CENTER 82 (RATION)

by Christina J Thompson

  “Stand up,” Andreas repeated. This time, she began pulling at him, and he finally moved.

  Ayn dropped his gaze as he stood to his feet, acutely aware of his towering height as she began leading him towards the scale. He heard Noah let out a nervous gasp; out of the corner of his eye, he could see the man back away, the prod brandished in his hands. It was almost funny to think that either one of them really believed that the prod or restraints offered them any protection. At any given moment, they were only as safe as he chose to allow.

  He glanced up as he stepped onto the small, square pad on the floor, watching as the monitor affixed to the wall turned on. The display began flashing.

  Andreas’ mind raced as she read the numbers on the monitor. The ration’s weight wasn’t right.

  “This doesn’t make sense,” she said, furrowing her brow in confusion. “Nearly 258 pounds, it’s gaining weight.”

  “Which means the supplement compounds have been working,” Noah called out from behind her. “It’s been overdosed on the muscle developers for over two weeks now.”

  “So then why hasn’t its brain activity decreased?” she muttered, grabbing the ration’s arm and leading it back to the platform. She began strapping it down again, and Noah cleared his throat.

  “May I make a suggestion?” he asked.

  “That’s supposed to be why I have you here in the first place.”

  “Perhaps you should isolate each compound in the supplements and only administer one at a time.”

  Andreas rolled her eyes.

  “I don’t have time for a test like that, I only have four extra hours a day for six days.”

  “Then just remove the muscle developers and concentrate on the ones that impair cognition. That will eliminate at least some of the variables from the equation.”

  Andreas fell silent, contemplating. It was a surprisingly good suggestion, and one that wouldn’t take much to perform.

  “That’s what we’ll try,” she said, nodding slowly. “Thank you, Noah.”

  He smiled, returning to monitoring the screens, and she moved to the stack of notes on her desk. She picked up two pages and held them side-by-side; the first outlined the ration’s details from when it had been returned from the settlement, and the second page was from the day it had been assigned to the Ordell family. Her eyes focused on its weight.

  “Something’s not right,” Andreas breathed, shaking her head. “These numbers, there’s something about them…”

  Ayn heard the woman’s voice trail off, and a sinking dread instantly began knotting up in his stomach. After all this time, he knew she had finally noticed what was right under her nose.

  “Why, doctor?” Noah asked. “What are you seeing?”

  Andreas could feel her tired brain trying to put the pieces together; she stood and began pacing, both pages clutched in her hands.

  “It weighed 251 pounds when it was first assigned back in September,” she answered, speaking more to herself than to him. “It was well over the standard issuance weight for rations of this size and yield, but when it arrived here a couple weeks ago, it weighed 243 pounds. That doesn’t match up with the settlement’s entry of its last weight check—the record shows that it was nearly harvest size, so where did the extra weight go? According to this, it lost thirty-five pounds in less than a month!”

  “Maybe the settlement’s scale isn’t functioning correctly,” Noah suggested, but she shook her head.

  “No, that can’t be it, all the other ration weights would be off, too. A difference this big would have caused a lot of problems with harvest yields, people would be starving and we would definitely be hearing about it. So either something is seriously wrong with this ration’s growth pattern, or…”

  “Or what?” he prompted, and Andreas’ eyes grew wide as realization dawned on her.

  “I think someone intentionally altered the weight data.”

  “Jeff Thompson is the one handling weight checks at Settlement 109,” Noah said. “He’s been reliable enough for us to use his results in our data, but do you think he finally made a mistake?”

  Andreas frowned.

  “I doubt it, he knows better than that. I’ve studied his records for years, there hasn’t ever been a problem.”

  She paused for a moment, cocking her head as another thought occurred to her.

  “This was Ordell’s first time serving as a keeper, wasn’t it?”

  Ayn’s heart stopped beating as he listened, and he fought the urge to turn his head to get a better look at Andreas’ expression. He clenched his teeth, inching over on the platform just far enough to see a wider angle of the room’s reflection on the light’s surface above him, and he saw Noah reach for a stack of notes and begin flipping through the pages.

  “Yes, doctor, it was,” the lab assistant answered. “She just turned eighteen in August, less than one month prior to the ration’s assignment.”

  Andreas pursed her lips as she stared at the ration’s motionless form on the other side of the lab.

  “Was Ordell ever interviewed about what happened?”

  “Not that I can tell,” Noah replied. “If she was, it’s not in the notes. It says that she was in a coma for almost five days immediately following the incident, but if you give me a second…okay, summary report. Subject Ordell regained consciousness following medical treatment administered over the course of five days…cognitive interview results, normal…supplement blood levels, normal―”

  Andreas suddenly lunged towards him, ignoring his startled, fearful screech as she snatched the notes from his hand and began frantically scanning through the pages. She stopped when she reached the medication list.

  “Twenty-seven doses of serum for bone healing,” she muttered. “Nine doses of anti-inflammatories, six anti-seizure…”

  She fell silent, her lips moving soundlessly as she read, then she let out a quiet gasp.

  “Ordell received fifteen nutritional doses along with her supplements during the time she was in the coma!”

