The Forever Ones (The Iduna Project)

by DeLuca, Marjorie

  The tears are hot and prickly when they squeeze from my eyes and I pull my hands from the glass. I don’t want a replay of the Lynette incident. I’ll save that for later when there are more of us and we can guarantee safety for all these kids.

  I make a quick tour of all the hallways and the scene is the same. Row upon row of feeders having the life slowly sapped from them. I estimate there’s about five hundred here in this pod and we have no idea how many pods there are. I see no sign of Junius anywhere and if this is the closest pod to The Sanctuary then he must be somewhere else. Maybe with the Security Guards. I’m just about to come full circle and head back out when I pass a door that says Disposal Unit. Something tells me not to open it but I do and I almost fall to my knees when I see inside. Pale yellow light illuminates the pile of bodies, wrapped individually in transparent plastic and each so thin it looks like the skin of a deflated balloon. They’re stacked neatly, ready to be discarded like a pile of dead animal carcasses. They look so young and so innocent. I can see the bluish fingers and eyelids and their skin pierced all over with red wounds where they forced the tubes in over and over again.

  Suddenly all I can think of is how to get out of there as quickly as possible before I throw up. I turn and run blindly in the direction of the front door and push my way outside only to go thudding into the broad chest of Bren who’s standing right in my path. He grabs my shoulder. “Where the hell are you going in such a hurry?”

  I’m panting so hard I can barely speak. “That frigging coffee was so old I think I’m gonna throw it up right now,” I say, grabbing my stomach and doubling over.

  Bren shoves me away. “Not on my shoes,” he says just as his black-haired buddy runs out the door.

  “Just looked at the cameras. She’s been snooping around,” he yells. “Grab her.”

  Bren pivots on his heel and yelps as a blinding green flash cuts through the centre of his body. He falls to the ground jerking like a puppet, a dark pool of blood spilling around him. His buddy is just about to reach into his pocket when the green blade of light slices through his wrist. He bellows, making a noise that doesn’t sound human and grabs at his bloody stump. I turn away at the stench of burned flesh and see Sileas stepping out from the bushes. “Are you OK?” he whispers, grabbing my shoulder and pushing me behind him. Then he raises his arm and sends another burning blade through the howling guy’s guts. “That’ll put him out of his misery,” he says, pocketing the silver gun and he’s right. They’re lying there splayed out in their own pool of blood.

  I’ve never seen anyone really die until today and I’m so shaken my legs can barely hold me up. Sileas holds my elbow. “C’mon,” he says. “You have to get used to this if you want to beat these monsters.”

  “You should see what’s inside there,” I say, my throat seizing with every word. “It’s a horror show.”

  “You can tell me about it on the way out,” he says. “We have to get this car out of here before the security guards get wind of the trouble up here.”

  Junius isn’t in there,” I say, climbing into the driver’s seat and breathing in the rich smell of leather.

  “Then we have to ask the security guards,” says Sileas. “You’ll have to come up with a story. Pull yourself together.”

  I pull out of the parking lot wondering when somebody’s going to find Bren and his friend. Surely they’re not the only ones on duty? Luckily Sileas remembers the way back down the hill because my head’s so scrambled I barely know where I am. Soon we’re approaching the checkpoint and I’m searching my brain for a good story to give them. We pull up and the main guy touches his hat, waving us on. It would be so easy to just head on through but we can’t forget about Junius. I slow down to a stop. Sileas is crouched in the back and I hope and pray they don’t see him. The guy bends down and peers at me through the slit in the window. I daren’t make it any bigger.

  “Anything to report,” he asks in a gravelly voice. He’s young with a hard, defined jaw – clean shaven with the faint shadow of bristles which makes him look older than us. I wonder if the guards take the forever serum.

  “They said you picked someone snooping around in the forest earlier today,” I say trying to cover the nervousness in my voice. “That right?”

  The guard frowns. “What’s it to you?” he says.

  “I think he’s one of our top recruiters,” I say. “He took some chick into the forest and forgot where he was.”

  “You guys and your team are supposed to be on top of that,” he says. “Those kids aren’t allowed anywhere near the checkpoints.”

  I try to flash a smile at him but it’s like he’s made of stone. “Problem is we need him back,” I say.

  He looks round as if he’s checking to see if someone’s watching. “Step out of the car, Miss.”

  My heart’s racing. He doesn’t believe me. I step out and realize he’s so tall I only reach his shoulder. I just hope Sileas has my back.

  “Just stand right there,” he says, coming so close I can smell the lemony scent of his cologne. He raises his hand and touches my hair, breathing heavily as he strokes it. I’m not sure where this is going but my whole body feels heavy like lead. His hand moves down to my face, his fingers tracing my brow, my lips, my chin and the hollow in my neck. Now I’m sure he can feel the strength of my heartbeat. He’s just about to touch my breast when I reach up and grab his wrist, my hand closing around it like a clamp. He winces, confused by the power of my grip.

  “No way,” I hiss, “Hands off before I call Central.”

  “Okay – okay – just trying to be friendly,” he says, backing off and shaking his wrist. “Your guy’s cooling off in the cells back there. Go look.”

