by M. R. Forbes
He reached up, digging his hand into his hair. He needed more, and he needed it fast. Francis was gone. Dead. Killed over keeping the secret. Why had he started to talk only to go that far? Had he known they weren’t here by themselves? Or had he only suspected? He hadn’t wanted his friend to come to the Station to tell them what he knew. Not until they knew more. Why? What was he afraid of?
Or had his fears already caught up to him? Had he expected he would be silenced for his trouble? His paranoia had gotten him killed.
“Are you okay, Sheriff?” Aarho asked.
He wasn’t. Not at all. He had been hoping Francis could help him, but that was out of the question.
“Yeah,” he replied. “Gather everything associated with the board and bring it to Engineering. Talk to Mae. See if she can put it back together.”
“Mae? What about your wife?”
It took all of his strength not to show her anything. He knew if he let the emotion out he wouldn’t be able to put it back in.
“Ask Mae,” he said. “Okay, Deputy?”
“Yes, sir.”
Hayden left the cube, his knees weak. He made it out into the hallway. His mind was alternating between chaotic reeling and focused determination.
He needed help, and with Natalia gone, there was only one person in Metro who could help him.
11
Hayden found Governor Malcolm back at the Law Station, once again waiting for him in his office.
“Sheriff,” Malcolm said as Hayden entered. He was standing. Pacing. He didn’t look happy. “Where the hell have you been?”
“Malcolm,” Hayden said.
“Don’t,” Malcolm said. “I gave you a pass on the Code Blue. But now Bradshaw is in critical condition because you never showed up at Block Twenty-four. You never even radioed in to let anyone know you weren’t going to be there.”
“I contacted Bradshaw,” Hayden said. “Will you listen-”
“Bradshaw isn’t awake to corroborate that, and besides, why would he confront that kid alone? He was a big boy.”
“I know he is; he jumped me in the strands.”
“He jumped you? And you didn’t have him locked down upstairs?”
“He was trying to escape. I didn’t think he was dangerous.”
“You didn’t think at all, did you, Hayden? Damn it. We’ve got an injured Law Officer. We’ve got a dead citizen. And you were nowhere to be found.”
“My badge isn’t responding,” Hayden said. “I don’t know why. Malcolm, I -”
“I don’t want to hear it. Not now.”
“You’re going to hear it, damn it!” Hayden shouted. “You need to fucking hear it! Natalia is gone. Something took her.”
Malcolm froze. The fight washed out of him in an instant. He stared at Hayden, who was shaking from the admission. The emotions were so close to coming out. The fear. The pain. He could barely contain it.
“What?”
It was all the Governor could manage.
“I said, something took her, Malcolm. She radioed me to tell me she found a body out near Section C. Only it wasn’t the body of anyone in Metro. By the time I got there, she was gone.”
“Maybe she went back to Engineering?” His voice was hopeful.
“I don’t think so. I found this.” He opened his hand. Her transceiver was there. It had left deep marks in his palm from being gripped so tightly. “There was blood, Malcolm. A lot of blood. I can only hope it wasn’t hers.”
“You’re saying that-”
“Something took her,” Hayden repeated. “Whoever or whatever it was, it came from the other side of the secure access hatch in Section C.”
“The hatch?”
“Is sealed again. I don’t know how they opened it.”
Malcolm sighed heavily. “Who else knows about this?”
“Nobody, yet. I went to Block Twenty-four to find Francis because I know he had access to the maintenance boxes. I thought maybe he would know how to open the hatch. I didn’t expect to find him dead.”
“That’s right; he had the codes to the boxes. He nearly killed Bradshaw to keep him from something.”
“A circuit board. He had a display. He had a keyboard. He was working on something. He had discovered something he didn’t want us to know about.”
“How do we know he didn’t open the hatch? How do we know his friends weren’t out there? How do we know they didn’t take your wife?”
“She said the body wasn’t from Metro.”
