by Mike Kraus
Marcus turned his gaze from the APC to look at the area around the laboratory, verifying that they were still alone. Aside from swirls of smoke and the ever-present cloud cover overhead, there was no visible movement that he could make out. Distracted from Rachel’s driving, Marcus jumped as he felt the impact of the APC on the laboratory structure. Grasping the edge of the roof, he leaned over and looked straight down on both the outside and inside of the wall.
Far below him, at the base of the wall, Marcus could see that Rachel had cracked the concrete block and was moving forward at a snail’s pace, pushing the massive pieces out of the way. A moment later, the APC lurched forward, suddenly free of the concrete. Rachel turned the wheel, sliding the vehicle a few feet as she brought it to rest just inside the building. Stepping out, she surveyed the results of her attempt and gave Marcus a big grin, which he responded to with an equally large smile and a wave. Rachel waved back, signaling Marcus to come down from the roof, which he happily obliged her by doing.
Back on the ground, Marcus patted Sam’s head, smiling as the dog leapt about, happy to see him again. After calming Sam down, Marcus walked over to Rachel, following her around to the various passageways down into the rubble. In the mid-afternoon light, they could see fairly far into the passages, enough to see that most of them were blocked by debris either at the surface or within a few feet of the bottom.
“Seen any good possibilities yet?”
Rachel nodded and stepped down into what Marcus presumed was the destroyed remains of a stairwell. “This one is still pretty blocked up, but if I remember the layout of the building correctly, it should take us directly down into the main laboratories. We’ll just have to get this debris out of the way first.”
Marcus kept a hand on his rifle as he walked cautiously into the shaft, moving in next to Rachel. The opening was a good twenty feet wide on each side, and sloped gently downward. About ten feet in, though, the tunnel was blocked by large steel beams and concrete blocks. Marcus peeked through the debris, trying to peer deeper into the passage to see how far it was blocked.
“Looks like this stuff goes on for a good thirty feet or so. Beyond that, I can’t tell if it’s blocked, the stairs turn a corner or if it’s just too dark to see anything.”
Rachel sighed and sat down, looking around and above her at the passage. “If we could find some heavy-duty tow chains somewhere, we could start pulling this rubble out of the way.”
“We’ve got several hours of light left; how about we do some searching for food and chains?”
Rachel groaned lightly as she stood, steadying herself against the passage as she and Marcus followed Sam back up. “Sounds good.”
“Did David give us directions to any good spots to search for supplies?”
Rachel pursed her lips as she shook her head. “Nope. He had to get on the line with Leonard and Nancy. I remember where a few places were around here, though. We can check those out and see if there’s anything left.”
Marcus checked his watch, a military model he had found in the back of the APC in a small bag under one of the seats that had a soldier’s name stitched on it. Fully digital, it had been shielded from the blasts inside the APC and still functioned properly. “We’ve got another call coming up in a half hour, by the way.”
Pulling open the back of the APC, Rachel pulled out several more magazines for her rifle and slipped them into pouches on her vest. “Looks like we’ll be missing this one. We should try to conserve fuel and go in with some stealth, too. Once we find some stuff, we’ll come back later with the APC. Besides, it’s going to be faster if we do this on foot first.”
Marcus gulped nervously as he, too, picked up more magazines and double-checked his pistol. “Yep, you’re right. Still, leaving our armor behind doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence.”
Rachel’s previous melancholy was completely gone now that she had a new task set in front of her. She smiled as she put her arm around Marcus’s shoulder, whistling for Sam to follow them out. The three figures soon disappeared into the surrounding landscape, absorbed by the destruction of the city as they started their search.
Several moments later, long after the whispered speech of Rachel and Marcus had vanished, a different sound filled the air around the laboratory. A light hum filled the air, like the faint buzz of a swarm of bees or the distant hum of a generator. Blue streaks of mist filled the air, coalescing into small swarms as they descended from the air. Darting back and forth, they circled around the APC and the passageway leading down into the laboratory, zipping in and out of every opening they could find. After a moment, the streaks and their hum vanished, dissipating back into the sky from whence they came.
Leonard McComb | Nancy Sims
7:55 AM, April 8, 2038
Leonard jumped, so distracted by the sight of the creatures tearing apart the horse that he had momentarily forgotten about their new passenger. The young man he and Nancy had hastily picked up from the field was sticking his head through the gap from the back of the APC into the front, glancing between them with a confused expression on his face.
Up close, Nancy could tell that her initial assessment of his age was spot on. In his late teens to – at the most – twenty, the man was thin and wiry with a short crop of black hair, olive-colored skin and some of the most strikingly blue eyes Nancy had ever seen. She turned in her seat to address him, smiling as she spoke, remembering his fear at seeing them when he had been riding on his horse.
“I’m Nancy and this is Leonard. What’s your name?”
The young man blinked a few times, distracted from his previous question by Nancy’s greeting. “Are you people with the military?”
