by C. J. Boyle
The Link Between Us
Managing the Apocalypse
by
C. J. Boyle
ISBN-13: 978-1540426727
Copyright © 2016 C. J. Boyle
All Rights Reserved
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions:
contact: [email protected]
(985)248-9655
Table Of Contents
Chapter One
The Beginning
Chapter Two
The Food
Chapter Three
The City
Chapter Four
Three Months Later
Chapter Five
The False Link
Chapter Six
The Visit
Chapter Seven
The Attempt On Lillian
Chapter Eight
The Home Coming
Chapter Nine
The Test Results
Chapter Ten
The Release
Chapter Eleven
The Day to Day
Chapter Twelve
The Loss
Chapter Thirteen
The Lucky Ones
Chapter One
The Beginning
Lugovskoe, Siberia. 3 months ago.
Western Siberia. It was a cold, wet, God forsaken day. No one could like a day such as this. A miserable existence. Roger stood at a table with a myriad of mammoth bones of all shapes and sizes. He looked every bit like a lumberjack complete with a red shaggy beard, red flannel shirt, coveralls, and black boots. As he cleaned a bone with a brush he looked out over the landscape surrounding him.
The tent was set up near the river for convenience. It had all the equipment they would need to excavate the area for mammoth bones. As excited as Roger would get at every new find, he often mourned the mammoth’s death. He felt sorry for them and the anguish they must have gone through. His colleagues teased him all the time and tell him not to personify them so much, but that was hard. When the mammoths lived in that area thousands of years ago there was thick clay all around. The poor mammoths would get stuck in the clay and either died of starvation or man came along and put it out of its misery. That was his theory anyway. The stuck animals were easy prey but you can save your spear and a lot of trouble if you waited until the animal died. There is no proof early man hunted the animal for food but with the cold coming they most assuredly used their skins for warmth.
His young assistant, Jonny, trudged over to him. His steamy breath puffed out in front of him. Jonny was dressed similarly to Roger but his beard was still in the early stages. He hated having a beard but it was admittedly warmer than not having one. He picked up a small bone off the table and eyeballed it.
“I think this is canine.” He said tossing it back on the table. “I can’t find Chad. Do you know where he is?”
Roger hardly looked up at him and focused on his work. He was annoyed at being bothered but decided to be polite. “I think he went to walk Rex. It’s been awhile though.”
Jonny looked down at the dog next to him. The dog just looked dumbly back at him. “Rex is right here.”
Roger looked at Jonny and then down at Rex. ‘Great. Dumbass got himself lost again,’ he thought to himself.
A few minutes later…
Rex ran ahead of the men in the forest. The darker it got the more worried Roger was. A Siberian forest is no place to be, alone, at night.
Jonny yelled. “Chad!? Chad!? Where the hell are you!” He stumbled over a log and almost fell.
Roger’s voice boomed through the forest launching birds into the air from the trees. “Chad! Come out, come out, wherever you are!” The dog ran ahead and started to pacing back and forth, barking repeatedly.
Finally, out from the darkness the men heard a muffled voice. “Here! I’m here!”
Roger looked back and forth and then to the forest floor. He looked at Jonny. “Where did that come from?”
Jonny turned around repeatedly. “I don’t know. Wait! Look! Look here!”
Both men rushed over to a gaping hole in the earth. Jonny dove down on his stomach and braced his arms on each side of the hole. He stuck his head down as far as he could. “Chad?” Jonny could barely make out something moving below but he couldn’t see enough to know what it was.
Chad yelled from below, “I’m here!”
Jonny looked up at Roger. “Hand me your flashlight.”
Roger dug into his pocket and pulled out his handy dandy torch. He tossed it to Jonny who caught it as if it was second nature. Jonny turned it on and shined the light down into the hole.
Roger muttered to himself, “Leave it to Chad to fall down a fucking hole in the middle of hell.” Jonny nodded and chuckled a bit.
Chad looked up at them from the bottom of the hole. He was far enough down that climbing out on his own in pitch darkness would have been impossible. “I’m okay. I’m okay. But I can’t get out. Hey, there’s something down here. Throw me the flashlight?” Jonny dropped the flashlight down into the hole. Chad caught it but he accidentally hit the switch shutting the light off. His cold fingers felt along the side of the flashlight trying to locate the buttons. Finally, the light came on illuminating his face and his pained eyes tried to adjust to the light. All the dirt on him and around him overshadowed Chad’s 'surfer dude' look. He coughed and shined the light where he thought he felt bone in the walls. He suddenly let out a frightened yelp, “JEEZ!”
Face to face with Chad was the head of…something…humanoid…and mummified. It had very high cheekbones and an almost nonexistent nose. "Guys!" He fumbled for words. His heart raced as he stared into the face of the amazing thing from the past. "I need a camera!"
A few hours later both Chad and the body of the humanoid...creature were out of the hole and under the protective roof of the tent by the river. The men had placed the mummy on a table to clean and prepare it for transport. Roger was fixated on its face. A discovery like this was likely to shake the scientific world down to its core. The thing was still covered in clay but it was evident that it was hairless and had a mouthful of some very dangerous looking teeth.
