Beginnings (Book 1): Future Apocalypse

by Gilbert, Barbara J.

  “Good, we want this company to go far in helping others, as well as make plenty of money.”

  “I don’t see a problem with helping you achieve those goals,” Karen said.

  “That’s great,” Paulette said.

  The following week Paulette went into the college office and informed them she’d be dropping out. They were shocked and tried to convince her to stay. They even reminded her she was on a full scholarship and that if she didn’t complete four years of college and graduate, she’d have to repay the scholarship. She let them know repaying the scholarship money wouldn’t be a problem. They asked why she was leaving and Paulette told them that she felt her talents could be better utilized elsewhere.

  Chapter 10

  Summer 2028

  Greg entered Paulette’s office and took a seat across from her. He noticed her new puppy was lying under her desk. “What’s your puppy’s name and how old is she?”

  “Her name is Danni, and she is about a year old.”

  “Wow! She’s gorgeous. What breed is she?”

  “They told me she was part German shepherd and part lab, but I think she has some husky and chow in her as well. She is so sweet and obeys well. She has a great disposition and loves pleasing me.”

  “That’s amazing. You can see the German shepherd in her, for sure, and those droopy ears make her so adorable.” Greg suddenly remembered why he had come to her office. “Sorry, I got distracted by the puppy.”

  “No problem, she can do that to just about anybody.”

  “I came in here to see when you planned to contact the construction company about renovating the other 6,000 square feet.”

  “I thought I’d get in touch with them today. We’re finally making a bucket load of money, and it’s time for me to start my pet project. I’ve waited far too long to get this going.”

  “Great! And you’ll have them sign a nondisclosure statement, correct?”

  Her lips turned down into a slight frown. “What? Do you think I’m stupid?”

  “Not at all, but since you spend most of your time working and little time with your friends, I just thought I’d remind you.”

  “Well, thanks, I guess. So, what do you mean I don’t spend time with friends? I’m with you every day.”

  “With me every day isn’t the same as spending quality time together in a more personal manner.”

  “Really? I didn’t think you wanted to get close.”

  Greg stood up and left, turning back in a huff. “Whatever, go make your phone call.”

  Paulette dialed the number for Newman Construction Company.

  A pleasant-sounding voice answered, “Good morning, Newman’s Construction Company, how may I direct your call?”

  “Yes, I need to speak with Mr. Newman. We had an appointment set up for a phone call.”

  “Yes, one moment while I connect you.”

  A moment later, Paulette heard Mr. Newman’s voice answer, “Hello, Paulette, it’s been quite some time. How are you doing? I see that your business has taken off.”

  “Thank you. It has been going well, and I’m doing good.”

  “What can I help you with today?”

  “I’ve got a new construction project for you. It will require a nondisclosure statement, due to its sensitive nature.”

  With pride in his voice, he replied, “Well, our company builds things and we don’t ask what we are building, unless we think it might be illegal.”

  She laughed. “Naw, nothing illegal, just a pet project of mine I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid. Are you interested in the construction job?”

  “Certainly! Let’s set up a date for me to come by and look at what needs to be done so that we can get started.”

  “Sounds great.”

  “Are you available for me to come by, say, next Wednesday at 2:00 p.m.?”

  Rifling through her schedule on her desk to check the date and time, Paulette replied, “Yes, it looks like I’m available then. Let me put it on the calendar so I don’t forget.”

  “All right, I’ll see you then.”

  “Thanks again for your help.”

  Mr. Newman arrived right on time and was ready to look at the special construction project requirements.

  “Morning, Paulette.”

  “Morning to you too!”

  “What do you need me to do for you this time?”

  “Well, I’ve got that extra 6,000 square feet in the back, and I’d like you to build a special soundproof, fireproof, EMP-proof, and bug-proof room.”

  He looked at her a little shocked. “That is a tall order. What are you planning to do that requires such extreme measures?”

  “I don’t want to get into the details just yet, but if the project I’m working on falls into the wrong hands, it could be devastating. So, I want to protect against everything that could go wrong. Do you think you’re up to it?”

  “Sure. I might have to do a little research to find the right materials for the project, but I think I can get it done.”

  Tapping her foot, she asked, “How long do you think it will take to complete?”

  “Well, not knowing exactly what I’ll need makes it hard to estimate, but maybe a few months.”

  She grinned and then rambled out the rest of the requirements. “That’s a good timeframe. Also, I need a hard line brought in for the computers, protected telephone lines, high-capacity power lines, and a large breaker system, all separate from the main building. I’ll also require several large backup generators. I need you to do this as quietly as possible. I know you use subcontractors to do some of your work. I’d like you to vet the subcontractors you hire for clearance and also have them sign nondisclosure statements. Like I said, this could be dangerous if the wrong people get their hands on my project.”

  “Wow, I’m not sure what you plan on doing here, but I’m thankful it’s legitimate. But again, wow! This will be the first ultra-secret construction project I’ve ever undertaken.”

