The Forever Ones (The Iduna Project)

by DeLuca, Marjorie

  “Be patient,” says Junius, “and all your questions will be answered very soon.” Then he disappears into a small cabin at the front of this flying transporter. I wonder what exactly he has in store for us.

  Chale pulls me down onto the bench beside him and rustles around in the bulky cloth bag by his feet. He pulls out an apple, a chocolate chip cookie and a wedge of cheese and offers them to me. I don’t waste a second. I eat the apple – core and all, inhale the cookie in one bite and gulp down the cheese so fast everyone’s staring at me when I’m done.

  “Someone has an appetite,” says Carl, his wrinkled face creasing up with laughter. “I’ve never seen food disappear so quickly.”

  “Holy crap, Paige,” says Chale. “You hardly took a breath.”

  “I can’t remember the last time I ate,” I say, wiping my sleeve over my mouth. “Now I need a drink.”

  While I’m polishing off a carton of orange juice Chale, Ida, Toby and Kumaresh fill me in on the details of what happened. Toby and Edelia had no trouble finding Kumaresh and gathering a group of eight other forevers including Hogan and Sulia to escape the compound and provide backup. Edelia managed to convince the guards at the loading dock that there’d been a huge demand for more feeders because of the invasion of the Crime Lords.

  “I saw how you lived down there,” says Toby, holding onto my hand. “For so many years you never smelled fresh air or felt the ocean breeze on your face. Now I know why you were desperate to get away.”

  “Hey – they pumped in ozone,” said Chale. “That was the closest thing to real air that we had.”

  Once outside they picked up Carl and met with the others at the Sanctuary.

  “Tania – I mean my Mom – even came along with Frankie, Blair and a couple of others to help us,” says Chale.

  “Where is she?” I said, suddenly remembering Chale’s vow to come back for her.

  “She wanted to stay there,” says Chale bowing his head. “Said she was safe in the Sanctuary – and was afraid that as an old’un she could be in danger somewhere else.”

  “I’m sorry,” I say, touching his arm.

  He shakes his head and continues to tell me how after I first went off with the security guards they weren’t sure whether to go after me but Junius persuaded them to carry out the mission because he knew I’d be able to look after myself. Luckily only a skeleton staff was left on guard since everyone had been called to the front lines. With the extra weapons they broke through all security barriers and reached the feeder pod in no time but they had to wait for a long while until the pod doctors unhitched all the feeder tubes.

  “I asked those guys over and over – how can you use people like this,” says Chale. “But they wouldn’t answer. I even put a gun to the head of the chief doctor – still no explanation.”

  “Those guys are programmed,” says Edelia, speaking up for the first time. “There’s an intense conditioning process they go through so they couldn’t explain what they’re doing even if they wanted to. It’s the same for all of us. We have no choice. If we’re not brainwashed then they threaten our families.” She starts to look teary and I notice Carl’s arm move protectively around her. He gazes at her adoringly as if she’s a perfect goddess and she nestles her head on his shoulder.

  “After they’d had time to wake up from the drugs we led them all out of the pods and just stood there for a while wondering what to do next,” says Ida.

  “Yeah – in all that planning we hadn’t even thought about what we’d do with them,” says Chale.

  “I mean they could’ve gone to live in Realtown,” says Toby. “It’s a pretty good place when you’re young.”

  “Then Junius told us not to worry – said he had it all planned, so we followed him” says Chale. “On the way to the Sanctuary we stopped at this huge clearing and next thing we know there’s a whirring and beating and something’s blowing the trees so hard they’re leaning sideways. We look up and there’s this massive silver machine hovering over us.”

  “Yeah – it looks kinda like a fat dolphin with wings,” says Toby. “I mean I’ve seen pictures of airplanes from the old picture books but none of them looked like this.”

  “It stayed up in the air above us then a hatch opened and two ladders dropped out. We climbed up without another thought and here we are,” says Chale. “Food’s good and we actually got some sleep.”

  “But who found me?” I ask. “And how soon after you were picked up.”

  “That part’s a little foggy,” says Chale. “We were all so tired we passed out and next thing we know Junius wakes us up and says he found you down at the Sanctuary in your burning transporter.”

  “So you never actually saw it,” I say.

  “I guess not,” says Chale. “We just took his word for it.”

  I sit back on the bench. My head hurts again and I wonder if we can take Junius’s word for anything ever again.

  34

  I must have fallen asleep again because I’m woken by someone shaking my arm.

  “Paige – you gotta see this,” says Chale’s frantic voice. “Quick or you’ll miss it.”

  Though my brain is still foggy I let him pull me upright and drag me towards the long squares of light at the end of the cabin. Everyone’s crowded around and looking through the windows that glow bright blue with the morning sky. I push through and find a space but I’m totally unprepared for what I see below me. Far down below, enormous curved white pillars emerge like swan’s necks from a vast bluish lake and from them, sparkling jets of water shoot upwards into the air. Beyond the lake I see many domed grey and white buildings and in the distance a vivid patch of green dotted all over with rows of neat, white windmills. Their slender necks glow like ivory bones, their blades whirr in the wind. At the far end of the green lawn I see a long white building – an older house with windows all along its front wall and a curved frontage with pillars. Red flowers surround another large fountain.

