Nanako was simply the best and I adored her. She always knew just what to say to help me when I lost my way, overreacted, or couldn’t see the big picture. I envied her for being so much more levelheaded than I was. She didn’t let her emotions get in the way of her decisions and reactions like I tended to.
Breathing in deeply to savour the midnight air and clear my head, I almost jumped when the satellite Smartphone in my pocket vibrated. It was Hamamachi Militia Command.
“This is Jones.”
“Report,” Colonel Ito said. He was one of the most senior Militia officers and my direct superior.
“Mission completely successfully, sir, – forty-nine slaves rescued. Nine wounded, four severely, one critically. Paramedics are treating them now.”
“Understood.” The colonel paused. “Jones, we have a situation developing. Empty the Bushmaster of civvies and get your Special Forces Unit back here pronto. I’ll despatch several ambulances with a Militia escort to meet up with your convoy, so don’t worry about them.”
Chapter Five
~ Chelsea Thomas ~
As Anna stood there holding the black cylinder, a hideous thought burst into my mind, triggering a wave of fear and nausea so powerful that I thought I would black out. What if this cylinder contained the virus Newhome’s geneticists created to render all non-Korean males infertile? Was the chancellor’s heinous Plan ready to be implemented ahead of schedule?
“What’s that?” Bhagya asked, her voice as cold as ice.
“It’s the replicating biotoxin we’re going to slip into the water treatment plant’s aeration tanks,” Anna said.
“What will it do?” I glanced briefly at Bhagya and Romy, my co-conspirators.
“Once ingested, the biotoxin will cause a catastrophic shutdown of the body’s internal organs. The geneticists predict that around forty percent of Hamamachi’s population will die before they manage to identify the drinking water as the source of the toxin.”
“Forty percent of Inverloch and three other towns populations will die too,” I hissed.
“Not much we can do about that.”
“And you’re okay with it?”
“General Cho said this mission was ordered by the chancellor himself.”
“I don’t care who ordered the mission, Anna. Are okay with carrying out this genocide?”
“Don’t be so dramatic, Chelsea. This isn’t genocide. We’re doing what has to be done to stop this blasted war and save Newhome. And as for me, I do care who ordered the mission. As the chancellor is right in all his ways, I know we are doing the right thing by carrying out this mission.”
I aimed my assault rifle at Anna. “Put your gun on the ground – slowly – and hand me the cylinder.”
“Excuse me?” Anna snapped, clutching the biotoxin cylinder tightly to her chest.
“I will not stand by and watch you commit genocide.”
“Is that right?” In one smooth motion, she lifted her assault rifle with one hand and pointed it at me. Following her lead, Lucia did the same, while Claire stepped beside me and placed the muzzle of her weapon against my temple.
In response, Romy moved back so she could aim her gun at Claire and Lucia. At the same time, Bhagya stepped behind Anna and placed her gun to the back of her head.
Anna turned slowly, looking at the Indian and Dutch girls from the corner of her eye. “Bhagya? Romy? What’s going on? I can almost understand Chelsea behaving like this, considering her age when she joined the program. But you two? You’ve been with Mr. Cho since the beginning. How can you betray him like this?”
“I think you’re missing the point, Anna,” Romy said, her eyes ablaze.
“Our devotion to the chancellor is the foundation on which we built our lives!”
“How can you possibly weigh loyalty to the chancellor against the lives of several thousand civilians?”
“Our loyalty to the incomparably wise chancellor outweighs all other considerations, Romy. I can’t believe you can’t see that – what’s happened to you? Who’s been messing with your mind?”
“Anna, this mission is wrong and you know it,” I said.
Claire cleared her throat. “Chelsea, first they launched an unprovoked attack against our town, then their sniper killed dozens of Custodians and civilians, and finally, they tried to murder all the Koreans. Sisters – this is payback!”
“Claire’s right to a degree – there is an element of revenge in this mission. However, the primary goal is to cripple Hamamachi’s ability to wage war against Newhome, if not end it for good,” Anna said.
