The Nano Experiment

by Wid Bastian

  “Iss Konge has been preparing for this. He will get us out of the city and to safety. The government cannot find us if Iss Konge does not want us to be found.”

  “What about all the other kids in the school?” Trixie asked.

  “I’ll come back for them when the time is right. They should have the choice to leave too. Right now though I must go and I want all of you to go with me. I know it’s a radical thing I’m asking you to do. I’m asking for your trust. I’m asking you to think for yourselves.”

  “What will it be like where were going?” Dash asked. “Are we going to live in caves or out in open like the Iss?”

  “We will have a place to live much like where we are living right now. Remember, Iss Konge didn’t just think up this plan yesterday. Like the government, he has been waiting for us for a long time.”

  “He’s been waiting for you, Neron. We’re just along for the ride,” Cenik said.

  “That’s not true. We can change the world. All of us are special, not just me. All of us are needed.”

  “When do we leave?” Ezsra asked.

  “Yeah, I’m in,” Trixie said.

  “Cenik?” Neron asked.

  “Give me until the morning to consider your words. I promise you I wont say anything to the government no matter which way I chose to go,” Cenik said.

  “Fair enough. Where’s Dash?” Neron asked, looking around.

  Dash was gone.

  Chapter Thirty Four

  At three a.m. the Capitol City military airfield was thinly staffed. Every half an hour patrol aircraft would arrive and leave, but there were usually no other outbound flights until dawn.

  This morning, however, there was a flight scheduled from Capitol City to a remote air base on an island in the North Sea. The stated purpose of the flight was to deliver some desperately needed medical supplies to a colony. Evidently a nasty strain of flu had broken out and a vaccine was urgently required. The flight plan said the plane would deliver the vaccine, refuel and immediately head back to the capitol.

  As was the case with most flights of this nature, it was scheduled at the last minute by the medical authorities. The general overseeing the airfield only gave the paperwork a passing glance along with his rubber stamp of approval.

  Neron, Cenik, Trixie and Ezsra slipped out of their quarters at two a.m. and into a waiting vehicle. When they arrived at the airport, the driver had the paperwork necessary for them to enter. The kids were supposedly on a school sponsored excursion to meet with patrol flight crews and learn more about the day to day life of pilots in the air corps. These events were common and were normally scheduled at odd hours to avoid interference with routine military activities.

  The kids left the vehicle and proceeded to a portion of the terminal marked “Air Corps Only”. The guard examined their paperwork and led them inside. They were ordered to sit and wait in a small room.

  “Do we have a plan B?” Cenik asked.

  “No,” Neron said. “We either fly out of here or we all go to the brig.”

  “Nice,” Cenik said. “I might not go quietly.” As Cenik said this, he began to stretch and loosen up his body.

  “Easy,” Neron said. “So far, so good.”

  “We’re okay,” Ezsra said. She and Trixie were holding hands and sitting close together.

  “What about Dash? Has anyone heard from him?” Cenik asked.

  “Not since yesterday. He sent me a message saying, ‘Don’t worry’,” Neron said.

  “What does that mean?” Trixie asked.

  “I have no -.” Neron was cut short when three armed security personnel opened the door. They were clearly not ordinary soldiers, but military police.

  “Are you Neron?” one of the guards asked.

  “Yes,” Neron answered.

  “That’s him. I’ve identified the other three as well,” another guard said.

  “You need to come with us. Now,” the first guard ordered in an unpleasant tone.

  Cenik rose and Neron could tell he was ready to fight. Neron was confident he and Cenik could easily overwhelm the guards, but his instincts told him to remain calm and just go with the situation. Neron gestured Cenik to stand down. Cenik looked unhappy about the direction, but he obeyed.

  The guards led them out of the building they were in and to another one. This building was less secure than the first and there were more people around. The students were led through a series of doors and finally into a room marked “Flight Crew Only”.

  “Your meeting with the patrol flight officers has been cancelled,” the first guard said. “I’m afraid this transport crew will have to do. They’re leaving on a medical flight in a few minutes, but they have agreed to brief you on what they do and how they do it. You’ll even be given a tour of the plane.”

  Neron breathed a sigh of relief. Cenik was calmer too. Trixie and Eszra continued to hold hands and look frail and demure, as per the plan.

  Then the guard’s com device beeped. Using his earpiece the guard listened to a message. “Roger that,” the guard replied. Then he said, “We have a problem. You kids stay here. Kennesaw, keep an eye on them. I’m needed at the gate.”

  Cenik winced, but Neron continued to believe the situation was not dire.

  A few minutes later, the guard who left for the gate reappeared. “I need an explanation,” he said.

  “Sir?” Neron said. Cenik was on the edge of his seat and his birth marks were starting to glow.

