18 From Breckenridge: Love On The Run (18 From Breckenrdige)

by J. P. Castle

  This scene repeated itself across many states to eliminate 16 percent of the entire prison population. Troops used bucket loaders to pick up the bodies and place them in the freshly dug burn holes, on top of the staff. In all, 400,000 prisoners were euthanized out of 2.5 million incarcerated across the nation.

  Captain Drisco reported back to Major General Given. “The neurotransmitters worked precisely as described, sir. The cleanup went much better with the prisoners all in one location outside, versus us going from cell to cell.”

  “Glad to hear it, Captain. I hope to receive the same news from my other Captains. Clean up the mess, and get back to base to await further orders,” said General Given. “We have a lot more prison yards to visit before this is all said and done.”

  “Sir, yes sir,” said Captain Drisco.

  BASTIAN AND THE others reached Hooksett, New Hampshire, by 2:30 p.m. that afternoon. They pulled into Big Tasty’s fast food restaurant. Bastian and Ledger got out to stretch their legs while the girls zipped inside for burgers and shakes.

  “Dang man, I’m flat over drivin’ across America,” laughed Ledger.

  “Yeah, second that,” said Bastian. “So, I believe . . .” Before Bastian could finish, his wrist-unit displayed the red alert screen, followed by the emergency tone. The alert blazed across every smart device in America that was connected to Wi-Fi.

  Rani and Troian came back with two bags of food and drinks. “I can’t believe how much I’ve missed a fat greasy burger.” said Rani. “What’s with the faces, guys?” Both her and Troian’s wrist-units were charging.

  “Ledger, get the computer hooked up to Tasty’s free Wi-Fi,” said Bastian, pulling the seat down in the rear of the SUV. They all climbed in the back to watch.

  “What could it possibly be now?” said Troian, picking up her unit to read the message.

  “Whatever it is, it can’t be good. Maybe the military hit another town. At this point, it’s hard to say. I wouldn’t put anything past them. Let’s hope it doesn’t directly relate to us,” said Bastian.

  They all stared eagerly at the computer screen, anticipating the worst. A news anchor announced President Barnes. Bastian and the others huddled in close to hear the address.

  “It is with great concern I come to you today about a virus that is rampant in some regions of our nation. I fear it could easily wipe out 80 percent or more of our population if we don’t act to control it immediately.

  “A week ago, the virus called Red Fang, killed over 4,600 people in Breckenridge, Colorado. We thought the threat had been contained, until two days ago when it struck Anaconda, Montana. So far, 9,000 of the 12,000 patrons living in that location are deceased. The number continues to grow.

  “Earlier today, several prisons across the U.S. suffered losses in their populations. While it is still under speculation at this time, the current hypothesis is that the virus arrived through staff, food delivery drivers, or the food itself. Specialists from the CDC are working to contain it as I deliver this message. We are deploying national guard to every major city across the nation to contain this epidemic. The national guard will set up vaccination centers to mass vaccinate our population. This is not optional.

  “It’s the only way to contain Red Fang, which kills within twenty-four hours of exposure on average. It’s imperative to comply to prevent the further spread of this nasty bug. The vaccine is free, no insurance necessary. Please watch your local news channels for updates and get to the nearest facility as soon as possible. I will update you when we have more information. Thank you, and God bless us all.”

  The President went back to the oval office and poured himself a stiff drink. That was the hardest lie I ever had to tell. He called Major General Given. “How’s the progress out there, General?” said the President.

  “Nice speech, sir. Everything is on track so far. Over 400,000 of the most dangerous prisoners disposed and rising. I wouldn’t release the fatality numbers of the prisoners, doing so may appear . . . too targeted on our part. People won’t be concerned with that anyway, once the reality in their own neighborhood kicks in. I don’t foresee any protesters gathering in the streets. In a few hours, it’ll be every man for himself,” said Major General Given.

  “I’d agree with that. Keep me posted.”

  “Yes sir, Mr. President.”

  “THIS IS GONNA cause mass panic now,” said Troian.

  “They sure laid out an excellent narrative for their fake story. People will willingly line up in droves at those tents. They’ll fight to get in line now. The chaos might make it easier for us to slip through unnoticed,” said Bastian.

  “Hard to say, but we need to find this Professor and get the hell out of here,” said Ledger. “Any major city is going to be trouble.”

  “Yeah, I agree, and crossing state lines could also become difficult,” said Bastian. “Come on, we’re close.”

  They left Big Tasty’s to find Professor Ander’s residence. Once inside the neighborhood, Bastian pulled over two blocks away from the Professor’s drive.

  “We’ll leave our rides here. I’m gonna go alone and find out if he’s home. I’ll text when and if it’s okay to come.”

  “We’ll wait right here,” said Ledger.

  Rani climbed in behind Ledger and Troian. They watched Bastian straighten his hat and make his way down the street through the rain. A single car drove past him. He turned his head away and proceeded up the Professor’s drive. It’s the weekend, that should raise the odds of him being home.

  Bastian rang the doorbell.

  Professor Anders opened his front door. “May I help you?” he said.

  “Hi Professor, I’m Bastian Ballentine . . .”

