by Brad Knight
“You off to work?” asked Stephanie after closing her bible.
“Indeed I am,” Mack answered.
“It's a little early isn't it?”
“Well you know how it is. The news doesn't wait for anybody.” Mack had a hard time keeping a straight face. There was no news.
“Get over here,” she lovingly ordered. Mack leaned over towards the top bunk as he put his pants on. For his efforts he received a light kiss on his lips. “Don't cause any trouble. Okay?”
“I make no promises,” replied Mack with a grin.
He left his quarters and started towards a little office about a five minute walk away. It was a commute he grew accustomed to during the weeks at sea. To him though it wasn't simply a necessary trip to work. He also did a bit of reconnaissance.
I pass eight doors to get to the kitchen. In the morning there is always four or five people there cooking breakfast. Past the kitchen is the cafeteria. On the far end of the room is a stairwell up to the deck. In all, we can get up on deck in about six minutes, half if we hurry. Wait, those are new.
Mack looked up at the ceiling in the cafeteria. There were cameras. Were they just installed or were they always there and he missed them? His escape plans from Haven had altered. Just in case there was someone always monitoring those cameras.
Shit. That's not good. We can't be seen. Who knows what the hell these nut jobs will do if they catch us? I'm going to have to try something else. There has to be other routes out of here.
“Every crew member, please report to the deck. I repeat, please report to the deck,” said Jeanine's voice over the freighter's PA system.
Now what? Mack watched as everyone in the cafeteria got up and headed towards the stairwell. They left their breakfasts behind. Not wanting to draw attention to himself, he did the same.
It didn't matter how long someone was below deck. When they emerged from Haven's bowels, their eyes were assaulted by the sun. Mack had to squint for a little while after crossing the threshold outside.
When his eyes adjusted to copious amount of sun light, he saw that just about everyone was on deck with him. His first instinct was to find Amber, who he knew was already up there. It wasn't that she was in trouble, he'd just feel better setting eyes on her.
It took some looking but eventually Mack spotted her. He went over to join her when Jeanine started addressing the crew. She spoke through a bullhorn to make sure that everyone heard.
“Behold one of the most beautiful places on God's green earth. Welcome to Maluku. Today all work will be suspended. Other than those spoke to specifically by me, this will be a mini vacation. You've earned it. Remember, we set out at dark. Be back before then or I guarantee that paradise will turn into a living hell. Enjoy yourselves and be careful.” When she was finished addressing everyone, Jeanine joined Josiah and some other members of her inner circle. They engaged in an intense debate that Mack couldn't hear.
“Amber!” yelled Mack as he tried to get his teenage ward's attention. She heard and saw him. Instead of coming, she waved him over.
Mack pushed his way through the crowded deck to get to Amber who was standing near the edge of the ship. She was looking out over he landscape around the vessel. It was like she was in a trance and couldn't stop staring. Not until he joined her did Mack understand what had such a tight grasp on her attention.
Even in the post apocalyptic world they found themselves in, Mack and Amber couldn't deny the sheer beauty of the Maluku Islands. The water surrounded Haven was a very light blue and about as clear as it got. It was the kind of water that most only saw in commercials for island resorts or post cards.
The sand on the beaches of the Maluku Islands was white and untainted. A couple of huts could be spotted. Before the outbreak they were expensive options for vacationing foreigners. Beyond all of that was thick jungle covered in rich green hues.
“I always wanted to go somewhere tropical,” said Amber as she stared at the picturesque islands before them.
“If you did you probably never imagined it would be under these circumstances.” Mack stood next to her.
“It would be cool to swim in that. I've never swam in clear water, other than at the YMCA pool back in Dallas.”
“Okay. Let's go swimming then,” said Mack. “There's some rafts going over to the beach. Let's go.”
Amber smiled and followed him towards the ladders that were lowered in order for the crew to access the life boats that Haven residents used to travel away from the ship. Senior members of the crew helped coordinate.
They waited patiently in line for their chance to get off of Haven. Both of them couldn't wait. One wanted to swim in waters that she would never likely encounter in her lifetime. The other just wanted to get away from the overly religious atmosphere aboard the freighter.
“Is Stephanie coming?” asked Amber.
“I don't think so. They probably need to keep her aboard. Little vacation or not, the ship needs doctors.”
“That's too bad.” Amber scrunched up her face. She was disappointed.
“She'll be here when we get back. Let's just try and enjoy the day. Agreed?” Mack gently put his hand on Amber's shoulder from behind.
“Agreed.”
“Good. Now here comes the hard part,” said Mack as he and Amber reached the ladders. “Don't look down,” he laughed.
Amber turned around and punched Mack in the arm. “Shut up!”
Climbing down the ladder was a nerve racking ordeal. The slick sea spray made it even harder. Both had been through and conquered much worse. Slippery rungs weren't going to stop them.
They joined six other Haven residents in the life boat that floated under the shadow of the freighter. Mack was the last one in, almost tipping the boat over as he boarded. Once it settled, two of the passengers grabbed the oars from the bottom of the raft and started rowing for the shore.
