It would be for the best, maybe, if we had been spotted by accident, but I’m sure that all these men and their machines are here to find out what’s in this mountain. They will try to get the answers from Ann so she’ll have to come back inside.
“Look, I don’t think it would be the best thing to do, I’m—”
“You two people,” The Major’s loud voice interrupted Tim, “move into the open immediately! That is an order! This is Major Warren speaking, you must comply, or we will come in after you.”
“We can’t explain everything, so I think we should get back in now,” Tim said as he activated the force field.
The solid rock shimmered and dissolved. Tim had a hold of Ann’s arm and he started toward the opening. He was starting into the base, when Ann, without warning, broke his grip and ran back out between the split in the rocks.
“You dumb ass!” he screamed as he went after her.
He was too slow and by the time he got to the open part of the pool, he saw Ann run into the grasp of two soldiers at the far end. He quickly deactivated the force field and sealed Timtown from the outside.
“Hey guys, what’s up?” Tim walked toward the two soldiers with a smile on his face. He had no idea what to do, how to bluff this one. Ann was standing between the two men looking bewildered.
“Hey kid, are you two okay? We were told that there wouldn’t be anyone up here,” one of the soldiers said.
“Yeah, we’re okay. Geez it’s good to see you guys. Can you get us out of here? My friend and I have been wondering what we were going to do if no one came to save us? We’ve been so worried. Annie, Annie, are you all right?” Tim headed straight for Ann. “I think we made it man; we’re going to be all right. Oh man, we made it. We really made it.” Tim hugged her and whispered in her ear. “I know you don’t have any faith in me, but play along, please.”
A young Lieutenant came running up from the pool below. “Henderson, what have we got here?” he asked the soldier next to Ann and Tim.
“Just a couple of kids, Sir,” the soldier replied.
“The Lieutenant walked up, and looked Tim and Ann over.
“What the hell you two doing up here?” he asked.
“Ah, we used to come up here all the time,” Tim answered.
“What are you doing up here, now?” the Lieutenant asked again.
“We always come up here,” Tim answered.
“Look kid, I’m not trying to be a hard ass, so answer my questions, please. Why are you up here, now?”
“Because it’s safe, that’s why,” Tim said, like it made all the sense in the world.
“I see, you have some supplies stashed up here then?”
“Ah, yeah, yeah, ah we did, but we ran out. That’s why we’re so glad to see you guys. We didn’t know what we were going to do.” Tim hoped that he sounded sincere.
“I see, so could you show me where you’ve been hiding out?” the Lieutenant asked.
“Oh, it’s a long way away, way back up there.” Tim turned and pointed up toward the mountains.
“And you were going, where?” the Lieutenant continued.
“Ah well, we weren’t exactly sure. We just decided to try to find someone that could help us, and boy, were we lucky, huh? You guys came along just in time.”
“I’ll say, no telling who you might have run into. There’s some bands of really nasty characters lose in this area,” the Lieutenant commented.
“Oh boy, do we know that!
I feet better now, having finally said something truthful to this guy.
The small radio the Lieutenant was carrying in his left hand, emitted a beep.
“Could you please excuse me for a moment?” the Lieutenant asked, then turned to the soldier. “Corporal Henderson here will see to your needs. Corporal, can you take them back into that split in the rocks and make them comfortable.”
“Yes, Sir,” Henderson answered.
The Lieutenant made his way toward the pool below the one they were in while talking into the radio.
“Yes, I understand Major. I’m not comfortable with their explanation either. Um, yes, I see. Ah, I think it would be best to interrogate them on the spot, yes, and your ETA? Yes, Sir, only water, I understand.” The Lieutenant finished his conversation and headed back toward Tim and Ann.
The two kids were sitting up against the rock wall that was really the force field leading into Timtown. The Corporal had moved to the front of the crack and was looking out into the pool.
“Wouldn’t they just shit if they knew what was right behind us?” Tim whispered to Ann.
“They aren’t going to hurt us are they?” Ann asked.
“I doubt it, but it’s a hell of a thing to worry about, after you ran out to them.” Tim’s tone of voice was critical.
“I just don’t want to live inside a mountain the rest of my life,” Ann said aloud. “I’m not a damn gopher.”
“Shuu, let’s keep this stuff to ourselves, okay? And, no matter what, Timtown does not exist, correct?” Tim said softly, but with force.
“Oh, whatever you say Timmy,” Ann said loudly.
“Oh come on, can’t you cooperate at all anymore?” Tim said quietly.
“I’m cooperating. I agree with you. I don’t want them to know about Timtown either, so there.” She did turn the volume down, a bit.
“Phew, I can’t believe, we finally agree on something. So we just play dumb then. We were up in the mountains, ran out of food, and were on our way down.” Tim looked at Ann.
“That’s the story,” she returned.
The Lieutenant came back into the pool and was walking toward the Corporal. He motioned for the Corporal to move toward him.
“Henderson, did you get anything?” The Lieutenant asked.
“Not much Sir. The girl said something about inside a mountain, and I heard gopher. I figured if I got any closer, they wouldn’t have said anything. Sir, they’re just a couple of kids, what could they possibly know?”
