Foreign Distrust (The Expedition Book 1)

  Contents

  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 1

  The rain came down in gentle sheets of water. They watered the land as the first days of spring set in across the plains and mountains of North America. Thunder rumbled peacefully off the cliffs and ridges, bouncing back against itself. The lightning was brilliant hues of blue and violet, hitting cloud after cloud, striking the ground with sharp cracks. There were few around to witness the beauty of such a magnificent storm. To feel rainwater fall on their skin; water that hadn’t been this free of pollution in centuries. It ran through the rivers and streams, washed them cleaner each time the rain flooded their banks.

  It was certainly a fresh era for the planet. Time for regrowth and renewal. New buds covered the tree branches, soaking in the fresh rain. Nature enjoyed these spring rains more than it had ever before. Plants grew larger, stronger, and faster. Taking back lands that once belonged to them and soon would again. It was a sign of how much harm had been done over the centuries to now have such life sprouting up everywhere. This water that fed the plants was not tainted by the industry of humans taking over the globe, or their overpopulation driving up waste and destruction of the Earth they cared so little about.

  The day humans left for Mars to live out their existence there, nature came back to take over with a vengeance. The major cities stopped giving off light pollution among other things, no more cars creating noise night and day nonstop. No constant chattering of human voices and their devices creating so much static and noise. No, there was none of that now.

  Just absolute utter silence.

  The trash heaps were finally decomposing, having a chance to breakdown without having new waste added to them day after day. They’d been cordoned off before the humans left, after going through and digging out everything that could be recycled. Now it was left to break down under nature’s watch. And nature wasn’t the only one enjoying this time of rebirth.

  Animals flourished in the new, human free environment. They had a chance to go back to their normal patterns. Returning to days before humans built on every scrap of land they could find. The predators were able to be back at the top of the food chain and those populations on the brink of extinction were slowly climbing to the numbers they were years before. Major cities had been slowly taken back by the forests and plains that once grew where they were built, tearing through abandoned buildings left by the human population in a rush to escape the horrible situation they created.

  Running from the forests were dense and rich plains, filled with tall grasses and nutrients being replenished everyday by the return of a natural balance. The temperatures had cooled considerably and the crazy weather had taken a turn towards though the occasional thunderstorm was still cause for worry at its strength and destructive nature. Desperate times had called for desperate measures and their last resort had been to move the population off planet. The human population hit its breaking point and resources had become a scarcity along with living space, driving up prices and threatening to bring everything crashing down around the world. Governments started to crumble beneath the weight of so much unrest until finally a solution was presented and decided on before the world tore itself apart any more than it already had. The world leaders met and with the help of NASA started to build and move humans from Earth to Mars.

  When the announcement was first made, many were not happy. They fought against it rebelled and even started to attack NASA. How could they leave Earth? How would they all survive up there without things they needed to survive? Yes there were ways to get basic resources from the red planet, but not to the extent people were used to. They were going to be thrown into an age of upheaval not seen since the 1800s. So many were against the idea that in the end, a world martial law had been forced on the population.

  Those that wanted to stay behind would be put to work, unable to do anything else for the rest of their lives. Serfs in this new world order that seemed to happen overnight.

  Or, as one General so gently put, they could take those resisting somewhere and shoot them.

  After that incident people realized they really didn’t have much of a choice. They broke their home, destroyed it, and took advantage of it. And look where it got them. Forced to leave their planet and make a home on a new one. The hope was that one day they’d be able to return and have learned their lesson, but many people doubted they’d ever see such landscapes again, oceans and rainforests. Things that had once held great beauty to humankind.

  It had only been five years since the move happened, but it seemed like much longer, centuries almost. Everything seemed so old and as one of the few people chosen to stay behind, Sarah Brant was enjoyed every second of it. This was what the Earth was supposed to look like. To feel like and smell like. Fresh air, the quiet except for insects and animals. It was amazing the difference it made. The rain didn’t even bother her as it fell on her head, soaking her hair. She made her way through dense forest headed towards one of the few compounds built before the mass departure of the population.

  It took several years to finally get everyone moved and the compounds built, but once it was done, the world leaders selected several scientists, doctors and various other experts from varying fields and the United States, South America, Russia, Japan, China, India, and Canada to keep these places on earth to mine and gather natural resources to be sent to Mars. They would be needed to help sustain life there while it was molded into what would hopefully one day become the new earth. Sarah was thrilled when she was chosen considering she wasn’t a scientist, but a veterinary specialist. It was incredible and she had been so excited to be left behind to help maintain and reform what had been their home.

