Rupert moves on to the last piece of the suit, the helmet. I look around the room, watching the others as he explains how the dispenser for water, and a semi-liquid nutrient mix, works. Aamon and Balum are nearly asleep. Nyree keeps shifting back and forth in her chair. I understand her irritation. None of us want to be here, except Balum, for some reason.
By the time we finish going over the controls and accessory functions, it is getting late into the night, so we are all excused. Not wanting to spend any more time here than necessary, I exit the room before Aamon wakes up and corrals me into another one of his annoying talks. Nyree jumps up as fast as I do. We almost collide while trying to get out the door. She is a tall woman who stands shoulder to shoulder with me as we walk.
“Sorry about that, I’m just anxious to get out of here,” I say, matching her rapid strides. She must be about ten years older than me, but by her fitness you would never be able to tell.
“Tell me about it. Just the thought of going up there makes me nervous,” Nyree says. “I don’t like even being this close to the surface.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. So, what area are you from?” I ask. Since we are going to be working together above ground, knowing more about her skill sets would be useful.
“The lower levels. Most of my family, myself included, works in the Deep Vents. I do a lot of the general maintenance,” she answers. “You don’t have to tell me what you do. Everyone knows about your recent experience and why you’re on this detail.”
Straight to the point then, I think I like Nyree. No nonsense or veiled insinuations. “I figured as much. It’s hard to avoid the scrutiny of a special announcement in your honor. If you don’t mind answering, what’s the general feel about what happened that night and the fallout after?” This is an unexpected chance to see what the perception of me is in a circle outside of my own.
“It’s kind of a mix. Some people think it was simply a tragic accident that could’ve happened to anyone. Others say you were being too reckless,” she says evenly.
“And what do you think?” I ask, almost afraid of the answer. I get the feeling she is not going to hold her tongue, even if she is of the latter group.
“I think there’s more to the story than we’re being told. Singling one person out after a tragic event is peculiar. If I know anything about Leadership, it’s that there’s always a specific purpose to their actions.” Nyree glances at me. “Don’t worry; I won’t bother asking if I’m right because I know you wouldn’t say anyway.”
The pace of her steps increases. I almost break out in a trot to keep up with her. By the time I find a rhythm to match her strides, we reach a divergence in our paths. We go our separate ways with no departing words are spoken. I make a note to myself that we run into any trouble or problems on the surface, she would be a good person to have nearby.
Back in my quarters, I prepare for bed in the silence of an empty room. The day was so busy that there was no time to rest or even acknowledge the emotional fatigue that has been mounting over the recent days. With the momentary pause, the weariness hits me now. I want nothing more than to fall asleep and become lost in my dreams. But even in sleep, there is no respite for me tonight. No dreams come. I wake every hour only to find the night has not yet passed. By the time the power is activated, I am frustrated enough with my insomnia that it is a relief the night has ended. I go through my morning routine in a trance, slowly shaking off my lethargy.
*
That morning after breakfast, I get Arluin alone. “So, apparently volunteering for the Solar Panel detail was more than just brave words for Balum. He’s on the detail with me. Is there anything you think I should know about him?”
“I don’t know him well, but even so, I don’t like him at all. He acts like he’s above everyone else. I’ll keep an eye out and let you know if anything catches my attention,” Arluin says. “Is there anything you want to tell me?”
“You never give up do you?” I say with resignation. “We’re getting closer to the truth. As it turns out, going on the Solar Panel detail may actually be a useful source of information. Stay strong, you’ll know more than you want to soon enough.”
“We? Let me guess, you told Hadwin and Sayda everything,” he says, annoyed they know the very secret he has been seeking.
“Yes, I did. I needed the help, and they were already involved. Don’t worry, your time will come,” I say while turning to leave to the infirmary.
When I get there, Rana walks alone through the hallway, coming back from the intensive care unit. “Good morning, Rana. Were there any new cases or significant changes for the others?”
“We had one more case last night,” she says. “Sonela’s deteriorating rapidly, and the new patient isn’t far off. So far, only Delvin looks to have any chance of surviving this infection.”
She does not say more, though we both know the news is dire for more than the obvious reason. This means there are more new cases despite The Caves being closed. So, either the incubation period for the disease to show itself is longer than we thought, or even worse, the virus is being transmitted within Securus. This makes it less likely that Leadership’s aggressive actions have contained the outbreak. Not to mention the longer it takes to completely contain this disease means an even longer time until we can access The Caves resources again.
Unfortunately, the outbreak is not the only problem on my mind today. Since our understudies are not here yet, I go to my exam room to further look into the medical records from the last Solar Panel detail. The records show the rest of the injuries were more mundane than the first. There was a man with a sprained ankle, another person who suffered an anxiety attack from the stress of the detail, and a third person whose suit malfunctioned, causing her to become dehydrated from the day of work without adequate water. All of them were relatively benign occurrences. I turn off the records interface and rise from my chair. When turning around, I subtly flinch from the surprise of seeing Kesia watching me from the door.
