Rain Saga Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Coppyright Page

  Prolouge

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Rain Saga

  By

  Riley Barton

  Rain Saga

  © Riley Barton 2014

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Prologue

  Twenty years ago the world changed forever. Almost overnight, the serene, blue sphere that was once our Earth was reduced to a dark green smudge shrouded in a blanket of torrential storms.

  The blame for the catastrophe quickly fell on terrorists who had coordinated a cyber-attack on Cathedral: the Unitech cooperation’s primary hydrothermal reactor.

  Cathedral was a marvel of technological engineering. Designed by Jack Anderson, the company’s founder, it was the first in a series of generators capable of powering an entire continent simply by harnessing the energy of super-heated, super-pressurized groundwater. Of course, as with so many other marvels of modern engineering, no one expected the devastating effect it could have if something were to go wrong.

  The terrorists had planned to overload the reactor via an extremely aggressive computer virus. But Cathedral had been designed with thousands of fail-safe protocols, making it virtually impervious to any form of computer-born attack. Bishop, the reactor’s governing artificial intelligence unit, compensated for the terrorists’ meddling by turning the reactor’s main generator to full power. So instead of destroying itself as they’d hoped, Cathedral created a massive super storm that covered the entire planet.

  Millions died in the flash floods. Millions more succumbed to disease.

  For twenty years, mankind has battled for high ground—against the swamp and against themselves …

  The year is 2119.

  Chapter 1

  “Treatment complete. You may get up now, Doctor McKelly.” The smooth monotone of Unitech’s central AI unit drifted through the speakers in the light-therapy ward, drawing Luna’s mind back to the present.

  “How many times do I have to tell you I’m not a doctor, Alex? I’m just a researcher—I never even finished college!”

  Alex was by far the most absentminded AI Luna had ever encountered in all of her eighteen years. Alexander Graham Bell II had been programmed by Jack Anderson in 2087, and in the thirty-plus years since he was first brought online, he’d been growing progressively more senile. He often confused current members of the Unitech staff with long-dead employees or famous historical figures. The best guess anyone had for why Alex was still lingering in the company’s computer network was that Mr. Edgard, the corporation’s president and CEO, must have kept him around for sentimental reasons.

  The bright lights of the treatment bed dimmed, and the domed lid slowly eased open, releasing hot, dry air with a loud hiss.

  Luna sat up and ran a hand through her hair, sending sweat splashing onto the glossy white treatment bed.

  “I think it was a little hotter than normal today, Alex. Make a note of that and next time reduce the temperature by about eleven degrees, okay?”

  “I will do what I can, Doctor.”

  She shook her head and removed her tinted goggles. “I already told you, Alex, I’m not …You know what? Never mind. Call me whatever you want.”

  Luna swung her legs over the edge of the treatment bed and gingerly walked across the tile floor to where she’d hung her clothes. She hurriedly slipped into her undergarments then reached for her white tank top and contoured black slacks, which she quickly pulled on over her petite frame.

  She’d had too many problems with the treatment center’s doors in the past and didn’t want to take longer than necessary, just in case a certain AI unit forgot to light the OCCUPIED sign. Again. If there was one thing she hated more than having to undergo light-therapy in the buff every week, it was having someone walk in on her while she was doing so.

  Luna lowered herself onto a low bench and pulled on her polished, rubberized shoes with considerable difficulty. It seemed like every time she climbed out of the light-therapy bed her feet were always a half size larger than when she’d first gone in.

  Probably because Alex is always screwing up the temperature, she mused, rummaging through the contents of her handbag in search of her makeup kit.

  “Mirror please, Alex,” she said, having at last retrieved the well-worn cosmetics case from beneath several dozen sheets of crumpled research notes.

  In response to her command, a flat black panel above the sink on the opposite wall lit and polarized. Her reflection stared back at her: fair skinned, five foot one, a little on the thin side. Wavy brown hair that hung just below her shoulders, which—no matter how hard she tried to straighten it—always came out curlier then she wanted.

  Luna stared at her reflection, uncapped an eyeliner pencil, and applied the dark pigment. The dark mascara contrasted heavily with her fair complexion, making her eyes appear far larger than they really were.

  “You look beautiful today, Doctor.”

  “You say that to everyone, Alex. But thanks,” she replied, returning the makeup kit to her handbag.

  “You are welcome. Will you be needing anything else today?”

  Luna shook her head, pinning her hair into a loose bun. “Not today, thank you. I’ll be seeing you, Alex. Try not to cause any more trouble today, all right?”

  “I shall do my best, Doctor McKelly.”

  She reached for her black suit jacket and white, water-resistant overcoat—both of which she donned before slinging her handbag over her shoulder and walking to the door. “I’ll be back next week, same time as usual.”

