by J. R. Tate
Just a few short yards and they’d be out from under the weather. Lightning flashed between the clouds and a loud clap of thunder echoed and shook the ground. And to Steve’s surprise, the antenna farm was unscathed, like it was the most perfect place on the planet to be. And how were there lights on in the cabin? Were the antennas, or whatever the hell they were, being used for electricity? Was this where they needed to relocate to survive?
They got as close as they could to the fence lined with razor wire, getting their first up close view at the antennas. Steve had no idea what they were looking at – what was this, a movie?”
“They look like poles with helicopter blades on top,” Darryl observed. “And it’s secure. No one would be able to get through this razor wire.”
Steve was afraid to even touch the chain link fence. What if it was electrified and zapped him? Keeping a few feet away, he heard the hum off of the antennas and looked up, the sky completely clear, the blue replaced by a blanket of stars. Nightfall was on them but whoever was staying in the cabin hadn’t gone to bed yet – every light seemed to be on and if they wanted to find Ryan, they’d eventually have to run across someone who could give them some information.
“How could this...” Steve trailed off, continuing to study the antennas. “Darryl, I think someone is controlling the weather.” It sounded insane once he said it out loud but it was the only conclusion he could come up with.
“What makes you think that?” the older man asked, getting closer to the fence than Steve was comfortable with.
“Did you see what happened. A perfect blue sky transitioned from beautiful cirrus clouds to a massive wall of winter weather that quickly shifted east, away from right here. And look at this place – there’s no chance in hell they were hit by any of the tornadoes. There’s no way they could’ve rebuilt all of this with the limited supply and lack of time. Not with the way the weather has been hindering everything we’ve tried to do.”
“How is that even possible?”
“I don’t know, but I think these weird looking metal poles with helicopter blades might have a little to do with it.”
Darryl cocked his head to the side as he looked at the machinery that Steve was referring to. “But, why? Why would anyone want to cause the damage and death that this is, if your assumption is correct about what is happening?”
“I don’t know, Darryl. I’m hoping we’ll find out shortly.” Steve patted the mane on his horse and took a deep breath. This was going to take courage but he had to do it for Ryan. And something deep inside told him this went a lot deeper than saving their friend and son. This was to save all of what was left of mankind. “Darryl, how much ammunition do you have on you at this moment? We’re going to need every bit of what you have.”
~~
Ryan woke up to darkness. Any time he moved, his head pounded to the rhythm of his pulse, and when he realized he was alone in an unknown place, his heart raced, accentuating the horrible pain that shot down his neck and into his spine. Licking his lips, they felt cracked, and very little moisture was on his tongue. There was a stale taste in his mouth and his body instantly craved water.
Due to the dark, he was disoriented. Where was he and how long had he been there? Crawling on the floor, he attempted to get into a sitting position, which made his head hurt even worse, making him dizzy. He fought vertigo, closing his eyes in an attempt to get the world to stop spinning. He had to get a handle on things – he needed his memory to come back so he could figure out exactly what was going on with him.
His arms were handcuffed behind his back, the metal digging into his wrists. His shoulders ached from the awkward position he had been laying in, and as he sat up, the strain on his muscles made it almost impossible to do anything other than stay lying on the dirty floor beneath him. Finally maneuvering into a somewhat comfortable position, Ryan leaned his head back against the wall, thankful he was able to find a spot up next to one.
Trying to rehash the last few hours, Ryan’s memory finally came back, hitting him blindside. He was stuck in the badlands of New Mexico at an apparent weather manipulation farm that Mike had been a part of. The helicopter-like antennas, the perfect weather, and the acres of metal poles where the controlling of the atmosphere took place. And Mike’s harsh words about Cecilia – right before Ryan was shoved down the steps into the cave of darkness.