Leonard and Nancy looked at each other, puzzled over the odd question before they remembered the vehicle they were driving.
“Oh, no, we’re not with the military. Hell, who knows if there’s even any military left at this point. Nancy and I found this APC at a military outpost. It worked, so we figured we’d take it.”
“So who are you?”
As the young man’s questions increased, so did the clarity of his voice. Leonard and Nancy both noticed a growing suspicion in the man’s voice despite the fact that he had just been saved from certain death. Leonard decided to take charge of the situation before it spiraled out of control. Motioning toward Nancy to keep ready on her gun, Leonard slammed the APC to a stop, sending the man’s shoulder up against the corner of the vehicle’s wall. Leonard turned to him and spoke harshly, drawing on his years of arguing and fighting with colleagues in the sanitation department.
“Listen up, boy. Whoever you think you are, it doesn’t matter anymore. This world is dead, and your attitude is going to do nothing but get you killed if you keep it up. So sit down, tell us who you are and we’ll do the same.”
The young man’s face turned white halfway through Leonard’s tirade and he gulped nervously. His suspicion died from his eyes and he slumped back, sitting cross-legged while he rubbed his shoulder. Dressed in a pair of dirty jeans and a patchwork long-sleeved shirt, the more Nancy looked him over, the more she was drawn in by how stereotypically “cowboy” or “ranch hand” he looked. He’s definitely from somewhere around here.
“My name’s Jacob, sir. I’m sorry for my attitude. Strangers don’t usually take a liking to us–”
As the word “us” escaped his mouth, Jacob instantly became quiet, darting his eyes between Nancy and Leonard. Leonard’s voice softened from earlier as he put the APC back into motion, ignoring Jacob’s statement as he tried to glean more information out of the young man.
“You’re safe now, Jacob. Nancy and I aren’t going to do anything to you. Are you hungry? Would you like some water?”
Nancy leaned over her seat, past where Jacob was sitting and reached into a box, pulling out a package of vacuum-packed salmon and a bottle of water. She handed it to him with a smile, watching as he stared at the food in wonder, realizing that the boxes he was seated on were filled wi
th food and water.
“How do you have all of this? Isn’t it all radioactive?”
Nancy shook her head and was about to explain the nanobots to Jacob when Leonard tugged on her sleeve, shaking his head slightly. Leonard spoke instead, answering the young man’s question. “It’s all fine to eat, Jacob. Go ahead, dig in.”
Jacob hesitated for a few seconds more, but his hunger overwhelmed his caution and he quickly tore open the package of salmon, stuffing it in his mouth as he took large swigs of water. Leonard pulled Nancy close as Jacob was momentarily distracted, whispering in her ear. “Better not to say anything more than we need to. Something’s not right about him.”
Nancy nodded and sat back in her seat, keeping a smile on her face despite the nervousness she now felt. Leonard’s statement resonated with her and made her realize that her own trepidation with the boy wasn’t entirely unfounded. Something’s definitely off. A memory of Richard and Joshua flashed past, reminding her that not everyone in this new world was who they seemed to be.
“So, Jacob.” Leonard waited until the young man had nearly finished his food before speaking to him again. “How did you get out here in the middle of nowhere?”
Ingesting the small meal had brought color back to Jacob’s cheeks and he seemed more alert, though a hint of suspicion was back in his eyes.
“My, well, I live around here. I was out looking for some supplies when those devils started chasing me. I guess I’m pretty lucky you folks came around.”
“We’re just glad we happened to be in the right place at the right time to help, Jacob.” Nancy spoke next, trying to coax out more information. “Do you have family or friends nearby who survived?”
Jacob looked between Nancy and Leonard, then down at the boxes under his feet. “Well, I’m not supposed to say anything, but I guess you’re not the government so it’s okay. I have family, up in Iowa.”
“Iowa?” Leonard arched an eyebrow. “We’re three hundred miles from Iowa. How long have you been riding?”
“I… it’s been days. After the fires swept through, we had nothing left. I’m the lightest and fastest on a horse, so I left to go and find supplies.” Jacob’s voice wavered as he spoke. “I don’t know what they’re going to do now, with me stranded here. They’re a day’s ride from the nearest town, and when I went through it there was nothing left.”
Jacob sat back, shaking his head, lost in thought about his family. A moment later, his eyes shut and he began to snore, his body relaxed against a crate as he slept. Leonard motioned for Nancy to lean closer and they held a brief whispered conversation.
“Should we try to help? It’s not that far out of the way.”
Nancy shook her head. “I’d say to just leave him, but can we do that? He’s nothing but a boy trying to do an adult’s work.”
“He’s still hiding something from us, but he could just be scared. Look at us, though. A few days ago we didn’t know each other, and now here we are. Having more hands to help us would be nothing but good.”
“I don’t know, Leonard. I want to help him, but I’m just not sure.”
“Well we can’t just leave him here this close to the muties. Let’s take him a little ways north, drop him off with some supplies for his family and then go if you don’t trust him.”
