In the Aftermath

Chapter Five

Chapter Five: In the Aftermath

"The Ark will not only increase the rate of your survivability to 100%, but also the chances that the human race shall live on after this war," the doctor said, with a smile.

Ethan did not like the tone of the doctor. He was wearing a gray lab coat which differed from what Ethan's mother wore because of its length and the attitude of the person wearing it. On the doctor's name plate, the name Mark Kramer was written in white lettering.

As for his face, it was mostly covered by his gigantic spectacles, which prohibited Ethan from seeing more than Mark's pointed nose and crooked smile.

Ethan knew he would not like Mark the moment the doctor stepped out of his limousine. Everyone else had the surprised and overwhelmed expression but Mark looked smug and cocky; it took Ethan some effort to restrain himself from punching the doctor straight in his spectacled face. Everyone looked scared and confused, but Mark had a smile that spread across his face from ear to ear.

Obviously, Mark knew what was going on. Ethan hated him for that.

"Exactly how do you think that could be possible?" Ethan's mother spoke up from the crowd.

From the parade of cars that arrived, about fifty important-looking people emerged. Most of the adults had suits on or otherwise looked fairly presentable, while the small number of young ones looked similar to Ethan: casual outfits, evident that they were half-dragged to this place as well.

The realization made Ethan slightly more at ease. At least, they weren't alone with the confusion and such.

"If you did not know yet," Mark Kramer answered, "we are 150 stories underground. That should be enough to protect us from the explosions."

Another voice spoke from the crowd. "How do you know that a nuclear attack is imminent?" the voice asked. "What about the other people who are still above?"

"Well, the worst case scenario happened," Mark answered. "Just a few hours ago, we learned that a terrorist group, bent on destroying our government, had finally gotten their hands on a nuclear warhead. We were going to investigate exactly how they were able to accomplish that but, obviously, now we have a slightly more important issue to think about."

Just a few hours ago? Ethan thought. Could the call from his dad just a few hours ago be somehow connected with all of this?

"As we speak, the public is probably being told about the seriousness of the threat," the doctor continued. "We had to act early so as to avoid the panic and confusion that are inevitable reactions the mob display when put to these kinds of situations."

Ethan couldn't take it anymore. "But, why only us?" he asked, having no idea where all the sudden confidence was coming from. "Why couldn't more people join us and be protected by this...this Ark?"

Mark eyed him suspisciously. "Everyone here in this room," he said, "possess a certain asset."

Asset?

"Everyone here was chosen to be protected from the nuclear war," the doctor continued. "I have as much idea as you about why, but you're all here now. Is there any one of you who would like to get back out? Because the door is there, feel free."

Ethan gritted his teeth. This Mark Kramer had a way of pushing his buttons.

"Ok, I suggest we all calm down," Ethan's mother interceded. "What about the fallout? What do you plan to do about the radiation that the nukes would give off?"

Doctor Kramer cleared his throat. "Nuclear fallout, nuclear winter, they've all been thought of," he said. "I would like to present to you, the Eden 2000."

Mark reached out behind him and pulled on a dark cloth that seemed to cover something. As the cloth was pulled, it revealed an impossible-looking "pod" thing that Ethan thought only existed in movies. A glass circular tube, big enough to accomodate a single person, was surrounded by complicated looking computers riddled with blinking lights and beeping sounds. It was something ripped out from a science fiction story.

"What the hell is that?" a voice from the crowd asked.

"The Eden 2000 is a revolutionary device birthed by our recent advances on the cryonics technology," Mark answered.

Since no one spoke afterwards, Ethan was convinced that no one in the crowd understood what the doctor just said. Ethan was about to accept having to look stupid and ask about "cryonics" or whatever when his mother saved him.

"Cryonics?" she asked, bewildered. "Your solution is to freeze our bodies? But, that's only meant to preserve dying or ill subjects."

"But, that's why they never worked as good as they do now," Mark said. "If subjects are healthy and well, cryonics can preserve that subject's life with little to no requirements to eat or drink. It's also proven to decrease the time it takes for the subject's cells to grow weak, effectively prolonging its life."

"So you're saying that we will wait inside those pods until the damaging effects of the fallout dissipates?" Ethan's mother asked.

"It would reduce the need to stock on food tremendously and the chances of us acquiring unprecedented diseases caused by being underground for too long," Mark answered. "So yes, considering we will have to wait for about twenty years, I say it's the only way."

Twenty years? There was no way this man was serious, Ethan thought.

Then, everyone began arguing and trying to talk over one another. Ethan fell silent as the seriousness of what was currently happening started blocking out his words. A second passed when he thought he was literally choking on his own tounge, but was relieved to find out that it was only his imagination. 

All the ramblings was silenced when the whole cave started shaking once again.

Instinctively, Ethan looked towards the doorways once again; eager to see the new cars rolling into the Ark. But, there were no cars coming.

The mini quakes were coming from above their heads. It was hard for Ethan to fathom a force that was strong enough that it can still be felt this deep underground. The silence did nothing to improve what was going on inside his mind. Time's up.

It was Mark who broke the silence. "People, we need to hurry," he announced.

"What the hell is happening up there?" one of the men from the crowd asked.

Even Ethan knew the answer. But, it was Mark who replied:

"Isn't it obvious? The War is starting."