“I don’t know Henderson, maybe nothing, but is there anything about them that seems strange to you?”
“Um, I don’t know? In the briefings, they said to expect any personnel that we might encounter would be in sad shape. Those two don’t fit the picture; they look awful clean and healthy to me.”
“All right Henderson!” the Lieutenant exclaimed
“Hey Lieutenant, what are we supposed to be looking for?” the Corporal asked.
“I don’t know? My orders are to hold this position and to report anything unusual. Some brass is on its way, and maybe we’ll get some answers when they arrive. Just stay in good listening range of those two, and try to pick something up, if you can? Water rations only. I’m going to check the other men.
Corporal Henderson returned to the beginning of the crack and took up his old position.
“A drink of water is about all I can offer you guys right now,” Henderson said to Tim and Ann. “We haven’t gotten our supplies down yet, anybody interested?”
“Yes, we could use a drink,” Tim answered.
Henderson reached into his pack lying on the ground and pulled out a plastic water bottle, and gave it to Tim who had walked forward.
“You must be some smart kids, you two?” Henderson commented.
“Why do you say that?” Ann asked.
“Well, we’ve been in briefings for a week or so, about this operation and we didn’t expect to find anyone up here. Especially two kids, all alone.”
“It’s not too safe down there, and you can trust me on that one,” Tim returned.
“I believe you. We were also briefed that there were many renegade bands on the loose, and they were extremely viscous.”
“Ah, yeah, that’s why we headed for the hills,” Tim remarked.
“Like I said, smart kids, but you’re safe now.”
Tim took the water, returned to the rear of the crack, and gave the bottle to Ann.
“I sure wish you hadn’t done this,” T
im whispered.
“Done what?” Ann said loudly.
“Shuu, that guy is listening to us,” Tim scolded.
“They’re all around us, aren’t they Tim?” Ann snickered.
“Hey look, these guys aren’t here by accident, they’re looking for something,” Tim whispered.
“I can’t imagine what, there isn’t anything up here,” Ann said.
“Except Timtown,” Tim commented.
“They don’t know anything about that. God Tim, you’re so paranoid sometimes,” she said loudly.
“I told you to keep your voice down,” Tim whispered, and elbowed her in the arm.
“You hit me again, and I’ll tell them everything,” she snarled.
Tim put his head in his hands and shook it. It would do no good arguing with her; it would only strengthen her stubbornness. Tim could hear another helicopter starting to land on the far side of the canyon rim.
“I don’t know how we’re going to get out of this mess?” whispered Tim.
“What mess?” Ann asked. She was still not attempting to keep her voice low.
“I’m not going to talk to you, if you don’t, keep, it, down,” Tim snarled under his breath.
She didn’t respond, so he remained silent.
After a minute or so, Ann finally said in a quiet voice. “They’ll just let us go. What else would they do with us?”
“Ann, I’ll guarantee, they are not going to just let us go. Even if we convince them that we know nothing, they’re still going to fly us out of here. I don’t know how the hell we’re going to get back?”
“Good, I don’t want to come back. I don’t like the way you and Arty are getting. I still think he’s just trying to help, and you are just jealous.”
“Enough about that, and for christ sakes, don’t slip up and mention anything to these guys, please!” Tim said as he heard more people moving toward their location.
Five individuals climbed down into the dry pool from the rocks above and walked across the pool toward them. There was the Lieutenant that had left a little earlier, a Major, and another older soldier in a dress uniform with all kinds of brass and medals, and two civilians. One civilian was mid-fifties with a conventional, conservative style haircut, jeans, a rumpled golf shirt, and tennis shoes. The other one was young, mid-twenties, wearing dark sunglasses and a sweat suit.
The five stopped outside the crack and spoke with Henderson. Tim struggled to hear the conversation, but they kept their voices down.
*
“What did you get Corporal?” asked the Major.
“Not too much, Sir, they figured out I was trying to listen, and the boy was trying to keep the girl quiet, but she said something about telling us everything, and that the boy was being paranoid. Everything else was kind of confusing.
“Good work, now get yourself some chow and stay loose, we’ll need you again later,” said the Major.
The Major turned and walked into the crack, followed by the other men. He stopped five feet from Tim and Ann and spoke, while the others stayed back.
“All right you two, on your feet!” he commanded.
“Fuck you!” Ann returned.
The Major’s face scrunched up, and his neck turned an instant red.
“Now, now Major!” said the officer with all the hardware; Tim decided he was a general. “These are civilians, not your men. Remember that we work for them.”
“I’m sorry, Sir. Please except my apology,” he said to Ann and Tim
“What are your names please?” he asked in a much more pleasant tone.
“I’m Tim Randell, and this is Ann Reeves.”
“Tim and Ann, good. This is General Miser, and this gentleman here,” the Major pointed at the older civilian, “is Mr. Adams, and over there,” he pointed at the younger one, “is Randy McAllen.” Each of the men smiled and nodded their heads as the Major introduced them. “And, I’m Major Warren.”
The man named Adams walked over toward Tim and Ann, stopped and put down the suitcase he was carrying and smiled. He had the look of a wizened grandfather with a genuinely, friendly smile.
