by Nelson, Kip
Chapter Five
“Are you 100 percent sure about this?” Fernando asked Tillman as they walked away from Jack's house. They kept their voices low so no one else could hear their suspicions.
“I am. I just have a feeling in my gut. Someone here wants this community to fail, and I want to know who it is,” Tillman said.
“Are we going to share this with the family?”
“I think we have to. At least I know we can trust them.”
They strode back to the house and shut the door behind them. Since there was so much to be done, not everyone was at home. So, Tillman sent out Greg and Anthony to fetch the others. Ana could tell something was seriously wrong, but had to wait until the others were back before Tillman said anything.
It wasn't long before they returned.
“Is this about the vandalism?” Morelle asked.
“It is,” Tillman said. “I have something to share with you, and it might shock you, but the working theory is that it's someone who lives in the community. We don't think it's anyone else.”
“Not Khan?” Jessica squeaked. The encounter with Khan had left an indelible mark on her. Just like Tabitha, she always would be a little afraid of Khan, no matter how many times he proved not to be a danger.
“Not Khan,” Tillman confirmed. “I don't know who yet, but we're going to find out. I haven't shared this with anyone else other than the council because I don't want word spreading around. We're only telling people we can trust, so please keep it quiet. I'm sure I don't need to tell you about what could happen if people start looking at each other with suspicion.”
Greg blew out his cheeks and ran his hands through his hair.
“Just when you thought we'd gotten ahead of trouble, it always finds a way to come back around,” he said.
“I know, but this is only going to be temporary. I'm going to find whoever did this, I just need to figure out how,” Tillman said.
“I suppose questioning everyone is not a valid option, if you're keeping things quiet?” Penelope asked.
“I'd rather not arouse anyone's suspicions, even though the longer this goes on, the more people are likely to start pointing a finger at one another. I want to talk to you all to see if you can think of anyone who comes to mind. Can you guys think of anyone who might do this?” Tillman asked.
He looked at everyone in turn, and they all had thoughtful looks on their faces.
“I mean, I don't really know anyone here all that well. The only one who I know has a problem with you, Tillman, is Simon,” Greg said.
“I've already ruled him out. He might not like me, but he loves this community,” Tillman said.
“Then it has to be someone who's angry with the community as a whole, not just with one individual, right?” Jessica said. Morelle shot her a proud look.
“Well, the obvious ones are the ones who wanted to be a leader but didn't get voted in,” Ana said. “So, I suppose I'm a suspect since I wanted to be in charge of food,” she added with a small smile.
“I don't think anyone is going to accuse you, Mom,” Tillman said. ”But it's a good point. Who do we know that really wanted to be on the council?”
“I know a few people, but I don't know that any of them would be capable of this,” Morelle said.
“The sad thing about this world is that we don't know what people are capable of. Everyone has their secrets,” Greg said. ”But I guess this means we can rule out the people on the council?”
“I think so, but even if we don’t, the only two people I don't know that well are Mr. Fox and Annabelle. I can't see either of them doing this. Why would Mr. Fox destroy his own designs? And as for Annabelle, well, she reminds me of you, Mom. Also, I know that it's not a guarantee, but I think we're looking for a man. Whoever caused that destruction was strong, and there aren't many women around here who I think would be capable of causing that much wreckage,” Tillman said.
“Are we sure that's the only motivation?” Fernando asked.
“What other could there be?” Penelope said.
“I'm not sure myself. I just think it's important we exhaust every possibility, so we don't overlook anything,” Fernando replied.
“You'll have to excuse my husband. He's watched too many crime shows,” Ana said with a twinkle in her eye.
“Let's get back to what we know. The crime must have taken place during the night. They wanted to send a message. Because otherwise why wait until the bases were completed?” Tillman said.
“So, what is the message? That we should just give up on trying to get water?” Greg scoffed.
“I have no idea, but if I were a betting man, I'd put money on there being another crime,” Tillman said. Ana gasped.
“You don't think they'd go after the water again and ruin another hard day's work?” she asked.
“I don't think there's any limits to what they might do. If we think about it, these bases were easy targets. The water bases were far enough away from the neighborhood that the vandals wouldn't have to worry about creating too much noise, and their movements wouldn't disturb anyone. They could take their time, knowing that nobody would cross their path. Given that they're going to be guarded from now on, I don't think they'll be targeted again. I'd hope that whoever did this wouldn't want to harm anyone physically, but who knows? However, they might also be emboldened by their success here and try targeting something else. If they really want to hurt this community, they know exactly where to hit us,” Tillman said.
“The food,” Morelle said.
“Or the clothing, or the other general supplies. There's a lot this community needs to function. If we start losing resources, people are going to get desperate and scared. We've done a lot of work to prevent people from feeling that way, but anything now could lead to a big backslide,” Tillman said, rubbing his temples. The mere thought of the community falling into despair made his head ache. Dragging them out of a quagmire of sorrow was a task he wasn't sure he had the energy for.
