It's been almost a year and I still wake up in the middle of the night thinking about it. I had been a long haul truck driver since I graduated from college. The job market was non existent in 2008 and long haul truck driving appealed to me as I like to work alone and I don't mind not interacting with people for long stretches of time. Up until a year ago I was fine sitting alone with my thoughts. However, I'm not anymore.
I had been with the same trucking company for almost 6 years when I got called to the main office in Youngstown, Ohio. The company I worked for primarily delivered to construction sights. Anything ranging from large "Wide Load" equipment to simple reams of rebar to slabs of concrete. I went to the main building and spoke with my boss' boss. Mr. Horn. He was polite and pleasant and I had noticed that he had a file with my company ID picture as well as all my personal information open on his desk. I thought I was about to be let go or laid off but it was the opposite. I was being offered what was a described as a "delicate" delivery to New Mexico. The money was twice what I'd make in a good month for one job. When asked why I was selected. Mr. Horn said I had a good driving record and that I had also passed the independent security check by the company that hired the trucking company for the delivery.
It should be noted that I have no real family to speak of. I am an only child and both of my parents passed away while I was still in high school. My only immediate family is a retired uncle that resides in a VA demote ward.
When Mr.Horn asked if I wanted the gig. I jumped at it. Although his enthusiasm didn't match mine, he told me I would be dropping off my truck at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. I would drop off my truck that evening and pick it up at 6 am. When I asked what I would be hauling, Mr. Horn told me he didn't know and It'd be best if I didn't ask. This struck me as odd as I like to know what I'm hauling as my cargo usually dictates my driving. But the money was too good to pass up. The kicker was being cut a check for half the amount before I even drove to the air force base. I went to the accounting office and got my check, bought my self a decent meal and rented a more comfortable than I was used to hotel room for the night.
I drove my truck to the Wright-Patterson and was immediately directed to go to the trucking bay. I saw other commercial trucks parked there. but no drivers. A Private, all business and no bullshit with accompanying clip board checked my paper work and also took a picture of me with what looked like a camera the size of a pen. He told me to be ready the next day at 6am sharp and that a car could come get me from my hotel. The odd thing was this private knew the exact hotel I was staying at. This didn't strike me until about midnight that night as I was drifting off to sleep. I started to have reservations but my phone pinged to let me know my check had been processed and I had a whole month's salary already. I could do this job and get the rest of my money and take a month off. That's where my head went to.
I fell asleep for what seemed like moments only to be woken by a pounding on my hotel door. It was 5:30 am. I quickly got dressed and when I opened the door it was two guys dressed in suits. No not black, but grey. A color grey to which this day I have never seen again. They identified themselves as Agent Todd and Agent White. I followed them to the parking lot where we got into a government SUV. On the way to the Wright-Patterson we had chit chat about sports, weather, and even had a quasi-political discussion. But, nothing too deep. When we got to Wright-Patterson my truck was all ready to go. I thanked Agent White and Todd to which the replied. "We'll see you again."
The same Private from the night before was still there. Not a shred of his intensity or seriousness had waned in the past 11 hours. He handed me a new pile of papers as well as a sealed envelope, which I was to give to any and all Law Enforcement in case I were to be pulled over. He then handed me an old cell phone a chunky Nokia with the green screen. He told me if I broke down to dial star 1989 (oddly the year I was born) and when I got to the delivery site to again use this phone and dial star 2020. He told me I was to not stop and drive straight on to New Mexico no matter the time. I had been under a time crunch once or twice on a delivery so this was not that odd of a request. I thanked him for his time and he mumbled something that resembled a no problem. I climbed onto my rig and started the engine and pulled out of Wright-Patterson and turned onto the 444 and caught the I-675.
I was halfway through Indiana when I noticed the helicopter. At first I thought it was a traffic chopper. But then after about 90 miles it was still right with me. When I had to get gas I pulled over and I got a good look at the chopper. It was black and hovered over the gas station. Not moving at all. I also used this time to look at the trailer. It was a spring day and although not yet the afternoon. It was pretty warm. I noticed the trailer was vibrating and giving off a distinct hum. As I pressed my hand against it, it was ice cold, frigid infact. I looked back up at the chopper it was still there.
