Compound 26

by Krista Street

  He led me out of the lab, into the hallway. When he turned toward me, his cold eyes pierced mine. He had gray eyes. I’d never noticed that before. Right now, they looked like sharp, metal bullets shooting right through me.

  “I told Dr. Sadowsky how poorly today went and how entering Davin’s cell was a complete waste of time.”

  My stomach dropped.

  “Unfortunately, he disagrees. Dr. Sadowsky wants you to keep working with Davin. I suggested we try Mitch, but he’s insistent it’s a woman.”

  My heart pounded. It never occurred to me that they might stop this experiment, or give up on me so quickly. “I’m sure I can do this.” I rubbed my icy palms on my pants.

  He raised his eyebrows. “You are?”

  “Yes. I won’t let you down.”

  “Let’s hope not. You have one month to obtain a sample. If you fail, I’m sending Amy in.”

  I balked. A month? “Is that the time limit Dr. Sadowsky gave?”

  “No. That’s the time limit I’m giving. The sooner we end this hippy nonsense, the sooner we return to real research.”

  Hippy nonsense? Real research? I stood up straighter. “But Compounds 10 and 11 are the only Compounds who’ve made progress. Don’t you consider that real research?”

  His eyes narrowed, and his voice dropped to a deadly quiet tone. “Are you questioning me, Dr. Forester?”

  I opened my mouth to acquiesce but then stopped. “Yes. I am. Dr. Hutchinson’s labs made a huge discovery. I think we all need to work together and give these new techniques a try. It’s the only lead we have right now.”

  Dr. Roberts’ head cocked. “Well,” he finally said. “We’ll see.” With that, he turned and marched down the hall.

  I stood looking after him, my breathing coming fast. I couldn’t believe I’d done that. I thought I’d never have the guts to stand up to my boss.

  I smiled. Jer would be proud of me. Taking a shaky breath, I turned back to the lab.

  I SPENT THE evening reviewing textbooks on the human psyche and traumatic events. That was kind of how I viewed what the Compound had done to Davin. Continuous psychological trauma.

  “You gonna read all night?” Jeremy lounged against the wall in my living room, sitting on the floor beside me, his feet crossed at the ankles. Books and papers were strewn everywhere.

  “No, not all night. Just most of it,” I replied without looking up.

  He thumbed through one of the books I’d checked out from the Compound’s library. “Interesting stuff,” he said dryly.

  I gave him an annoyed look before turning back to my paper. “It is interesting, at least to me.”

  “Why are you reading this?”

  I bit my lip. He knew I couldn’t talk about the Compound, although I wanted to. It would be such a relief to talk to him. To tell him about my fears and anxieties. I was terrified of failing at this. This, being the one thing that mattered to me now more than anything.

  “Um, no reason.” I let my dark hair fall across my cheek, hiding my face. He could always tell when I was lying. He’d said often enough my face was like an open book.

  Jeremy guffawed. “And you expect me to believe that?”

  I just shrugged, letting him know the topic was closed for discussion.

  Miraculously, I fell into a deep sleep that night. Perhaps all of the reading had done it. Maybe my exhausted mind and body had decided enough was enough. I needed sleep. Period. Consequently, when my alarm went off at 4 a.m., I awoke invigorated and ready to get to work.

  Part of my earlier than usual rising was due to the plan I’d thought up before bed. It required me getting in early today, at least, earlier than my boss.

  THE COMPOUND WAS dark when I pulled into my parking space. It wasn’t even five in the morning. Curfew wouldn’t lift until six. The only people allowed out after curfew were people with jobs requiring travel at odd hours. Medical personnel, security officers, law enforcement. They had to carry permits stating their work schedule. Days off didn’t entitle even them to be out as they pleased.

  The MRI, however, was in a class of its own. I always had an excuse to be on the roads, in Sioux Falls and Brandon at least. After a flash of my MRI badge, stating I was in the midst of conducting important research, any hefty fines would be waived, and I certainly wouldn’t go to the detention center.

  However, the patrol officer may still follow me, to ensure I was telling the truth. In other words, if I was out, it better be because of my job or I would get in trouble.

