3531 (6 page)

             
“More or less, I think they worked for a company that had ties with the Alliance. I know at one point they, we were hauled away to a more secure area. They were vague and somewhat reluctant to give me details.”

             
“I'm sure they had their reasons.” She looked about the room. “This place is really south of where they most likely worked.” She inspected the ceiling a moment. Turning her attention back to him, she couldn't help but kiss him on the cheek.

             
Donovan lifted his eyebrows in total surprise at her action. “What was that for?”

             
“A thank you for saving me, and bringing me here.” She gently pushed him playfully, while giving him a encouraging smile.

             
“You're welcome.” He rose up and went to the panel and programmed another shower.

             
Rachel explored the room a bit more, noting nothing interesting that she hadn't seen before, she begin gazing at Donovan. She watched the suds cascade down his body. His build seem almost to perfect, making her grow a bit suspicious, but why? Was it possible he was created from a laboratory and not a product of two parents? Could that be why they never told him? At this point did it matter? Would they have gone to all this trouble for some robot? Now she was doing it, having questions fly through her mind. She pushed out of her mind the thoughts and questions of it all.

             
Donovan dried himself, then after dressing he removing the power cell, he unfolded a bed, then gingerly climbed into it.

             
Rachel watched the lights go dim. “What did you do?” she asked.

             
“We only have five power cells, each last about seven days.”

             
“Where are those blue lights along the wall getting their energy from?”

             
He looked at the faint blue lights, some were flickering. “They are hooked up to some form of solar energy, but they do not function very well.”

              Rachel nodded in understanding. Looking at the backpack she remembering the sleeping bag, however without thought, she climbed into the edge of the bed. “You don't mind do you?”

             
He couldn't resist her cute expression.

             
“So what are we going to do tomorrow?” she whispered. Hearing no reply she turned her head, and saw he was already fast asleep.

Chapter 8

             
Rachel began stirring from her sleep. While the bed was very comfortable, it was only made for one person. She decided to lay there a minute more, due to the fact she enjoy his hand draping over her. Was it safe to enjoy something for a moment? This life doesn't leave room for much pleasure with surviving being a constant task. Maybe her dad was still alive, but doubtful. She wanted him to be proud of her, that his daughter was still alive full of fight. She rubbed her eyes to quell any tears trying to form.

             
The moment was over, she removed his hand from around her waist. Gently getting out of bed, she stretched. She walked to the VR machine, sitting in the chair. She watched the dome lift up, giving a smile at the antique machine, but when people first used it, this was a marvelous piece of technology. She was tempted to start looking at the chips, but instead wanted to explore the logs history. She touched the projections menu screen. Pulling up its history, the files came up empty. “Hmm, someone covered their tracks.” She then attempted to bring up the direct executive menu.

             
Suddenly a face appeared. “You don't have permission to this menu without proper access codes.”

             
“By whose authority?” Rachel replied.

             
“By order of Doctor Benjamin Fitzgerald.”

             
Rachel was shocked by the tight security. She turned to look at Donovan, who was still sleeping. His parents did work for the Alliance or so it seemed, if they were his true parents.

             
She tried a few other avenues of approach only to be denied access. Then she came to a realization, maybe it was blocked to keep alliance from tracing the location. With that thought in mind she backed out of the menu. “How careless can I be? Would they still have that much power and technology? Doubtful after a nuclear war. The entire world had been thrown back thousands of years. There was some kind of organization left in the alliance, clearly they were sending out those stalkers, and hunter-killers.”

             
“Who are you talking to?” Donovan asked. Quietly he had walked upon her.

             
“I was just trying to bring up the history on this VR.”

             
He grasped the backrest of the chair, leaning a little to get a better view. “Why are you trying to do that?”

             
She turned to look at him. “To learn, and understand whats going on.”

             
“But all that was taking place in 2539, its now 3531.”

             
Rachel heard the coldness of his tone, a hint of sadness has well. “You don't recall anything?” she asked.

             
“Waking up in that pod is the extent of my life including a few dreams of my childhood.”

             
She tighten her lips, with some understanding of his frustration. “I'm sorry Donovan.” Her sympathetic comment only got a nonchalant wave of his hand. He sat on several boxes near the desk.

             
She got up, and slowly walked to him, wrapping her arm around his neck giving him a soft hug. “How many of those chips have you looked at?”

             
He did love her softer voice when she spoke, it was soothing to him. “Only the first three.”

             
She listened to his brief account of what was on them. “You don't mind if I watch a few do you?”

             
“I think its pointless, what information or help could they give when they were so uncertain of things back then? They even argued about what to reveal to me. I even thought it was some sort of sick joke.”

             
“We have to try Donovan,” she reasoned.

             
“Well we have all the time we need, help yourself.” He watched her walk to the machine and place in one of the chips. With time not a factor, she didn't know how long she watched. Both doctors gave instructions on first aid, and even a few instructions on more severe injuries. Once past the medical lessons, the topic was moved to the alliance, which grabbed her attention.

             
“The alliance central  command fear, that there are intruders, and spies everywhere. They took in your father for detailed questioning. This is one of the reasons we have decided not to try and escape with you. Tomorrow they are executing four people. They have grown more earnest in their fears of such civil unrest and sadly its their own doing.” Mercedes paused for a moment. “For the first time I feel what I have done might be wrong. My work has helped countless people live a more normal life, however the alliance has taken my work to destroy so many people. I also wanted our soldiers to have a better chance at surviving on the battlefield. Son, there are a few things...”

             
Rachel felt her stomach knot up sensing and feeling the doctors turmoil on revealing something, but what?

