She made a disgruntled sound. “We need to stop this.”
“I know, but I don’t have the sway you do. Can you call the president and arrange another meeting as soon as possible?”
Rustling again sounded on the other end. “Yes. I’ll call right now. Pack your bag. We’re flying to D.C. tomorrow.”
23 – MEETING
We traveled to D.C. the next day. The entire flight my heart beat erratically. I had no idea what was happening on the reservation. I had no idea if Davin was being treated fairly or if he was being tortured again. Since Sara didn’t know, my only inside connection, I was completely in the dark.
Sara and Sophie were still locked in their new home. Nobody had come for them. The initiation meeting, that explained the rules on the reservation, had been canceled. They hadn’t been given an explanation as to why.
My stomach rolled at the thought of what could be happening. Images of the way Dr. Roberts’ brutalized Davin kept flashing through my mind. The Chair. Bloody puncture wounds. Being locked in the Experimental Room.
I gripped the armrests of my seat tightly. Stratus clouds hung above us as we descended into Dulles International Airport. Cate had managed to pull a few strings. We had a meeting with the president scheduled for late morning. It was currently 10 a.m. on the east coast.
We’d need to hurry.
Cate’s foot tapped on the floor as the jet’s wheels hit the runway. The familiar scream of the engines and squeaking breaks followed.
“We’ll have to be succinct.” She unclicked her seatbelt and stood as the plane taxied along the runway. “The aide said we’ll only have twenty minutes of the president’s time.”
I swallowed uneasily. How can we change the course of the future in only twenty minutes?
“Having Dr. Sadowsky’s testimonial will help, I hope.” I cleared my throat after I said the words. My anxiety had returned full-force and with it came the feeling that I was being swallowed whole by an invisible force, eager to suck me into its dark embrace.
Just breathe. Remember what Davin said. When you feel a panic attack coming, close your eyes and breathe.
As Cate grabbed her bags while the pilot opened the cabin door, I reached to the back of my mind and mentally knocked on my connection with Sara.
At least ten seconds passed before she opened. Meghan?
I breathed a sigh of relief. Hi. How’s it going? Are you okay?
Yes, for the time being. Oh, Meghan… it’s so… It’s weird here.
I swallowed tightly. And Davin? How is he?
I felt her shake her head helplessly. I’m sorry. I still don’t know.
Her response was like a kick in the gut. Each time we’d spoken, she’d said the same thing. She was fine. Sophie was fine. The other Kazzies were fine, but she had no idea about Davin. When they’d hauled him away, unconscious from the drug they’d administered to him, he’d been taken somewhere.
And she still had no idea where.
Worst of all, she couldn’t reach him. That either meant he was still unconscious or too drugged to communicate.
Neither option made me feel better.
Do you know anyone who’s seen him?
No. They’re still keeping us restricted in our new homes. We’re not allowed to leave until we’ve gone through the initiation meetings. They say we still have two more weeks before all of our meetings and training are over, but those meetings haven’t started. I guess all of the Kazzies haven’t arrived yet.
Oh, Sara. I’m so sorry. Cate and I are working right now to get you out of there. How’s everyone else doing?
I felt her shrug. Okay, but… She seemed to struggle to find the words. You know this is the first time any of us have seen other Kazzies. I didn’t even know what some of the strains could do. Did you see that woman with wings? And there was a guy I saw on the street, walking with two guards, he had super long arms and cupped hands.
Guilt filled me when she said that. It only then dawned on me that we should have educated them more about what they’d see. I smacked my hand to my forehead as cool air swirled into the jet’s cabin. The pilot had opened the door and lowered the stairs.
“Meghan? Are you coming?”
My head snapped up when Cate’s voice registered.
“Um, yeah.” It was strange to be talking to two people at once. I felt fairly certain from the peculiar expression Cate wore that I hadn’t done a good job at hiding my facial expressions while I’d been conversing with Sara. And I had just smacked myself in the forehead for no apparent reason. Nice one, Meg, I thought to myself.
I explained to Sara where I was. We once again shut down our connection as Cate and I stepped out of the jet. Stiffening, I waited for the jeers, food bombs, and insults to come.
Nothing happened.
The runway was empty.
“Looks like the protestors have left.”
Cate nodded. “From what I’ve heard, since the Kazzies were moved to the reservation, the protests here have died down. Senator Douglas probably told them to go home.”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as our ride pulled up.
We slipped into the backseat of the car and sped away. The jet would stay put. This wouldn’t take long. By suppertime, we’d know if Dr. Roberts would still be the Director of the reservation.
THIRTY MINUTES LATER, we pulled through the White House gates. The familiar lawn, guards, and fence passed by. I balled my hands into fists when we stopped at the same door we’d entered last time.
A staff member greeted us. “This way please.” He waved us to the door.
Cate and I stepped out. Birds chirped from the trees overhead while a breeze caressed our cheeks. We were ushered inside. With hurried movements, two aides beckoned us down the halls. “You’ll need to be quick. She has a conference call with the prime minister in Australia in thirty minutes.”
A few steps later, I was once again entering the Oval Office. The president sat at her desk. This time, she wasn’t on the phone.
