Chapter 23 – The Folk Tavern

            Alos was awoken to the sound of screeching brakes outside the cart. The sudden deceleration threw him around in the wheat, pillowing his impact from every side with bundles of itchy grain. Levitas’ light was still set to glow and illuminated the entirety of the cart, which showed Zephay and Wander also snapping awake from their attempted sleep, letting out deep yawns and equally exaggerated stretches.

            “We should’ve just arrived.” Levitas said in a quieted voice, the raspiness of his throat still punching through with each word.

            “How are we going to get out of here?” Alos asked. “Won’t there be people right outside?”

            Wander was still smacking his lips together trying to gain some semblance of normal wakeful consciousness. He slouched up against a particularly thick bundle of wheat, and stretched his jaw, yawning a second time.

            “So they see us climbing out of the train and then what? They’ll never see us again, and we all go about our lives.” Wander grumbled, his jaw still half yawning.

            “The lad speaks truth.” Levitas said in agreement. Nodding he turned to Alos. “Even if they do try to call security, we’ll be long gone before they get there.”

            “If they have cameras it won’t matter anyways. At that point they have our faces and will look to prosecute.”

            Alos sounded hesitant, almost unsure of the situation as he said this. It wasn’t that he suddenly wanted to bail on what they were doing, though that did sit at the back of his mind. He was just second guessing the impromptu methods they were using to get through this. Shouldn’t they have seen this coming?

            “Kid, it’s Divimatia, they don’t have cameras.” Levitas said flat toned, with an edge of laughter.

            “Damn, how out of touch with technology is Divimatia?” Zephay remarked, his brow slanting with puzzlement.

            Levitas laughed, holding the volume of his voice under his breath. “Most of Divimatia is dirt poor. The closer to the sovereign you get, the better the security gets, cameras included. This far out from the sovereign though is still gonna be pretty technologically neglected.”

            “So what’s the plan then?” Alos asked, as the screeching brakes from outside the cart, lessened their squeals until finally stopping and releasing the sound of pressurized air.

            “On my cue, open up the ceiling.” Levitas pointed to the retracting roof above them in the cart. “I’ll peak out and give the signal from there.”

            Alos slid his goggles down over his eyes. He powered up his Orb, and then booted up the Omninet, 0rnj still being injected into the cart’s space. After the sequence of the boy stacking the papers under him up to the ceiling, the frame zoomed in further and further until it closed in on the back of his head and then merged into his perspective, becoming 0rnj’s perspective.

            “Alright ready when you are.” Alos nodded, lifting up his left goggle lens to watch Levitas.

It wasn’t the first time that Alos had the Omninet in one eye, and the real physical world in the other, but nonetheless it was as confusing as ever. Both images attempted to reconcile with the other in Alos’ poor brain, fighting over supremacy for his attention. The disorienting collision of visual perception soon forced Alos to slide his other goggle lens up.

            Levitas sat like a statue, perfectly still, listening and waiting for the right moment. Wander kept shifting his weight in the wheat, as the wheat crackled under his body, when Levitas’ hand grabbed his shoulder and held him still. Wide eyed with insincerity, Wander mouthed the word 'sorry' and then sat still.

            The only audible sound to Alos coming from outside the cart was the slow pressure release of the other carts behind them. They seemed to release in a domino effect, going one at a time which then activated the next in line. Even then, it was soon that the chain release was too far down to be heard.

            “Open her up Alos.” Levitas said, still maintaining a stilled composure.

            Alos dragged his goggles back down his face over his eyes, closing his eyes to readjust them to the new perception. Within his goggles, 0rnj still stood before the lever waiting for input. Alos moved 0rnj’s hand up to the lever and then had him pull it down; the vibrations of the retracting cover on top being heard and felt as he did. Wasting no time, Alos pocketed his Orb, and slid his goggles back up over his head. There was no need to worry about removing 0rnj from the train, as once as they were far enough the connection would break and he would return to Alos’ Orb. Assuming there was no Omninetwork around…

            Poking his head up just over the side, Levitas scanned the area, turning his head from left to right.

            “Get ready we’re gonna have to do this quick.” Levitas said ducking back behind the side, and then turning and facing the others. “We’re gonna jump down and book it for the elevator. Just follow my lead.”

