The Vanishing (The End of Time Chronicles Book 1)

by Heath Jannusch

  “Go for Condor,” he said, and then listened in silence for a moment. “Understood,” said Mason, closing the phone and putting it back into the faraday cage.

  “Was that Snake Eyes?” asked Cleo.

  “Yes.” Mason seemed distraught, as he stared off into the distance.

  “What’s wrong mate? Did he give us our orders?”

  “Yes he did,” answered Mason. “The drop has been changed to Manchester, England. Apparently London no longer exists. It also appears that our identities have been blown. We’re heading south through France and then into Italy, where we’ll meet up with an old friend of mine.” Mason paused briefly and then continued. “We’ll re-supply and acquire new passports with fresh identities. From Venice, we’ll travel south to Egypt, where I know a man who can help us with our encryption problem. With his help, we should be able to access the information we stole.”

  “But I don’t understand,” said Cleo. “If we’re supposed to head for England, then why are they sending us south? Surely we must have more contacts north of here, in France or Germany, perhaps Belgium?”

  “As I said,” repeated Mason, “our cover has been compromised; therefore, the number of those that I trust is limited. I have an asset in Alexandria who’s a very old friend and I trust him completely. Not to mention, he’s the only man that I know who can crack this encryption.”

  “That’s a bloody lie and you know it, we’ve people back at Langley that’d be able to crack it,” countered Cleo. “Why do you want to access the information all of a sudden? It’s supposed to be classified!”

  “Because I need to know what’s on this flash drive,” answered Mason. “Listen Cleo, I’m not gonna lie to you, our orders are to head north and meet up with a contact in Luxembourg. Once there, we’re instructed to acquire new identities and then head for Manchester. However, I have no intention of following those orders after someone blew our cover and tried to kill me last night at the UN. Whatever is on that flash drive has something to do with what’s going on around the world.”

  “Is Snake Eyes aware of what has happened here?”

  “Oh yes,” sighed Mason, “but apparently it didn’t just happen here, it’s happened everywhere. According to Snake Eyes there’s been a total breakdown of law and order in the United States. The electrical grids are out and food is becoming scarce. Most stores only carry a three day supply of food and that was gone before the earthquakes stopped. In Washington, communication is non-existent. It’s pure chaos.”

  “What in the bloody hell do you think is happening?” asked Cleo, with a worried look.

  “I don’t know,” confessed Mason. “It could’ve been some type of attack. All over the world, capitals have been annihilated; governments are scrambling to regain control of their respective nations. It appears that every nation has been devastated and no one seems to know where it came from, or even if it’s over yet. They’re not even sure if it was natural or deliberate.”

  Cleo looked up into Mason’s dark eyes. “What are your thoughts?”

  “I intend to find out what’s on that flash drive, before handing it over to Snake Eyes. And then,” Mason paused, “I’m heading home to find my family. I have to know if they survived. I know you don’t have any family left Cleo, and it’s entirely your choice as to what you do, and where you go from here. There’s no reason for you to throw away your career following me, but we can’t be sure they don’t already want you dead. I know one thing for sure, I didn’t trip that alarm last night. Someone tipped them off that we were coming.”

  “When do we leave mate?” Cleo asked, without even taking a minute to consider her options.

  “Right now,” replied Mason, as he tried to start the sedan, but nothing happened. “We’re going to have to abandon most of our equipment, not that it matters, since most of it doesn’t work now anyway.”

  The agents left the underground garage with only their weapons and the flash drive. A few blocks away, they found a couple of bicycles abandoned on the sidewalk. They picked them up and started heading southwest, out of Switzerland and into France.

  Riding through the once beautiful European countryside, Mason and Cleo saw death and devastation on either side of the road. Major cities were scarred and damaged beyond repair. And many of the smaller towns and villages were completely gone all together. Miraculously, every now and then they would pass by a small town or farm house that was still standing intact and unscathed, but these occurrences were few and far between. The electricity was still out and functioning automobiles were scarce. It seemed that only the older vehicles were still operational.