Haven wasn't all that far from the beaches of the Maluku Islands. It would only take about ten minutes of rowing to get within water shallow enough to stand in. On the way, something caught Mack's eye when he looked back at the ship.
A much bigger boat than the one Amber and Mack were in set off from Haven. In it were a couple of familiar faces. Josiah was aboard along with Jeanine. Other big and strong crew members joined them. From the guns and other equipment they brought with them it was clear that they weren't just going swimming.
And what the hell are you guys up to? Mack watched the bigger boat closely as it headed for a part of the nearest island that was out of view. Whatever they were doing, it surely wasn't anything good. It reinforced Mack's suspicions, made them stronger.
“Look,” said Amber after getting Mack's attention by tugging on his shirt sleeve. She pointed at the perfect water next to her spot on the life boat.
“What is it?” Mack leaned over to see what she pointed at. There were some very colorful fish swimming just under and around the boat.
“I've only seen fish like that in an aquarium. It's kind of cool to see them in person. Right?” Amber was excited. Mack could see it in her face and hear it in her voice.
“That's pretty neat,” he commented.
Amber looked at him with one eyebrow raised. “Pretty neat? Jeez you're old.”
“That so? Maybe I push you so you can go swimming with the pretty neat fish.”
“Haha, very funny.'”
“I wasn't joking, girlie girl.”
They both had smiles on their faces as the bottom of their lifeboat scraped up against wet sand. Everyone got out. Mack helped drag the raft ashore so it didn't drift away.
“This is nice,” said Amber as she sat on the trunk of a downed palm tree that overlooked the beach. “It's peaceful.”
“That it is,” agreed Mack. He plopped down in the white sand next to her.
“All we need is one of those fruity drinks with the umbrellas in them.”
Mack went from sitting to laying down. He didn't care about the creepy crawlers that p
opulated the sand. Nor did he care about the inevitable sunburn. What he cared about was a little rest and relaxation. But even in paradise, things nagged him.
There must be meat puppets somewhere on this island. If that's so, why did Jeanine allow this mini vacation? And where did she and Josiah go? Shit. Mack sat up. He saw Amber running towards the water whilst taking off her pants and shirt. She'll be okay here with the others.
Mack started walking down the beach. And he kept walking till those he came with were nowhere to be seen. He kept walking until he saw the big boat that Jeanine and Josiah took to get to the island.
Though not a tracker or hunter, Mack could make out the footprints on the sand. They led into the thick jungle of the island's interior. If he wanted to find out what the bible thumpers were up to he'd have to follow. So that's what he did.
The jungle on the Maluku Islands were pretty inhospitable. There weren't any trails or paths to follow. Without a machete to cut down some of the underbrush, Mack was going to have a hard time, but he had till sunset to look for them and make it back to the beach.
Trekking through the jungle was harder than he thought it would be. His shins got scrapped and cut. All manner of instincts took bites out of him, and it was extremely hot and humid. The man was miserable.
I should have stayed on the damn beach. I don't know why anyone would ever want to go to a jungle. There's literally nothing pleasant about this place. And who knew that they're so loud?
Mack tried to used his nanite enhanced senses to find Jeanine and her group. The sound of birds, bugs and other wildlife filled the jungle. It was impossible to find anything through all that racket.
All his eyes could see was jungle. Everything was green and most of it moving. It was also darker than he thought it would be. Dense tree cover meant that little sun got through, producing endless shadows. So he knew he probably wouldn't be able to spot Jeanine's group ahead of time.
There was only one sense left for Mack to use. His sense of smell. It wasn't one that he used often or liked. Going from having a normal nose to one that can smell when someone didn't wipe good enough from a quarter of a mile away wasn't a positive.
Mack stopped. The wind blew in his direction. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. What am I sniffing for? What do they smell like?
When Mack first met Jeanine he smelled a unique odor. It was the soap the mother of Haven used. In it were hints of lemongrass, an unmistakable aroma.
The jungle was full of strange smells. Few of them were familiar to Mack. He tried his best to block them out. After five minutes he picked something up. It was lemongrass. He isolated it and followed it.
Thank god that no one can see me. Mack walked around with his head out forward and his nostrils flaring. He looked silly, but he was on Jeanine's trail. That's when he heard a fallen tree branch snap.
Mack swung around and saw a boy standing in the bush staring at him. The boy held some kind of dead rodent by its tail. From the darker tone of his skin and lack of decomposition, it was evident that kid wasn't infected.
Did the nanite virus not reach this place? Are you kidding me? Did we actually stumble upon what Amber, Stephanie and I have been searching for? Wait, the kid is scared. Don't freak him out any more than you already have.
Mack waved at the boy. The boy didn't move. He just stood there and kept staring.
“Hi. I'm Mack. What's your name?” His question was asked slowly in that insulting way that native English speakers spoke to those who weren't.
The boy didn't answer. He just kept staring. Then Mack heard women's screams and the yelling of men out in the jungle, not too far away.
Upon hearing the screams, the boy bolted. He disappeared into the jungle before Mack could even say “wait”. He was confronted with a choice. Whether he went towards all the ruckus and risk being discovered, or he could wait, be patient and stay hidden. If he played his cards right he could follow them undetected and see what's truly going on.
