by Alice Sabo
Wisp gave him that pale blue assessing look again, but didn’t question him. “After I eat, I’ll start loading a vehicle.”
Nick nodded, absently. He didn’t know when he’d gotten to be in charge. It seemed to be happening to him an awful lot lately.
* * *
Nick arrived just minutes before the conference call. It was set up in a small briefing room. The remaining survivors settled in seats facing a smartwall. He stood out of the sightline of the camera. He didn't have a right to be here, but he wanted to hear what was going to happen.
“Gentlemen.” The link opened without notice. A stern looking man in a suit greeted them. A wave of nostalgia hit Nick. He hadn't worn a suit since Zero Year. The man looked pressed and starched, and it made him wonder where he got that sort of thing done. Laundries and dry cleaners, department stores and tailors, there were so many things gone out of the world.
Jonas took the lead. “Minister Ackerman.” He gave the man a courteous nod. “You have the recommendation of the Health Agency for us?”
“Yes, Dr. Pruitt. We have spoken with the other labs. They are preparing to take on the additional work. They are also willing to take on some of the staff there. I’m sending you the lab locations and which positions they are looking to fill. We all agree that it is best to abandon that installation. We have no use for it at this time. We are sending an army unit to take an inventory of any equipment that might be helpful at the other labs. They will also deal with the deceased.”
“And the rest of us?” demanded a man.
“What are your skills?”
“I'm a lab tech.”
Ackerman glanced to one side, his eyes moving as if reading. “I believe there are positions available.”
“For what kind of pay?”
Nick perked up. Were they using some kind of money?
“The usual. Food, shelter and access to private markets.”
The disgruntled man jolted to his feet and stomped out. Nick wondered what he expected from the world as it was. Or maybe these people didn’t know about the world the have-nots were living in. There couldn't be many places where he could work. He was curious about the private markets. He’d like to know a little more about that.
“Will we be required to remain here until the army arrives?” Ruth asked.
“Is there any danger to leaving the place empty?”
“There aren't any bandits in the area that we know of,” Jonas said.
“The unit has already been dispatched. They should arrive there sometime tomorrow, I believe, and everyone will be expected to depart at that time. If the place is empty when they get there, I suppose that makes their job easier.” Ackerman leaned forward, frowning into the camera. “Once the army takes possession of the compound, they will be in charge.”
It seemed pretty cold to Nick. This was their home, and they were being kicked out with barely twenty-four hour notice.
“Understood Minister,” Jonas said smoothly. “Anything else?”
“No, I think that covers it Dr. Pruitt.”
Jonas cut the connection and tossed the list of positions on to the side wall. The scientists and lab techs crowded together to get a look. The guards left the room arguing among themselves. Nick was tempted to follow. They posed a greater threat than any of the other people in this room.
Ruth turned from the list with anger in her eyes. “Are they serious with this?”
“What?” Nick asked.
Jonas slumped in his chair. “All low level positions. Cleaning test tubes for some big shot.”
“We’re being punished,” someone grumbled.
Ruth folded her arms tightly, scowling at the blank video screen. “We failed. We go to the bottom of the ranking now.” She gave a frustrated huff in Nick’s general direction before marching out the door..
Jonas rubbed his face and turned bloodshot eyes on Nick. “We gotta get out of here before they arrive.”
“You think there will be trouble?”
“I think that anything I want to take with me might suddenly become government property.”
“What are these private markets?” Nick asked.
Jonas gave him that curious look again. “Why do I get the feeling you just arrived on the planet?”
Nick smiled, trying to put him at ease. “You’re a have. I’m a have-not. The settlements and med centers don’t have access to the private markets.”
“Well, yeah, ‘cause they’re private.” Jonas scoffed at him. “Wait, you guys didn’t even know about them?”
“Nope.”
“Huh, that doesn’t seem right. I mean, how do they hire people if nobody knows what the rewards are?”
“When’s the last time they were hiring?”
Jonas frowned. “I think you’re scaring me.”
“I think you’ve got an elite system going here.” Nick leaned against the wall. The rest of the people filed out, grumbling to one another. Nick watched them go. They were all well fed. Their clothes were new and varied. “Most of this stuff isn’t available anymore.”
Jonas cracked his knuckles, one by one, his frown deepening. “I don’t understand what that means.”
“I travel around looking for settlements to barter with. Very few are self-sufficient. More than a few survive entirely on train food. I haven’t seen an orange since I went out to the Nevada coast. And even then it was just a few trees in an mostly destroyed orchard.”
“Really? I didn’t think things were that bad.”
“Out there it feels like nobody’s minding the store.”
Chapter 36
“Despite the dwindling numbers of human beings on the planet, some members felt it was a time to prey on their brothers and sisters.”
History of a Changed World, Angus T. Moss
Nick headed back to the lounge to check on the prisoners with Jonas following close behind. Kyle intercepted them, pulling them both into a small office. Ruth had pill bottles and papers spread out on the desk. Jonas leaned over and picked up one of the bottles. He whistled under his breath.
Ruth took the bottle out of his hand and placed it carefully back on the table. “These are very strong drugs.”
