Forager - the Complete Six Book Series (A Post Apocalyptic/Dystopian Series)

by Peter R Stone

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “And at six tomorrow morning, you will report to the janitor and tell him you’re on toilet cleaning duties for the rest of the month. Dismissed.”

  I bowed in respect and hurried from the room, heart still racing, well aware I had avoided being thrown back into the slammer by the skin of my teeth. From here on, I would report everything to Mr. Cho regarding Jazza’s group. I didn’t want to go through a lecture like that again.

  * * *

  I took Bhagya to meet the Freehome resistance group at the back of the Metallurgy Club the next day after school. She was wearing her baggy janitor outfit and a sports cap, having just finished a shift working undercover in the Custodians barracks. The resistance group didn’t try to imprison me this time, but begrudgingly opened the back door to allow us in.

  They ushered us into the staffroom, which had seen better days. Wallpaper was hanging off the walls in strips and a badly stained linoleum floor worn through in places. There was a mixture of sofas, recliners, and wooden seats that were one step away from being donated to the Recycling Centre.

  There were about a dozen guys in attendance, being an even mix of adults and students. I looked daggers at Patrick Tori as soon as I saw him, but he just smirked as though he didn’t have care in the world.

  Everyone sat, with Ryan, Bhagya and me sharing a triple seat sofa with a partially protruding spring that poked painfully into the back of my thigh. Our presence was causing quite a stir, going by the suspicious stares most of the guys were sending in our direction. A couple of them kept glancing at the door, afraid Custodians were going to come charging through at any moment.

  “Thanks a lot, buddy,” I whispered to Ryan. I didn’t have a chance to speak to him during the day, since he attended a staff meeting at lunchtime.

  “It was for your own good–”

  “I asked you to let me tell him in my own time.”

  “And when would that have been, exactly? After their next assassination attempt? A successful one, perhaps?”

  “Huh.”

  “Did he take you off the case?”

  “No. Just tore my head off, put me on toilet cleaning duties for a month, and told me to be more careful.”

  “You serious?”

  “You have any idea what that’s like? Cleaning the girls’ toilet block is one thing, but the men’s? Urine and footprints on the toilet seats, puddles of urine on the floor, and they don’t even flush half the time! You males are disgusting!”

  “Don’t change the topic, Chelsea. Are you telling me Mr. Cho still wants you in school after they tried to kill you?”

  “He doesn’t try to baby me like you do, Ryan,” I snapped.

  “That’s not it at all.”

  “So what is, then?”

  “You’re expendable.”

  “Really.

  “You two finished bickering?” Tori butted in, frowning, “I want to get this show on the road.”

  “Please,” Ryan said.

  Tori opened the meeting, briefly introducing Bhagya and myself, telling the others our stories in a nutshell. He then gave the floor to Bhagya, and she proceeded to tell them everything she told me about the Founders and geneticists. When she shared what she had heard about the chancellor’s secret Plan, the information caused a strong reaction, with everyone talking at once.

  “We need to know more details about the Plan, Miss Singhe,” Tori said when he managed to quieten everyone down. “That you believe it concerns the geneticists’ exhaustive pursuit of genetic modification worries me greatly.”

  “What do you think it means?” Ryan asked.

  “There’s insufficient information to make an informed guess, but I suspect it has something to do with the geneticists attempts to reverse engineer Dr. Zhao’s genetic enhancements. They must have a plan to use that information. How, I cannot guess.”

  “Chelsea and I will double our efforts to find out more about the Plan,” Bhagya said.

  “Thank you. If there is anything we can do to assist you, let us know.”

  “We will. Now, if you don’t mind, I have a question for you,” Bhagya said. “What steps are you taking to overthrow the government?”

  The question sent a wave of panic rippling through the room.

  “That information’s confidential,” Mr. Li said.

  Bhagya was not impressed. “You ask us to come here and tell you everything we’ve learned about the chancellor and geneticists, and ask us to further endanger our lives by investigating the chancellor’s top secret project. The least you can do is return the favour by telling us how you plan to end the chancellor’s evil reign of terror.”