“Good morning, Kesia. Are you ready for another busy day?” I ask, hoping she did not see what was on my computer screen. Not that it would really matter if she did, but I want to keep some privacy.
“Absolutely,” she says while entering the room. “What are you up to so early?”
“I came in early to go over things with Rana and finish some charting from yesterday,” I say.
The patient chime sounds, signaling the start of our day. The morning is much like the day before, very busy, yet uneventful. When lunch time arrives, I dismiss Kesia, fully expecting her to find me again at the decontamination chamber. After finishing my medical records from the morning rush, I make a delayed exit. To my surprise, Kesia is nowhere to be seen. I guess she is finally giving me a break today.
As usual, I meet Hadwin and Sayda for lunch. They have no new information to share and Sayda’s tracking device is not yet ready. So we simply have lunch. Today, almost feels like everything was normal. But the pleasant illusion cannot last long. Lunch is soon over, and I have no choice but to return to the reality of my present situation.
When reentering the infirmary, an annoying change awaits me. The computer system has gone down. One of the workers is in the other room troubleshooting the system. She assures me this is a temporary problem and should be fixed soon. Having to revert to an actual paper chart is an extra irritation. The other Healers are usually upset that we cannot pull up old information on patients, but my annoyance is because this precludes me from continuing my search of the old Solar Panel detail records. On top of that, not having the computer means I actually have to write out everything by hand. Despite having a steady hand for medical procedures, when it comes to writing, my coordination fails me. Plus, we have a very limited supply of paper for this, which forces me to write smaller than what is natural to me. The resulting words are harsh and nearly impossible to decipher. That means anyone who ever reviews the chart will always need to come find me to interpret my hieroglyphic ent
ries.
We deal with the inconvenience and work through the rest of the day. One more case of the new meningitis comes in. Like the last case, I have no connection to the patient. Kesia shows improved confidence if not improved skill, and most of the remaining patients are routine. Delvin continues to hold steady, but is still not able to speak. If he would only wake up, we may actual get some clue to how he became infected.
My emotions are mixed when leaving the infirmary. The computer system remains down, so I am glad the workday is over. The problem is, this only means I have to go from one annoyance to another. Tonight, Aamon and Rupert await me for another session.
*
That night after dinner, I return to the upper levels for another training session. Aamon and Rupert are already inside, organizing a spread of tools on the tables up front. When he notices my arrival, Aamon slithers over to me with a confident smile. Here we go again, I think to myself.
Chapter 16
“Kagen, I trust all is well,” Aamon says as I take a seat inside the training room.
“Get to the point, Aamon,” I say, tired of his meandering conversations.
“It seems the stress of your upcoming privilege is affecting your manners,” he says dismissively.
I do not reply. Instead I lean back in my chair and place my feet on the table in front of me. My shoes nearly poke his midsection. I look him directly in the eye while lazily placing my hands behind my head in a relaxed position. Though he tries to hide it, the slight flush in his cheeks and bulging veins in his neck make his frustration with my disrespectful behavior evident. Good, he’s taking the bait, I think to myself. I did not intend it, but a satisfied sneer completes my posture. I wait until he is about to speak, and then interrupt him.
“Actually, I’m just a little tired. Meeting with you is not the most stimulating experience,” I say before yawning and stretching my arms to the ceiling.
“You must be tired from a long day. Having some computer problems in the infirmary?” he asks.
Interesting, I think to myself while raising an eyebrow at the comment. The computers are such a trivial thing for him to bring up. I was hoping for him to say something more revealing in his anger, but this is intriguing. Since he brought the computer outage up, Aamon must have had something to do with the problem. He wants me to know how far his reach goes. I must have been getting close to finding something he does not want me to see. On the other hand, this also means he is watching me closer than I realized. Either way, I know more now than before. More importantly, his response shows me that while Aamon may do well with the politics in Leadership, he can be provoked to lose his composure.
“No big deal, it’ll be back up in no time.” My lack of concern angers him even more, to the point where he gets a slight twitch in his eye.
“Well, you may be too busy to enjoy it when it’s fixed. I’m considering pulling you from the infirmary so you may better prepare for the detail.” Aamon leans forward, looking down at me.
He probably thinks his stance is intimidating, but I find it a little awkward on him and more entertaining than anything else. His words, on the other hand, are not entertaining at all. My own welfare is not what concerns me with this. Rather, my worry is what could happen during my absence from the infirmary. The others can only cover for me for so long before fatigue sets in, and we are going to be pushing it with my absence for the Solar Panel detail in itself. I did not intend to provoke him this far, but maybe I can use this as well.
“If you do that, you better hope the outbreak doesn’t spread. Otherwise, your decision will be questioned thoroughly by all levels of Leadership. It would be a shame for you to look bad so soon after your promotion,” I say.
Now Aamon has been backed into a corner. If he follows through with his threat, he will risk looking bad to Leadership if we are overrun with ill people. Backing out of the treat would make him looks foolish for even mentioning it. I see him playing those scenarios in his mind, looking for another way out.