  The door clicked, then slid open, “Very well, Doctor McKelly. I will try to be here when you return.”

  She smiled, Oh right, Alex. Like you could go anywhere even if you wanted to.

  Stepping into the hallway, she adjusted her coat, and then walked briskly down the corridor toward the building’s main lift. Her polished black shoes clicking against the white floor tiles with each step. She stepped into the elevator and the doors slid shut as she pressed the flashing blue button marked GARAGE. An instant later the lift began its smooth decent to the treatment ward’s subterranean parking lot.

  Luna absently hummed along to the so
ft melody drifting from the elevator’s speakers as she reached into her coat pocket for her all-purpose headset: Internet, personal AI unit, home theater system, music, and phone—all in one handy, two-inch package.

  She reached up and placed the small device over her right ear and addressed the AI housed within its compact circuitry: “Ada, can you call Bridget for me?”

  “Of course, Miss Luna,” the smooth female voice replied.

  Luna listened to the synthesized ringtone until it was interrupted mid-jingle by a cheerful voice: “Hello? This is Bridget Chavé.”

  “Hey, Bridget. It’s me. I was wondering if you still wanted to get together tonight.”

  “Oh, hi, Luna! Sorry, my caller ID is out again. Um … sure. I think I can still make it. I’m just finishing up some last minute paperwork. Where do you want to go?”

  Luna thought about it for a second before replying, “How does pizza and a movie back at my place sound? I’m not in a very original mood right now.”

  Bridget laughed, “That’s fine. I’ll be there in half an hour.”

  “Sounds good,” Luna replied, stepping out of the elevator into the dimly lit parking garage. “I’ll order the pizza and find out what’s on tonight. See you in a bit.”

  “Right. I’ll see you then.”

  The line went dead with a muted click, and Ada’s artificial voice returned: “Do you need help locating your vehicle, Miss Luna?”

  “No. I can take it from here. Thanks though,” Luna replied. She walked casually down the rows of parked cars until she reached her navy blue BMW three seater parked beneath one of the garage’s florescent lights. Unitech had provided the sleek, state-of-the-art vehicle when she was first hired. It was Luna’s baby. One of the many perks of working for Mr. Saul Edgard’s multi-billion-dollar company.

  Luna walked to the side of the car and typed in her seven-digit security code on the door panel. The locks disengaged with a thud, and she pulled the latch, tipping the hydraulic door forward on its single, disc-like hinge.

  She slid into the car and settled herself behind the vehicle’s centrally oriented steering consul, the dark-gray leather seat adjusting to fit the contours of her body. The door rocked back and resealed itself as she reached into her coat pocket and fished around for her keycard.

  Her fingers wrapped around the first object she encountered, but she let go when she realized she was holding her emergency inhaler.

  Nope, not it. Come on key, where—ah, there we go.

  She pulled the homemade keychain from her pocket and slid the card into the ignition. Instantly the BMW came to life. Its electric engine began to purr softly in the background as the dashboard lights switched on and illuminated the speedometer, collision alert, environmental controls, and charge gauge—along with a handful of other instruments and knobs.

  Luna pressed one of the glowing buttons on the left-hand side of the console, and the sweeping curve of the tinted windshield immediately polarized in adjustment to the dim outside light. Instantly everything within a half-mile radius snapped into focus, appearing exactly as it would during the day without the aid of the car’s powerful L.E.D headlights.

  The vehicle’s built-in computer projected a holographic image of the car parked directly behind the BMW onto the lower right-hand corner of the windshield: a mandatory safety feature carried over from the late twenty-first century. However, Luna had no need for the rear camera, so she turned it off. In its place a holographic display of a road and its dividing lines appeared, centering itself directly over the lines painted on the floor of the garage.

  Luna eased the car out onto the aisle leading to the parking lot’s main entrance. She gripped the contoured wheel lightly and steered the car up a slight incline out onto the road winding its way through the sprawling Unitech complex.

  To either side of the four-lane road, massive buildings stretched into the black, stormy sky. Each building held labs, offices, and factories as well as the expansive DNA archives and cloning facilities responsible for preserving the genetic legacy of Earth’s once-diverse ecosystem. High above the towering structures, Luna could just make out the dim, pulsating glow of the Unitech complex’s energized rain barrier.

  A distant lightning strike flashed across the night sky, illuminating the massive cage of reinforced metallic girders and struts that made up the skeleton of the barrier. These web-like supports also provided the rain barrier’s energized-glass umbrella with the power it needed to keep the rain—mostly—at bay. The occasional drizzle managed to work its way through every once in a while, but considering it had been functioning nonstop for nearly twenty years, the hastily erected shield had done its job remarkably well.

