“Tell me, Joslin, what other subjects have you studied besides the standard education?”
As he waits for my reply, I analyze the pros and cons of telling him about my computer skills. He makes the decision for me when he simply turns his eyes up to the speaker in the ceiling. All he needs to do is ask AIRIA and she’ll tell him in detail just how proficient I am.
“Computer programing. I can read and write code.” I spit out.
He lifts an eyebrow and claps his hands once. “Excellent! It’s time for you to rejoin us. I have a job that is perfectly suited to you and your skills. I will assign a mentor to you and we will get you back where you belong.”
He moves to turn away from me but the harsh “NO” I spit out has him turning back with a scowl.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. I’m not going back to that hell hole. Put me back into the levels and I’ll be dead within a month. You might as well put me outside instead or just go ahead and kill me now.”
He scoffs. “Are all teenage girls this dramatic? You will be perfectly safe back in the general population. Things have…stabilized in the last few years. I give you my word.”
Now it’s my turn to laugh mockingly. “Are you for real? Seriously, look at me! I’m thirteen and growing…” I wave up and down my body even as my cheeks heat in embarrassment. Now’s not the time to be vague about my concerns. “I would be a total target for some of your men. No way. If you force me back into the levels I promise you, I’ll kill myself.” At his dismissive expression, I growl, “That’s a promise, not a threat, so go ahead and point me to the nearest exit!”
I can see his anger in the tense muscles of his jaw as he grits out, “What exactly do you want from me?”
I ignore the hope flaring in my chest and swing for the fences. “First, a job sounds great. I do have skills and I would like to contribute, but I’m not one of your soldiers and I won’t become one. No forced training in fighting or guns, or at least not until I’m much older. Second, I keep my nest here and I get to lock the stairwell door for my safety.” When he opens his mouth to argue, I quickly amend with, “To anyone without a green clearance, I mean! If I’m back in the levels where people will take notice of me, I don’t want to risk anyone popping down here for an off the books visit. With that door open to anyone who wants to come down, I’ve been at risk the entire time I’ve been down here. It’s only luck no one has stumbled upon me.” At the slight incline of his head, I rush on. “Third and fourth, I get to continue my education, on my own time which means I’ll need to keep my yellow clearance.”
He stares at me like he’s trying to break me but I just return his look without flinching.
“Fine! Anything else, your highness?”
The fact that he didn’t deny me on any of it has me pushing the tiniest bit more.
“I don’t need a mentor. AIRIA has been guiding me in all areas for the last three years and I haven’t caused you any trouble so we can just stick to that. After all, my last mentor quit the job and life two weeks in. I’d rather not have to deal with another dead body. Besides, if you have a job for me then I’m sure that means I’ll have a supervisor, right?”
He just shakes his head at me and twirls his finger before turning away. “Grab what you need for the day and follow me. Your job starts now.”
I jump to my feet and pump my fist in victory behind his back before snatching up my tablet and following him out of the car. After three long years of being alone, I’m finally going back to the levels only this time not as a ghost and with some slight protection. I can only hope I’ll survive it.
………
I’m relieved when the General heads to the elevators instead of the stairs. At this time of day, the stairwell will be busy with soldiers moving from level to level to get to the different training areas. I had avoided the elevators on my ghost missions because you never know if someone would be in them. It does surprise me when he pokes the button for the top level, though.
I haven’t made any inquiries to AIRIA about what was happening in the levels except for schedules because it didn’t matter to me. I had assumed that the entire top level had been compromised and shut down after the evacuations. When the elevator doors open, I see that I was only half correct. The hallway that used to lead to the barracks double doors has been altered. The doors are not only sealed up but completely gone. The hallway ends in a blank wall of exposed dry-wall. They must have been able to contain the radiation to the barracks and front section of the bunker leaving the administrative offices and officer’s quarters usable.
I followed the general as he takes us into the command center and stand just inside the doors, getting my first real look at where he runs things. One entire wall is covered in monitors with live feeds of the different levels and the exterior area of the bunker. My eyes move away quickly from them. I don’t think I’d be able to control myself if I saw the dead bodies that are probably lying out there, nothing but skeletons now.
It took me two years to finally watch the footage of what happened outside that day to my family and the others that had tried to get into the bunker and it took over a year for my nightmares to stop being filled with those horrific images. Instead, I focus on the different feeds of the levels and shake my head in disbelief that I hadn’t been caught on one of my many missions to scavenge supplies. When I look closely I see that most of the cameras are pointed towards where the soldiers have set up their beds, the food service areas and the training areas in the center of the levels. That makes my blood boil. Knowing that these people had a live feed of all the different abuses that were taking place during my brief time in the levels and did nothing to stop them. They could have done something. They could have stopped what was happening.
The general barks my name, breaking my gaze from the monitors and I swing my eyes to him.
“This is Captain Johnson, he will be your direct supervisor. Once we get you set up in your new position any questions or concerns that you have about what you’re monitoring will be directed towards him.”
