Invasion

by Eli Constant

  “I’m Colonel Benson. I’m sorry about that,” he gestured at the retreating group of men, “you’re the first arrivals in two months. I think the men were a bit excited to see you. Welcome to NORAD and the current US territory safe zone for the western seaboard. Lieutenant McDowell will take you to the living facilities. It’s not the Omni, but we fare pretty well considering the number of civilians we are housing. You’ll have hot water and three square. When you’ve settled and cleaned up, McDowell will bring you to processing.”

  Skipping the nicety of a farewell, Benson strode away. I watched his hazelnut-skinned form retreat, my mind reeling.

  Moments later, a blonde man of medium build walked up and introduced himself as our guide, Lt. McDowell. It was a long walk to the barracks and the scenery was monotonous. We were led through a series of clinical looking hallways. Our path twisted and turned and we were completely disoriented by the time we halted in front of a set of double doors.

  Lieutenant McDowell slid an ID badge in a card reader and the double doors swung inwards. If we were hoping for something more interesting than white hallways, we were disappointed.

  “This is the barracks wing of the complex. This entrance is secured, but the southern entrance is unlocked during the hours of 0600 and 2100. You’ll have access to exercise, laundry, and entertainment facilities. Admittance to other areas of NORAD is by approval only.”

  I was beginning to feel like we’d escaped one type of prison only to be incarcerated in another. Well, I definitely preferred incarceration with hot meals and steaming showers.

  “Hall D has an open room. It should be big enough for all of you.”

  I looked at Jason and he looked at me. I sure as hell hoped there were enough beds along with enough room; if not, I was going to cram myself into bed with Megan and Kara. I was definitely not going to get anywhere near a bed that had Jason in it. So not ready for that.

  The room wasn’t huge, but it had five sets of bunks- ten beds. I exhaled a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. How could I feel like a school girl with a first crush at a time like this? I had a pang of guilt thinking of my husband.

  My arm was aching from holding Kara so I sat her down on the closest bed. Megan pulled her hand out of mine and jumped up beside Kara. The bed must have been more comfortable than it looked because they both curled up and were asleep before I could cover them with a sheet.

  “I’ll give you two hours to rest and clean up; then it’s off to processing.” Lieutenant McDowell left without ceremony and, equally unceremoniously, we all toppled onto beds and closed our eyes. Showers could wait.

  Not long later, I woke to movement in the room. Jason was trying to get his pants pulled down. Jason grunted quietly and I realized he was in pain.

  “Can I help?”

  He looked at me. He didn’t say anything so I got up and walked slowly to him. I kneeled in front of him, feeling only the tiniest bit awkward. I pulled his pants down gingerly. I moved slowly and held the fabric away from his left leg.

  I tried to be careful, but I heard the quick intake of breath when fabric scraped against the wound. When the pants were finally pooled around his feet, I pulled up a chair and helped him sit down. I found the medical supplies at the foot of an unused bunk. We really didn’t need ten beds.

  When I knelt again, I had peroxide, antibiotic ointment, two feminine pads and medical tape. He smirked at the pad.

  “Sorry… we don’t have any proper bandages.”

  “I’m sure this will be better. It’ll absorb all the blood and leave me nice and dry. I’ve seen the commercials and the blue liquid demonstration. Tell me… scented or unscented?”

  I could tell he was hurting. I liked him even more in that moment. That he retained his sense of humor while in pain was wonderful and charming.

  “I’m sorry if this hurts.” I soaked one of the pads with peroxide and began to gently clean the wound and surrounding area. By the time I was satisfied, the entire pad was dirty and bloody. I ran a line of bacitracin down the clean pad and pressed it against the gash. I secured the odd dressing with medical tape.

  “We’ll redress it after you shower.” Patting his good leg, I began to rise.

  Jason placed his hand over mine. My body stopped moving, my eyes lifted to his and I felt a charge in the air.

  “Thank you, Elise.” He said, his voice soft and tender. The feel of his fingers resting on mine… the feel of his palm resting against the back of my hand… it was so comforting and so safe.