            Levitas poked his head back up over the side of the cart. With a sudden burst of movement, he locked his hands onto the side and then threw himself over. Wander’s head rubbernecked over to Zephay, who sat staring back with wide eyes. They nodded to each other and then followed suit, grabbing onto the side and then vaulting over.

             Alos’ heart rate increased, as he turned to the side and pushed his way through the wheat over to it. Waves of nervous excitement began to rush throughout his body, collecting in the tips of his fingers as an electric tingling. As he reached the side, he swung his hands over to the edge, clasped onto it with all his might, and then pulled himself up and over.

            The four of them dropped down onto the thin platform the train tracks were mounted on. Surrounding them in every direction was an underground city, connected via complex patterns of intricately woven bridge systems, and floating platforms above. Beside the train tracks, just underneath, was a circular platform with a thin walkway extending over to an elevator going up. On top of the platform was an outdated floatercart, its underbelly still having the old slime balloon technology.

            “Let’s go!” Levitas shouted at the others, as he jumped down to the floatercart platform. The three followed, jumping down behind him and then they all sprinted over to the elevator. As they reached the elevator, Levitas slammed the “up” button.

            They all waited in that pain contracting moment of hoping nobody saw.

             Then the elevator opened up, and they all piled inside as quickly as they could, Levitas selecting the “ground level” button, and sending the elevator zipping upwards toward the surface.

            “Once we get to the top, we’ll shove our way into the crowd and at that point we’ll be safe.” Levitas said, starring outwards through the clear glass doors of the elevator. “Stay together, this place will be packed.”

            Alos too was starring out through the elevator doors onto the city below. The green luminescent lights glowing from within the city was breathtaking, and almost eerie in a way. The city looked like a massive refugee bomb shelter, bunkered away from the rest of the world, and the off colored light wasn’t helping that conclusion. Based off what he had learned in the small, government approved version of history taught in the UDA, Divimatia had fortified most of their major cities into underground fortresses after the UDA dropped a few nukes on them in the last war. It made sense, at least logically, but Alos wasn’t so sure it would be as effective as they had hoped if war ever broke out again. And knowing the people in power in the UDA, like his parents, that war only seemed inevitable.

            Soon the elevator rose up into a dark, vertical tunnel shaft, also lined with the same green luminescent lights from below. The lights flew past growing in intensity as they drew near, and then narrowing in intensity once passed. Then, like the sun blinding brightness of stepping outside, sunlight poured into the elevator as it rose up out of the tunnel and to the overly bright surface.

            Mobs of people littered the vicinity around the elevator. There were two trains stationed amongst the people, with a giant billboard sign beside the tracks which changed its text from “WAIT” to “NOW BOARDING”. People poured into the trains and away from the elevator, when Levitas stepped out and strode over into the crowd. Alos and the others followed him, shoving their way through the oncoming crowd to the other side of the boarding platform.

            Peeking out from over the crowds of people was a large, classically built, stone and mortar archway, underneath which seemed like the passage between the train station and the rest of the surface level city. They continued along until they got through the thick crowd and made it over to the other side of the boarding platform, eventually passing under the archway and into a less crowded lower plaza.

            What Alos saw next, he had only ever seen before in the shimmering blue light of a digital display.

            An ancient, classically built cathedral of Divima, stood five stories high at the end of the plaza. Covering the front of the cathedral were stained glass windows, stridden with every possible color, arranged in such a way that it illustrated the prophet Menelich standing with his eyes closed and palms extended, a third eye open above and between his other two and a golden colored halo around his head. In the background behind the Prophet, colorful bursts of light emphasized his image. The most unusual aspect of the art though was the thing the prophet appeared to be standing on. Not a column or even a ladder, It was a triple helix DNA molecule. Not double helix, a TRIPLE helix DNA molecule stood under his feet like a spiraling staircase.

            Across the way from the cathedral was a similarly sized inn, the front of which looked like a pub or a tavern. In fact, at second glance, Alos was pretty sure it WAS a tavern, and could swear that he could hear music coming from within. A tavern directly across from a church; the irony nearly brought Alos to laughter. Levitas led them over and into the tavern, pushing the doors open and entering inside. The tavern must have been the one Danias was talking about, but never did he expect such a serious gangster type to be associated with a folk tavern like this.