  “Where are we?” I ask, excited to see somewhere else other than the run down streets of Tinsel-town. “I’ve never seen anywhere like this.”

  “I guess Junius kept some secrets from us,” says Chale.

  “I read about a place like this once,” says Toby. “In a history book. It used to be a capital of something but I can’t remember what. They never taught us about this in school.”

  I feel like I’ve missed out on everything. I don’t know anything about the world and its real history. All I know is what the Iduna Company chose to teach me. I can’t let that get me down now though, not when I see we’re getting closer and closer to that long, green lawn until we’re hovering above it. There’s a crowd of people assembled down below and a man in a white uniform holds two yellow wands that he uses to guide us down. Before we can take it all in there’s a slight bump as we touch down. I have no idea where we are but there are many people waiting to greet us and they look pretty happy that we’re here. Suddenly Junius bursts in from the front cabin, his face alight with excitement. I’ve never seen him look so happy. He stands in front of us all and seems to struggle for words.

  “I know you all have lots of questions about where we are and why we came here but all I can say is you’re in a safe place with people who care about you. You’ll be taken to comfortable living quarters where you’ll be examined by expert doctors to see that you’ve suffered no long term effects from your time in the pods. Once that’s all done then we’ll take our time figure out everything you need to live an independent, free and happy life. I’ll try to answer your questions gradually but you’ll have to be patient. Please start to exit the plane and someone will guide you to your quarters. There’ll be food and clothing provided.”

  I stand back with Chale and the others while the feeders file out of the plane. Some of them look so pale and weak I’m relieved they’ll get immediate medical attention. Strangely Junius directs Carl and Edelia to go with the other feeders. Carl looks at me as if he’s waiting for my approval and I’m
not sure what to do.

  “We’ll come and find you afterwards,” I say. “Don’t worry.”

  He goes without question and I feel sorry for the fact that he’s been such a victim all his life. We made a promise to set things right for him and I’ll do everything to make sure that happens. When there’s just me, Chale, Ida and Kumaresh left I wonder what will happen to us. I have no intention of living in any kind of compound. In fact I’ve never really had the time to figure out what I want to do with my forever life now I’m free.

  “I have different plans for you guys,” says Junius surprising me from my thoughts. “There’s someone very special I want you to meet but we have to get out of here. Let’s go.”

  Junius takes me by the arm as we step out into the open air. All I can think of is how fresh the air smells as if it’s filled with the scent of herbs and grass and flowers. The sun is warm, not stifling as it had been in Tinsel-Town and as we climb down the steps the waiting people draw back and make a path for us. I notice they’re dressed in simple light tunics and pants – some white, some beige or pale blue. The men are clean shaven and smiling, the women all have long hair scraped back into elaborate twists and braids. As we pass they touch our arms and shoulders, whispering words of welcome. There’s a feeling of joyous energy in the air. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything quite like this before. I stop suddenly feeling the throb of tears in my throat. Why have I always felt like I didn’t belong anywhere, yet these people are making me feel like I’m the most important guest to show up in years? Junius notices my hesitation and takes me by the arm. He stops to kiss the occasional person on the cheek as if he hasn’t seen them for a long time. I realize then that he had never belonged in the Iduna Compound. This is his home and he’s making a triumphant return. I try not to think of all the questions that flood into my head, the most nagging one being why did he come to the compound in the first place?

  Soon we’re standing at the grand front doors of the big house dwarfed by the massive white pillars that frame the entrance. The air is filled with the rhythmic flak flak of the windmills and just above us a flag snaps and twists on its pole, the blue stars on it arranged in a circular peace sign.

  “It’s time for some of your questions to be answered,” says Junius turning to us. “I hope then that you’ll understand why I came to help you.”

  We stand silently while the glass doors swish open letting us into a long, white hallway lined with pale marble columns and gleaming with polished stone floors. Lush green plants and dewy white flowers burst out of planters in every alcove and up above pale white discs of light glow in the shadows. This is the home of someone very powerful and I wonder just how Junius is involved with it. He stops in front of two large doors that are just slightly ajar.

  “The time has come for you to meet the person in charge of all this,” he says. “My friends, you’re about to meet my mother.

  35

  “President Marcia Caffrey, 39th President of the Union of Peaceful States,” says Junius as we cross over the threshold into a grand circular room. In the tawny half-light of evening I see a woman silhouetted in front of the wall of windows. Barefoot and clad in black, her hands trace graceful movements through the air while her eyes focus on the windmills outside on the lawn.

  “She’s in a Tai Chi trance,” he whispers then sneaks up to tap her shoulder. “Mother – snap out of it.”

  She immediately wheels around, shrieks, “Junie,” and enfolds him in a hug. “Why didn’t they tell me you’d arrived?” Then she holds him at arm’s length to look at him and starts all over again with the hugging. “You’ve grown up, my boy,” she says and I detect the sound of a sob catching her throat. Suddenly I realize that Junius is different from us. He isn’t a forever. Junius will grow old and die while I’ll go on and on. Something inside me wants to yell how unfair it all is – how I’ve just taken it for granted that he’ll always be around but before I can let that thought go any further Junius urges us forward to meet this important woman.

