by Mike Kraus
“Sir, the Commander is… gone, sir.”
Silence fills the air as Pavel sits back in his seat on the Arkhangelsk. Having not heard from the commander after his last transmission, he had assumed the worst, but dared not believe it until receiving verification. “Can you tell me what happened out there?” Pavel keeps his voice level and calm, fighting with every ounce of his strength to project an air of authority and control to the other crew on the command deck of the sub. Each of them watches him closely, both directly and out of the corners of their eyes, waiting to see what his next decision will be.
“It was something… something I can’t describe, sir. This cloud just tore him apart, him and the rest of the men. I think we’re the only ones left, sir.”
“Any life in the village?”
Casting a look toward the still silent buildings, the crewmember solemnly shakes his head. “No sir, we three are the only ones left to our knowledge.”
“Get back here immediately, and keep your eyes open for the thing that attacked you. Whatever it is, it can’t get on the Arkhangelsk, understand?”
The unspoken implication – sacrifice yourselves to protect the sub – chilled the three men. Nonetheless, their training overrode their baser instincts, and they replied in unison over the radio.
“Aye, sir.”
Rachel Walsh | Marcus Warden
12:02 PM, April 8, 2038
Walking a few feet apart with Sam in between them, Rachel and Marcus moved at a brisk pace down the side streets of Washington, maximizing their search area while still maintaining some level of caution. Most of the buildings in the area around the laboratory were built in the same style, including the corporate giants. Classic architecture, white marble and red brick, were the keystones of the area, and while this made it more aesthetically pleasing it did nothing to help Marcus and Rachel identify what specific buildings used to be convenience and grocery stores. With no corporate logos or colors to search by, they were forced to work off of Rachel’s memory, which proved to be less accurate than they had hoped.
Rachel had almost given up hope of finding any grocery or convenience stores in the area when Marcus let out a cry of excitement. He ran forward and knelt down to pick up a small object on the ground, then held it aloft triumphantly. Rachel squinted to see what it was, grinning as she recognized the unmistakable colors of a can of soda. It was fully intact, though covered in dirt and ash, and – most importantly – wasn’t alone. In front of a large brick building that was missing half of its façade, Rachel could see dozens more cans and bottles of soda, juice and water scattered halfway into the street. Accompanying them were packages of chips, microwavable noodles and canned food, most of which were still sealed despite being strewn about.
Before Rachel could stop him, Marcus wiped off the top of the soda can, popped the tab and began to guzzle away. After several long gulps, he threw the empty can to the ground and grinned at Rachel, who was staring at him with a disapproving look on her face.
“What? I’m thirsty, dammit! Get something to eat and drink yourself and then we’ll go bring the APC back here and stock up on everything we can dig out of here.”
Rachel sighed and acquiesced, too weary to argue with Marcus. She dug through a nearby pile of broken shelves, pulling out a few packages of snack cakes and a large bottle of water. Just moments later, after she, Marcus and Sam had all eaten their fill, Rachel started to gather up the easily accessible supplies and stuff them into her nearly full backpack. Marcus came back out of the building from where he had been looking for more supplies, wondering what she was doing.
“I thought… weren’t we were going to go back and get the APC to get these?”
“Yeah, but better safe than sorry. Let’s take back what we can carry in case we’re stuck at the lab till morning.”
Marcus shrugged and started to pick up bottles of water and packages of various foods alongside Rachel, stuffing them into a nearly intact plastic bag he found fluttering inside the store. Once the pair had taken as much as they could carry, they set off back down the street with Sam, nearly doubling their pace from earlier to get back to the APC as quickly as possible. Moving so quickly with a large volume of items that rattled and rustled loudly as they walked, Marcus and Rachel kept their guard up, but were relieved to arrive back at their vehicle without seeing or hearing any of the creatures.
Rachel checked the radio as she hopped into the passenger’s seat of the APC. A light blinked on the front, indicating that a transmission had been broadcast on its frequency a short time earlier. “We’ll have another window in a few hours, Marcus. Let’s hurry up and get these supplies, take the call, then try to find some tow chains before nightfall.”
Marcus grunted in the affirmative as he hopped into the APC and buckled the harness in the driver’s seat. Rachel knew the routes around the city better than he did, but since they would be staying in the area for the foreseeable future, Marcus figured that he had better learn his way around, too. After carefully backing out of the “pit” of the laboratory, he maneuvered the APC down the street, following Rachel’s directions to reach the store they had just been to.
As they approached the store, Sam’s mood darkened. From the back of the APC, he began to whine softly, then growl as his ears pressed back against his head. Rachel and Marcus both felt the hair on the backs of their necks stand up as they drew closer to the store. Marcus slowed down and they crept through the streets, craning their necks to look in every direction to identify the source of Sam’s paranoia.
Rounding the last corner, Marcus eased their vehicle to a stop just a hundred feet from the wreckage of the store. “Well, here we are.” He spoke softly as Sam still growled from the back compartment.