  As she made her way through the trees, running her hands over the rough bark and wet, soggy moss, she heard a commotion up ahead. She slowed, crouching down to try and see through the brush. She caught sight of black fur on a very large, lumbering body. Carefully she crept forward and around the small clearing where a large momma bear guided her three cubs along. Sarah grinned from ear to ear, pushing her dirty blonde bangs out of her eyes so she could see better.

  Seeing this renewed life was the best part of her life these days and as the bears lumbered by, she thought about how removing humans from this environment was the best thing that could have ever happened. Once she was clear of the bears, she hurried on her way. It wasn’t too far to the compound and she felt safe enough in this part of the forest. All the remaining humans had been put through rigorous survival training to help keep them alive. It had been months and months of the most brutal drills she’d ever done but she’d proven she could handle herself in almost every situation. She might not be a girl scout but she could still win versus whatever nature tried to throw at her.

  As she rounded a large ash tree, the compound came into view. Its stone walls stretched up thirty feet, covered with greenery to try and blend in with the surrounding environment. The goal was to not stand out anymore. Solar panels covered every roof top and in stood in the fields within the compound to help power the facility. No more electricity; it was all solar and even a few wind turbines they put up in a ridgeline not too far away. The entire compound was green. No waste allowed of any kind. Things were recycled, human waste was used to make fertilizer for the gardens they had. It was the new way to live and Sarah loved it. Some didn’t, but they learned to adapt.

  When she got closer to the main gate, she looked up to see Mason Cutler keeping watch as always when Sarah headed out into the wilds. When she cleared the tree line, she waved up to him and he nodded back as he always did. Strong and steady, never wavering, never giving any other expression besides a scowl. Everyone knew he hated being there and saw his job as punishment. Sarah couldn’t count the number of times he’d bitched to them all about rotting away here in this dump when the real danger lurked on Mars. But he was stuck, just like the rest of them.

  Mason waved to someone down below and the gate to the compound slid open quietly.

  The whole goal of these few people staying behind was to make as little impact as possible. No unnecessary lights, sounds, pollution, everything. They’d taken the term green to a whole new level. The entire compound was self-sustaining and for the past five years, everything had run pretty smoothly. There were a few glitches in the beginning. The first major snowstorm they had, the heat went out and they had to resort to wood stoves and fires, but they managed to survive without any major repercussions. The worst part of that had been keeping the solar panels free of ice.

  Sarah shivered as she thought back to the few times it was her turn to still do that. Worst part of winter, but everyone had to chip in and do their part.

  “Sarah, how was the walk,” Wendell, the compound botanist asked as he headed over from the greenhouses.

  “Great as
always,” she said. “You won’t believe how Boulder looks now. It’s still weird sometimes.”

  “But a good weird,” he mused as he glanced over his clipboard. “All this rain is good for us at least. Let us conserve some water for a while.”

  Sarah nodded then paused when she heard heavy footsteps behind her. She turned to see Mason, his full lips in a scowl as he stared her down. “What’s got your panties in a twist Cujo,” she asked using the nickname she’d given him after their first week together. He always looked ready to strike, armed to the teeth. Like he was going to have to kill something at any second.

  “You were gone for two more hours than you were supposed to be,” he snapped.

  “Lost track of time.”

  “Sarah you are not supposed to be outside these walls by yourself for that long. What happens if your radio dies? Or you got lost?”

  “It’s been almost five years, Mason. I don’t think I’m going to get lost,” she said, waving to Wendell then with an annoyed sigh, headed inside the compound. Mason followed. “What do you want?”

  “How about the latest reports on resources ready to be shipped out?”

  “You’ll have it by tonight.” They entered through the heavy, double steel doors and walked along the grated catwalk that made up most of the first level. “Wendell was still gathering plants from the look on his face.” She turned left at the main fork then headed down a flight of steps to the living quarters. She passed only two other people, smiling as she went. They both smiled until they saw Mason trailing quietly behind her. “You know you scare the shit out of everyone here, right?”

  Mason grumbled something behind her and she smirked.

  They reached her room and she unlocked her door. The private living space for each person was tiny. Enough room for a twin bed, workstation, and closet. Sarah tossed her rucksack on the bed and shook out her wet hair like a dog. Mason muttered curses as water sprayed him in the face.

  “Did you have to do that?”

  “Did you have to follow me in here?” She started to grab a fresh pair of clothes and a towel. “The report will be ready, Mason. Just back off for a few minutes, alright? Unless you want to follow me into the shower, too.”

  As much of a pain in the ass as Mason was, he was still the most attractive man within thousands of miles. His buzzed hair and hazel eyes made him look like any other good old fashion soldier, complete with firm muscles and tight t-shirts Sarah always wanted to rip off, at least in her dreams. He was only a few years older than her and she knew he’d checked her out plenty of times. Even taken a strange liking to her, though he had a hell of a way of showing it.

