Jack trudged through the deep waves as they ran back past his legs. He held Lexi's hand and helped her jump up and over the ridges in the sand as the waves pushed passed her. Once they reached the shoreline, Lexi collapsed onto the hot dry sand."I never want to go swimming again.""It wasn't that bad." Jack set the packs down next to her and knelt to them. He fished out a set of clothes for her. "Here you go."She held up the white and brown camouflage patterned clothes. "This isn't going to fit.""That's what this is for." He held out a roll of duct tape.Lexi sighed and flopped back on the sand. "The warmth feels so good.""What are you talking about? The water was warm.""Well, then the light feels so good.""That would be the radiation. If you stay out in it too much you'll burn."Lexi lifted her head. "I will?" She asked with a lilt in her voice."Don't worry too much. I little UVA and B will do you good. But too much of the other stuff and you will have to spend a week
"Jack?" Lexi asked."Yes, Ladybug?""How do we go to the bathroom out here?""Umm- Well, there isn't really a room out here to do that. So we dig a hole, squat, clean up, and then cover it," he stated."And how do you squat without getting pee all over your pants."Jack laughed. "I would slide down something like a solar tower.""Oh, I get it. So, like you're sitting, but there's no toilet.""I take it, you have to pee.""Yeah, but don't watch.""I won't. Here let's get off the road and pick one out."Jack sent her with a roll of toilet paper from the supplies and dutifully turned his head to the road. After a few minutes, Lexi came jogging back."Feel better?""Yeah." She sighed. "You didn't hear anything, did you?""Nope.""Okay."They continued their trek down the road until the sun was just starting to peek over the edge of the clouds at the horizon. Jack took Lexi off to the side and they ate a little meal."How come it looks like day up here, but it's really almos
Tom woke from blackness into blackness. His heart started pounding as the darkness pressed in around him. He felt around frantically in the dark and found his harness still locked into place. He unhooked it and splashed through the small amount of water on the floor. His breath felt shallow and came in hard breaths. He found the back of the pilot's chairs and leaned over. The man was breathing steadily but did not stir.Tom blindly tapped on some controls. He felt the pod swerve sideways. He pressed more buttons randomly. Finally, dim lights finally flickered on. He issued a sigh of relief.A large starburst of cracks covered the windshield behind the latticework of carbon structure. Droplets of water seeped through and dribbled to the floor. He looked down at the newly lit controls and found one labeled "Exterior Lights". Once pushed, a small beam of light cut through the dark waters. Sharps rocks and dead reefs passed them by as the little pod chugged along on its own."Who's driv
Tom headed to the right side of the room and leaned against a wall while he watched the commotion. The pregnant ladies were all settled on the right side along with some of his other research prisoners. Anyone that looked like they knew what was going on was rushed along the left side of the room and disappeared through the double doors behind the desk. Guards were stationed all around with large guns at the ready and handguns in their holsters. They seemed friendly enough as they helped the crowd, but the sheer number of force they had among them made Tom wary.One pregnant woman cried out in pain and dropped to her knees. Tom rushed to her side along with another man in camo."Are you okay?" Tom asked."It's my baby. It feels like knives right here." She gripped her belly as her whole body tightened in pain."Alright, it's okay ma'am. We're going to get you to the doctor." The man in camo nodded to Tom and together they helped her up by her arms. "Right through these doors."Tog
A large man in a brown jacket showed up in the medical pavilion with an air of importance. He escorted Tom back towards the entrance at a brisk pace passing a door labeled security. They sat him in a quiet room with a table. A single light bulb hung from the ceiling casting the grey room with a meek glow. The man sat across from him. Tom watched his own reflection in the large mirror on the wall.The man's cold blue eyes stared down as he flicked at a tablet for a few minutes. "It says here your name is Thomas Hayle?"Tom nodded."And you were rescued from a research facility that used brainwashing.""I guess."The man pushed an electrode across the table. "Please put that on your left temple."Tom looked at him and down to the plastic circle. It was going to be more of this. They didn't trust him and they needed to make sure he wasn't a danger. He couldn't even tell them he wasn't. He didn't want to be, but he didn't know if he could control it."Freedom," The man said and look
"Morning!" Jack said.Lexi rolled over out of the light with a groan."Come on Baby Girl, let's get a move on." He handed her a bowl."Mmm- What is that?" She sat up and grabbed the bowl."Oatmeal. A safe house wouldn't be complete if it didn't have food.""It's not bad," she said around a mouthful."Finish up quick. We'll get you dressed and ready to go, then head out.""Do I have to wear those clothes again? They're too big.""Unfortunately, yes. I wasn't able to find travel clothes in your size. But, don't worry, once we find our transportation it will only be a few hours home."Lexi sighed. "Okay."Once they were ready, Jack shut down the safe house and they headed to the Surface. The sun was just coming up over the ocean. It cast a golden glow across the solar towers. The river ahead shimmered in the dark and light rays."That's pretty," Lexi commented as she adjusted her sunglasses."Imagine this, but without the solar towers and covered in green.""Green? Why green?
The ocean sparkled against the cloudy sunlit sky on their left. The wind kicked up the dust and sent it tumbling against the black obelisks littering the desert. They passed two small towns and a small city before Jack finally turned west. Another thirty minutes and they reached the familiar sight of the white hourglass buildings. A man stepped out of the shadows as Jack pulled up under the cover."Ah Frank, how are you this fine day?" Jack asked after the motorcycle engine turned off."Where the hell did you come from?" Frank asked.Jack grinned. "I was around. Almost didn't make it. We're running on empty."Frank shook his head. "Ellie's going to be happy to see you. Jimmy too. They thought you died on that ship.""Nah, I'm tougher than that. Here, would you mind taking this? I'm going to get this little lady cleaned up and checked out," Jack said as he climbed off and helped Lexi."Better have a look at that leg, too. You've got blood all over the side of this thing."Jack sc
Alex stretched her neck as per her normal routine. Fifteen hours this time. Not really a record. She was feeling a little more lethargic than usual. She tapped the lights on and hit it three times in quick succession to get it to the dimmest. The lights went from dimmest to brightest. She shook her head and squinted against the light, smacking the table again causing the lights to go back off. Stupid automatic updates, always changing the way things worked. She tapped it once and the lights turned on dimly. She sighed. Why was everything so hard?She took to her normal morning routine then stared into the search bar of her mirror. She needed to see this. Just a little bit. She flicked at the screen, searching for men with beards. Faces filled the mirror with sorting items on the left. She clicked brunette and blue eyes. She scrolled through them looking through many faces. She clicked human next. None of them were him, but they did remind her of him. His cool blue eyes and dark brown