“Look, I don’t like that women use manipulation to control men, but there’s also no doubt that it works most of the time. Do you think I really like all those Bright Hand guards who were obviously crazy over me? All right, that sounded a little arrogant, but you know what I mean. And the truth is I do like all of them, at least in a platonic way.”
“Okay, but wait a minute. How do I know you haven’t been doing that to me all this time? Like you said, I’m easy. Lots of men, they might know they’re being manipulated but they would go along with it because, I don’t know, maybe they like the attention or something, but you could do it to me and I wouldn’t really know, because… I mean, I barely even understand facial expressions, how am I going to know when I’m being manipulated by someone who’s good at it?”
She backed up and almost looked angry for a moment, but something that looked more like… sadness replaced it. “Lucas, after all this time… I mean, I lost an arm, and I got shot in the leg, and I’m still here. And you know what? You’re the only person I ever told that I was manipulating you. That should say something.”
I waited for a few seconds to see if she broke out laughing again, but she didn’t. “I’m sorry, I’m just acting stupid. I’ve learned a lot in a short amount of time, but I still don’t know too much about the entire relationship thing.”
She put her arm around my shoulder and looked at the ground. “We’re a team, Lucas. Partners. I’m not partners with anyone else. Now, switch into your girl form. You’re cute as a girl.”
“Wait… I don’t have anything to wear.”
“You don’t know me at all, do you? Hang on a second.” She dug into her bag, and in a moment came up with a tank top and a pair of a-little-too-short shorts. “Put these on. I won’t look, I promise.”
Just to be sure, I moved around the side of a big rock to change, and as I did, Ava did her adjustments to my body, face, and hair to make me more girlish. When I had finished, I asked, in my best girl voice, “So, we have the highest tech in the world, but instead of using any of it we’re just going to walk up there and talk them into letting us in?”
“Well, when you put it that way it sounds a little hinky, but yeah.”
“Okay. Seems logical.”
“What was your girl name again?”
“Lucinda.”
“Oh yeah. Looking hot, Lucinda. Hey, I just got an idea. To make our little show even more convincing, one of us needs to fake an injury. They’ll take us in for sure, then.”
“I was going to say that. She stole my idea, shorty. I mean, Lucy.”
I don’t think she stole it; you just had the same idea. And it’s Lucinda, not Lucy.
“Oh yeah? Well, wait until you hear the rest of the plan, Lucy. Guess where their medical facilities are?”
34
DIRECTOR’S NOTES
MEETING WITH SVC
122052 20:51
-Say what?!
-Nothing. All the lights are on, the crowds are dispersing. As far as I can tell, the boy never arrived.
-Well, what the hell happened? I’ve got to have details, (SVC).
-I was… I was waiting to tell you this, but it appears confirmed now. They have compromised our agent on the inside. He got out a quick message before… before whatever happened to him. He confirmed that there has been no breach, no sight of the boy.
-Did they kill our agent?
-Unknown, but unfortunately I would say it’s likely either they killed him or he killed himself. It’s part of the Bright Hand agents’ code.
-Yeah, death before subjugation, I know. What does Oakes say?
-I’ve been trying to raise him but he’s been unresponsive. Things are chaotic there, so that may be the reason. I’ll keep trying.
-If we went through all this trouble and expense and nothing happens… I don’t know, (SVC). I think that’ll be the end for me. Is it too late to get the big laser set up and just blast our way in?
-I assume that is a joke?
-This is a disaster. Is there any chance he got in but he was stealthy enough that they just don’t know it yet?
-I suppose it’s possible. If he still has Chi Kim and (WK) with him, that’s quite a lot of cleverness and ingenuity in one small group.
-Let’s assume that’s what it is for now; that they were just so clever no one knows they’re there yet. The VTOLs are still at the ready, I assume?
-All four are in place.
-Hey, how close can we zoom in with the satellite video? Maybe we can get a shot of Oakes and (JR)’s son if they’re still there.
-We can get in close enough to identify him, but it will be tricky to find him in that crowd.
-Try it. It’ll distract me from wanting to run away.
-Very well… scanning… oh my God. Are you seeing this?
-Wait, is that… oh, you have to be kidding me. Tell me I’m not seeing what I’m seeing.
-No, I believe we are both seeing the same thing, and, barring some unknown hallucinogenics in our dinner, that is (WK), walking away from the scene, followed by Oakes, (JR)’s son, and what appears to be the four American soldiers.
-Are they in cahoots? Has Oakes been giving us the run-around all along? Or… wait, let’s think this through. It’s not necessarily bad, right? If (WK) is there, that has to mean that the kid is there… maybe (WK) was sent to get those people out of the danger zone. That could be it, couldn’t it?
-That seems to be the likeliest reason for what we are seeing.
-How many agents do we have in the crowd?
-There are ten in the general vicinity, including four within a hundred meters or so of Oakes and (WK).
-Okay. Don’t confront them, just follow. We need to see what they’re up to, but don’t want to get in their way if they’re part of the plan to get Dr. Taylor out. Seems like there’s still hope, right?
-So it would seem. Should I arrange for a little dessert?
-You read my mind.
