Kanden and the group stared at the stars, too transfixed to initially notice the terrain.

Glancing through the glass that had somehow held up through the centuries, he noticed a rocky landscape with a steep slope. Trees dotted the uneven ground, but without more light, Kanden couldn't tell their state or the potential climate.

"Hey, fake person thing," Kanden called, looking up as if the internal systems hid somewhere in the infrastructure.

This time, the hologram appeared on the glass in front of the deep, making the men jump back with a yelp. Linnea held tight and ducked her head.

"Do you mean me, Calvorite descendent?"

Helping Linnea back to the ground, Kanden replied, "Yes. But can you just call me Kanden? Also, do you have a name?"

The hollow eyes flashed white before speaking in its gender neutral voice. "Of course, Kanden. I am HOL•I, short for Holographic Interface. I was engineered to carry out Project Soteria and evacuate humans to the surface once Earth became habitable again."

Rhonin touched the glass where the AI displayed over the panels. "My name is Rhonin. What can you tell us about the project or anything that happened before you went offline? What would have happened if all three Founding Families hadn't been available to submit DNA?"

HOL•I's opaque features focused on Rhonin. "The system was designed by Project Soteria's engineers: Doctors Danica Garasone and George Helix, as well as investor and architect Milo Calvorite. All esteemed in their fields, the Founders agreed to limit access in case the vault was not opened until conditions on the surface improved."

Maybe they weren't asking the right questions. Someone had to have noticed the potential for things to go horribly wrong if a family didn't produce an heir.

Kanden tried again."We nearly lost every family. What would have happened then?"

"In such an event, the Founders each froze embryos to ensure their survival. In fact, one of Helix's samples had been used once before and earthquake cut power and damaged much of the upper levels. In the scenario in which no genetic descendants exist, two of the three Founding Families could perform an override, where the instructions are outlined in the evacuation manual."

Kanden and Rhonin both cast pointed stares at Arlo. "Did you even read Helix's book?" the senior Enforcer demanded.

"Of course," Arlo retorted, clearly affronted as he folded his arms. "You try going through all that text and making heads or tails of it when no one has used this technology in over a century."

Popping her thumb out of her mouth, Linnea walked to the edge of the rail. "HOL•I, can we go outside?"

The hologram peered at Linnea and cocked its virtual head. "My sensors are still gathering data, Helix descendent."

She scrunched her nose. "My name's Linnea. I want to go outside."

Sensing a potential argument, Kanden knelt so they were once again at eye level. "It's too dark right now. The sun is still asleep, and we need to know if it's safe first. When HOL•I says it's safe, I'll bring you with me, okay?"

She sighed and crossed her arms, but didn't argue as she walked back into the control room and sat in a wheeled chair.

When Kanden stood, Rhonin observed, "You're very good with children."

Kanden shrugged. "Sometimes, kids just want to be heard. It doesn't hurt to show them the same respect we ask for as adults."

Casting him a knowing smile, Rhonin addressed HOL•I again. "How much information do you need to gather before you can determine Overland's status?"

HOL•I blinked. "I am sorry, Rhonin, but I do not understand your request."

With a groan, Rhonin spat, "The planet. How will we know it's safe?"

"Many external sensors appear to have been damaged," HOL•I stated calmly. "Your data will be ready in precisely thirteen minutes, forty-two seconds once my system has finished scanning for updates and assesses your inquiry."

Rhonin grumbled under his breath and paced.

Arlo, on the other hand, couldn't get enough of the ancient tech as he stared at the AI like a child anticipating a gift. "How do you retain so much information after being offline for a century? Would any of your systems have degraded?"

At the mention of technical speak, Kanden's eyes glazed over and drifted as HOL•I's monotone voice delivered a long-winded response.

Kanden walked the length of the corridor to the very end, where a thick, heavy door stood between him abcs what he presumed to be the way out. Through the window, which he'd heard HOL•I call silica glass, the sky stretched infinitely in the distance.

Awestruck, Kanden grinned as he grabbed the rail and leaned forward. He'd always known the Overland existed, and he'd caught glimpses of the sky from the greenhouse, but he never imagined the earth's true size.

At last, HOL•I delivered the news everyone had been waiting so long for. "Scan complete. Earth's radiation levels are within an acceptable range. External night temperature appears to be approximately eight degrees Celsius. The current season is difficult to determine without more data, and access to the satellites ceased before my system went offline."

Okay, fair. Kanden couldn't expect this machine to simply have all the answers. "Is it possible for us to go to the surface?"

"Affirmative. However, I must recommend caution. The terrain and climate are currently unknown, and the natural light source is limited. Eight degrees will not kill you, but without suitable weather gear, you will likely experience discomfort."

"I just want to experience it for myself," Kanden replied, undeterred.

"As you wish."

A loud groan echoed through the narrow corridor, making Kanden squeeze his eyes closed. He didn't think he'd ever overcome his sensitivity to sound, but he tried to block everything out until it stopped.

As the door slid open, a strong gust of cold air blew into the chamber. On the wind was the scent of wet soil and... and... something that belonged to a plant—of that much he was certain.

Excitement propelled Kanden through the door, and he stepped onto uneven ground. Rocks crunched under his boot, and he grinned at the twigs buried among pebbles, brown earth, and grass. Dropping to one knee, Kanden scraped his fingertips over the wet grass and gritty stones.

Rhonin tentatively joined him, leading Linnea with him as Arlo followed. The trio gasped and turned, absorbing their open surroundings.

Plopping onto her bottom beside Kanden, Linnea grabbed a handful of green and brown leaves before tossing them in the air with a squeal. "It's cold, it's wet, it's dirty! I love it!"

Kanden laughed and sat as well, propping his hands behind him and stretching out his legs as he stared at the sky. "I never thought we'd live to see this," he admitted.

"It's so cold," Arlo murmured with a shiver. "I thought it would be warmer than this."

"It's just because we're used to the climate controls Underground," Rhonin said thoughtfully, still standing as he folded his arms across his chest. "I think Marina said something once about the land being much colder once."

Standing and brushing his hands off, Kanden reached for Linnea. "Okay, Linnea. Let's go inside for now, and we can return—"

Bright, blinding lights from overhead interrupted him. The land and everything in the beam glowed white, forcing everyone to cover their eyes.

As Kanden's sight adjusted, he noticed dense foliage and hundreds of trees among shrubs and rocks on the steep slope. Above, something mechanical hovered, not making a sound. Then, as quickly as it arrived, the vessel sped away, leaving them in the darkness once more.

End of Book 1

Hiiiiiiiiii!

I hope you all enjoyed the Undergrounders!

This started as a bit of a personal project, but I've really enjoyed writing this and trying new styles and genres.

I'll definitely continue the series with the Overlanders, which I'll post relatively soon. I'm taking a short break so I can work on a traditionally published book.

So what did you think?

Favorite character?

Favorite side character?

Best arc?

Biggest shock?

Most touching moment?

The Overlanders will likely have a new POV. I'm very happy with how Kanden's story turned out, and I think I wrapped him and his family up pretty well. I want to explore Overland through someone else's eyes, I think, but we'll see more of our favorite sweetheart.

I'll see you all in the sequel soon! Thank you to all my readers, your comments, feedback and endless support. If you liked this story, be sure to vote and share with your friends. ♥️