by Ken Barrett
Extinction - 3
Damnation
by Ken Barrett
Cover Illustration by: J Caleb @ J Caleb Design
Copyright © 2019 Kenneth Barrett
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 9781086446630
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
For Mady.
I love those who can smile in trouble,
who can gather strength from distress,
and grow brave by reflection.
‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink,
but they whose heart is firm,
and whose conscience approves their conduct,
will pursue their principals unto death.
Leonardo da Vinci
Contents
Part 1: Illusions
Chapter 1: Fire
Chapter 2: Magic
Chapter 3: Refuge
Chapter 4: Recovery
Chapter 5: Outside
Chapter 6: Discovery
Chapter 7: Trial
Chapter 8: Threats
Chapter 9: Homeless
Part 2: Oppression
Chapter 10: Adar
Chapter 11: Rumors
Chapter 12: Visitors
Chapter 13: Demons
Chapter 14: Separation
Chapter 15: Peril
Chapter 16: Lucy
Chapter 17: Propagation
Chapter 18: Betrayal
Chapter 19: Judgement
Part 3: Disjunction
Chapter 20: Alone
Chapter 21: Radio
Chapter 22: Aftermath
Chapter 23: Plans
Chapter 24: Stealth
Chapter 25: Rescue
Chapter 26: Stickman
Chapter 27: Destiny
Afterword
About the Author
Part 1: Illusions
Three things cannot be long hidden:
The Sun, the Moon, and the truth.
Siddhartha Gautama
Chapter 1: Fire
Liam Collins never slept, instead, behind closed eyes, his thoughts pleasantly drifted. In the darkness of their small apartment, his girlfriend Denise snored softly beside him; it was a pleasant, comforting sound. He gently stroked her black wavy hair and smiled contentedly. She was a wonderful woman and they were in love, even though a human and android pairing was far from normal.
Regardless of their feelings for each other, their future was under constant threat. Over the term of his short life, he had learned that human beings were intolerant of new ideas and fear what they don’t understand. Even though he experienced every human emotion, and with his unruly blond hair and green eyes he looked no different than anyone else, the danger remained.
In truth, he and his sister Rose weren’t like them. The most significant differences were that they were physically superior and the crystalline structure of their minds could simultaneously process complex problems much faster than a human brain.
While lying beside her that night, he was moving recent experiences into permanent memory storage, then, using an unbalanced data tree structure, he linked it all together for efficient recovery. Concurrent with his reallocation operation, he ran simulations of human interactions within their underground shelter to predict future behavior. Within that matrix were junctions where pressure might be applied that could alter the destiny of mankind.
His eyes opened; something had abruptly changed. He shifted his storage and simulation routines to the background and concentrated on his surroundings. There was an unusual vibration within their apartment. Reaching over his sleeping lover, he touched the cool granite wall and felt a slight oscillation that was slowly rising in frequency and amplitude.
He swung his legs over the side of their bed and slipped on his Tribal Army uniform. In the nearly complete darkness of their small room five stories below ground, his ocular perception was nearly perfect. His enhanced vision showed their living space in shades of gray, and the echoes of his own movements painted a mental picture of where Denise had discarded her shoes the night before.
She stirred and murmured while still within the grasp of sleep. “Liam? What’s goin’ on?”
“You need to wake up,” he replied.
“Why?” Her voice was clearer.
“The walls and floor are shaking, and it’s getting worse.”
“So what?” Denise answered. “Maybe it’s just Rose and Keith making love next door.”
Liam smiled at his partner’s joke; his sister was well known for her carnal appetite. “I can’t be absolutely sure, but it might be the solar flare we’ve been expecting. If the sun is finally erupting, all hell is about to break loose.”
“But we’re safe down here, aren’t we?”
“Probably, but I’d prefer it if you were down on the lower levels. Why not have an early breakfast with Keith in the cafeteria on level twelve, and maybe bring along some friends?”
“Everybody will be mad, and no one will believe me.”
“If the shaking gets worse everyone will feel it, but until then, just say your crazy boyfriend is off his rocker again.” He reached through the darkness to lightly touch her face. “Please Denise, I really need you to be safe.”
“What about you?”
“I have to get to the Engineering Center. There’re seismographic readings I can check to see if the solar storm is really hitting us, and maybe get an idea of how bad it’ll be.”
“What about Rose and Keith?”
“My sister probably senses the vibration too, and will meet me in the hall outside.” He pulled his girlfriend close, kissed her cheek and whispered, “We’re ready for this, so everything will be fine, but I have to get to work.”
*****
“What took you so long?” Rose was waiting in the narrow hall outside their rooms. Her straight black hair was pulled into a ponytail that hung halfway down her back, and her green eyes flashed with irritation. She was dressed as he was, in olive fatigues with glossy black lace-up boots.
The dark granite walls around them reached up into shadows punctuated by widely spaced LED lights that marched off into the distance. The housing floors within their shelter were dismal places, but beauty was never considered in their design, only the utilities necessary for survival were provided.