  It was so early, I beat even Private Williams to work. The night shift guard checked me in, and I hurried to my office to drop off my stuff. From there, I took a different route than we usually took to the Sanctum. I highly doubted Amy, Mitch, or Charlie would be in this early, but I couldn’t risk encountering them. They might insist on joining me. That was the last thing I wanted.

  When I reached the Inner Sanctum, the dim glow of nighttime lights barely illuminated the halls. I hurried through each access point. All of the Kazzie’s cells were dark. I checked my watch and kept walking. It was just past five.

  When I reached Davin’s hall, I peered into his cell through the floor to ceiling windows. His cell was as dark as the others. Of course, it is. I smacked my hand against my forehead. I forgot one, itsy, bitsy, tiny little detail in my grand plan.

  That Davin may still be sleeping.

  I cursed silently and tiptoed to the guard’s watch room. I stopped just outside when I heard voices.

  “…he went to bed at nine. Didn’t do much during the night. Got up around one to use the toilet and that was it. He’s been sleeping soundly since.”

  From the sounds of it, Sergeant Rose had just come on his shift. He was getting handover from the night shift guard.

  “He asked for his breakfast to be delivered at six. Scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon with a cup of coffee.”

  “Not his usual,” Sergeant Rose commented.

  “Nope, mixing it up today.”

  They kept talking so I waited. When the night shift guard stepped out of the watch room, he jumped when he saw me.

  I tried not to look guilty. “Good morning,” I mumbled.

  Sergeant Rose’s head peeked out of the watch room. “Meghan… I mean, Dr. Forester.”

  The other guard’s shoulders relaxed. “Ma’am.” He nodded his head before he passed.

  I smiled tightly, feeling a slight thrum of anxiety before wishing him a good day.

  After he left, I stepped into the watch room. The smell of coffee greeted me. A steaming cup sat beside Sergeant Rose on a small table by the control panel.

  He cleared his throat. “Um, you’ll have to excuse me. I didn’t realize anyone was coming at this time. What can I do for you?”

  I stepped forward, thinking of what I’d heard between the two guards. It gave me an idea. It would require talking to Sergeant Rose. A lot. But it seemed worth it. I took a deep breath, telling myself to suck it up and to forget my nervousness around new people. I was doing this for Davin.

  “Well, nothing right now,” I replied. “I didn’t realize Davin would still be sleeping.”

  “Yeah, it is pretty early.”

  I blushed, realizing how stupid that sounded. “I mean… I just didn’t consider how early it was when I came down here. I should have known better.”

  Sergeant Rose smiled. “Well, you won’t have to wait long. He’s always up by six. He’s been an early riser ever since I’ve been here.” He sat down on his stool and motioned to the stool beside him.

  I hesitantly sat.

  “Want some coffee?” He held up his cup. “It’s right down the hall in the breakroom.”

  I shook my head. “No, that’s okay.”

  We were silent for a moment, both of us peering into Davin’s dark cell. It seemed now was the perfect opportunity to break the ice. From what I’d overheard during their handover, Davin’s guards knew him better than anyone.

  I took a deep breath. “So, he s
leeps pretty well?” I continued peering into Davin’s cell.

  “Yeah, most nights. Although when he returns from the Experimental Room, that’s another story.”

  I winced. I could only imagine why that was. Amy had shown me the Experimental Room once when we were passing by the Sanctum. It looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. Four beds with robotic equipment surrounded each. Technicians worked in a separate room, controlling the equipment. Each robotic arm held sinister looking tools: scalpels, drills, hammers, chisels, pinchers. I could only imagine the number of scars each Kazzie had.

  “Has Dr. Roberts had him in the Experimental Room lately?”

  “No, not since about the time you started.”

  I sighed in relief. “How does Davin usually spend his days? When he’s just… hanging around here?” I waved at his cell. “When we’re not doing research on him?”

  Sergeant Rose took a sip of his coffee before crossing his arms and leaning back on his stool. “It’s kind of the same most days. He always eats breakfast at six and then he watches the news, or reads the newspaper, and sometimes does sit-ups and push-ups. After that, he usually reads. The guy’s read more books than anyone I know.” He said that bit admiringly, a smile breaking across his face.