          The tavern was huge, with a staircase at the far back, leading up stairs with several different leveled balconies peering down. Amidst the room were at least fifteen full sized wooden tables each seating anywhere from six to ten people and a sleek marble counter in the back which the barkeep stood behind. A group of musicians occupied the center table, two men standing on top playing fiddles, two men sitting beside on a bench playing accordions, one man beside them playing a cello, and the last sitting at the front playing a nyckelharpa, or keyed fiddle. The tavern’s people raised their mugs and then slammed them to the table in rhythm to the music, and the steady drum beat of wood colliding echoed within the room.

          Suddenly a group of people jumped up, and pushed each other into a dancing line that snaked throughout the room. Every few seconds there would be a break in the music to which everyone in the tavern would shout, “EY”, adding another person into the growing line of dancing people. As the line of people came around, Levitas was smiling, tapping his foot with the rhythm but stepped back in time to avoid being swept in. Alos and Wander took notice and followed suit avoiding the snake of people as well. Zephay was not as fortunate, being swept up between two others. Zephay was forced into the line and held there by both people as they made their way around the room.

          Levitas gave out a hearty laugh, the music quickening in pace, and the people quickening with it. The music became faster and faster, the dancing more and more erratic until it erupted into a frenzy of sweeping violin chords. The salty smell of sweat and ale permeated the room, emanating from the chaotic dancers in line. Finally, all the music stopped except one of the fiddle players who finished with a fast paced progression into a long extended drawn out note. All of the tavern’s people jumped into the air at the sound of the last note, and broke out in thunderous applause. 

            Zephay stumbled back over to the other three, smiling with unconvinced, uncomfortable eyes.

            “Don’t look so embarrassed lad; it’s all in good fun.” Levitas said, patting Zephay on the back as he led them over to the bar.

            “That’s not exactly my idea of fun.” Zephay replied, shaking his head.

            “Just be thankful they didn’t push you up to table dance.” Levitas laughed through his gruff, gravelly voice. “Forcin’ you to dance in front of the whole tavern, now THAT would be embarrassin’.”

            Lifting his hand up to his face, Zephay pressed his palm against the bridge of his nose, clenching his brow between his pointer finger and thumb, and then shook his head.

            They had reached the bar, behind which the bartender stood wiping down the counter. He was bald with a shiny polished head, and a full white beard hung that down over his face. The apron that hung from his neck was stained with various marks of grease and red wine. As the group drew near, his wiping hand drew up from the counter, flapping the rag outwards, and then tossed it into a bucket off to the side. His narrowed eyes turned to Levitas’ metallic cover.

            “What can I do for you gentlemen?” The bartender asked, his eyes glued to Levitas.

            “We were sent by Danias to see Barly.” Levitas responded, placing both of his hands down onto the counter.

            “Barly you say?” The barkeep’s face drew back into a stretched surprise. “C’mon through,” the man said, lifting open the slot in the counter, “he’s in the back.”

            “People sure do like to let us into the back. Are we ever just going to talk to people normally?” Alos asked, shaking his head as he walked through into the back with the others.

            Wander nodded in agreement. “It’s not like they’re going to talk about a secret passage into a government testing facility or something.” Wander’s facetious tone was met with the laughs of the other three. 

            “Yeah, let’s just walk into a private back room away from a tavern full of people. That’s not weird at all.” Zephay smirked.

            They all stepped through the doorway that sat behind the bar, and into a short corridor with another door at the end. Alos smirked; not only were they going into the back room, they were going into the back room behind the back room. The barkeep led them down the hallway and over to the door which had at least five noticeable locks on the outside. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a ring of keys and then proceeded to unlock all the locks with different keys. The man turned back towards Alos and the other three and nodded to them as he pushed the door open and pocketed his ring of keys.

            “There you are.” He said, motioning inwards into the room. Levitas thanked the man with a small nod of his own, and went through the door into the back room, followed by the other three.

            The room was so thick with dense white smoke that Alos’ eyes instantly began to water. Eight men sat at a round table, cards in hand and cigars in mouth, each with a small pile of chips before them. At the center of the table was a collective pile of chips sided by an ashtray, which was near overflowing with grey and white soot. Alos wasn’t a fan of the smell of tobacco, but this smelt different, almost grape in essence. At the other end of the table, a husky man turned his attention to Levitas, his left eye paled with blindness and his brow bent with suspicion.

