They had played her like a fiddle. Offering promotion and a new role, exactly what she wanted. She tugged at her left pinkie. Even if this wasn’t real, she was stuck.
After dressing in a tracksuit and trainers, she slipped out of her room and jogged down to level four. The whole area was in hibernation, silent but for the background hum of machinery. Avery tip toed to the neuro lab and pushed against a locked door.
Glancing around, she spied the veterinary practice.
Its door opened inwards with a click. In the dark interior, she glimpsed a figure glide into the room from a side door.
“Matos?” she whispered.
He appeared suddenly in front of her, face inches from hers. His brown eyes flickered around her face, mouth slightly open, warm breath on her forehead.
“Wasn’t expecting you.”
He flicked on a light switch and stepped back from the entrance. Beckoning her inside and locking the door. They stared at each other, seemingly daring the other to start a conversation.
“Help you with something?” Matos said, breaking the silence.
“What happened to you in the canteen?”
“That was months ago. Lost my temper, things got out of hand.”
“You were shouting about burning eyes.”
“Took a bump on the head.”
Matos spoke the words mechanically, batting back her questions. It was like talking to Ringo, but Avery could see emotion written across his face.
“There’s something wrong here,” she said.
“Don’t follow.”
“Don’t pretend. I knew you before the bunker, whether you remember or not. “Are you like the others in here?”
“Are you?” he replied. Taking hold of a chair and swinging it below him as he sat.
Avery scanned his face, eyes and posture. “What’s happening?”
He shook his head, sighed and blew out a breath. “There’s an uncoupling. A feeling. It jolts me awake.”
“Your feel-”
They both turned suddenly towards a knock on the door. Matos gestured towards a back room and Avery darted through the opening. The entrance door opened and footsteps sounded in the adjacent room.
“Doctor Cain,” Matos said.
There were footsteps in reply. The sound of walking across the lab reception area then cupboard doors opened and closed. “Is the Commander here?”
Avery hunted around the examination room for a hiding place. There was a central steel table with drawers below. A bench ran along the right hand wall. She spun behind the door as it was opened. Holding her breath as a tuft of Cain’s hair moved into view. The hair moved back and the door closed.
“Please ask the Commander to contact me if you see her,” Cain said.
“Of course,” Matos replied.
The outer door opened and closed. She waited in the examination room for Matos. Then the outer door opened again.
“One more thing.” Cain said. “You need a check-up at fifteen hundred hours.”
“Fifteen hundred hours,” Matos repeated.
The outer door closed and Avery waited in the examination room. Not daring to move and breathing slowly. After ten minutes, Matos entered and busied himself with equipment beneath the central table.
“You need to go,” he said.
“Is it the nanos?”
“Go,” he repeated. “Try to stay awake. Sleep for two hours max. If you make it for a week then we’ll talk.”
Avery slipped out of the lab and ran back up the stairs towards her quarters. Pushing her way along corridors and a staircase clogged with soldiers. They paid her no attention as she jogged past, head down and feigning a morning run.
Back in her quarters, she dressed in uniform. Her mind replayed the meeting with Matos. He gave her no answers, only more questions. If she lasted a week on snatched sleep she might not even be coherent to talk to him.
There was Cain’s unlikely assistant, Burns. If she could get him alone, away from Cain, maybe he would tell her what was happening.
The door alarm warbled, Ringo’s face leaning in towards the camera.
The day started with an armory inspection. In the large open space of level one, a windy April morning played across the plasma screens. Avery suppressed a shiver, despite the constant temperature inside the bunker. She selected small arms at random to be disassembled and laid out before her. Leaning in to pick up parts and inspect them. The weapon techs and soldiers stood holding their breath, awaiting her verdict.
At lunch, she scanned the canteen for Burns. The scientists were clustered on a table but he was not amongst them.
She settled into her small office for an afternoon of administrative duties. Sitting back on the black cushioned chair and closing her eyes. She sensed the presence of Ringo outside the door. No doubt stood at ease, back against the wall. He would wait there all night if she let him.
Her office contained only two chairs and a desk. The desk was bare except for her black flexi screen. She rifled through the draws looking for anything of interest. Each drawer was empty, not even a pen or pad of paper.
It was a soulless, interchangeable space. If she weren’t here, someone else would be sat in this seat. There may even be a hundred other similar seats in similar bunkers across the country. Were any of the others losing their minds?
After fidgeting for an hour, she sent Ringo to find Doctor Burns. He left after a slow salute. His greasy deadpan face offered her no more comfort than a plastic spoon. The door closed and Avery looked down at her flexi screen. An icon flashed, asking her if she wanted to commence draft appraisals for department heads.
As the image of Daniels appeared on screen, she remembered him arriving. Twinkling eyes and head bobbing as he spoke. Now he was guarded, eyes pulled in a squint and conversation clipped.
Pritchard too had made mistakes in the first few weeks. Since then he had lost pounds of weight and carried himself like a marine.
They had all performed well and she couldn’t mark them down for changing personality. Kaya, Cain, Aslam, Daniels and Pritchard were her support mechanism. She snorted at the suggestion. There were one to one meetings scheduled tomorrow. Once she got them alone, she could evaluate their emotional states in more detail.
