Dark Sun Rising

Chapter 7

Alvin kicked open the metal door to the rooftop and stepped into the sun. He walked to the edge, keeping his head low, and decided to lie on the cement floor. His eyes were level with the short boundary that had a clear sight of the glass building Zari had failed to enter.

"What the heck are we doing here? Barbecuing ourselves?" Zari followed Alvin and copied his position. Both of them lay on the ground, and while Alvin knew exactly what he was looking at, Zari kept glancing left and right.

After Zari failed to get in, Alvin picked her up and took her into an abandoned building adjacent to her father's office. He told her how security had forced the inhabitants to leave their homes just so they could have a secure area surrounding the office. Essentially, the four buildings surrounding the headquarters were evacuated.

Zari felt a strange ache when she followed Alvin up the building. The sight of empty floors just broke her heart. Belongings were strewn about like the inhabitants were going to be home any minute, pick them all up, and continue their lives.

She had never imagined her father being involved in such treachery, and though she could see the situation clearly, there was still something in her that forced her to hold her judgment until she met her father. And Alvin was the only person who could get her to him.

"So, when you said we have to plan and break into the building, you meant, 'You just stay quiet, follow me and I'll do the rest,' huh?" Zari asked, finally drawing Alvin's attention.

"Listen. We're not getting past these guards, so I figured we needed a distraction. And before you come at me with 'why didn't you include me,' let me tell you, I have been working on this plan since way before I met you," Alvin said, gritting his teeth.

"So I was a shot in the dark when you sent me down there?" Zari asked but met Alvin's glaring eyes. "Geez! Okay. So, where's the distraction?" she asked, looking away.

Zari scanned the street. From afar, she saw a large truck rolling in. As it came closer, she saw the huge red and white logo on it—Fresh Carrier.

"And...that's our cue," Alvin said. He glanced at the truck and crawled back to the door while Zari followed.

"Vegetables?" Zari whispered as they walked out through the back door of the building.

"I've been tracking the movements and the only two things that can get inside without much trouble are the Men in Black and food trucks," Alvin explained, throwing his duffel bag on the ground, "The structure you see is not just an office. It's a world of its own. People who work in there...well, I have never seen them come out or go in. They only leave through the helipad on the roof and come the same way. They're living in there, doing God knows what." He reached into the bag and took out two red caps from inside. Zari looked at them quizzically. "One of these was for Mack. Suit up!"

Zari sighed and put on the cap. In just a few moments, the truck pulled up in front of the building and one of the two guards approached the driver.

"Hey, Sam! I wasn't expecting you. Did Ms. Sweeny call you? Because I don't have any confirmation from her," the guard said, looking at his Pear Watch

"Strange," the driver said as he scratched his chin and pulled out the receipt from his front pocket. "I got a call to deliver the essentials here today. It wasn't the usual number, but I didn't ask twice, because, well...Ms. Sweeny is kinda hard on me since I missed the last delivery. My wife had a baby that day," the driver said nervously.

"Alright. Well, you know the drill. Get loading." The guard stepped back and allowed the driver to unlock the back doors of his truck. There were two men inside, waiting to unload the cartons and boxes into the building, both wearing red caps, like the one Alvin had just given Zari.