please, eat. I’ll see you later.”
Savory aromas wafting from the dishes made her stomach rumble. She headed for the table as soon as he and the soldier left, taking in the rich appointments of the room. Muted colors of the walls and furniture were set off by splashes of brightness in pillows, chair cushions and eclectic modern paintings. The polished black marble table glowed under a hanging light shaped like a dragon. “Can you believe this place? The infirmary is a first class clinic. Manson says there’s even a pool on one level. This apartment is beautiful, too.”
Linc stood unmoving, his brow wrinkled.
“You look like you ate something you don’t like. What’s wrong?”
He peeled the bandage from his arm, inspecting the small red spot there. “I’m a little confused. I thought he needed you here right away. We finally make it and he tells us to relax and eat.”
She crossed to his side and gazed at his wound. Now that she had arrived, a huge load lifted from her shoulders. Louis would solve the problem, and they could find a way to deliver it to the world. Everything seemed to look up. Her spirits rose. “Don’t worry. He knows what he’s doing. Where’s Minlo?”
Linc jerked his head to a closed door. “Sleeping. After he came down from the false high of ‘kicking cannibal ass,’ he realized how close he had come to dying and shut himself in a bedroom.”
“Well, I’m going to eat. I’m starved. Louis knows how to proceed. When he needs us, he’ll call.” She returned to the table and opened the lids of white containers. Tendrils of steam escaped, and she leaned over and inhaled. “Mmm, Laska stew.”
Linc’s expression eased and he joined her, dipping food to a plate. “Did he tell you about this place?”
“A little. You?”
“One of the soldiers gave me the history. I must say, I’m very interested to see all the levels. It sounds like an amazing structure.” He forked a bite into his mouth.
“Everything from an infirmary to a spa and pool. They even grow their own seafood.”
“Hopefully without any parasites in it.”
She giggled. “Funny.”
“You seem happy. Looks like a little rehydration did wonders.” He took the piece of bread she handed him, eyeing her thoughtfully.
“Why shouldn’t I be? We made it. Now it’s only a matter of time before Louis figures out this mess. Meanwhile, we’re safer from the cannibals than anywhere outside. What’s not to like?” She spooned more of the chunky stew on her plate.
“You seem convinced Manson’s going to solve the problem and save the day.”
She placed the spoon on the table. “Linc, he’s the foremost authority on the planet when it comes to parasites and how they operate. He’ll do it.”
He remained silent the rest of the meal. She wanted to smack him and bring him out of his skeptical mood. They’d been under too much pressure lately, and she was ready for a reprieve. She had to believe in Louis’ ability. Who else had the credentials and experience to fi
nd a cure? Certainly not her or Linc.
When she’d eaten enough to fill her stomach, she yawned and stretched. She wanted to sleep without fear for the first time in so long she couldn’t remember. “I’m going to shower and take a nap. Wake me when Louis is ready for us.”
“All right,” he said, still eating. He cast an occasional somber glance at the elevator door.
“See you later.” She headed for the remaining bedrooms and found a set of pearl gray knit sweater and pants on the bed. She fingered the soft material, her thoughts turning to her parents and Conner. She’d battled exhaustion and terror for days and hadn’t had the energy to worry about them. Hopefully, in the shield-protected capital, they wouldn’t have to deal with cannibal attacks.
She wished it was possible, to contact them and let them know she was okay. With the technology here she might use a SatNet link, but she didn’t want to put them in danger from the new government. Once things were settled she’d contact them. She yawned and headed for the shower, stripping off her soiled cloths as she went. Linc’s doubt didn’t sit well with her. She needed to relax, at least until Louis sent for them. Didn’t he realize they’d made a miraculous journey? He should be happy.
She stepped under steaming jets of water, moving her arms and legs to relieve the aching strain in them.
Still, Linc was no fool. Something kept him on edge. His instincts had alerted them to the cannibal attack, as if he had a sixth sense for impending doom. She lathered her hair and scrubbed the debris from the strands.
She rinsed then left the glass circular stall, reaching for one of the thick white towels on a warming rack. Damn it. His uneasiness had infected her. She’d come to trust and admire Linc over the last weeks. If he believed they needed to exercise caution, she should take it seriously.
***
Linc completed his meal and pushed from the table. Ria’s new complacent attitude bugged him. And not only that. Manson’s jubilant mood didn’t mesh with the fact that modern society teetered on the brink of destruction by cannibals. How could anybody be that sure of themselves?
He stood and paced the circular space, passing the bedrooms, the living area, and finished at the kitchen. The soldier who gave him the silo’s history also told him they were elite troops assigned directly to the command of the Triumvirate and so avoided involvement in the coup sanctioned by the rest of the National Security force.
According to this guy, other pockets of such troops hid around the country. He wouldn’t say how many, but he didn’t seem too concerned about the takeover. Then again, this place could house seventy-five people for at least five years in a self-sufficient manner. Redundant power, air and water supplies, along with an impenetrable exterior, gave the inhabitants a lot of confidence.
He didn’t have to worry about cannibals breaking in, or the RD, for that matter. What niggled at him? He paused in his pacing. Maybe it was because he couldn’t see how the two disrupted governments would adequately deploy a cure when Manson found one.
The whish of an opening door made him turn. Min wandered from his room. He’d showered and changed into new clothes, but his straight black hair stood out at all angles. He rubbed his eyelids and yawned.
“There’s food,” Linc said, pointing to the table.
“Where’s Annaria? Did I hear her?” The young man took a chair and examined the remaining items in the containers.
“Yes, she’s sleeping in the other bedroom. Dr. Manson said they gave her some fluids in the infirmary.”
