The Forever Ones (The Iduna Project)

by DeLuca, Marjorie

  I realize I’ve been dreaming again and Toby and Edelia are ready to go. We don’t need to worry about Edelia spoiling our plan. She’d be in as much danger as us if they knew she was bringing outsiders into the compound so it’s in her best interest to keep quiet.

  I give Toby a big hug before he goes and whisper Look after yourself bro into his ear. He tells me he will but not before I notice Ida’s puzzled expression. Maybe she likes him too. Maybe, maybe. Maybe we can all be happy soon when all this is over. I hope and pray for that time.

  25

  We decide to sleep for a few hours before setting out. I’m glad of that because the events of the past couple of days have been exhausting. So I lie back on my makeshift bed trying to quiet the jumble of thoughts churning around in my head. I’ve seen so much since leaving the compound but I’ve barely had time to sort it all out. Now as I study the dusty wooden beams stretching across the ceiling I begin to understand the reason why these people are so frantic to get their hands on the forever serum. I think of Johnny’s line, that time ticks on is inescapable. But what if you could escape from that inevitability? What if you didn’t grow old? What if you could reverse your aging process if you had the chance? What if you never lost someone dear to you? What if time became irrelevant? Wouldn’t that become the single driving force in your life? The idea of forgetting about that endless forward movement of time.

  I took it for granted before but now I’ve met Toby I’m beginning to understand why people would go to any length to cheat death. Why there’s no such thing as reason when it comes to this. Why it could actually wreck an entire society because it changes everything. Overturns all the basic rules humans have ever lived with. And that’s why Tricia and Braydon Howe can justify taking an innocent young body and basically bleed them to death in their quest for immortality. The reward outweighs the guilt.

  I must have dozed off for a while because I hear a low murmuring coming from the other side of the warehouse. I’m not sure who’s awake because it’s still dark outside though I can see ribbons of light in the sky. I sneak out of my bed, taking care to step over Ida’s sleeping body. Way past a tall bank of metal cabinets I can make out a greenish glow and for a moment I think Toby’s already back - though they said they’d spend the night in the compound to make things look a little less urgent. It’s not Chale because I can see the mound of his sleeping body and the long braid of his hair curled on top of his blanket and Sileas is propped up against a pillar beside Carl – both of them snoring. It must be Junius. But who is he talking to? I get closer and see he’s talking into something that looks like a cell phone and I swear I hear him say luv ya.

  “Got a secret girlfriend somewhere?” I say, sneaking up on him so quietly he almost drops the phone.

  He whirls around, his face flushed. “I’m just testing this phone out,” he says, jamming it into his pocket like he doesn’t want me to see it.

  “Why don’t you just tell me?” I say. “I’ll be cool with it.” Deep down, however, I’m not sure how I’d feel. I’ve always liked that Junius looks out for me and seems to be around when I need him. If there was some other girl it would feel really weird.

  “There is no girlfriend,” he says. “I was just playing around – recording stuff. Anyway – why are you up so early?”

  “I could ask you the same question,” I say, knowing he wants to change the subject quickly. “I guess I can’t sleep. I’m all keyed up about tomorrow.”

  “Today you mean,” he says motioning towards the sky where the red rays of the sun are creeping across the horizon.

  “It’s morning already,” I say, feeling the blood start to course through my body. “I just want to get started with this operation – I mean why wait around when there’s serious work to do?”

  “You’re not afraid?” he says, looking down at me with those coppery eyes. Junius has a quiet calmness that makes him a natural leader and when he’s standing so close to me in the shadowy warehouse it’s hard not to feel totally enveloped in his aura.

  “Just a little,” I say, feeling drawn to him. “But we can’t go back now so I might as well risk everything I’ve got.”

  He reaches out a hand and touches my cheek. “That’s what I first noticed about you,” he says. “You’re a truly brave person.”

  “And you’re always there just nudging me out of my daydreams,” I say, catching hold of his hands. “Keeping me real.”

  “After all this is over, Paige,” he pauses for a moment, “I mean after we’ve set all the feeders free and…” then he stops and turns away.

  “What Junius – tell me?” I beg, trying to get him to look at me.

  “Here I am getting all soppy,” he says. “I just don’t want to lose you, Paige.”

  “You won’t,” I say, pulling him close. “I’ll never forget your face was the first thing I saw when I woke up at the Psych centre. It was the only real thing in my life at the time. It kept me going. Made me want to live.”

  Suddenly he bends down towards me and brushes my lips with his. They’re cool and soft and I want more so I pull his face closer and kiss him harder, licking and tasting his lips with my tongue. Then he has his arms around me and we’re in a tight embrace, so close I kiss every part of his face – his cheeks, chin, temple, hair. When we finally pull away we’re both breathless but laughing.

  “That’s been a long time coming,” he says. “You don’t know how many times I’ve dreamed of doing just that.”

  “I’m glad you chose today then,” I say, rubbing his shoulders with my hands. “Makes it easier to face whatever is ahead of us.”

  Suddenly the most gigantic snore rips out into the darkness and it’s so loud Carl slides off the pillar with the force of it knocking Sileas in the process.