  “Why is it so important to you, Miss Singhe?” Tori asked.

  “Because I want to join you in taking him down. Since the age of five I’ve been spying on the chancellor and the monsters in the lab, learning everything I could about them, watching and waiting for an opportunity to get revenge, to destroy them for what they’ve done to this town, to Dr. Zhao’s innocent biologically engineered children.”

  “You may as well tell them,” Ryan said. “If you want them to assist us effectively, they need to know what we are doing. Otherwise we could end up working at cross purposes.”

  “Very well,” Tori said, silencing Mr. Li’s protests with a glance. “Our primary goal, Miss Singhe, is the subversion of the Custodian paramilitary police force. For over seven years now, we have been working tirelessly in the schools and universities, in both Newhome Proper and North End, seeking out students sympathetic to our cause. We encourage students with the necessary aptitude and physical traits to join the Custodian Academy. When we have enough Custodians onside, we will stage a bloodless revolution. Those Custodians not sympathetic to our cause will be locked up. At the same time, we will storm the Chancellery and Geneticists Laboratory and arrest the chancellors and geneticists. We have also formed resistance cells throughout the town, each operating independently. The goal of these cells is to open the population’s eyes to the tyranny of the current administration, so that on the day of the revolution, the town will welcome the change in government and not oppose it out of fear.”

  “And what is this change of government?” I asked. “Will you establish a citizen elected democratic government? Will you scrap all of the Founders’ oppressive laws and give females equal rights? Will you allow citizens to come and go from the town as they please?”

  “All that and more,” Tori replied without hesitation.

  “Foragers sympathetic to our cause have made contact with foraging teams from towns such as Ballarat,” Mr. Li added. “We are aware of the freedoms enjoyed by the residents of all other Victorian towns, and will structure our town likewise.”

  “If you don’t mind my asking, how many of your people have infiltrated the Custodians, Tori?” Bhagya asked.

  “Over seventy.”

  “How many do you foresee you’ll need before you can stage this bloodless revolution? Bearing mind the Custodian’s number four hundred.”

  “About two hundred.”

  “How many sympathetic students are joining the Custodian force each year?”

  “Around ten to fifteen.”

  Bhagya glanced at me, her face as devoid of emotion as usual, but I got the impression she was not pleased. “So you’re talking about another seven to ten years before you’re ready to make your move? I’m sorry, but that’s going to be too late. The chancellor’s plan – whatever it is – is almost ready, I’m sure of it. You’re going to have to ramp up your efforts. We have months, maybe a year or two, before time runs out.”

  “We’re doing the best we can,” Tori replied. “If we move any faster we risk revealing our presence to the Custodians, and if that happens, they’ll arrest us all faster than you can blink. And then there will be no revolution.”

  “If you can’t move forward with your plan to infiltrate and take over the Custodians, then you need to find and implement a new strategy, one that will
be ready in a few months.”

  “Now that we are aware of the Plan, we will be putting our heads together to seek alternative courses of action,” Mr. Li said. “In the meantime, Miss Singhe, Miss Thomas, find out what the Plan entails as soon as you can and report back to us. If it is as dire and immediate as you suggest, we may well have to take much more radical steps than we have considered to date.”

  “Very well,” Bhagya said.

  With that, our involvement in the group’s meeting was over. Ryan saw us to the door, and went back inside.

  “Well, wasn’t that just a complete and utter waste of time,” Bhagya said as we threaded our way down the side of the building towards the street. “When you told me about this group, I had such high hopes it would be the ally we needed to help us set the town free.”

  “Don’t give up on them yet,” I said. “If we can find out what the Plan is and when they intend to implement it, maybe that will be the push this Freehome movement needs to come up with a better strategy. Maybe seventy Custodians will be enough.”

  “Your faith in them is misplaced, Chelsea. I’ve seen plenty of men like them. All talk, no action.”

