Store-fronts on the main road were busted, there was so much concrete and cars that pretty much only grass, weeds, and small trees had broken through.
From what John and Meredith were able to learn, it took decades for the virus to really make cities into ghost towns. Some, like Nashville and Cleveland had been cleared or shut down early on. But Pittsburgh seemed to have survive for a good bit of time.
From its growth, Meredith guessed it was a little over ten years since the city had been completely abandoned or died out…
Probably about the time most people went to Salvation, or found smaller rural areas to live.
Hunter had a pretty good understanding of what he was being told. Other than the dinosaurs, the biggest shocker and surprise seemed to come when Meredith explained the world and showed him a picture of earth. His face filled with shock and wonder.
Meredith tried to put herself in his mindset, thinking that life was only a strip a hundred miles long only to find out there was more.
It had to be natural for him to believe there was more. He was young. Barely older than twenty. Meredith and John were the chance he was waiting for. A chance to venture out. And venture out he would.
They would see as much of the museum as they could and hit the road again, camping for the night outside of the city.
The next day would bring them closer to Champaign. The meeting time and day was still awhile away and John and Meredith wondered if they’d be first to arrive. They also wondered how the others would react to Hunter. He certainly was a sign how much the world had changed.
To Meredith and John, despite their horrendous experience with the Wreckers, Hunter not only was a sign of the changed world, but he was a good thing all the way around.
It was a pretty easy route to San Diego. Most of the major roads were passable. Norris informed him that they were maintained military roads. Not that crews regularly went out, but the flow of military traffic kept the most travelled roadways from being too overgrown.
Clark, the historian told of the great virus and how for the longest time California was spared large numbers of death.
“They actually thought of making California Salvation,” Clark said. “But they opted against that when the death toll started to rise.”
“How did they build the wall so easily?” Malcolm asked. “I mean, I know it took ten years, but still.”
“The Mexican border wall that was erected right before the virus,” Clark replied. “They used a lot of that. Tore it down in pieces.”
That made sense to Malcolm.
During the trip he finally heard Maggie speak into the device that was like a phone. She talked about how they were close to the destination, which was located outside a naval base.
That told Malcolm it was all part of a government project, and that the government made the same provisions for Genesis Lab One as they did for the others.
The biggest hurdle of the journey came when they arrived at the San Diego-Coronado Bridge. The two mile long bridge had a barricade a quarter of a mile from the end.
And it wasn’t an easy barricade to move, or go around. Concrete and trucks blocked the way and the opening was narrow. A small car, or even the solar buggy would fit through. Not the van.
“We’re gonna have to walk from here,” Norris announced. “Stick together. No one wanders off. Understand?”
Malcolm and the others agreed. They took minimum supplies as they disembarked the van.
Clark said. “A last stand.”
“What do you mean?” Malcolm asked.
“Many places that could isolate themselves such as this, made a last stand. Quarantined the world from their towns or areas. But the virus, kept hitting, kept coming back and all the diligence in the world couldn’t save them.”
Although Malcolm wasn’t a fan of the smug man who was evidently in his twenties when the world fell apart, he was a vat of information that Malcolm needed.
He kept close to his son, as they ventured across the bridge and onto Coronado Island. Malcolm could smell the ocean. He enjoyed hearing Trey talk about how the smell brought back memories of their family vacation to Myrtle Beach. Their conversation flowed until their arrival on the actual island.
The best course would be to cut through the golf course, but water had eroded a lot of the shore property and that was worrisome for the crew.
The ocean air and lack of human interference had caused the growth on Coronado to make it more of a tropical island state, instead of a dry semi desert. Buildings were buried beneath lush beautiful trees and grass.
The roundabout way was a two mile walk and eventually they located Red Building 19 just off of Guadalcanal. It looked like an office building in the middle of an overgrown parking lot with a small warehouse building not far from it. The Naval Exchange was right up the street.
The building had no markings, or indication that it was a Genesis Lab cover and Maggie displayed her first show of dismay when they walked into the building.
“This can’t be right,” she said. “Where is the lab? It can’t be underground. We’re on an island. And it certainly didn’t extinguish like your lab,” she said to Malcolm. “This building is intact.”
Norris suggested, “Why don’t we all pair off and spread out. We search this building. Armed and ready for anything, though.”
Armed and ready? Malcolm wondered. For what? If they did run into the recently defrosted lab rats, they wouldn’t a danger, they would be scared and confused.
Malcolm and Trey searched together. Even though Maggie fought to go with them, Clark convinced her that she should join him.
The building was covered and Malcolm had another idea.
The warehouse building.
He informed Norris that he and Trey were going to check out that building. Part of the plan involved transportation post release, and Malcolm was willing to bet that was where they’d find the transportation.
Norris gave his approval.
It was more of a private search between father and son and less likelihood that their every word was being monitored.
“Why the warehouse?” Trey asked.
“Like I told Norris, transportation. They provide it. There has to be enough for one hundred people so it has to be big enough.”
“Maybe your group was lucky.”
“Nah, they would do it for them all.” Malcolm said as he and Trey walked across the lot to the plain white aluminum building. It was completely corroded on the side near the water. “If they woke, they may have found their transportation and at least one of the vehicles will be gone.”
“What if they don’t know about transportation?”
“Then if they’re up, they’re either walking around Coronado, or in the building.” But Malcolm knew the later wasn’t the case when he arrived at the garage door of the building.
It was partially open.
“Someone’s been in here,” Malcolm said.
“You can’t assume that because it’s open.”
“Yeah I can.” Malcolm walked to the door. “It was broken open and the weeds were cleared.” He reached down for the handle. “Help me?”
“Sure.” Trey grabbed hold of the door.
They lifted it together. Nearly three quarters of the way up, the interior of the garage was exposed, Maggie called in the distance.
“Malcolm, leave that,” she shouted. “We found the lab pretty easily.”
Malcolm looked at Trey then into the garage. It was very reminiscent of when Malcolm woke up. The buggies, the tool box, down to the fact that a man wearing the genesis clothing, sat center of it all, just like Malcolm did, trying to put things together.
He looked up, shocked, perhaps even frightened. Without a doubt he was confused
Malcolm held his finger to his lips in a ‘be quiet’ gesture. He then whispered, “Stay out of sight. I’ll be back.” Before closing the garage door.