She surfed through the other icons. Reports, orders and procedures covered every aspect of bunker life. There were no unusual files or documents of any interest to describe anecdotal living in the bunker. There was a meteorological icon. Cocooned in the bunker and fed images of the external world, she hadn’t considered outside weather.
She swiped the date to go back in time. Wind speeds peaking at 180 miles per hour and rainfall levels triple the norm. She double checked the dates. It wasn’t just a storm with a temper, this continued for months.
There was a soft knock on the office door then Ringo walked in.
“I’m sorry Commander, I couldn’t find Doctor Burns.”
Avery nodded then looked back down at the weather data. She hadn’t expected Ringo to arrive with Burns. Didn’t expect Burns would be eager to discuss a mind experiment and apologize for any confusion.
Ringo remained in the doorway and cleared his throat. “Doctor Cain would like you to see her urgently in the neuro lab.”
“Well I’m extremely busy here. Pass on a message.”
“She was insistent.”
“Thank you Ringo,” Avery said, leaning back in her chair. “That will be all.”
Ringo stood blinking at her as if he didn’t understand. She repeated her words but he maintained his position.
He held an arm out and pointed to the corridor. “I will accompany you to the lab Commander.”
It dawned on Avery exactly who Ringo was working for. Her ever present shadow in the facility was nothing more than a minder. She considered ordering him out or even incapacitating him but opted to play along.
They walked in silence down the staircase and onto level four. She glimpsed Matos through the Vetinary lab open
door. His impassive face showed no acknowledgement towards her.
Cain was waiting at the neuro lab entrance door. “This way Commander.”
Avery followed her inside, door slapping shut on Ringo.
Cain lowered herself onto a chair behind her desk, making a low groan as she settled. On the other side of the room, Burns operated a console, head down and fingers tapping.
“How are you feeling,” Cain asked, her face screwed into mock sympathy.
“I’m fine.”
“A brusque reply,” Cain said, voice rising in pitch. She appeared to check this statement against a monitor. Nodding, shaking her head then nodding again. “There have been some reports of your disengagement with protocol.”
“I’m the Commander of this facility. You forget yourself.”
“Everyone is equal in my neuro lab. I’m not trying to undermine you. I want to ensure a smooth transition.”
“To what?”
For the first time Avery detected hesitation from Cain. Burns glanced up from his monitor for a fraction of a second. Both Avery and Cain caught the movement.
“Fourth gen nanos require constant feedback and adjustment,” Cain said. “It’s a complicated science and one I’m sure you don’t want to be burdened with.”
“No please, carry on.”
“I couldn’t possibly inform you over a snatched conversation. I’ll put my thoughts down on a memo. For your eyes only.”
“That would be helpful. Now if that’s all you wanted?”
Cain straightened in her chair and brushed the concerned expression from her face. “Please step into the NDCC so I can configure your system.”
“Not today,” Avery said, backing away. “I’m in need of exercise, food and sleep.”
“I must insist.”
Avery turned to walk away. “I’ll return if I feel there’s a problem you can assist me with.”
Cain’s chair legs squealed on the rubber floor behind her. Avery opened the lab door and saw the prone figure of Ringo, unmoving on the floor. Racing towards him, she left the lab and a pressure eased in her head.
Ringo was unconscious but breathing. Eye balls rolling when she pulled open his lids. Avery looked up towards Cain, whose gaze was locked on the closed door of the Vetinary lab.
Chapter 16
“The greatest challenge in a static environment,” Sarin began. “Is stimulating the intellect of those with only a latent capability. We need a simple punitive authority. If you break the rules you’ll be punished.”
“Our harmony relies on togetherness,” Heather said.
“We have to punish thieves,” Ortiz replied.
“What’s so funny Dr Sarin?” Fox asked.
Logan broke his day dream, looking at the group around his table. After over a year in the mine, they were all exhibiting signs of strain and irritation. Jarod stared through hooded and red rimmed eyes. Chin on hand and elbow on table. Ortiz was twitchy, his body in constant motion. Heather’s smile seemed fractured and held by force. Fox had lost so much weight he could be a different man. Sarin looked sickly and pale. His barbed voice prodded and probed to snag an argument.
A lack of natural light appeared to deaden their eyes. Apart from Logan, their skin was pallid and greasy. Fox and Jarod had a red tint to their bearded faces caused by high blood pressure. Their hair was longer and shapeless. Their misshapen clothes smelt damp and earthy.
“My old Philosophy teacher would have found this meeting absolutely fascinating,” Sarin said.
“This isn’t funny.” Logan said. All eyes suddenly turned towards him. “We have to maintain order.”
“You need to control Sean,” Sarin said, banging the table. “The man’s an absolute clown.”
“I worry more about people who don’t show emotion,” Heather said. “Sean’s a raw nerve, but he’s coping better than many others in here.”
Logan chewed on his bottom lip, staring at Sarin. He demanded special privileges for his status as the mine doctor. Separate mealtimes, extra rations, a maid, the list was endless. Understandably, this caused resentment from other miners. Sean started to call him ‘Your Worship” and the name had stuck.
