Rev's Odyssey - R. R. Kaufman (booksvooks txt) 📗

open sideways and Monique led Rev to a large room. The sun shone through the glass structure exposing an unusual but pleasing furnished room. Dressed in light brown uniforms three smiling girls rushed over to Rev and gave her a group hug.

 

Rev went wild with happiness as tears rolled down her cheeks.

 

Rev

I didn’t recognize you at first. Everyone looks different. You’re all so snazzy with fresh new clothes. What happened to you and how did you get here?

 

Allie

You mean what happened to you and how did you get here? Rev, when we heard you were safe, we just about hit the ceiling.

 

Chloe

We thought you drowned. That we’d never see you again.

 

Zhen

When we woke up you were gone. We panicked. The storm blew us to the other side of the island. We hiked inland to get back to Crystal Falls.

 

Rev told them everything that happened to her since falling off the plastic float.

 

Allie

We love you Rev. You saved our lives. Without you we’d still be on that island.

 

Chloe

I can’t believe we are all together safe and sound in Crystal Falls.

 

Monique

Thank you girls. But we have lots of work ahead of us. You should get back to the big plan. We’ll talk later.

 

Rev’s friends smiled, gave Rev another hug and exited the room. Rev looked back at Monique.

 

Rev

What are these plans? Can I help?

 

Monique

I’m sorry, Rev. It’s best you don’t know. Besides it’s too dangerous and you’ve been through enough. Let’s get you freshened up and I’ll get you some clean clothes. How’s your leg feel?

 

Rev

Much better.

 

Monique

Good, because I’m about to take you on a tour.

 

Chapter 44

 

 

Half an hour later Rev and Monique were whisked up a tall glass structure in an elevator. At the top floor, Rev and Monique overlooked Crystal Falls. Rev was speechless. It was the same as Genus only above ground. Magnificent glass domes towered sky-high in the distance. All different shape and sizes seemed to stretch for a great distance. Some in the shape of high round tube like glass towers and others in a bowl formation. There were huge glass balls and various sizes of glass pyramids.

 

Rev

Do people live in all these?

 

Monique

Some of them, but most of them are used to grow vegetables, fruits and grains. After the Earth flooded, people were forced to move inland and higher up. With less land we had no choice but to vastly change our method of growing food. I’ll show you.

 

Monique opened a door that led to an enclosed sky bridge. Rev hadn’t felt this free and relaxed for a long time as she crossed the bridge. The sun lit up the whole city like a shimmering gem. It took about a minute to reach the next glass building across the bridge.

After leaving the bridge they entered a room where they put on special suits and headgear that covered their regular clothes and footwear. Another door opened and Rev stepped inside.

Rev marveled at all the green plants being grown. Long standing tubes housed thousands of lettuce plants that were grown with water flowing through their root system. Monique broke a leaf off one of the plants and handed it to Rev.

 

Monique

Try this.

 

Rev crunched down on the lettuce.

 

Rev

This tastes great. It’s so fresh. How did you do this?

 

Monique

It’s called aquagrowth. Everything is grown with recycled water, sunlight and natural mineral nutrients. With the Earth’s flooding we had to adapt since most of the land was gone. We used our technology to build this new system of farming. No harmful pesticides or fertilizers are used. No insects or severe weather can infiltrate this safe environment. Everything is fresh and safe to eat. We can grow most vegetables, fruits, herbs and grains. They grow much faster and larger than in soil outside.

 

They continued down a staircase that encircled the inside of the tall glass building. Each floor contained a different product. On the middle floor was a giant fish tank. Monique explained that the excrement from the fish is an excellent source of nutrients for plant growth.

A few more floors down Monique stopped and plucked a fresh strawberry from a plant and place it in Rev’s palm.

 

Monique

Try this.

 

Rev bit into it and juice flowed down her chin.

 

Rev

It’s delicious. Can I have another one?

 

Monique laughed and found a bowl. The two of them quickly filled it. They returned to the living quarters, ate some snacks and finished the strawberries.

 

Monique

With all this abundance of food we still have a very serious problem.

 

Rev

What is that?

 

Monique

Razor. She’s set up a blockade. Our trade with Eagle Bluff has been cut off. Not only did Razor steal our electric train, but also she has taken control of Okay Bay. That port was crucial to our trading with the other islands. People depend on our produce and we need their products to continue operating Crystal Falls. We can still use small boats but the waters we have to navigate are treacherous.

We have to get rid of her. Permanently.

 

Rev

She’ll just return to Brix and keep polluting our town along with her stupid drokes. I despise that woman.

 

Monique

Yes the protectors of Crystal Falls are working on that.

 

Rev

You mean Chloe, Allie and Zhen?

 

Monique

Yes.

 

Rev

I think I better show you something.

 

Rev took off her locket, unlocked it, and showed Monique the gold chip.

