by Jeff Olah
“Boothe?” Rath asked.
Still in the midst of finding his place in the sky and determining exactly where to set down, Archer said, “Yeah, we believe so. I’m waiting for an update from Samuel now. Stick around, it should be interesting.”
Rath pointed into the distance. “Is that where we’re headed?”
“Yep.”
The stark contrast drawn between thousands of miles of black topography and a coastal city back dropped with hundreds of spot fires reminded him that the world was a big place. Much larger than the fortress dug into the side of a mountain and certainly dwarfing the home he shared with Sarah for all those years. District Nine was his utopia, although without his wife, the area he was about to be dropped into might as well be home.
Sarcasm dripping from every word, Rath said, “It looks inviting…I wonder if the beaches are nice this time of year.”
Archer smiled and turned back to Tonya. “I’m going to take us down to two thousand feet and prepare to land. How are you coming with a place to put down?”
Tonya pointed to a forty-year-old map. She laid it on the control panel and said, “I’ve got a spot just north of the area you had planned on. Whadda ya think?”
As he slowly decreased their altitude and the city grew in size through the lightly frosted windshield, the control column again began to stiffen. “Not now,” Archer said under his breath. “Just give me five minutes.”
From the rear and still strapped to his seat, Symon asked for an update. About to return to his seat, Rath knelt between the two cockpit seats and waited for a break in the tension. It never came. “Are you thinking the worst is past us? I’d like to give the boys something to ease their minds. I’m sure anything we could offer at this point can only help their confidence once we put boot to ground.”
Archer shook his head and glanced toward Tonya. “I’m not really sure, the controls are still not right and—”
Samuel’s voice again echoed through the cabin. “Archer, what’s your ETA for Presidio?”
“We got five… maybe ten minutes, why?”
“Well, I’ll lay it out as simply as possible. Boothe has somehow figured out that our drone is not only operable, but that we’ve taken to the air. I can only assume he thinks we’re headed for him, so we’ve got an idea.”
“If this idea has anything to do with me sending this craft into another dive, it’s not gonna happen.”
“No,” Samuel said. “I have Tyler running a decoy program, so as soon as Boothe regains control over the system, he’ll believe he’s remoted into your system, when actually he will only be controlling a replicated program.”
Archer shook his head and asked, “What if he sees both sets of controls and realizes what we’re doing?”
“Not a chance, we are moving you to a completely different location on the mainframe and placing archived data between the two. If he starts down that file tree, he’ll believe it’s backed-up information and probably exit out. Boothe and his men will end up flying a computer program into the ground tonight. I’d just like to be there tomorrow morning when he sees your faces. It’s going to be priceless.”
“Thanks for the update, but you realize most of what you just said means nothing to me. I’m not a classically trained pilot. I was just the only remaining person in the mountain that had any time behind the controls and I know even less about anything resembling technology. So…what I’m hearing is that you’ve taken care of Boothe and all I need to do is drop these guys off and get back home, is that about it?”
Samuel laughed. “Yeah, nothing else really matters. Tyler is finished loading the program now and there’s just one small catch to us hiding you from Boothe.”
“How’d I know this wouldn’t be easy…what is it Sam?
“Okay so, you’ll be hidden from any system intrusion from outside this mountain, and that’s a good thing, although that also means you’ll be invisible to us as well.”
10
Vera started for the main floor to confirm the residents were all present and accounted for. Her next job was to ensure they’d all be ready to board when Archer returned. They gathered in small groups of three and four near the entrance to Terminal One, anticipating the return of the drone and a safe trip away from the home most had known for their entire lives. This mountain that had become their sinking ship held little appeal to anyone but her.
She moved from one family to another, calming nerves and continually reassuring those still not completely convinced of the plan, most in utter disbelief of the journey they were about to take. Less than ten percent of those left in the mountain were even alive the day the earth’s orbit was disrupted, setting in motion the events that led to their complete lockdown. Today, the residents of the Patch just wanted stability.
Moving to the archway leading to Terminal One, Vera stood before the group flanked by Nicole, who held tightly to Chloe’s right hand. “Most of you have lived here your entire lives and this is the only home you know. I understand you’re hesitance to make a change, although you have to know that staying here in this mountain, for even another few months, is not an option. Emerson Boothe has created a new home and we’ve sent the men ahead to ensure he allows each and every one of us through the door. If I had to offer a guess, Mr. Boothe will end up resisting and have his team attempt to turn us away. There is a good chance that this will end in bloodshed, and some of our own may not return; this is just a fact. However, I believe that every last one of you is worth fighting for and staying here and surrendering to the inevitable is worse than any other outcome.”