  “If there was another group member, why didn’t you wait for him? Mr. Murphy was forced to wait at the main gate alone. He said you people left him behind at the school. Is that what they’re teaching you kids over there these days, to be rude and irresponsible?”

  As the guard was giving his lecture, Cenik sat back in his chair. Neron again took a deep breath of relief.

  “Where is Mr. Murphy?” Neron asked.

  “He was right…” The guard turned around and suddenly Dash appeared in the doorway.

  “Reporting as ordered sir,” Dash said in a mocking tone.

  “Sorry about leaving you behind, Dash. How thoughtless of us,” Neron said.

  “That’s okay. I had to keep an eye on some things. I used the extra time to make sure all was well.”

  “Can we-.”

  Two pilots stepped into the room from the rear door. “Are these the students?” the pilot asked. The guard confirmed the information with a nod. “Alright then, ready to see a transport plane kids?”

  “Beyond ready,” Cenik said.

  “Give us a call on the com when the tour is over and we’ll retrieve the youngsters,” the guard said.

  “I’ll be sure to do that,” the pilot replied with a flick of his hand as he walked off.

  They all followed the pilot out of the office and on to the flight line. The transport plane was ready for takeoff. All it needed was its passengers. Once inside the pilot said, “Strap in. We’re departing now. Lieutenant, radio in that we are touring the hangers; that will buy us thirty extra minutes. By the time the guards catch on we’ll be halfway to Greenland.”

  “You’re not returning?” Neron asked.

  “This is a one way trip, son,” the pilot replied.

  “The government doesn’t want its plane back?” Trixie asked.

  “I could care less what the government wants,” the pilot said. “The five of you were our mission. This plane belongs to the Iss now.”

  Chapter Thirty Five

  Neron watched through the window as they approached the coast of Greenland. He looked for an airfield but saw none. The plane was flying below the peaks and entering an enormous valley. It was slowly descending as if on approach. Suddenly huge doors opened in the mountainside directly ahead. The Iss airfield was hidden!

  In Neron’s eyes the Iss were shy little creatures peaking at him through the trees of New Fairbanks. He had not previously considered the fact that they might be technologically sophisticated. Iss Konge had enlightened him in this re
spect, but an airfield hidden inside a mountain? How powerful were the Iss? What else did they possess?

  Once inside the concealed air base it looked to Neron as if the Iss had somehow managed to hollow out an entire mountain. There were a dozen aircraft parked by the runway. As his plane taxied in, Neron could see both Iss and humans attending to business on the flight line. So there were humans here too. Neron imagined there must be after talking with Iss Konge, but until now he had not been completely sure.

  After deplaning, Neron and his friends were led inside an office area and then transported on a tram away from the aircraft and toward an area in the far recesses of the enormous cavern. Then they walked through what seemed to be an endless maze of hallways cut out of solid rock. Their Iss guide said nothing to them as they moved, but he appeared certain of their destination. Finally, they arrived at a door the Iss guide could not open on his own. They stood and waited. In a few seconds later the door clicked and opened.

  “Are we back in Capitol City?” Ezsra asked as she walked inside and looked down at the rows of people and computers connected to large visual displays.

  “What is this place?” Cenik asked Neron.

  “I don’t know any more than you do, maybe -.”

  “Welcome to our home,” Iss Konge said, appearing from a stairway that led up from the main floor. “I’ve received updates on your progress. Glad to see you made it out of Capitol City without a problem.”

  “Yes, how did you do that?” Trixie asked.

  “We have considerable resources,” Iss Konge replied.

  “Does the government know about all of this?” Cenik asked.

  “Not in any great detail, but they are aware of our residence in this area. They choose not to disturb us.”

  “Why? I mean -.”

  “Miss Leigh, isn’t it?” Iss Konge asked.

  “Yes, but call me Ezsra, please.”

  “We could really use your help. Have you ever programmed a Mark 5 mainframe?”

  “Yes, but only in a limited way. The government would never allow a kid to get her hands into -.”

  “If you’re interested, we’d like to make you a Senior Programmer here. There is a tech team waiting to meet you. They’re talented, but no where near your skill level.”

  “Are you serious?” Ezsra asked, not believing her ears.

  “You can start as soon as tomorrow if you’d like,” Iss Konge said.

  “Would I ever,” Ezsra said. “Yes, of course.”

  “As for you, Mr. Cenik, we are asking you to help train our troops. I’m afraid we lack proper drill instructors. While everyone here is very brave, many are not adequately prepared.”

  “You want me to be a drill instructor?” Cenik asked.

  “Essentially. You’re an expert at hand to hand combat. There are people and Iss here who desperately need your assistance.”