            “How can I help you gentlemen?” The man said, his good eye squinting with an edge of analysis.

            “My name is Levitas, we were sent by Danias to talk to a man named Barly.” Levitas’ voice was as harsh as ever, but took on an inflection of reservation.

            “Danias? Ho ho! Why didn’t you say so!” The half blind man’s face pulled up into an excited half smile. “My name is Barly. Any friend of Danias’ is a friend of mine. What is it I can do for you Levitas?”

            “We’re members of the Non-States Resistance, and little less than a week ago, one of our key soldiers was kidnapped by none other than Captain Van.” Levitas exhaled a deep uncomfortable sigh at the sound of Van’s name. “We’ve managed to locate him to the Royal Lab, and were hopin’ you could help us find a way down there.”

            Levitas had now drawn the attention of the other seven men at the table as well. Each had placed his cards faced down and turned to face him. Barley stood from his seat and walked over to Levitas.

            “I can see why Danias sent you here then.” Barly said, eyeing Alos as he paced back and forth. “If I may, who was this that was abducted?”

            “His name’s Zeith.” Levitas responded; the man’s eye shifting back to him.

            “Ahh then the rumors ARE true.” Barly’s brow rose, scrunching his forehead in a clump of folded skin. “He is an ex-Divimatia geneticist is he not?”

            “Aye, that he is.”

            “I fear for the worst then…” Barly shook his head turning his back to the crew. “If I am not mistaken he is down there right now, hooked up to a NAM, and Menelich knows what they’re using it for.”

            “What’s a NAM?” Alos blurted out, before he was able to bite his tongue.

            “Neural Access Monitor. It lets them extract thoughts in the form of data from his brain.” Levitas said, with heaviness in his voice.

            “And being a geneticist of such a caliber that they would go through the trouble of tracking him down and taking him, the information they seek cannot be with good intention.” Barly said continuing off of Levitas’ explanation, turning back to face the crew.

            “You all however, are in luck.” Barly nodded, folding his hands behind his back. “There is an old abandoned drainage system that runs underneath this section of the city, connecting up to the lower end of that very facility.”

            Levitas fidgeted forward in an excited response. “How do we access it?”

            Barly smirked, and then turned away from the crew walking past the table of smoking gamblers and over to the back of the room. Alos with Zephay and Wander followed behind Levitas over to the back as well, where Barly stood beside a giant metallic hatch in the floor. Bending over, Barly lifted open the hatch revealing a metal grate covering a concrete chute leading down at a forty five degree angle eventually disappearing into darkness.

            “Here you are. Slide down this chute and you will drop into the very tunnels themselves. Take it down until it opens up into a convergent room with three other passage ways, and then take the north passage. You’ll know it; it’s the only one by the stairs leading up and around.”

            “And that’ll take us straight there?” Levitas asked, his rough voice still carrying a sense of heaviness.

            “When the stairs wrap around, make sure you follow down the tunnel, the other way leads out to the upper level on a balcony in the same convergent room. If you take the correct tunnel it will lead straight there.” Barly bent down again, squatting with both knees then lifted the grate up.

            Levitas’ lips pursed together with the slow nodding of his head.

            “Thank you. I’d like to come back and give you proper thanks on our way out, but I don’t think that’ll be an option.” Levitas said, a smile breaking out from his previously stern expression.

            “Don't worry about any of that, send Danias my regards. I wish you all the best of luck.” Barly smiled, bowing his head to the group.

            Levitas paused, seemingly trying to gather a last semblance of assurance with his decision. Alos looked down at the concrete chute going down and let out an audible gulp. Looking at Zephay and Wander, Alos was somewhat reassured in their lack of worrisome expressions.

            “What’re you guys waiting for? Let’s do this!” Wander shouted, jumping down into the chute and sliding down into the darkness.

            “Were going to have to do it eventually, might as well get it over with.” Zephay shrugged and then followed behind Wander jumping in and then sliding down the chute.

            Levitas smirked and shook his head. “Damn kids are making me look bad.” He then jumped down into the chute behind Zephay.

            Then with a final lip fluttering sigh, Alos shook his head in disbelief as to what he was about to do and jumped down the chute.