As the Light Dies (2 page)

“
Well
,”
she said handing the photo album back to him putting her hands on her hips
.“
I
t’
s called climate change....

From that point on, Lars had taken a keen, almost obsessive interest in all things climate change.

It had become his sole passion in life. As a young boy he had obsessed about losing the beautiful countryside that he loved so much and the wildlife within it, to a warming climate or over logging and pollution or even urban sprawl as houses were built across the land for an ever increasing population. Lars glanced around one last time admiring the view before he really had to go and he saw a snow storm approaching from the North east. Dark angry clouds reached all the way down from the heavens to the ground sweeping their way towards him!

He remembered the news reports
,
‘
the worst winter in decades is comin
g
!’
they said.

The thought sparked a feeling of excitement deep inside him. But right now he did
n’
t want to get caught up in it, he had important work to do and he was getting later by the second!

“C’
mon Gunner tim
e’
s up, we do
n’
t wanna be stuck up here when that beauty hits
!
”

Pulling his collar back up Lars made sure Gunner had heard him and understood, then they started their descent, it was going to have to be a quick one.

The first part of the descent was a white knuckle ride, just how Lars liked it. As they reached calmer terrain Gunner climbed up on to the snowmobil
e’
s rack and rode the rest of the way as the wind picked up behind them bringing bad weather.

Lars made it down to the secluded aces tunnel for the research centre just as it began snowing.

He keyed a code in to a small key pad that opened one of several discreet entrances and rode in to a tunnel as the snow started to blizzard behind them. Lars buzzed along the steel tunnel moving deeper in to the research compound that sat quietly below the mountainous terrain on the northern slope of Gian
t’
s Throne.

As he zipped along the darkened man-made tunnel, motion activated lights came on just ahead of him inviting him deeper and switched off right behind him. After several long minutes the main personnel entry dock came in to view.

It was littered with carefully positioned white snow cats, and they were big!

They are her
e
,
he thought. His pulse quickened!

He abandoned his snowmobile by one of the snow cats and made a beeline to the changing area, with Gunner trotting along behind him.

Sven rushed through the changing room doors, making Lars jump as he struggled out of his snow suit. Gunner looked up from his comfy bed in the corner, ears tall, alert!

He quickly relaxed again realising it was Sven, Lar
s’
s long time friend from childhood, turned long term business partner.

“
Whoa
!”
said Lars
.“
Big entrance for a little guy
!”
Then noticing Sve
n’
s suit he added
,“
You got a job interview little guy
?
”

“
Not funny Lars, w
e’
ve all got a job interview!
I’
ve been calling you constantly, where the hell have you been? Talk about cutting it fine, you should be starting the demonstration in less than five minutes and w
e’
re stil
l
top side!”

“
Been up to Gian
t’
s Throne with Gunner on the snowmobile, did
n’
t hear the phone, sorry
.
”

Sven sighed putting his hands on his hips. He watched as Lars fastened his boots almost casually, and seeing him do so he guessed that Lars was going to do this presentation dressed in his combat trousers and loose fitting woollen jumper. He rolled his eyes!

“
Yo
u
d
o
know w
e’
ve got our Prime Minister and Defence Minister down there, not to mention two Deputy Prime Ministe
r’
s representing Sweden and Finland
!
”

“
I should hope so
,”
said Lars
.“
And what about the others? Has there been any word from Denmark
?
”

Before Sven had a chance to answer Lars added
,“
What about the ones that really matter? The important ones
?
”

Sven gasped
.“
My God Lars, they al
l
matter
!
God I ca
n’
t believe you just said that, and I seriously ca
n’
t believe yo
u’
re going to go out there dressed like that
?
”

Lars glanced over himself
.“
This is what I always wear is
n’
t it? This is me this is what
I’
m most comfortable in
.
”

Sven shook his head and Lars said
,“
Are you comfortable and more at ease in that stiff, hard looking suit than in your jeans and T-shirt
?
”

Sven did
n’
t answer, he did
n’
t need to
.“
Besides
,”
said Lars
.“
After today do you really think people are going to care about what I was wearing the day we changed the world? Or you for that matter? Apart from the photos no one will ever know who wore what
!
”

Sven pressed his lips together and looked up at the ceiling
.“
At least I made an effort
,”
he said.

Lars tugged his laces tight and stood up, he put a hand on Sve
n’
s shoulder smiling and said
,“
Well friend, I suppose this is it then eh! Are you ready
?
”

“
As always. Are you
?
”

Smiling, Lars patted his shoulder and said
,“
Le
t’
s go and save Mother Nature
!
”

Lars shot a glance at Gunner, as he exited the changing room with Sven. Gunner was curled up sound asleep. Grinning Lars turned and lead the way.