“It could have been some kid wearing a style she hasn’t seen before. She wouldn’t know someone from Block Twenty-four, and she wouldn’t expect them to be in the maintenance corridors.”
Hayden swallowed hard. He hadn’t considered that. Six chairs. It was possible. Was that why Francis had been chasing his friend? Was he planning to rat them out to Law? Had Francis destroyed the board and attacked Bradshaw to protect them? Was anything Francis told him even true?
“I don’t,” Hayden admitted.
“If somebody was out there, don’t you think they would have tried to contact us before now? It’s been years. We don’t have a control panel on our side. Wouldn’t it stand to reason they can open the hatch from theirs?”
“You’re right. That sounds more reasonable. But if they took her-”
“Don’t think that way. Where’s the board?”
“I told Deputy Aarho to bring it to Mae, to see if she could repair it.”
“Okay. Good. That’s a start.” Malcolm lowered his head. “Shit, Hayden. I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say. I’m sorry I yelled at you again. Damn it. I can’t imagine what you’re feeling right now.” He looked him in the eye. “We’ll get her back. I promise. I’ll get every resource we have on it. Law, Engineering, even Medical if it will help. Just tell me what you need.”
“I don’t know, Malcolm,” Hayden said. “I don’t know what to do. This isn’t supposed to happen. Metro isn’t supposed to be like this.” He could feel the tears welling into his eyes. He couldn’t hold himself together much longer.
“You know the kids here, they’re getting frustrated with the way stuff is breaking down. Maybe they wanted to find out why we’re still out here?”
“So they killed someone and took my wife?”
“She’s a Lead Engineer. Maybe they want her to help them figure out what the hell is going on with this ship.”
“That’s a lot of conjecture.”
“Yeah, but it’s hopeful conjecture instead of assuming the worst. We weren’t meant to be out here forever. Maybe some good can come of this. Hang in there, Hayden. I know that’s a lousy thing to say, and I know it doesn’t put Natalia back in your arms, but don’t give up. Not yet.”
He moved forward, taking Hayden in an embrace. Hayden couldn’t hold back the tide anymore. He sobbed into Malcolm’s shoulder, the tears running freely.
“I don’t want to do this without her,” he said.
“I know,” Malcolm replied. “To be honest, neither do I.”
It took Hayden a while to begin to gather himself, his body spent and exhausted. Malcolm stayed with him, comforting him as well as he could. Finally, he drew back.
“I’m going to head up to Engineering to check in with Mae on the board,” Malcolm said. “I’m also going to put Aarho and Wilson on trying to figure out who else this Francis Lira might have known, and see if we can locate them in Metro. I want you to go home and try to relax.”
“I can’t,” Hayden said. “I can’t go home. Not now.”
“Okay. Give me twenty minutes to reach Engineering. I’ll have them send someone to link your ID to my place. You can crash there.”
Hayden looked Malcolm in the eye. He had always respected the Governor, but he was surprised by the amount of compassion he was showing. “Thank you.”
“It’s not all posturing, Sheriff,” Malcolm said, smiling. “We all need to take care of one another out here. Hang tight, okay?”
“Yeah.”
<
br /> Malcolm patted him on the shoulder before leaving him alone in his office. Hayden stood there for a moment, looking down at Natalia’s transceiver badge. His was broken, but it hadn’t even occurred to him to use hers. He wasn’t thinking clearly at all. How could he?
His body was spent. Every muscle ached. Malcolm was right. There was a plausible explanation why someone might have wanted her, and it wasn’t for anything violent or sexual. He had to stay positive. Mae was a great engineer. She would fix the board, and then they would have some answers. He couldn’t assume Natalia was dead. He had to be strong. He had to believe.
He closed his hand on her badge again. He wasn’t giving up hope. Not now. Not ever. He was too physically tired to help her like this, and Mae needed time. He couldn’t calm himself, not completely, but maybe he could recover some of his strength.
