Date: Sat, 19 Feb 1994 14:29:15 -0500 (EST) From: Brian Willard Subject: A Giant Leap for Mankind - Part Three Message-Id: <01H92N0Z4TSY91W39B@UNCA.EDU> Organization: University of North Carolina at Asheville A Giant Leap for Mankind by Brian Willard Part Three Headquarters of "The Crusaders" Littleton, Great Province August 3, 2133 "We aren't actually going to try to go in there again, are we Sam?" asked Olin, "That's how they got Anna in the first place." "Well," replied Sam, "We certainly can't do what we did last time, but we can't just let Anna stay there. And once that trial takes place, she's as good as dead. We need a plan. Olin, go call the group into the lounge. Johannes, come with me. I want to see those maps again." "I think the library might be getting suspicious about us going..." Sam glared at the scrawny kid, and Johannes quickly let it go, "Okay, I'll go get the jeep." *********** Olin began to assemble the hundred-something crowd of which the Crusaders consisted in the lobby of the hotel which they called home, and of which the basement was their secret headquarters. Sam had joined up with Johannes, and they were on their way to the South Denver Public Library. "So what have you got in mind, boss?" asked Johannes, looking over at Sam, who was intently watching the futuristic automobiles go down the road, swiftly passing their antiquated Jeep Wrangler. "Uh, what? Sorry, I guess I was drifting." "What sort of plan are you working on, Sam? Do you think we can get into the palace?" "Well, that's what I wanted to check on. Since his estate is in Glendale, there's a chance that Cherry Creek goes through his property, and if it does, then maybe we can sort of sneak-in- the-back-way, if you know what I mean." "You're a genius, Sam...only, do you think the area around the creek is guarded?" "I'm not sure - I was hoping the library might have something..." Sam dropped off as they entered the Denver City Limits. The road they were on, which had once been known as Interstate 25, but was now just known as the North-South expressway, narrowed down to just a couple of lanes as they went through an inspection booth. Johannes steered the vehicle to the booth on the left side. They pulled up to the gate and a large security guard walked over to the vehicle. He looked all around it carefully. "Name and destination," he said in a low, boomy voice. "Johannes Petris, South Denver Public Library." "And the accompaniment," the guard said in a similar tone, then looked over at Sam with a harsh stare. "Oh, Samuel Beckett, same destination." The guard stood for a moment, then stated flatly, "Cleared." He pushed a button on a small transmitter attached to his belt, and the gate in front of their jeep rose. They proceeded past the booth and continued northward. The skyline of downtown Denver was now very distinct, not with the normal skyscrapers Sam was used to, but instead strange bulbous buildings, resembling large gumdrops. They took a right at the next exit and went a few blocks down the road before Johannes stopped in front a short but large building semicircular in shape. The sign in front of the building said South Denver Public Library. They entered through a set of electrically retracting doors and entered a bright yet cavernous lobby. A woman sat behind a desk directly in front of them. "I'll need your Personal Security cards, please," she said firmly, not showing an ounce of expression on her face. Both men reached into their back pockets and pulled out their wallets. Johannes pulled out a clear piece of plastic with a few red lines running vertically down the center of it. She took it and put it under some sort of scanner. "Back again, Johannes," she said, "this is the second time this week." "Well, I just enjoy looking around." He said and started toward the set of double doors to his left. Sam followed. "Not so fast, mister!" exclaimed the lady behind the desk. Sam instantly froze and slowly turned around. "Give me your wallet!" Sam handed it over, fear seizing him. She fumbled around inside the wallet, but obviously was not seeing what she was looking for. She pulled out his driver's license. "Oh, so you're from New Mexico. I assume you haven't received your Personal Security card yet." "That's correct, ma'am," Sam replied nervously, "I just got here a few days ago." "Well, we need to hold this license until you leave, okay." "Yes...yes, that's fine," said Sam, and he rejoined Johannes at the door. "I didn't know you didn't have a card, Sam. I thought everybody had one," stated Johannes "Yeah, well let's