****
“ If we’re going to fake an injury to get them to take us in, what are we going to do with all our gear? If we are carrying these bags, they’ll search them for sure,” Cheri said as we peeked around the side of the hill at the vast air base.
“Let’s take the stuff we’ll need for sure, like your laser and flechette, and put them in my legs with the rest of my stuff. We’re just going to have to stash the jet suits out here and hope we can make it back to them.”
“Oh, man. I don’t like that. It’ll make it a lot harder to get out of there fast.”
“I can’t think of any other way, can you?”
“How about if we… no, that won’t work. I can’t think of anything either.”
“If we knock out all their electronics, including their vehicles, they’ll have to chase us on foot, right?”
“Yeah… yeah, there’s no way they’ll be able to keep up with us on foot. That might work.”
“Ava has one little trick up her sleeve, too, if we need it.”
“Control mode, sonny boy. Don’t forget, though, we’ll be out of commission for a few minutes afterward, so it’s risky.”
Yeah, only use it if we have to, right?
“right-o, Lucy.”
Lucinda.
“That’s what I said.”
No, you… oh, I know, that was a joke. Good one.
“You still don’t get why that was funny, do you?”
Sure, it’s… no, not really.
We hid the bags and jogged out of the hills, staying away from the moonlight as much as possible, and soon came to a barbed-wire fence. “Hang on, I bet this fence is live,” Cheri whispered.
Ava, is it electric?
“Yes, but we can make use of that. Remember the electric charge we used on our trip to Brazil?”
How could I forget? There were dead rats and snakes all over the place.
“Right. You are going to grab that fence, we’ll create a big flash, and then you will fake being electrocuted. We’ll
slow your heart rate to make it appear like you are barely alive.”
Hey, that’s a pretty good idea.
“I know. I thought of it.”
Oh, boy.
“Cheri, get ready to carry me. This’ll bring their security for sure.”
I grabbed the top wire; it melted in two, and a huge plume of sparks flew into the air. “Okay, the fence is dead. Let’s get inside it and then you drag me. Look, there are lights coming this way already.”
The major buildings were still about two kilometers away, but several vehicles were roaring in our direction. “It’ll probably help if I cry, so say something mean to me,” Cheri whispered.
I couldn’t think of a single mean thing to say, so I finally blurted out, “Your shoes are dirty.”
“Really, Lucinda? That’s your best shot? Now, that really makes me sad. So sad, I might cry.”
“Well, do the best you can, and start dragging me so you can work up a sweat. And maybe put some dirt on your face or something.”
“Oof! It’s a good thing I got that treatment before we left the Bright Hand cavern. You’re heavy,” she said, my legs scraping the ground as she pulled me along.
“When they get close, she will need to put on a good show… wave her arms and look panicked.”
I told Cheri what Ava said, and she snorted. “Don’t worry, I’m an excellent actor. I know what to do.”
Bright spotlights came on from a couple of the trucks barreling down on us, and Cheri dropped me and jumped up and down, her arms flailing like a crazy person. “Hey! Hey, over here!” she bellowed, and soon the trucks surrounded us, making an impressive cloud of dust as they skidded to a stop. Blasting from a speaker on one of the trucks, came: “Stand still. Hold your hands high in the air and do not move. We are prepared to use lethal force.”
Her hands up, Cheri was shaking and seemed nearly hysterical as I lay in the dirt at her feet. “No, my friend… she touched the fence… she’s hurt. We need help! Please!” and then she burst into what seemed like uncontrollable sobs.
Whoa, she wasn’t kidding… she really can act…
Again, blaring out of one of the trucks: “Keep your hands up and walk forward slowly until you reach the front of the truck.”
Cheri stomped her foot. “No! You don’t understand… we were hiking, and we got lost… I don’t even know where we are, we just saw the lights and thought we could get some help… I think she’s dying! Help! Please!” and then she fell to her knees and draped her body over mine, wailing loud enough to cause my ears to distort.
After a few seconds, I heard, from one of the trucks: “Kennedy, Billings, get out there.”
A moment later, two men in military gear were standing over us. “Step aside, miss. Let us assess the situation.”
Cheri backed away, the two men kneeled, and one placed his hand on my neck. “BPM fifteen. We need to get her to MC, stat. Kennedy, Juarez, get the stretcher. Get adrenalin prepped in case she codes. Let’s move.”
“Wait, what does that mean? Will she be okay?” Cheri wailed.
Billings, who seemed to be in some kind of command position, said, “Please, walk to that open door on the truck straight ahead, miss… ah, one second… do I know you?”
“I… I don’t know… where are you f-from?” she blubbered.
“I grew up in Sacramento.”
“Wait… Billings? Billy Billings?”
“Oh, my lord, it’s Chi Kim. What are you doing way out here?”
“Oh, Billy, I’m so glad to find someone I know… like I said, we were hiking, we’ve been out here for a couple of days, but we got lost… we didn’t mean to trespass or anything, we were just scared… will she be okay?”
“Sorry, I don’t know. We’ll do the best we can. Get in the truck, we need to get her to the MC right away. Sorry, the Medical Center. Chi Kim, I can’t believe it’s you.”
