Summer's End, page 15
Time to change tactics, she decided, continuing her thought process. She wasn’t sure how long “two shakes” meant in Krista’s mind, but there was probably still time to make something happen with Wicks.
If not, then when Krista arrived, she would check the backpack and find the Seeker Map was missing and discover the other stuff that was personal in nature. Two huge violations of the rules in Krista’s book.
When Summer’s eyes found their way to the edge of the bedframe that she’d almost landed on earlier, a new idea came roaring into her mind. Summer stopped pacing, turned to Wicks, and rubbed her chin, the pain from his slap still resonating.
“I hope you know Edison isn’t going to like you hitting me like that. Or tossing me into this cell. It’s probably going to cost you your job. Might even get you banished. Who knows? I’ve seen worse things happen for far less.”
He shook his head, looking steadfast. A slight smile took over his mouth, almost as if he knew her change in tactics was coming.
Summer wasn’t done. “You guys really need to think twice about roughing up a valued member of the team. Seekers like me keep this place alive. You included. It’s not too late to let me out of here and save yourself. It’s what I would recommend before Edison comes down on you. Hard.”
Wicks kept his tongue silent.
Summer waited to see if he might change his mind. When he didn’t, she let her heartbeat calm, then took a step back. She tossed her hands up, preparing to finish the scene she’d cooked up in her head.
The next step wasn’t going to be pleasant, but she couldn’t turn back now. Not with Krista due back any minute. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Even Krista won’t be able to save you once Edison hears about what you did.”
“Nice try, Summer. But we’re not all as gullible as you think. I know what you’re trying to do. It won’t work.”
Summer twisted a lip, figuring he might say something like that. “Oh, really now,” she said, sauntering back to the front of the cell. “You mean like this?”
Summer pulled her head back and rammed it forward, smacking her forehead into the steel bar directly ahead.
The metal clanged as her skin gave way, allowing the bone of her skull to make impact. She stumbled back in a fog, landing on her butt in front of the cot.
A flood of red raced down her face, bringing rivers of warmth along with it. She put her hands up and let the blood run wild across her fingers, then smeared it on her cheeks, neck, and sweatshirt to amplify the effect.
She rolled over to her knees and leaned forward, letting the blood find its way onto the floor in front of the bed. The throb in her head was intense. So was the blood pouring out of the gash, but the dizziness was fading, allowing her to focus better.
She smeared blood across the front of the bedframe, then moved to the right and spun around to sit. She pressed a hand onto the wound, figuring she’d lost enough blood.
Wicks shook his head, looking confident. “You really think that’s gonna work?”
Summer nodded, pointing a bloody finger at the door next to him. “Depends on who walks in next.”
Wicks turned his head toward the entrance.
Right on cue, Krista burst through the door. When her eyes locked onto Summer, she stopped with her eyes wide and mouth agape. But that look vanished a second later, her feet never moving.
Wicks laughed, bringing his eyes back to Summer. “You lose, bitch.”
Summer pointed again at the door, sending an ocean of tears to her eyes. She let her hand tremble.
Wicks spun his head in a flash. So did Krista.
Professor Edison strolled in, followed by Morse and his walker, its new wheel already in use. Morse was right. It didn’t take long to fix.
“Oh my God,” Edison snapped, running to the cell door. He looked back at Krista. “Open this door at once!”
Morse waited in the doorway as Krista fumbled with her keys before unlocking the door. She pulled it open, then stepped aside as Edison raced in, taking a knee at Summer’s side.
The Professor placed his hand over hers, helping to apply pressure to the wound. “What did they do to you, child?”
Summer pointed at Wicks, then changed her tone, chattering her teeth and sniffling along with the words. “That awful man . . . he hit me, Professor . . . Then threw me in here really hard.” She swung her head to the side, leading his eyes to the blood smear on the frame. “I hit my head on the bed. It hurts, Professor. A lot.”
“We need to get you to medical,” Edison said, helping her to her feet. He led her out of the cell with one hand on her forehead and the other around her waist.
“You’re not seriously buying this, are you, Professor?” Krista asked, her hands out to her side. “She obviously did that to herself. Look at her. You can see it in her eyes. She’s lying again.”
Edison stopped and stared at Krista, his face pinched and eyes tight. “Were you here? Did you witness it?”
“No,” Krista stammered, shuffling her feet. “But that doesn’t mean—”
“It started in the hall,” Summer told Edison, interrupting Krista’s response. “Ask her. She was there. He slapped me and then wanted to punch me in the face. I was so scared, Professor. I thought he was going to kill me.”
Edison fired another question at Krista, his voice filled with even more determination than before. “Is this true? Did he assault her in the hallway?”
Krista’s face turned sour. She obviously didn’t want to answer, but duty must have forced her to speak the truth. “Yes, sir. He did. But again, that doesn’t—”
“Plus he felt me up when we were alone,” Summer said. “Touched my breasts and everything.”
“I’ve heard enough,” Edison said, whisking Summer ahead. “I want that man arrested!”
“But, sir—” Krista said.
“That’s an order. Make it happen,” Edison said, whisking Summer out of the jailhouse.