“How about we go back a little further,” I said. “The Rangers sent the sniper and later tried to kill the chancellor and all the Koreans in payback for Lieutenant King trying to destroy Hamamachi with a nuclear bomb.”
Anna’s mouth dropped open. “What are you talking about?”
“King didn’t go to Hamamachi to escort their ambassador home and deliver a bunch of white goods to trade for phones. That was just a cover to allow him to smuggle one of the sub’s nuclear warheads into their town so he could blow it off the map. However, the bomb was discovered and disarmed, and King and the Custodians were killed. That’s why the Rangers sent the sniper and later launched an all out assault to kill the chancellor and his supporters.”
“What nonsense are you trying to peddle, Chelsea?” Claire said. “There’s no way the chancellor would authorise the use of a nuclear weapon. It is against everything the Founders taught.”
“She’s telling the truth,” Bhagya said. “I heard Ethan Jones tell Colonel Kim about this after he got back from Hamamachi.”
“Jones was lying,” Anna snarled.
“I was scanning him as he gave his report. He wasn’t lying.”
“Come on, Anna, Claire, Lucia – think!” I said. “Ordering the destruction of Hamamachi with a nuclear weapon is a perfect illustration of the chancellor’s hypocrisy. He criticises the pre-apocalyptic nations for nuking each other into oblivion, but when Newhome was threatened, he resorted to the same tactic.”
“The chancellor is upright and just in all of his ways!” Anna said. “If he really did order King to nuke Hamamachi, then that order was justified.”
“Are you listening to yourself, Anna? You’re such a hypocrite!” Romy said. “First you deny the chancellor would do such a thing. Then, when you find out he did authorise it, you do a complete about face and say it’s okay?”
“The chancellor sees the big picture, we do not. He obviously concluded that the Japanese pose a significant threat to Newhome’s continued existence, and that the complete and utter destruction of Hamamachi is the only way to survive and carry the Founders’ legacy into the future.” Anna tried to speak with conviction, but an element of doubt was creeping into her expression.
“The Founders, and the chancellor as well, told us time and again that they were creating a society that wouldn’t repeat the mistakes made by our ancestors, specifically, their use of nuclear weapons,” I said. “And yet the chancellor perpetuated our ancestors’ mistakes by trying to use a nuclear weapon himself!”
“Hamamachi is a malignant, cancerous growth that needs to be cut out for the good of mankind. Don’t you agree that a nuclear weapon is the best way to achieve this?”
“Seriously, Anna, are you even listening to the nonsense you’re sprouting?” Romy said.
“Hang on, let’s back-track a bit,” Anna said, turning to me. “You said the Rangers sending the sniper and later trying to kill all the Koreans was understandable because we tried to nuke Hamamachi. What, then, about the Skel attacking our foraging teams and the combined Skel-Ranger attack that tried to destroy the sub and the town? Those attacks were completely unprovoked, and obviously the reason the chancellor sent King to nuke Hamamachi.”
“Actually, that’s not true,” I said. “During the Skel-Ranger attack last year, the Rangers broke into Newhome and went straight to the Genetics Laboratory because they were desperate to find out what the geneticists
were up to.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The Rangers learned from one of our foraging teams that our geneticists were biologically modifying plants and animals, and were afraid it was only the tip of the iceberg.”
“Why would they suspect that?”
“It’s because the Rangers have detailed files on the submarine captain who founded Newhome. His name was Lee Kwang Soo, and he was a high-ranking member of the United Democratic Republic of Korea – the nation that destroyed Japan.”
“Even if that’s true, that’s no justification for the Rangers to attack Newhome!” Anna glared at me.
“Actually, it turned out their fears were completely justified.”
“You mean they learned about the genetically modified Korean children? So what?”
“That’s only part of what they discovered,” Bhagya said in a monotone voice as she lowered her gun slightly and stepped closer.
Anna’s eyes widened, as though she was afraid to hear any more. Where we getting through to her at last?
