A Free Online Science Fiction Novel- “Liberty”- Chapter 25

*Note- A short prologue is on chapter one. Each chapter links to the next to make reading the story easier.

This is chapter twenty-five of Liberty, A Daughter Universe Novel.

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Lucas watched as Sarah buckled in then pulled the car back on the road, started down the next slope. “Rosie,” Lucas said, “contact the Grand Hotel in Liberty. House couldn’t reach the hotel this morning,” he told Sarah. “I think we should try again now that we’re closer.”

“I don’t think being closer will make any difference,” Sarah smiled.

“I know,” Lucas admitted with a shrug. “But I thought that maybe we could find out something about the scar- uh, road cut, or whatever it is back there.”

“There is still no connection available to the hotel, Lucas,” Rosie informed him.

“What do you mean, there’s no connection? If the line is busy, just keep trying.”

“It isn’t that the line is in use, Lucas. If that had been the case, I would have continued to try to reach the hotel. The line will not connect, and the hotel’s ISP address doesn’t show up on the ‘net. I further investigated, something House would approve of, and discovered that the sheriff’s office’s IP is also not connected. And neither is O’Hair’s Café’s connection. In short, Liberty is a dead zone for communication.”

Despite the warmth of the sun beating down on him, Lucas felt a chill and the hairs stood up on the back of his neck. The hotel losing its comm connection is one thing, but the entire town? Lucas thought. It’s possible they were somehow being blocked, but why? Both the hotel’s, the sheriffs, and O’Hair’ connection would not be disconnected at the same time… The town’s network grid must be down, a scenario that was not plausible, but apparently, was true.

But Lucas had had no problem when he’d spoken to the hotel clerk to make the reservation. Nor when he had conversed, multiple times, with the hotel owner’s son, so when House had not been able to contact the hotel that morning, Lucas had assumed the Liberty Valley Preserve was called “wilderness” for a reason and that there had probably been an equipment malfunction in town.

“Keep trying, Rosie,” Lucas said. “We’ll find out what’s going on with Liberty’s communications and just what that gouge through the forest back there when we get to town.”

“We’re less than sixteen miles from the entrance of Liberty valley,” Rosie replied. “Then two miles to the township of Liberty. I am sure the sheriff’s office will be able to explain the communication problems then, as well as the admittedly unusual anomaly in the forest behind us.”

“Thank you, Rosie,” Lucas replied.

“I can’t wait to learn what’s going on, either” Sarah said and turned to face Lucas. “When you invited me to a little, out of the way town deep in mountains, completely cut off from the incessant city lights and I would be able to see the stars, I thought it sounded romantic, and maybe just a little bit mysterious. Now, it’s beginning to just seem mysterious.”

Lucas placed his hand on Sarah’s leg. “I don’t know what’s wrong with Liberty’s communications." he told her. “But it will be romantic. of that I can assure you."

Sarah smiled. “I’m sure any getaway with you will be romantic, Lucas. Even if it means being cut off from the rest of the world. In fact, that will be a treat on its own.”

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