GunBarrel Gauntlet: The Last Bronze II

34. El Dorado.

At the end of a long journey in the backseat of a military jeep, Liu and the other survivors remained oblivious to their surroundings, covered by blindfolds and guided from the vehicles by the gentle hands of the people whom had found them after the storm.

Liu could no longer feel the sensation of the breeze on her skin as she waited, listening to the echoes of confined spaces and the sigh of a pneumatic door.

Complying with the polite request of the female leader that had first encountered Liu, they were led to an elevator that descended without pause for a minute, the cables easing the carriage lift to the lowest floor.

Door seals exhaled before the protest of heavy hinges, the air cool with a stale aftertaste when Liu removed the band over her eyes. Rough hewn tunnels of rock and concrete reinforcement converged on the circular chamber they stood within, electrical cables and conduit pipes lining the walls in the ambient light-wells of fluorescent tubes.

"Before we can introduce you to the other members of our community, we must ask you to decontaminate yourselves and relinquish your clothing during your visit here. Your possessions will be returned to you when you leave." Asked the leading woman, of average height with a mop of red hair and pale complexion.

Peeling away the sweat stained collection of garments and bandages to be deposited in an aluminium tray, the outsiders were mystified by the shower heads, catching the water droplets on their tongue and cupped palms until a static voice on the intercom instructed them on how to wash away the accumulated filth, flooding the drainage holes with brown runoff.

Dressing themselves in the light grey pyjamas and moccasin shoes waiting on the shelving in the next room, a commotion of argumentative voices became louder, boot heels drumming the smooth cement until a contingent of people arrived to either greet them with curiosity or frown at their existence as though they were trouble.

"This is highly unorthodox, letting these strangers enter our home without a council meeting!" One of the eldest, a man who stood with the aid of a hospital crutch blurted out before adjusting the spectacles on the bridge of his nose to look at Liu and the others.

"It was an emergency Doctor, we were fortunate enough to have found them before our ambassadors drove all the way to the Junkyards! The young girl and her friends claim that it was razed not more than twenty four hours ago by Hercules. They've done it, just like I warned Doc! They'll take us next, after they brutalize us with a long siege." A bear like man raised his voice to quell the arguments of the one he had addressed as Doctor.

"Alright! Alright, yes that was fortunate timing. Girl!" The man on the crutch switched his attention to Liu, "Welcome to our hidden home, El Dorado. We understand that you were part of a team sent out from the city to find us?"

"Yes, the Colonel sent them... us, to barter for some water. Our wells were about to go dry." Liu answered.

"Why were the Junkyards protecting you from the surface tribes? Some of us suspect that you and the other's from the city are the explanation for their deaths, did you trick them?"

"No! We just needed help, then as we do now! And so did they, Uncle Know-All and the others, they were hoping that we could make contact with you and save our home, Sanctuary. We wanted to join together and help you with your own problems; Zeus and Gaswells, in exchange for some water and our lives!"

"We don't have enough water for ourselves, girl. I'm sorry, but the legends of El Dorado are just that; legends. You shouldn't have come such a long way chasing a dream."

"Not enough?! How dare you! We know you have enough, you trade it with the Skin Pirates for fuel you dirty liar!"

"They also have Shamrock and the policeman working with them." A woman in the entourage spoke out as she studied Liu's appearance. "We value your knowledge, Doctor Idaho, but the final decision rests with the council. We want to know what is going on in the surface world above us! And even you claim that our efforts here below are to aid them, our fellow men and women. We've been buried for too long, and to continue ignoring the surface increases our peril! I say we listen to this young woman, as well as Scratch."

"Are you calling a meeting then?" Doc Idaho asked.

"Yes! Who else is curious to know about the surface?" Cass, the woman in the entourage, addressed the rest of the silent majority.

The number of hands raised in approval left Idaho in a bitter mood, casting a warning glance at Liu before he returned his attention to Cass.

"Well then, another bloody meeting it shall be..." He snipped his words with pronounced contempt.

* * *

Gathering around the tables and leaning along the walls, the population of the bunker had gathered to listen to Liu and Scratch in a bland conference room. In comparison to the settlements above ground, there were no more than fifty people sharing the tunnels of their hidden world, practicing a restrained, disciplined existence to preserve their environment from discovery.

Doc Idaho's arguments for avoiding any confrontation with the surface tribes had been soured by the news that Shamrock and the Nomad were still alive, his reputation irreparably damaged for breaking his oaths and abandoning them on the roadside years ago.

"Now is the time to find some allies, Idaho! Junkyards is gone! Gaswells are most certainly going to try and raid us by the time of the water exchange next month, and they'll keep looking for us until they find a way in! We can't hold out forever, when we run out of fuel there will be no more power for the pumps or hydroponic lamps. We'll starve down here!" Barry, the large man from the dressing room, countered after Idaho had called for restraint.

"Have you forgotten what it's like up there? You heard the Girl, they barely made it here in an armoured truck, and her friends who drove it are probably already dead or dying. Any of you who go topside to try and run the Gauntlet won't be coming back." Idaho replied, using his crutch as a hand rest, seated at the head of the table.

"No one here truly knows what conditions are like on the surface, but we do know that some areas must still be habitable, including the city. If people can survive in these areas they'll outnumber us soon. We have to get ready to adapt and join them much sooner than we planned for." Said Cass from the corner of the table.

"Outnumber us?! Nonsense, there's nothing to eat up there but themselves. They're cannibals, barely human in a forgiving light. If it gets any worse they'll be eating each other right out of the womb."

"Idaho, the people of Sanctuary are not cannibals! They are just like us, hiding underground in fear of whatever is walking above them in the ruins! We've got military vehicles and ammunition, enough to send out a rescue party and escort them over the wastelands back here to the storm country." Barry raised his voice again.

"We've argued long enough, heard the evidence of the Junkyards and the unknown other, Sanctuary. Zeus has broken the trade agreement and slain our friends and allies. Let's put it to the vote: those whom wish to follow Idaho's proposal of seclusion raise your hands... those of you whom wish to make an expedition force raise your hands..."

An older woman judged the proceedings, silently counting the number of votes to be polite even when the decision was obvious to those present in the room.

"... An expedition will be organized. Cass, Barry, since you two were the most vocal about the proposal, you can both organize and chose any volunteers. Liu, how many days would you say it is to the city?"

"Two days and nights."

"You told us in your report that there was a limited amount of time left in Sanctuary, before the auxiliary power and resources dry out. How many days do we have to try and reach the city before they fail?"

"Two days." Liu answered.