 

Monique

I need to bring in my girls. They will definitely want to see this.

 

Chapter 45

 

 

As the girls gathered round and examined the gold chip, Rev told them about how she crushed Razor’s droke and pulled it out. She explained about her world of Genus and the impending disaster befalling it and Brix. All a result of Razor’s reckless actions.

 

Zhen

The one side of the chip looks like Razor’s invention. I don’t see anything unusual about it. It’s a typical method of sending electronic signals to her drokes in order to control their movements. But this other side of the chip is a mystery.

 

Chloe

Look at all the different lines. It looks like a combination of a maze and a labyrinth. I have no idea what its purpose is.

 

Allie

Razor’s smart. I’ll give her that. You can be sure she’s tapped into some powerful new technology. The one person who could help you is Erik. Most of the tech people in this area of the planet have formed a headquarters at Eagle Bluff. He is quite knowledgeable and experienced in Razor’s technology.

 

Monique

They’re our friends at Eagle Bluff. It’s at the top point at the other end of the island. But Razor and her men control the central land on Tailbone Island. We can’t get through her territory.

 

Rev

If we disrupt her gold mine we could put a dent in her plans.

 

Monique

You’re right but it’s well guarded. It’s best that you stay in Crystal Falls for a while. Things are about to change and you need to remain safe. Razor has a bounty on your head.

 

Rev

I need to find my mother and uncle. I need to help them.

 

Monique

We don’t know exactly where Razor is keeping them prisoners. Our spies are out gathering information and should return shortly. Problems are best resolved if we remain calm and patient.

 

Allie

Rev, show Monique that amazing breather your father invented.

 

Rev reached in her pockets and pulled out her breather, the flexion, a small flashlight and a pocketknife. She looked sheepishly over at Chloe.

 

 

Rev

Oops. I forgot to return your pocketknife.

 

Chloe

That’s okay. Keep it. I want you to have it as a keepsake of our island adventure.

 

Rev

Thanks, Chloe. I’ll treasure it forever.

 

Monique handled the breather and flexion. She pressed the release switch on the flexion and it extended rapidly.

 

Monique

This is extraordinary. Did your father invent this too?

 

Rev

No, my uncle Mars did. My father and Mars are brothers and engineers.

 

Monique

Hmm, I can see where you acquired your skills. May I keep these for a short time? I’d like to show them to my technicians. They would be interested in analyzing them.

 

Rev

Absolutely.

 

Rev handed Monique the unlocked locket with the gold chip, the breather and flexion. She pocketed the small flashlight and pocketknife.

 

Monique

Chloe, why don’t you show Rev the beautiful gardens. Allie and Zhen, please come with me. I want to go over those plans again.

 

Chapter 46

 

 

Chloe opened the big doors on the high walls surrounding Crystal Falls. They walked out into the breathtaking gardens. Large manicured sculptured shrubs stood high over the gardens. Stone pathways edged with brightly colored flowers spread throughout the immaculate green lawns. A small stream trickled and wound its way through the grounds.

Rev and Chloe sat down on a stone bench in front of a fishpond, not far from the big doors.

They turned around and noticed Allie was yelling to Chloe to return for something. Chloe told Rev to stay by the pond and she’d return in a few seconds.

Rev sat alone in the serene setting and momentarily forgot all her problems. Then, a white flash captured her attention. A white rabbit streaked by Rev just across the pond. Rev had seen different colored rabbits before, but never a white one. Thinking it must be special to this planet, she started to follow it.

Don’t run so fast, she thought, as the rabbit kept eluding her reach. Rev kept chasing the rabbit down a big hill away from the garden grounds towards a dense forest.

She didn’t see the sign that read KEEP OUT in big letters. The white rabbit darted around the forest trees leading Rev deeper into the woods. Suddenly she noticed the rabbit run down a steep valley that opened up into a hole. It disappeared into the dark hole as Rev lost her balance and slid on the loose gravel towards the hole.

Rev desperately grabbed hold of a tree root as she swung around in midair at the entrance of the dark pit. She heard a snap and fell a distance and continued to slide down the pit still clutching the short remaining root in her hand. Then she went sailing through the air and landed on her bottom on the dirt floor.

She shook the dirt out of her hair and brought out her small flashlight. It didn’t go on. She rattled and smacked it a few times. A small flickering light leaked out.

She felt something under her. She stood up and shone the light down on her feet. Face down the rabbit was buried in the dirt, lying motionless.

Oh no, she had killed the poor thing.

She gently reached down and picked it up. Something felt weird. Rev could feel its hard bones. She turned it over. There were metal parts inside. Like one of Razor’s drokes.

Razor’s drokes. The words echoed through her head. What had she done? She wasn’t supposed to be here. Razor had tricked her. She had to get out immediately.

She shone the weak light straight up. There was no way she could climb back up. No footholds. Nothing to hold on to.

She shone the light around the