The thought of what was transpiring right above him made his anger flare. All for money. All for power. And for them to work with another country made it even worse – Mike was a traitor, plain and simple. And Ryan thought he knew the man. How could he be capable of such evil? Ryan wondered how the man was able to sleep at night, knowing that millions of people had died by his hand. If they wiped out the entire population, where would they even be able to spend the money?
He had to try and find a way out. There was no telling how long he had been locked up and what he and the other man had been up to. His name escaped Ryan – Calvin? It started with a C, but his name was the least of Ryan’s worries.
Kicking his legs out in front of him, he forced himself to a standing position, ignoring every one of his body’s warnings to sit still. Standing made the other injuries obvious – his back ached, his legs felt like noodles, and of course, the pounding headache that wouldn’t go away. He feared a concussion but just like the other man’s name, that wasn’t his worry. His worry was getting out of the dark room and stopping Mike and the other guy from doing even more damage.
He had no gun or any type of weapon – Mike had been diligent about taking all of that away from him. The only thing he might be able to get away with was escaping and trying to get back to Harper Springs to bring back more manpower, but the idea of trekking all the way back through the snow and ice was daunting. He didn’t have a horse anymore so it would all have to be accomplished on foot, and with his current health conditions, he probably wouldn’t make it back alive.
There really wasn’t another option. No matter what he decided to do, he’d be a dead man. If he stayed there, he would have to take on Mike and his friend with his bare hands, likely losing that battle. And if he went back to Harper Springs, he’d die when the next cold front blew in.
Ryan tried hard not to panic. He began to pace, his hands still bound by the metal cuffs. With each second that passed, his heart raced, his head pounded, and he contemplated his very few options. This wasn’t going to work. He wasn’t going to get out in time to save the people who were lucky enough to still be alive. Or maybe they weren’t lucky – maybe they were all better off succumbing to the deteriorating conditions around them. They had all suffered enough.
Leaning against the wall again, his back slid down it until he was in a sitting position again. Ducking his head, he closed his eyes. Both Cecilia’s and Ty’s face flashed before him. He couldn’t give up. He couldn’t let it end like this.
The door at the top of the steps squeaked open and a bright light seeped in, hindering Ryan from being able to see who was standing at the top. Their silhouette looked a lot like Mike’s but until the man spoke, he would have to assume that was who it was.
“Get your ass up, Ryan. I’ve got a few things to show you before I kill you.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Steve and Darryl edged closer to the cabin. It wasn’t inside of the fence where the mysterious antennas were kept but with the lights on, they were able to see right inside. There were two men in the living room but they weren’t close enough to be able to tell who they were.
Steve slid off his horse and tied it to a tree. Though it wasn’t comforting to think about leaving his means of transportation behind, they’d be able to hide a lot easier if they weren’t high up on one. Darryl followed suit, both men slouching low as they stepped even closer to the cabin. Sweat dripped down into Steve’s eyes, burning them, which was odd considering the winter wasteland that surrounded them in all directions.
They had no real plan on what they were going to do. They weren’t eve
n sure if Ryan was in the house. They could at least corner whoever was in the living room and try to get answers out of them. The world they lived in now meant every man for themselves – there were no laws, no cops, and if they wanted to hold someone at gunpoint they could. There would be no aggravated assault charges, no hearings, and most of all, no prison time. It was good to know that but it was also scary to know that. Anarchy was exploding everywhere and the good, honest people were stuck right in the middle of it.
There was talking going on but it was a murmur, muffled by the walls that separated them from inside. They were close enough now to the cabin to touch it, and Steve took a deep breath, glancing over at Darryl who looked calm. How could he be? This was an intense situation that neither of them knew how it would play out.
Clenching his fists, Steve felt the heavy weight of the gun in his pocket. Should he go ahead and draw it now to have it ready? That could be a huge mistake. What if he got trigger happy and shot at the first sign of danger, accidentally hitting Ryan? He couldn’t allow himself to make such a futile mistake.
“When do you want to make a move?” Darryl asked, his voice low that Steve almost didn’t hear him.
