Tucker saw two cars in there, parked side by side. “They had three cars?”
“No. I thought that when I walked in here…” Sam said. “I thought, wow, not only is this a clean garage, but small. Short, you know, they couldn’t park that SUV on the driveway in there.”
“No, they could not.”
“I didn’t see it at first when I opened the garage door but…come here.” He walked down the side of the car to the back wall. “Look.”
“What the hell?” Tucker blurted out when he saw there was a huge hole, at least four foot around, in the back wall.
“Yeah. And it doesn’t go to the backyard.” Sam lifted his flashlight and shone it in. “It’s hollow.”
“It’s a room,” Tucker said. He pulled out his rectangular LED light and with it lit he climbed through. “Sam, get in here.”
The light was bright enough to illuminate the entire area.
It was long and narrow. There were blankets and cots, food scattered about.
“People lived back here,” Tucker said. “It’s a hidden room.”
“That hole…that hole, they either escaped…” Sam said.
“Or someone pulled them out.”
“Tuck, why build a hidden room in the garage?”
“I think the better question should be,” Tucker said, “what were they hiding from?”
NINETEEN
It wasn’t quiet when it should have been. Nate couldn’t quite place the sound. It wasn’t an animal or human, it was closer to a click and hum. But it was faint and just when he thought he heard it, it was gone. More than likely it was Tucker and Sam.
It started after dinner when they were getting ready to settle down for the evening. Right after Tucker and Sam took off for a walk, despite Finch’s advice to stay put.
Though they did check in every five minutes by radio.
Nate had cooked the meal. He’d used the fresh vegetables from Quinn, the preserved chicken breasts, and made a nice stir fry, without stir frying it.
Everyone enjoyed it.
Finch had suggested taking a break after dinner. Take time for everyone to clear their minds after the search, and then once they were refreshed they could revisit and discus.
Rey had set up the fire pan, a miniature version of a fire pit, and had a small fire going. She sat on a cushion and next to her was the gear bag. It was open and she shuffled through items.
Nate pulled up his chair. He looked at Finch, who kicked back. “Anything from them?”
“They are due to radio in a few.”
“Do we have to wait?” Rey asked. “I came up with some interesting things.”
“Like?” Finch asked.
“Like, there wasn’t much in the first house. But our second one…” Rey said. “Someone in that house went on the ARC.”
“What?” Finch sat up, leaning forward. “Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”
“Well, it was such a good find,” Rey said. “I wanted to tell everyone all at once. This person was selected really early, too.” She reached into the bag and pulled out a frame. “His mom was proud. Apparently, he was selected for his ongoing work in robotics.”
“Interesting.” Finch took the frame. “I didn’t realize that was one of the categories.”
“It was fifty years after our time,” Nate said. “A lot could have changed.”
“Very true. So anything else?” Finch asked.
“You mean like, that wasn’t enough?” Rey asked.
“I didn’t say that, I was just…”
“Apparently, there weren’t any natural disasters. From the looks of the stores,” Nate said. “They closed down. So, that tells us something happened here.”
“No shit,” snapped Rey.
“What is that about?” Finch questioned. “Why the bad mood?”
“I’m pissed, we’re supposed to share what we found and put our heads together. Where are they?” Rey said. “Not here.”
“They’ll be here soon. We can talk without them.”
“Just that we’ll have to repeat it,” Rey said.
“She has a point,” Nate agreed.
“Fine.” Finch lifted the radio. “Tucker. Come in. Are you guys coming back any time soon?”
“On our way, Commander,” Tucker replied. “We found something.”
“Roger that, see you soon.” Finch glanced at Rey.
Nate saw it; she didn’t look happy.
“What is it now?” Finch asked her.
“Now, everything they say is going to be important, like ours isn’t.”
Finch laughed. “Rey, what is wrong with you tonight? Have some of that Quinn wine. It’s good stuff, relax.”
“Speaking of Quinn,” Nate said. “Did he ever give us any definite indication of when things happened? Like the big stuff.”
“Obviously, sometime after right now,” Finch said. “I just wish we knew when we were.”
Rey raised her hand and spoke cheerfully. “I found a loaf of bread today.”
Finch and Nate just looked at her.
“It really wasn’t a loaf of bread, more a lump of something hard, green, and unknown.”
They still stared at her as if she were nuts.
“I was kind of shocked it was that bad,” Rey said. “The Dawsons…”
“Who?” Finch asked.
“Second house, they were they Dawsons,” Rey replied. “The name on the letter.”
“Oh.” Finch nodded.
“Anyhow, the Dawsons had been storing food. I mean, hiding it for some reason, maybe there was a run on things. They had these gray plastic storage bins, the type I used to store my Christmas decorations. Why they didn’t stick it in a freezer, I don’t know.”
“Maybe,” Finch said. “If they were hiding it, it would be seen.”
“Good point.”
“Where is this going?” Nate asked.
“I’m getting there. I was going to wait,” Rey said, “until Tucker and Sam got back, but I want to break the news first in case they found it out.”
“What news?” Nate asked. “That bread stored in gray plastic container turns into a lump of something?”
“Sealed container. That’s important,” Rey said.
Finch shook his head. “Okay, I am going to let you roll, because, obviously, you are building to something big.”
“I am,” Rey said. “The sealed container allowed the plastic wrapping over the bread to be in good condition and…let me see the sell-by date. That sell by year was five years after the letter Nate found. Which also let me know that Tucker