  It was then I picked up on something I’d never noticed in my previous visits to the Inner Sanctum. Sergeant Rose liked Davin, or at the very least, respected him. I wondered how that affected his job, when he had to do cruel things, like put Davin in the Chair.

  “After lunch, he usually exercises in his cell,” Sergeant Rose continued.

  “He does? But there’s no exercise equipment.”

  “It’s mostly body resistance stuff. Push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks. That kind of stuff. You know, the stuff anyone can do in a small space.”

  A small space. The confinement that all the Kazzies lived in right now.

  “It wasn’t always like that,” Sergeant Rose added. “Before all of the changes a few months ago, he’d go to the gym after lunch and then go to the lounge to be with the other Kazzies. And some mornings, he’d read in the library, not stay in his cell. But since Dr. Roberts took over, that’s stopped. Now, each Kazzie gets out of his, or her, cell two hours each day. That’s it. Well, at least, they did, until recently.”

  “And they’re not now because they’re still in lockdown?”

  “Right.”

  “So… Dr. Roberts is punishing them? Because Davin got angry at how he was treated?”

  “I guess.” A bitter edge clung to Sergeant Rose’s tone.

  “Any news on how long this is going to continue? They haven’t left their cells for… what… over four weeks now?”

  “Correct,” Sergeant Rose replied grimly. “But no, I haven’t heard anything about when he’s going to lift the ban.”

  “How long has it been since Davin’s had any interaction with anyone? Socially, I mean, not with us?”

  “Not for months.” Sergeant Rose took another sip of his coffee. “You going in his cell yesterday was the closest contact he’s had with anyone since Dr. Roberts stopped allowing the Kazzies to socialize.”

  I glowered. That was four weeks of isolation, and that kind of treatment was in no way conducive to happiness. If anything, it bred insanity. No wonder our Compound hadn’t made any progress.

  I tucked a long strand of hair behind my ear. “What else can you tell me about him? You know… what kind of books he likes to read or what kind of news he prefers? Or his favorite foods? You said he orders the same things most mornings? Does he have other habits?” I cut myself off, realizing I was asking too many questions at once.

  Sergeant Rose cocked his head and smiled. “Do you really want to know that stuff?”

  I nodded.

  He shook his head.

  “What?” I asked warily.

  “None of the researchers have ever asked anything like that before.”

  “So what do the other researchers want to know?”

  “About the Kazzies?” Sergeant Rose shrugged. “Nothing really, all they worry about are samples.”

  I thought of what Amy had told me, how they’d all had to accept a few things, for the sake of research. I wondered if distancing themselves from the Kazzies made it easier to do their jobs. If by not having a connection with them, they didn’t feel as guilty.

  I was about to ask Sergeant Rose another question when movement came from Davin’s cell. My head snapped toward the glass. A light turned on, illuminating the room. Davin had turned the lamp on beside his bed. He sat up slowly, his chest bare. I hadn’t considered he may be undressed.

  I quickly averted my eyes.

  Sergeant Rose chuckled. “Don’t worry. He’s got pants on.”

  I glanced up, but I was still cautious. Davin swung his legs over the side of his bed, his back to us. He had broad shoulders and a tapered waist. Chiseled muscles shifted under his skin when he moved.

  I swallowed audibly.

  Sergeant Rose leaned down and pushed a button on the control panel while speaking into a microphone. “Your breakfast will be in soon.”

  Davin didn’t acknowledge that he’d heard. Instead, he stood and stretched.

  I tried not to notice the sinewy muscles that rippled in his back and arms, or the way his golden skin was perfectly flawless and smooth. Wherever they took samples from, it wasn’t his back.

  Davin finished stretching and padded to the bathroom. I averted my gaze again. Not that I could see much since a half wall blocked him from view. Still, he had no idea I was there. Just as I had that thought, I once again wanted to smack my hand against my forehead. I suddenly realized my grand plan could end up being the biggest disaster of my career.