“You felt the vibration too?” he asked.
“Of course I felt it, and guessed that you’d want to head down to Engineering.” His sister tilted her head. “We’d better get moving then.”
Installing stairs in their shelter, which was built beneath a mountain near the old Colorado town of Steamboat Springs, would have made getting supplies to and from the lower levels extremely difficult. So, two sets of ramps were built at the east and west sides of each floor instead.
The inclines began on the uppermost level, near the entrance to a large vestibule that was bracketed by two thick steel blast doors. The second and third stories were set aside for storage, with levels four through thirteen hosting living quarters, Command and Engineering Centers, along with several cafeterias. The two bottom-most floors housed power generators, hydroponic gardens, an underground water source, and more storage.
They walked east along the shadowy hall toward ramps that would take them to the lower levels. “Where’s Keith?” he asked.
“Still getting dressed,” Rose replied.
Liam chuckled. “Busy night for you guys, huh?”
“Oh, shut up Big Brother.” Her twinkling eyes told him more than he wanted to know. “Is the shaking caused by the solar flare?”
“Maybe,” he responded. “I asked Denise to take Keith down to the cafeteria on level twelve for an early breakfast, and maybe bring some others along. I don’t want to cause a panic because the vibration could turn out to be just an ordinary earthquake.”
“I told Keith to keep an eye on your girl,” she said. “He’s a slow mover in the mornings, but will be out in a minute.”
“Denise has the same problem.” He smiled at his sister. “The lighting rarely changes down here, so it’s hard for them to keep track of whether it’s day or night.”
“Their natural circadian rhythms can be tough to deal with,” Rose replied as they trotted off the ramp onto level ten.
The Engineering Center was a wide-open area that stretched between the eastern and western ramps. It consisted of only a few tables hosting darkened computer terminals, environmental controls, and a few other instruments. Technology was shunned by almost the entire population, so as usual, the lab was empty when they arrived. The only activity was the red blinking light and annoying warning buzzer of the seismograph that was bolted to the floor.
A blurry-eyed young man wearing a tan uniform wandered out from a hallway between the nearby housing units. “What’s goin’ on?” he asked.
“Check your instruments,” Liam ordered. “We’ve got seismic activity; this could be the start of the solar flare.”
“Not my job, and I don’t like machines,” the young man said.
“Aren’t you a tech?” Rose asked.
“Nah, I’m maintenance; techs wear blue.” He frowned at the complaining machine. “Can you stop that thing from making all that racket?”
“Go back to sleep Jerry, I’ll handle this.” A tall and slender elderly woman with graying auburn hair strode purposefully into the Engineering Center.
“Hi Roxi,” Liam said. “We felt a vibration and thought we ought to check it out.”
The older woman watched Jerry slowly back away toward the housing units. “I don’t know why we need seismographs with you two around,” she muttered while rolling a wheeled chair before a computer terminal. After a brief moment of frantic typing, she said, “Yeah, we got action here. It could just be an earthquake, but I can’t tell where the epicenter is.”
Liam looked over Roxi’s shoulder. “Are there any readings from seismic stations further east?”
“Nope, they’re dark. Either it’s an equipment failure or someone shut them down.”
“What about out west?”
Roxi typed for a moment, then leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. “They’re fine, just the usual activity. Could this be a glitch? I don’t want to raise a false alarm.”
“It’s no glitch,” Liam replied. “The sun rises in the east, and our seismic stations out that way have suddenly gone offline. The solar flare is due; hell, it’s overdue.” He went to another computer terminal and entered the command to bring up the external camera feeds, then waited for the monitors to wake up. “I think you’d better sound the alarm, and start moving everyone to the lower levels.”
“You trust that thing?” Jerry had come up behind them and was quietly watching. “There’s nothin’ goin’ on outside. By the look of it, it’s gonna be a nice day.”
Liam glanced back at the video feeds, then leaned forward in dismay. “Shit! There are people out there. Sound the alarm!”
Roxi hesitated. “If we’re wrong, people will panic.”
“Call it a drill then,” Rose said. “We need to get them inside or they’ll be burned alive!”
Roxi typed a command, and the alarm suddenly shrieked throughout their enclave.
“Can you radio the other shelters?” Liam asked. “They may not realize what’s happening.”
“I’ll have to do that from the Command Center on level seven,” Roxi replied as she stood up.
“What’s going on down there?” A booming voice sounded from the overhead speakers.
“Commander Davis, we have a situation.” Roxi placed a finger on her lips, indicating that Liam and Rose should remain silent. “I have reason to believe the solar flare we’ve been expecting has begun. Please send messages to the other shelters and tell them to get ready.”
Commander Davis, who was in charge of their facility, started to protest but Roxi cut him off. “We don’t have time for politics Paul,” she said. “Make the calls. If we’re wrong, they’ll be pissed off, but if we’re right and do nothing, they’ll die.”
