Miles picked up the thread. “If anyone else was involved, there’s no evidence of it.” He shifted his gaze to Caroline. “Not enough.” And back to Tony. “And finding that proof is your job, and I trust you’ll do it well.”
Tony looked grim. “I’ve got plenty of good officers, now. We’ll take care of the bad guys.”
Miles nodded. “And since this morning’s operation went without a hitch, word will filter out about Governor Roberts no longer posing a threat.”
Ken finally smiled. “The fool thought he’d have no problem maintaining control of the Guard, with Washington being so weak. He didn’t count on the U.S. military.”
Caroline looked at her husband with pride. “It wasn’t Miles’ use of his military contacts, prying the Guard out of the governor’s hand that saved us. It was his impromptu plan, how to delay Robert’s use of them while he still could that was brilliant.” Especially as it had given Caroline a chance to display her acting skills. “That ploy bought us the time needed.”
Miles glanced over at Verity. “Thank you, Ms. Belue, for your convincing performance.”
Caroline glared at her husband.
Miles must have felt the heat, for he turned with a blushing face. “Nothing to compare with yours, of course. But she’s not an accomplished actress.”
Caroline nodded to accept the implied apology. He’d make up for it later, now that she had managed to move him back into their home. “And now? You managed to get everyone this morning?”
Miles nodded. “Thanks to the—” he started to glance at Verity but stopped himself, “efforts of our excellent administrative staff, we knew exactly who was missing and where they’d be found on a Sunday morning. Family members, too, the local ones.” He looked over at Chief Cameron.
Ken continued the report. “Several reliable people, pulled from the Guards and Security. We got to everyone on the list and brought them back, and all their family members.”
Caroline raised an eyebrow. “All of them? Will there be enough room?”
The efficient Ms. Belue answered her question. “We have the capacity for over ten thousand residents, without crowding anyone.”
Caroline knew there were less than five thousand residents, or had been before this morning. Ms. Belue probably had an exact count. “Leaving an awful lot of room. There are so many out there—”
Miles stopped her. “Too many.” He looked to Tony. “Go ahead and expel Henson and the others in the morning.”
Caroline didn’t care about the traitors. “What about Fiona and the girls?”
Ken shifted in his chair. “They’ll be alright.” He didn’t look like he believed that. “We couldn’t know for sure what the director would decide. Or how it would all turn out.” He stared at Miles. “They’re set up well at the ranch, anyway. And that’s too far for the kind of quick excursion we managed this morning. At least now I’ve been able to call them.”
Verity smiled. “I removed the restrictions this afternoon, after the chiefs had completed their operation. So everyone can start calling their families for Christmas.”
Miles pressed his lips together. “Then news will be filtering out fast. I’d best share some of what I’ve learned, so you’ll be prepared.”
“News?” Caroline should’ve already heard.
“Losing the National Guard cost the governor a lot of support. I’m told that in the morning the state legislature will be revoking his emergency powers. They’ll turn the responsibility for maintaining order back to the county sheriffs, who’ll have their hands full. Particularly in the larger urban areas, now the National Guard has pulled out—back to the federal military bases around the state.”
Caroline glared at her husband. “And Roberts?”
Miles shrugged. “The whole state of Florida’s in limbo now. Since the secession wasn’t planned out very well, the legislature’s got to start picking up the pieces. Who knows how long until they can manage an election to replace the man?”
Her husband glanced around the room through his glasses. “But the secession announcement had a broader impact. No one’s rushing into anything the way Roberts did, but there’s been talk of leaving the union in many of the state legislatures. Some of the southern states have mentioned forming a new union, though so far it’s just talk.”
Miles leaned back in his chair. “Some northern states have been floating the idea of joining Canada. If the Canadians will have them. The D.C. corridor’s in the worst shape of all, so Washington has plenty to do taking care of their own back yard. The biggest news is the Chinese takeover of California.”
Caroline almost jumped out of her seat. “They invaded Hollywood?”
Miles smiled and waved her back into her seat. “More like a corporate takeover. You could say that California sold itself to the highest bidder.”
Caroline shrugged. “Well, since someone else is picking up the tab…”
Tony rubbed his chin. “A lot’s happened in the last month.”
Miles nodded. “Things may deteriorate rapidly across the country. But under the circumstances, it’s likely to get much worse in our area.” He gave Ken a grim look.
“We’re just completing the modifications to the wall and installing the new defense system. I’ve got to train more guards. But we’ll be ready.”
“Good. Because we’re a safe haven. Which also makes us a target, and more of one the worse things get out there.” Miles paused and smiled at Caroline.
She knew he was giving her an opportunity for a dramatic exit line. “So, we batten down the hatches and hope there’s something left after the storm.”
The end (for now.)
Bonus Material
The following ‘deleted scene’ takes place after the Prologue and before Chapter 1 (and contains spoilers for the rest of the book.)