“It’s not my standing you should be concerned with. After all, I’ll be sitting in the safety of the Control Room while you’re out on the Death Detail. You should be focused on your lessons. Unless you don’t care if you’re the one in six who doesn’t make it back,” he says, referring to the average death rate for the detail. “I’ll inform you of any changes in your schedule as it suits me.”
As Aamon returns to the front table with Rupert, Nyree enters the room and takes a seat without acknowledging anyone. Soon after, Balum arrives. With everyone present, Rupert begins. He shows us one tool after another, discussing their function and displaying how to use them properly. Throughout the lecture Aamon continues to watch me closely, impatiently tapping his fingers against the desk. I ignore him, concentrating on Rupert’s words, though his methodic explanation of the equipment nearly puts me to sleep.
The only thing preventing me from giving in to the urge to close my eyes is the entertainment I get from watching the blatantly obvious irritation Nyree shows every time Balum asks a question. The content of the lecture is straightforward, and I suspect even more so for someone as technically inclined as Nyree. Despite the simplicity, Balum struggles to grasp the concepts. The time it takes for Rupert to repeat the explanations for Balum infuriates her. At the end of the lecture she nearly sprints out of the room. I rush to catch her in the hall, intent on gaining her favor.
“Balum isn’t the brightest one, is he?” I say as we speed walk.
“I have no idea why they’re letting him on the detail. His incompetence could be dangerous,” she grumbles.
“Yeah, tell me about it…” My words trail off when seeing the man heading toward us from the end of the hallway. We both instinctively stop and move to the side so he may pass. Though I wish for him to keep walking past us, there is little chance of that happening.
“Kagen, is the lecture over already?” Mr. Vaden asks as he stops in front of me.
“Yes, Rupert went over everything twice,” I say.
“You must be Nyree,” Mr. Vaden says, shifting his attention. “I thank you for your service in this imperative task.”
Nyree remains silent. Her only response is to nod respectfully. Mr. Vaden turns back to me while continuing to speak to Nyree. “If you would be so kind as to excuse us, I was hoping to have a word with Kagen here.”
Nyree turns to leave, but does so slowly. I am not sure if she is curious to hear our conversation or just stunned by Mr. Vaden himself. Either way, I am stuck beneath his penetrating stare while we wait for her to enter the stairwell.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Vaden?” I ask.
“Walk with me, Kagen. There’s something I want you to see,” he replies.
We go back down the hallway and continue through a secure doorway. After entering in his security code we emerge into another hallway. The structure of this corridor appears similar to the rest of Securus, but the decoration of the area is an abrupt contrast. The normally cold, bland walls have been painted with warm, colorful tones. Scattered pieces of artwork line the path. Even the floors have been covered with a soft, cushioned surface that subdues the force of our steps. I have never felt anything like it. This must be Mr. Vaden’s private offices and quarters. He notices my curiosity as I absorb the new surroundings and waits for me to return my focus before he speaks.
“I trust things are running smoothly in the infirmary. How are the new understudies performing?” he asks as we continue down the hall.
“As well as can be expected, considering how inexperienced they are combined with the extra pressure from the new outbreak,” I answer.
He leads me into a side room. The inside is full of viewing screens and other audiovisual equipment. I recognize the area behind the desk on the right as the one we see during our announcements. On the wall behind him hangs a large Leadership insignia embroidered onto a light silver cloth. Mr. Vaden sits behind the desk, assuming the same authoritative posture I have seen countless times bef
ore.
With the push of a button on his control panel, all of the screens turn on. On them are various halls and other important locations throughout Securus. A few scattered people linger on the screens while they are out on their free time. I also see The Caves. There are, what looks to be, research workers scurrying about throughout the initial cavern. From this chair, all Mr. Vaden has to do is flip a switch and he sees most of Securus. When my eyes make it down to the last two screens in the bottom corner of the display, it feels as if I were punched in the stomach. One shows the entrance to The Caves, while the other shows my work station in the infirmary. If Mr. Vaden was watching, he knows I am up to something.
“I wanted to bring you here to remind you of something. Take a good look at the screens.” His hand gestures toward the monitors. “So many people struggling to endure and all of them have a valuable role in each other’s survival. The very existence of Securus is a powerful testament to the human will to survive. But despite the strength that has built this facility, like life itself, it can be quite frail.
“All it takes is a few pieces of this intricate puzzle to become lost and the entire foundation crumbles beneath us. Even a single person selfishly pursuing his own agenda could lead enough people astray to initiate a chain reaction, compromising our very existence. We desperately need to reopen The Caves to regain the use of its resources, but that’s a difficult task when reckless behavior leads to the exposure of dangerous pathogens.
“The delicate balance of our lives is being shifted dangerously close to the edge. In times like these, we must all ask ourselves what we can do to better serve the colony. Our only goal should be to preserve our way of life and to protect the lives of all the people you see on these screens. It’s a hard decision to make for some, and even more so when extenuating circumstances or strong emotions cloud one’s ability to think rationally. When these things happen, there comes a point when I must do whatever is necessary to ensure the security of our people,” Mr. Vaden says, finishing his speech and watching for my response.
The Death Detail (The Securus Trilogy Book 1) Page 15