  “Call ahead and tell them I’m coming for him,” I say scowling as hard as I can.

  I swing the car around, conscious that he’s watching my every move and crawl into the parking lot. Inside two more guards – a guy and a girl - are sitting at a table playing cards while another’s just wrapping up a call. He sees me, nods his head towards an iron door then goes back to his card game. This is hardly the crack security force to beat the Crime Lords, I think, as I try the door which turns out to be locked.

  “Sorreee,” he drawls and tosses a key to me.

  I look through the small window and there’s Junius crouched in the corner. When he sees me he jumps up his whole face energized, his sandy hair falling across his forehead. My heart lurches and I open the door and yell. “What the hell do you think you were doing walking near the checkpoint, idiot?” He looks confused. I wink. “You do that again and you’re out of a job.”

  The guards are smirking as I drag him out and he’s acting like a beaten dog. “Next time you want some action you take your girl down to the beach.”

  I don’t want to overdo it so I hustle him out of there and into the car. “Quick – get in the back,” I whisper, then jump into the front seat. I want out of here as quickly as possible. I think I’m in the clear but just as we’re passing by the first guard he steps out into the road right in front of the car giving me a look that would kill.

  “Shit,” I say, slapping my hands on the steering wheel. “What now?”

  He comes over to the window. “Show me your ID.”

  I fumble in the glove compartment. “Could’ve sworn it was in here,” I say, my face burning.

  “I knew something was up,” he says, putting his hand on the door. “Now you’re really gonna see how friendly I can be.”

  But just as he tries to yank it open, Sileas jerks up behind me and sends out a razor blade of light that sears through the guard’s face and neck. He falls back clutching his hands to his cheeks and I can see the blood oozing through his fingers. I slump back in shock and next thing I know Sileas has jumped into the front seat, pushing me aside. He puts his foot to the floor and we slam through the gates leaving the smoking body behind.

  We’ve burned through ARP territory and left a trail of dead bodies. Someone’s bound t
o be after us now.

  22

  “What the hell was that?” gasps Junius, leaning forward and looking over Sileas’s shoulder. “It totally smoked him.”

  Sileas leans back, one hand on the wheel, the other tapping his pocket. “Just a handy little gadget that got us out of some bad situations tonight.”

  “And left three people dead,” I say weakly, feeling the intensity of both sets of eyes on me.

  “You surely didn’t think we’d be able to do this without some kind of bloodshed?” says Sileas.

  Junius nods his head. “He’s right, Paige. These people are worse than animals. They’d do anything to protect their precious youth serum.”

  “Gotta fight fire with fire,” Sileas says, taking a hairpin turn a bit too sharply. “Sheet – almost lost control.”

  “Well don’t trigger that damned laser thing,” says Junius, “or we’ll all get fried.”

  “I guess it’s the first time I’ve ever faced death – I mean violent death. In the compound those feeder videos didn’t seem real,” I say, trying to explain myself.

  “There’s gonna be a whole lot more violence coming this way,” says Junius. “I watched them assembling their weapons this afternoon. They’ve got machine guns, missile launchers, laser rockets and some kind of weird transporter that’ll crush anything in its way.”

  We fill Junius in on the info about the Crime Lords but there isn’t much time to talk about the upcoming battle. “When they discover that dead guard they’ll send someone to look for us.” I say. “We have to get to the forest and meet Ida and Chale.”

  Junius peers through the window. “I think we’re pretty close. Maybe now’s the time to ditch the car.”

  “Too bad,” says Sileas. “I’m enjoying this baby.”

  “I have an idea,” I say looking at the sheer cliff that falls away from the roadside.

  In a matter of moments we’re standing at the back of the car, its nose pointed towards the cliff. “Heave ho,” says Junius and we grab the back end and push with all our might. The car sidles forward, gathers speed and rolls across the edge, somersaulting and giving off bluish sparks as it crashes against the rocks then lands somewhere far down the valley.

  “Bye bye beautiful car,” says Sileas just as we hear a squeal of brakes.

  I see the glow of headlights around the corner. “Quick – over the barrier,” I say and we fall over the metal rail, landing in some prickly bushes. “Security patrol on our tails.”

  We scurry over into the cover of some thick shrubs just as a ball of flame and smoke plumes upwards from the rocks below.

  “They’ll see it,” says Junius.

  “Just keep quiet,” says Sileas. “I have my trusty weapon.”

  I can’t help thinking Sileas is enjoying this power a bit too much and I’d like to get that gun away from him but I can’t deny it’s saved my skin tonight. We peek through the bushes as the silver security vehicle pulls up and two of the guards from the checkpoint station climb out. I try not to breathe.

  “Think they took the turn too sharp?” asks one.

  “Bastards got what they deserved, smoking Jake like that,” says the other.

  “Yeah well they’re gonna be crispy and well done in that bonfire,” says the first one.

  “We’ll check the wreckage out tomorrow. I’m starved,” says his buddy.

  The car door slams and we watch it turn and start the sharp climb upwards. We fall back in relief. “Seems the security force is pretty limited in the brains department,” says Sileas chuckling to himself.

