Dark Clouds

The thick, dark clouds started rolling in around noon on Sunday, 12 April 2080.  They just never left. 

 

Mike Tuttle is trying to teach his son Tim how to throw a football with a tight spiral.  Tim was Mike’s last chance to have a life.  His wife died in 2085 from the war.  Before she passed Mike was able to get some of her eggs.  He didn’t feel right about it, at first, but he wanted their love to live on.  Also, he knew he would be lonely.

 

Football has been abolished for years.  Mike played as a kid in a state called Texas.  States are no longer too.  Once the World’s countries dissolved after the war all boundaries and borders dissolved too.  The only reason he is teaching Tim to throw is because he is searching for a connection between them.  Tim is fifteen and loves to read and watch movies.  Mike needs to be outside and loves to be physical.  They barely speak at dinner anymore.  They are growing far apart.

 

The Tuttle men go back inside after an hour.  Once in the clearing chamber they remove their breathing masks, and take their mandatory shower before stepping into their air-tight, sealed home.

 

When the clouds came in 2080, they seemed innocent enough.  They appeared to be passing, ominous storm clouds, but they turned out to be an atmospheric anomaly that made the air unbreathable and completely blocked out the sun.  The World united to solve the riddle.  Science, math, philosophy, and every academic measure were taken.  When all those failed the World’s militaries were brought in.  Good intentions turned into turmoil.  Blame was placed, feelings hurt, and with tensions boiling over the World went into war.  There were no allies.  All countries were in it for themselves. 

 

The war waged for a decade. The only reason it ended was because Mike Tuttle figured out how to grow food.  He created an air-lock chamber and discovered clean soil in a rainforest in an area that was once the country of Brazil.  The head of the think tank that he worked for, Dr. James Harrison, tasked him with creating a sustainable farm.  He posted a worldwide broadcast of corn growing and everyone wanted to know how to do it.  He took Tim all over with him and taught the World how to do it. 

 

Once in the house, Tim went to his room and turned on a movie.  He used to watch western with his dad so he turns the volume down so his dad won’t know, and he watches John Wayne in True Grit.  Mike is in the kitchen preparing dinner.

 

After another dinner in silence there is a knock on the door.  Dr. James Harrison and his wife Debra are outside.  They enter the chamber, take their masks off, and quickly shower.  They are cleared clean, and allowed to enter.  Tim runs to Debra and gives her a big hug.  Mike smiles and wonders when he will ever get a hug from Tim.  Mike and Dr. Harrison shake hands, and go to the office.  Debra and Tim go to his room to watch the rest of True Grit.

 

“Mike, we need to talk.” Mike sighs and sits.  “What’s going on boss?”

 

“Mike, I need you to do something, but I am not sure how to ask you.”

 

Mike adjusts nervously in his seat, and speaks, “Sir, it can’t be that bad.  Just say it.”

 

“Ok. I need you to go undercover as a prisoner in San Quentin prison so you break out Cristobal Herrera.”  Dr. Harrison breathes deeply as if to release the tension.

 

“Why?  My son and I are having troubles.  I need to be with him.  What happens to him?”

 

“Mikes, Debra and I will take Tim.  Cristobal was running Cocaine for years and he has an unknown quantity of pure potting soil that we need to continue to grow food.  He is the only one that can find it.”

 

“I see.  What is my cover?”

 

“Mike, everyone knows you.  You have to go in as you.  We are going to trump up a murder charge against a federal law enforcement agent, so you have street cred.  You will need to get yourself into solitary because he is a permanent member.  You will have four months to break him out.”

 

“Why only four months?”

          

“Mike, we only have four months till the next major harvest.”

 

“I will do it.”  Mike and Dr. Harrison stand-up, and walk to Tim’s room.  They tell Tim of the plan and he breaks down crying.  Debra starts to help Tim pack.

 

Mike fighting back tears says, “Tim, this must be done and I will be back quickly.”

 

Tim glares back at his dad, “Dad you could die.  I might not see you again.  Someone else needs to do it.”

 

Mike takes a deep breath and searches for the right words, “Son, I love you.  I don’t want to leave you, but this needs to be done so we can live.”

 

“Whatever.  Good luck.”