“We have to ensure people's safety. We have to show them this place is able to defend itself against this kind of thing. We've already dealt with an outside enemy, now we have to deal with the enemy within,” Tillman added.
“It's just so sad. I can't believe we were celebrating a feeling of togetherness when someone or ones were plotting this attack. That there actually would be a person or persons we were standing with who had these kinds of thoughts in their mind. How can we be expected to live like this?” Morelle asked.
“I don't know, but people who act this way don't deserve to live in a place like this,” Tillman said through gritted teeth.
“You mean you're not going to give them a second chance like you did with Khan?” Greg asked.
“That was different. Everyone here knows the rules. They know they shouldn't threaten the safety of this community, and I'm sure that if I have to exile anyone, there won't be a firefight where a lot of people could die. I want to know who did this, and I want to know why,” Tillman said. He almost brought his fist crashing down on the table, such was his passion.
He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes, trying to steady the turbulent emotions within. Betrayal was one of the most heinous crimes he could think of, and he wasn't going to let anyone get away with it.
“I guess there's only one thing to do if you really want to catch them,” Greg said. Tillman looked at him with an arched eyebrow.
“A stakeout,” Greg replied. “If you're right and they are cocky, they'll likely try something again tonight. Put people near the likely targets and see what happens.”
“I think we're going to have to do that,” Tillman said. “Keep a close eye on everyone, and if you see anything suspicious, let me know immediately,” he said. They all disbanded and went back to doing what they had been doing. Tillman was left with Fernando.
“Are you okay, Son?” he asked.
“No. It feels like every time I try to create peace, there's something trying to tear it apart. What
the hell is going through their mind? Why would they want to do this?” Tillman said.
“There's always somebody who wants to tear things apart. It's just the way of the world. I wish it didn't have to be so, but there it is,” Fernando said. “Now then, who do you think did it?”
“I don't know...”
“Yes, you do. You have an idea at least. I know you, Tillman. You always have an idea. You can see steps ahead. Your mind always is working. You must at least know who the likely candidate is.”
Tillman sighed.
“The only people I know for sure who were angry at not being considered for a council position were Jeff and Ben. I stopped them fighting. They're prone to anger, they're petty, and it wouldn't surprise me if they held me responsible for them not being on the council. They might even hold it against me and the community for my special position. But I can't outright accuse them. They only would deny it,” Tillman said.
“Then you'll have to wait until tonight and hope you are right,” Fernando said.
“If I'm not right, then it could be anyone,” Tillman said, his face ashen. “All we're working from is theories and stabs in the dark. There's nothing guaranteed about any of this. We might be barking up the wrong tree, and that's what scares me. We don't know what is lurking around the next corner. I'm afraid that I've got this all wrong and that the person responsible is someone we never saw coming. What if it tears the community apart? But I just can't believe there are people out there who actually want us to fail.”
Fernando put a hand on Tillman's back.
“There are always such people. You would hope that only the best of us are left, but like the rest of life this is random, and we only can work with what we are given.”
“Thanks, Dad,” Tillman said.
Fernando left him in peace. Tillman stayed in the kitchen for a while longer, thinking about Ben and Jeff’s fight. Tillman had been the one to stop it, and he'd told them that they'd blown their chance to be a leader. It seemed to fit, and the anger coiled inside him so tightly that all he wanted to do was march over there and accuse them both right now, but he had to wait.
The night seemed so far away. Jeff and Ben were out there, socializing with people, pretending to be horrified at what happened, while all the time being the ones responsible. It was ugly and duplicitous, and there was no time for that kind of person in this community.
Tillman grabbed his cane and tapped it by his foot, indicating for Major to join him. He strode out to find Simon and Jack, and the three of them gathered together. Tillman talked to them about guarding the precious resources through the night. Simon and Jack concurred with him. Then Tillman had something else on his mind.
“We need to talk about the law,” he said.
It had been on the agenda since the beginning. But since Khan had been left to live in peace nobody had seen the need to hammer out the particulars of the how the law was going to work in this new community. But now it was time, because whoever did this needed to be punished.
“We can't just come up with punishments ourselves. We have to talk it over with the others,” Simon said.
“We're the ones in charge of law and power. It's our job to come up with them. We don't have to figure out every detail, just the broad strokes, and then we can decide the details later,” Jack said.
“If we're going to catch someone, we need to figure out what to do with them,” Tillman said. Simon rolled his eyes, but agreed that it was necessary.
“If there's only one person, I can hold them at my place for now, just like I did with Khan,” Jack offered.
Tillman nodded in appreciation. “We will have to figure out something more permanent, but for now that will suffice. But then we need to figure out what to do with them.”
The question hung in the air.
“I'm assuming we're going to be against the death penalty?” Jack said. Tillman and Simon exchanged a look.
“I don't know,” Simon said. “I mean, when it was Khan it was kinda...more palatable, I guess? But thinking of doing that to someone I know...it just doesn't seem right.”