  “Yeah well there’s a whole lot of those dumb lummocks up there,” says Sileas. “I saw an army of them doing exercises today.”

  “And who’s in charge?” I ask, brushing prickly stuff from my jacket.

  “I saw a couple of guys in suits watching the parade,” says Junius. “They wore lots of gold jewelry but they looked really young.”

  “ARP’s,” I say. “They hire the security forces to protect their serum.”

  “But where does the Iduna Corporation fit in?” asks Sileas.

  “I guess that’s the last part of the puzzle,” I say, “ We’ve seen everything else.”

  “You mean you have,” says Junius.

  “And I wish I hadn’t,” I say. “I’ll never forget it.”

  When we reach the bottom of the hill the forest is just across the road.

  “We’d better watch out for those old people with the gardening tools,” says Junius. “I thought they were going to smack me over the head with a shovel.”

  “I’ve got my weapon,” says Sileas. “Don’t worry.”

  I pull up in front and turn to face him. “Not with innocent people Sileas. Just cool it now.”

  “Okay, okay – just joking,” he says, feeling in his pocket.

  I make a mental note to get that laser from him as soon as possible but for now we have to find Chale and Ida and figure out the next part of our plan.

  We cross the road and soon we’re swallowed up by the thick columns of trees. I can relax a little more. We’re much less exposed in here and I’m enjoying the feeling of being around real trees for once. Not fake plastic ones.

  “It’s so beautiful,” I say, following the bright glow of Junius’s sandy hair as he picks his way through the undergrowth but then I suddenly feel sad.

  Lynette used to tell a story about a forest. When she and Sam were still happy they took a picnic into the forest – somewhere in the countryside near Minnie-Apolis. It was a hot, summer day but the sun couldn’t get through – the branches were so dense she remembered the light being like pale green liquid. They found a clearing that smelled of wood and pine needles and spread out their blanket. After they’d drunk two glasses of wine each they made hot, steamy, mad, passionate love. Those were her exact words and she blushed as she said them. But just as Sam was doing up his pants they heard a rustle in the bushes and looked up to see an old ragged guy standing there watching them. Sam went ballistic and leapt across the clearing, grabbed the old guy and started pounding his scrawny guts out. Lynette jumped on Sam’s back and tried to drag him off but he just turned round and slugged her in the face. All Lynette remembered was Sam sobbing he was sorry and her eye swelling and closing shut. Then worse still the old guy was lying there whining and moaning and saying over and over again, “I was in the movies once. Don’t you remember me?” When they stood over him and looked at his face Lynette did remember seeing him in some heist thriller a few years before and the papers saying how the movie sucked and he was well past it. That’s when she started sobbing so loudly Sam had to drag her out of there leaving the old guy to find his way out alone.

  “What’s wrong?” says Junius. I snap back to reality and realize tears are streaming down my face. “Stop for a moment, Sileas.”

  Junius takes me by the shoulders and folds me into a warm hug. I nestle against his chest and smell his clean skin scent – feel his heart beating against the thin cotton of his shirt. “We’ve all seen more than we bargained for,” he says. “But we’re looking out for each other. That’s what counts.”

  I stay in the warm cocoon of his arms for a while, enjoying the feel of him when suddenly Sileas shouts, “There’s Chale – behind those trees.”

  I look and see the glint of silver through the trunks and sure enough there’s Chale and Ida standing by their scooters. Junius drops his arms and we run across a clearing towards them.

  Chale holds his arms out expecting me to run right into them. I have a moment of indecision then I do. Why pretend I’m not happy to see him?

  “Am I happy to see you guys,” he says, squeezing my shoulders and holding out his hand to Junius. “We were getting worried about you.”

  “Yeah – thanks to the courage of my two amazing friends I’m free again,” Junius says giving me a long, searching look.

  “Let’s say it’s been an eventful night,” says Sileas, shaking his hand and hugging Ida.

  “Unbelievab
le,” I say. “We have so much to tell you.”

  “Us too,” says Ida. “We went to meet Toby like you said and…”

  She’s just about to tell us when a voice soars into the darkness. Then many voices join her. Chale stands frozen to the spot, his eyes wide in disbelief. They’re singing the song. Tanya’s song.

  23

  I look at Chale who’s like a statue just standing and listening.

  “C’mon man,” says Junius. “It’s those old people in the Sanctuary. We have to get outta here before they attack us with their garden tools.

  “Wait,” I say, watching Chale’s terrified face. “It sounds just like her.”

  “Who?” says Junius. The others crowd around Chale.

  “Tania,” he says in a soft voice. “My donor mother.”

  “Maybe she’s in there,” I say. “In the Sanctuary.”

  Chale turns his wide eyes on me. They’re swimming with tears. “Do you think she could be?”

  “It’s possible,” I say, numbers flying around in my already busy head. “You’re still a keener. That means she was a donor about twenty years ago. If she was twenty five then she must be at least forty five now. People from Realtown go to the Sanctuary once they pass thirty – thirty five.”

  “I have to see her,” he says, stepping forward.

  Junius and Sileas grab him. “Not so quickly man,” says Junius. “They looked pretty hostile last time I met up with them and a few of them looked like they could really handle those shovels and pitchforks.”