The Storm

The blizzard lasted 17 days. Tania caught the glint of rainbows ricocheting off the jagged edges of broken greenhouse roofs. Such a pity. The greenhouses were the only structures built above ground anymore – the extreme weather made the open unfeasible for any other buildings – but even their best scientists hadn’t found an alternative for sunlight when it came to growing crops. The damage in the wake of this latest storm was still being assessed, and as one of the best medics her facility had to offer, Tania was on the way to survey their surroundings for anyone who had somehow gotten caught in the raging snowstorm.

As she neared the van, a familiar voice called, “Well aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!” followed by an oomph as the speaker was cut short. Tania rolled her eyes, but grinned despite herself. Lukas and Clara Hansen. Twin security agents, both tall, blonde, and formidable. Good friends of hers, despite Lukas and his frivolous flirting. Their mother was the Chief of Security, and no wonder, if she had half the talents of her children.

“Can’t you take anything seriously?!” Clara chided her brother, as he rubbed the back of his head. “This isn’t the time for your pathetic attempts at being charming.”

Lukas grimaced and Tania elbowed him playfully, “Yeah, can we stay focused please? We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”

They spent the day making the rounds in their van, checking for survivors. The sky was glowing burnt peach with the setting sun as their searchlights suddenly bathed a stumbling figure in its glare. A woman: well past 50, bundled in heavy winter coat, and shivering uncontrollably.

Tania tried to make her patient as comfortable as possible on the way home. The woman kept twitching and muttering under her breath as Tania tried in vain to soothe her.

“What… day… is it?” the woman asked, through lips blue from cold.

“It’s almost dark now but we’ll be back at the facility in no time and get you warmed right up,” Tania replied.

“No, the… date…” she gasped.

“October 11th,” said Tania, frowning.

The woman seemed to relax slightly then, and something about her desperation made Tania reach out and cradle her icy hand.

***

That evening in the dining hall, she told Marco about the mysterious woman’s distress. As her best friend, he’d heard plenty of stories about people she had helped rescue, but even he could tell there was something different about this one.

“I don’t know how you do it Tan,” he said, shaking his head, and making his tightly coiled hair bounce. “This is why I prefer my work at the plant. Even when we have to service all the water systems after a disaster like this, it’s still easier to deal with than actual human trauma, ugh.”

“Agreed,” added Alex, taking the seat next to Marco and pecking his cheek.

“But you’re a scientist Alex, you have to find ways to cope with human trauma all the time!” protested Tania.

“Yes, but I don’t witness their trauma, I just work with the data that’s been compiled afterwards,” said Alex seriously.

“Anyway, at least you didn’t have the flood alarm blaring in your ears for half the day,” grumbled Marco, massaging his temples. “I swear I can still hear it clanging in my head.”

***

Tania wasn’t the only one struggling to get back to normal after the storm. In the middle of the night, her little sister crawled into bed beside her, even though she had her own room in the underground apartment they shared.

“What’s wrong Sara?” she asked, shifting to make room as her sister’s mop of curls tickled her arm.

“Bad dream,” sniffed Sara.

Tania couldn’t see her in the dark, but she knew her sister would be rubbing her nose to stop it from running. A nose just like hers. Sara was essentially a nine-year-old miniature of Tania, albeit one with a much bigger sweet tooth.

“Wanna talk about it?”

“Fuck no.”

“Sara Malik! Where did you learn that word?!” Tania spluttered, incredulous.

“Mr. Roberts said it today when he dropped a tray of test tubes.”

“Well, Mr. Roberts is an adult, and he shouldn’t be swearing in front of his class! You shouldn’t use this word except under very special circumstances, do you understand me? Now go to sleep, you rascal. Things will be better in the morning.”

***

Three days later, Tania couldn’t believe her own naiveté. Things hadn’t gotten better; they’d gotten worse. Much worse. Apparently, the woman she had found, Valeriya, had been asking for her, so she had decided to visit her during her lunch hour. She had found her propped up in bed, with a half-empty lunch tray on her bedside. Her anxiety had been palpable; a sinuous serpent ready to ensnare anyone who came near. Nothing could have prepared Tania for the whispered conversation that had followed – or its aftermath.

Valeriya was a scientist who lead a relatively normal life working in a nearby facility, until its inhabitants were suddenly hit by a deadly virus that left scores of people dead. She was given orders to work on a cure, but she soon discovered that it wasn’t a cure she was looking for – it was an antidote. She and her fellow inhabitants were the victims of slow, yet deliberate, poisoning. She brought her findings to the head of her team, only for her boss to inexplicably disappear the next day. Valeriya herself was apprehended by a senior security team and transferred to a facility like none she had ever seen – a colossal metal dome, built above-ground.