  “Mom – these are my friends – the people who’ve been beside me every step of the mission.” He begins to introduce us starting with Kumaresh and I know I’ll be the last. In the meantime I take a close look at her. Long black hair with tiny threads of grey scraped back into a loose ponytail, a tiny diamond piercing nestles above the flare of her nostril, her brows are strong and arched over those coppery eyes, her lips full and curved. I haven’t seen many middle-aged people but I’d say she’s a little younger than Chale’s Mom.

  “And this is Paige,” says Junius, presenting me like I’m the final prize. I step forward hesitantly and feel the full intensity of her gaze on my face.

  “Paige – I’ve heard so much about you,” she says. “I thank you for being so good to my son.”

  A little embarrassed, I nod. “I wish I had known about you,” I say. “This is quite a surprise for all of us.”

  “I understand,” she says, taking my hand in hers. Her grip is bold and confident. “But absolute secrecy was necessary for the whole mission to succeed.”

  “Then now’s the time for some answers,” says Chale, speaking in a voice I’ve never heard him use before. “You haven’t told us why we’re here. And besides, we haven’t completed our mission.”

  I know I have to back him up. “Chale’s right. While there’s still an Iduna Compound a steady supply of feeders our work isn’t finished.”

  “Believe me, I understand,” she says, smiling and ushering us towards some creamy cotton sofas. “Just relax here for now and I’ll get you something to drink.”

  We sink back into the soft chairs as she speaks into a small screen on the wall. Junius settles down in a chair beside her long glass desk like he’s right at home. He seems like a different person to me now. Someone I don’t really know. The President turns back to us.

  “First of all I want you all to address me as Marcia. We don’t go for formality here. Agreed?” she looks at us as if waiting for an answer and we all nod our heads. “ Second – you are now in Carter City, capital of the Union of Peaceful States. Let me tell you something about us. About fifty years ago this country was ruled by a greedy, corrupt government who drove us trillions, zillions, quadrillions of dollars into the red. Until no-one could even comprehend the extent of what was actually owed. We were in crisis. The entire financial system came crashing down like a house of cards. Dollars were printed like party invitations until the smaller bills were worth less than a sheet of toilet paper. We were completely dependent on oil and when the supply became too expensive we faced a complete breakdown of society as we knew it. That’s when my predecessors came into power. The first female president of this country swept into power like a new broom. Her secret? Speak the simple truth, cut the bull and use natural sources of energy. Wind, sun, water and waves – all clean, all renewable. Our motto was simple - we want a Clean, Cooperative, Peaceful and Independent country and we achieved it. We grow our own food, provide our own energy, produce our own goods and we do everything in harmony with our environment. You’ll see when Junius gives you a tour around the city.”

  “I saw how beautiful everything is when we were landing,” I say as a blond man in a white tunic enters with a tray filled with tall glasses of juice.

  “Thank you, Nils,” she says, helping him hand out the glasses. “This is pure apple peach juice from our own orchards.”

  “This tastes amazing,” I say, feeling my whole body tingle. “Like liquid fruit.”

  “It took people a few decades to rediscover the taste of real food,” says Marcia. “When oil was king everyone was eating fake processed junk with no nutritional value,” says Junius, downing his glass of juice and wiping his arm across his mouth. “They were so dosed up with salt and sugar they couldn’t taste anything.”

  “Not to mention the obesity epidemic,” says Marcia. “The rates of heart disease, diabetes and cancer had skyrocketed. That’s when all the research began on extending life ex
pectancy.”

  “So how does Iduna Corp fit into this?” I ask, though I have my suspicions.

  “They were the biggest of the biotech companies on the West Coast and somehow, during their research they went further than just extending life,” says Marcia moving towards the window again.

  “When they found the secret of reversing the aging process it was top secret – at first,” says Junius.

  Marcia’s brows knit in a frown as she turns to us. “There’d have been riots in the streets if people had found out. Things were very youth oriented then – especially in the major cities. The young people blamed the older ones for the financial crisis. There were attacks on seniors and widespread discrimination. Some people even talked about forced euthanasia for people over a certain age. So the idea of turning back time and being young forever was such a hot issue it became the prize everyone wanted to control. That’s when Iduna went underground to continue its research, but it was only a matter of time before the people with money and power got hold of it.”

  “And as you discovered, Paige, there was a hostile takeover by some of the original forevers and now Tinsel-town and its surrounding land up to the mountains is basically an independent state with full control of the youth serum and enough weapons to protect its borders.” Junius sits back while we take all this in. “It’s the only place in the world that has a pure form of the serum – with no side effects.”

  “We’ve known about what’s going on there for the last twenty years,” says Marcia.

  “Then why haven’t you done anything before,” I say. “How can one small area like that control something so important?”

  “We can’t match their weapons,” says Junius. “And we don’t know who’s supplying them.”

  “And for many years we were more focused on changing our energy sources as well as promoting peace in our country,” says Marcia. “We were sick of war. Eighty years ago it ruined everything. Innocent people died for nothing and the rich and powerful profited”