Captain Johnson pushes away from his workstation to his feet and stares in disbelief between me and the general. “Sir? Her position?”
“That’s correct. Miss Frost will be monitoring AIRIA West and the situation there.”
Captain Johnson nods slowly but I can tell he’s wondering why a girl my age would be put into any kind of position. He doesn’t get an answer while I’m standing there as the General turns on his heel and waves me to follow him out of the control room. He leads me down the hallway with offices on either side until he comes to the one he wants and pushes the door open. He stands to the side and waves me through. It’s a simple office with a computer and monitor and regular office tools sitting on an otherwise blank desk. I move around the desk and sit in the leather chair before looking up expectantly at him.
“This will be your office. I will have the feed directed to your monitor. There is a twin to this bunker in one of the western provinces that we need to keep tabs on. A good friend of mine had been taking care of it since the bombs dropped but I’ve recently learned that he has died, leaving his young daughter and son alone in the bunker. I need you to monitor her and make sure she doesn’t get into anything that she shouldn’t or damage the bunker in any way. It’s extremely important for the facility to stay intact as when the skies clear and the radiation levels lower enough, we will be relocating to that area. That bunker and its supplies will be of the utmost importance in our efforts to start rebuilding. That’s all you need to do. Watch her and notify Captain Johnson of any troubling activity that might occur.”
I look from the blank monitor on the desk to him in confusion and say, “That’s it? You basically want me to spy on another kid and make sure she doesn’t break anything?”
He nods his head. “Yes, it’s a fairly simple and straightforward job for you. We might possibly find some other duties for you in the future but for now, I believe you’re the bes
t person that we have for this position. After all, who better to understand the mindset of a thirteen-year-old girl but another one? I expect regular reports on her behavior and activities.”
I’m not sure whether to complain about a stupid babysitting job or just be grateful for such easy work. Before I have a chance to respond, a voice I haven’t heard for three years rings out from the hallway.
“Dad, there you are. I brought us lunch. Do you want to take it in the command center or in our quarters?”
My body freezes in place with warring emotions. Half of me is thrilled that I’m about to see my best friend for the first time after so long but the other half of me flushes in anger because if anyone should have been looking for me in the past three years it should have been him. The fact that Jackson never once asked AIRIA for my location or made any attempt to find me tells me that our friendship wasn’t what I thought it was.
The general steps back further into the hall and motions with his head towards the open office door.
“Why don’t you take those in there and share them. I’ll get something for myself later.” He spears me with a glance before disappearing from view only to be replaced a few seconds later by Jackson, holding two covered trays. His expression changes from mild interest to complete shock.
“Joss, Joslin? Oh my God! I can’t believe it’s you. Where have you been? I look for you every single time I’m on a lower level and I’ve never found you. Please tell me my dad didn’t have you locked away somewhere?” His tone is joking but his eyes are dead serious like he really thinks his dad might have locked me away.
I lean back in the chair and crossed my arms, keeping my expression blank.
“I’ve been around. I’m surprised we haven’t run into each other - considering we’re locked inside a bunker with limited places to go. Maybe, you just didn’t look hard enough. Then again you could have just asked AIRIA where I was if you really cared about where I’ve been for the past three years!”
His expression changes to surprise at the anger that fuels my voice during the last sentence and he shakes his head in denial.
“What are you talking about? I asked my dad every single day where you were. He always said that you were being taken care of. That I didn’t need to have contact with you as we were both doing our training. I missed you. I missed you so much! There’s been so many times over the past three years that I would have given anything to talk to you.”
I scoff at him. “Give me a break Jackson! We both know all you had to do was ask AIRIA and she would have told you where I was if you really wanted to see me.”
His eyes flint up an annoyance. “Joslin, I don’t have any clearance to talk to AIRIA. I don’t know why you’re mad at me but if I could have found you I would have.”
I arch an eyebrow at him and turn my eyes to the ceiling. “AIRIA, what is Jackson Mallor’s current clearance level?”
“Joslin Frost, Jackson Mallor is currently a yellow clearance.”
The surprise on his face is so real that I find myself softening towards him. Maybe he really didn’t know that he could still talk to AIRIA. I shake my head, it’s going to be awhile before I can forgive him. He was the only person in this bunker on my side and I’m having a hard time knowing that he didn’t fight for me. He finally steps into the room and sets the two trays he’s holding down on the desk before settling into the chair across from me.
“Honestly Joss, I didn’t know I could talk to her all this time. I’m so sorry. I would have come and found you if I knew. My dad, he’s…he’s just really difficult to deal with and he never says yes to me when I ask him for anything. After a while, I just gave up asking. I figured we’d find a way to run into each other eventually and we would make our own plans to meet up after that but I never saw you. Every time I went to the lower levels I looked and I never saw you anywhere. Where have you been?”