“So she’s better?”
“Seems to be. Says she’s relieved we made it and now her boss can save the world by coming up with a cure while she sits adoringly at his feet.”
“That’s bitter, Dope. Are you jealous of that old freak?”
Linc rubbed his face. He shouldn’t have said that, but he was sick of Ria’s blind faith in the man. “I’m not jealous.”
“Whatever.” Minlo shrugged, piling up his plate. “This food is tight, and I’m starving.”
“Did they give you an injection when you arrived?” Linc asked.
Min frowned and looked up, his cheeks bulging. He shook his head.
Linc rubbed his arm again. Maybe they had left Min untouched because he bubbled with enthusiasm for his successful kick that took out the female cannibal. Unfortunately, it had been more reflexive than skillful. He probably couldn’t repeat it.
“What are we going to do now?” Min asked after he swallowed.
“Dr. Manson is the scientist Ria works for at the university. He’s the guru of parasites, so he’s working on a cure. We’ll help him anyway we can. As far as you, I hear there’s a pool on the bottom floor.”
Min’s eyes lit with interest. “Seriously? A mondo pool in this crypt? That’s tight. I’ll check it out.”
“Don’t be wandering around without an escort. Manson has live victims he’s experimenting on.”
Min threw his fork down. “What? He has some of those creeped out freaks here?”
“They’re locked up.”
“Still…”
“Yeah, well, don’t go opening doors where you don’t know for sure what’s on the other side.” Linc spotted a computer at a workstation. “Hey, I wonder if I can access the SatNet on that.”
He headed for it, and Min gulped a last mouthful of food and joined him.
“Looks like it’s live,” Min said.
Linc sat in front of the screen and swiped to find a login for SatNet. A screen appeared saying use of the terminal was unauthorized.
“Let me at it, Dope.” Min nudged his shoulder. “I’ll get us in.”
A few minutes later, the computer genius had successfully hacked the security. “There, wow, look at the news.”
He scrolled down the main screen where photos and videos of the outside unrest followed one after the other. The map of cannibal attacks, once shown as sparsely spaced red dots, now had clusters of dots covering almost a quarter of the area of both countries. Vigilantes in the South formed citizen groups to hunt and kill roving cannibals. The North could only huddle in their cities, using law enforcement to close their boundaries and guard them.
On another front, fighting and riots continued as citizens exercised their right to protest the government changes thrust upon them without a vote.
“I need to check our secure group. My colleague is supposed to send me news from the South.” Linc pointed to the screen. “Can I take a look?”
“Sure.” Min scooted out of the seat for him.
Messages waited from Jeff and Jack. Both wanted to know where he was and if he remained safe. He resisted shooting off a couple of short e-mails to reassure them. Best he stay as hidden as possible for now. Manson hadn’t uploaded any news to the link since his disappearance. That was a good thing. If the RD discovered he still worked on a solution, they’d spend a lot of resources to find him.
Otherwise, members offered little news he didn’t already know. Jack merely told him to sit tight because they worked on a plan to counter the extremist IPP. At this point, Linc didn’t care. The cannibals were his only concern right now.
He let Min surf a while, telling him to return the security block when he finished, to hide their online activity.
“No problem, Dope,” he said.
Linc returned to the table and snacked on a few raw vegetable pieces. As soon as Ria woke, he had to convince her they needed to press Manson for more answers about his research and what would happen if he succeeded. If he had no plan to share with the South, Linc would have a problem with that. He wouldn’t let them destroy innocent people over political ideology.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Ria emerged from her bedroom as a soldier arrived from the lift to escort them to the lab. She glanced at Linc who crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. Min sat on a curved settee, legs crossed and avoiding meeting anyone’s gaze. What had he been up to?
“Feel better?” Linc asked as the lift whisked them to the second floor.
>
“Clean at least,” she said brightly. “What’s Minlo been up to?”
“His usual,” Linc said with a slight nod in the soldier’s direction.
Damn. They didn’t need trouble from hacking into Haven’s systems. She’d have a talk with him when she returned. She suspected these soldiers wouldn’t show lenience to a rule-breaker.
The door slid open to a room bathed in bright light dominated with white and silver. Numerous pieces of equipment blinked lights and emitted whirling sounds. She recognized about half of them. Manson waited in the main lab set off as a clear, enclosed room.
“Ah, there you both are.” He spread his arms. “Welcome to the most advanced laboratory in the world.”
She and Linc took in the impressive machinery and sophisticated computers. On one desk, a 3D hologram of the parasite rotated above a silver disk. She winced at sight of the creature that had caused so much destruction. Even its tiny virus was visible, a little green orb embedded in the nucleus.
“Amazing, isn’t it?” Louis pointed to the hologram, a wide smile on his face. “Much easier to plug in different segments of DNA and see the response.”
Ria circled the table, fascinated. She clamped her mouth shut when she realized it hung open. She glanced at Linc, but he dug his hands in his pockets and stared at Louis.
“What sort of progress have you made?” Linc asked.
“Oh, I’m hoping this last program may solve the dilemma altogether. We may have cause for a celebration tonight.” The big man rubbed his hands together.
She shared a confused look with Linc. “What do you mean? I thought you needed us here to help. You already have a solution?”
“You both have been very helpful, but, of course, I had to do the serious work.” He moved to one of the pieces of equipment and extracted a long, thin piece of translucent material. “I wanted you here to see my triumph. When I insert this into the parasite program model, it should alleviate the virus and return our poor little beastie to its normal insignificant self.”
“Then what?” Linc asked in a firm tone.