  I thought the death of David was the end of my love life. I thought my heart would stay dead. Maybe I needed to rethink the sleeping arrangement after all.

  “Anytime.” I spoke quickly and turned my head away from him. He was still holding my hand.

  “Elise…” I looked at him again. His hand left mine and my hand felt naked after the intimacy of that touch. Then his palm cupped my face and that feeling was so much stronger.

  My body acted without my mind’s consent. My lips were in union with his and that kiss felt like rain in a drought… humanity in an inhumane world. It didn’t last long though. I pulled from him.

  “I’m not a young woman.”

  “I’m not a young man, Elise.”

  “I loved my husband.”

  “At one point, I truly loved my wife. That reality is gone. What I feel for you is so unexpected. I’m not sorry for it.”

  “I’m not sorry either, but where can this go? We aren’t going to marry. We already have children. The world isn’t a place for conventional relationships, picket fences… pies cooling on a window sill. The world is shit.”

  “That’s true, but isn’t that all the more reason to be thankful for this? Shouldn’t all the bad make these feelings that much more precious?”

  “Wow… I bet you didn’t have trouble getting laid on Friday night.” It was a joke, but my tone held no humor. I tried to get up again, but his arms were around me.

  I didn’t fight. I was lying to myself. David was my past and my girls were my present and future. I wanted Jason to be a part of that future.

  He made me feel a little less broken.

  I tried to understand God and his ways. I tried to understand why He made the undergrounders.

  Holding Jason made me think that maybe, just maybe, God’s plan, although rhyme-less to me, might be full of reason.

  I’d probably change my mind later, but, hey, that was my prerogative. For now, I needed to rest up for processing… whatever the hell that meant.

  Processed Human

  Processing was a bit like the first day at a new job.

  We wrote down our names, basic medical information, prior professions, and related skill sets. It didn’t take long. My writing looked odd against the pale yellow of the legal pad. My messy chicken-scratch always looked a tad strange though.

  A young lady, hair arranged tautly in a high bun, typed quickly- putting our information into a database. Then we had pictures taken and waited around for photo badges.

  Good thing we’d all showered and changed after our nap. It would have been a shame to be immortalized covered in dirt and wearing ragged clothes. Things like that mattered. Yeah, right.

  The great folks at NORAD had provided dark brown jumpsuits. Flattering for all sizes!

  Even Megan was wearing a jumpsuit- its legs and arms cut several inches shorter and rolled up neatly. Only Kara got to wear civilian clothes- a long sleeved dress and gray tights from our Circle City shopping trip.

  After receiving our badges, we were told that we’d be separated and interviewed.

  A guy in a dark blue uniform came up to me and the girls. He said something about Megan and Kara not being able to come with me to the interview room. He placed his hand on Megan’s shoulder and tried to lead her and Kara away from me. Tried being the operative word.

  I took one hard look at the man’s hand, the hand brave enough to touch my kid, and then I glared at the man’s face. Death and other promises must h
ave swirled in my eyes because the man visibly flinched. My message was loud and clear: Get your hand off my child. Or. Else. He’d taken the hint and walked away unscathed. Bully for him.

  No one messed with my kids.

  Another person approached, a woman this time, and she led us to a small room with a table and two chairs. I sat down: Kara sat on my lap; Megan stood at my side. The woman took the seat across from me and opened a file folder.

  I took a deep breath.

  When Megan was born, I’d stopped working full time and dedicated my entire self to being a great mom.

  I’d only been in my field two years, but the importance of a career diminished when Megan’s tiny, ivory hand grasped my pointer finger. David was supportive, but he had encouraged me to stay on as a consultant with my Biotech firm.

  The company called on me from time to time to review nanotech build-outs or check over strings of output data. It wasn’t time consuming and put extra change in the bank account. Win-win, I guess.

  I hugged Kara to my body for comfort.

  In the here and now, I was nervous. It felt like eons since I’d thought about Science or anything related.