Verity’s Night Out
9:55 p.m. Friday, November 22nd
VERITY took a few steps down the right side aisle, scanning the crowd as she looked for a seat. Far to her left she saw Katherine Miles with a few friends—come to see her mother’s one-woman performance. Verity watched them for a moment as they laughed together and made their way to seats far in the back. If she’d read Katherine right, the girl hadn’t told her companions this was her mother they were about to watch. At least Caroline gets to see her daughter.
Banishing such regrets as futile, Verity found a seat right on the aisle and went back to scanning the people around her while the lights were still up. She wore one of the evening dresses she kept in the back of her closet. She had moussed and blow-dried her hair to give it some body and wave she didn’t usually bother with. And since she was also smiling no one was likely to recognize her.
There were a few people who would see through this disguise, but Jon was working late as usual and Verity didn’t expect to see her son here—he came to these things as rarely as she did. David was probably back at his dorm room, studying hard.
It was too bad he’d never have the chance to be the kind of lawyer he dreamed of. Everything would be changing, bringing new and different opportunities though, and she was confident her son would be able to find his way. We’ll all have to.
She gripped the tiny silver clutch in her lap with both hands and turned her gaze to the empty stage as the lights dimmed. She expected to enjoy this as entertainment but she was also curious to see Caroline Sanderson perform. This would be Verity’s first time to see the woman in action. On stage, at least.
Verity’s purse began vibrating violently and she sighed. She’d only brought the thing to have something to carry her FURCS pad in because she could never leave the thing behind. Now she wished she’d left it back at the house regardless. She grinned at the thought of it buzzing away on the kitchen counter as she enjoyed the play.
She sighed again. The curtain hadn’t even been raised yet. Maybe I’ll have another chance, another night. She knew she was kidding herself.
Taking a deep breath she rose and glided up the aisl
e toward the exit. She made it out of the theatre before the play had started and drifted through the empty lobby and the wide doors of the Media Centre out into the crisp night air. She took a moment to gaze overhead and appreciate the clear sky and the stars twinkling. The moon hung low on the horizon, shining bright.
Lowering her gaze back to the earth, she strode across the Green—cutting as straight a line as possible through the picnicking couples, ignoring them except as obstacles to be avoided. Back to the Admin Center. Sometimes it seemed she lived there just as much as Jon did these days.
Approaching the back entrance, her FURCS pad synched with the security system and unlocked the door just as her hand touched the knob. She would never understand why so many insisted on doing it manually.
She strode through the back corridors around to the main elevator and waited. At this time of night it didn’t take long to arrive. Of course up on the fifth floor no one was stationed at the reception desk—and the security door required more than an electronic pass.
Verity dug her security key out of her purse and inserted it into the pad and pressed her thumb to the screen. She slid the key into the lock with her other hand, turned the knob, and pushed the door open. Those boys do like their security toys.
She stepped through into the office suite, kicking the door shut behind her and stuffing the FURCS pad and key back into her purse. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the bright lights. Jon would surely be in his office, but no one else appeared to be there. If whatever crisis prompted him to call for her assistance required more than her, that additional help had yet to arrive. Or more probably, he’d leave it to her to summon whoever else might be needed.
She circled around Toby’s square of desks in the middle of the room and made straight for the large oak door with ‘FURC Director Jonathan Miles’ embossed on it. If it were an emergency, she’d rather not take the time to drop her bag in her own office.
Jon’s door stood slightly ajar. Pushing her way in, she found Security Chief Nelson lounging on the sofa with a plate of cheese and crackers in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. A tray with the teapot and cups and saucers and a platter full of snacks sat on the coffee table in the middle of the room.
Jon was sitting behind his desk, smiling weakly with his own cup cooling in front of him. “I just sat down, Ms. Belue, so I hope you don’t mind pouring tea for yourself.”
Apparently it was more of a party than an emergency. A very small party. Nelson turned his head and gaped at her as she stood there in the doorway. At least she was dressed for the occasion.
Verity threw her purse down onto one of the visitor chairs and perched on the other. “You can close your mouth, Mr. Nelson.” She poured a tiny dollop of cream into the cup and slowly added some of the freshly brewed tea. A tea party, how nice.
As she lifted the saucer, and then the cup to her lips, she surveyed the two men’s faces. Neither one looked like they had any urgent business needing to be dealt with. Jon looked weary with bags under his eyes, but there was nothing unusual about that.
Chief Nelson looked tired as well. But he simply leaned back and grinned at her—like a baboon.
Verity fixed her gaze on Jon. “I’m assuming this treatment means you’re going to want me working through the night. What’s the emergency?”
“Anthony just brought back a report on what’s going on in Tallahassee.”
That wasn’t good. Of course they were rarely up to any good in the capitol these days. “Do I need to hear the full report or can you summarize it?”
“Governor Roberts has twisted all the arms he needs in order to force the legislature into voting for secession. And they’ll be granting him emergency powers in the morning.”
“The idiot. Or should I say idiots.” Verity took another sip. At least Jon knew how to make a nice cup of tea. “That’s bad enough, but I’m sure there’s more. Isn’t there?”
