Love Don't Die - The Fray

The Promised Land: (Part 27) Simple Man 

Eden’s eyes were wide as she took in everything around her. Walking along, the trio reached the core of the underground complex. A large hexagonal area stood before them, the very center of which sunk down to a circle surrounded by two sets of stairs, four steps each. The circle itself was large enough to fit a couple basketball courts, at least. Branching out from the hexagon were halls identical to the one Eden, Caden, and Shiloh just came through, six halls altogether and each venturing off in a different direction. The area was filled with people of all ages and nationalities, though not crowded. Some people walked from one hall to another, as though they were on a particular task. Some wheeled cloth-wrapped bundles and crates on dollies. Small groups of children played in the center.

As Eden followed the twins around the circle, she thought she heard music. It was a familiar tune, but not one Eden could immediately place. Straining to find the source, she spotted a guy with a guitar sitting on the steps closest to the hall on the opposite side of the room. Without thinking about it, she slowed down to listen. When she concentrated, she could just barely hear him singing.

“…take your time…don’t live too fast…troubles will come and they will pass…”

“Eden!”

Jolting out of her trance, Eden jogged to catch up with the twins.

“Stay close,” Caden chided. His determined expression could have easily been mistaken for annoyance.

Eden watched the various individuals as they passed by the entrance to each hall.

“Why? Afraid I’ll get…” her instant quip vanished in distraction as she saw two people carry out a suspiciously oblong, heavy package from the second hall. “…lost… What were they carrying? Was there a body in there? Caden, where are we going?”

Shiloh turned to Eden, eyes locked on hers, and gently pushed down the air beside him with his left hand before signing, “O. K.”

With a smile, he tilted his head toward Cay and waved for her to keep following.

“That child’s innocent smile will be the death of me,” Eden thought while pursing her lips in dissatisfaction.

Shadowing the twins down the third corridor, she noticed a row of doors on either side. As they reached the very back, Eden saw a metal staircase that led up to what looked like an observation room on the second level. Next to the last door on the right wall sat an old wooden desk, with a receptionist behind it. Caden marched right up to the woman’s desk and demanded, “I need to see Xidorn. Now.”

Despite the poor quality desk, the woman was using technology Eden was unfamiliar with. She was typing away on a holographic keyboard. Who knows where the monitor was. Every now and then she would stop to write something down on the papers scattered across the desk.

“I’m afraid he can’t be disturbed right now.” She spoke without even look up at the three individuals standing before her. “He’s in a department meeting.”

“I wasn’t asking for permission anyway.” That being said, Caden flung open the door and marched right into the room, much to Eden’s horror. Shiloh was close behind. Not sure what else to do, Eden timidly followed. The room wasn’t particularly large, surprisingly, but it was full of people.

“Blitz! Boomer!” a tall man in military getup called out as soon as he saw the twins.

“General Cyrus.” Caden briefly paused to salute the man before moving on. “Donna, doctors Everett, Misty, and Ross.” He greeted those he walked by, but did not stop until he was standing beside a man sitting behind a metal desk. Shiloh went around to the other side and both twins knelt so that all three were at the same eye level.

“This is outrageous!” a man in a white uniform exclaimed. “We have protocol for a reason! People cannot simply interrupt a classified meeting! This is completely uncalled for!”

“Doctor Everett,” said the general, “Let me introduce you to the missing operatives.”

“These? But… they’re children!”

“They’re also gifted infected and some of our best resistance operatives. The information they carry gives them priority clearance.”

Inching her way around the edge of the room, Eden could see Caden tell the seated man something, but she couldn’t hear what was said.

“Hold on.” A woman with long chestnut hair stared at Eden. “Who are you?”

“Oh… uh… I’m-”

“I am afraid General Cyrus is correct,” a loud voice from the back stated. Everyone turned to the seated man. Shiloh helped him stand. Once he was up, Shy stepped away while the man shifted his weight to a cane.

The man appeared to be the oldest person in the room. His hair was completely white and his skin wrinkled, but his voice was still clear and strong, not the voice of a body worn down by time alone. “While supply, safety, and health of the growing population is ever an issue, there are more pressing matters to attend to.”

“Such as?” the person Cay had greeted as Doctor Ross demanded.

“I am afraid that question can only be answered in the presence of the general, his operatives, and their guest. We will finish this meeting tomorrow.”

“Does that mean the rest of us have to leave now?” the chestnut-haired woman asked.

“Yes, Misty,” the man replied as he sat down again. “I’m afraid so. Good luck with the daycare.”

Nodding, Misty followed her companions out and shut the door.

Shiloh waved for Eden to come closer. As she did, Caden began talking.

“This is getting serious, Xidorn,” he said to the seated man. “Zeta has already banned infected in more than thirty star cities and four districts.”

“How can that be that possible?” Xidorn asked.

“It gets worse,” General Cyrus added. “We have reports that Atari troops are raiding the safety zones themselves. Whether that is done by command or in spite, we don’t know.”

Xidorn shook his white head and sighed. “What word do we have from Thabit or Subra? We have spies there, do we not?”

The general cleared his throat before replying, “We don’t know. We haven’t heard from them in quite some time. We can only assume they were caught.”

The older man nodded, looking more drained with each passing moment. “Yes, yes, I know.” Lifting up his cane, the man poked Caden in the chest. “And what am I to do with you? My dear boys, you have got to stop waiting until the last minute to report back. We’ve counted you among the dead thrice this year!”

“Sorry, boss,” Cay shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. “Our com unit was damaged once we reached the objective.”

“Then take a spare next time.” Xidorn turned to Eden. “I do apologize for ignoring you up until this point. Tell me, young lady, who are you and what have you to do with all this?”