“I guess there’s really not a perfect time to go in there.”
“I think I heard Ryan’s voice.”
“Which means we have to be careful. They could go crazy and just start shooting. Or he could be hit by friendly fire.”
Darryl nodded, clenching his jaw as he peered through the window. “He’s in there. So is Mike.”
“Do they look like they are arguing?” Steve asked, trying to get a better idea of the scene playing out in front of them.
“No, but Ryan’s hands are cuffed behind his back.”
“Shit...” Steve muttered. “We better move before they take him somewhere. What about guns or weapons?”
“I can’t tell. Mike’s back is to me.” Darryl ducked quickly, making Steve follow. He didn’t say anything but his eyes moved up toward the window, letting Steve know that they needed to be completely quiet and still. Steve tried to steady his breathing – they couldn’t allow a stupid mistake ruin the progress they had made in locating Ryan.
“I’m ready to make a move when you are, Darryl,” Steve whispered. “No more playing around. Let’s do this.”
~~
Ryan stood in the living room, his eyes staying on the two guns pointing at him. Cal and Mike both had one on them and at any second, Ryan predicted one would lose his cool or nerve and pull the trigger, seriously hurting Ryan or mortally wounding him. He felt his heart beat in his chest, so hard that he feared he would eventually have a heart attack from the strain on the organ.
“Why is it so important to you to show him how this works?” Cal asked Mike, looking from him back to Ryan.
“Just thought it’d be interesting. Besides, he won’t be able to use it, anyway. He’s a dead man walking. Just thought he might enjoy the last thirty or so minutes of his life learning about something he’ll never be able to fix. And so he’ll know what his precious family will be dealing with for the rest of their lives.”
The mention of Cecilia and Ty made Ryan want to attack both of them, but the odds were against him. Two guns against him being unarmed and he was also handcuffed behind his back. He didn’t stand a chance of even hurting one of them before they would be able to get a shot off on him.
“Look at him, not even saying anything. This is the quietest I’ve ever seen you, Ryan.” Mike mocked him, patting him on the cheek. “Like I said earlier, I’ll take real good care of Cecilia for you.”
Ryan clenched his jaw. There was no need to stoop to Mike’s level. He needed to figure out a way to get out of this but nothing was coming to mind. If he ran, he wouldn’t get far on foot, especially without the use of his arms and hands.
“Shut up, Mike! Let’s get him out there and get this over with. I’ve got to try and call back in – no one is answering their phone anymore and I’m wondering if one of these last systems we brewed up killed off our allies.” Cal paced, raking his hand through his hair, his brow tense. “If that’s the case, there goes our paycheck. There goes our main source of income.”
“Then stop while you’re ahead,” Ryan replied.
Cal looked him in the eye, a smirk forming on his lips. “You gotta be kidding me. It’s not just the money I’m liking. It’s the power. And I’m not going to stop. We are safe here. As you can see, a piece of land untouched, free for us to do what we need.”
“And what good is it if you have wiped out the entire population on earth?”
“That’s where Cecilia comes in,” Mike laughed, shoving Ryan backward against the door. “Now get your ass moving. We need to get this over with. You’re nothing but a hiccup in our master plan.”
Ryan walked backward until Mike turned him around, both men directly behind him as they walked toward the pasture where the weather control antennas were. The hum got louder as they approached and Ryan felt the bile rise in the back of his throat. His hands felt sweaty and he balled up his fists, feeling the cold metal dig into his already damaged skin. This couldn’t be happening. After everything they had gone through, all of the rebuilding and planning for the future, only for him to finally get a glimpse of what was going on, an answer for everything he had questioned, to be killed, leaving Cecilia and Ty left behind to suffer.
They walked past several antennas until Mike grabbed Ryan’s arm, stopping him in mid-step. He patted the metal pole, the hum even louder now that they were standing right under one. It appeared bigger than when Ryan initially saw them and from all of the wiring and construction, it had to have taken a genius to figure out how to get such a thing built and working correctly.