Jon dropped the forced smile. “He’ll claim all federal lands and facilities for the state of Florida—including us. I’m enacting the emergency protocols so his people can’t come right in and take over in the morning. But we don’t have the guards or defenses to do more than slow him down if it comes to a military assault on the compound.”
Verity glanced over at Anthony sprawled out on the couch and decided he deserved some rest if he’d discovered all that information. And since Jon had called her Ms. Belue, she’d better hold her tongue and let him do most of the talking.
Despite his evident weariness, there was a twinkle in Jon’s eyes as he continued after her silence. “I need your help with the plan I’ve come up with—the one to take care of that little problem. But first we’ll have to take the steps required for sealing the compound.”
“I’m familiar with what needs to be done.”
He rubbed the bridge of his nose and slipped his glasses back on. “Of course you are.”
Chief Nelson sighed and levered himself off the sofa. “I’ll let you two get on with it.” He turned to Verity. “Miles has already told me what I need to do so I don’t need to sit and listen to it again. And if I start now maybe I can get a nap in before morning.” He flashed his gleaming teeth. “It’s been a pleasure, Ms. Belue.”
Verity glared at the man, but he only grinned in return and sauntered out of Jon’s office. She turned back to her boss. “He must really be tired. What is it you have him doing?”
Jon glanced at the surface of the tea in his cup. “He’ll be disconnecting all the hard lines in and out of the compound, except for the power cables—as long as they’re willing to supply us with electricity, we’ll take it. The longer we can wait to switch over to our own internal power supply, the better.”
The corners of Verity’s mouth twitched as she tried to refrain from laughing. “Especially since the quote unquote power supply is both highly experimental and completely untested?”
“Well, yes.”
Verity shook her head. “We can go through the checklist and note who’s responsible for what later. Just tell me what my part is.”
“I’ll want you to go up to the roof and take care of setting the security protocols on the digital communications array. And in the morning you’ll need to start going through the records to compile a list of who should be inside the compound and who’s away and how that corresponds to reality. And get that to Anthony so he can start his surveillance.”
Verity frowned. “Surveillance? Of who?” He’d only mentioned a few of the things she’d have to do as part of activating the emergency protocols. What he hadn’t gotten to yet was her part in his new plan to prevent a military assault on the compound.
Jon nodded. “You know about Chief Gray’s appointment and why we suspect he’s here. But since we don’t know how long Roberts has been planning this move, we have to assume the man might have inserted other moles into the community. Anthony will try to keep an eye on ‘the Colonel’ to see if he can identify any of them.”
“I see. And what about me?”
“I don’t want you keeping an eye on anyone—that might compromise the acting job you’ll have.”
Acting? “Surely if you want an actress you’d call Caroline.”
“There is a part I want her to play. But yours is a role only you can perform. Since you have the codes to access communications with the outside, and you know all the logistics of running the FURC, you’d be an invaluable asset to the enemy. And that’s what I want you to become.”
Verity stared at him for a long moment. “You’d have me seem to betray you.”
He nodded. “People aren’t aware how much we trust each other. It shouldn’t be hard to sell the idea that you’re overworked and underappreciated. And that you’re ambitious.”
She felt the corners of her mouth begin twitching again. “As long as you know the truth.”
Jon smiled. “And Caroline will be playing the role of a bitter ex looking for opportunities to stick pins in me.”
Verity shook her head. Sh
e found it ironic that the professional actress should have the part needing so little actual acting. “Perhaps I should ask her for some advice.”
Jon raised his head and blinked at her before he swiveled his head to where his friend Nelson had sat a moment ago. She couldn’t interpret his expression and couldn’t guess what he was thinking. But since it wasn’t likely to be anything like rational thought, she dismissed it.
Verity sipped her tea and neither of them said a word for several minutes. When she broke the quiet she was back to the business at hand. “I’ll have to go get the checklist for the emergency protocols from my office. Then we should go over each step of the process with care. But first there are details I need to get settled about this masquerade of mine. How am I to let the governor’s people know I’d be willing to betray you?”
Jon settled back in his chair. “Of course they’ll assume we suspect Chief Gray, but we don’t want to confirm our suspicions for them. And we certainly don’t want to tip off Gray by approaching the man directly. You’ll have to use your access codes to try and get to the governor. Offer yourself.”
Verity nodded. “And I’ll have proved my usefulness by reaching out when all communications are cut off.”
“If Roberts has a way to get a message to one of his people on the inside, someone will approach you—but we’re hoping they won’t have the ability. And in that case, he’ll have to steer you toward one of his moles. Probably a low level flunky they could afford to lose.”
“Because they won’t be sure if they can trust me until I do something to earn it.”
Jon nodded. Then he removed his glasses and massaged his temple—replacing them, he looked at her and sighed. “This could be dangerous.”
“Of course it will be dangerous. But this situation is already dangerous for us all. Particularly you and I.”
Starting the Slowpocalypse (Books 1-3 Omnibus) Page 22
