Reservation 1: Book #2 in The Makanza Series

by Krista Street

  “Is everything all right?” she asked.

  I closed the door behind me. “Yeah, I just wanted to talk to you about what I saw today.”

  She crossed her arms. “Do you mean the protestors? I heard that you ventured outside to talk to them.”

  So much for keeping that a secret. “Yes, I did, but that’s not what I’m referring to.”

  She waved me toward the empty chairs. We both sat, me perched on the edge of mine while she leaned back and crossed her legs.

  “I saw Dr. Roberts.”

  Her eyes widened. “Where?”

  “He drove by when I was outside. I didn’t get a good look at him, but I’m sure it was him.” I pictured the way his sedan slowed when he passed me. I shuddered. He’d probably told his driver to slow down when he recognized me.

  Cate steepled her hands in front of her face. “There have been a few rumors that he’ll be in charge of Reservation 1.”

  My heart stopped. “What?”

  Cate nodded grimly. “I know. I couldn’t believe it either, but it’s not set in stone. There’s no guarantee those rumors are correct.”

  I jumped to standing and paced in front of the fireplace. “Cate, he can’t be in charge of the reservation. He abuses the Kazzies! How can a man like that be put in charge of their care?”

  “I know. I know. Please, calm down. There have been no definitive decisions yet on the managerial structure of the reservation. It could simply all be rumors and rumors only.”

  I continued to pace. It once again came to mind that Dr. Roberts’ record was clean. Nobody knows how he treated the Kazzies. The thought of Dr. Roberts being anywhere near my friends again made a burning resentment and anger fire through me. It felt like heat coated my veins. He couldn’t be allowed into that reservation.

  “That only makes it more imperative that we don’t fail.” I continued pacing. “Someone like that can never be allowed near them again.”

  Cate stood and stopped my movements. She placed her hands on my shoulders. Her cool eyes held steady as she peered into mine. “We’ll stop the reservation, Meghan. I know we can.”

  OUR MEETING WITH the president was scheduled for after breakfast the next day. After my panic last night at the thought of Dr. Roberts on Reservation 1, I’d pulled myself back together. If we wanted to convince the president to veto the reservation bill, we’d need cool rationale and sound science to do it.

  Dr. Hutchinson came to my room first thing in the morning. She was all business-like which I appreciated. Between the two of us, I definitely had a higher emotional investment in the Kazzies. Her cool and calm manner balanced my passion and determination.

  It was probably why we made such a great team.

  “Do you have your data in order?” She flipped through the slides in our presentation on my laptop. We’d start with hard data and facts. Only then would we bring in the emotional aspects. The backstories of who the Kazzies were. They were people. Each had a face. A name. A story to go along with their infection. They weren’t a number. They weren’t statistics. They were innocent people who’d been given a grossly unfair hand in life. And even though they appeared different, they were still just as human as the rest of us, and they deserved to be treated as such.

  I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. I wore a business suit. It was the charcoal gray two-piece that I’d worn for my first day at the Compound over ten months ago. In a way, it was a good luck charm.

  Dr. Hutchinson flipped through the slides for a second time. “All right, to recap, I’ll talk about the effectiveness of the vaccine first. I have all of the latest data. Exposures, side effects, and percentages of reactions to the vaccine. That information will be important to convey.”

  I studied the slides. “And I’ll go into details about each Kazzie in Washington and South Dakota. Their names, their pictures, where they grew up, their hopes and dreams before the First Wave hit, and…”

  We discussed our strategy again and rehearsed our presentation one final time. It was similar to the presentation we gave at the Summit, only now, it was the only thing that stood between the Kazzies being free or spending their lives behind a fence.

  When the time finally came for us to meet the president, I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I’d be. We were prepared. We had sound data and science on our side. Any logical person would see that our argument for the Kazzies’ freedom was not only a safe choice but the fair choice.

  It seemed inevitable we’d walk out of the meeting smiling and triumphant.