  “You mean that’s all I have to do? Combat training?”

  “Would you rather be doing other things? If so -.”

  “Oh no sir, I’m your man,” Cenik said.

  “Miss Staten.”

  “It’s Trixie, sir.”

  “Do you realize, as far as we know, that you are the only shape shifter alive? There were more of you years ago, but as of right now your talents are singular. Have you experimented much with your gift?” Iss Konge asked.

  “Yes, I suppose so. But I’m limited to only a few forms. When I try to become other things, especially inanimate objects, I fail,” Trixie said.

  “I believe we can help you. We have many different serums at our disposal. We have been working on both enhancing and controlling the interaction of the nanogene within humans for many, many years. It’s very possible we may have a formula that could help you express more vividly. Are you interested?”

  “Yes, but how will becoming more shapes help us here?”

  “You could be the ultimate spy, Ms. Staten. We believe when you shape shift you are undistinguishable from the object you become. We are master spies, adept at deception. You will be trained by the very best.”

  Trixie didn’t say anything, but she smiled at Neron. She was clearly happy to be here.

  “Mr. Murphy. Your skills are obvious. It is amazing how you move. Interested in getting even faster? I believe we can help you too.”

  “Count me in,” Dash said. “This place is off the charts.”

  “As for you, Neron. You know what we must do. I said the government has left us largely alone; solely because of the intelligence we provide for them and our constant assistance to the colonies. But they know you’re here. I’m almost positive what their response will be. We have…”

  Iss Konge was interrupted by a tall, lean man with white markings on his face who came up to him and whispered in his ear.

  “Let’s all take a look at this,” Iss Konge said. “Come with me.”

  Iss Konge lead the way briskly walking down the stairs to the main floor. Neron thought they were entering a central command center of some sort, but the Iss were not controlling armies. They were looking at people and places and, especially, at The Plague. They were, Neron realized, in the center of a giant surveillance facility.

  “Sir,” the Iss said, “these pictures were taken less than three hours ago. They are moving underground and congregating in Old Ottawa.” On the big screen were thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of The Plague. They were slowly inching their way north.

  “That’s an invasion force,” Neron said. “What else could it be?”

  “I agree,” Iss Konge said. “We have been aware of activity near Ottawa, but nothing near this scale.”

  “But The Plague haven’t attacked the capitol in ages. The radiation cannons alone would wipe them out,” Cenik said.

  “Cenik, do not discount the power of sheer numbers; all The Plague needs to do is open a hole and storm through. If they get inside the city and are able to engage people at close quarters, the radiation cannons are useless.”

  “Why now?” Neron asked. “It’s winter, too cold for them to function at full strength. I understand they have some sort of thermal barrier, but how effective is it?”

  “I’m afraid the answer to your question is you, Neron. Cassia is no doubt aware of your existence. She does not fear you as an individual, but if the government is able to duplicate your abilities, then they could conceivably destroy her armies.”

  “This is all my fault?” Neron said.

  “No, it’s not” Iss Konge said. “Look at me. It’s my fault, as I’ve told you. We cannot let The Plague destroy Capitol City. Despite the government’s excesses and corruption, there are tens of thousands of innocent civilians there.”

  “My family too,” Ezsra said.

  “We must warn them,” Iss Konge’s voice was sincere. “Then we must help them.”

  “Can we help them?” Neron asked. “Look at those formations. There must be millions of The Plague.”

  “We no longer have the luxury of time, Neron. We must accelerate your development. I will not force you to do so, it’s dangerous, but I do not think you could live with yourself if you stood by and did nothing.”

  “Help me, Iss Konge. I’ll do anything you ask. If I’m here, I’m here for a reason. This must be it.”

  Author(s) Bio

  Author Wid Bastian

  Wid Bastian is a novelist and screenwriter. His screenplay work includes the upcoming feature film Themi scheduled for release in 2016. As a ghostwriter, Wid has penned numerous novels and memoirs that have been published both in America and abroad. An avid scuba diver since the late 1980s, Wid loves the ocean in general and whales in particular. When he’s not working in Los Angeles, Wid enjoys being home in Logan, Utah with his fiancée Elaine, her two kids, four cats, a dog and other assorted critters.

  Author Ivan Castillo

  Ivan Castillo was born in Queens, New York and raised in Connecticut. From a young age, Ivan developed a powerful fascination with fantasy and science fiction. The inspira
tion for his many stories comes from lucid dreams. From these imaginings, he builds the framework for his novel and film concepts. In 2004, Ivan joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served his country for ten years both as a Marine and then as a military contractor in Afghanistan. Ivan returned to the States to stay in 2014 and now lives in San Diego, California where he works on his creative efforts and spends his free time in nature and with his loved ones.