Simmer turned and dragged the dog away, the shepherd’s four paws skidding across the floor in defiance.
Krista held for a moment, running the recent events through her logic. That’s when a new idea tunneled into her mind, arriving with the force of a grenade.
She walked to Wicks and motioned for the giant to lean down. He did, bringing his ear close to her lips as she delivered her words. “I’ve got an errand for you.”
“Whatever you need, chief.”
“Fetch Horton and bring him here. On the double.”
“What about the Scab Girl?” the guard asked in a whisper.
“She never leaves that cell. Ever. Is that clear?”
“Roger that,” Wicks said, straightening his spine. He repositioned his rifle to the side, then pulled his sidearm from its holster and gave it to her. “You might need this.”
Krista took the weapon before Wicks left the room in a march. Once he was outside, she went to Summer. “You got a minute?”
“Sure.”
Krista used her eyes to motion for Summer to follow her to the corner. She did, where the two of them began a covert chat, using a close proximity huddle to conceal their lips.
“What is it?” Summer asked.
Krista kept her eyes on Lipton as she spoke in a dull tone, just above a whisper. “Do you buy this whole I can fix the radio thing?”
“Seems like he is, why?”
“I’m not sure, but he’s not using that circuit board he pulled from the box.”
“Except the one part he unsoldered.”
“But why is it still sitting on the table?”
Summer shrugged. “Maybe he changed his mind.”
“That’s what I’m worried about. What if he’s just stalling until he can figure something else out?”
“Like what? Escape?”
“I don’t know, but my gut is telling me something is off here. Plus, the way your dog reacted tells me there’s more going on here than we know.”
“Maybe Sergeant Barkley got that same gut feeling you did.”
“If he did, then I’m liking that dog more and more.”
“I told you you would. Just had to give him a chance.”
“That’s not what I meant. I meant tactically. As in adding to our ranks, like any member of the team should do. Otherwise, if they can’t provide some value, they’re just a drain on resources.”
Summer nodded, peering back at Lipton, then bringing her eyes to Krista. “Where did Wicks go?”
“To get Horton. I want to see if he’ll provide a new perspective on all this.”
“Another gut thing?” Summer asked.
“Yep. I’ve learned over the years to trust my instincts.”
“Sort of like the dog.”
“Exactly.”
“So, other than wasting our time, how does Lipton’s stalling matter?”
“If he’s up to something, we really need to know what it is. Especially if he does get that transmitter working.”
“He has to, or we’re all screwed.”
“I get that, but he’s not to be trusted. Once we break radio silence, there’s no turning back. We don’t know who might be out there, listening.”
“You mean like Fletcher?”
“Or worse.”
Summer tilted her head with her eyes pinched. “You still don’t trust Fletcher, do you?”
“Not really. He was Frost’s second-in–command, after all, and involved in everything.”
“Yet he did help us at the Trading Post.”
“But why? He could have just let us die like everyone else. Then he would’ve had the city all to himself.”
“Maybe he’s not like Frost?”
“Which would be a good thing, unless it’s not.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means things can always get worse. It wouldn’t be the first time.”
“I appreciate what you’re saying, Krista, but maybe there’s just a little too much paranoia creeping in.”
“Maybe. But I think it’s prudent to be sure, if there’s a source available.”
“Which is why you sent for Horton.”
“Exactly. Can’t hurt to ask.”
“Besides,” Summer added after a pause. “He does seem willing to help us.”
“And I don’t think he cares for Lipton too much.”
Summer nodded. “Yeah, who does?”
“Then it’s settled?”
“Sure, do what you need to do. Just don’t get in the way in case Lipton can actually fix the radio. Either way, we need that done,” Summer said, leaving their huddle and returning to Lipton.
Krista moved to the door, keeping an eye on Lipton with the pistol in hand.
Wicks walked back in a few minutes later, leading Horton with a hand on the man’s shoulder and the muzzle of his rifle pointed at his back. “Prisoner delivered as ordered, ma’am.”
“So I’m still a prisoner?” Horton asked Krista, his hands unrestrained.
“For now.”
“I thought I proved myself.”
“Partially. But trust takes time to earn.”
“I’ve already told you everything I know. Even risked my own life to help you out there. Doesn’t that count for something?”
“It’s a good start.”
“But you want more.”
Krista waved the man closer and pointed at Lipton, whose head was buried in the repair of the microphone. “What can you tell me about all that?”
“What do you mean?”
“Can he fix it or not?”
“How am I supposed to know?”
“You’ve worked with him for years, right?”
“Not directly. He always kept to himself in his lab. Nobody really knew what he did in there.”
“Does he always deliver, or does he find excuses more times than not?”
“With Frost, there were no failures. It wasn’t an option.”
“So he did deliver?”
“As far as I know, yes. But I don’t—” Horton said, stopping in mid-sentence.
“What is it?” Krista asked.