Valeriya soon learnt that the dome was just as old as the facilities she had spent her entire life in – until now. Centuries ago, when those in power across the globe had coalesced to preserve humanity in the face of certain doom, a select group of people chose to branch off and take their chances with a different path. Political leaders, business magnates, and anyone who had acquired enough wealth, chose to maintain their lives of luxury – in secret. Residents of the metal dome were transported back to the 21st century as a result of their ancestor’s actions. But maintaining such a lifestyle required resources; ones found only in the underground facilities that housed the remainder of humankind. Valeriya was offered a comfortable life; in exchange for providing a supply of antidote for those deemed worthy of saving. She was given a sample of the new, water-activated poison that would be used, and a deadline of October 15th. Valeriya accepted their terms, but began to furtively plot her escape.

Tania had listened in bewildered silence, certain that Valeriya was suffering from delirium, and had been about to check her charts when Valeriya had asked her to look inside the pockets of the coat she had been wearing when they found her. Tania had done so reluctantly, until her fingers touched a delicate chain. She had drawn out a heart-shaped locket – and the full weight of Valeriya’s onslaught of revelations had hit her. Jewellery was banned in the facilities from the very moment of their creation, in order to ensure relative equality amongst their inhabitants. Tania had known then that Valeriya had been telling the truth.

Valeriya had told her that the locket contained a tiny sample of the antidote she had developed, and that it was imperative Tania find a way to replicate and distribute it before the probable attack on October 15th. And with that, she had snatched the knife from her lunch tray and had drawn it swiftly across her throat.

Tania could still see the sluggish pulse of crimson from the gash at Valeriya’s neck when she closed her eyes. It was like the image was tattooed inside her skull. She doubted she would ever be able to forget Valeriya’s ferocity, and her simultaneously guilty and defiant expression as she told her story. Before she could dwell on it any further, Alex’s voice drew her from her reverie. Marco handed her two small spheres.

“Take these and try to gain access to the air systems for Levels 1 to 10. One of us should be in the Vent Control Room in case something happens. I’ll be able to activate them remotely if so, but they need to be in the vents so the antidote is only dispersed through the air on the appropriate levels. We’ll finish up here and join you shortly,” said Alex, their almond eyes blurry with lack of sleep.

Tania pocketed the spheres and left the lab. There was no time to lose.

***

She almost made it before a voice rang out behind her.

“Medic Malik.”

She turned and saw Lukas. Oh God, oh God, oh God. “Why so formal, Agent Hansen?” she asked, forcing a laugh.

He didn’t return her smile. “Come with me,” he said curtly.

“I would, but I was actually on my way to the bathroom,” she replied, hopping in mock-urgency.

“Don’t make this any harder than it needs to be. My orders require me to escort you for questioning.”

“Questioning?! About what?”

She struggled as he gripped her shoulder and began propelling her forward.

“You’ll find out. Now let’s go.”

When she wouldn’t stop resisting, he whispered, “We have Sara,” and the fight drained out of her.

***

The fluorescent lights of the interrogation room made a pale ghost of Clara. In the middle of the room stood Chief Hansen. Sara was strapped to an electric chair, straining at its bonds.

“What have you done to her?!” cried Tania, squirming in Lukas’ tight hold.

“Nothing yet,” replied Chief Hansen, with a nonchalance that made Tania’s blood run cold. “But we will if you don’t tell us exactly what Valeriya Kiselyov told you during your visit.”

“I already told my supervisor; she was rambling incoherently, and was clearly a danger to herself. I know I’ve been trained to recognize the signs and should’ve intervened, but I don’t see how you threatening to torture my sister is going to help me be more vigilant!”

“Don’t play the fool Miss Malik, it’s unbecoming. Maybe you need a little persuasion.”

The sound of Sara’s screams pierced the air and Tania sobbed and thrashed, but to no avail.

“Fuck you!” spat Sara, when it was over. “Don’t tell them anything Tan!”

Tania almost smiled at her sheer nerve.

“What a spirited sister you have Miss Malik,” drawled Chief Hansen. “A shame that-”

She was cut off by the sound of an alarm. The flood alarm. Chief Hansen’s eyes narrowed in suspicion but she strode out of the room.

The moment she left, Tania rounded on the twins. “Lukas, that’s the flood alarm, there’s an attack on the facility, please, you have to let us go or we’ll all die!”

Lukas scoffed. “Do you really think I’m that stupid?”

Tania yelled in frustration. “Think! The water systems have just been serviced, how could there be a flood now?! Unless it was caused on purpose?!”

Realization was dawning on Lukas’ face when he suddenly released Tania and crumpled to the floor. Clara stood behind him, arms raised.

“Go,” she said, not meeting Tania’s gaze. “Take Sara and get out, before my mother comes back.”

Tania hastily undid the straps binding Sara, and pulled her into a rough hug. “Are you okay?”

Sara gave a shaky nod, but her eyes blazed with determination. Tania planted a swift kiss on her head and pulled her to the door. She stopped to grasp Clara’s shoulder.

“Thank you,” she said, and Clara nodded once, before returning to stare at her twin, lying unconscious at her feet.

***

It was done. The spheres had been activated.

“I just hope we weren’t too late for the people above Level 10,” said Marco in concern.

Before anyone could reply, the door to the Vent Control Room was torn from its hinges by an icy rush of blue-grey water. Tania held Sara’s hand and braced for impact.