Walking along the sterile white corridors towards the lifts Lars nodded to Sven
,“
So tell me about the important guests that made it today.

“
Lars!”
hissed Sven and Lars added
,“
The ones wit
h
brains!”

“
I know what you mean Lars. I would just rather you did
n’
t refer t
o
anyon
e
here today as wit
h
o
r
without brains
.
”

Pushing the lift command button Lars looked at his friend grinning
.“
Well
?”
he said.

Sven rolled his eyes
.“
They all came
,”
he said
.“
Everyone that we coul
d’
ve possibly hoped for
!
”

“Excellent,
”
said Lars beaming from ear to ear as the lift doors opened and they entered.

As the two men travelled down to the main dock, Sven informed Lars that the VIPs had all been jointly welcomed by himself, with Selene standing nearby and that they were all currently waiting in the conference room.

“
They have
n’
t seen anything of the facility have they
?”
said Lars.

“
No, although that might have changed now that yo
u’
ve kept them waiting for so long
!
”

Lars shook his head
.“
They wo
n’
t have moved, the
y’
ll be too busy rubbing shoulders and second guessing, trying to find out what it is there all here for
.
”

“
Le
t’
s just hope our Prime Minister has
n’
t given too much away
,”
said Sven.

“
He wo
n’
t
,”
said Lars
.“
He does
n’
t really know much more than the rest of them, other than how much our government have funded us
.
”

God knows what h
e’
s going to make of it all! Or any of them for that matter
!”
surmised Sven.

“
The
y’
ll be blown away
,”
said Lars.

“
I hope so
,”
said Sven
.“
I really do
!
”

The lift reached the bottom and the men stepped out on to the main dock.

Directly across from the men stood two security guards in dark navy thermals holding semi-automatic rifles either side of the entrance to the conference room. Both guards acknowledged the men with a nod which was returned.

The conference room was an unremarkable white rectangle block on the outside but it was very much the opposite on the inside having been fitted out to the same high standards that its current occupants had come to expect from the most prestige of hotels. To the right it was a dead end. On the left was a short corridor with a tall steel mesh gate guarded by another two members of security, one on either side. Beyond the gate everything opened up to form the enormous main entry hangar where all the goods came in from the surface.

All that was visible through the gate were the enormous roller shutter doors built directly into the mountains bedrock. Across the enormous floor, opposite the gate the front part of an observation office could be seen with low walls and tall windows for viewing the intake or dispatch of materials from or to the surface, that came and went by way of a well secluded permanently manned entrance on the north side of Gian
t’
s Throne where supposedly there were no roads.

The only other feature that could be seen, and it was a feature, was the large domed ceiling that loomed high and cavernous overhead carved right in to the core of the mountains bedrock.

Lars could hear friendly chatter coming from inside the conference room; at least he hoped it was friendly!

“
Has anyone been out bugging you guys, fishing for info
?”
Lars asked the security guards.

“
No sir
,”
answered one of the guar
d’
s shaking his head.

Sven said
,“
Ther
e’
s another three guards inside the conference room, the
y’
re probably taking all the flack
!
”

“Another three inside!
”
Lars queried.

“
It helps make them feel safe Lars, helps keep their anxiety levels down, keep em calm you know, especially after coming down in here for the first time without a clue as to wha
t’
s going on
!
”

“
Well whatever you say Sven but it sounds like overkill to me
,”
said Lars
.“
The
y’
ll think the
y’
re being kidnapped
!
”

Sven let out a sigh and shook his head without saying a word, as Lars took a deep breath and cleared his throat. He winked at Sven with a nod and then he entered the conference room.

The chatter died instantly!

“
Hello everyone
,”
Lars called in to the packed room as the group turned to face him.

They all wore dark formal dress reminding Lars too much of his fathe
r’
s funeral still not even a month ago.

Dad should be her
e
,
he thought
.
Mum and Dad
.

He struggled to push the thought away and almost thought he was going to lose this fight with his emotions until he spotted the Norwegian Prime Minister stood beside the defence Minister for Norway and the Deputy Prime Ministers for Sweden and Finland. This anchored Lars reminding him all too well how important today was. He could cry later if he wanted. He knew he would.

Searching the sea of faces Lars recognised world-renowned atomic engineer Andrew Lincoln from the USA who stood beside leading British particle physicist David Smith who had flown in from Cern and a little further along were husband and wife ecologists tag team Philippe and Sarah Sanchez who had flown in from Brazil where they were both helping to sustainably grow, produce and refine crops for bio fuel alongside food crops. Beside them stood Iain Gilmore one of the best oceanologists in the world.

Many other faces loomed in the crowd and slowly Lars put names to them as his nerves calmed down. He was extremely pleased that these people had come
,
amaze
d
even!

These were people with great minds that understood the planet and fought for it!