“Marcus, look. Up there.” Rachel pointed to the area in front of the store where the building had collapsed into the street. Marcus stared at the area, not understanding the significance of Rachel’s statement for several seconds. Only after carefully examining the rubble at the store did he realize that something about it had changed. Large pieces of brick that had been mortared together were now broken apart, shelving units had changed position and the entire area looked as though something had visited it right after they’d left.
“I don’t like this at all, Rachel. What if there’s something in there?”
“Well obviously it knows we’re here, so there’s no sense in hiding. Pull up in front of the store, slowly, back us around and we’ll try to load as much in as we can.”
Marcus eased the APC forward, driving along the opposite side of the street from the shop as much as he was able. With Rachel’s help, he reversed the unwieldy vehicle up into the rubble, until the back of it was nearly inside the demolished store. Rachel crawled into the back of the APC and cautiously unlatched the back doors, peeking out with her rifle at the ready.
The interior of the store was a bit darker now that the sun was lower in the sky. Dust kicked up from the wheels of the APC floated through the air and, aside from the rumble of the engine, the atmosphere was silent and serene. Rachel opened the door wide enough for Sam to wriggle through and let him enter the shop first. He shuffled quietly through the store, keeping his tail low and still as he sniffed, agitated by whatever residual scents hung in the area. His growls ceased as he walked around, though his ears were still pressed back and his attitude was one of agitation.
After Sam had explored the store for a few moments with no ill results, Rachel signaled for Marcus to shut off the APC and follow her into the store. Together they exited the back of the vehicle, with Marcus covering Rachel with his rifle while she quickly searched for supplies to load in. Rachel moved around the store, pushing rubble aside with her foot, shaking her head as she went. After a few frantic moments of searching, she hissed at Marcus.
“I can’t find anything!”
Marcus hurried over to her side, keeping his eye on the APC and the area in front of the shop. “What? What are you talking about? We left a boatload
of stuff here!”
Rachel shook her head, panic rising in her hushed voice. “I can’t find anything, Marcus. It’s gone, all of it! Look for yourself! Whatever or whoever was here took every last scrap of food and drink!”
Marcus could scarcely believe what Rachel was saying, and he began to search through the rubble himself. His eyes grew wide as he realized that everything they had left when they returned to the laboratory was, indeed, gone. Sam followed along with Marcus and Rachel as they checked the exterior of the shop to the same end result. Frustrated and moderately frightened, the three piled back into the APC, with Rachel taking the wheel.
“Shit!” Rachel punched the metal dash with the side of her fist in anger. Her head slumped down onto the wheel as she breathed deeply, trying to get a handle on their situation. Losing this many supplies was devastating to their plans, especially so quickly after they were discovered. Marcus mumbled to himself silently as he went through the possibilities of what could have happened to the supplies at the store.
“Other survivors? Too fast. Muties? Why? They don’t need that stuff. Nanobots? Again, why?” Marcus raised his voice. “At least we’ve got the stuff we carried, right?”
Rachel looked up at him and nodded, slightly relieved at the reminder that their search hadn’t been completely unsuccessful. “Yeah, I guess so. Still, this is some kind of screwed up. I mean, who or what could have done this?”
“I think the more pertinent question is why did they do it. Whoever or whatever it was is clearly aware of our presence to be able to slip in and out that quickly. Yet they didn’t engage us. All they did was remove every piece of edible material. If it had been other survivors, there’s no way they could have worked that fast and done that thorough of a job.”
“Who else other than people would want to do something like this, Marcus? It makes no sense for the muties or a swarm to take this stuff, unless their programming behavior’s been altered in a severe manner.”
Silence filled the APC once again as Rachel and Marcus both pondered possible answers to the question. After a few moments of sitting and staring out the windows, Rachel sighed and brought the engine back to life. She turned back into the road and started heading back toward the laboratory, taking every available side street in an attempt to both find more supplies and lose any potential followers they might have.
Behind them, at the store, as the engine noise faded into the distance, a blue glow emanated from the recesses of the building. Pale at first, it quickly grew in strength as small specks of light emerged from the interior walls and filled the empty building with blue streaks that darted around inside. Moments later, the blue streaks once again vanished into the sky, disappearing into the rapidly approaching night.
Leonard McComb | Nancy Sims
12:13 AM, April 9, 2038
With Nancy sleeping in the passenger seat and the new arrival still slumbering in the back, Leonard had the APC to himself for a few hours as he drove along. Long drives often made him tired, but the constant challenge of staying on the road was just enough to keep his mind focused and alert. His thoughts drifted as he weaved in and out of lanes, passing into the median and off of the shoulder more often than not.