“You called them chemical restraint. Do you mean they will keep them passive?” Nick asked.
“And obedient,” Jonas said. He rubbed his hands on his pants like he had something nasty on them. “With enough of this in your system, you'd walk off a bridge if someone told you to.”
“That sounds about right considering how they behaved yesterday.”
“Perhaps that's why they were in cells,” Kyle said. “To keep them safe.”
“I doubt it,” Nick said. He knew the reasons for their incarceration wouldn’t be quite that benevolent. “How long till it wears off?”
Ruth shuffled her papers, but Nick got the feeling she was just stalling. “It may depend on how long they have been taking them.”
“Can you make a guess as to how long it'll take them to get back to normal?”
Kyle pulled the papers away from Ruth and stacked them neatly. “I can make a guess at body weight and dosage, add in the time spent here. It won’t be exact.”
“I don’t think we need exact right now. Ballpark’ll do it. Can you figure out if they will need to be weaned off?”
“Oh, most definitely,” Ruth said, avoiding his eyes. “I need to look at the charts.” She left the room in a hurry.
“Great,” Nick said although she was already gone.
“What do you plan to do with all these people?” Kyle asked. His big brown eyes made him look disarming despite his burly stature.
Nick ran a hand back through his short hair. “If they're drugged, they can't make an informed decision. I don’t want to leave them here for the army to deal with.” He gestured to the papers. “Not sure how long it’s going to take to get them back on their feet. It isn’t just the drugs. They’re incredibly weak. Vulnerable. I can’t walk away and just leave them here.”
Jonas moved closer, knotting his fingers and biting his lip. Nick could smell the nervous sweat on him. “Are you going to take them to your, um, your settlement?” Jonas asked. He avoided Nick’s eyes speaking very softly. “They may not fare well in that sort of a situation.”
“It’s a med center,” Nick said. “They can recuperate there until they they are able to decide what to do for themselves.”
“You won’t restrict them?” Kyle asked.
“They will be free to go or stay.” Nick looked at Jonas and back to Kyle. “What about you?”
“Rutledge assigned Ruth as my Keeper. I must go where she goes.”
“Come to High Meadow,” Nick said, including Jonas in the invitation.
“You have a lab there?”
“No. But you shouldn't make a decision right away. Come back with us for a couple days to recuperate. Then you can take a better look at your options.”
Kyle dipped his head in thanks. “That is good advice. Ruth is deeply shaken by these events. Her job, as a physician, is to make sure our formulas are always beneficial. She had advised against proceeding in the direction that Gold Team took. Therefore, she feels some responsibility for not being able to stop this calamity. I don’t think she should feel that way. She was quite adamant to Rutledge. It was his decision to proceed. That was a very heated meeting.” Kyle shrugged one large shoulder. “She needs to get away from here to think clearly.”
Nick nodded agreement. “High Meadow is a pleasant place.”
“So Wisp has said.”
Kyle gathered up his papers. “I will get to work on this for you.”
Nick left Jonas reading over Kyle’s shoulder and headed out to inspect the vehicles. He was going to need space for about thirty people if everyone wanted to come. The vans could easily hold ten people each, with a good stack of supplies packed in. He’d drive one, Wisp could take the second and if Kyle agreed to join him, he’d trust him to drive the third. Somehow he doubted he’d have more than that many who would want to go with him to High Meadow.
He got outside to find that Wisp had parked a van by the front door and had started loading. That was when Nick realized that Wisp’s priorities differed from his own. Weapons and ammunition were the first things stowed. A stack of body armor was waiting on the sidewalk. Nick hoped there would be room for the food he was planning to take. When he thought about bringing the boxes of coffee, oil, sugar and other supplies that were hard to find, he had to smile. Susan would be delighted. Tilly would be in seventh heaven. It would help to get them through the winter if any of their crops failed completely. Filling up the larder was a small piece of security that he could offer in a world without any sureties.
He took some time to go through the rest of the buildings looking for anything that High Meadow could use. He found a couple of first aid kits, two tool boxes and hit the stockroom full of office supplies. That would definitely please Angus. After leaving his findings for Wisp to pack, he went on to the kitchen for a final inventory. There were too many supplies for him to take them all. Oil, salt and sugar were at the top of his list. He’d take everything they had. Spices, flour and canned goods came next. A giddy smile kept appearing on his face. It wasn’t often that he got to bring home such a treasure trove. Finally, he put all the fresh food aside—meat, fruit, vegetables—anything he didn’t think would travel well and planned to serve it for lunch. Once the prisoners were fed, they could get on the road. He wanted to be well gone before any soldiers arrived. There was no way to know if Ackerman had lied about their arrival times.
Ruth came to him as Nick was sorting through the janitor’s room. Cleaners and disinfectants would go, too. Those were extremely difficult to find. He wasn’t sure about the paper products. They were awfully bulky, but toilet paper was in short supply. Maybe he needed to add another vehicle to the caravan.
“You plan to take all these people to High Meadow?” Her tone was more accusing than curious.
“I invited them,” Nick corrected. “It’s not mandatory.”