  Noah nodded.

  “That sounds right. Three doses per day for five days.”

  “I just took her weight when she arrived,” Andreas said, her voice hushed with excitement. “She was severely underweight, just like this ration, but when I asked about it she said that she wasn’t able to eat when she was injured. The nutritional doses would have prevented weight loss!”

  Noah raised a brow.

  “What are you saying, doctor? Do you think they’re both sick?”

  Andreas handed him the notes, returning to the ration’s side.

  “I’m saying that there is a common element between this ration and its keeper,” she said. “There’s no sign of illness, the assessment tests would have shown it for her and I’ve gone through every bit of the ration’s blood. It has to be something else, something that was going on with them and only them, and I have a feeling Ordell may be able to shed some light on what it is. It’s too much of a coincidence.”

  “Like what?”

  “I’m not sure, but I intend to find out.”

  She tilted her head as she stared down at the ration’s face.

  “I’ve seen odd things happen before with first time keepers, but never this.”

  Ayn did his best not to meet the woman’s gaze, measuring each breath as he forced his heartbeat to stay calm.

  “I think we need to have a conversation with Ordell,” Andreas whispered, and Ayn’s throat closed up.

  “Do you want me to bring her in?” Noah asked. She shook her head.

  “Not yet, it’s late and I have something else I need to work on. I’ll put in an order to have her hormone injections delayed for now and we’ll pick back up tomorrow. Go talk to requisitions, your little display this morning means I need a cage brought in here. The ration can’t go back to storage.”

  The despair in Ayn’s heart gave way to cautious relief. Staying in the lab would make
it easier to get away, but he still had to figure out where Amber was. He watched Andreas reach for her recorder and lift it to her mouth.

  “Andreas, Monica, Researcher 19213. Timestamp 19:17:46, January 28th. Test 227 complete, results described as follows: total aversion of all supplements administered to date achieved, as confirmed by blood testing and histological beta-tagged stain analysis of muscle sample. Theta array confirms pain response. Behavioral evidence suggests that the test subject is aware of its surroundings and is purposefully limiting exhibiting that awareness. End of results.”

  Noah scoffed loudly.

  “What was that last part? There hasn’t been any behavioral evidence, the ration hasn’t done anything!”

  Ayn could see Andreas’ eyes glittering in the white lights of the lab, and he felt his skin prickle as a horrifying realization occurred to him. He had made a mistake.

  “Noah,” she began, her voice smug. “Why did you ask me about administering anesthetic to this ration?”

  “You know why, I just gave you the test results―”

  “Remind me.”

  He sighed.

  “The monitors showed a pain response to the sample you were taking.”

  She smiled triumphantly as she turned to look at him.

  “Why then, do you suppose, isn’t the ration writhing in pain?”

  Ayn fought back the panic that surged through his veins―he had been so focused on not showing any reaction to the tests that he hadn’t remembered when to start.

  Noah shrugged.

  “Maybe the high levels of supplements caused some sort of nervous system damage. It feels pain but can’t react, perhaps.”

  “But it can still walk?” Andreas shot back, rolling her eyes mockingly. She turned and leaned down closer to Ayn’s face. “No, Mr. Meyers. This ration knows, it’s intentionally holding back.”

  Noah fell silent for a long moment, then he sighed.

  “Whatever you say, doctor. I’m going to requisitions.”

  Ayn heard the assistant’s footsteps depart; he was alone with the researcher, and she was close enough for him to see the side of her neck pulsing with each beat of her heart. For a moment, he was almost tempted to do something drastic. All he needed was a split second to incapacitate her, and he knew exactly where the resolution doses were stored.

  But then what?

  None of the other researchers were interested in him enough to keep him alive, and with Andreas dead, it wouldn’t take long for him to join her. He put the idea out of his mind, closing his eyes when she left his side. As difficult as it was, he needed to be patient, at least for now. He had no choice.

  †‡†

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Noah left the requisitions unit and ran towards the stairs leading to the upper levels. It would only take about an hour for the cage to be delivered to Andreas’ lab, which didn’t give him much time. He reached the twentieth floor landing, his heart racing with nervousness as he turned left onto the walkway. This was the administrative level for the researcher development wing, and he tried to calm himself as he stopped in front of the door marked ‘Board of Science’. He paused for a moment to straighten his labcoat, then, taking a deep breath, he walked in.

  The secretary’s desk inside was empty; she was already gone for the day along with almost everyone else. Only one person always stayed late, the one person he needed to see. The walls of the large room were lined with offices, each marked with a placard engraved with the occupant’s name, and he hurried towards the first one.

  Dr. Brenda Hanson, Presiding Scientist of the Board.

  The door was standing open, and Noah cautiously peeked inside. Brenda was sitting at her desk; she was a petite, middle-aged woman with a sweet-looking face that belied an explosive personality, and Noah always dreaded speaking with her. Still, she was the only hope he had of ever getting the chance to become a researcher, and he forced a smile as he knocked on the edge of the wall to announce himself.

  “Hello, Dr. Hanson.”

  She glanced up, her blue eyes filling with surprise when she saw him.

  “Why are you here, Mr. Meyers?”