“Dr. Hutchinson and Dr. Forester, good morning.” She pushed to standing. A loose fitting blouse adorned her top. Plain brown dress pants covered her lower half.
“Thank you for seeing us on such short notice.” Cate shook her hand.
“Of course.” The president waved the aides away. “We’ll be fine.”
I shook the president’s hand after Cate. Thankfully, my palm didn’t feel sweaty, only cool.
After we sat on the couches, the president angled her body toward us. Despite her focused demeanor, I still noticed the dark circles under her eyes and worry lines around her mouth. The new direction our country had taken seemed to be taking a toll on everyone.
“What can I do for you today?” She folded her hands in her lap.
Cate took charge. “We came to discuss the state of the reservation. It’s only recently come to our attention that Dr. Roberts, the former lab director of Compound 26, is now in charge. We have concerns about that.”
The president’s eyebrows rose. “Is that so? He came very highly recommended. As you probably know by now, the decision to put him in charge was only made a few days ago as the original appointee suffered a car crash. Since Dr. Roberts was runner-up, he was the next logical choice.”
“Can I ask who recommended him?” I sat further forward.
“Several top officials in the MRRA. Dr. Roberts has an extensive military background, and given his specialty in medicine as well as working with the Kazzies previously, it seemed like the best fit.”
Cate and I exchanged a look. It didn’t go unnoticed.
“If you have something to say, just say it.” The president’s tone was firm.
“Have you been informed of his past behavior at Compound 26?” I reached into my bag to pull out Dr. Sadowsky’s testimonial. “He abused the Kazzies horribly at my facility. It went on for years before it was stopped.”
The president’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
I han
ded her the letter from Dr. Sadowsky. “Dr. Roberts had special mechanics installed within Compound 26. One of those items was called the Chair. It was a mechanical apparatus that restrained a Kazzie from any movement so barbaric medical practices could be done on them.” I pulled out the pictures and handed them to her.
The president’s eyes widened as she studied the photos.
She next read Dr. Sadowsky’s brief letter. It stated that Dr. Roberts had indeed been treating the Kazzies unjustly. Following that, she studied the photos again.
I leaned forward. “He also subjected the Kazzies to experimental treatments, and almost all of those treatments were against the Kazzies’ will. Dr. Roberts treated them like lab rats, cutting into them with no anesthetic, locking them in isolation for weeks at a time, and it’s my belief that he wanted to sabotage the work Compounds 10 and 11 were doing with mind-body genomics.”
The president studied everything I gave her while the clock ticked menacingly on the wall. Our time was almost up.
“This is incredibly disturbing.” She shuffled the papers together and set them down. “Do you feel he would subject the Kazzies to inhumane treatments on the reservation?”
“Most certainly. Just yesterday, when we transported our Kazzies to the reservation, he treated them horribly.” I explained how Davin had been drugged and hauled away like a common criminal.
The president continued to frown, her look contemplative. “It was well known that the Kazzies may need to be sedated once they arrived. That action was approved.”
My eyes widened. “It would have been nice if we’d been told that. Not only did we walk into that situation blind, but our Kazzies did too. They had no idea what to expect.”
The president took a deep breath. “I hear your frustrations, but you need to understand that a lot has been orchestrated in a short time. I apologize that it wasn’t executed as well as it could have been.”
Cate leaned forward. “What about Dr. Roberts? Are you going to remove him?”
The president’s frown deepened, a penchant look crossing her features. “I am indeed disturbed by the things you’ve shown me, and I take them very seriously. I also understand your concerns, and I will look into it.”
She paused as if debating a few things. Eventually, she shook her head. “At the moment, I’m going to keep Dr. Roberts in charge. We’ve had too many upheavals as it is. The protestors are still running rampant. They may not be active within D.C. anymore, but I’m still receiving reports of groups trying to stop the small progress you all made during your educational tours this summer. If I remove Dr. Roberts now, it could signify that we don’t have control of the reservation or that we jumped into it unprepared. I can’t send that kind of message right now.”
My mouth dropped.
She held her hand up. “But, I believe what you’ve brought to me needs to be addressed. I’ll arrange for a few officials to closely monitor the activities on the reservation. I can assure you that the Kazzies won’t be subjected to abuse.”
My heart rate sped up. “But how can you guarantee that? This is crazy!” The challenging question bubbled out of me. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. We’d just presented the president with solid proof of the past behaviors of Dr. Roberts, yet she wasn’t going to remove him. Instead, she was going to keep him in charge and arrange for a few people to “monitor” activities within the reservation. And her decision was all based off public perception.
Her tone dropped to glacial levels. “It’s hardly crazy. It’s how you keep a country running that’s barely functioning as it is. And I did say I would monitor the going-ons inside. Hopefully, you can understand that there are a number of objectives we’re trying to achieve right now. Showing chaos or disorganization to the American people will not work to our advantage.”
“But you will look into this,” Cate interjected. “And soon?”
“Of course.” The president smoothed her blouse.
The door opened to her office. The same aides stepped back in. “They’re ready for you.”
