Chapter2: X-ray

I left my truck again to investigate a noise I was hearing coming from the distant tree line. It was soft, although completely obvious. Whilst walking across the road and towards the woods, thoughts rushed through my head about what I was going to do with my life once I got back home. I am cursed with manic depression and unfortunately I can only motivate myself to do things that interest me. I enlisted in the marine corps, but my trip off to basic wasn't for 14 months. Moving back in with my girlfriend was an awfully slim possibility. My mom adored me, but I need to go out on my own so I don't feel so useless all the time. I don't want this trip to end.

Before I realized it I was deep into the woods. My thoughts distracted me from reality once again. "Well shit" I mumbled to myself. The noise was close, so I continued in it's direction. When I parted the bushes, I was greeted by a rushing brook. Wasn't aware of how distorted moving water sounds from a distance I thought. Might as well just go back to town and get something else to eat. That sandwich didn't even put a dent in my hunger. Tomorrow is the day the long arduous drive home starts.

...

The chatter of patrons in the diner was so loud my ears felt like they were about to bleed. I stared down at the table playing with the paper that came wrapped around my straw. I guess this is how it'll be for now. I'll go home and spend the next year mulling around wishing I had something to do.

"excuse me?" I hadn't even noticed the waitress was standing next to me for a good 10 seconds. "Huh? Sorry I'm kind of lost in thought here" I said with a weak smile and chuckled. "Yeah! I was worried you were going to go all night of the living dead on me! No but I'm kidding. Would you like more water?" there was a slight pause. "Yeah, yeah of course. Yes please." I said quickly. She went on: "we get lots of your type around here. People who come in and sit around quietly. Most of them are truckers, but I can see you're not any trucker. Just a normal traveler? I know you don't live here because I've never seen 'ya." I didn't know how to respond. Oh, you know, just looking for underground bases where the CIA or whatever makes new weapons and hides away horrible experiments. Nothing special. "I, uh, yeah. Just passing through. I'm going home tomorrow" I said half-heartedly. The look she made showed she knew different. "Well don't go snoopin' around. There's a lot of stuff wrong with this town and I'd hate to see a young kid like you get caught up in some stupid stuff. I'll be back with your water. And by the way, nice sweater" she smiled. Thanks...?

...

I was halfway done eating my burger in mere minutes after I got it. Why have I been so hungry lately? I've been eating constantly for the past few months and I'm almost UNDER weight. The bell near the door rang, signifying someone else entered the diner. I didn't bother to look up at first. When my eyes finally shifted to the front counter, there sat two men dressed as though they were mercenaries. "The usual" one of them said. "Did you happen upon anything from customs? All I keep getting are these stupid music magazines. Why aren't we allowed to have television?" the one on the left said seemingly agitated. "Apparently knowing what's going on in the world is detrimental to our work. We're isolated for a reason." what were these guys talking about? "I can't stand the fact though. We have the privilege of being able to come up here anytime we aren't busy, and that means we could easily fucking find out what's going on in the world." "You're forgetting the fact that we're on a time constraint." Then it hit me. I could hear them so clearly. How? Just a minute ago I could hardly hear myself and the waitress. Everyone started talking in hushed voices right away when these guys came in here. This can't be good. I locked eyes with the waitress across the room and raised an eyebrow. Her eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. My stomach started to churn. I wanted to quickly get up and leave but wouldn't that make things too obvious? I decided to stay but not do anything to draw any attention to myself. I was the only Caucasian in the room besides the two guys at the counter. This town is primarily populated by native Americans. I hoped to God they didn't notice me because I stick out like a sore thumb.

"So besides the stupid shit I was complaining about, the excavation going well? I saw those slug things you and the team brought back through, nasty little bastards. What's it like going through that thing?" the one on the left said in a softer voice. "It's strange. First time through I got really sick. The waves didn't help either, it's really rough. After I recovered I got in the sub, we went down to the city, talked to the president or whatever you want to call him, and we got a fair trade off. You couldn't believe how advanced that place is for its time. It was built back in '46 and wasn't discovered until '88. All kinds of crazy shit down there." I was listening but I was looking away. "How far back did you go?" the one on the left asked. "April of '57. We got the worm-hole technology from the new York base when it closed down in '83. The thing is incredible, you can go to any time or any place. I'm not sure how, the scientists put in the calculations, but apparently it's simple. When SSBN-727 found the old foundations of the buildings in '88, we decided we were going to use the technology to go back to when the city was thriving. '57 was the best time. We went to the place in various time periods ranging from '46 to '80. The whole place went to shit in '59. Going to the place any time after '59 is pure hell. Especially anywhere around '68." I was fascinated but absolutely terrified at the same time. "So let me get this straight. It's a lost city? Or it was at least?" lost city? "Yes, it was. Technically with the worm-hole, it still is and always will be. We're still talking to Andrew Ryan, the guy who built the place. We've been going back to '57 and taking some of these special slugs and other serums from him. In exchange we've been providing subjects for the cities experiments. Simple enough."

By this point I had heard all I wanted to. I looked back from the window and focused in their direction and noticed the check at the edge of my table; waitress nowhere in sight. I put the money with the check and walked up to the front to pay. The two men were still talking, but I wasn't paying attention. As the woman was putting the money in the register and gathering up change, I looked at the clock and noticed it was 8:17 P.M. I've been here for almost four and a half hours. The only thing I could think to do was go back to the hotel room and sleep. I had to walk right past the two men before I got to the door. My hopes of them not noticing me failed, as I could feel their eyes on me as I went by. "What the hell?" one of them whispered. ."Hey, excuse me. You got business here?" I wanted to turn and slam my fist into the side of one of their heads, but then I remembered the current situation. I walked out to my truck and got in. My hands were shaking a bit. I turned and looked back to the diner and both of them were staring directly at me with stern cold facial expressions. I stared back with the same look. They both seemed a little confused then turned slowly around back toward the counter. I started the engine and sped off down the road for the hotel.