The enormity of the moment began to well up as a tear formed in the corner of her eye and slowly rolled down her cheek. Vera turned to Chloe and smiled, then back to the residents and said, “We will stand as one, we will continue to live as one, and tonight Emerson Boothe will know that we will fight as one.”
. . .
“What next?” Tyler asked.
Samuel turned from his workstation. “I’ll pull both of us off the system as soon as Boothe thinks he has succeeded and then continue to monitor the remote files until he backs out of the network. Once he’s gone, we’ll bring Archer back up and guide him here.”
“You really think that’ll work?”
“I think it already has. Check the decoy files…it looks like Boothe is already back in. He’s really going to flip out when he realizes what we did. I don’t care what I have to do; I’m gonna be there to see that arrogant little prick eat crow. It’s officially made the top of my bucket list.”
“Yep,” Tyler said. “He’s in and it looks like he’s not wasting any time taking our bait. And by the way, you may need to see someone about that little condition of yours.”
“Really, what condition is that, my movie star good looks or my unmatched wit?”
Tyler laughed. “Neither…it’s your obsession with Boothe. It seems like ever since he bailed on us, you can’t go an entire day without talking about him. Something you need to tell me?”
Samuel shook his head and said nothing.
“Is it because he took Trent with him and not you? Listen man, everyone that has ever been inside this room knows you are the best there is; you were the one who trained Trent. The only reason Boothe took him was because Trent is a kiss-ass who is easily manipulated. I think Boothe is afraid of you. Just my opinion though.”
“Thanks Ty, although I’m still thinking it’s my good looks.”
“Hey…check it out, looks like Boothe is about to crash the decoy.”
“Yeah, he’s about to spill lines of code all over what’s left of the Western United States.”
“Here we go,” Tyler said as Samuel joined in the count down. “In five…four…three…two… one.”
“And it’s dead. Boothe just murdered our fake drone.”
The pair sat in silence, waiting and watching the main screen to see what Boothe’s next move would be. Within minutes, Boothe had backed out of the network, buried his digita
l footprint, and closed down his workstation. Samuel made sure to key in alerts if and when another intrusion from the remote location occurred, although within the next few hours they’d also be in the air and unable to block another attack.
“It’s that time buddy,” Samuel said. “You’ll need to get your things and head down with the others, I’ll make sure there’s no way he finds us, even if he logs back in.”
“Really, How?”
“I’m going to replicate your program one hundred times over on each of the eleven servers. It’ll take him a year to figure out what we’ve done.”
“I guess that’s why you get paid the big bucks,” Tyler said.
“Back before the world died, that would have been true. Today I get paid by not being thrown out with the Andros, and I’m cool with that. Now get going, I’ll see you back in the Terminal in a half hour.”
. . .
Signaling Tonya, Archer pointed at the monitor. “That’s where were putting down; can you see if you can figure out that heat-sensing map. I’d like to give our boys a head start if we can.”
Still quite shaken and somewhat hesitant, she reached for the last panel on the right and slid back the translucent cover. She reached toward the keypad, ready to run through the sequence, only to have Archer point her to the correct panel, two over. “Thanks,” she said. “I’m not too good with this stuff yet. Didn’t have much time with this thing before takeoff.”
“No worries, just let me know if any of the clusters seem too big and we may need to put down somewhere else.”
Tonya punched in the run code and as the thermal map powered up, she shook her head and cursed under her breath. The blackened image of the city was soiled with bright orange and red patches from one end to the other. “I can’t make heads or tails of this. The spot fires have all but taken over the area. If Andros are in the area, the guys won’t see them until they are right on top of one another.”
Less than sixty seconds from their drop point, Archer shouted, “Rath!”
Returning to the cockpit, Rath assumed the flight was about to experience a second crisis. “What now, I thought—”
“Yeah, we’re about to land and we can’t seem to get a steady read from the thermal map. You guys need to be prepared for anything. I need you out and on the ground within thirty seconds of touching down…Andros or not. Once you clear the doors, I’m back in the air, so get moving toward the beach and I’ll see you in a few hours on the sand.”
Archer hesitated and then said, “One last thing…Boothe is mine. If you get to the beach first, you wait. No one touches him before I arrive. You get to your wife and stay put. Are we clear?”
Laying a hand on Archer’s shoulder, Rath looked out into the darkened world beyond. “Got it… just be sure not to make me wait too long.”
11
Although only having been near enough once, Sarah recognized the purposeful strides. The expensive leather soles against the hardened concrete floors were unmistakable. Growing closer, now three sets of footfalls moving toward her cell, Emerson Boothe, flanked by two of his henchmen, was coming for her.