He sat down behind his desk. He had a drawing of Natalia on it, etched on an old scrap of paper by a Creative in Block Sixteen and propped up by a slim piece of bent metal. His eyes landed on it, and he felt his eyes water again. Nothing was going to stop him from finding her.
Nothing.
12
There were perks to being the Governor that went beyond access to cultured steak. One of them was having the largest and nicest cube in Metro.
Only the Governor’s home wasn’t a cube. It was an entire floor, the top floor of Block One. It was out of place amidst the rest of the cubes, the only such home in the entire city, and while the PASS couldn’t tell them why it was the way it was, there was a legend that the original occupant was the man who had designed the Pilgrim and his family.
That meant the Governor’s Mansion, as the populace referred to it, wasn’t only the largest cube in the city. It was also the most opulent. It had real, ornate furnishings. Plush sofas, a king-sized, thick foam bed, a dining table for twelve, rugs and paintings and even a collection of books. It was one of the most invaluable troves of history stored within the hull of the Generation ship.
And it was all under the control of one man, off-limits to the rest of Metro save those the Governor invited over.
Of course, the position of Governor was an elected one. Every ten years, multiple entrants would vie for the role, putting forth their background and platforms and pushing for why they should take up the most important mantle on the ship. Malcolm had been in Operations before the election eight years ago. Most of the Governors came from there because the department was in charge of keeping Metro running smoothly, coordinating the other departments and being responsible for chits, food and water, housing, and all of the other vital functions. Malcolm had made a name for himself in Operations, coming up with ideas that helped optimize their dwindling resources to stretch them just a little further. He was also a compassionate, kind, and open leader, and in that regard, he deserved the massive cube and the treasure within.
A treasure he had decided to share with Hayden. The tech from Engineering was already gone by the time he arrived at the cube, but when he held his wrist up to the pad the door unlocked, and he pushed it open and stepped in. He froze there, marveling at the grandiosity of it all. The walls were framed with real wood; the ceiling painted with a mural depicting the Pilgrim traveling through the stars. It was chipped and faded and cracked after all of this time, but it was still incredible.
Part of the legend of the First Governor suggested that he had kept a stash of real, original food hidden somewhere in the large wood and marble kitchen that graced the back of the cube, near the full-length windows. Cans of vegetables, sealed packages of sweets, and bottles of alcohol that were impossible to replace. It was a point of pride among Governors not to admit or deny the existence of the treats, and to be considerate of the incoming administration and take only a small share.
Hayden was tempted to ransack the kitchen to find the rumored stash if only to give himself something to occupy his attention. Waiting was painful, and he felt each passing minute as another stab in the gut despite all of his efforts to stay positive. He approached the kitchen, opening a few of the drawers and cabinets to explore the contents, not surprised to find them empty. There were a few nutrition bars in the pantry, along with a few large jugs of water. It was a standard ration for one, even though Malcolm had every right as Governor to take more.
He gave up easily, not finding any comfort in the search. He made his way to one of the four bedrooms in the cube. The bed in it was a single, intended for one of the First Governor’s children. Hayden had traced some of the family trees back in the PASS. He knew Wilson was a descendent of someone who was likely a descendent of the First Governor. It didn’t mean anything anymore. Not after so much time.
Unlike the beds in the other cubes, it was constructed of wood, the mattress a soft yet supple foam. He laid down on it, feeling his body sink in, his muscles releasing their tension. He reached for Natalia’s badge, about to call into Engineering. He stopped himself. They would let him know when they had something, he was sure.
He tried to clear his head. It was impossible. Memories of Natalia flooded it instead. He remembered the first time he had seen her, at one of the regularly organized social gatherings for the singles in Metro. She had been wearing her Engineering uniform, and she had looked so confident and professional in it. He was drawn to that more than her physical appearance, though he had always found her pleasing to look at. The first three times he asked her to dance, she said no. Not in a disinterested way, but he could tell she wanted him to work for it.
So he did.