just say I never had the need for one until now." They entered the main part of the library, and Sam saw that it was not all he had expected. It seemed very small for a public library, especially for a big city like Denver. But as he took a closer look, he saw that there were very few books, but rather a lot of small cartridges, which he assumed to be somehow video-related. He followed his young companion to the far end of the library, where he found a table with a large file cabinet next to it. The label on the cabinet said "Maps - Paper". Johannes opened the top drawer and produced a folded travel-type map, which was for Denver, and the year it had listed was 2129. He unfolded the map and searched out the Prowell estate. "There it is," said Sam, pointing to a large red square just below the Glendale city limits, "and Cherry Creek cuts right through the middle of it!" "Keep it down, Sam. They might get suspicious. So this looks good, huh?" "Yeah, real good," replied Sam, a smile coming to his face. ************ Back at the lobby of the hotel in Littleton, Olin had finished adressing the members of the Crusaders, and they were sitting back watching cartoons and talking. Sam and Johannes entered the room, and Sam walked over and turned off the television. "We have a plan, but it's not going to be easy." ************ Anna Berwood had not been able to sleep for the past week. Her cell in Prowell's basement was too cold and damp, and her food had been meager at best. Suddenly, the lights came on in the corridor. The cell guard walked in and unlocked her cell. "His majesty wishes to see you now." "Tell him I'd rather stay here and rot! I'll tear my own limbs off before I'd betray my people! Tell him there is no way he'll find the headquarters so long as the Crusaders march on!" The guard, somewhat infuriated, slammed the cell door closed, spit into her cell, and then stormed out of the room. ************ Dusk had now arrived, and it was time for the Crusaders to go to work. They loaded up into a convoy of jeeps and headed off to the Cherry Creek Reservior, from which they would begin their journey to Prowell's estate. As they approached, they shut off the lights on their jeeps so that they wouldn't be seen by the dam security officers. They slowly drove through a grassy field and parked the jeeps just at the edge of a forest. Sam led them down a hill and over to the embankment. The creek's base lay about ten feet below them, and so long as the banks stayed at that height, they would probably be okay. Sam glanced down at his watch. It was 8:30 now, and it would take them a good couple hours or so to reach the palace. He began to hike downstream, leading the way for the Crusaders, and his only source of light was that from the moon. After a while, his legs began to grow weary, but yet he marched on. Finally after several hours of hiking and wading, they made it to the estate. A fence ran up to one side of the creek, and stopped just short of the embankment. The other side was the same. But the embankments were too steep anyway, so they continued onward. After another ten minutes or so they came upon a bridge traversing the creek. There was a narrow metal ladder on one side of the bridge, which did not appear to be fenced in. "Is it safe, Sam?" asked Johannes. "I'm not sure, Johannes. Let me go up and take a look." "Be careful," warned Olin, "there may be traps." Sam slowly climbed the narrow ladder to the top of the bridge, which appeared to Sam to be enough for maybe one vehicle to cross at a time. Olin led the rest of the group to beneath the bridge, just in case Sam was spotted. Sam went to the far side of the bridge and looked farther downstream. He could tell that only a few meters down the fence went low enough to cross the stream. They would have to enter from the bridge, which wasn't going to be easy after all, thought Sam, seeing the laser beams that spanned each end of the bridge. "Hold it right there mister," said a strong female voice from behind him, "You're under arrest." Sam turned around to see an attractive young security guard with a gun pointed straight at him. "Oh boy." To be continued...(probably in a few weeks - I have a paper to write for my Humanities class) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brian Willard | AL: I had a 48' Harley Knucklehead. UNC-Asheville | SAM: Named after you? bwillard@unca.edu | AL: I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that. Go Braves!!!! | "Rebel Without a Clue" -------------------------------------------------------------------------