“We need to get those people inside,” Liam whispered, then he and his sister ran toward the ramps that would take them up to the surface.
*****
The blaring alarm was like a trumpet blasting into his ears. It was distracting, so Liam adjusted his audio acuity to lower the volume.
Moments later, Commander Davis spoke over the public address system. “Attention everyone,” he said. “I have good reason to believe that the solar storm we have been expecting has at last begun. We have prepared for this day and are ready. The ordeal before us is frightening, and rightly so, as it may devastate much of the surface of our planet. But this facility is strongly fortified, we have ample supplies in storage, water from our underground springs, and food production from hydroponic gardens. I cannot stress this enough; we are safe and ready for the approaching calamity. So, remain calm, move to the lower levels of our facility, and follow the orders of the administrative staff. Together, we will wait until it passes, then start the process of rebuilding our world.”
Rose paused as they neared level five. “I’ll check on Keith and Denise, then meet you in the vestibule.” She then dashed out into the dimly lit floor.
Liam continued to run but bumped into a teenage Asian boy just as he passed level four. “Wow man, what’s goin’ on?” the dark-haired kid asked.
“Get to the lower levels,” Liam responded. “It’s the solar flare, and we have people still outside. If I don’t get them back in, they’ll burn.”
“I’ll help,” the boy said.
Liam regarded the young man, then nodded. “Ok, let’s go.” Together they raced up the inclines, passing the warehouses on levels two and three, and at last, they trotted through the open steel inner doorway and into the vestibule.
“What’s your name kid?” Liam asked as he slowed to a walk.
“Tommy Cho,” he answered. “But everybody calls me Tiger.”
“It’s nice to meet you, I’m Liam,” he said. “Ok, getting this job done will take both of us. I need you to wait here and get everyone I send up safely inside and down the ramps to the lower levels. Can you do that?”
“Yes sir, I can.”
Liam smiled. “Good, thanks!” He pulled at the massive outer door, opening it wider. “The alarm isn’t sounding out there; what the hell?”
“Dang, you’re strong!” The young man’s eyes were wide with amazement. “They usually use electric motors to open and close the hatch.”
“No time for that,” Liam said. “I’ll be back up to close it, and my sister Rose will be along to help you.” He laid a hand on the boy’s shoulder and smiled, hoping to appear confident. “You’re saving people Tiger, and that’s a good thing.”
The boy smiled. “Thank you, I won’t let you down.”
*****
Liam stepped through the outer vestibule door, then turned back toward the young man. “Take care of yourself. If it doesn’t look like we’ll make it in time, start the motors and shut the door. We can’t risk the flame and heat getting inside the shelter; if that happens the whole place could collapse. It’s a matter of saving the most people. You may have to sacrifice some to save the rest, you understand that, right?”
“Yes sir, I do,” Tiger responded. “But hurry, it looks kinda scary out there.”
Liam nodded. The boy was right; although the sun still hid behind the eastern mountains, the sky was painted a deep crimson and the air seemed to ripple and boil near the horizon. A cool breeze blew from the west, but it was warming quickly and the wind velocity was s
teadily increasing. “I’ll be right back,” he said, then ran down the steep grassy slope toward a crowd of people that were picking apples at an orchard near the bottom of the hill.
“Stop what you’re doing and get back inside!” he shouted.
Several people on ladders turned to look at him curiously, but they made no move to follow his orders. “Who are you?” a dark-haired man in his twenties asked.
“That doesn’t matter! The solar flare has started, and everyone has to get back inside!” While still running, he glanced toward the east and saw two people who seemed partly transparent and out of focus. A huge bald man wearing army fatigues rested casually against an outcrop of red granite. He looked like Earl, the guard that had watched over him in Pike City. Standing close to the bald man was a beautiful woman with long blonde hair, she had a familiar grace that he instantly recognized; it was Karen, his girlfriend from Flatiron City. Confusion tangled his feet and he fell face-first into the wet grass.
Karen was long dead, and his friend Earl was lost in outer space; how could they be here? Liam pushed himself back up to his hands and knees. When he looked again, they were gone. What had he just seen? Was it some kind of hallucination? For now, he needed to let his confusion go and get people back into the shelter.
He rolled to his feet and continued his downhill rush toward the orchard. “Come on! Stop picking. You all have to get back inside!”
“Why?” The dark-haired man paused to frown. “What’s the fuss?”
Liam pointed toward the sunrise. “The solar flare has started.”
“No, it hasn’t,” a blonde woman at the top of a ladder shook her head. “The sun’s coming up just as it always does.”
“We’re detecting tremors on our instruments. Everything east of here has been fried.”
“Huh! Technology, you can’t trust that. The ruination of the world, that’s what it was,” she replied and went back to picking apples.
There was no time to argue. Liam stepped forward, grabbed the woman’s ladder and pulled, then caught her when she fell, while apples rained, thumping to the ground around them.