“That radio. It looks familiar,” Horton said, walking three paces to the left and angling himself at a distance.
Krista followed, taking a position next to him.
Horton leaned into her ear and whispered, “You see the scratch mark running diagonally across the back of the casing, and the three dents in the corner?”
“Yeah, what about them?”
“I made those dents when I dropped the unit on the way to Heston’s place.”
“The Trading Post?”
“Yep.”
“As in you traded it away?”
“Couple of weeks ago, if I remember it right.”
“Shit. If I remember right, that’s where we got it from. Cost us a bushel of tomatoes from our food stores.”
Horton continued, turning away from Lipton’s vantage point. “It used to be sitting in the corner of his lab.”
“Wait a minute, his lab?”
Horton didn’t hesitate, turning away even more. “It was his radio. I saw it a couple of times when I’d bring him food.”
“I knew it,” Krista snapped, swinging her eyes around and letting them burrow a hole into Lipton. “Was it operational?”
“I don’t remember seeing any lights or anything. It was just sitting in the corner, like a bunch of other stuff he had piled up there. But then again, I really don’t know. He may have gotten it working and never told anyone. Like I said, he was alone a lot.”
“Do you think he used it to contact someone outside?”
“Possibly. Nobody ever knew what he was really doing in that lab, except maybe Frost. Lipton would chase everyone out.”
Krista ran the facts through her mind, matching them with the memories of recent events with Horton. “Maybe that’s why you ran into him out there. He was on his way to someplace else.”
“Wouldn’t surprise me,�
�� Horton said. “Though he did say specifically that he was looking for me.”
“Did you believe him?”
“At the time, yes. But in reality, who knows?”
“Well, if that radio was working and he contacted someone else out there, why couldn’t our guy get it working?”
“I’m sure my dropping it didn’t help.”
“Or Lipton sabotaged the thing before it was taken to the Trading Post.”
“Makes sense,” Horton said. “Probably worth the same in trade whether it was working or not. Heston’s crew rarely checked to see if anything worked. They let the traders work all that out.”
“Plus, if he did contact someone out there, he wouldn’t want to share that discovery with anyone else. What better way to protect that secret than to disable the only method to contact them?”
“Come to think of it, I think Fletcher did mention that Lipton was the one who said to trade it in. Something about needing more steel for the refinery repairs. I never thought twice about it.”
Krista sucked in a lip as a wave of pressure built in her chest. “That’s how he knew what was wrong with it without ever looking at it. He sabotaged it. Damn it, I should have known.”
“He’s a sneaky bastard, that’s for sure.”
“Thanks for your help,” Krista said to Horton, before waving Wicks over. “Escort him back to the cell. Make sure he gets an extra ration for his trouble.”
“Right away, boss,” Wicks said, grabbing Horton by the arm and taking him away.
CHAPTER 36
Summer kept an eye on Horton as Wicks pushed him through the door and out into the hallway. She couldn’t hear what Krista and Horton had just talked about, but it looked important. The bearded man seemed to have been focused on the radio the whole time. Or perhaps Lipton. Maybe both.
Krista walked to Summer with her head angled down, as if she were in a deep state of thought.
“What’s going on?” Summer asked when she arrived.
“Just checking a few things.”
“And?”
“Nothing you need to be concerned about.”
“Ah, in case you forgot, I’m in charge here.”
“I haven’t forgotten. Though technically, I’m part of the new Ruling Triad. Along with Liz and you. We all have a say.”
“Yeah, we all have a say. But for that to happen, we all need to know.”
“And you will. I just need to vet the information first. So please be patient while I figure a few things out. Don’t want to worry you or Liz about something that may turn out to be a great big nothing burger. The last thing we need is to waste our time on a witch hunt.”
“Does it have something to do with the radio?”
“Yes, but I don’t know why.”
Summer wasn’t sure how to take those words. They seemed out of place, at least based on the twist of ideas floating inside her head. “If you’ll just clue me in, I might be able to help.”
“Normally I would, but I need to ask for some leeway here. I need to run with this for a bit first.”
Summer wanted to know, but in the spirit of their new alliance, she decided to not press the issue. “If you think you need to—”
“I do. This is precisely in my wheelhouse and I need to see where it goes. If anywhere. I don’t want to waste your time, or Liz’s. You two have enough on your plates.”
Summer hesitated for a few beats. She didn’t like all the secrecy but figured Edison would have given Krista the latitude to check and make sure. “Okay, but as soon as you have something, let me and Liz know.”
“I will. You have my word.”
Krista turned and walked back to her post by the door, keeping the pistol angled down at her waist.
“Okay, that should do it,” Lipton said, pulling his hands free from the radio. His back arched and he yawned, stretching his arms high into the air. His head turned in Summer’s direction. “Time to light the fires and kick the tires.”
“Yeah, I saw that movie,” Summer said in a sarcastic tone. “When I was like seven. Edison had the DVD at his house.”
