State of Nature: Book Three of The Park Service Trilogy by Ryan Winfield Read Free Book Online Page A

takes a step toward him, and he runs and cowers behind Hannah for protection. She just shakes her head.
    “Don’t worry,” she says, as if she were somehow on our side. “Just make sure you’re back here in less than a week, and I’ll take that stupid thing off myself.”
    We turn for the subterrene.
    As Jimmy steps inside, I pause and look back.
    Hannah stands on the platform with her red hair pulled back, and the professor stands next to her with his gray hair more frizzed than ever. They’re an odd pair, that’s for sure, but a pair nonetheless. I wish we were leaving for good and that this were the last image I’d ever see of them. I just hope I can trust her to keep her word when we return. I know I shouldn’t, but I have no other choice.
    Hannah smiles and raises a hand.
    I duck inside the subterrene without waving back.
    As the hatch closes and seals behind me, I look about and take in the cramped space. Several tunnelrats line the walls, sitting in foldout seats. A cluster of others stand at the forward part of the machine, manning the controls. They move in perfect synchronicity, communicating with gestures, and I get the feeling they’ve done this trip many times before.
    I take a seat next to Jimmy and buckle in. I’m glad I do, because as soon as the belt clips into the latch, the subterrene launches forward at an amazing speed, pulling Jimmy and me to lean together in tandem, as if being blown by a strong wind before settling and coming to sit upright again. I watch as the tunnelrats across from us drift in and out of napping, their milky second eyelids slowly coming to a close over their red eyes and then snapping open again, as if remembering that they’re supposed to be watching us. But even so, I get the feeling that we’re just another bit of cargo being hauled through the tunnels they inhabit. By the look of their skin, they certainly don’t get a UV light where they hang out.
    I look down at Jimmy’s legs and see the slight bulge of the ankle bracelet. The very idea of it causes me panic. He seems to have none of my worry; however, because when I look up at his face, he’s napping too, or at least his eyes are closed. I’m reminded of my first train ride up to the Foundation and the surprise accident that started all of this. I’m sure if we crashed at the speed this thing is going, there’d be nothing left to clean up. I don’t know where I heard to do it or why I even think it will bring good luck, but I cross my fingers and lean back into the headrest, determined to only grab a little sip of sleep.
    The next thing I know, I lean hard the other way, and the subterrene comes to a halt. Before we can even unlatch our belts, a crew member opens the hatch and waves us off with a grunt. We duck out into the dim loading level of Holocene II and step away from the tracks. The hatch closes, and the subterrene rockets away on silent magnetic rails, the backwind raised by its departure tickling my naked scalp. Jimmy and I watch it disappear down the track and into another tunnel.
    It looks to be rest hours on the deserted transfer platform. I’m sure that’s how Hannah planned it.
    “So this is where you grew up?” Jimmy asks, taking in the dreary view. “Seems kinda dark. Like it ain’t too much different than where we jus’ come from.”
    “This is only the transfer station where they move supplies between the levels.”
    “Oh,” is all he says.
    “There’s the loaded train that they’re refusing to send up. We’ll hitch a ride back on that, if all goes well.”
    I point to the train hovering at the platform. Most of the cars are fully enclosed, but a few open cars carry cargo too large to fit inside, including several drone wings and a drone fuselage. I know Hannah needs the parts they’re sending, to keep killing people; not just outside people either, but the very people who are building and sending up parts for the new Eden.
    “Come on,” I say, pushing the thought away.