  Her soft voice held a natural waver, almost making her sound feeble and weak, but he knew better. There was nothing weak about her.

  “I have news about Andreas,” he answered, stepping closer and sitting down across from her. “I think I have a way to fix the Project Nine situation.”

  Brenda scowled, brushing her thick, burgundy-red hair back from her forehead.

  “That’s done with,” she snapped quietly. “Andreas defeated the vote to remove her when we ordered the project resolved, I told you to look for something new to charge her with.”

  Noah grinned.

  “Yes, but I thought you’d be interested to know that she’s continuing David’s work in her lab. She has the ration that was returned from the settlement a couple weeks ago and she’s convinced that she can locate the same defect David was working on.”

  “What?” Brenda gasped, her mouth dropping open in shock, and he nodded eagerly.

  “She’s convinced that she can use it to prove David’s supplement resistance theories, that’s all she’s been doing since―”

  “Why didn’t you come to me the moment you learned about this?” Brenda suddenly screamed, jumping to her feet. “You should have told me immediately!”

  Noah cringed beneath her furious glare.

  “I…I’m sorry. I know I should have―”

  “You thought you’d sit on this information until it best suited you, that’s the only reason you waited this long!” she shouted as she stepped out from behind her desk. “I’m not a fool, I know what you’re trying to do! This is about retaking your qualifying exams!”

  Noah gulped.

  “I…I do hope that you will give me another chance to take my assessments,” he choked out. “I feel that coming to you with this information should show that I deserve―”

  “Does she have anything to support David’s theories?” Brenda demanded angrily. He quickly shook his head.

  “No, of course not. Our Drisden machine is broken―”

  “Tell me what she’s done so far!”

  “Not much,” Noah stammered. “I mean, she’s given the ration a lot of supplements and taken a bunch of samples. She decided to start over today, she completed a full aversion of the supplements in the ration’s system. That’s why I came to you, I think she’s losing her mind and now you should have enough evidence to prove that she’s a sympathizer just like David―”

  “What do you mean, losing her mind?” Brenda snapped, crossing her arms as she moved closer to him. He shrugged.

  “She’s ignoring the ethics code and she thinks the ration is capable of reasoning. The ration has no supplements in its system, and she took a muscle tissue sample without administering an anesthetic. The theta system showed that the ration was feeling pain, but it didn’t react―”

  “Didn’t react? What do you mean?”

  “It didn’t even flinch when she cut into it—it doesn’t fight against the restraints like other unmedicated rations, and it hasn’t shown any panic or confusion. She thinks that’s evidence that it’s aware of its surroundings, that it somehow knows that it shouldn’t exhibit certain behaviors.”

  “Goddammit!” Brenda hissed, clenching her fists. “I could have called for a removal vote, but now…”

  Her voice trailed off, her eyes filling with rage as she began pacing back and forth, then she stopped mid-stride and raised an accusing finger.

  “This is your fault, Noah! I could have brought her up on charges for continuing a resolved project if you had told me what she was doing from the start!”

  “But you still can!” he protested. “She has the test subject in her lab, no one can deny that!”

  “This is exactly why you aren’t a researcher, Mr. Meyers,” Brenda sneered in disgust. “Andreas survived the vo
te that removed David six months ago because Smith’s report gave her reasonable doubt, and if I try charging her again, she’s going to use the behavioral anomalies with this ration in her defense. Tell me, lab assistant—if she stands up in front of a room full of curious scientists and describes an unmedicated ration that doesn’t react to pain, what do you think she’ll have?”

  Noah frowned in confusion.

  “I…I don’t know.”

  “Reasonable doubt!” Brenda roared. “She’ll argue that this isn’t a continuation of Project Nine, but an entirely new project! Before this, she wouldn’t have been able to incite enough interest to sway the damn vote!”

  She crossed her arms, her tone lowering into a spiteful hiss as she glared at him.

  “Congratulations, Mr. Meyers. Biding your time for the opportune moment to bargain with me seems to have backfired, you now have nothing to put on the table.”

  Fear rose up in Noah’s heart.

  “Please, Dr. Hanson, I’ll do whatever it takes! She tried talking to it, she thinks it has the ability to communicate―”

  “And she’ll point out that there are no limits to forming and testing hypotheses. That’s not enough.”

  “Then I’ll find something else!” Noah cried in desperation. “I’ll do anything!”

  Brenda lifted her chin, her eyes narrowing as she fell silent for a moment.

  “Our deal still stands,” she finally said. “For now, anyway. Bring me something I can use to file new charges against Andreas.”

  “And I’ll get to retake my test? I’ll get a chance to qualify as a researcher?”

  Brenda nodded.

  “Andreas betrayed us all when she went to Smith. I want her gone, and if you help me, you’ll get your chance.”

  Noah closed his eyes as relief washed over him, then he stood to his feet.

  “I’ll bring you what you want,” he promised, turning to leave. “I swear I will!”

  “Keep me updated on her test results as well, Mr. Meyers,” Brenda called after him. “I won’t stand for a repeat of the Project Nine debacle.”

  “Yes, Dr. Hanson, of course.”