Morse followed, the wheels on his walker in fast mode.
Summer pointed at the door behind them. “Don’t forget my pack, Professor. Krista stole it from me. It’s on the table.”
“I’ll get it,” Morse said to Edison, making a U-turn. “You get her to Liz.”
CHAPTER 19
Krista leaned back in the mess hall chair with arms up and fingers locked behind her head. She kept her eyes shut and focused on her breathing, trying to rid her chest of the tightness squeezing at her ribcage.
The pain persisted, even after two minutes of meditation, so she opened her eyes in frustration. Her vision changed to an unfocused stare, while her mind sank deep into itself, trying to make sense of the events of the day.
The cement ceiling, with its interwoven steel beams and lack of paint, reminded her of how closed-in everyone felt in the silo, even after a retrofit by their founder, Edison. The same man who’d helicoptered in and rescued Summer from the brig, then had her second-in-command, Nathan Wicks, arrested for some trumped-up charge. Well, mostly trumped up.
Krista knew as well as anyone that nobody could escape the reality of life in this place. She knew from her years in the military that anytime an oligarchy has control, democracy suffers. Especially a fake oligarchy—one actually being run by a single man.
She’d tried to be the voice of reason as a member of The Council, but it seemed that nobody was listening. Not unless her intentions fit neatly within Edison’s vision for Nirvana. Everything else was dismissed. Ignored. Swept away, if it didn’t fit the narrative. It was exhausting.
The video player in her mind took control without warning, showing her a replay of the jumper who died after a leap down the silo bay.
Krista figured that person wouldn’t be the last victim of Edison’s inconsistent application of the law under the Nirvana Code of Conduct, not with tensions mounting.
Most who came to live in the silo struggled to cope. Some failed, feeling the cement tomb sucking the life out of them until they just wanted to scream. That’s how she felt at the moment—like she was trapped in a never-ending play—one whose climax featured her in a straitjacket.
Krista quashed the pity party, flushing it from her mind. She wasn’t going to be one of the losers—not because of Edison and his propensity to circumvent his own rules. And certainly not because of a charming, yet completely unreliable twenty-something-year-old girl named Summer Lane. A girl who could spin a lie faster than lightning races across the sky.
Rod Zimmer walked in, twisting his handlebar mustache with his fingers, the salt and pepper strands winding in a circle. “There you are. Been looking all over for you.”
“Needed a break. This seemed like as good a place as any. Nobody ever comes in here at this time of night.”
“I heard what happened,” he said, taking a seat next to her at the table closest to the empty stand of coffee pots. Dusty pots that hadn’t been used in years.
Krista smirked. “Can you believe it? Even after The Council ruled in my favor.”
“Kind of pulled the rug out from under you.”
Krista sat upright, snorting an angry breath as she pulled her arms from behind her head. It was all she could do not to pound a fist on the tabletop. “What good is my title of Security Chief if I don’t have the responsibility to carry out my duties? That girl needs discipline.”
“We’ve all known that for a while now. Eventually, Edison won’t have a choice. He can’t keep protecting her. Her lies will catch up to her.”
“You’d think so, but she’s pretty damn clever.”
“And charming, when she wants to be.”
“All part of being clever, Rod. Knowing how to manipulate any situation for support,” Krista said, running through a series of memories in her mind, each one another defeat. “I’m pretty sure everyone thinks I hate that little rule breaker, but I really don’t. I’m just trying to do my job and keep everyone safe, Summer included. But she keeps getting in the way, like she’s doing it on purpose, just to piss me off.”
“Maybe it’s time to change tactics.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean let her hang herself a little.”
“How exactly?”
“Well, it’s pretty obvious that riding her ass hasn’t accomplished anything. Maybe it’s time to give in and befriend that little snot. Give her some rope to go out and do her own thing.”
His words were not what Krista expected. “Do her own thing? Are you serious?”
“Deadly.”
She huffed a fake laugh. “I don’t see how turning a blind eye will accomplish anything.”
“You know as well as I do that she can’t help herself. The moment she thinks nobody is looking, she’ll be off doing whatever she’s really doing out there.”
“If I did that, she’d probably get herself killed.”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
“Come on, Rod. I don’t want the girl dead. I just want her to grow up and contribute like an adult. It’s more than time. She’s not a kid anymore.”
“I’m not sure that’s true.”
“What do you mean?” Krista asked, leaning forward with her elbows on the table.
“Earlier you wanted her banished. Left out in the cold.”
His statement was true, though maybe not entirely. Sometimes her anger took her places where she had no intention of going in the first place. Tempers can do that. Krista knew she wasn’t immune. Yet the calmer side of her personality would usually take over if she gave it a chance to rise up when she needed it most. Like now.
“I know it seems that way, Rod, but I really don’t want her banished. I was just setting the bar high with The Council so we could negotiate something in the middle. Something that would be constructive for everyone. It’s the art of the deal, Rod. Never make your best offer first.”
He took a moment before responding, his head tilted to the left as if he were in deep in thought. “Hmmm. Thought you hated her and wanted her gone.”
“You know me. I always have a plan. Even when I don’t know what it is yet.”
