“He won’t remember any of this.”
“You can’t know.”
“I know he has a very strong and protective mother who loves him dearly. You’re doing an awesome job, considering. These attacks are nothing you could have predicted, and we’re close to dealing with the internal situation. Then we can relax and manage the outside problems.”
“Did you get a hold of Kevin?” Valerie asked.
“Yes. He’s making preparations but chose to wait until morning to move into the Facility. Val?” he asked with a distinct caution in his voice. “Is it a good idea to have him here? One minute we think he killed your father, the next we are protecting him.”
“There are two possibilities here. One, Kevin was not involved in the bombing, and his life was directly threatened by the Reactance. Two, he was involved in the bombing and the Reactance, and the threat was an attempt to dissolve our suspicions. Either way, having him under close surveillance is better than having him wandering in the city left to his own devices.”
“Or that’s exactly what he wants.”
“Then I would have made yet another fatal decision as a leader, and someone will soon figure out I don’t belong here.”
“But you do. There’s no one else who has done what you’ve done.”
“Kill a DiaZem?”
“Face down the Council head-on. Birth the next generation of leaders. Valerie, we’re the good guys. The Hans Solo and Princess Leia of the real world.”
A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “You do kind of look like a really young Harrison Ford.” She giggled, letting his energy wash the negative energy from her shoulders. “You think you can save me from Luke Skywalker?” She rolled onto the bed, laughing. “I can figure out how to make my hair into two buns on the sides of my head like earmuffs. Will that do it for you?”
“Seeing you smile does it for me.” August said, his eyes looking into hers.
Valerie had never seen such an intense look on his face. She panicked. If she didn’t act fast, neither one of them would be able to stop themselves. Even if she told him no, would he have the strength to stop himself?
Jumping out of bed, she said, “I think I have my appetite back. It’s Taco Tuesday! Come on.”
“I’ll be right behind you.”
The warm sun on Valerie’s face was a welcome contrast from the day before. Hand in hand, she and August tried to act natural for the scheduled photographer. They were trailed by Courtney, who chirped suggestions to them, making things much less natural.
“August, look less brooding,” Courtney instructed.
“I’m not brooding. I’m thinking, and the sun’s in my eyes.”
“Pretend it’s not. This lighting is perfect.”
August released Valerie’s hand and proceeded to dance a jig with a crazed smile and wide eyes. Valerie covered her mouth, but her laughter escaped despite herself. Soon she was gasping for breath. He stopped playing for the camera and held Valerie’s glowing face in his hands.
“I wish you could be this happy every moment of the day,” he whispered.
The mood was killed by the excited snapping sound from the camera.
“That’s a wrap. You two are by far the cutest couple I’ve ever seen. Now go off and do what you were going to do anyway. I’ll get these out to the evening news. Today’s going to be a great day!” Courtney bounced off with the photographer.
Valerie lifted her face to the sun as they continued their walk to where she could ground her energy in the grass and visit her father. On the edge of the runway where undeveloped land extended as far as she could see was enough space to release and renew her own stored power. Had her team of scientists not accompanied her to measure the flow of electricity, she would not have known the process was much more than spiritual. Grounding excess electricity to the earth left her cleansed and refreshed; something she needed before sitting down to interview potential substitute assistants.
“Maybe next week I’ll stop wearing black,” Valerie said once they reached the wrought-iron fence of the cemetery. “I can’t plan a wedding while I’m still in mourning.”
“I personally think yellow is a great color on you.”
“What? That’s random. When have I ever worn yellow?”
“The day you opened the orphanage. You wore a yellow dress with your hair kind of halfway up. It was the first time I ever saw you truly proud of something you did. Moments like that, you laughing, I wish I could bottle up and give back to you when things get hard around here.”
She remembered the day he mentioned, and she had been very pleased to see those kids have a safe place to live, though it was less to do with the good deed and more like reparation of their circumstance. That day, orphan children laughed and played. She brought a flicker of joy into their life, just as August brought to hers. She did need these broken moments of happiness amidst her father’s passing.
“You think they’re jumping the gun, getting married so soon? Hyka and Jack belong together, but I’m worried maybe they should wait? For appearances I guess, I don’t know. Does no one else find it imprudent so soon after losing our dads?”
“Imprudent?” August smiled and squeezed her hand. “I think duty gives Hyka something to move toward. Not everyone copes the same, her especially. There are a lot of moving parts right now. I think her having a mission disguised as a honeymoon is more her style anyway. I was also thinking, since they are kind of a celebrity couple, we can start calling them Hijack.”
A full-bellied laugh stopped Valerie in her tracks. “You’re just on a roll today.”
“I’m always on a roll. You’re just now letting me show you.”
Valerie slipped her shoes off and, with each step to the far end of the yard where the two tombstones rested, she felt lighter. Happier.
“Hyka’s well-known as your right hand, so a message from her is as good as from your own mouth. People trust her.” August put a hand on her shoulder. “If we can get the Pacific Fleet in place before the baby comes, then there’s one less thing on your plate.”