Nancy looked back at Jacob. “Okay, let’s do it. I’m sorry for being like this about him, but… well, you know.”
Leonard patted Nancy on the arm, fully understanding where her trepidation originated. “It’s fine, Nancy. You’re absolutely right. What we’re doing is far too important to risk taking on more people right now.”
At the next major highway intersection, Leonard turned toward the north, heading into Iowa. He didn’t bother to consult with Jacob since it would still be several hours before they got close enough for him to give them directions on where specifically to go. From what the young man said, his home was quite a distance away anyway. Though the scenery didn’t change much with the new route, Leonard felt both relief at helping the man’s family and some nervousness about it as well.
Though it was hard to believe at times, Leonard knew that he and Nancy were working to save the last remnants of the world as they knew it, and anything that could jeopardize that objective had to be avoided at all costs. Humanity, though, was one trait that Leonard and Nancy both knew they had to try and uphold, in spite of whatever adversities came against them.
Bering Strait
March 27, 2038
Commander Alexeyev’s eyes snap back open, filled with rage. His few seconds of inaction are finished, and he leaps to his feet. Running back toward the village, he yells into the radio, disregarding the danger posed by the mass ahead.
“Prepare to submerge! My remaining team will be making their way to you. Take them on if you can, leave them if it’s too dangerous. You have command, Pavel. Make contact with central command if you can, and keep the Arkhangelsk safe. Await further orders. Alexeyev out!”
Alexeyev turns down the volume on the radio as he jams it onto his belt, ignoring the protests of his executive officer. Stumbling up the snow bank, Alexeyev yells at the top of his lungs, ordering his men to retreat back to the Arkhangelsk. “Get out of here now! That’s an order!” Alexeyev tears off his thick jacket as he stumbles down the hill, giving himself more speed and mobility.
Fear drives the young, inexperienced men to obey his command instantly, abandoning their commander instead of standing by his side. Running and tripping through the thick snow, the large amount of movement around the village causes the silver mass to spin wildly, assessing its situation. As it prepares to pursue the closest set of men, a lone figure charges into the village. Screaming and firing wildly at the mass, the figure runs headlong toward it, voice bellowing across the fresh snow.
Unhurt by the gunfire, but attracted to the localized movement, the silver mass performs a quick assessment. Satisfied that its operating parameters are met, the mass moves forward to meet the figure, its buzzing sound increasing in volume and intensity. For his part, Commander Alexeyev faces his decision without fear. Anger and rage at the mysterious object is the only thing in his mind as he swings his fists wildly at it, abandoning his useless pistol in the snow.
Even as Alexeyev feels his skin and muscles being torn apart by the silver mass, he fights on, his screams slow to die as he uses every scrap of air in his lungs to curse his invincible opponent. In the back of his mind, behind the rage, he holds tight to the hope that his men have been given enough time to escape the village and retreat out to the Arkhangelsk. These thoughts are the last that pass through Alexeyev’s conscious mind as the world finally fades away to black and the pain mercifully ceases.
Though the encounter with the silver mass felt like several moments to Alexeyev, to the handful of men who stayed behind at the village instead of retreating, the mass took mere seconds to shred Alexeyev’s body to a pulp. Leaving it behind, the mass moves forward out of the village, after the retreating men. As it leaves, it ignores the three men who stayed behind, frozen out of fear and huddled in the trees, struggling to keep quiet. Out of sight beyond the trees and snow banks, the men hiding near the village cover their ears to block out the screams of those who ran. Even through the thick gloves wrapped tightly around the sides of their heads, they still can’t fully escape from the sounds of their comrades being destroyed by the mass.
Minutes pass as the men remain still, all but certain that the silver mass will return any second for them. Though they had not served together long, the three men lying together under a cluster of trees quickly discovered in the first days of their service that they were distant cousins. Coincidence and happenstance brought them together to serve on the Arkhangelsk, and a double serving of the same kept them together when the shore parties were assembled on the sub.
Hugging each other tightly, the men say quiet goodbyes to each other as the buzzing sound approaches once again. Instead of descending upon them as it did with the other m
en, the mass passes by the trio mere feet away, ignoring them completely as it continues back on into the village. Unable to believe their luck, the men remain still for a full half hour after the mass has long since departed, not daring to move lest they somehow bring it back and spoil what they perceive to be an incredible streak of luck.
A distant crackle finally stirs the men to move. Dozens of feet away, in the direction where their Commander was killed, they hear the unmistakable sound of a voice repeating a message over the radio. Cautiously the men work their way toward the radio, none of them wanting the gruesome task of picking through Alexeyev’s remains to find the device. When one finally works up the courage to retrieve the radio from underneath a piece of clothing, the voice comes through clearly as that of the Arkhangelsk’s second in command.
“Commander? Come in, Commander. Are you there, sir?”
The youngest of the three men, the one who picked up the radio, glances at his two companions as he feebly presses down on the microphone button on the radio.