  Two guards led us out of our wing to the Oval Office. It was surreal to march down the stairs and through corridors I’d only heard of but had never seen.

  When we entered the Oval Office, the president sat behind her desk. She was on the phone and waved us to a couch. With a flick of her hand, she dismissed the guards.

  Dr. Hutchinson and I waited while she finished her conversation. My heart hammered. Only a few yards away was the president.

  She wore a black business suit and silk shirt underneath. Her short hair had streaks of gray. Crow’s feet lined her eyes. Everything about her exuded confidence and authority. It was hard to not feel intimidated.

  If only Jeremy was alive. He’d love to hear about this.

  The president set the phone in the cradle and stood. “Excuse me for being in the midst of a call.”

  She came around the desk and held out her hand. Cate shook it first. “Madam President.”

  I smiled meekly since I was sure my palm was embarrassingly sweaty. I had the ridiculous urge to curtsy. “Madam President.”

  The president waved us to the couch. “I hear you have some information for me about the reservation.” She sat opposite from us and folded her hands. “I’m all yours for the next twenty minutes.”

  Cate and I exchanged a look that conveyed, okay, this is it, let’s not blow it.

  True to what we rehearsed, Cate swung the laptop around and brought up our slides. She launched into the science and background of the vaccine’s effectiveness. In the way that only she could portray, she made it easy to understand and follow for someone who did not have a scientific background.

  When it was my turn, she shifted the laptop in my direction. With shaking hands, I took a deep breath and began recanting the names and details of the Kazzies in South Dakota and Washington. I felt my voice become more animated, more impassioned as my rehearsed speech progressed. I cared so much for the Kazzies. I was sure that was evident in my tone.

  As our rehearsed presentation came to an end, the president’s brow furrowed as she leaned back in her seat.

  “You’re suggesting that we scrap the reservation all together and allow the Kazzies to return to the public, living as each of us does today?”

  “Yes.” I answered before Dr. Hutchinson could. “There’s no reason to keep them contained. They’re not a threat to us.”

  The president nodded. “You’re right. They’re not a threat. You know that, I know that, the CDC knows that, the MRI and MRRA know that, but they don’t know that.” She waved her hand to the large window. In the distance, the protestors could be seen. Their numbers hadn’t diminished. If anything, they’d grown. I wondered if they’d even slept. Or perhaps they protested in shifts. I had no idea how organized they were.

  “So we convince them.” Cate stated the obvious. “We educate them more about the virus and the vaccine. With time, they’ll understand.”

  “Yes, with time, they may.” The president’s tone remained skeptical. “But you have to understand that it’s not that simple. There are many state representatives who also oppose moving the Kazzies out of the Compounds. And with this many protestors fueling the fire, I fear the riots that may break out if we deviate from our current plan. There’s enough volatility right now as it is. I don’t want to add fuel to the fire.”

  “So give us a chance to change their mind.” My voice rose in desperation. “If we can educate them further, the representatives can reconvene and vot
e again.”

  The president sighed. “It’s not that simple.”

  “Why not?” I demanded.

  Cate gave me a sharp look.

  The president continued. “Construction is already underway at the reservation. Most of the public has come to terms with this huge change. Obviously,” she waved toward the window, “not all of them, but to change course this quickly with the reservation deadline looming isn’t wise.”

  My mouth turned dry. “Are…” I cleared my throat. “Are you saying you’re still going to move them to the reservation? No matter what?”

  The president’s expression turned regretful. “Please understand that I heard every word you said. It did not fall on deaf ears. But at this time, in our country’s current state, I cannot veto a decision that was hard enough for our representatives to make. I am doing my best to maintain the peace and keep order. If the protests grow, if this fear mentality isn’t kept in check, the Kazzies may be returned to the Compounds until future notice.”

  Return to the Compounds! That’s moving backwards! “No! They need to be set free! You can’t keep them in the Compounds.”

