The New World

Sepulveda

Mens and John arrived in the suburbs of Arcangel on a balmy early spring night. After a discreet but intense effusion, they parted company with their friends, the Hopi twins, who had enabled them to cross the Great Desert in eight days.

A car had been parked for them in a supermarket parking lot.

"Head to Sepulveda, said John as they started off. Let's hope we don't run into any cops.

"We can say we're colleagues", chuckled Mens.

Half an hour later, they were driving down Sepulveda Boulevard. It was 2 a.m.

"Everything's ok", said John. "I've just contacted them. They're waiting for you."

"Aren't you coming with me?"

"No, I'm going to another hideout. With you, there'll already be two up there. A third wouldn't be too many."

"Is there someone already?"

"Yes, you'll see..."

He slowed down and indicated to Mens the entrance to a building.

"Ring apartment 1702", he said. "See you tomorrow for the rest of the operation..."

He drove off silently, leaving in the dark Mens who rang the intercom. The door unlocked and he entered the building. In the elevator, he felt tense. The landing was deserted. Apartment 1702. He rang the bell. The door opened almost immediately to reveal a man with dark hair in a ponytail and large sideburns on either side of his cheeks.

After the man quickly closed the door, they entered the apartment's living room.

"Welcome, my name is Cal", said the man, holding out a wide-open hand.

"Mens, thank you for welcoming me."

Cal walked to the back of the room, where the changing wall displayed images of a starry night. He touched certain stars in a precise order, causing the wall to slide open. A narrow opening revealed a secret room two meters long, which they entered. A night-light on the ceiling dimly illuminated the tiny space, whose furnishings were limited to two narrow bunk beds and a shelf hanging on the far wall. Cal quickly showed Mens a jerry can of water on the floor, a trash can and a gun.

"Make as little noise as possible", he whispered. No smoking; no connection by thought; for the shower and WC, you have to go into the apartment.

Then he showed him how to close or open the partition from the inside.

"Before you go out, always check that everything's ok", he added, pointing his index to three small screens in the ceiling showing the apartment door and the living room.

At that moment a sleepy sigh was heard and Mens realized that the bottom bunk was occupied.

The partition closed.

Mens spun around to explore the cubbyhole where he would be living - for how long, anyway? - and it smelled musty. He missed the desert and its starry nights and wondered if going underground had been a good choice after all. On the shelf were cups, a large revolver and magazines, as well as several books. "Where did they get all this", he thought, examining a few of the books. He found, in no particular order, an Old World Bible, the Hopi book, psychiatry textbooks, a few novels and a Wyclif Codex. With the exception of the latter, they were all from the Old World. Their mere presence would immediately cast suspicion on the occupant of the premises.

He swallowed two Mesanxia, undressed and climbed as gently as possible onto the upper bunk so as not to disturb his companion. "At least the comforter smells of clean linen", he remarked before turning off the light. He fell asleep as soon as he had laid his head down.