“The only fair punishment for a crime like this is exile,” Tillman said. “If people can't contribute in a positive manner, then we have no need for them in this community.”
“But isn't that basically just sending someone to their death?” Simon asked.
“Not necessarily. People can learn to survive. They'll just find it more difficult than they would if they chose to work with us,” Jack said.
“People have to learn that actions have consequences, and we can't spend our limited resources on people who aren't contributing. We have to be strict for now. I'm not a fan of it myself, but we have to lay down this law to ensure nobody sabotages our efforts. People have to understand that this behavior will not be tolerated.”
Jack and Tillman looked at Simon, who eventually shrugged and acquiesced.
“We'll table this until the next council meeting. It's getting late. Good hunting tonight. Let's hope we catch whoever did this,” Tillman said.
“Or at least that they don't do it again,” Simon added. Tillman grunted grimly. He hoped for the former. If this person didn't strike again, then they might never find out who it was.
Chapter Six
After the council meeting Tillman had spent some time with the people of the community, even though he found it difficult. He looked around with suspicion at everyone, but couldn't let on that he was paranoid. It was a fine line to walk, and although he wanted to return home, he knew that withdrawing from the community was the worst thing he could do. He needed to show his face. All the members of the council were doing so. They had to show solidarity, and that they would not be fazed by what had happened.
While he drifted around the community, Tillman overheard many people speculate about what had happened. Most of them still were thinking it was Khan, despite what Tillman had said. So many of them thought it was Khan, in fact, that Tillman had to reconsider his earlier opinion. Had he been too hasty to dismiss Khan as a suspect?
It was a possibility. Tillman did have something of a blind spot for Khan. Accepting that Khan could have done this meant that Tillman would have been wrong in sparing his life. Tillman didn't like to think of himself as that proud, but he knew nobody was infallible.
Khan loomed like a shadow over the community. He was a symbol of their fears, and it still was too early in their peace treaty for them to let that go. Tillman examined the arguments for and against Khan, but no matter how much he tried to play devil's advocate, he couldn't find a solid reason to believe it was Khan at all. If Khan had wanted to hurt them, he would have done so directly. But Tillman grew tired of defending Khan to the rest of the community, and as long as they were speculating about Khan they weren't thinking it was someone from within. For the time being, Tillman was willing to make that trade.
As the day wore on people worked harder to finish the work of rebuilding what they previously had done. Tillman kept a close eye on everyone, hoping that somebody would do something to give themselves away. Nobody did. Nobody was slacking, and everyone seemed disgusted by what had happened. Whoever did this was good at hiding their tracks. It filled Tillman with anger to think that same person was somewhere in this community, secretly laughing at all of them.
It got to a point where Tillman was so frustrated he simply couldn't spend any more time outside. So, retreated back home, Major by his side as always. Most of the others were still out, but Morelle and Jessica were in the living room, spending some quality time together. They both looked at Tillman as he came in and sank down into a chair.
“Another hard day? Are you regretting being such an important part of this community?” Morelle asked teasingly.
“Not on your life. It's just this business has me turned inside out. I can't get over the fact that someone would do this, that they're actually out there laughing at us while we're trying to build something. You'd have thought after everything we went through
with Khan, people would be more willing to work together,” he said.
“I know, it's terrible. I almost feel bad because I've lived near these people for years. Yet, I've only really begun to get to know most of them since this began. If I had known them sooner, I might be able to tell you who you can and cannot trust,” Morelle said, looking anxiously toward Jessica, who felt the same.
“What are you going to do about it? I hate the thought of rebuilding everything only to have it destroyed again when we wake up tomorrow morning,” Jessica said.
“I don't think that's going to happen. I spoke with the others and we're going to place guards near the bases without telling too many people. If anyone tries anything, we'll catch them in the act,” Tillman explained.
“Unless they're one or more of the guards,” Jessica said. Tillman's heart sank.
“I hadn't thought about that,” he said morosely. He'd been so thrilled with the plan to defend the bases that he hadn't really thought about all the permutations of having a saboteur in the community. If they didn't root out the mole soon it would be impossible to do anything without careful consideration.
“And there even could be more than one person. That was a lot of destruction for one person to cause, and they must have known they'd be at risk of being discovered,” Morelle said.
Tillman sighed again. It already was beginning. Fear was being engendered, and soon enough nobody would trust anyone else. There always would be suspicious glances,, accusations thrown around, and the bonds that held the community together would be torn apart. It would be civil war, and everything that would see them through to a better future would be rendered impotent. There would be no hope for a new world. Tillman would have to struggle for survival with the small band of people with whom he shared complete trust, but that was not the plan.
“The only thing worse than one viper in the nest is two,” Tillman said. “I'm going to have to go out there myself tonight.”
“What? No, you shouldn't do that. You should be getting some rest. You're on the council now. You have responsibilities to this community. You have to be of sound mind so you can make the correct decisions.”