  Before Bastian could utter another word, the Professor ushered him in the doorway out of sight. “Goodness sakes. I suspected you might show up, get in here. Are you alone?”

  “No, I have three friends down the street. I told them I’d text if it were okay for them to join.”

  “Are they aware of your dad’s involvement?”

  “Two of the three, but the third won’t be an issue, I promise,” said Bastian. He watched the Professor peer cautiously through his blinds. “Are you nervous, Professor?”

  “If you knew everything I knew, you’d be nervous, too. Ring your friends to join us.”

  Bastian sent a text that simply read ‘okay.’ A few minutes later, the Professor allowed the others inside.

  “Please, everyone, take a seat. There is much to discuss,” said Professor Anders.

  Rani studied the darkened room.

  Sconces lit several paintings hanging near the mantle. Bookshelves lined the walls, as anyone would suspect in a professor’s home. Dark leather sofas, centered around a stone fireplace, sat atop a large, braided oval rug, weaved in multiple shades of brown.

  “I assume you all heard the President’s address.”

  “Yes, sir, we did, about half an hour ago,” said Bastian.

  The Professor sat down in his recliner and admired the way the flames danced in the fireplace. “Where to start, where to start, time is short indeed,” he said.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Four-Star General Atticus Scott

  “I’LL START WITH the history of Atticus, named after the man who created it, Atticus Scott,” said Professor Anders. “It harbors more secrets than the dark web ever dreamed about.

  “In 2048, a group of high-minded individuals got together to form an alliance. These families held positions in multiple sectors. Some were politicians; others included doctors, lawyers, farmers, nurses, hillbilly clans, military, you name it. A whole secret society came together to formulate and finance a plan. A plan designed to protect their families from a government or global meltdown.

  “Atticus Scott bought up mass tracts of land east of the Flathead Indian Reservation in northern Montana. The land borders the Flathead National Forest. He did this after the government discussed chipping methods in Congress. Atticus was thirty-fiv
e then, his sons, Declan and Drew, fraternal twins, non-identical that is, were three at the time.”

  Bastian listened and maintained eye contact with the Professor.

  “The idea of chipping folks had been shut down, until now. Atticus joined the Army at eighteen. He served many decades working his way up the ranks before being promoted to a four-star General during the big war. He always had an interest in serving, and . . . same as every other young man before him, he joined to make a difference. Through many decades, he observed a steady decay across the land, the government, and in society as a whole.

  “Pollution problems, school shootings, workplace shootings, and other terroristic events were regulars on the nightly news. Gang violence grew out of control. Atticus knew all the lawmakers ever did was talk about change, never acted on it. But when a special session was called in 2048, he knew something significant was underway.

  “Only a handful of special sessions had ever been called in history. Those who attended the session left in a despaired state. Atticus told me he was there that day. The day the Speaker of the House came into the room with a grim expression on his face. With a bowed head, the House Speaker read aloud specific changes that were about to take place.

  “The Speaker went on to say the government had wasted too much time with little or no action. The reports he’d received indicated it may be too late to implement all the necessary changes to save society. He told them life as they’d known it was about to change and asked them not to contribute to the discord but try to deliver viable solutions.

  “The Speaker said the President had met with the other heads of state around the globe, and those countries also faced similar challenges. They raised gas to twelve dollars a gallon. Large corporations were put on notice that if their employees could work from home, they were mandated to do so. Automakers were forced to stop manufacturing gas-fueled vehicles, only electric or solar was allowed. I remember when this happened. Many companies went bankrupt overnight.

  “Each household was allotted fifty free travel miles per week. They had to swipe a card at the toll stations. If a person went over, they had to buy more tickets or face hefty fines. Air-travel restrictions were also put into place, and taxes were raised on corporations paying non-livable wages to employees.

  “The couch potato life ended unless one was disabled. Per law, everyone had to contribute something to society, even if it meant producing a certain amount of food from home. Beekeepers were required in every single community. The latest scientific data suggested if we didn’t take those actions, the eventual future of the nation might end up in an irreversible state.”

  “Beekeepers,” said Rani.

  “Yes, people have never understood the role that simple honeybees play in our ecosystem. Anyway, the Speaker rolled out a lot of new laws. He explained to the Senate the air quality was declining across the globe due to deforestation. He said they had to cool down the planet. The best scientists in the world ALL agreed Earth was about to experience never before seen heatwaves, including solar flares from the sun.

  “Scientists warned the President if the planet didn’t cool down, the wildfires would get out of control from the lack of rain . . . which they did, even causing Koala bears, Polar bears, and other animals to go extinct. They further explained that massive droughts and food shortages were going to occur. Animals and humans susceptible to heat would not be able to tolerate 115 to 130-degree temperatures as the new norm, especially with no clean drinking water.

  “The Speaker closed the meeting after he discussed population control, which back then included, chips and sterilization. That never went anywhere at the time. And as always, a few changes were implemented, the rest discarded.

  “But that was the day Atticus started making preparations to protect his own family. He went straight home that night, thumbed over several ideas in his head, then told his wife Ivy to go close out all of their bank accounts, 401(k)s, and investment bonds.