"You know what I always wondered?" Jonny broke the silence but no one moved. No indication that anyone heard him at all. "When science reports that they've discovered a new species when they only ever found one..." He shrugged, "What if it was just deformed? Something that was born, you know, wrong."
Roger supposed it was a valid question. Except that DNA studies would reveal the truth of it all. He still couldn't tear his eyes away from it. He shook his head slightly, "It doesn't matter what it is or how it came about. The chopper is going to be here in the morning to take us and it to the airport."
Chad had been filled with a sense of dread ever since he laid eyes on it. "I don't think we should bring that thing to Washington." He pointed toward the dark forest. "I think we should put it back where we found it."
Roger finally looked away from it and locked eyes with Chad. "Well it's too late for that now, isn't it? We've already emailed photos to Dr. Riley. If we don't bring it home to the Smithsonian, he'll come and get it himself."
Chad shook his head, "I'm not coming."
"What?" Jonny smacked Chad lightly in the shoulder. "What the hell's wrong with you? We're gonna be famous!"
He was adamant. "I don't care. I don't want to be anywhere near that thing." He walked away leaving Roger and Jonny staring at each other in confusion and disbelief.
The chopper arrived at dawn. It was an old Chinook but still a very impressive sight to see the large bird chop through the sky and then land in the clearing
not too far from the campsite. Roger was expecting to find something huge which would require the power of a Chinook to carry it. He definitely found something huge. He looked from the chopper to the campsite. This dig is over. It doesn't matter if there's more to be found. It's over.
The added help from the crew of the Chinook made short work of packing up the site and loading it onto the chopper. Chad made good on his word and refused to join them. He packed his things into the jeep and was all too happy to drive away at high speed. Roger and Jonny watched the jeep speed away from the Chinook as it took off. Jonny looked at his mentor. "Do you think he's right to run away?"
Roger looked at the box where the creature was safely packed away. He shrugged and sighed at the same time. "I don't know, maybe."
~ The Reporter ~
Molly Saunders sat in the editing booth with her cameraman JoJo. She watched herself on the monitor noting that her roots were showing and that her signature red hair needed to be touched up again. The video showed her walking down the steps of the Smithsonian Institute of Science. The camera zoomed in on her face.
"It's been nearly six weeks since three paleontologists found what scientists believe to be The Missing Link almost perfectly preserved in clay deep within the forest of Siberia." A photo of the Missing Link appeared to the right of Molly on the monitor. "Most of us know that The Missing Link is believed to be the stage between primates and man."
JoJo started laughing. His long brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Molly looked at him. It was obvious she wanted to know why he laughed. He obliged. "Humans are primates."
Molly smacked him in the back of the head somewhat playfully. "Shut up! The general public isn't as smart as you. Now, cue the next reel."
JoJo cringed forward. He had been working with her long enough to have a love-hate relationship. Mostly, he hated her. "Okay! Okay! Keep your britches on!" He punched a couple of buttons and the next video played.
A hospital corridor was filled with scared people exhibiting facial distortions showing high cheek bones and thickening foreheads. Some have bright silver eyes and thinning hair. JoJo hit record. Molly leaned into her microphone, "Hospitals across the nation are being flooded with people experiencing the changes brought on by the discovery of an ancient virus found within The Missing Link.” The video changed to a man being examined. He looked very thin and frail. A physician put a stethoscope to his chest. "After careful study of the virus and the evolutionary changes that it makes in humans, scientists agree that the changes seem to be beneficial and nothing to be concerned about."
The video changed to a dark street where normal people and LINKS are fighting. "Violence erupted against the Links today. As with humans in any society, change brings fear. Police officials have made it very clear that anyone attacking a person simply because they are a Link is racism and will be met with jail time and heavy fines." She motioned to JoJo to hit stop and he obliged.
"Okay, now follow that up with the President." She scooted in to watch over JoJo's shoulder. He queued the next video.
In the Oval Office President Davis addressed the nation. He was a skinny bald black man and very much a Link. "There is no need to panic people. The Links are people. They are our children, our brothers, our sisters, our fathers, our mothers, and yes, our president." There was laughter from the crowd. "We may be stronger. We may be faster. We may be a whole heck of a lot uglier." Again, there was laughter from the crowd, "but fear and violence are simply unfounded."
Molly smiled and looked very pleased with herself. "That's great! It's going to be great!"
~ The Military Man ~
Colonel Cockran sat in his office behind his massive desk staring at his computer monitor. The man was a fit fifty with salt and pepper hair with matching stubble on his face. He looked like someone just killed his favorite puppy and he wanted revenge. Things hadn't been going well for the Colonel. Not at work. Not at home. He had taken command of "The Mountain" when Brigadier General Erikson was killed under suspicious circumstances. The Mountain, of course, was NORAD. The North American Defense Command inside Cheyenne Mountain. He sighed and clicked the mouse. He had been doing research on what the world had dubbed "The Missing Link." He clicked 'play' on a video he found. He watched Molly Saunders and the President give his speech. Cockran's eyes seemed to darken even more.