“Not sure what that means, but okay,” Rod said, scooting his chair closer to hers. He looked around the room, his eyes darting left and right before he brought them back to Krista.
He lowered his voice, speaking just above a whisper. “I’m thinking if you assigned someone to accompany her, you could cover all the angles. But it would have to be someone you trust.”
Krista hesitated, letting Zimmer’s words soak into her thoughts. The man might be on to something. She responded in a whisper as well. “Maybe someone her age. Someone who can get close to her without suspicion.”
“Exactly. Summer doesn’t have the training you do. She’ll never see it coming. Especially, if it’s someone her age. A nice-looking young man who might turn her head, if you know what I mean.”
“I do,” Krista said, letting her mind sift through the people she knew, searching for someone who might fit the task. “But she’ll balk at the idea. Probably run to Edison like she always does. I can see it now, both of them quoting regulations about Seekers being sent out alone.”
“What if you spun this as some kind of a training mission?”
“For her?”
“No, for the spy. I’m guessing that Edison would agree to a new Seeker Training Program. One that would develop new talent. We’re going to need more Seekers with the recent explosion in population. Edison has to know that we need more resources than we have now. We can’t keep growing like this. Not with limited food stores and a maxed-out hydroponics bay.”
“Interesting idea. If I present it right, it might just get around The Council’s mandate.”
“Exactly. Plus, if Edison goes for it, you’ll cover your ass, no matter how this plays out. It’s time to start thinking about yourself, Krista. In the end, it’ll be good for Nirvana. And maybe even for Summer, depending on what happens. She might just grow up a little.”
Krista nodded, feeling the pressure release in her chest. “I knew there was a reason I hung around you, Rod. You always think outside the box.”
“That’s why I’m in Supply. I climb in and out of boxes all day,” he said, snickering.
“Well then, I’m glad it’s you,” Krista said, touching her hand on his forearm.
A long pause hung in the air before Zimmer spoke again, his face turning serious. “There’s something else you should know.”
“What’s that?” she asked, pulling her hand back.
“Have you seen all the signs going up, with motivational quotes on them?”
Krista nodded, but didn’t respond.
“Aren’t you curious as to who’s behind them and why?”
Krista knew the answer but chose not to reveal it to him. She wanted to hear Zimmer out without any influence from her end, potentially tainting whatever he was going to reveal. “Been a little busy, Rod. Only so many hours in the day.”
“It’s Edison. He’s damn worried. Been scribbling them like crazy and having me put them up all over.”
“Worried about what?”
“A mutiny, I’m guessing. Morale is at an all-time low. I’m sure you can feel it.”
“As a matter of fact, I have. You can almost taste it. But then again, I thought it might have been my own stress. Got that meeting to cover at Heston’s tomorrow and I haven’t begun to tackle duty assignments. I’m so far behind.”
“You can only do what you can do. Gotta prioritize.”
Krista rolled her eyes. “Easy for you to say. You don’t have all the Summer crap on your plate.”
“It’s a lot to deal with, I’ll agree, but you’ll figure it out. You always do.”
Krista appreciated his confidence, but he never answered his own question. “A mutiny? Seriously?”
“It’s a possibility. In fact, the more people we rescue, the higher the chance of a revolt. Just too many personalities in play.”
“Plus we really don’t know anything about these people. They could be criminals for all we know.”
Zimmer narrowed his eyes. “Exactly. There’s no telling how this will play out. Especially if food and supplies run low. Tensions build with every new body he brings in.”
“And yet he keeps bringing them in.”
“Insanity, brought to you by a man named Edison. I’m sure his great-great-grandfather Thomas would have a different take on all this.”
“Cousin, not grandfather,” Krista said, feeling the need to correct her friend.
“Same difference. You get my drift.”
She did. “All they have to do is claim they need help and they’re in. No way to check them out or verify their story. Boom, he just opens the door and gives them all a great big hug. It’s nuts, Rod. Just nuts. Where are they all coming from?”
“That’s the million-dollar question,” Zimmer said, shaking his head. “Well, that and how did they survive all these years?”
Krista felt her kinship with Zimmer growing by the second. “I’m afraid we’ll never know.”
“In the end, does it really matter? They’re alive and they’re here.”
“True. And now they’re our problem.”
“I think Heston is just glad to get rid of them. The last thing he wants is more and more people showing up without anything to trade. That crusty old cowboy knows Edison will take them in, without question. The only thing Heston cares about is keeping his business running smoothly,” Zimmer said.
“Can’t blame the guy. I would, too. Those people bring nothing to the table. I just don’t get Edison and his insatiable need to help everyone. Talk about a major security risk. What if one of these new people brings in some kind of virus that gets loose? We can’t deal with that. Might as well put a gun to our heads right now and end the suspense.”
“That might be a little drastic.”
“You know what I mean,” Krista said.
“If we’re right about Edison’s fear of an uprising, then he’s ripe for picking. Now is the time to ask for changes, especially if he’s willing to try new things to save this place. You know what today is, right?” Zimmer asked, not giving her time to answer. “The anniversary of his wife’s death.”