“Your settlement will be able to handle this many?”
“We’re a pretty small community,” Nick admitted. “But we’ve planned for growth. There’s plenty of room for everyone.”
“Your...leader, won’t object?”
“Angus?” Nick chuckled. “He feels the more the merrier.” A glance at her frown made him change gears. “Angus is a free-thinker. People come and go as they please, but everyone who remains must contribute to the community as they can. That doesn’t mean we’ll put you to work digging in the fields. People do what they’re best at. You and Kyle are welcome to come test the waters. If it doesn’t appeal, you can move on somewhere else.”
“I’m not sure about any of this,” she said frowning at him.
“That’s nice and vague. Care to be more specific?”
Her eyes were still swollen and bloodshot. From the circles under them, he doubted she’d slept. She was a small woman, but she straightened her spine and squared her shoulders. “I can’t condone your assumption of the prisoners.”
“They are not prisoners anymore.”
“But they aren’t free either.”
Nick put down the box of tissues he was holding. Ruth was scared. He could see it in her eyes and how rigidly she held herself. But she was challenging him because she feared for the prisoners. He gave her his full attention, speaking softly so his words wouldn’t sound like a challenge.”What do you recommend for all those drugged people? Hand them over to the army? Push them out the door?”
“No. No, that isn’t right either.”
“We don’t have a lot of options here. If you’ve got any ideas, I’m open to hearing them, but I meant it Ruth. High Meadow is a safe place. And we have a doctor there. They can recuperate and make a decision when they’re in a better state of mind.”
She looked at him skeptically. “Why are you so altruistic?”
Nick sighed. “Because we are all there is. If we can’t treat each other with respect...” He couldn’t finish that sentence because he knew how rarely it was true.
Ruth looked down the hall, chewing on her bottom lip, while Nick waited patiently. “Very well. I will go with you.”
Nick nodded at her. “We leave after lunch.”
* * *
The day’s heat was becoming uncomfortable as Nick helped Wisp finish loading the vans. He’d managed to get almost everything he wanted. Wisp had nodded approval at some of the supplies and given him an odd glance or two on the others, but he’d packed it all in with great efficiency. Once the vehicles were ready, Nick got everyone into the lounge to eat.
“We lost some more,” Wisp said as he joined him at the head of the room.
“Lost how?”
“Some are missing, three are dead.”
“I don’t care about missing. People can make up their own minds. If they can walk away from here, that’s just less for me to worry about. Dead isn’t good. Do we know what caused the deaths?”
“I’m going to assume flu. They didn’t get the vaccine.”
“Which means that the prisoners aren’t special when it comes to flu. I was hoping that might be the reason they were there, some kind of super immunity. I guess we’ll have to leave those bodies and let the army sort it out.”
“They won’t be happy to see the mess we’ve left them.”
“Not my problem,” Nick said curtly. “This government needs to take care of stuff. Not just trains and vaccines. People need to know about them. We need better information.”
“Be careful what you ask for,” Wisp said in an undertone.
Nick grunted an agreement. He needed to find out a lot more information before he went looking for the government. He nodded toward the people sitting at tables eating fresh, hot food.”How many have we got left?”
“The guards that left this morning took a couple of smaller vehicles and some equipment. A couple of the lab techs decided to go to the other lab. They
all went in one car. We’re down to twenty-five people and us.” Wisp gave him a rare smile. “Looks like we’ll only need the three vehicles, but that frees up some cargo room. I’ve got them all charging now.”
Nick gave him a thumbs up and went to get his own lunch.
* * *
They convoyed out with Wisp and Nick in the lead. Nick hoped that Wisp would be able to sense any trouble, so they could avoid it. In that case, he wanted Wisp close at hand. Kyle and Ruth drove the second van. Jonas had asked to come. He and the file clerk, Ellen, had the third van, which had less people and more supplies. Nick planned to stop at a train station around dinner time. They’d eat there and bed down the prisoners in the shelter cubbies. If they were able to find good roads, they could be back to High Meadow in two days.
They followed the train line as best they could. Nick estimated that they would pass two stations before hitting the one where he wanted to spend the night. Around mid-afternoon, he told Wisp to pull into the next station, so they could all hit the restrooms and get fresh water. As soon as they pulled into the parking lot, it was obvious that the station was closed. Nick was stunned. What would happen to the people in the area that relied on it for food and shelter? Wisp led them up the driveway, which was in surprisingly good shape, to the front of the building. There were steel shutters down on the entrance to the lobby. Nick hadn’t seen that before. The other two vans pulled up behind them, but no one got out.
The radio beeped announcing an incoming call from one of the other vans. “Why is it closed?” Jonas asked.
“This line services the lab. Perhaps they felt it wasn’t worth the effort to keep it open,” Kyle offered.
Nick didn’t like any of the other possibilities he was coming up with. If this entire line was down, they might have to find a lateral line that wouldn’t be affected by the shut down. He brought up some maps on the dashboard. There were two immediate options, one being a much longer drive and taking them slightly out of the way. He was debating it when Wisp leaned over and tapped the farther station.
“Avoid the obvious?” Nick asked.