 

Dr. Harrison, Debra, and Tim drive off.  Mike sits down on his couch.  He hears a banging and his door explodes open.  Ten federal agents storm his door, mask him, cuff him, and take him into custody. 

 

He does not get a trial and is taking straight to San Quentin for murdering a federal agent.  He is sentenced to life. 

 

When he gets in to in-take and starts to check-in to prison he eyes the biggest guy in his group.  He walks up and slaps him, kicks him below the waist, and starts to wail on him.  It takes five correction officers to pull him off.

 

This gets him put in solitary confinement.  The first part of the plan is complete.  Now he needs to come up with the rest. 

 

After his first long night in solitary, Mike gets yard time after breakfast. The yard is an enclosed fenced area that is about fifty feet long, ten feet high, and ten feet wide.  Before going out the inmates and guards all mask up.  The one advantage is Mike’s cage is right next to Cristobal’s.  They are not supposed to talk but Mike starts, “Hey man, what you in for?”

 

Cristobal snarls, “Mike, we all know you and your deeds.  I know you know me too.  Don’t play me.”

 

Mike’s eyes grow to saucers, “Mr. Cristobal, I mean no disrespect.  We have a mutual friend and goal.”

 

Cristobal is intrigued, “Do we?  Who are you referring?”

 

Mike can tell the dance has begun, and he whispers, “Dr. Harrison has sent me.  The World needs you and your clean soil to sustain life.  You will be well paid.”

 

Cristobal laughs, “I was expecting someone to come for me.  Not like this and not over soil.”  He doubles over laughing.  “Mike, do you know Morse Code?”

 

“I do know Morse Code.  Our cells are far apart.”

 

Cristobal gives a sinister smile, “I will handle it.”

 

After yard time, they take their masks off (guards first), shower (guards first), they are searched, and brought back to their cells.  A Correction Officer is waiting on Mike.  The officer speaks as Mike uncuffs, “Turns out you are moving, cop killer.  You have some important friends inside that want you close.  Pack your trash. Do it now!”

 

Mike moves cells, and begins communicating with Cristobal.  During their talks he learns: Cristobal has all the guards in his pocket, that more drugs are being moved out of San Quentin than on the streets, and that escape will be a lot quicker than four months. 

 

Cristobal is dying and needs to see his family.  He has end stage lung cancer.  He will only live for two more months.  The plan will be final in the morning.

 

Cristobal is summoned by the guards because he has a visitor.  He winks at Mike as he walks by. 

 

Cristobal doesn’t go see a visitor.  He goes to the Warden’s Office.  Cristobal struts in and says, “Warden, I need out tomorrow.  I am not asking.  Mike Tuttle is here and we have business on the outside.  I need to die at home with my family.  Make it happen...or else!”  He doesn’t wait for a response and just leaves.

 

And hour later the Warden is in Cristobal’s cell.  “Ok. You both are out.  Be ready to go at 4am.”  The Warden leaves the cell and Cristobal relays the message to Mike.

 

4am comes and both are ready to leave.  Neither slept a wink in anticipation of the escape.  An officer unlocks both doors and escorts them to a linen truck.  Both are placed in large laundry bags and placed in a truck.  They are given breathing masks and protective suits as well.  The truck drives to the gate and the Warden calls ahead to have it only quickly searched.  The truck drives off without incident.  They have done it.

 

A few miles away from San Quentin they are let out and given a phone.  Mike calls Dr. Harrison who dispatches a plane to pick them up.  Forty-five minutes later they are in Dr. Harrison’s office drinking wine.

 

Dr. Harrison skips pleasantries and starts in, “Cristobal we need your soil and we need it know.  I broke you out and you will be paid $25 million. “

 

Cristobal grins, “I will be paid $100 million and my family will be left alone forever.”

 

Dr. Harrison looks sick when he says, “It is a deal.”

 

Dr. Harrison opens a safe and gives Cristobal a briefcase and loads in the $100 million in cash.  Mike grabs a satellite locator and hands it to Cristobal.  “Ok. We need the coordinates.”

 

Cristobal goes cold, “No.  I will take you myself.”

 

The three gear-up and get back in Dr. Harrison’s plane.  Cristobal gives the pilot the nearest airfield to the stash and uses Dr. Harrison’s phone to call his friends to pick them up.