“Have you heard about the Founders’ Plan, the long term strategy the chancellor and councillors have worked on tirelessly for the past hundred years?” Bhagya asked.
“What?” Anna snapped.
“The Plan revolves around the release of a biologically engineered infectious virus that will render all non-Korean males infertile. As a result, within eighty years of the virus’ release, the Koreans will be the only people left alive in Australia, if not the world.”
“And that’s what the Rangers discovered on the geneticists’ computers,” I added. “We saw it plain as day after we took the Rangers out.”
“So this virus hasn’t been released?” Anna asked.
“Not yet,” Romy said. “Now be a clever little girl and tell us why not.”
Anna’s face went suddenly pale. “The geneticists are worried their biologically modified children can't reproduce.”
“Exactly,” I said.” Hence all the pregnancy tests they put us through. They were trying to see if we could have children, and if so, if we could pass on our modifications.”
“The pregnancies all resulted in miscarriages, so they must be worried their children are infertile,” Lucia said, lowering her gun until it pointed at the ground.
“Correct,” Bhagya said.
“So what will they do now?” Anna asked.
“They are waiting for the Korean children to be old enough to have experiments conducted on them. We know that echolocators and normals can’t reproduce, but echolocators with each other?” Bhagya replied.
“Tell me, Anna,” I said. “Do you still believe the chancellor is wise and just in all his ways?”
“It was always the Founders’ intention to create a society that would stand the test of time without making the same mistakes as our ancestors. Maybe they knew all along that this could only be achieved by eliminating all but one race, considering how their attempt to eliminate multiculturism failed.” Anna’s voice faltered as she spoke.
“Don’t be so dumb, Anna!” Romy said. “Using the same weapons of mass destruction that our ancestors used – both biological and nuclear – reveals the depths of the chancellor’s hypocrisy. He claims that he’s creating the perfect society with people from all the races that were present in pre-apocalyptic Melbourne, but all along he’s been planning to kill off everyone but his own people.”
“I can’t–” Anna suddenly stiffened, her face going white. I could have sworn she’d just seen a ghost. Bhagya’s eyes widened too, but she looked more surprised than horrified.
“And meanwhile,” a man said from behind me, “one of the allegedly evil, decadent societies the chancellor is trying so hard to destroy – Hamamachi – has a nuclear weapon but won’t use it.”
Keeping my gun trained on Anna, I looked over my shoulder while Romy, Claire, and Lucia spun around to face the newcomer.
I recognised the young man immediately. It was Ethan Jones.
He was wearing military fatigues but appeared unarmed. He had matured since I last saw him. Instead of appearing lanky, he looked more muscular and confident. Nor was there a sign of the haunted expression he always used to wear.
“This virus, how are they going to release it?” Ethan asked quietly.
“Ethan Jones! Traitor, terrorist, illegally biologically modified male – you’re under arrest!” Anna barked.
“Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard all that before,” Ethan said. “Why don’t you try answering my question on how they’re planning to release this virus?”
“We don’t know,” I said.
“Where is the virus stored?”
“On the fifth floor of the Genetics Laboratory.”
“The lab?” He looked thoughtful.
“How did you know we were here, Jones – who told you about our mission?” Claire said.
“No one told us anything,” he said. “Your G-Wagon was observed leaving Newhome and we’ve been tracking your progress ever since.”
“Without us noticing? That’s impossible,” Anna spat.
“Is that right?” He pointed at the sky.
“A spy satellite?” I said.
“Got it in one.”
The last piece of a puzzle clicked into place. That was how the Skel were able to ambush all of the Custodian/forager teams all on the same morning, even though they were spread out all over Melbourne. The Rangers used a spy satellite to locate our teams, and then passed the information on to the Skel via the satellite Smartphones they gave them.
Ethan inclined his head towards Bhagya. “Hey, Bhagya. Good to see you again.”
She inclined her head respectfully.
“You know this traitor?” Anna asked.
“He’s not a traitor,” Bhagya said.