The president nodded briskly and stood. She held out her hand. “Thank you both for stopping by and informing me about your concerns.”
I forced a smile and took her hand. “Thank you. Please do consider what we’ve said.”
Cate also said her thanks, but the blood whooshing through my ears became so loud I couldn’t hear her. The sudden realization that I’d come again to D.C. in hopes of helping the Kazzies to only fail a second time kept pummeling my thoughts. With it came the deep, mind-numbing fear that nothing would be done to stop Dr. Roberts.
Nothing anytime soon.
24 – INSIDE
Clouds drifted by my window as we flew across the country. We’d be landing in South Dakota in two hours. I couldn’t get there fast enough.
Since it was obvious we’d get little to no help from D.C., it really came down to two choices. One, we waited to see if things improved on their own, hoping that top officials within the government stopped abuse on the reservation. Or two, we did something about it ourselves.
Ultimately, my choice was made the second I left the president’s office.
I closed my eyes and, for a brief moment, let myself remember the kiss Davin and I had shared. It felt like another lifetime in which that had happened. The hardness of his chest. The soft feel of his lips. The way he pulled me so tightly to him. So much time had passed since those few minutes in the forgotten corridor.
I wanted to hold onto the memory and never let it go. Fear at the thought of never seeing him again wrapped around me, like icy tentacles from the deep. Davin had believed that once he was in the reservation we’d become a thing of the past. Until now, I’d never thought he could be right.
His words came back to haunt me as they had again and again over the past weeks.
It can never be.
My hands dug into my knees as I turned toward Cate. “I’m not going to leave them there, Cate. I can’t.”
Worry lines creased her forehead. “It may take time, but the president is our best bet. One call from her and everything could change. Dr. Roberts could be ousted in an afternoon.”
“And if she doesn’t make that call?”
Cate frowned and adjusted her glasses. “Then…”
“Exactly. Then what? We’re stuck. I can’t let that happen. I’m going back to the reservation.”
“Meghan. Think clearly. There’s nothing we can do right now.”
Yes, there is. There’s always something that can be done.
But I didn’t tell her that. I knew she’d try to talk me out of it, so I numbly nodded and played along, while inside, I began to plan.
AFTER WE LANDED in Sioux Falls, my first stop was at the Compound. Since it was only day two, my co-workers would still be in quarantine.
When I strode into the Sanctum, my co-workers were all hanging out in cell four. All twenty cells had been opened for the exposed researchers.
Amy, Mitch, and Charlie were playing cards, but all of them stood and approached the watch room when I stepped up to the control panel.
Mitch grinned, a knowing twinkle in his eyes. I pushed aside the anxiety that provoked. He still didn’t know any future between us was already foreclosed.
I’ll deal with that later.
“What’s up, stranger?” Amy’s smile faded when she got a better look at me. “What’s wrong?”
I nodded to the guard. “You can take a break. I’ll be in here for a bit.”
“Of course, ma’am.”
Once he left, I took his seat and told them what had transpired over the past twenty-four hours.
“Dr. Roberts is running the reservation?” Mitch shook his head. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“And the president is still keeping him in charge after you showed her what he’s done?” Amy asked incredulously.
I nodded. “They’re not going to make Dr. Roberts step down. He’s going to stay in charge of the reservation, and wors
t of all, I still have no idea how Davin’s doing.”
Charlie frowned heavily. “Unbelievable.”
I ran an agitated hand through my hair. “The president said things are too volatile right now. That she needs to give the impression to the public that we’re controlling the virus. She fears if she removes Dr. Roberts that it will cause more upheaval.”
Amy snorted. “What a crock of shit.”
Charlie seconded her opinion. “Sounds like typical political BS.”
Mitch put his hands on his hips. “So there’s nothing we can do.”
I shook my head. “That’s not an option for me. I’m driving back up there.”
“Now?” Charlie’s eyebrows rose.
Amy rolled her eyes. “No, genius… next week.”
Their usual banter helped calm my racing heart.
“What are you going to do?” Amy asked.
My brow furrowed. “I’m going to try to get into the reservation. I need to know how our Kazzies are doing. And I need to speak with Dr. Roberts. I know he probably won’t listen to me, but I need to try.”
“But how are you going to get in?” Mitch crossed his arms.
“I have no idea. That’s partly why I’m here. I wanted to see how you were all doing, but I also wondered if you had any ideas that would make them admit me.”
“We’re fine.” Amy swirled her hair up into a ponytail. Red curls still escaped to frame her face. “None of us have shown any symptoms yet. Only one of the researchers has run a fever. He’s probably going to go through the same thing you did.”
Poor guy.
“That’s a fairly high rate of zero symptoms or only mild symptoms.” I tapped my fingers on the panel. “That’s great odds.”
“Exactly.” Mitch shook his head. “Now, if only the damned government would pay attention to that.”
I checked my watch. Time was ticking. “So… any ideas to get me into the rez?”
“First off, curfew’s coming up.” Charlie glanced at the clock too. “Are you still sure leaving this afternoon is a good idea?”
Reservation 1: Book #2 in The Makanza Series Page 24