  Gave her more shit than anyone else around.

  “Think I’ll pass,” he said, but Sarah saw the way his eyes quickly trailed down her body then back up. “Just make sure you’re ready for the call tonight.”

  She stood up straight as a board and saluted him. He ran an annoyed hand over his hair and flexed his pecs as he always did when he was agitated. After he left, Sarah made her way to one of the three shower stalls back outside the main compound. The fresh rain water was chilly, but the shower at least was refreshing. She needed to cool off if she was going to be dealing with Mason the rest of the day.

  Chapter 2

  Pierre Minton stared out over the crops and frowned. Everything seemed to be coming in well enough. The ground was fertilized. There were definitely enough nutrients in the soil. So why were the yields at only seventy percent? He tugged at his brown beard and tried to puzzle it out. According to his calculations, they should be producing more than this. Way more. So why wasn’t it working? He needed to have an answer soon. The phone call with the American team was just a few hours away.

  “What could it be,” he muttered aloud as he walked along the rows of corn and then into the stalks of wheat.

  This greenhouse was the largest of its kind, stretching for miles across Ontario’s most fertile farmlands. They’d been taken over by the government when the realization came that humans would be leaving Earth. Pierre had been just a simple farmer back then, but the most successful one in all of Canada. He also had backgrounds in agriculture and so he’d been appointed the Chief Agricultural Officer for his team. Other teams grew food as well to help balance out the supply need, but his produced the most of the basic diet.

  He toyed with the ends of a wheat stalk as he pictured his wife and three kids on Mars. They’d wanted him to come with them. And he’d wanted to, desperately, but at the same time the idea of knowing he’d never have land like this again under his feet? He couldn’t bear it. And at least he knew if he was here, growing food, his family would never starve. Feeding the population on Mars was his biggest priority now and he took it very seriously. On his compound, he was the first to rise in the morning, checking the crops and ensuring everything was getting exactly what it required. At night, he ran reports and data analysis, checked weather patterns, and spoke with the other bases. It was important they not miss anything.

  One fatal mistake on Earth could mean catastrophe on Mars.

  Pierre knew, just as everyone else left on Earth, that there were some resources they could make for themselves. For example, their water was pulled from Mar’s frozen ground in massive quantities. They were working on creating vast pools of it to also help grow plant life that would produce more oxygen. They pulled much of it from the atmosphere as well and he knew the scientists in India were charged with constantly building carbon dioxide scrubbers to try and help make the air more livable. It would be a long time before they could grow mass amounts of food like this though.

  They started gardens and each citizen was required to grow some of their own food in the indoor structures built for them. But to really survive with such a large population, they needed a constant supply of food.

  “Pierre! There you are,” Tracy called as she hurried through the rows of wheat.

  “What is it?”

  “Call from the Japanese team,” she said. “They’re testing a new communication line.”

  “Is it Ayako at least,” Pierre asked before he started to follow Tracy.

  “Yes, it’s her.”

  Pierre grinned. “Good. That other fellow they had while she was sick was an idiot.”

  Tracy nodded in agreement and together they made the long trek back to the main compound. It was larger than the one the Americans used, but less people. Most of what they did was done by large machines, all using recycled and green materials of course. But to harvest this much food by hand would’ve been a nightmare. The main building was simple. A sturdy log cabin structure on the outside, but all high-tech on the inside. Lights clicked on as Pierre and Tracy walked down the main hall, then clicked off again as they passed by.

  In the beginning it had driven Pierre nuts, but like everyone else, he got used to this new lifestyle. He turned off the main hall as Tracy kept going. The communications room was the largest in the facility with abilities to video conference with everyone on Earth and those on Mars. Several techs were busy at each one, monitoring the crops and the surrounding area. Not that they were worried about anything coming for them, but nature of late had been getting aggressive as far as taking back its land. The last thing they needed to happen was a greenhouse fail.

  “Ah, Ayako Tanaka, good to see you up and moving around again,” Pierre said as he put his hands together and politely bowed his head in greeting.

  She did the same. “Hello Pierre. I trust all is well?”

  “Yes, for the most part. There’s a slight reduction in crop yield this season, but we’re working on compensating for that.”

  “Good to hear,” she grinned brightly and Pierre felt his own smile widen. Her face was pale and doll-like, framed by short black hair. She was beautiful and everyone knew it, including her. Pierre asked why she called and she raised her hands. “Notice anything different about the image?”

  Pierre glanced around the screen. “The image does seem clearer…and there’s no lag anymore.”

  “No, no lag. I fixed a bug we had been having in our systems. Calling all the compounds to check and make sure all is still in order.”

  “Isn’t it early there?” It was barely noon in Canada which meant it was in the wee hours of the morning there. “Don’t you ever sleep?”