  They hadn’t been traveling long, when they saw someone driving a car in a small town, not too far outside of Geneva. The car came to a stop outside of the only grocery store in town. In the window, there was a sign that read ‘NO WATER! NO FOOD! NO FUEL!’ written in German. Once the owner of the vehicle was out of sight, Mason quickly rode up to the car on his bike, opened the unlocked door and started the car, all in a matter of seconds. Cleo jumped in, as Mason pulled out of the parking lot and sped away.

  They followed the Alps south, traveling from Lyon to Monaco, located on the southern coast of France. Then they continued along the coast into Italy, finally stopping in Genoa for gas, which they siphoned from abandoned automobiles on the side of the road. After eating, they continued on toward Venice. Here, Mason had a contact he trusted, who provided them with new identities and something to eat.

  Mason’s Venetian contact also gave them the keys to a speed boat, with a small cabin below, and assured them that it was working, unlike most of the other ships. When they arrived at the dock and boarded the vessel, they were pleased to discover that it had already been loaded with extra fuel. They quickly set off across the Adriatic Sea, heading southeast into the Mediterranean Sea. They were now well on their way to Egypt, where they hoped to find some answers on the encrypted flash drive.

  New in Town

  The Vanishing – Day 2

  Clearview, Nevada

  Jessica, known as Jessie to her friends, had just moved to the small town of Clearview, Nevada. Although she was still getting to know her way around, Jessie had already been noticed by most of the people in town. She had a great tan, for the middle of the winter, and long legs that looked great in the jeans she was wearing. Her long, wavy brown hair hung down to her hips and her low cut shirt revealed her ample bosom. No one could resist her sweet smile and honest brown eyes.

  Jessie’s uncle, Dr. July Hunt, was the town’s one and only doctor. He invited Jessie to come and live with him when he heard about what Rick, her ex-fiancé, had done to betray her. Jessie had just recently finished medical school and was working on her residency at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco, California. After Jessie learned of Rick’s infidelity, her sweet old Uncle July sent an invitation for her to come and help him with his small practice. She’d considered the proposal for several days, before finally deciding that a fresh start was exactly what she needed.

  Jessie had been living with Rick for over two years. They’d just celebrated her twenty-eighth birthday, when she found him cheating with her best friend, Susie. Rick begged Jessie to stay, promising never to cheat again, but Jessie knew better. She’d promised herself, a long time ago, that she wouldn’t stand for anymore broken promises. The experience had changed Jessie in ways that she’d never thought possible. She wanted to trust people, the way she had before being hurt, but she couldn’t forget the pain.

  When Jessie arrived in the little town of Clearview, she was not impressed. The town was very small, with a population of around five thousand. Jessie was more accustomed to the hustle and bustle of larger cities that operated around the clock. In the quaint town of Clearview, the townsfolk were usually in bed and fast asleep by ten o’clock.

  Everyone in town seemed to know everyone else, so when Jessie arrived, she stood out like a sore thumb. Within an hour of her arrival, word had spread like wildfire t
o almost everyone in town. Folks were surprised to learn that there was a new doctor in town, but what shocked them the most, was that the doctor was a woman. People noticed her everywhere she went, some tried not to let on that they were looking at her, while others openly stared.

  From the beginning, her uncle had been very generous, welcoming Jessie and making her feel right at home. Uncle July was a short man, with snow white hair and a matching beard. As a child, Jessie used to laugh every time she saw him, because she was not allowed to tell Uncle July that he looked like the Colonel from Kentucky Fried Chicken. She really enjoyed the comfort of his company and the distinguished southern drawl with which he spoke. Ever since Jessie was a little girl, her uncle had doted on her, spoiling her in every way he could, making Uncle July her favorite family member.