Lipton brought his arms down. “What movie?”
“The movie with that rapper guy. Can’t remember his name, though. But he was cute,” she said, thinking of Fletcher and his chiseled physique.
Lipton held still for a moment. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You know, the one with the aliens and their ships over the cities, right before they attacked.”
Lipton’s face ran blank, but at least his lips weren’t flapping.
“Never mind,” Summer said, walking to the worktable, standing only a foot from the man. She picked up the microphone and held it out. “Show me how this thing works.”
“It’s simple, little squirrel. Once the frequency is set,” he said, pointing, “all you need to do is press the transmit button and say what you need to say. If someone’s in range and listening, they’ll hear you.”
“Don’t we need a big antenna or something?”
“It would certainly help extend the range.”
“What about the Command and Control Center?” Krista said, leaving her position at the door and joining them. “They had a lot of comms back in the day. I’m sure one of those leads connects to something on the surface.”
“Good idea,” Lipton said, standing from the chair. “Someone will need to carry the unit, though. That’s not in my job description.”
Just then, Wicks returned to the lab, his rifle slung diagonally across his chest from high to low.
“Ask and ye shall receive,” Lipton said. “I love it when a plan comes together.”
Summer recognized the latter of those two phrases, too, but chose not to mention it, even though a vision of a man with a cigar and a decked-out van danced in her memories. They had work to do and it started now. Anything else was a waste of time.
Krista turned to Wicks. “Need you to carry the transmitter up to C-n-C.”
“You got it, boss.”
* * *
Summer carried a set of twelve-foot-long electrical wires in her hand as she walked around the aging command chair in the former Missile Control Center.
That chair was once the single most important duty station in the entire complex. A place where Air Force personnel used to sit for hours on end, watching the blinking lights and performing drills as they ran through countless checklists, all the while waiting for an Encrypted Action Message to come through the squawk box.
Summer was thankful none of those orders were ever issued, but she admired the men who remained vigilant all those years in this underground bunker.
They were obviously well-trained and mentally prepared, needing to select one of three targets pre-programmed into the computer system, assuming what Edison had taught her was correct.
Fire and fury would ensue once they pressed the launch button, incinerating thousands of people at ground zero when the three-hundred-thousand-pound Titan II missile delivered its nuclear payload. Somewhere in Russia she figured, given the Cold War that dominated the geopolitical spectrum back then.
Lipton spun his backside and took a seat in the command chair as Wicks deposited the radio on the surface in front of him. The mountain of a man turned it a few degrees before he bent down and plugged the power cord into an outlet not far from the command station.
Wicks then turned and went to his post near the exit that spilled into the connecting corridor. The man never said much, but Summer found it comforting to know he was there, keeping an eye on everything.
Sure, they’d had their altercations in the past, but now that she was in charge, she needed to rise above the pettiness and keep Nirvana moving forward. Wicks, like Krista and Liz, would be an integral part of the process.
More so now that they needed to solve the bacteria problem killing their food supply. The EOD number would continue to tick down to zero, bringing them ever closer to their own version of Armageddon.
She
knew there would have to be some hard choices made in the coming month, unless this transmitter experiment brought them some new possibilities.
Summer stopped in front of the wall of equipment and held up the wires. “Where do I connect them?”
Lipton pointed another foot to her right, toward the end of the electronics bank. “That junction box over there.”
Summer went to it and popped the latch open on the side, allowing the door to swing open. A plethora of wires was hanging free inside, with a hunk of metal running vertically down the middle. It was the size of a chalkboard eraser.
“Connect them to the terminals,” Lipton said, his tone confident. “They’re part of the bar down the center.”
She bent down and brought the bare ends of the wires to the center, but held before contact. “Does it matter which end goes where?”
“Red on top. Black on the bottom,” Lipton said, giving Krista a pair of alligator clips. “She’ll need these.”
Krista brought them over and held them out in the palm of her hand. “You’re supposed to use these.”
“Thanks,” Summer said, taking the connectors. She pinched the end of the first one, using its open jaws to connect the red wire to the screw at the top, then did the same with the bare end of the black wire, only this time she pinched it to the bottom. “Okay, all set.”
Summer returned to Lipton, her elbow brushing against his shoulder. She could have stood farther away, but wanted to send him a message.
“Ah, excuse me. Personal space,” Lipton said in a snort, looking up at her.
“Actually, you’re in my seat,” Summer said.
Lipton shook his head. “I fixed the radio. I get to be the one who makes the call.”
Krista came over and waved her hand at the man. “You heard her. Get your ass out of that seat.”
Lipton held for a moment, his expression one of defiance.
Wicks walked three steps closer, bringing his rifle into position, aiming it at Lipton’s forehead. “Move, asshole.”
“I’d suggest you do as he says,” Summer said, giving Wicks a wink in appreciation.
Lipton got to his feet, taking a position to the right.
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