“Halfway around the world,” Tye said.
“Shit. Why’d you come here?”
“To see my world live again,” Tye said.
Calvin stared at the fire, sparks zipping around the darkness like fireflies. “You all can stay in the bunker with me tonight and eat dried rabbit stew, or I can send you on your way through the tunnels. There’s much better food and nicer accommodations awaiting you in Argartha. And they have wine.”
“We’re pretty shot to the wind and frozen. How far?” Tye said.
“Not far. Two hours walk if you follow my directions right. Couple of days if you get lost,” Calvin said. “Take water and bread with you.”
Tye looked at his beaten crew, then stared into the bunker, and said, “Let’s push through.”
Calvin gave them some bread, water, an oil lantern, and a copy of a hand-drawn map. “You follow this, and you’ll drink fine wine, eat whatever you want, and sleep in a soft bed tonight,” he said.
“How will anyone know to look for us if we get lost?” Tye said.
“We’ve got old copper phones lines,” he said, pointing to a black phone that hung on the wall. “I’ll tell them to be expecting you. If you don’t show, they’ll mount a search and come get you. Just like a momma duck gets her chicks. Plus, some of the emergency phones in the tunnels still work.”
“Thank you,” Tye said.
“Will we see you again?” Milly asked.
“Almost certainly,” he said.
Tye lit the lantern, and the fellowship headed down into the tunnel system, ready to walk the final steps of their journey. The concrete corridors were cold and cracked. Water stains marked the ceiling, but most of the fluorescent lights looked intact. Calvin had said they were only used in emergencies so the bulbs were preserved, but he’d also said he’d never seen them illuminated. Rats and bugs scuttled about, but the tunnels were remarkably clean.
The map Calvin had drawn was clear enough, and they made an occasional turn following the numbers and letters painted on the walls and floor. Once they heard footsteps down one of the passages, but other than that they saw and heard no people. Tye knew they were getting close when the tunnel widened and one by one the ceiling lights came on as they reached them.
“Who’s doing that?” Milly asked.
“Nobody. They’re controlled by a motion sensor,” Tye said.
“What’s a motion sensor?”
“It reads sound waves and detects movement. No moving parts, but I’m still surprised they’re working,” Tye said.
“They have electricity?” Milly said.
Tye chuckled. She still sounded like a child asking if magic was real, despite having seen electricity provided by solar panels and batteries. Argartha had power to spare, and Tye was eager to discover how they achieved the feat.
“Hello there.” The voice echoed through the tunnel and Tye froze. Milly reached for her Glock, and when she realized it was gone, she fell in behind Tye, as did Robin.
“Turnip,” Tye said. “Go see who our friend is.”
The cat trotted off toward the sound. Several tense seconds passed, and in the silence it crossed Tye’s mind again how vulnerable the fellowship was. He’d taken so much on faith; the turtle, Argartha, and now that the end was almost in sight, doubt seeped through him like dirt in clear water.
When Turnip reappeared, she was accompanied by a knight of Argartha. Tye recognized the gray body armor, sword, gun and silver club. This knight was in much better spirits than Lord Commander Vantros.
“Well met, friends,” she said as she approached. “My name is Lexy Fu, and I’m a knight of Argartha and the head of the Orientation division.” She held out her hand, and Tye took it and then she extended it to the others. “I see you still follow the old ways.”
“A little. We’re happy to be here. Tired and hungry, but happy to have made it,” Tye said.
“Understandable. Calvin informed us you were coming, and I’ve had accommodations readied for you. We also heard from the squires, so we’ve been expecting you. Come,” Lexy said.
She sauntered away down the corridor and Tye followed without discussion. What was there left to discuss? They were all in, whether they wanted to be or not. The knights were in charge of the squires, so Lexy surely knew who and what they were, and since she was being so friendly, Tye let his guard down a little.
The wide corridor opened into a large hall, but it was dark so Tye had no idea what the room was used for. Lights cut a path through the blackness, and they came to a set of steps. They climbed them and at the top there was a double steel door.
“We’re here. You ready?” Lexy said.
The knight threw open the doors revealing a concrete landing that overlooked Argartha. Tye stepped out into the cool night and his breath caught. The city below sparkled like a thousand fireflies, and the air smelt of wood smoke and fresh bread. Squares of light marked the outline of buildings, and tall streetlamps lit shoveled sidewalks. There were people there; walking at ease, not shooting each other or running from virals. A trail meandered into the shallow valley before them, and Tye and his fellow travelers followed the path toward the bright lights, and the sound of music.
Chapter Thirty-five
Year 2078 – Respite
Randy and Hazel were the last two at the bar, everyone else having gone home. Technically Old Days Pub was closed, but Gimli let them come and go as they wished. Old Days had been the ancient resort’s club back before The Day, and the oak bar, bamboo stools, and paneled walls survived the tsunami because it was at the top of Citi.
Hazel was drunk and Randy was half there, and he cherished having her all to himself. “The
