Victor Black - And the Garden of the Gods

Chapter 23: Beneath the Cloud

Three Army hummers, painted in camouflage browns, pulled up in front of the Black's house, shrouded in the ever-thickening fog. Aunt Rose peaked out the door, having heard the rumbling of their engines outside.

"Oh, they're here," she said. She gasped. "Oh, you can't see a thing out there."

Denser than ever before, the fog obscured everything past the porch railings, and the Hummers appeared ghostly beige.

All the house's occupants had freshly bathed and dressed for the ride. Victor appeared in the doorway, alongside Aunt Rose, and scanned the front. From the lead hummer, his father had emerged from the passenger door, dressed in the same army uniform. Army soldiers exited the driver and passenger doors of each vehicle, shutting them behind them.

"Man, this is crazy," said Alan. He forced his knobby, pimpled head between Aunt Rose and Victor, intent on getting a look. He adjusted his glasses. "Are we riding in those?"

Mr. Black traipsed up the steps, forcing the three back through the door into the living room. Mrs. Black hurried across the floor to meet him, stopping just short of a hug. She wiped the sweat from her brow, fanning her grease splattered apron.

Practically bowing her head, she asked, "What is the plan? Will I stay here? Oversee the house?"

Mr. Black looked past her at the team of fresh, eager teens, pacing around the room.

"Listen up everyone, he commanded. We have three military vehicles outside. Your three cars will follow the lead vehicle." He signaled out Willow, Aunt Rose, and Alan. "Two more Hummers will follow in the unlikely event we have a breakdown or experience unexpected problems along the route. Are there any questions?"

"When will we be clear?" said Willow. "I have to drop off these two." She pointed at Josh and Darius.

"Once we pass Eighth Street, the other two vehicles will depart, and I will escort you downtown where you must continue to your respective homes. Victor—you're riding with me."

Mr. Black was blunt, leaving no room for dispute. Victor wasn't surprised, he had a sense his father would be talking to him soon. Ever present on his mind was the flash drive on which Alan had downloaded the graphs showing the three objects entering the solar system, and the status bar showing someone uploading it to another location.

"We should get going," said Victor.

The teens were each ready with any items they needed to take. They followed Mr. Black out the door, single file, no noise from any of them.

The fog had thickened so much no one could see beyond the last step.

"We have a guidance system," chimed in Mr. Black, noting the dilemma for the other cars. He pointed to two soldiers, each brandishing high powered lights, and directed them to help the teens find their vehicles and get in line. They disappeared just as fast. Victor followed his father, who opened one of the rear doors, and he climbed in, not making a sound. Mr. Black jumped in the front passenger seat, while the soldier driving fiddled with equipment and a video screen. It showed everything in front of them for a hundred yards, cutting through the fog like it wasn't even there.

"Oddly," Mr. Black grunted out loud while strapping himself in, "this fog is a bit thinner down below. Pretty strange if you ask me."

Victor chose to speak up and leaned between the two seats in front of him.

"I don't understand how NO ONE has a clue, not even weathermen," argued Victor. "Nothing from NOAA?"

"It doesn't fit any weather pattern, we're in a drought. The air is supposed to be dry, but here it is," said Mr. Black.