  “Interesting as it will be, please never advertise that you worked this project. I’m sorry that it won’t help you, but I’ll pay handsomely for your discretion.”

  “Absolutely. No problem. When would you like me to start?”

  “It would be great if you could start as soon as you’ve got the materials in hand. Hopefully, in the next few weeks would be great.”

  “I should be able to make that work.”

  “Good, thanks again for your help.”

  “No problem,” he replied.

  Mr. Newman drove back to his office pondering the details about the project. He wondered what Paulette could possibly be up to and hoped that one day she’d let him know. For now, he needed to get busy on finding the right materials to use for the job. Traffic was horrendous, and it took longer than usual for him to get back to the office. He got out of his car, headed into his office, shut the door, and got to work. He figured the first thing he would need was some kind of steel structure and wiring that would encase the entire space on the inside. That would make a Faraday cage of the whole room and should protect whatever was in the room from any EMPs or electrical spikes. Next, he would have to use a special material to sound-proof the entire room. He needed to find material to fireproof every square inch of the room, for what reason he did not understand; but she had requested it, so he would get it done. Every wire coming into the place would need to first connect to a block, then continue from the other side into the building, so that all the wires would have shielding from outside interference. There was plenty of space near the bay doors to add the large breaker system, and just to the outside of the building around the corner from the bay, there would be room for the generators. He also needed to install a self-contained heating and air-handling system. Shielding everything would be necessary so the room could be independent from the rest of the building. He had his work cut out for him. Worse than that, he had to be careful which subcontractors he used to do the wiring, air, and other systems he wouldn’t be handli
ng himself.

  It took time to locate, purchase, and have all the materials delivered to a special area in his company. The vetting of subcontractors took a little more time than he had wanted, but he finally found contractors he could trust and who would sign the nondisclosure statements. It helped to tell them it would pay well. Two weeks later, he had his special, hand-picked crew and subcontractors working on the room.

  Mr. Newman was quite pleased with how the project was going. His crew completed the Faraday cage and other important structural aspects of the room in just a month. They were then ready to run the required wiring and cables. Once that part of the job had been completed, they could encase the whole area with soundproofing materials. His plan was to use baffling for the large areas. After he had the baffling in place, he would pump in a foam-like material that would double as insulation and soundproofing material, to cover all the smaller areas. That would enclose everything between the outer wall and the baffles. Then, they’d install the drywall and the special fire-retardant materials. He also needed to make sure there were plenty of outlets in the room. The project was progressing well. He estimated the entire room would be complete within a month.

  Paulette was getting excited as the room got closer to completion. She had already ordered all the computer hardware and software she’d need and some raw materials for the time pod. Once Mr. Newman had completed the room, she could hook up the computers, get the systems up and running, and program the math and other information she had stored in her brain.

  As completion of the project was just around the corner, Mr. Newman stopped by. “I wanted to let you know we are putting the final touches on and finishing up on the generators and power. I figure you should be able to move into the room by the end of next week, so long as we don’t run into any issues.”

  She stood there barely able to contain her excitement. “That’s great. I can hardly wait!”

  Monday morning, 5:59 a.m., was like any other, quiet with most people either asleep or just getting up and ready for work. At 6:00 a.m., however, all hell broke loose. There was a sudden shaking, and things fell all over the place. Paulette was sound asleep and dreaming when her dream changed and she felt like she was rocking in a boat. What the heck is going on? A moment later her dream ended abruptly when she landed face first on the floor. A searing pain in her face woke her up. It took her a few seconds to wake up completely and realize what was happening. She called for Danni. “Danni, here.” Danni ran over to her and was shaking from fear. They both sought shelter under her sturdy writing desk. The rocking and rolling and shaking seemed to last forever. Then, suddenly, it was over. Shaken and bruised, she got up, checked Danni over for any injuries, and didn’t find any except that she was a bit shaken up. Next, she looked around her bedroom to see what damage there was. She didn’t see too much, other than the bookshelf and dressers were knocked over, and the windows had shattered, letting in the cool air of the morning. She got up, dusted herself off, and went to inspect the rest of the apartment. Other than looking like a tornado had come through and stirred everything up, everything else seemed fine.

  Phew, so glad I spent extra on the rent to get an apartment in a building designed to withstand earthquakes, she mused.

  She took a few minutes to gather her wits before calling Greg to see how he was doing after the quake.

  The phone seemed to ring forever and just before she was about to give up, a mumbled voice picked up on the other end. “Yeah!”

  “Hey, that was quite the ride wasn’t it?”

  “Always the jokester, aren’t you?” he grumbled.

  “Well, got to look at the bright side, right?”

  “I guess,” he replied.

  “So, how are you doing? Any damage?”

  “I got a few bumps and bruises and may have broken my arm. Stupid straps holding the bookshelf let loose right after it shook me out of bed. It fell right on my left forearm. Took me time to get myself free, then the phone rang. That’s why it took so long to answer.”

  “Dang, you going to go see the doc?”