“Are you forgetting that all the male echolocators were euthanized because they were uncontrollable, dangerous, and couldn’t be trusted?” Claire said. “Besides, General Cho branded Ethan a traitor and a terrorist!”
Ethan laughed. “You think I’m a traitor and a terrorist? How can that be true when I led the Custodian assault that stopped the Skel destroying the sub? When I saved the Custodians the time they went after the Ranger sniper and then went back and took out the sniper myself? When a senior Custodian officer sent my team out of Newhome to break up the Skel and Ranger alliance? And when Madison and I saved the chancellor and the Koreans from the Rangers? I may not be the chancellor’s stooge, but I’ve always had Newhome’s best interests at heart.”
“What?” Anna looked utterly perplexed. “Madison, working with you? I don’t think so! No one has seen her since she was observed escorting you towards the Genetics Laboratory on the night the Rangers tried to assassinate the chancellor. Did you kill her?”
“Well, of course he didn’t,” Madison said, stepping out from behind the far corner of the Fluoridation building. Unlike Ethan, she was armed, and her Austeyr assault rifle was pointed at Anna’s head.
All of us, except Bhagya, jolted as though struck. It never occurred to us that she could have joined forces with Ethan.
“Madison!” What remained of Anna’s brash over-confidence faltered. Madison was the most capable of our number and had been our unofficial leader since the early days. “Where have you been? We thought you were dead! And why are you with him? You were supposed to arrest him and bring him in!”
“I accompanied Ethan and his group on their mission to destroy the Skel/Ranger alliance. It was after we returned to Newhome and saved the chancellor that I came to my senses and quit the town. Since then I’ve been helping Ethan’s Special Forces Unit liberate Skel slaves,” Madison said.
“So you just forgot about us?” I said.
“Of course not. We told Bhagya she had eighteen months to deprogram the rest of you from brainwashing, after which we would return to Newhome and help you all escape.”
“We haven’t been brainwashed!” Claire protested.
“What do you think happens in t
he Round Room, then?” I said.
“It sets us free from the misconceptions of our upbringing and problematic, learned behavioural patterns so that we can better serve the Chancellor.”
I looked meaningfully at Claire, Anna and Lucia as I said, “And the Round Room achieves this freedom with sleep deprivation, drugs, and subliminal messages.”
“In other words, it brainwashes you,” Madison said. She tipped her head in my direction, and then turned back to Anna. “Do you girls know about the Korean children?”
“We know everything about them!” Anna replied.
“I seriously doubt it.”
“They’ve been given our biological modifications.”
Madison smiled coldly. “So you didn’t know they’ve been told that their superior hearing and ability to echolocate is the result of natural evolution and proof that the Korean race is superior. And that they will be permitted to leave the chancellery in about a year from now. You know what that means, right?”
“It doesn’t have to mean anything. Maybe we’ll ending up working alongside them,” Claire said.
“Oh, come on, think it through and join the dots!” Romy spat.
Claire just glared at her.
“If the Korean children emerge from the chancellery in a year and bump into us, they will know they’ve been lied to,” Anna said, letting her gun fall to her side.
“So what?” Claire’s voice rose an octave higher.
“The chancellor won’t allow that. And that means he’ll…” I began.
“–he’ll have us removed from the picture before the year’s up,” Anna concluded.
“And not just us, but also the handful of Custodians and doctors who know about the Specialists. General Cho gave me a list of names, and told me to arrange ‘accidents’ for them,” Madison said.
“You mean General Cho’s going to kill us?” Lucia lowered her gun too.
“You think he’s going to let you go after all you’ve seen?” Ethan said.
“But they’ve put so much time and effort into training us to be spies and soldiers!” Claire said.
“You’re expendable tools, nothing more,” Ethan replied. “Also, I think you’ll find that General Cho and the geneticists have been testing you lot to find out what the Korean children will be capable of in the future. The ability to echolocate is only part of Dr. Zhou’s modifications.”
Forager - the Complete Six Book Series (A Post Apocalyptic/Dystopian Series) Page 125