How does she know so many people? It’s not like she’s famous or anything…
The men rolled me onto a stretcher, loaded me in the back of a truck, and we roared back toward the base. “It’s going perfectly so far, but things will get crazy real soon, so buckle up, sonny boy.”
I know you don’t really mean to buckle anything up, but… oh, when you buckle up, you’re getting ready for something, right?
“Oh, for the love of… I’m going to ignore you totally and raise our heart rate a bit. If it’s too low, they might actually try giving us some adrenalin, and after they break a couple of needles on our skin, they’re liable to get suspicious, and when they start doing medical tests... we’re getting close, sonny boy, but we’re heading into extreme danger.”
Oh, boy.
35
DIRECTOR’S NOTES
MEETING WITH SVC
122052 21:41
-So, (WK), Oakes, and the rest of that group won’t really be able to get out of there, right? I mean, look at that, the roads are totally clogged. It’ll take hours.
-It almost seems as if they expected it, though… they’ve already made it out. See these two vehicles? This is them, going north while every other car is heading south. Two big problems: the satellite will lose sight of them as soon as they round that hill just ahead, and our agents weren’t as clever with their parking. They are totally blocked in and can’t follow.
-We have to have some agents in the area but not in the mass, right?
-We do, but they are all south of the area. (WK) and that group have a big enough head start that our agents are unlikely to find them.
-Well, they have to be on their way to help the boy, right? What else could they be doing?
-I suppose they could be heading out for a late dinner at some roadside diner or casino.
-Now is not the time for jokes, (SVC). What do you think would happen if we sent one of the VTOLs after them?
-Frankly, I think it would complicate things for the boy. I advise letting things play out at this point. They obviously have a plan, and sending one of the VTOLs after them could bring unwanted attention.
-Yeah, you’re right. I hate not knowing, though. So, at this point we’re just waiting and trusting?
-That is the best course of action for now.
-Or inaction. You still haven’t gotten through to Oakes?
-No. Either his phone is off, disabled, or out of range.
-Do you think he’s avoiding us?
-I didn’t want to say it, but I think that is the most likely reason for no contact.
-But why? Aren’t we paying him enough? What would he have to gain?
-Honestly I suspect he has decided to help (WK). What would he have to gain? I doubt that gain is part of the equation at the moment. It seems like more of a philosophical or emotional choice than one based on advantage.
-That’s not like Oakes, is it?
-Perhaps we don’t understand him as well as we thought. The realization of mortality can change a person.
-You think his MS has made him… what, re-think his path in life or something?
-It would be strange if it hadn’t.
-Okay, but what about (JR)’s son… Hasheem, is it? He’s friendly with the boy, but he wouldn’t go against his father’s wishes, would he?
-It’s Hassim, and no, I don’t think so… I don’t think he has, I should say.
-Wait, you don’t think (JR) is in on it, do you? He can’t be! He helped us plan to capture (WK).
-Yes, but as we’ve seen, his plan didn’t work, and resulted in having our agents spread out all over Las Vegas.
-So you think… no, no way. You think he pushed that plan on purpose to weaken our position? I don’t believe that.
-Have it your way. Interesting that we haven’t heard from (JR), though, isn’t it?
-Stop it, (SVC). You’re just trying to put doubts in my head. In fact, get out of here. But first get me something to eat.
****
“ Don’t move, shorty. I’m having to make an artificial blood pressure, and if you move,
it will throw it off.”
A soldier was feeling the inside of my upper left arm, and a slow pulsing of my artificial skin was Ava’s attempt at faking a blood pressure. “Hey, Captain, this is weird… I can’t find any veins, but I have a low, weak BP.”
Underneath his fingers, I felt a tiny ridge push up, and he said, “Oh, there it is. Got it.”
“Oops. Rookie mistake, Lucy.”
Hey, I thought you didn’t make mistakes.
“Okay, it wasn’t really a mistake. I was just trying to make things more interesting. Now hold still, they’re getting us out of the truck.”
We had pulled up to a wide, low building in the middle of a long row of hangars. The total area was lit up as bright as day, and I noticed a bunch of unusual chemical odors as they pulled the stretcher out and onto the concrete landing in front of the building. Cheri was at my side as soon as the soldiers wheeled me into the building, chattering a constant streak, her voice trembling convincingly. “Is she okay? We were lost, we didn’t know where we were going… we’re not in trouble, are we? Oh, come on, Lucinda, please wake up.” As she spoke she took my hand and squeezed it twice, which meant things were working so far.
“Sorry, miss, you’ll need to wait here,” one of the soldiers said, and Cheri protested, but Billings intervened. “It’s okay, let her through. I know her.”
Cheri squeezed my hand twice again. All good so far… They wheeled me down a series of halls, and finally into a room with lots of clicking and beeping equipment; a man and a woman in full scrubs, masks, and gloves seemed to appear out of nowhere, began examining me, and Cheri went into her act. “She might need the… what do you call them, the shocker things… might need to start her heart up or something… do you think she’ll be okay? She grabbed the electric fence… we were hiking and got lost…”
Reassemble (Singular Book 4) Page 22