  “Probably, in a little while. For now, I put it in one of my old arm slings. I figure there will be people with worse injuries than mine who will need help first.”

  “So, how did your dorm room hold up?”

  “Let’s see. Everything is all over the floor; it shattered the windows; and that’s about it, from my current observation. I’m sure there are more issues outside. Speaking of which, you’ve got a good view of downtown from your apartment. What does it look like out there?”

  “Hang on. She walked over to her broken bedroom window and looked outside. Holy crap! It looks bad out there. I see fires, smoke, and, from what I can see from here, it looks like part of the I5 collapsed.”

  “This isn’t good. I wonder how the employees are doing and how bad the damage is to the company.”

  “I don’t know yet. I suggest you call half of the employees, and I’ll call the other half. We should check on everyone, see how they are, and if they have any damage to their homes. If there is damage to their homes, I propose we help pay for the repairs. Then they don’t have to worry about it and can continue to go to work and make a living. If the employees sustained injuries and don’t have adequate health insurance, we can help there too.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll check back later and let you know how everyone is doing that I contact. And yes, I’ll see a doctor as soon as I can.”

  “Good, then I’ll talk to you later. Until then, stay safe,” she said.

  Paulette checked to see if the shower worked. At least the shower is working; now I can get a shower so I can go check on the company. She planned on calling the employees from there since she had a dedicated line in the special projects room. Despite its not being finished yet, at least the phones would work. She quickly stripped out of her pajamas and hopped into the shower. She did a quick wash and rinse, got out and toweled off, and got dressed. While getting her pants on, an aftershock hit and knocked her off balance. Dang earthquakes, can’t even wait till I’m sitting down, eh? She picked herself up and finished dressing. A few moments later, she and Danni walked out of the apartment and headed to the elevator. Just as she pushed the button, she suddenly thought better and took the stairs. All she needed was for her and Danni to get stuck in the elevator with no one knowing they were there. It was quite the jog down five flights of stairs, and she stumbled out the door and into the lobby breathless. Danni seemed excited to be going outside and couldn’t understand why her owner was bent over trying to catch her breath. When she walked outside, she stopped cold. All she saw in every direction were broken buildings, damaged roads, fires, and people wandering around crying and confused. Once the shock wore off, she rounded the corner to check on her car, only to find falling debris had crushed it. Exasperatingly, she said out loud, “Just great, now I’ve got to buy a new car. On top of that, we can’t walk to the company because it’s too far. Guess we’ll go back upstairs and check to see if the main phone line works or use the cell phone if I can get through.”

  She did an about face, with Danni at her heals, and headed back into the building, took one look at the door for the stairs, and sighed. It would be a long and exhausting climb up those five flights. I wish I had spent more time at the gym. This is going to be a long trip back to the apartment. Ugg. By the time she got to the fifth-floor door, she was out of breath and so exhausted she thought she’d collapse. She weakly opened the door just enough for her and Danni to squeeze through and proceeded to her apartment. Once inside the apartment, she stumbled toward her room and collapsed on her bed. I’ll just lie here and rest for a minute, she thought. Danni jumped up and cuddled up next to her as she slept. She woke up five hours later.

  She eventually got in touch with everyone and found most of her employees were doing okay. Only a few had to go to the hospital; however, a lot of their homes had been damaged or destroyed. That would be a big setback for starting her project. Worse than that,
it would be days before she could check on the condition of the company building; and if it rained, things could get even more damage. She sank to her knees sobbing at all the destruction and death and wished it didn’t seem that things always went wrong. She hated her mom’s moving them from hurricane country to earthquake country. It was like swapping one possible and eventual disaster for another, and in her opinion, earthquakes were worse.

  It was three days before she and Greg could get to the company and check on the damage. To their disappointment, it too had suffered some major damage. The damage to the main portion of the building caused a delay in completing the special project room, even though there had been no damage to the interior. However, the outer brick walls had some minor damage and would need to be replaced. The main part of the building sustained damage to the roof and some inner work areas. The leasing company agreed to fix the ceiling and roof and was kind enough to allow Mr. Newman’s construction company to complete the repairs to the main building. The construction on the project room resumed too. Paulette wasn’t very happy about all the damage to the building and the setback to getting her project started, but she didn’t have much choice. The earthquake probably set them back several months. However, she was happy with how well the special project room had stood up to the quake.

  Mr. Newman brought in a larger crew to work on the main building so he and the other crew could continue working on the special project room. He now supervised both crews, which made his job even tougher than it was before the earthquake. Thankfully, the room was completed only a few weeks behind schedule.

  However, with all the construction going on in the main part of the building, Paulette decided to hold off on starting her time travel project. She left the equipment and other materials in the storage room near the bay door to be set up at a later date. She still was excited, because soon she could prove to Greg that time travel was possible, once she ironed out all the kinks and did some test runs after getting everything built and programmed. Paulette thought about how much was still left to do and how long it would take to get everything built and up and running. But for that moment, she knew she’d have to wait patiently and that she’d soon be on her way to fulfilling her dream.