ALARM CLOCK DAWN (An Original Novel - Episode 29)

In yesterday's episode Adam narrowly escaped retribution for the horrific role he played (or plays?) in the future as architect of The New Prosperity movement.

Marcus could easily have ended Adam’s life in the broom closet but instead saw the innocence and the sincerity in Adam’s eyes.

Adam vowed to do everything in his power to insure he wouldn’t play a role in the global catastrophe that Marcus so convincingly described. At that moment Marcus made a split-second decision to both trust him and to spare Adam’s life. The question that we’ve yet to discover…was this a wise choice?

Marcus and Adam also attempted a bold escape from XenTek headquarters. Today we will learn the outcome of their heroic efforts.

Welcome to today's episode of Alarm Clock Dawn!

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Did you miss Episode 28 of Alarm Clock Dawn? If so click here to catch up.

Are you new to Alarm Clock Dawn? If so click here to start at the beginning.

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“Good luck,” Adam whispered as Marcus pushed open one side of the double door and began walking. Adam looked down at his vintage watch and began counting as the second hand ticked around the dial too slowly. He was afraid the fear would paralyze him right where he stood. Adam mouthed out the final digits of his countdown—eighteen, nineteen, twenty—then took a quick and shallow breath and pushed open the door. He walked past the guards at the front security desk as nonchalantly as possible and scanned his I.D. card. As the scanner beeped, the guard looked down at his monitor. Adam walked straight through the scanner and continued as fast as he could towards the stairwell.

Adam’s legs nearly collapsed as three final deafening gunshots rang out followed by a symphony of screams.

Just as he made his way through the commotion and into the stairwell he caught a glimpse of Marcus laying in the skyway, motionless on the ground. A pool of Marcus' blood grew, almost completely obscuring the word “Seclorum” that was inlaid into the floor tile of the skyway. Marcus’ body was surrounded by a gathering number of metro police and a member of the XenTek security team smiling as he talked on his satellite radio.

What a brave soul, Adam said to himself as he raced down the stairwell to the station as fast as the adrenaline coursing through his veins could carry him. As luck would have it, a train was just pulling into the station.

He went through the turnstile designated Green, ducked in the open door of the closest train car, and quickly slid into a seat in the back. A handful of passengers boarded and the train pulled away swiftly from the station.

As the adrenaline began to subside, Adam became more intune with his surroundings. His whole body still felt numb and his psyche was in absolute shock at the horror of what he had just experienced. He closed his eyes and immediately vowed to make it his own personal mission to alter the course of the dreadful future Marcus had described to him just a few minutes ago in the lab. It was the least he could do, after all. Marcus had just made the ultimate sacrifice for him.

As the train whisked him further and further away from XenTek headquarters, Adam was deeply immersed in thought. What would his next move be? One thing was for sure: he knew he wouldn't have long to gather his things before the police put it all together and swarmed his apartment. The faster he could escape the city and get to the safety of the camps, the better. The police rarely stepped foot inside the homeless camps. To the authorities these people were less than human and deserved the day-to-day struggles they endured.

Adam glanced up at the electronic news banner that ran along the top of the train car.

Yet to be identified fugitive shot dead just minutes ago at XenTek headquarters. This dangerous fugitive is suspected of kidnapping and murder. More news is sure to come in this developing story . . . .>

All Adam could do was shake his head at the absurdity and glance out the window of the swaying train car, thinking about how truly strange the last few hours had been. As the day's events replayed in his head, he felt today was just a glimpse of a quickening that had come over his life. Adam knew the threshold he crossed today had set in motion a chain of events that he now had very little control over.

Just then he witnessed a very rare occurrence. The slate gray clouds parted to reveal the most beautiful patch of bright sapphire sky.

Adam took this as a good omen. Despite the horrible events that took place in the last few hours, this almost felt like an affirmation, a reminder from the universe that things were unfolding exactly as they were meant to. Just as he had this thought, Adam felt a tingling in his body and felt goosebumps raise on his arms.

In this surreal moment he thought to himself, No matter how gray and violent the storms can be down here in the world, it is always serene, sunny, and blue above those clouds. In a strange way, he instinctively realized he would revisit this single moment many times throughout the rest of his days, whenever he needed comfort.

Adam felt a vibration in his pocket signaling he had a new message on his Holo.

VerbalTag7 - Adam. VERY urgent. Please answer.

AH_Bliss - Yes, are you okay?

VerbalTag7 - They've dispatched the entire police force to find you. Follow my instructions very carefully, to the letter. There isn't time to explain.

AH_Bliss - Okay, what's wrong?

VerbalTag7 - Ikeda's camp is just ten miles to the northwest of the city at the base of a huge red rock formation called Bell Rock. Look for the colored prayer flags strung across the trees. And Adam, waste no time getting here.

Although Adam was terrified at the sheer uncertainty of his situation, for a brief second this short message made him forget all horrible things that had just happened at XenTek headquarters.

VerbalTag7 - Are you there?

AH_Bliss - Yes. I'm on the train headed back to my apartment to pick up just a few things.

VerbalTag7 - If you do exactly as I say it will buy you an hour before they figure out where you are. If you don't, you have minutes. Erase everything on your Holo, and tuck it, along with you your C.ID badge under the seat of the train before your stop. Also, buy nothing. They can track your purchases too.

AH_Bliss - W-wait, how do you know I'm in trouble?

VerbalTag7 - Adam, there's no time. I'll explain later. For Godsake, please hurry. Do. Exactly. As. I. Say.

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Alarm Clock Dawn is the first novel of a trilogy. The sequel entitled, Truth Is Stranger, will be published in the Spring of 2017.

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