"Colonel Cockran, the General's here to see you." His secretary's voice chimed over the intercom breaking through the silence like a cracking whip.
He blinked himself into reality and looked at the door. He knew he didn't need to say anything. The General would come in regardless of what he was doing or how he responded. He wasn't wrong. The General walked in carrying his hat under his arm. He instantly locked eyes with the Colonel as he crossed the room and made himself comfortable on the couch. They stared at each other in silence for a few moments. When Cockran felt he could no longer tolerate the little dance, he finally broke. "I'm sorry, General, but I haven't changed my mind."
The General tossed his hat onto the cushion beside him and nodded his head. "I didn't come here to ask you to change your mind, Cockran. I came here to tell you I think you're right."
"You just don't want to be the bad guy." It was a statement. Not a question.
The General scooted to the edge of the couch and clasped his hands together. "It has to look like you're acting alone. Get them out of the mountain and off the base. Put them all on leave, I don't care."
"And then they'll call for my immediate removal."
"Look, if you're wrong, you'll have to be the scapegoat. But if you're right, you'll be promoted to Brigadier General."
Cockran nodded. "This isn't about making rank, General McNally." He stared off into the distance. "You know my wife's a Link, right?" The General nodded. "A week or so ago I was watching her from my kitchen window. She was out in the backyard feeding the squirrels. They came right up to her because she's been doing it for years. I loved her just as much I ever did. Her being a Link...didn't much matter to me." The General smiled and nodded in appreciation. Cockran continued. "Then I watched her snatch up one of those little damn things and eat it whole." Cockran snapped his fingers, "Just like that."
The General looked at Cockran with a mixture of surprise and disgust. "We need to act fast."
~ The Fortress ~
Hopewell Prison was a state-of-the-art brand-new women’s prison nearly thirty miles from any form of civilization except for a few farmsteads here and there. The city of Denver was about an hour away. Far enough away to make it hard for anyone to visit. The facility was equipped with wind turbines and rows and rows of solar panels. It was the first prison that was one hundred percent off the electrical grid. It was on at least a hundred acres of fenced in land with several huge satellite dishes on the property cluttering up an otherwise nice view. The main building, at its capacity, could house fifteen hundred prisoners. A smaller building on the grounds contained apartments for the Warden and other essential round-the-clock personnel.
Carl Whitacre sat on his quiet 4-wheeler looking out over the peaceful terrain. He had come to realize that the mountains in Colorado were going to be cold even when it was not. Winter had just begun and he could smell snow in the air. He was one of the first guards that had been hired at Hopewell even before they had broken ground. At first, he had to walk the perimeter on foot so he was elated when they purchased a few 4-wheelers to make the job a bit quicker and easier. Either way, it was an extremely boring duty. He had to drive the perimeter of the ten-foot barbed wire fence twice a day to inspect it for any flaws, escape attempts, intrusion attempts, and any damage to the fence itself or under it. At least now that the prison was open there were more guards and a weekly rotation, so now he only had to do it once every six weeks. His cell phone chirped, so he dug it out of his back pocket to look at it. It momentarily reflected his face. To his own eyes, he still looked like a little black kid trying hard to grow a mustache. He winced at the thought. He knew it was jus
t how he saw himself and not actually how he looked, but it made him self-conscious enough to grow facial hair and try to appear as tough as possible. He opened the text he just received and grinned slightly.
Jam: When u comin' home?
Carl fired off a response: This weekend.
Jam: Can’t wait!
Carl: Me neither. See u then, Jamal.
Carl shut off his phone and stuck it back in his pocket. Technically, he wasn’t even supposed to have it. But he just couldn’t cut himself off from three younger brothers. Especially now. He started up the 4-wheeler and resumed his trek. He watched the wind turbines spin-off in the distance. At least he didn’t have to maintain those. He was grateful for them because he knew going green would eventually save the world. The facility also had an impressive field of solar panels. Between those and the wind turbines the entire prison was off the electrical grid. As Carl got closer to the watch tower he passed an array of very large satellite dishes. Another thing he was very grateful for because, when he was off duty, he could watch his favorite TV shows or surf the internet. Otherwise, he’d be so bored he’d blow his own brains out. He pulled up to the watch tower and turned the 4-wheeler off and went inside. The only time the Guards were allowed to carry their weapons was when they were in the guard tower or on perimeter duty. Which meant if he wanted to go to the dining hall he had to secure his side arm in the vault. He walked over to the door and scanned his badge and then placed his thumb on the pad. The vault had all kinds of fun toys. Sniper rifles, shotguns, small arms, tear gas, tasers… Every once in a while, Carl would go in there and pretend that he was in a James Bond movie and that was his secret stash. The way he figured it, the world was past due for a black James Bond. Carl took the clip out of his weapon and secured them both before scanning his badge and leaving the vault.