  Here I was, wanting to gain Davin’s trust while forming a therapeutic relationship, and instead, I’d snuck into the watch room and watched him sleep without him knowing it. Yeah, not creepy at all. Way to go, Meg, definitely hit a home run with this plan.

  “Um, I think I’ll go grab that cup of coffee after all.” I jumped off my stool and almost bumped it over in my haste to escape.

  IT DIDN’T TAKE long to find the breakroom. It was past the tenth cell. Each Compound had twenty cells. Since Compound 26 only had seven Kazzies, we had a lot of empty space. Hence, why so many Kazzies from the coasts had been transported to us. None of the Midwestern Compounds were full.

  It was almost creepy walking past the empty cells. They stood like silent, vacant ships in a harbor waiting to be loaded. It was an ominous feeling. Like it was just a matter of time before they were occupied.

  I had to use my access badge to enter the breakroom. The digital clock on the wall read six in the morning. If Dr. Roberts was already at the Compound and decided to check up on my whereabouts, my digital fingerprint would tell him exactly where I was. I just prayed he wasn’t feeling curious this morning.

  The small breakroom held a half kitchen including a sink, bar sized fridge, microwave, and coffee pot. A few tables and chairs were farther back. There wasn’t a couch, but there was a vending machine. One of the nice things about vending machines at the Compound was that they didn’t require money. Like the cafeterias, everything in them was free.

  I opened a cupboard in the kitchen. White, porcelain cups sat lined up neatly. I grabbed one and took my time pouring a cup of coffee before adding cream from the fridge.

  I sipped it slowly, my fingers wrapping around the hot mug. It was flavored coffee, a true luxury. Scents of hazelnut wafted up to greet me. I closed my eyes and savored the creamy richness.

  Usually, I had my coffee black, but that was only because I never used my rations for real cream at the SDFDC. There were so many things in the Compound those on the outside never experienced.

  I glanced at the clock again.

  Ten minutes had passed. I figured that was enough time for Davin to have gone to the bathroom and maybe dressed. Unless he decided to shower. Frowning, I settled onto one of the chairs.

  Better to make su
re I give him enough time to fully get up.

  BY THE TIME I left the breakroom, almost half an hour had passed. Even if Davin took long showers, I figured he’d be done by now.

  When I approached the watch room, bright light streamed into the hallway from the floor to ceiling windows. Peeking my head around the corner, I peered cautiously into Davin’s cell. He was sitting at his desk, a tray of food in front of him. I breathed a sigh of relief and joined Sergeant Rose again.

  “Looks like he’s up.” I settled on the stool.

  “Just started breakfast.”

  I clasped my hands together and waited. Davin still didn’t know I was there. Once again, his back was to me. “Does he always eat facing away?”

  “Yeah, he usually ignores me. Most of the time, it’s like I’m invisible. I’ve gotten the impression it’s easier for him to pretend I’m not here.”

  “So he can’t talk to the other Kazzies, and he doesn’t talk to you either?”

  “Right.”

  My brow furrowed. “It’s a wonder he hasn’t gone crazy.”

  Sergeant Rose shrugged. “Davin’s pretty… resilient.”

  A few minutes later, Davin stood with his empty tray. He was fully dressed, wearing a plain t-shirt and jeans. His feet were bare. That must have felt cold on the concrete. He walked to the back corner with his tray and waited.

  Sergeant Rose pushed a button on his control panel. A small portal opened in the cell’s wall, and Davin set his tray inside it and the portal closed.

  “Is that how he gets his food? Through that system in the wall?”

  “Yeah, all three meals.”

  Davin returned to his bed. A newspaper waited on his covers.

  “How’d he get that?” I watched Davin sit and open it.

  “It always comes down with his breakfast tray.”

  “Hmm,” I mumbled, intrigued. Our city newspaper wasn’t large by any means. It was usually ten pages at the most with news as exciting as watching water boil. I bought a paper every now and then. Just to see what was in it.

  It usually reported events in the state. Most were community outings and fundraisers. The actual news aspect was minimal. Classifieds took up another large portion of it. Since new things were hard to come by, some people made a living off finding old junk and refurbishing it.