  “What the f***,” yells Sileas as Carl jumps to his feet ready to tackle any unknown intruders. Junius and I are doubled over with laughter at Sileas’s hair which is sticking out like a brush from his head.

  “I thought the Crime Lords were here,” says Sileas whacking the back of Carl’s head.

  “They will be. Sooner than you think,” I say, giving Junius’s hand a last stroke. “Let’s get ready to go.” I’m aware of a definite fluttery feeling in my stomach and I’m not sure whether it’s due to nerves or Junius.

  I find myself longing for the happy bustle of the market and the carnival when we walk through the deserted streets of Realtown. Even the bakery’s closed up until further notice. Now I start to wonder what the ARPs do all the time. Are there stores and nightclubs up in the mountains or do they travel outside the city, beyond the mountains? And if they have so much money who supplies all the luxury items they’re so in love with? I know for sure they slum around in the Realtown clubs because I saw one of them with Yul. So at least we know he’s still alive and with a bit of luck he’s one of the first we’ll set free.

  My mind is like that. It just moves from one rambling thought to another so I’m not surprised when Chale digs me between the shoulder blades and tells me he’s been trying to get my attention for the past few minutes.

  “Sorry,” I say. “I can’t stop thinking about those feeder pods.” He looks a little brighter today though nothing like the charming, confident guy I first met. “Are you feeling better today?”

  “Kind of,” he says as we cross the street. Junius is in front with Sileas

  “She may change her mind,” I say. “I mean – you just showed up out of the blue and she had no time to get her head around the whole idea.”

  “I’m not gonna give up,” he says, flashing those dark blue eyes at me. “Whatever happens – wherever we end up – I’m taking her with me. Now I’ve found her I’m not letting go.”

  We’ve reached the outskirts of the forest and the sun is blazing down through the trees, dappling the forest floor with pebbles of golden light. “I understand where you’re coming from,” I say, wishing I could tell him about Toby. “I guess it feels like you’re not just this so
litary person any more. There’s someone you finally belong to.”

  Chale wipes his shirt sleeve across his face and coughs. “I knew you’d understand Paige. You always do.”

  We’re about to plunge into the cover of the trees when there’s a rumbling so deep it feels like the earth is going to open up and spill out streams of bubbling lava. Junius waves us all over to a small grassy mound and we lay face down on it, watching the road that runs by the forest edge.

  “Something’s coming,” says Sileas. “I feel it approaching from the direction of the hills.”

  “Keep your heads down,” says Junius.

  Ida is right beside me and I can feel her whole body shaking. “Are you OK?” I ask. She nods her head but her eyes look panicky.

  Sileas notices and moves closer to her. “I’ve got you covered,” he says, squeezing her shoulder.

  We wait for a long few minutes hearing the rumbling grow louder and louder until it’s deafening and then the first set of giant wheels comes into view.

  “It’s their armoured vehicles,” says Junius. “They were equipping them yesterday.”

  A whole stream of metal vehicles comes into view. Just like the ARP cars they look like silver bullets but they’re massive, gleaming monsters with huge wide wheels that chew up the ground. On the back there’s an intricate gun apparatus that looks like the tentacles of a giant insect. I can’t see any windows but I guess there must be some kind of viewing scope.

  “Unbelievable,” says Sileas, his mouth gaping wide. “I mean they all have to be equipped with mega lasers.”

  “So who can beat them?” I say. “We saw the damage one hand held laser did. Those brutes are gonna cause mass destruction.”

  “We don’t know what the Crime Lords have,” says Chale. “Maybe they’ve got bigger guns.”

  “Too bad they can’t just blast each other to oblivion,” I say. “And leave the people of Realtown in peace.”

  “That’s not going to happen,” says Junius. “The ARPs won’t ever give up their precious feeder pods. They’ll just manage to hold off the Crime Lords until the next time.”

  “But one day the challenge is going to be so big they won’t be able to hold it back,” I say. “I mean there must be other people out there who want what the ARPs have.”

  “You’re probably right,” says Junius giving me a weird but knowing look.

  “Well now looks like the perfect time to make a move,” I say. “If all the fire power is heading out beyond the city that means there’s minimum security up in the hills.”

  “We can scope out the situation and figure something out before Kumaresh and the others get here,” says Junius.

  Once all the armoured vehicles have rolled by we plunge into the forest and thread our way through the undergrowth. Squirrels scamper up tree trunks and rabbits scurry down burrows oblivious to the oncoming conflict. Soon we reach the clearing by The Sanctuary. Everything’s quiet. They must be holed up in those huts just waiting for the whole thing to be over. Chale stops and looks over at the small wooden shacks, probably hoping for just a glimpse of Tanya but nobody appears. He shrugs and we move on through the clearing and into the other side of the forest that leads to the first security point.

  This part of the forest is so dense and dark we have to walk in single file, picking our way over tree roots and piles of rotten wood. Chale is up front but he suddenly stops dead and we all pile into the back of each other. When we rearrange ourselves we see why he stopped. It’s Tania standing like a statue in the centre of the path holding out a silver laser gun. The same type that Sileas used yesterday.

  We all freeze just waiting for the burst of green fire.