“Lauren, this is it. If you want to live another five minutes, you need to pull yourself together RIGHT NOW! No more outbursts and whatever they tell you to do, you do it. I’d love to help you, but the way your acting, it seems like you want to die. Your little girl needs you. Stand up straight and follow my lead.”
The key in the lock, the door opened and the well-dressed psychopath entered the room. “Hello Sarah…good news, you and your friend here are coming with us. One last meal, a good night’s sleep and then first thing in the morning, we board the cruiser heading to our new home. Barring any unforeseen problems, our dive begins in exactly twelve hours.”
. . .
The air much warmer and the night darker than he remembered, Rath watched the drone lift off and head back in the direction it had come. He stood on the corner of what was once the busiest intersection in town, Grand Avenue and Baker Street. The remnants from three decades before were still evident, even through the thick blanket of frozen death that had fallen over the city. Hundreds of vehicles were left to rust and die by the masses, as they fled the overpopulated areas first. Windowless high-rise monoliths, whose interior spot fires offered the city’s only illumination, were now saturated with the absurdly overgrown foliage from years gone by. He stepped into the street and stood atop an overturned police cruiser. “Listen up.”
Thirty-three men, along with their hand-made weapons, were cocked and prepared to fight for the survival of the human race. Symon stepped out in front and spoke first. “These men have trained long and hard for this day. The day we all knew was coming and is now here.” The intensity and volume in his voice growing with each passing word, he continued, “This city, the Andros that occupy it, and most importantly Emerson Boothe should be worried; they should be the ones to fear US! Benjamin Rath, these men are ready…Let’s do this.”
Nodding his head in agreement and as the men readied their weapons, Rath laid out the plan. “Gentlemen, we have some work to do tonight and as you already know, it’s not going to be a walk in the park. Our best shot at success is through the element of surprise, whether it be with the horde we’re about to face…or beyond that, Emerson Boothe and his men. Staying in the shadows will serve us well. Only engage when absolutely necessary and stay together, every man for himself has no place in this battle.”
Turning his attention to Symon, he noticed his backpack lying near a fallen streetlamp. Symon reached down, pulled both the stun baton and the lead pipe from the pack and held them out toward Rath. “What’s it going to be, manual or automatic?”
Instinctively he chose the three-foot section of lead, the weapon he’d used to dispatch hundreds of Andros in past years and the only thing he trusted to work in each and every circumstance. “I think you know my choice,” Rath said as he left the stun baton for Symon. “Just remember what you told me. That thing only has a few charges in it before it shuts down.”
“Yeah,” Symon said. “I got it.”
Jumping from the patrol car to the street and kicking up a fine mist of powder in the process, Rath motioned toward the interior of the city. “Symon, I’ll take the left side of the street, you and yours head up the right side. Two raps against the concrete if there’s any trouble. Remember… quick, low, and out of sight. Let’s go.”
The men broke off one at a time, sixteen with Rath and the others following closely behind Symon. They moved as one unit and not a sound could be heard but the pulsing winds and the icy flakes falling to their final destination. Moving along the ground level buildings and eyeing the interiors, the spot fires had little to do with the supposed destruction of the city. These were the homes of their mortal enemies and as one day moved into the next, hundreds and possibly thousands of Andros were beginning to stir.
By the time they’d gone six blocks, the man bringing up the rear in Symon’s group had witnessed no less than sixty of the monsters they were trying to avoid, each ready to wake from the daytime slumber the Andros were known for. He moved quickly to the front of the group and upon reaching Symon, sensed he too had seen their odds for survival quickly diminishing. He whispered, “This isn’t good, those things are about to wake up and we’re not even halfway. We’re not going to make it out the other end and it’s too late to go back.”
Symon knew the man was right, although he asked him to fall back in line and watch the rear. Raising his head above the line of dated vehicles, he noticed Rath may have come to the same realization, left the sidewalk in favor of the street, and was heading toward him.
Turning back, Symon slowed his group and pointed to the street just in time to see the first of three Andros exit through the shattered remains of what was once the city’s largest bank. He struck the baton against the open sidewalk and as Rath turned toward the noise, so did the beastly trio.
Before he turned and moved into the snow covered street, Symon nod
ded to his men and quietly said, “Run.” Rath had done the same for his men and as the group of thirty-six moved together as one through the dimly lit night, the three Andros began their call of hunger.
Although only a small sampling of the much larger population, their voices carried to every last crevice of the post-apocalyptic city. Within seconds, the three became twelve and the twelve grew to fifty and by the time they reached the end of the next block, they were pursued by hundreds.
In a dead out sprint and searching for an answer, Rath turned to Symon and pointed sixty yards ahead and to the right. Both men nearing exhaustion, Rath eyed the only building he’d seen that was void of light. “There,” he said.