  “Ryan’s not like that,” I said.

  “That remains to be seen.”

  On the way back to the lab, Bhagya and I brainstormed ways of trying to find out about the Plan, but we came up blank. As she had amply demonstrated, she had hacked the lab’s computer system, but it only gave her access to the first two floors. That included everything pertaining to the Specialists program and genetically engineered strains of vegetables, fruit and chickens. She said that the information we required was contained was on the fifth floor. And we had no access t that floor, not even through the air conditioning ducts.

  We needed a miracle.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  I was running out of time to complete my mission, so I followed Jazza, Stefan and Carver on their way home from school the next day, and the day after. I was hoping they would attend one of their resistant group’s meetings and lead me to the Patriot. I had to find out his identity before he began his terror campaign.

  I struck pay dirt on the second day. Stefan went off by himself, but Jazza and Carver played ball in the open area between two apartment blocks for an hour. After that, they made their way across town to the manufacturing district.

  Following at a distance, I watched them enter a rundown factory abandoned decades ago, the ground floor barely visible due to shrubs and bushes growing unchecked in the grassy area surrounding it. Coming slowly down the street, I quickly hid myself in a row of bushes along the sidewalk when I realised a sentry was on guard outside the building. I back tracked my steps, went around the block, and approached the building from the side, taking care not to be seen.

  Moving silently to avoid being spotted by the sentry near the front door, I opted for the side alley instead. Halfway down the dark path, I found a window, the glass missing and the storm shutter hanging off its hinges. I couldn’t hear any sounds coming from inside, so I climbed gingerly over the windowsill, brushing a sticky network of spider webs out of the way.

  I was in a storeroom lined with rows of battered, dust-covered aluminium shelving that stretched from floor to ceiling. Taking extra-special care not to make my presence known, I explored the factory, illuminated here and there by the occasional sunbeam coming through holes in the roof. Neatly stacked piles of rotting wooden pallets and rusting machinery were the only things I encountered until I stumbled upon a group of offices that fronted the street.

  I could hear voices coming from the rearmost office, the one that over looked the warehouse – probably belonged to the factory manager. Flickering light emanated from its large, cracked window. Spotting a hydraulic press set back a short distance from the office, I crept over to it. Then, using the press as cover, peeked into the room.

  I had to bite my tongue to keep from crying out, for in the midst of fourteen men and students sitting in a rough circle on wooden stools and desks, was none other than Bhagya Singhe. She sat beside Stefan, so I guessed he must have brought her here. Jazza and Carver were present, as to be expected, but I realised with a jolt that the man running the meeting was Mr. Fenton, the curly haired, outspoken PE teacher from school. Could he be the Patriot?

  “...and so without further ado, I would like to introduce Miss Bhagya Singe, who contacted us yesterday because she wants to join the Underground. Why don’t you tell us about yourself, Miss, and what you can offer the group,” Mr. Fenton said.

  Bhagya stood. “You’ve all heard about the Custodians ceaseless efforts to track down mutants, some rumoured to have advanced hearing as well as being able to see in the dark. Well, I am one of those people-”

  “We’re just going to take your word for that?” said a balding young man wearing factory overalls.

  Bhagya stepped closer to him. “I can hear better than dogs and can echolocate like a bat.”

  Another man laughed. “Echolocate like a bat – what does that even mean? Fenton, why did you bring this sheila here? She’s off her rocker.”

  “Show ‘em, Bhagya,” Jazza said, a wicked smile framing his lips.

  The Indian girl began to sing at an ultrasonic pitch, examining each man in turn, giving each a quick medical rundown. I was glad I was hiding behind a large iron press – all the same, I hunkered down even farther. If she looked outside the window while echolocating, she would spot me if my head was showing.

  “Your appendix has been removed,” Bhagya said to the first man.

  “Your nose was broken and reset,” to the next.

  And on she went. “You suffer from acid reflux.” “You’re a habitual smoker.” “You’d better quit drinking, your liver’s not looking too good.”