“I have zero interest in coastal trade routes and a fleet of DiaZem in the middle of the ocean. I’m not a politician or war advisor. Why does everything have to be about me?”
“Because everything is about you.”
“No. I don’t like that. Hyka should be able to have time to prepare and plan and enjoy being engaged like a normal person.”
“Hyka is not a normal person. I think if she has to spend too much time planning, she’ll convince herself to not have a wedding at all. In which case, you would never let her hear the end of it.”
“It is not all about me!”
August just looked over at her and smiled. He reached for her hand and steadied her with his touch.
Valerie took a deep breath: of him, his energy; of the air, which, in his presence, held a strong sense of freedom that she had kept herself from for so long. He completed the circuit. Her circuit. Maybe she could try him on, like a real family with a father, mother, and son.
“I think I can manage a week without someone following me around. I feel like I’m just interviewing people to be my friend while Hyka’s gone.”
“You know she does a lot more than that. Just pick which one you want and keep her on-call after Hyka leaves. PRN.”
“PRN?” Valerie laughed. “Are you prescribing me an assistant as needed?”
“I’m sure I could get Monica on board since she’s your primary care physician.”
“Oooh. Talk medical to me.” She laughed and wrapped her arms around him. She wanted more moments like this but couldn’t shake the need to prepare for the next attack, wherever it came from.
Valerie and Hyka sat in a small meeting room in the hotel, flipping through the resumes of the two candidates. Elizabeth Johnson and Teresa Sherman were very different from each other. Elizabeth was formerly a military police officer. She was stationed at Fort Leavenworth Prison in Kansas and made her way to Denver a mo
nth after the Awakening to reunite with her former colleagues. Teresa was in the Facility at the beginning and worked her way up through different departments. She involved herself in outreach initiatives, ensuring the distribution of supplies to the community.
“I pick this one,” Hyka said, holding up Elizabeth’s file.
“That’s not how any of this works.” Valerie shook her head, pretending to be annoyed. Of course Hyka would prefer the military training, but Valerie liked the idea of outreach.
“I can make it to the first interview with this Johnson woman, but I won’t be able to make it to the second. If I push Lalit off anymore, she threatened to make me wear pink.”
“Well, I’ll let you lead the first one then because I imagine you do much more than I’m aware of.” Valerie paused for a moment. “You’ll come back though, right?”
“Don’t,” Hyka answered, pointing a finger. “Jack and I know what we’re doing, but if you make me doubt that you won’t be fine for even a second, I’m not going. This chick will only help you with your schedule. If you get a new best friend while I’m gone I swear it’s over between us.”
Maybe her hormones were getting the best of her or maybe it was the way Hyka claimed her as a best friend, but Valerie couldn’t help but wrap her arms around the taller woman.
“I will be fine. Just come home when you’re done. Or when you’re supposed to. Just come back.”
“You’re being weird. Why wouldn’t I come back?”
Valerie gave a weak shrug.
“Look. August promised me nothing would happen to you. Things will get better around here soon. Okay? Now let’s give this chick hell. See if she can handle your crazy.”
“I’m not crazy!”
A young, broad-shouldered woman waited in a seat outside the meeting room. Hyka said a few things to her before they both walked in. Valerie extended her hand. Elizabeth was short and sturdy, with a firm grip. She didn’t smile but remained calm and professional.
“Hi, Elizabeth,” Hyka said as they all took seats. “You’re applying to be my temporary replacement as Valerie Russell’s personal assistant. Are you organized? Keep schedules? Do you exercise regularly even though you don’t have to? What do you do in your spare time? Do you like kids? It’s not a requirement, but it's helpful.” Hyka hardly let the girl breathe between answers.
“Good morning, Ms. Major and Madam DiaZem,” Elizabeth answered without flinching at the onslaught of questions and answered them all in order. “Yes, I am organized and keep schedules. No, I do not exercise regularly but enjoy hiking when I am able to get some time off. I read quite a bit to pass the time. I like kids just fine, I guess.”
“Thank you, and good morning, Elizabeth.” Valerie smiled. “Please tell me about yourself. How did you handle the Awakening, and what prompted you to settle here in the Facility?”
“At the time, I worked at the prison in Kansas until the Eastern region DiaZem initiated Phase Two and killed much of the General Population in the area. The prison was just outside of their reach, but close enough that I was within range to assist with the aftermath.” Elizabeth rubbed her palms as she spoke. “I was in charge of documenting victims and then tasked with notifying their next of kin if they had any. After a month of hitting dead end after dead end trying to find people, I turned in the paperwork I had and resigned.”
“You quit,” Hyka stated.
“Before the Dallas DiaZem took charge of the military, we were still receiving orders form the Pentagon under Council influence. Many people left. Those who didn’t escape might not have made it.”
Valerie kept her game face but was deeply horrified by the reality of the rest of the country.
“My father led the documentation process here in Denver. I can only imagine how taxing and seemingly impossible that might have been. What sort of coping mechanisms did you adopt to get yourself through the aftermath?” Valerie questioned with whole-hearted concern and great interest, like Elizabeth’s answer would tell her something about her father she was never able to ask.