I climbed back in my cab and took off down I-70. At the Texas/Oklahoma border, I started getting a terrible headache and I had to pull over at a truck stop. That's when I heard it... It sounded like something was moving around in the trailer. I placed my head against the trailer and could only hear the humming of whatever was keeping this thing so cold. It intensified my headache and made me step back and recoil at the sharp pain. I went into the truck stop and grabbed some fried chicken and a coke. When I walked back out to my truck I saw the chopper again.
As I passed the trailer of my truck, I felt my headache worsen. I got into my cab and took some Advil and tried to eat but I wasn't hungry. I just wanted to make this delivery. By the time I got to New Mexico it was 4 am. I had been driving for almost 24 hours. I took the exit I was told to take which led to a dirt road then to a ghost town in the middle of the desert. This was where my destination was. I noticed that the chopper was nowhere in sight. I took out the Nokia and dialed star 2020. And I waited...
Then I saw headlights appear in the distance, slowly but surely approaching me. A military Humvee pulled up and parked with the engine running. An older guy in his mid forties dressed in camo with the name Sgt. WALKER stitched into his outfit, walked up to my truck, as he did, I noticed two soldiers at the Humvee had their rifles aimed right at me. I rolled down my window. Walker simply asked "Delivery?". I nodded and showed him my paper work. He walked away and said a few things into his walkie talkie. After a few moments it expelled with static and I heard "all clear". Walker nodded and walked briskly back to my truck and handed me back the paper work. He told me to follow him and he also said "You're going to see some out of the ordinary things and for security reasons we ask that you ignore them and keep your eyes straight and on the road." I nodded and gave my best "yes, sir." He told me to follow the Humvee.
I followed the Humvee through a series of winding dirt back roads until we hit a private paved road. Through the early morning blue I could see the jagged outline of and even some of the snow kissed peaks of Mount Phillips. The road began to incline, sharper and sharper then before I knew it I was on a decent. I had passed through some sort of camouflaged entrance and I was now in a tunnel, lit every few yards by bright LED lights, seemingly carved into the mountain. It was all very disorienting. I almost slammed into the wall of the tunnel. After a few hundred yards I saw an even brighter light towards the end of the tunnel. Whatever was in the trailer was really starting to move around now. Like a dog being brought to a vet.
As we got closer to the light I noticed a hum began to drown out my ears almost like I was being submerged into water. Once, I passed through the archway from where the light was coming I couldn't believe what I saw. It was a city. Probably about the size of Pittsburgh or Baltimore. They had buildings even, some where nearly seven stories tall. And it was filled with people all in fatigues and construction gear. I followed the Humvee past this city and into another tunnel. This tunnel the lights where fewer and farther between. We came to a security check point. The guards had guns I had never and to this day still have never seen again. They looked like three silver tubes lined on top of one another. They stopped the Humvee and talked to Walker briefly. A security guard walked around my truck taking readings with what looked like a pocket giger counter. I noticed one security guard staring at me. I kept my eyes on the Humvee, but I could feel him staring.
They passed us through and we drove into a small tunnel. It felt like we were going deeper underground. Once we were out of the tunnel I saw it. I can only describe it as a detainee camp. Small huts circled by 20 feet tall razor wire fence. Then I saw them...people. Thousands of them all in bright neon yellow jumpers. They were clustered at various points of the fence screaming. I didn't want to look at them. I knew I would never forget their faces. We went through yet another tunnel and came to a basin sized room. They were doing some type of construction here. It looked like they were building an even larger enclosure into the rock face. The super structure was about 200 ft wide by 200 ft tall. A woman in construction gear waved me towards two other tractor trailers. As I pulled in whatever was in the trailer began to slam against the sides of the trailer. I had to keep a tight grip on the steering wheel. Whatever was in the trailer was trying to get out… To be continued.