Mack found some undergrowth to hide behind and waited until all the commotion in the jungle got closer. He didn't have to wait that long. A procession led by Jeanine and Josiah headed straight past him in the direction of their boat on the beach.
There's no way this isn't bad. Hidden behind vegetation and shadows, Mack saw something that seemed to confirm his fears about the true nature of Haven. Jeanine and Josiah led a procession of men, women and children bound by their wrists and tied together. They had bruises and cuts all over them. Some cried. Those that didn't hung their heads low. Behind and flanking them were the mother's armed henchmen.
Mack stayed hidden. Once the procession passed him by, he silently followed. Jeanine and her fellow Haven residents started singing gospel hymns. It was simultaneously enraging and really creepy. He knew those poor bound souls weren't going along with the bible thumpers willingly. Almost every part of him wanted to free them, but he had Stephanie and Amber to think of. Instead of intervening he kept watching.
I gotta go back to the beach. Amber's probably wondering where I am. When Jeanine's procession of henchmen and prisoners reached the end of the jungle, Mack stopped following. He watched the abductees get loaded into the boat the Haven group arrived on. Then he quietly made his way along the jungles edge back to the mini vacation.
She didn't even notice I was gone. Mack had been in the jungle for a couple of hours. When he stepped foot back on the beach he and Amber originally arrived at, he saw his teenage ward still in the water. Except she wasn't with the others who came to swim and socialize. She was off on her own near some rocks.
Mack buried what he saw deep inside his own mind. Not only did he not want to alert Amber but he certainly didn’t want anyone knowing what he saw. He knew enough to know that if they did he would probably be tossed overboard somewhere into the ocean. All the healing abilities in the world couldn't expel water from his lungs and stop him from drowning.
“What are you up to over here?” he asked as he climbed onto the outcrop of rocks that Amber was on. It's location and the incoming tide made several little tidal pools. Those are what caught Amber's attention.
“Nothing,” she said. She knelt down next to one of the tide pools. “Come look at this.”
Mack gingerly climbed over the wet rocks to her. When he reached her she pointed down. There was an array of colorful sea creatures that took residence inside of the rock pool. Amber seemed fixated on the urchins.
“They're so weird looking,” she said. “Like little living balls covered with spikes.”
“Never seen an urchin before?”
“I've seen them on TV and online. I've even eaten them before at this Japanese place my mom really likes. I mean, liked. But I've never seen one in person. Shit, I've never seen any of this in person before.” Amber had a smile on her face as she talked. In the world she and Mack inhabited a smile was worth so much, because like all things valuable, they were rare.
Mack knelt down next to her. “It is pretty cool. Wait, are its spikes moving?”
“I think so. It's so cute I just want to pick it up and take it with us.”
“I'd advise against that.”
Amber turned her head towards him. “You know, with your abilities you could pick it up for me without worrying about getting hurt.” She tried putting on her cutest face. It came off as more weird than anything.
“Not happening, girlie girl.”
“But you'll heal fast. It will be like it never happened.”
“I still feel pain.” Mack looked around the tidal pool. He looked for something else he could pick up to appease her. Everything living in it was spiny, slimy or just plain strange looking. So he decided to keep his hands to himself.
“Pussy.”
Amber and Mack were silent for a few seconds, but they couldn't contain their laughter. Once they got rid of the giggles, Mack stood up.
“C'mon. Let's see what else we can find,” he said.
For the rest of the afternoon they sco
ured the beach and waters for as many animals as they could. It surprised them just how much they discovered. Since neither of them had been to the Maluku Islands before, they couldn't say if that was normal. Or maybe the lack of humans let the other animals thrive. They didn't know and didn't care. In all it was truly fun.
Amber had a little more fun than Mack. He had something on his mind, a burden. Why did Jeanine and company kidnap locals? And what were they going to do with them?
***
“Is everyone here?” asked one of the Haven residents as those on the beach gathered together to get ready for their return to the freighter.
The day seemingly flew by. Instead of being bright and high in the sky, the sun's light started to dim as it slowly hid beyond the horizon. A brilliant blue sky started to turn a vivid orange.
Mack and Amber got on their life boat. As it set off back towards Haven, Mack looked back at the little slice of paradise they were leaving. The boy he saw earlier in the jungle was standing on the beach. They made eye contact which faded as the distance between them increased. He didn't know why or when but the Viking was sure that he'd see that boy again.
Chapter 10
: Crash and Burn
“You just went through a hell of an ordeal, General. You don't need to go with them. It looks like you haven't slept in weeks. Get some rest. We'll need you at your best. Here.” Mrs. Meesang tried to convince General Xin to stay behind. He wasn't having any of it.
“Nonsense. You need me out there. That's where I belong.” General Xin finished buttoning his uniform. Then he got into the back of the jeep loaded with five other armed men. Two other jeeps with the same amount of men and women were on standby.
Mrs. Meesang sighed. “I'm not going to be able to stop you, will I?”
“No.” One of the armed Borroloola residents handed the General a rifle. He checked it, then laid it down on his lap.
Meesang handed General Xin a walkie talkie. “If you need back up.” Xin nodded.