“Just exactly what brings you two up here?” Mr. Adams asked in a friendly tone.
“Well, like I was explaining to the other guy, we are trying to get back down to Mountain Cove,” Tim answered.
“And why would you be going there?” Adams continued.
“That’s where we live,” Ann said sarcastically.
“Oh, have you been there since the first earthquake?” Adams pressed on.
“Just for a little while,” Tim responded, “but it got really hairy, so we decided to split.”
“Hairy, as in?” Adams questioned.
“As in dangerous. There’s some crazy mother-fuckers running around loose down there. You guys should be taking care of them, not hassling us,” Tim said lecturing.
“Are we hassling you?” Adam asked.
“Well, yeah, sort of. I mean, we’ve been stuck back here, and now all these questions. We haven’t done anything,” Tim said.
“Well, we don’t know that, do we?” The young guy called Randy had stepped forward and answered Tim in a condescending tone. “We can’t be sure until we get a few answers, can we, hey, we could be standing here talking to a couple of those crazy mother-fuckers you mentioned, right now, couldn’t we?”
“Oh shit, come on! Do we look like we’re crazy?” Tim replied annoyed.
“No not crazy, but you do appear to be mysteriously well feed, and quite clean and healthy. How do you account for that?” Randy asked.
“Just lucky,” Tim said.
“Could you explain, lucky?” Randy asked.
“We have this place back up there,” Tim motioned over his shoulder toward the mountains again, “that we go to all the time. We leave stuff there, and when the earthquake hit that’s where we went. We just ran out of everything, so that’s why we’re on our way back.”
“By we, you are referring to?” Randy asked quickly.
“Ann and I.” Tim pointed back to her.
“Anyone else?” Randy asked.
“No, just us,” Tim answered.
“Where is this place? Do you have a name for it?” Randy continued.
“No, no name. It’s way back in that mountain.” Tim pointed again, approximating the direction that he was making up.
“We would like to see it, Son,” the General jumped in.
“What for, there’s nothing there?” Tim stated.
“Then there should be no problem showing it to us, correct!” Randy stated.
Man, these guys aren’t letting up. I hadn’t figured anyone would be so interested as to make me prove my bullshit story, but it’s obvious these people are not going to let me get off so easy. Man, I’m trapped.
“What are you guys doing up here anyway?” Tim asked.
“Son, it’s business that doesn’t concern you,” Adams said. “Now, would you please cooperate with us, and take us to where you have been staying since the quake. You do that much for us, and then you and your friend will be flown out of here to a safe location, agreed?”
“It’s getting dark, I don’t think I can find it now,” Tim said.
“Fair enough,” the General said, “but let’s not spend the night huddled here in the rocks. We have some much better accommodations. Would you please come with us?”
*
Tim and Ann got to their feet and followed the men out of the crack.
I wonder if we should try to make a break for it.
When Tim walked outside of the crack he forgot that idea. There were at least ten soldiers in and around the pool, and another ten or so on the steep slope rising to the top of the canyon. He thought about trying to get back into Timtown, but he didn’t think he would have enough time to open the force field, get through, and then close the field again, without letting somebody in with him. Then it would be bad on Ann, if he left her and just disappeared.
I don’t want to gi
ve up the secret of Timtown, and I’m sure this is what this is all about.
The soldiers led Ann and Tim up the West side of the walls, trying to be inconspicuous about how well they were guarding them. It was almost completely dark; the Sun had set fifteen minutes earlier. There were soldiers every twenty feet all the way to the top. At the top Tim and Ann were placed in a sleek helicopter. The General, and the two civilians climbed in behind them, but the Major stayed on the ground. Tim was glad because he didn’t like the man.
Of course, at this point, he didn’t want anything to do with any of them. As they were going up to the top, he had been watching Ann. She didn’t show any concern about the attention they were getting, but Tim was worried because this thing was not going well.
These guys want something, and I’m sure they want to know all about Timtown. I’ve got to do everything I can to make sure they don’t find out anything. They made no attempt to search us. We’re both in shorts and light shirts, with nothing else. These gov-guys have to be wondering about that.
*
The helicopter lifted off and headed southeast, away from the desert. Nothing was said as the helicopter flew in the darkness. They had placed Ann to the rear, and him in the front, so there was no way to communicate with her. It probably wouldn’t do any good at this time, so Tim was glad to be alone so he could think.
The military found us at Timtown, and after the crap Arty pulled, there’s got to be a connection.
*
They traveled for approximately fifteen minutes and then settled to the ground in a well-lit compound. They were led away from the helicopter in separate directions. Tim objected, but a woman who had met the helicopter, convinced Ann that she was safe, and to come with her.
*
The General and the two civilians guided Tim toward a tent set down in a wash and instructed him to go inside. They had said little else since they had all boarded the chopper. Tim went inside, and the others stayed outside. There was nothing in the tent except: a desk, a chair, and a cot. He waited and waited, but no one entered. He finally sat down on the cot, and after a couple of minutes laid down.
They are going to make it confusing for me, I’m sure of that. They were going to make me wonder.
Chapter 20
Return to Timtown