Cal circled around it, looking up at the blades in admiration, his smile wide. “The ions build up inside here.” He pointed to the larger part of the cylinder. “They build up and shoot the electricity up into the atmosphere. It responds with the ionosphere, developing massive super cell thunderstorms and winter weather events. It also has the power to completely clean out the air, which in turn caused the drought and high temperatures that came right before winter. It caused a high pressure system, which hindered any type of rain or system to even form.”
“Do you decide what type of weather it does?” Ryan asked, though he really didn’t want to know. What good would this information do him now?
“We’re working on that but haven’t got it fine tuned just yet.”
“By the way this got out of hand, it doesn’t look like you’ve gotten any of it fine tuned,” Ryan said, not even feeling the need to hold back anymore. As Mike had said, he was a dead man walking.
Mike backhanded him across the face, jolting any previous injuries, the pain searing through Ryan. He felt warmth trickle on his lip, reopening the gash on it.
Cal smiled again, though it wasn’t from amusement. It had evil written all over it – he had no regard for other human life. The money and power had definitely blinded him.
“The ionosphere responds to the electricity depending on what season we’re in. Spring time led to tornadoes, summer was bad temperatures and no rain, and now here we are in winter. It did make winter come earlier than usual due to the overload of additions in the atmosphere.”
Ryan took a deep breath and licked his lip, tasting the blood again. “Who taught you all of this? How did you know how to do it?”
Cal shrugged and looked toward Mike. “I’m ex-military. We talked about weather control all the time. Meteorological warfare was a big topic, we just never actually did it. When I got out, I ran with the idea. Other countries were for it. I finally got enough funding from interested parties and the rest is history.”
“And your plan was to completely kill everyone? I bet those interested parties are dead along with everyone else. How’s that for a good plan?” Ryan cringed, expecting another slap from Mike but it didn’t come.
“Like I said, we are working on it. But with those interested pa
rties out of the way, we are on top. Nothing can touch us now.”
Ryan went to ask another question but Mike cut him off. “Okay, enough talking. The sooner we get you taken care of, the sooner I can get Cecilia back here and start repopulating the planet.” He shoved Ryan and it took everything he had to keep his balance. Vertigo hit him and he was able to stay standing, knowing that wouldn’t last long.
“Get on your knees!” Cal yelled, the echo of his voice sounding like it carried for miles.
Ryan hesitated but did as he was told, kneeling on the hard ground in front of both men. He looked up at Mike, right in the eyes. “You used to be a respectable man, Mike. A good chief that I loved working under.”
“Shut the hell up! Your guilt trip isn’t going to talk me out of this!” Mike held the gun up, the barrel point blank against the top of Ryan’s head. “Any last words before I off you? Anything you want to tell your wife?”
The metal barrel was pushing into Ryan’s scalp and he could think of a million things he wanted to say, none that were Mike or Cal’s business. Hopefully she knew what was heavy on his heart.
“Tell her I love her.”
With that last statement, Ryan squinted his eyes closed as two gunshots rang out. He didn’t feel any pain. When he opened his eyes, he was right where he had knelt just minutes before. Mike was sprawled out in front of him, his eyes wide open, staring up at the sky. Cal was in almost the same position, both men shot in the head, their glossy expressions confirming that they were dead.
He tried to get up off his knees and figure out exactly what had happened. He felt someone’s hand help him to a standing position and his heart skipped a beat when he saw both his father and Steve by his side.
“I’ve never been happier to see you two than I am right now,” Ryan said, feeling a natural grin on his lips. “What brings you by?”
Steve kicked the guns away from both men even though it was pretty apparent that they wouldn’t be able to use them ever again. “Decided to show up just in time. So, what did you learn about these things?” Steve patted the pole that Cal had just been pacing around, informing Ryan of their capabilities.