  26

  My first instinct is to cry out stop when Chale steps towards Tanya and for one terrible moment it looks as if she’s going to fire. Suddenly I feel Junius’s hand grab my arm and pull me back. He whispers keep still and we’re all frozen in this state of terror.

  Chale inches forward. “Tanya,” he whispers. “Mom” and she drops her arm. He immediately lunges at her and folds her into one of his big bear hugs and then she’s bawling and hanging onto him as if she’ll never let go. Junius slides forward and takes the gun that fell to the ground. We all gather around as Tanya strokes Chale’s hair and face and takes in his tall, handsome body. “Where did you come from?” she sobs. “So many times I’ve pictured you but I never thought you’d find me.”

  I feel the tears welling up in my eyes when I see Chale bending down and nestling his head on her shoulder. “I had to,” he whispers, “I’ve listened to your song every day since I was old enough to understand it.”

  “It really brought you here,” she says. “I knew it had a special power when I sang it for the hologram.”

  “I have so much to ask you,” he says and I’m thinking that’s exactly how I felt when I met Toby. I wish I could share that with Chale but now isn’t the moment. Sometime later when we can all catch up with the years of lost time? “But I have to wait until all this craziness is over,” he says looking at her with such tenderness I feel a twinge of envy.

  “I wish it was done with,” she says, running a hand through the short stubble of her hair. “All we want is just to carry on with our quiet, peaceful life. We don’t bother anybody and we don’t need anything.”

  “Then you’ve seen this kind of battle before?” I ask.

  Tanya finally acknowledges the rest of us as if she’s waking up out of a dream. “It happens at least once a year,” she says. “But each year it gets crazier. Bigger weapons, more explosions and closer and closer to us.”

  “That’s why we’re here,” says Junius. “We’re trying to put a stop to it all.”

  Her brows knit in a frown as she holds onto Chale’s arm. “You have no idea what kind of danger you’re getting into,” she says.

  “I think I know,” I say. “I’ve been up there already and had a good look around. That evil has to be stopped.”

  She looks me up and down as if she’s weighing me up. “Is this your girlfriend?” she asks Chale and her lips crinkle upwards in a smile.

  There’s an uncomfortable silence and I’m about to protest when Chale says, “No – but I’d like her to be.”

  Right then the blood rushes to my cheeks and I try to laugh it off – make a joke of it but when I catch a look at Junius’s face he’s deadly serious.

  “OK,” he says. “We’re on a life and death mission. I wish we could just sit here and reminisce but time’s running out.”

  I’m a bit surprised at Junius’s acid tone. “Maybe you can help us, Tanya,” I say, trying to change the subject.

  “Anything,” she says. “As long as it helps my – my – son.”

  Chale puts his arms around her shoulder and pulls her to him.

  “How can we get our hands on more of these?” I ask, motioning Sileas to take out the laser gun.

  “It’s tough,” says Tanya, “but it’s possible. Those security guards might be brawny but they’re not exactly smart. The guns are kept in a storage facility beyond the first checkpoint but you can bypass the security check if you cross through the woods behind our sanctuary. You’ll soon see the two-story silver storage building. It doesn’t take much to distract those guys and sneak in. You’ll see.”

  “Then we can cross through your sanctuary?” I ask.

  “I’ll tell Frankie and Blair to hold off with the shovels,” she says. “Let’s go.” Chale links arms with her and they lead the way.

  The Sanctuary residents line up in rows to watch as we cross through. I try not to snoop but I notice that beyond the front lines of the middle-aged and able-bodied are white-haired feeble looking people, some of them in wheelchairs. They remind me of Lynette and her grandma and the tightness in my throat feels like guilt. Why can’t I share what I have with them? But the bigger question is would it be a good thing? I’ve never had to think of that until now. Before all this when we lived in the compound we just took it for granted
that we would all live forever – and always be nineteen. Now I’m starting to question the whole idea.

  Tania points out a rough forest track that leads to the security headquarters. “They don’t monitor this part very closely,” she says. “I guess they think we’re just a bunch of washed up old fogeys.”

  “Big mistake,” I say. “Those guys look like they could do some damage with the shovels.”

  She laughs. “Oh you mean Blair and his bodyguards. They do come in useful sometimes.”

  “Maybe we could use them,” says Chale turning back to Junius. “We might need more bodies later.”

  “Any time,” says Tania. “You know where to find us.”

  After a tearful goodbye we leave Tanya in the forest. Chale keeps looking back at her, watching until she’s out of sight. “I’m happy for you,” I say, squeezing his hand.

  “This changes everything,” he says. “Now I’m really determined to get rid of these parasites. Then we can all be happy.” He looks straight at me with those deep blue eyes and I remember the great time we had at the Beachside Club when I wore the pink bikini he bought me. I’m so confused now I don’t know what to think. First Junius and now Chale. I push the problem to the back of my mind and try to focus on the present. We have a job to do and it’s not going to be easy so I just nod my head and smile.

  After a long struggle through the tangle of bushes and roots the path comes to an end at a wire fence.

  “It could be live,” I say.

  Sileas takes a long twig and throws it at the wire. There’s a sudden shower of blue sparks.