  After revealing an aspect of each man’s health, some men swore while others whistled, clearly impressed. When she ceased echolocating, I popped my head up again so I could see inside the office.

  “I’m sure you can all appreciate how someone like Bhagya will further our cause,” Mr. Fenton said.

  “How did you find out about us, that’s what I want to know,” said the factory-overalls man.

  “Chelsea Thomas – she’s a ‘mutant’ like me – is currently working undercover in the high school, impersonating her brother. Although she officially working undercover for the chancellor, she’s actually just as keen to overthrow him as you all are. She uncovered Jazza’s cell and told me about it a couple of days ago, thinking we may be able to join forces. That’s why I made contact with Jazza and convinced him of my abilities and sincerity to join your group.”

  “Jazza brought her to me, and I asked her to join us tonight. We can pick her brain some more later,” Mr. Fenton said. “But first, let’s move to the next item on the agenda. Miss Singhe isn’t our only guest tonight; we’re also honoured to have our forager cell with us. Keanan, would you like to share with us what you told me earlier.”

  Bhagya sat and a balding middle-aged Asian man stood. “Me and my lads bumped into a squad of Japanese Rangers from Hamamachi out in Richmond while foraging today. For those of you who aren’t up to speed, these Rangers are like an elite military force that deal with Skel incursions into their territory. Anyways, we got to talking and they told us about the Apocalypse, I mean, what really happened, not the lies our teachers have been pushing on us in school. Apparently, the war began when North Korea and its Chinese allies invaded South Korea, intent on reuniting the nation under one government. They almost succeeded, forming the United Democratic Republic of Korea before the USA, Japan, and Australia intervened and began driving them back. When it was apparent they were losing, they and their allies launched a nuclear strike against Japan and Australia. At the same time, terrorist cells placed throughout the world set off nuclear weapons in the Middle East, Russia, and the USA. The rest of the world soon joined in.

  “After Korea and Japan had been wiped off the map, a Korean submarine headed down to Australia, the same submarine th
at even today uses its nuclear power plant to provide electricity for our town.”

  The forager paused. “The Rangers have working smart phones – I know, right – and they showed us a photo of the Korean submarine captain who came here, the one who established Newhome. His name was Lee Kwang Soo. Spitting image of our Chancellor Lee when he was younger, so he must be his grandson or something. At any rate, the Rangers told us that Lee Kwang Soo coming to Melbourne a hundred years ago is bad news, because he was a high ranking government official. And not just bad news for Newhome, but for everyone in Victoria, Australia, even the world – if anyone else out there survived.”

  “Why did the Rangers tell you all this? What’s their angle?” Mr. Fenton asked.

  “They said they want to help us take down the chancellor and his regime, and will help us in any way they can, even help us fight the Custodians if needs be.”

  “Did you get the impression their offer is genuine?”

  “They said it’s to stop the chancellor from bringing to pass whatever evil plan he is hatching. However, from the way they were talking, I reckon the real reason is revenge for the United Democratic Republic of Korea destroying Japan.”

  “That was a hundred years ago,” Jazza said.

  “Some memories die hard.”

  “Very well. I will send all of this information to the Patriot after this meeting. I’m sure he will be delighted when he learns about the Japanese Rangers and their willingness to help,” Fenton said.

  The room immediately exploded into conversation, as the men excitedly discussed the ramifications of having found a new ally. An ally that could possibly help them take on the Custodians and win.

  Mr. Fenton brought the group back under control, and I listened, alarmed, as they began to brainstorm ways in which they could wipe out the Custodians in a short, sharp campaign of terror. They discussed using poisons – that one made my ears pick up – letter bombs, booby traps, accidents, lynchings, and the Rangers. One suggested strategy was to take out the Chancellery and chancellor in a surprise attack, and then deal with the Custodians. Another idea was to take out the Custodians first, and then attack the chancellery and overthrow the chancellor.