  The day following the vanishings, found July and Jessie out making medical rounds and tending to those who’d survived. They were walking down the middle of Main Street, as there was no traffic. Most of the vehicles in town had either been blown away, damaged by the storm, or they simply wouldn’t start. The street was covered in dirt and littered with debris; the town had taken quite a beating. Many of the buildings had been completely torn from their foundations and those few that remained, were drastically damaged. Businesses and houses alike were missing walls and roofs.

  Two men of opposite height and stature were walking toward Jessie and her uncle, as they stood on the trash covered road. Samuel Sullivan was by far the tallest man in town, at six foot seven inches. He had a barrel shaped chest and large bulky hands. Sam’s head was bald on top and what little brown hair he had left, was located on the sides of his head, surrounding his ears. He always had a playful smile on his face and wise blue eyes; both of which made people trust everything that he said.

  Samuel had been the Mayor of Clearview for nearly five years. He was born in Dublin, Ireland and his voice had a rich, Irish brogue that hummed like poetry when he spoke. Jessie was immediately impressed by Samuel’s size and good nature. She could sense that, although the man had the personality of a politician, he had the character and sincerity of a genuine man.

  Sam was accompanied by Luke Slater, his Deputy Mayor and right hand man. Two men could not look or act more differently, for as tall as Sam was, Luke was short. At five feet six inches, Luke was barely taller than Jessie, and unlike Sam, who never stopped smiling, Luke’s face held a permanent scowl. He had curly, jet black hair, which he combed back away from his face with lots of gel, and his eyes were cold, black and unforgiving. The two men were polar opposites. Luke reminded Jessie of a weasel cartoon drawing that she’d once seen. His creepy, squinty eyes roamed up and down Jessie’s body, as though he was imagining her naked, and as usual, no one seemed to notice.

  “Top o’ the morning’ to ya July! Out making your rounds I see,” greeted Sam, as he and Luke approached. “Ah lass ya muss be the good doctor’s niece, Jessie. Everyone in town has been telling stories of your beauty.” Sam bent down and gently kissed Jessie’s hand. “And to be sure, I can see now for me-self,” he said, with a wink, “the stories are no fairytales. Samuel Sullivan is me name, but a fine lady such as yourself can call me Sam.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you Sam,” blushed Jessie.

  “Aye to be sure, the pleasure is all mine, young Jessie,” replied Sam, with a big grin. “Oh, and this here lad be Luke Slater, he’s me Deputy Mayor.”

  Luke offered his hand to Jessie as well, and not wanting to be openly rude, she accepted, only to be disappointed a second later. The weasel looking man took her hand in his, and following Sam’s lead, he bent down and brought it up to his lips. Luke sniffed her hand as he kissed it and Jessie felt his tongue ever so slightly lick the back of her hand. “What a gross sleaze,” she thought, as she pulled her hand back, Luke finally releasing his grasp.

  A cold shiver went down Jessie’s spine, as she realized that Luke was not to be trusted. Sam was speaking to July and neither of them seemed to have noticed what had transpired between Jessie and the Deputy Mayor. She tried to shake the eerie feeling that her first encounter with Luke had given her, and turned her attention to what Sam was saying.

  “…hundreds, maybe thousands o’ people have gone missing since the meteor shower. And all o’ the wee children are gone! Na’ you tell me doc, what in the bullocks is going on round here? Short o’ God’s wrath, what kind of a force could do such a thing?”

  “Wow,” replied July, shaking his head, “I had no idea that there were so many missing.”

  “Aye,” frowned Sam, “people keep describing a bright light, if that means anything, and the number o’ those gone missing, continues to increase. Luke saw it happen to some o’ those American football players on the TV.”

  “Jessie and I were eating an early lunch at Mom and Pop’s Diner,” said Doc, “when we saw the whole Ramirez family disappear. Well, we saw the light and then the next thing we knew, they were gone. The really weird thing is…” July took a deep breath, “they left all of their clothes and belongings behind.”

  “Does the Sheriff know anything?” asked Jessie, gravely.

  “Nothing,” grunted Sam, while shaking his head, “that man is a complete waste o’ oxygen.”

  “Hey,” said Luke, as if he were insulted by the comment.

