Connexion : The Atlantis Project, Book.1 Read Online Free PDF

Human Intelligence, Program. Rest assured, I will
explain everything in due course. Suffice it to say that we have
need of you, and you alone.”
    “And Clementine?”
    “Your friend is here for your support. She
knows you well, from what I have been told. Am I right?”
    No one took the time to answer him. The
twins, breaking with their usual habit, invited Clementine to get
into the vehicle first. She sat in silence. The car first crossed a
huge, artificially lit auditorium, before entering a tunnel,
several miles long, and entirely made of windows. Giuseppe took
advantage of the trip to present the base and its workings to
them.
    “As you have probably realized, we are on a
secret military base here. There are nearly 1000 meters of water
and several hundred meters of rock over us. Through these windows
you can see our soil-free gardens which provide food for the whole
complex. Plants, fungi and protein-rich seaweed are grown here
thanks to the expertise of our engineers and bio technicians. Our
objective is for all of the more than 10,000 men to be able to live
in total self-sufficiency. Our water is continually recycled, but
for now we still need a regular supply of fresh water, which we
obtain from sea water through a desalination plant.”
    Charlie was astonished and obviously
fascinated by all this technology. He was grinning from ear to ear,
revealing the somewhat childish delight of someone who cannot, or
does not event try to, hide his pleasure when presented with
something new or extraordinary.
    “This is incredible, especially as it’s so
huge! The ceilings are so high; it’s hard to imagine that we’re
underground.”
    “ If I were you, I’d be more concerned
about finding out why all these people want to live forever after
in total self-sufficiency, cut off from the world, under millions
of cubic meters of rock and water. You’ll have plenty of time for
amazement later. Something tells me that we’re not getting out of
here any time soon – if ever!”
    “120 hectares to be precise”, continued
Giuseppe. “We are now entering the residential zone. There are more
than 4,000 dwellings here, arranged in districts. You will be in
room 3727 and your friend will be in number 3728. Your room is part
of a sub-group called ‘Hubble 37’. This one is particularly
spacious. It is made up of only 28 rooms which all open onto a
common living area. Some residential domes have up to 130 rooms,
but no personnel outside of the team can enter here without special
permission. This pavilion is reserved for researchers from the
cybernetic unit, which I will tell you about in more detail after
your rest. They all know about your coming and are impatient to
meet you. Here we are!”
    The vehicle pulled up in front of one of the
numerous steel domes situated along the main road. This one, along
with all the others, must have been fifty meters’ high. It had no
windows. Only one enormous door provided access to it. The door,
like the dome, was made of a very dense metal which showed no
irregularities or traces of oxidation, despite the humid atmosphere
of the base. Giuseppe pulled up in front of the huge, metallic
door. In its center was a second, smaller door, of a different
style. It was not as rounded, or as smooth and seemed incompatible
with the rest of the dome. The metal it was made of seemed slightly
different and showed traces of rust. A simple brass plaque carried
the name, “Hubble 37”. The door opened automatically as the vehicle
approached, and they could see the interior of the dome.
    They entered an inner court where several
vehicles of the same type were parked. The rocky walls were lined
with plants, over which a thin stream of water was trickling, its
sound making for a peaceful atmosphere. A few brightly colored
flowers showed here and there, contrasting with the different
shades of green that covered the walls. Only the rather low, very
luminous ceiling gave away the totally artificial nature of