 

Mike is nervous on the plane.  Everything is going too well.  The plan is too easy.  He doesn’t trust Cristobal, and he has never seen Dr. Harrison give up money so quickly.  He does not trust anyone.  He needs to get back to his son.

 

The plane lands and the three walk outside.  Cristobal’s crew was waiting on them and they greet them with guns in hand.  Mike gets pistol whipped and goes unconscious.  Cristobal, Dr. Harrison, and crew drag Mike to a room, and then they all jump in three cars. 

 

The cars park in-front of a huge warehouse.  They all move inside to a huge field of vegetables, and valuable soil.  Dr. Harrison is grinning from ear to ear.  Cristobal is talking to his boys, and preparing to leave to see his family. 

 

Mike comes to and realizes he is tied up in a field with a huge combine coming towards him.  He rolls to right to avoid the combine’s path for now and realizes the field is not covered in just veggies, but also cocaine.  He knows he got played.  Dr. Harrison is in on the drugs.  He just bought the empire from a dying man.  He is the kingpin now. 

 

Mike wiggles his knees to his chest and uses his teeth to free his legs.  Mike is now able to low crawls out of the field and breaks into an office where he uses the edge of the desk to free his hands.

 

Mike surveys the field and can see Dr. Harrison, Cristobal, and crew loading on a plane.  Mike leaves and jumps a security guard.  He steals his gun, and starts shooting the combine.  The combine blows-up and catches the field on fire.  Mike loads his pockets with clean soil. 

 

Dr. Harrison and Cristobal hear the explosion from the runway.  They stop the pilot from taking off and run back to the warehouse.  Mike is waiting on them and opens fire.  He kills both before he is shot in the arm by one of Cristobal’s thugs.  He retreats back in the burning warehouse. 

Mike decides to make a break for the plane, and runs out spraying bullets all over.  The plane is about a hundred meters from the warehouse so he swerves his left and right all the way there.  He boards the plane and orders to pilot to take him home. 

 

He goes to Dr. Harrison’s house to see his son.  Thankfully, his son was there.  Debra appeared surprised that her husband was not there too.  Mike scoop up Tim.  “I love you son.  We are going home.”

 

Tim crying says, “Hospital first dad.  I love you too.”

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

A very entertaining story. You create strong story line and very good characters. I liked the location, place and description of war ending. I like the mission accepted and the ending. Good to find home and be safe. Thank you for sharing the outstanding story.
Coyote

[JBoone]

Thank you.

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome.

[V]

A science fiction story, there are nice storytelling elements in it yet again you use two different tenses in the narration which doesn't read right for me, also the end seems to be a little cut off, too sudden, I could imagine this as a part of longer story, even book. But I think you definitely have a talent for creating stories, they read entertaining, you have the right feel for it, already and you only need some slight improvement. But I don't want to be too judging, I'm not a great storyteller and I l focus on poems...

[Daphnee]

Whoa. Genius. Like seriously. When this becomes a book, you better send me a signed copy.

[JBoone]

Thank you so much for your kind review. I appreciate it.

[Hyacinth]

I love this. Like seriously live it. A good story, amazing actually. I especially afore the ending.

[JBoone]

Thank you and I appreciate it.

[Erin]

I enjoyed reading your story. You have a developing storyline, main character with a back story and the twist and turns with prison, drug operation, escaping really capture the reader. Suggestion, flush out the plot more, add more details and descriptions. Also longer sentences with descriptive words will continue to hold the readers interests. Great plot idea.

[JBoone]

Thank you. I appreciate the advice.

[GalaxyGhost]

This is so interesting! The thing that was the most interesting was the name 'Christobal.' I would like to know how that name came to be. As a writer, I love looking up names that fit my characters' personalities, from the antagonists to protagonists. Also, the ending was rather sweet and I actually was thinking how this story would be like as an action movie.
Just to note: I did notice that a quotation mark is missing in the line 10 where one of the characters was speaking. Also, could you clarify about the years? With the wife passing away around 2085 and the story occurring at 2080 was confusing. Other than that, the story was cool! Like I said before, it is like an action movie in a written form.

[JBoone]

Thank you. The Clouds came in in 2080 and the wife died in 2085, that was for back story. The storty was going on 15 years after the wife died. I thought about adding that to clarify. I appreciate it.

[GalaxyGhost]

You're welcome and thank you for the clarification!