  “Has there been any outside news on what happened?” asked July.

  “None,” answered Luke. “The phone lines are down and there has been no reception on the television or the radio since the storm passed through. They’re trying to get the big screen over at the Shady Lady working but they haven’t had any luck so far. We’re thinking about putting together a scouting party to go out and investigate. We need to know how much damage our neighboring towns have suffered. We’re looking for volunteers if you’re interested in helping out July?” Luke cast his eyes toward Jessie, as an evil grin spread across his face.

  Jessie cringed under Luke’s unsettling gaze and instinctively wrapped her arms around her uncle and squeezed him tight. “You’re far too old for such an adventure Uncle July and being the only town doctor, you’re needed here. Besides, who will take care of the wounded and defenseless with you gone?”

  “Of course you’re right my dear,” July patted Jessie’s arm. “Have no fear; I shall not leave this town without any medical care.”

  “July might I be speaking with ya in private please,” Sam gently urged.

  “Anything that you have to say to me Sam, you may say in front of my niece.”

  “Aye, but it’s actually something that I need to show ya,” Sam hesitated for a moment and quickly glanced at Jessie, “something of a more sensitive nature.”

  July frowned, not liking the idea of leaving his niece alone after the horror that had passed their way yesterday, but this sounded like a medical emergency and, after all, he was the town doctor. “Jessie honey, would you mind heading to the grocery store on your own and finish our shopping? I’ll meet you back at the store when I’m finished. I won’t be long and I can help you carry everything home.”

  “Sure,” Jessie could feel the cold, calculating eyes of Luke on her, as the men turned away. “But try to hurry okay,” she called after her uncle.

  The three men walked toward the Sheriff’s office, leaving Jessie standing alone in the middle of the street. When she was sure Luke was leaving with them, she slowly turned and started to walk toward the grocery store. She only got a few feet before stopping abruptly.

  In the distance, there was a small cloud of dust approaching town from the north. Jessie held her breath for an instant, wondering if this was to be another blast wave, only it was much smaller in size. After a brief moment, she was able to distinguish a vehicle in the center of the dust cloud.

  “I thought nothing was working, including the cars,” she wondered, as she watched it get closer. This was the first vehicle that Jessie or anyone in town had seen working since the meteor shower had destroyed them all. The few cars that hadn’t blown away i
n the wind were not starting. She could now see the silhouettes of two men in the front seat, as the station wagon pulled to a stop in front of Sampson’s Hardware store.

  The first man to step out of the vehicle was stocky and of average height. He had a scar that ran down his face and across his right eye. The man noticed Jessie, standing there alone in the street, and he stood there staring at her for a moment. This did not surprise Jessie because most men stared at her; it was just part of being an attractive girl.

  The driver’s door of the station wagon swung open and a taller man stepped out. The man was covered in dirt from head to toe, as though he’d just climbed out of his own grave, but in spite of his filth, Jessie had to admit that he was quite handsome. The man glanced down the street in the direction from which he’d come and then back up the street toward where Jessie was standing. He seemed to be assessing the damage to the town.

  When his eyes found Jessie, standing there alone, they merely passed on by, as though he hadn’t even noticed her. Jessie was shocked when the man didn’t even seem to be aware of her existence. This was not normal and it made her want to know more about the man. She watched, as he and his scar-faced companion turned and headed into the hardware store.

  Once they were out of sight, she continued walking toward the town’s only grocery store, the Daisy Mart, which just happened to be directly across the street from Sampson’s Hardware. The store was busy with frantic customers when Jessie arrived; with her list in hand.

  Everyone in town was there, stocking up on food and whatever supplies they could find left on the shelves. At this rate the store would be empty in no time. If Jessie wanted to fill her uncle’s shopping list, she was going to have to hurry. She quickly found an empty shopping basket near the entrance and began going up and down the aisles, searching for the items on the list. Jessie was coming to the end of one of the aisles, when she heard several female voices talking in the next aisle over.