  Dr. Hutchinson put her hand on my knee. “We understand. You have a lot to consider right now, and we appreciate the time you’ve given us. Perhaps to help facilitate a successful transition to the reservation, Dr. Forester and I can begin an education campaign to better alleviate fears that the public and protestors are having.”

  The president nodded. “That would be helpful. I can have my staff assist you in whatever you need.”

  But that doesn’t change their fate! They’ll still be prisoners!

  With that, the president stood and extended her hand. She and Cate seemed oblivious to my dropped mouth and paralyzed response.

  “Thank you for what you’re doing, and thank you for your contributions.” The president smiled at Cate. “I know that you both played a significant role in the vaccine’s development.”

  Cate shook the president’s hand and said words that I didn’t hear. When it was my turn to shake her hand, I stood on wooden-like legs and forced a smile. My mind still reeled from what our meeting conveyed.

  It was only when the president turned to leave that I snapped out of my trance. “Madam President, I’m sorry but one more question.”

  “Yes?” She cocked an eyebrow.

  A flash of gray eyes filled my mind. My voice shook when I spoke. “Has it been decided who will be the Director at Reservation 1?”

  “No, not yet. That’s still in discussion.” With that, she left the room as aides ushered forward to escort us.

  As Cate and I followed them down the hall, only one thing dominated my thoughts. The Kazzies were not going to be free. They’d be moved to the reservation and that was only if the public’s fear didn’t grow. I trailed my hand along the wall to steady myself.

  I’ve failed.

  I’ve failed to set my friends free. And now I have to tell them.

  18 – CONFESSION

  After we left the president’s office, my mind filled with fog. Cate’s words from our meeting haunted me as we sailed down the hall. She’d so willingly accepted moving the Kazzies to the reservation. My frown deepened as I gave her a sideways glance. Her expression remained stoic.

  How can I tell Sara, Davin, Sophie, Sage, and all of the other Kazzies that I failed them? That they’ll have to live on the reservation? And that’s only if peace continues? Trying to tell them they’d have to stay in the Compound, and that the reservation was no longer an option due to the angry public made me physically nauseous.

  It’s exactly what Davin would expect.

  I imagined their devastated reactions and grim acceptances that once again they’d be subjected to the government’s whim.

  The aide glanced over his shoulder as we neared our rooms. “The MRI plane will arrive shortly to pick you up.”

  I almost stumbled. In other words, they’re kicking us out of the White House. I wasn’t surprised. We’d only come to D.C. to meet the president. Now that our meeting was over, there was no reason for us to stay.

  In the hallway outside of our bedrooms, they left us. Cate gripped my arm before I could enter my room. It was then the accusing words tumbled out.

  “Are you really giving up on them?” My tone sounded as devastated as I felt.

  Cate shot a sideways glance at the guards down the hall and pulled me closer to the window. In a hushed tone, she said, “Of course not, but I know when it’s time to back-off and regroup. All going well, they’ll go to the reservation and not stay in the Compounds.” She ran a hand through her hair. “Honestly, at this point, I don’t see a way around the reservation. As long as the public stays content, at least they’ll be out of the Compounds. Consider it a transition point before we find a way to set them free. And until we can convince the majority of the public to support us, scientific facts don’t matter if they’re too afraid.”

  “That’s why you offered to educate the public? It’s not actually to facilitate a smooth transition to the reservation, but to ultimately sway the public to our side by eradicating that fear?”

  “Yes. Public education will help a smooth transition happen, but my end game is the bigger picture. To ultimately free them, we need votes. And to get votes, the public needs to trust what we’re saying. Ultimately, until those votes are in our favor, we’re fighting a losing battle.”

  Relief that she hadn’t caved was followed by admiration as a grin spread across my face. “We’ll need to organize a national campaign. The public needs to know and understand that the vaccine is safe.”