She had her own inner strength that he admired, an inner strength he hoped was serving her now. He had been so consumed with his worry that he hadn’t thought about hers. Was she worried about him, knowing how he would feel? Was she afraid? Was she planning her escape? Was she trying to convince her captors to let her go?
Giving her a little more credit gave him a little more peace. She was strong. She was smart. She wouldn’t let herself be a victim if she could help it. She had handled the loss of their unborn child with such grace and dignity. He was sure she would handle this situation the same.
It was those thoughts that let his body relax, and his mind calm enough that his physical exhaustion took over.
Before he knew it, he was asleep.
For how long?
He wasn’t sure.
He woke up when someone shook his shoulder, calling his name.
“Hayden. Hayden.”
His eyes opened slowly. Malcolm was leaning over him, his face serious. Wilson and Hicks were standing nearby, also looking morose.
“What’s going on?” Hayden asked.
Malcolm backed away. Wilson moved toward him. “I’m sorry, Sheriff,” she said.
“Sorry for what?” he asked.
“You’re under arrest,” she replied. “For the murder of Natalia Duke.”
13
Hayden’s brow dropped. He felt a flare of pain in his chest. His eyes locked on Malcolm.
“You found her?” he said, his voice barely able to make it out of him. “You found her body? She’s. She’s dead?”
He barely noticed Wilson leaning toward him with the cuffs. He hadn’t caught up with her words yet.
“No,” Malcolm said. “We haven’t found her, Hayden. You’re the last person that saw her. You have her badge. Where is she?”
His brain caught up. Under arrest? What the hell? His eyes shifted to the incoming cuffs. “Wait. Wilson. Wait. What the hell is this, Malcolm? I told you, someone took her.”
Malcolm put up his hand to stop Wilson. “I know what you told me, Hayden. I went to Section C myself to check it out. There was no blood. There was no indication that the secure hatch had been opened. The only thing I have is a Sheriff with blood on his pants in possession of his wife’s transceiver, claiming it was someone else. I don’t need to tell you how that looks.”
“Damn it, Malcolm,” Hayden said. “If the blood was gone they must have cleaned it up. They must have opened the hatch again.”<
br />
“Who?” Malcolm replied.
“You know who. Francis’ friends, maybe? That’s what you suggested.”
“I’m sorry, Sheriff,” Wilson said. “Aarho and I have been on it for the last four hours. We haven’t found any evidence of a link between Francis Lira and anyone else. As near as we can tell, he didn’t have any friends.”
Hayden shook his head. That wasn’t true. He knew it wasn’t true. Francis had been chasing someone. “No,” he said. “That’s not right.”
“We have to bring you in, Hayden,” Malcolm said. “At least until we get to the bottom of this. I’m sorry, but your story doesn’t check out.”
“You know me, Malcolm. You know I would never hurt Natalia. That’s just stupid.”
“Put yourself in my position. I can’t ignore the facts as they present themselves. I have a responsibility to Metro. Blood on your clothes. Natalia’s badge. Come on.”
“What about the circuit board?”
“Mae is working on it. She said it’s pretty basic, though. At best, it might be able to run a few simple operations. Nothing powerful enough to figure out codes to the maintenance boxes, or to open a secured hatch, especially one without a control panel.”
He motioned to Wilson. She started moving toward him with the cuffs again.
“It’s better if you come down to the Station so we can talk,” Malcolm said.
Hayden’s heart was racing. He couldn’t believe this. He was being accused of killing his wife? “What’s my motive, damn it?”
“I’m hoping you can help me understand that,” Malcolm said.
“Put out your hands, Sheriff,” Wilson said. “Please?”
Hayden didn’t move. Hicks drew his gun, pointing it at him. “Don’t make me use this, sir.”
“Malcolm,” Hayden said, pleading with him. “Don’t. She needs us. I’m telling you the truth.”
“I want to believe you. I do. I can’t take that risk. The safety of this entire city is at stake.”
Hayden looked back at Malcolm. The fear faded in an instant, replaced with a sudden, terrifying understanding.