  Luna turned down a side street leading out of the Unitech complex’s barrier shield then stopped at a checkpoint to wait for Alex to scan her car’s ID. A moment later the reinforced gate lifted and she passed through the shield out onto the rain-soaked highway leading to New Denver. Once through the shield Luna switched on her windshield’s miniature rain barrier and eased her car up to speed.

  This was the most dangerous part of her commute. The road between the Unitech complex and New Denver was open, exposed not only to the torrential downpour but also to attacks from Swampers. The murderous cutthroats usually stayed in the deep swamp, far from major population centers, and Unitech’s security drones did a pretty good job of discouraging the curious. But it was always safer inside the barriers than out.

  “Ada, I’d like to order a pizza,” she addressed her headset’s AI unit, keeping her eyes on the foggy road. “Which place is closest along my route home?”

  “There are three options along your desired route. In order of distance—nearest to furthest—they are Pizza Port, Papa’s Pizza, and the New Denver Pizzeria. Which would you like me to call?”

  “Pizza Port sounds good. Let’s go with that one,” she replied, changing lanes. “Order a large supreme, two diet sodas, and an order of breadsticks to go, please.”

  “Very well, Miss Luna. Dialing the requested restaurant.”

  “Thanks, Ada,” Luna replied, glancing down at her antique digital wristwatch.

  Twelve after nine. I’ve still got plenty of time.

  “Will you be needing anything else, Miss Luna?” Ada asked a few seconds later.

  Luna thought about it, then replied, “Actually, yeah, there is. Could you find something good to listen to?”

  “Of course. One moment please.”

  In a fraction of a second, the car’s stereo came to life, filling the small cabin with the synthesized melodies of an old space rock band.

  What could she say? She loved the classics.

  Luna signaled and turned off onto an exit leading down to the edge of the mountains toward New Denver. She pulled up to the entrance and waited while the gate lifted to allow her to pass through the energy shield, barely noticing as the hair on her arms and the back of her neck prickled with static electricity. Such was life in New Denver: wet, dark, and staticky.

  She turned onto the street leading up to her apartment building and spotted the Pizza Port sign four blocks ahead.

  She checked her watch again. 9:21. Right on time.

  Luna pulled into the parking lot, grabbed her wallet from her handbag, and slid out of the car, leaving it idling in the parking space. A few minutes later she returned laden with food and a slightly thinner wallet.

  She set the steaming pizza box down on the back seat and sat down again behind the wheel. Luna followed the street through the city for about five miles and then made a sharp left hand turn toward the mountains. In the distance she could see the well-lit cluster of sleek skyscrapers that made up the apartment complex where she lived.

  Luna pulled into the parking garage beneath her apartment building. The car crept to a stop and she switched off the key. She opened the door and climbed out, taking in a breath of the damp night air before reaching in to retrieve her dinner.

  With pizza in hand, she pulled the door clos
ed, checked to see that it was locked, and then walked to the nearby elevators. She hit the button for the fiftieth floor and thirty five seconds later she stepped out, fumbling with her keys. She slid the key into the lock and the door swung open, revealing her cozy three-room apartment.

  The lights switched on as she entered. She set the food down on the kitchen’s stainless steel counter and then went to change into something more comfortable. After changing she went into the living room and flopped down on the couch to see what vids would be playing.

  She took the A.P.D headset from her pocket and plugged it into a USB port built into the couch’s armrest. The lights flickered for a moment as Ada uploaded her program into the apartment’s circuitry. Before long a life-sized hologram of the AI appeared, and seated herself beside Luna.

  Ada—who had taken on the appearance of a young Asian woman, dressed in a pleated skirt and button-up top—crossed her legs and brushed the holographic wrinkles out of her attire.

  “Do you require anything, Miss Luna?”

  Luna crossed her arms behind her head and arched her spine, stretching out her knotted back muscles with a heavy sigh. “Yeah, could you see what movies are playing on the Classics channel?”

  Ada brushed back her short hair and pulled up a holographic chart, sifting through the titles and play times of every film in a matter of seconds.

  While Ada recited the titles of the available movies, Luna stared out the apartment’s large windows at the billowing black clouds and scattered lightning strikes of a gathering storm.

  “ … Waterworld. Released on July 28, 1995. Staring Kevin Costner. The film takes place on earth after the polar icecaps have melted, covering the world in an endless ocean, leaving mankind to struggle for survival on floating cities—”

  “Skip that one,” Luna replied. “We’ve already seen it a million times, and Bridget never understands it. What’s the next one?”

  “2012. Released on November 30, 2009. Staring John Cusack. The film takes place in the year 2012. Which, according to the ancient Mayan calendar, was supposedly the end of all time—”