  “The banks, of course, did everything they could to keep Atticus’ money in their greedy clutches. That’s how banks stay afloat . . . with other people’s money, and Atty had plenty of it. But Ivy wouldn’t take no for an answer and left with over 800 million ‘n change. Atticus was a wise investor. He also inherited a vast sum from his father, who designed and built naval ships during his time.

  “Atticus immediately bought hundreds of semi loads of lumber, concrete, steel, generators, and welding supplies to start his project. Knowing time was short, he employed people he trusted to keep their mouths shut—Natives from the reservation.

  “He didn’t sugar-coat anything about the situation and developed a relationship with the Chief, which has grown over the years. They still do a lot of business together, even now. They designed an enormous underground shelter, which they continuously add on to.

  “This shelter wasn’t designed for a single-family, it was designed for a community, an army even—complete with medical facilities, solar-power, you name it . . . it’s entirely self-contained. Atticus will be remembered in history, no doubt about that. He retired from the military in 2071. He has friends in high places everywhere and is a brilliant, influential man. The government isn’t even aware that the facility exists. That’s how it has to stay,” said Professor Anders.

  “You say all of this like you’ve been there before,” said Bastian.

  “That’s because I have . . . and you will, too, eventually. I was adopted into the Scott family at age fourteen after my parents died in a car wreck. Atticus is my brother, so to say. Your grandmother was Atticus Scott’s sister, which makes Atticus your dad’s uncle. Your grandmother married Harold Ballentine, hence the name change. Which is also where your dad, Dr. Harold, got his name from . . . I didn't know if you knew that or not. Atticus Scott is your great uncle.”

  Words escaped Bastian. His friends dropped their jaws.

  “How do I find him?” said Bastian.

  “Don’t try to find General Scott, he’ll find you. He’s an intimidating man. You keep your wrist-unit on, they’re likely tracking you and your pals already. At seventy-two, he hasn’t slowed down one bit,” said Professor Anders.

  “How would they do that? Track me, I mean . . . I’ve only had this wrist-unit for a few days.”

  The Professor grinned, “Trust me, Bastian, they have their ways. Some of the most intelligent minds in the world helped design and build Atticus. They’re everywhere and nowhere. Now, let’s discuss the Marksmen Monkeys.”

  “The Marksmen Monkeys,” said Bastian, remembering the phrase from the file he’d taken.

  “The Marksmen Monkeys are an underground group that posts information onto the dark web. They post things about the government, conspiracies, and real news people need to know. You’d be surprised how many people follow the group.

  “I can’t be sure precisely who they are. But the information they post is accurate. Obviously, a group of skilled hackers. Regardless, you need to monitor their web page for news updates at least once daily. Research them as soon as you get a chance. The government has searched for this group for over a decade now. By no means do you ever attempt to communicate with them or email them anything. Not even on a tor network or a private server. Uncle Sam monitors anyone in direct contact with them and considers contact to be a terroristic threat.

  “The Marksmen are aware of the killer vaccine. Information was posted about that at least two weeks before your town was even hit. The only thing they didn’t find out, was the exact location of the first town. Now, they’re saying that the vaccine being offered nationwide will kill one out of three random people, and everyone over fifty-five until the population quota is met. Females between the ages of fourteen and twenty-five will be given a placebo that doesn’t kill them but renders them infertile. That’s the rumor, anyway, wait and see if some version of that doesn’t come into play.

  “The end goal with that plan is to provide the planet enough time to heal before the breeders kick it into high ge
ar again. They’re calling it—The Great Harvest. Government officials and military families will be spared.

  “Your dad left me a key to give to you in case you made it here. Otherwise, I was to give it to Atticus. This is a key to a locker close by, filled with money. Your dad had a lot of investments, which he closed out here a while back. He’s invested millions into Atticus and wanted to ensure his family’s safety. They have him on lockdown now at the CDC.

  “We all know his role in this tyranny is forced. Understand you will probably never speak to him again,” said the Professor, rising to stand. “I realize how cold and insensitive that must sound. My intentions aren’t to hurt you, but to protect you. This is no time for the faint of heart. I’ve shared a lot of information for you to soak up in short order, and as I mentioned, time is of the essence. I’m going to make us all some dinner.”

  The Professor left the room.

  Bastian tried to digest the flood of Intel. He leaned back in his seat and worked his hands together.

  “Do you believe everything he said?” said Ledger.

  “I have to believe it. What choice do we have? We’re wanted for murder by—a murderer. That leaves very few options,” said Bastian.

  “Now what do we do?” said Troian.

  “Get to that locker, then get back to the others. Beyond that, I’ll have to think more. Ledger call Amir later, explain to him to follow the Marksmen Monkeys, but have zero contact.”

  “Okay,” said Ledger.

  “Would we be safe at this Atticus place?” said Rani.

  Bastian reached over to touch her hand. “Let’s don’t even speculate about a place we haven’t even seen yet. I literally found out about these new relatives today.”

  “Why would your dad keep that from you?” said Rani.

  “I can only reason he would’ve planned to tell me when he considered me old enough to understand . . . as in, understanding the consequences of knowing such information and the importance of keeping it a secret,” said Bastian.