Leonard had never been to Alaska, though he had dreamed of taking a slow train tour through the region once he retired. Retirement. There’s a word that’ll die out pretty fast. Not much point in retiring if there aren’t any more jobs. Everyone’s got a role now, no matter how old. Though Leonard would have expected to be feeling his age over the last several days, if anything he felt more energized and alive than he had in years. Exhaustion was always nagging at him, like the rest of the group, but beyond that, mentally, he felt alive.
The APC’s radio buzzed softly, interrupting Leonard’s thoughts. He quickly picked it up, turned down the volume and spoke softly into the microphone.
“Leonard here. Everything alright up there, David?”
“Leonard, good to hear your voice. Everyone up here is A-Okay. Any updates on the new passenger?”
On the last call, after Jacob had fallen asleep, Leonard and Nancy had relayed a brief update on their new guest to David, who promised to try and pinpoint any potential survivor camps in their vicinity.
“Nothing new. We’re still moving northwest and proceeding with the existing plan.”
“Sounds good. I did some looking with the satellite on a prior pass and I haven’t been able to find anything yet. I’m running it through what pieces of software I’ve been able to get working, but I don’t have anything yet. Stay safe, stay discrete and I’ll radio back when I have more info.”
Leonard clicked the radio microphone twice to acknowledge David’s message and indicate that he was signing off. Two soft clicks came in response, then Leonard replaced the microphone back in its cradle and leaned back in his seat. There has to be a camp of some sort. There’s no way this kid made it on his own for this long. Besides, he said he’s got family up north. He’s got no reason to lie about that, I suppose.
Leonard looked in the mirror at Jacob, curled up under a thick jacket. The boy stayed sleeping there until the middle of the night, when both he and Nancy began to stir. Leonard greeted them both and had them all eat and take a short break at a rest stop along the highway. After clearing the building, Leonard waited outside with Jacob while Nancy went in, then waited with Nancy for Jacob. While Jacob was away, Leonard filled Nancy in on what David had said on the radio earlier.
“How close do you think we are?”
“No idea. Once he gets back I’m going to get him to tell us exactly how much farther it is.”
Jacob exited the rest area building a few minutes later, returning to Leonard and Nancy with a smile on his face. “Ready to get going?”
Leonard put out a hand to stop the young man. “Whoa, wait a second. How much longer do we need to keep going? Are we close?”
Jacob glanced at Nancy and then back to Leonard. “Well, I’m not entirely sure. I didn’t come straight down the highway, but I think we’re just an hour or so away. Once we get past the next town, though, I’ll know for sure. It’s just a few miles up the road.”
Jacob circled around Leonard and climbed back into the APC, sitting down in his place in the back. Leonard and Nancy followed him back to the vehicle and climbed in, then Leonard got them back out onto the highway.
“Sure you don’t want me to drive?” Nancy patted Leonard’s shoulder. “You look pretty tired.”
“Nah, I’m good. Thanks, though. Just… keep your eyes open for anything unusual.” Leonard tried to sound nonchalant as he spoke, but in reality he was still feeling nervous about their new passenger.
Fifteen minutes later, the headlights of the APC began to illuminate more cars and buildings, indicating that they were closing in on the town that Jacob had mentioned. Leonard slowed the pace of the APC as he squeezed it in between the various obstacles in the road, occasionally having to use the bulk of the powerful vehicle to push cars and trucks out of their path.
Passing through the town, the highway they were traveling on narrowed down to a single lane and the road was permeated with broken stoplights. Small shops lined both sides of the road where hardware stores, restaurants and other small-town shops had once existed. Though the road leading into the town had been filled with the remnants of vehicles, the town itself was, oddly enough, completely devoid of them. Leonard didn’t notice it for the first few seconds, but once he did, it was all he could think about.
“Nancy, doesn’t it seem odd to you that there’s no cars here?”
Nancy nodded slowly, realizing that the lack of vehicles was what had been weighing on her mind since they entered the town. “Maybe they didn’t allow cars down this road or something.”
Leonard was tempted to go along with Nancy’s theory just to make himself feel better, but what she said didn’t make sense. They had come across no intersections before or after the town, and the spaces in front of the shops all had parking meter
s in place.
In the distance, Leonard could see the buildings began to thin out as they approached the edge of the town. Eager to escape the foreboding place, he was just about to press his foot down on the accelerator when a noise from the back of the APC distracted him. He turned just in time to see the rear doors swing open as Jacob leapt out, tumbling to the ground and rolling along on his side. Before Leonard could even hit the brakes, Jacob was up on his feet and running toward the nearest building, shouting at the top of his lungs.
Leonard couldn’t make out what Jacob was saying, but Nancy’s frantic shouts quickly changed the focus of his attention. “Leonard, up there! Look out!”
From between a row of buildings on either side of the street, several men on horseback came riding out toward the APC. Each of them bore an assault weapon in one hand with a bright light attached to it, making it difficult for Leonard and Nancy to make out any details about them. The riders began to gallop toward Leonard and Nancy, aggressively charging the powerful vehicle head-on.