I look away from him as long-suppressed feelings flood through me. I’ve been without friends or any real human contact for so long that I feel tears pressing against the back of my eyes from his concern for me. I swallow back the tears and instead, lift the lid on the top tray to see what the smell that’s driving me crazy is coming from. It’s just a plain old meal of meat, potatoes and green beans but there’s something glorious sitting on the tray beside the plate that I snatch up and hold to my nose. Bread, beautiful glorious bread. I’ve done a lot of things with the MRE’s to make them more appealing but the same twelve meals over and over again for the last three years got real boring around two years and nine months ago. There’s a lot of things that come in the ration packs but never bread, especially not freshly baked bread. There were times on my ghost missions that I would be able to smell them baking it and I would have to force my feet away from the food areas even as my mouth filled with saliva at the smell. Jackson’s small laugh breaks the spell the fresh baked goodness has over me and my eyes move back to him.
“Geez Joss, it’s like you’ve never seen bread before! What is going on with you?”
I glare at him and stuff half the slice into my mouth, quickly followed by the rest of it. I savor every bit of it and once I’ve swallowed it down I’m dying for more. I finally answer the question he’s been asking.
“Well, if you really want to know, I’ve been hiding out all alone in one of the train cars for the past three years surviving off of stolen MRE’s.”
His jaw almost falls into his lap. His mouth is gaping at me in amazement and shock.
“What? I…uh…what?” He stutters out.
I pull the tray in front of me and start digging into the meal. It’s plain food but it’s not in a pouch so it might as well be a gourmet meal. When I’ve finished everything on the plate down to the last green bean, I lean back and study Jackson. Just like me, he’s changed over the last few years. He’s taller than the last time I saw him but so am I. Unlike my much longer hair, his has been almost shaved completely off. There’s just a light stubble of his once golden hair bristling on his scalp. He waited while I ate but I can tell he’s almost vibrating to get an answer to his question so I give in.
“After the evacuation, that woman your dad sent me with, Captain Cote, she found us a spot on one of the lower levels and we stayed there for the first two weeks on the floor behind some pallets. Things down there were pretty bad with all the violence. So, long story short, after she killed herself, I ran away to the only place that didn’t have any people, the level with the train that we came here in. I stole a bunch of supplies, made a nest and have been living there ever since. This morning your dad was reminded of me and came and found me. Other than AIRIA, he’s the first person I’ve talked to in the last three years.”
His face has gone through so many different emotional expressions at my short recap that I leave him to sort through them all and lift the lid on the second tray and slide out the slice of bread from under it. I eat this slice much slower as he begins his many questions.
“She killed herself? Oh…wow! That must have been horrible for you to see! I’m so sorry you had to go through that but what do you mean by all the violence down there? Did someone hurt or threaten you?”
I cock my head at him in consideration and realize he has no clue what I’m talking about.
“How long after the evacuations was it before you went down into the lower levels?”
He shrugs one shoulder. “I don’t know, a couple of months, maybe. My dad had Donnelly set me up with some military school work to study. They kept my days filled with reading and learning strategy and military tactics. I didn’t go down to start my physical training for at least two or three months after you left. I don’t know exactly how long it was. Time sort of blurs here now.”
I purse my lips. “So you really have no idea what was going on down there all that time?” He shakes his head so I blow a breath out.
“Well, let me tell you, I only managed to last two weeks before I ran for my life. There were so many fights going around where they would
just beat on each other. The female soldiers were being abused and it didn’t seem like there was any leadership whatsoever down there to keep anyone in check or put a stop to it and make things better, so I ran.”
The expression on his face tells me he thinks I’m exaggerating and I don’t have the energy to try and convince him so I simply ask AIRIA.
“AIRIA, how many deaths have been recorded since we entered the facilities?”
“Joslin Frost, one hundred and thirty-six personnel have been recorded as deceased since you entered the facilities.”
I look at Jackson sadly. “Would you like me to get her to break that down into how many were murders versus how many were suicides?”
He shakes his head quickly. “No, no, I don’t want to know that. I had no idea it was that bad! My dad has me kind of isolated up here and I only go down to the other levels for a few hours every day for training.” His shoulders sag and defeat. “I can’t believe that that’s been going on all this time.”
“Well, I imagine a lot of that happened in the beginning. Your dad probably got control after a few months or he wouldn’t have risked sending you down there.”
He nods unhappily and changes the subject. “So, you ran away and have been living in the train for all these years?” When I just nod, he asks, “What have you been doing the whole time then? It had to have gotten pretty boring with no one around to talk to.”
I roll my eyes. “Tell me about it! It took me a couple of weeks to get my nest set up the way I wanted it to be but after that, there wasn’t a whole lot for me to do so I just worked with AIRIA on school work. When your dad came and got me this morning I was wrapping up my last unit of grade twelve math. It’s all I have left before I’m finished high school.”
Endless Winter Box Set: Books 1 - 4 Page 46