Read Soul Harvest: The World Takes Sides for Free Online

knowledge. It’s huge, Ray. And it must have taken ages to build. I could have fit two aircraft that size in there and only half filled the space. It’s about thirty feet below ground with plenty of supplies, plumbing, lodging, cooking areas, you name it.”
    “How does something underground withstand the shifting of the earth?”
    “Part genius, part luck, I guess,” Mac said. “The whole thing floats, suspended on some sort of a membrane filled with hydraulic fluid and sitting on a platform of springs that serve as mammoth shock absorbers.”
    “So the rest of New Babylon is in ruins, but the Condor and Carpathia’s little hideout, or I should say big hideout, escaped damage?”
    “That’s where the ingenious part comes in, Ray. The place was rocked pretty good, but the technology delivered. The one eventuality they couldn’t escape, even though they predicted it, was that the main entrance, the huge opening that allowed the plane to easily slip in there, was completely covered over with rock and sand by the quake. They were able to shelter a couple of other smaller openings on the other side to maintain passage, and Carpathia already has earthmovers reopening the original entrance. They’re working on it right now.”
    “So, what, he’s looking to go somewhere? Can’t stand the heat?”
    “No, not at all. He’s expecting company.”
    “His kings are on their way?”
    “He calls them ambassadors. He and Fortunato have big plans.”
    Rayford shook his head. “Fortunato! I saw him in Carpathia’s office when the earthquake started. How’d he survive?”
    “I was as surprised as you, Ray. Unless I missed him, I didn’t see him come out that door on the roof. I figured the only people with a prayer of surviving the collapse of that place were the few who were on the roof when the thing went down. That’s more than a sixty-foot drop with concrete crashing all around you, so even that’s a long shot. But I’ve heard stranger. I read about a guy in Korea who was on top of a hotel that collapsed, and he said he felt like he was surfing on a concrete slab until he hit the ground and rolled and wound up with only a broken arm.”
    “So what’s the story? How did Fortunato get out?”
    “You’re not going to believe it.”
    “I’d believe anything at this point.”
    “Here’s the story the way I saw it. I take Carpathia back to the shelter, and I put her down near the entrance where I had parked the Condor. It was totally covered over, like I say, so Carpathia directs me around to the side where there’s a smaller opening. We go in and find a big staff of people working, almost as if nothing’s happened. I mean, there’s people cooking, cleaning, setting up, all that.”
    “Carpathia’s secretary?”
    Mac shook his head. “I guess she was killed in the building collapse, along with most of the other headquarters staff. But he’s got her and all the rest of ‘em replaced already.”
    “Unbelievable. And Fortunato?”
    “He wasn’t there either. Somebody tells Carpathia there were no survivors at headquarters, and I swear, Ray, it looked to me like Carpathia paled. It was the first time I’ve ever seen him rattled, except when he pretends to go into a rage about something. I think those are always planned.”
    “Me too. So what about Leon?”
    “Carpathia recovers real quick and says, ‘We’ll just see about that.’ He says he’ll be right back, and I ask him can I take him somewhere. He says no and leaves. When was the last time you saw him go anywhere by himself?”
    “Never.”
    “Bingo. He’s gone about half an hour, and the next thing you know he’s back and he’s got Fortunato with him. Fortunato was covered with dust from his head to his feet, and his suit was a mess. But his shirt was tucked in and his coat buttoned up, tie straightened and everything. There wasn’t a scratch on him.”
    “What was his story?”
    “It gave me chills, Ray. A bunch of people gathered