             
The ground began shaking and dust floated loosen from the ceiling. The couple both rose up looking about in fear.

             
Donovan headed for the door. “Turn off the machine,”

             
She watched him enter into the tunnel, she was quick at turning off the VR and followed him. Climbing the ladder he peeked through a crafty made looking device that allowed him to see 360 degrees

             
“What do you see?” she asked.

             
“There is some sort of vehicle, and some people in uniform are looking about.”

             
“Let me look.” He made room for her to climb up the ladder and peek.

             
“That is an alliance armored vehicle, and soldiers.” she revealed.

             
“Ok who are you?” he asked growing suspicious.

             
“I'm a nobody, but strange that's a sector eight transport.”

             
“meaning what?” he asked.

             
She watched the soldiers now turn their attention to their own transportation for it was now smoking. “Sector eight is farther north and east of sector seven. I had heard they formed a collation with seven. From my knowledge on the streets, not many people can kill one stalker, and well we have managed to kill  seven of them including hunter-killers.”

             
“It would appear they are better organized then I previously thought. Do you know if they focus on who is killing their stalkers?”

             
“I don't know much more then what I've already told you.”

             
They watched in silence has two soldiers continued to work on the broken down vehicle. A third soldier in a more distinguished uniform, seem to order the remaining four to fan out and search. One was getting dangerously close to their hidden entrance way. He was within several feet of running into it, however to avoid a few rocks he stepped to the left narrowly missing bumping into the door.

             
Silently the two controlled their breathing, fearful they could be heard. Donovan leaned into Rachel, “I'm going to get packed, we are leaving first chance we get.”

             
Her eyes widen, “We can't outrun them.”

             
“We can't stay here neither, they are going to eventually find us. Some how they are able to track us.”

             
She felt panic starting to set in. She followed him back down the tunnel.

             
Opening the backpack, he packed away everything that would aid them on their journey. His mother was right, travel south, always south. He patted his side, feeling the .45 in its holster.

             
Rachel found a tote bag and filled it with the shampoo and soap containers. She then packed away the chips from the VR machine.

             
Working their way back to the entrance he gazed out the tiny slots that provided some visibility. Tracks in the dirt revealed that the scouts had returned to their vehicle. They were now on the far side of the transportation for it provided some shade from the merciless sun. One was now on his back laying partly under the transport obviously still working on it.

             
Looking to the south, about four hundred yards or so away was the sight of rocky ridges and hills. He looked at Rachel, and noticed the fear in her eyes and face. “We have a chance if we reach those rocks.”

             
She shook her head no, total fear and panic was setting in. “This place is safe.”

             
“Don't you see, they have managed to track us, by shear luck their transportation broke down! They might even be waiting on help.”

             
She took a deep breath and nodded her head, the need to survival was growing inside her again.

             
“I will ease the door open and we will quietly made our way. If they hear or see us then take off running, ok?”

             
She only nodded her head. She felt her adrenaline rise.

             
Carefully he opened the door and once out he eased it back closed so the wind would not slam it shut.

             
Its amazing how a few moments in time can seem like an eternity. He looked back several times, so far so good, he carefully watched his footing.

             
Rachel fought back the urge to simply run. The fear of capture was heighten, to the point she was trembling, her legs felt rubbery. Full of panic how much more could she take.

             
Fifty yards they had traveled when a whistle blew, with no need to urge them on, they took off running.

             
“Stop, Halt!” came a voice on a loud speaker.

             
“Faster!” Donovan encouraged her. He only took a quick look and saw five soldiers chasing them. Each was armed with weapons.

             
A faint laser was fired striking the ground to their right, violently throwing rock and dirt about. A second laser struck the ground between them causing them to lose their balance falling to the ground.

             
Donovan quickly rose up, he took a quick glance, at the pursuing soldiers. They were about seventy five yards away. Helping Rachel up, they once again ran for the shelter the rocks would provide. They were still a good two hundred yards away.

             
Donovan then took a hit shoulder, spinning him around crashing into the ground. Rachel stopped to help him.

             
“No keep going!” he urged her.

             
“They will kill you.” She watched him pull out his .45 pistol.

             
“Go,” his voice compelling.

             
With no farther argument, she took off running. She was sicken from seeing wisp of smoke rising from his shoulder.

             
Donovan used the pack for extra protection from more laser blast. He watched the five soldiers fan out in a half moon formation. They closed to within forty yards or so. One raised up to fire, due to the flaw of the shoulder fired weapon. Donovan took careful aim and shot him in the chest. The man slumped back.

             
“Give up, there are reinforcements on the way,” one of the soldiers yelled.

             
Donovan ignored the warning, while he crawled he pushed along the backpack to some larger rocks that offered better protection. Looking back, he smiled at the fact Rachel had just about reached the rocks.

             
Two of the soldiers began firing their weapons, while the other two rushed forward.

             
Donovan returned fire missing the first time, but the second shot struck the charging man in the throat. He fell to his knees while  grabbing his throat. Donovan noticed thick oozing white liquid pouring from the wound.

             
One of the lasers hit the rock formation causing much debris to fly about, temporally blinding Donovan. “There's only three of you left,” Donovan screamed. He tried desperately to sink into the ground has the laser shots erupted all around him. Then just has fast it grew silent.

             
Slowly lifting his head, he peeked, barely visible through the swirling sand the remaining three soldiers had retreated. Rising up he inspected the two dead soldiers, but to his surprise the one shot in the chest was still breathing.

             
“Who are you?” Donovan asked.

             
The man blinked his eyes but said nothing.

             
“Your comrades left you to die?” He looked at the man, his brown eyes had tears rolling down the sides of his face.