  The woman interviewing me left after ten minutes worth of questions. If you added a dark room and a piercing spot light, the room would have been perfect for hostile interrogation.

  The girls and I sat, examining the bare room and trying to play ‘I Spy.’ There wasn’t much to look at and, after a while, trying to guess what was shiny and bright got a bit tedious. I get it; there’s a light in the ceiling. But I humored the girls and kept feigning surprise that they had spied a chair or a light or a really blank, white wall.

  Two men in crisp, white lab coats entered our room. They introduced themselves as Doctors O’Toole and Peters.

  “Ms. Swanson…” The taller of the two men began to speak. His silver badge said ‘Peters.’

  “It’s Mrs. Swanson.” My correction was unintentionally sharp, a product of my nervousness.

  “Sorry… Mrs. Swanson,” He emphasized my marital title, making a point, “we’d like to know a bit more about your background. What was your function at…” he glanced down at the file he was holding, “… Advanced Bioengineering and Technology?” Dr. Peters looked very serious and I gave him a serious answer.

  “I specialized in the successful marrying of living organisms with inorganic computerized controls. We were upping the ante on the mouse in a maze concept. No training was needed when you could send electrical impulses directly to the command center of the brain. Before I left full time employment, my company had moved to livestock herding trials with bioengineered canines and I was halfway to completing my doctoral dissertation. I guess you’d consider me a bit of a brain buff... um, a Neural Engineer really.” My speech was hurried, wanting to get the information out before my brain shut down.

  “I know pretty much everything there is to know about the human brain. In other areas, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be very useful. I mean… I know the basics of… um… Hematology, Chemistry, and Microbiology from Undergraduate courses, but that’s about it.” I clamped my lips closed before I could continue rambling.

  Doctor O’Toole and Peters exchange a weighted look.

  “Mrs. Swanson, come with us.” They opened the door and gestured.

  “Hate to break it to you doctors, but I assume where you want me to go isn’t child friendly and I’m not leaving my girls with people I don’t trust.”

  “Can they remain in your quarters with your companions, Michael and Allison?” The shorter man, O’Toole, questioned impatiently.

  “I’d prefer to leave them with Jason. Where is Jason?” A momentary sense of panic. Where was he?

  “He’s touring the hangar. Apparently, he’s one hell of a mechanic.”

  “Oh…” I thought back to Jason’s handiwork on the Spokane park shuttle bus. Super mechanic. Right… I knew that, made sense. I felt the panic slip away, surprised at how intense it had been. “Fine. Megan and Kara can stay with Michael and Allison, but I need to take them back to the room myself and get them settled. Food would be great too.”

  As if on cue, Megan’s stomach grumbled. Kara giggled and Megan wrapped her arms around her stomach apologetically.

  “Of course. We realize you’ve just arrived. Feed your girls, put them to bed, and we’ll come and get you at 2130.” Peter’s sounded less impatient. O’Toole huffed, unhappy he had to delay his plans.

  “I thought the living quarters were on shutdown after … 2100?” I’d have to get in the habit of using military time.

  “For most people, yes, they are.”

  They walked out without further explanation. I was bemused, but also very aware that these people wanted something from me and that was an advantage I’d abuse to the ‘enth degree.

  Michael, Allison, and Lieutenant McDowell were waiting outside my interview room. McDowell gave us the ‘official tour’ as we headed towards the cafeteria. Everything looked the same and I did not look forward to navigating the halls alone. Let’s hope we didn’t need to escape the safe zone to find a… well… a safe zone.

  The food wasn’t too bad- rehydrated, but the noodles were al dente and the sauce was chunky (in a good way).

  Michael and Allison sat side by side a few seats away. They were whispering to each other and I had the feeling they were holding hands under the table.

  The water tasted pure and clean and it was so clear. I sipped it and it tasted like life. “Where’s your water source?” I took another sip of water.