  Dr. Hutchinson pushed her dark rimmed glasses up her nose. “Yes, we’ll also need to rally as many state representatives as we can. I personally know a few of them. We’ll start there.”

  I twisted the handle on my door. “I’ll get packed.”

  Cate nodded. “We’ll go straight to the airport. From there, we’ll fly to Seattle.”

  “Seattle?”

  “I need you by my side, Meghan. It’s no secret that I want you to be the director of Compounds 10 and 11 one day. This is the perfect opportunity for you to work at my side, see how I manage Compounds, while we fight this new law.”

  I balked. “But we have a vaccine now. Won’t the Compounds cease to exist?” I’d heard rumors of Dr. Hutchinson grooming me for her position, and my lab group loved to tease me about it, but I never dreamed anything would come of it. Even if the Kazzies were returned to the Compounds, for political reasons, it wouldn’t be the same as before.

  Cate shook her head. “Our labs are state-of-the-art. The Inner Sanctums may close, but our labs won’t. You’re not out of a job quite yet.”

  Her humorous jab caught me by surprise. She merely winked and pushed her door open and sailed inside. I was left standing in the hallway with her words swirling through my mind.

  Grooming me to be the Director at Compounds 10 and 11? Had she really said that?

  I pictured Davin. In South Dakota. I knew he’d never leave our state even if he did gain his freedom.

  My hand shook when I opened my door.

  OUR FLIGHT TO Seattle was long. It took six hours by the time we left D.C. I was glad to be airborne. The protestors had been at the airport again, throwing their tomato sauce/vinegar bombs and yelling rude and hateful comments. The police tried to control them, but at times, I feared they’d storm the runway.

  I still hadn’t talked to Sara, only because I wanted to be alone to have time to discuss it with her when we connected. I also hadn’t heard from Davin. I checked my phone frequently, hoping to see a missed call from him. Nothing.

  Biting my lip, I tried to not let the worry consume me, yet I kept seeing it from his perspective. I’d be incredibly hurt too if I thought he slept with someone else. While we weren’t an official couple, we both had feelings for each other and we’d made that clear. And everything that we’d been through during the past year together…

  I just need to talk to
him and explain.

  Puffy looking clouds skimmed the jet’s wings as we descended into Seattle. Once below the clouds, the sky became a vast gray ceiling. Rain splattered the windows, and turbulence jostled me in my seat.

  Dr. Hutchinson’s eyes lit up when the Space Needle appeared. Even though broken windows were evident in the spire, it was still impressive looking. “Have you ever been to Seattle, Meghan?”

  “No, other than Washington D.C., I’ve never been out of the Midwest.”

  I clasped my hands as the wheels touched the ground, the engines screamed, and the spoilers on the wings kicked into action.

  “Have you always lived here?”

  “No.” She grabbed her purse from under the seat in front of her. “I grew up in Spokane. That’s in eastern Washington.”

  We slowed to a crawl as the pilots taxied us to our ride. Thankfully, I didn’t spot any protestors lining this runway, but I was still cautious when I stepped out of the plane. Clinging to the railing tightly, I clutched my laptop bag as I surveyed our surroundings.

  Nothing. Nobody was around. Just the breeze, rain, and waiting vehicle.

  The driver rushed out of his seat when we disembarked. He reached my side and took my bag.

  “Let me help.” Before I could protest, he’d also taken Cate’s bag and ushered us to the car.

  We slipped into the backseat as the driver and pilot loaded our bags in the back. I felt a bit spoiled with their catering. I was perfectly capable of carrying my belongings, yet I also knew Dr. Hutchinson was a well-known figure in Washington. She had celebrity status.

  Warm, humid air swirled into the vehicle when the driver slid into his seat. “How was your flight, ma’am?”

  “Uneventful but fine.” Cate clicked her seatbelt on. “I’m sure you’ve heard of my colleague, Dr. Forester. She lives in South Dakota and works at Compound 26.”