“As far as clean-up went, I kind of just stopped thinking about what I was doing and why I was doing it. Breathed through my mouth and quit thinking of people as people with lives and families. Kids especially. It’s a horrible defense mechanism, but for sanity’s sake, we had to accomplish the mission. I struggle not to think about it now.”
Having worked in an emergency room and seeing death in many forms, Valerie knew what Elizabeth meant. Elizabeth gave an honest answer but not what Valerie preferred to hear. She wanted her to be bitter toward the Council, or passionate to be on the good side. She worried if Caleb were to be in danger, was Elizabeth too jaded by her past to protect her son?
“What prompted you to move to Denver? To the Facility? To apply for this position?” Valerie asked, moving past her apprehension.
“I had a friend who was pretty high up in security here. He reached out and invited me and a few others to work for him here. He said what you had going here was good and people were safe. I arrived with a group of seven. After the cleanup, I needed to get away from there.”
“Had a friend in security?” Hyka probed.
“Yes, had. He passed away last week. Hector Hayes.”
Valerie swallowed hard. “I’m deeply sorry for your loss. I knew only of his reputation of bravery. I’m afraid I only met him a couple of times.”
There was a long uncomfortable silence before Hyka asked, “Do you have questions for us about the position?”
“When should I expect to hear an answer about the position?”
Immediately. No, Valerie thought to herself. Her previously prepared questions would suffice to go unanswered. She didn’t tell Hyka how she used Hector’s energy to save her, ending his existence. The pain in Elizabeth’s eyes was fresh. Death did various things to people. For some, it motivated them to step up and make certain no one else fell casualty to the same circumstance. For others, it made them bitter, spiteful, and dangerous. With Hyka not around to support her, Valerie’s connection to Hector’s death made Elizabeth a scary variable.
“You should know by tomorrow,” Valerie said politely. “Thank you for your time.”
Valerie walked with Hyka in the opposite direction as Elizabeth when the interview was over. Lalit had reestablished her boutique inside the airport. The few businesses that remained were housed on the surface level structure for the convenience of Facility residents. Flights seldom came or went. Citizens were required to petition in advance where they wished to go and why. No flights went farther east than Kansas City. Aside from the market in the main security area, the rest of the airport was empty.
“We should’ve scheduled more time between interviews,” Valerie said, looking at a mural of mourning women as they passed.
“It’s like ripping off a bandage. Just get it over with then you can relax. This next chick looks pretty good on paper though. But the first one’s answer about not seeing people as human? Like, I get it, but maybe not what you should say to the Queen DiaZem.”
“Right? I thought I was just being harsh. I’ve seen compassion fatigue in the ER, but I wouldn’t tell the nurse manager I didn’t see patients as human in my interview.”
“One and done. You got this?” Hyka asked outside Lalit’s door.
Valerie took a deep breath in and out. “Yes. You?”
Hyka shrugged and walked into the boutique.
Valerie took her time walking back to the small meeting room even though the next interview was due to start in just a few minutes. She was down to one candidate, but then what? If only five people applied, and two made it to interviews, what were the other three like? She rounded the corner and saw Teresa waiting outside the room in the chair provided. The woman was beautiful and warm and smiling when they greeted each other.
“Hello, Teresa. Please come in and have a seat. Looking at your resume, I see you’ve held quite a few jobs since the Awakening. Tell me about the positions you’ve held he
re in the Facility.”
Teresa coughed, cleared her throat, and responded politely. “I started in housekeeping in the beginning. After the shift in leadership, I transferred to Living Area Nine as a supervisor where I assigned housing for new arrivals to the Facility. From there, I became the department lead. I understand this is just a temporary position, but I absolutely love the amount of advancement I can accomplish here in the Facility. I mean, I was a cleaning lady just a few months ago.”
They both laughed. Valerie knew the feeling of fast advancement, having woken up as the Rebellion’s leader.
“I thought you looked familiar. I guess I’ve seen you at one of the department meetings?”
“Yes.” Teresa grinned.
“Tell me about life before the Awakening. What landed you here?”
“I was collected by the CDC in the first few hours of the Awakening. They rescued me, really. I wasn’t in a good place. The Facility offered a safe place to live, and the job system gave me something to do.”
“Tell me about the community outreach you’re involved in.” Valerie prayed she was not opening the answer up for another large letdown like the first prospective hire.
“I take donated supplies to halfway houses in the city for women and children. The Awakening saved a lot of them from terribly abusive places, myself included. Many General Population fled from the east to save their children from being slaughtered by the Council. I’ve found encouraging these women, um, encouraging them in general, that things will change for the better, is very rewarding.”
“I didn’t know the outreach existed. I’d very much like to know more about what you do, Teresa. I used to be a nurse and found helping in that aspect rewarding as well. Now I feel so disconnected from everyone.”
“I’m sure the ladies would love to have you.”
“I think I’ve made a solid decision,” Valerie announced as she entered her new apartment. August was in the living room, studying papers scattered across the wooden coffee table.
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