  “Subterranean lake, north side of the inner mountain.” McDowell raised his glass. “Tastes clean, doesn’t it? We’re damn lucky the beasties didn’t choose this mountain for a breeding ground. I guess they aren’t crazy enough to bed down in a volcano.”

  Half an hour into our meal, Jason joined us. He devoured his plate of pasta, saying nothing. When he pushed his dish away, he began to question McDowell. I’d wondered about a few of the things myself.

  “So… If NORAD’s always been here, how did the facility cope with the volcanic activity?”

  “The volcano’s been dormant since the light eruptive activity reported in 1894.”

  “Impossible. What about the sporadic seismic activity?”

  “We frequently simulated seismic swarms to keep up appearances. Appearance was all we needed.”

  “You’d be screwed if Rainier decided to really wake up.”

  “We’ve always kept close tabs on the innards of this mountain. Any strange activity and we’d have slowly filtered people out of the facility.”

  McDowell spun the last of his spaghetti, his fork twirling against his spoon. He shoved the big pasta bite into his mouth. The government was an amazing thing. What else had it concealed from the public so successfully?

  “Where would you have moved people?” I asked, around a mouthful of food.

  “Somewhere other than here I suppose.” McDowell winked at me, rose from his seat, and walked away. The girls cheered when he returned with two pouches of astronaut ice cream. “Sorry… we don’t have a whole lot of these. We usually reserve them for the kids.”

  “Are there a lot of kids here?” I looked at the girls. It would be nice for them to get some real socialization after seven months on the road.

  “Not a great number, but surprising considering the circumstances. Most of the kids are strays, picked up by strangers on the road. I’d say we have seventy or so children in residence now.”

  “That’s fantastic. More than I was expecting. Is there a school system set up?”

  “First part of the day, the kids congregate for informal course work in room 42A of the barracks and then can hang out in the entertainment room or head back to their respective quarters. The ‘fun’ room was locked up until we got ten or so kids here. We wanted to give them some semblance of normalcy.” I stared at him disbelieving. “I know… hard to believe we gave any thought to entertainment.”

  “I wasn’t staring to imply
that. I’m just looking forward to the girls having fun without worrying about an undergrounder killing them on the swing set.”

  I rubbed Megan’s back and kissed Kara’s head. Kara was sitting in my lap and leaning against my body. I realized she was snoring softly as I pulled away from the quick smooch. It had been a very long day and we were all tired, despite the earlier nap.

  “Alright Megan, let’s get you and Kara to bed.” I stood up, Kara cradled in my arms. “Jason, are you coming?”

  “Not yet, I have to go back to the hangar for a bit.” I didn’t bother to ask Michael and Allison. They were lost in their own little world, canoodling over the noodles.

  It was nice to walk back to an actual room where our actual things laid untouched on the floor and beds. I changed Kara’s diaper; her sleeping form was easy to move.

  I’d asked McDowell if there were any infant supplies on hand. He’d said no- which meant that once my supply of formula and diapers were gone, Kara was going to have to buck up and be a big girl.

  I tucked her in tightly, my fingers pushing the blanket under her body. Allison and Michael walked into our room as I was kissing Kara goodnight. I reluctantly left Kara in their care. I was beginning to trust the younger Chambers and the timid girl, but I wasn’t completely there yet.

  I walked with Megan to the bathroom where we washed our faces and brushed our teeth. I freshened my deodorant. I had a feeling the good doctors were going to keep me up for a while.

  I’d barely gotten Megan in bed next to her sister when there was a soft knock at the door.

  “Mrs. Swanson?” I turned and Dr. Peters stood in the doorway.

  The tall man looked a bit younger without his lab coat, but the bright white hair and very deep laugh lines betrayed his age. Those laugh lines were relics from another time though. It didn’t appear he’d smiled much lately. Walking towards him, I noticed thick, angry scars decorated his elbow and disappeared beneath his shirt sleeve.

  We weaved our way through hallways and doorways. We walked for close to twenty minutes before Peters slid his card down a reader. We entered an immense laboratory.