Every problem solved either indirectly or directly caused another problem. Logan now knew that for a group of humans to live together, everyone had to feel special and have an ability to look down on someone else. Whether by bad luck, or forced by circumstance, some individuals were forced into an underclass. These people were now accused of all crimes and problems in the mine. They had no jail or method of disciplining people other than extra duties. But when you’ve got nothing better to do, that’s not a real punishment.
They had so far rejected the use of corporal punishment. But now due to repeated offences, they were considering the first sentence. Once approved, the beating would be carried out in private. The guilty man would be masked for punishment then taken to the hospital for treatment. Logan suspected this was going to lead to even more problems. But they were out of alternatives to stop the unrest.
“Bring in Dandy please,” Logan said.
“Think before you act,” Heather said. “If you start physical punishment where will it end?”
“It’ll send a warning,” Sarin replied. “There won’t be many more before we get the message across. No more thieving or fighting in the mine.”
Ortiz pulled open the meeting room door.
Outside stood a stocky middle aged man, short, balding and red faced. He was known as Dandy though Logan couldn’t figure out why. He dressed like a vagrant and smelt of sour milk and onions.
Two soldiers dwarfed him at either side. The soldiers nudged him into the room. Hands tied behind his back, Dandy shuffled forward glancing nervously into the room. His eyes flicked to faces around the table, unwilling to meet anyone’s gaze.
“You’ve been here too many times,” Logan said.
“It’s not my fault boss,” he stuttered.
“Did you break into the kitchen and steal chocolate yesterday?” Logan asked.
Dandy kept his head down and said nothing.
Logan glanced across at Ortiz then Fox. “Did you get drunk and start a fight in the canteen because you said a man disrespected you?”
“He deserved it, looking down his nose at me. They’re always blaming me.”
“This is the fifth time you’ve been before us,” Sarin said.
“I’m drowning in here,” Dandy spat. “I feel trapped. I need fresh air. It’s like a prison sentence.” He trailed off, swallowing hard and staring towards the floor.
Logan was numb, he said nothing in reply. The man had spoken for them all. Sarin shook his head without pity. It’s easy to be a moral compass when you’re at the top of the food chain.
“Extra duties for two weeks,” Logan said. “Next time you’re brought in here will be your last. Do I make myself clear? Take him away.”
Dandy pushed the soldier to his right and jumped onto the solider to his left. “I just want to go home.”
A chair on Logan’s right flew back against the wall as Ortiz leapt over the table. He dropped Dandy with a punch to the side of his head. Twisting the man’s cuffed arms further behind his back and forcing him down.
Dandy screamed and spat out at Ortiz. “I’ll do something crazy if you don’t let me out.”
The recovered soldiers gripped Dandy from both sides, an arm snaked around his neck to hold him tight.
Ortiz released Dandy and walked back to his seat. “Take him out to the compound and make sure he has a guard.”
As he was dragged from the room, Dandy screamed “Logan.” His voice muffled by the slamming of the conference room door.
“Well that went well,” Sarin said.
“If we’re finished, I need to get back to the kitchen.” Fox said.
No one appeared to have the energy or desire to discuss anything else. Least of all Logan. “Re convene in a week.”
Fox, Sarin and Ortiz walked out in a line. Each nodded
at Logan attempting to convey some form of hidden meaning. Heather squeezed his shoulder on her way past. She touched Jarod lightly on the cheek and he looked up at her with a forced smile.
Logan was left alone with Jarod. They stared at each other in silence. Since losing their wives, they both struggled to communicate. The virus had taken twenty two people before it petered out. Their mourning had brought the men together then pushed them apart. Jarod seemed to be in competition with everyone over mourning.
“I wonder what’s happening on the surface.” Jarod said, breaking the silence.
Logan didn’t reply, he shrugged and cupped his chin. Jarod sat with a vacant look on his crusty face, likely imagining the world as he knew it. Logan thought of his inner stronghold, it was so vivid he could pull it up in his mind like a computer game at any moment. He was eager to return, though he didn’t want to ask Jarod to leave.
“How’s your stronghold coming along?” Logan asked.
“It doesn’t really work for me.”
“How are the guys coping?”
“They need another project. Every day is the same. No one knows if its night or day and its making them crazy. Working for a living keeps you sane. I was thinking of repairing the digging machine. It’s a beast of a unit.”
“Let me know what you need.”
“How are your boys?”
The question was like a slap in the face and Logan shifted in his chair. Since Cate’s death, they had lived with their grandparents. Logan visited regularly but every time he was with them, an incredible sadness overcame him. Although they seemed unaware of the situation, he wished they could have a normal life, at home and school, Instead of surviving to an unknown future. He found it difficult to keep up the visits and made excuses to avoid seeing them.
“They’re good,” he said. “Heather’s teaching them.”
Jarod pushed back his chair and unfolded himself into a standing position. It was like watching a mannequin being slowly inflated. “Don’t be a stranger at the workshop.”
“I’ll swing by tomorrow,” Logan replied, scratching his nose.
He followed Jarod to the door, closing it behind him. Breathing out hard and leaning against it. He walked into the lounge, opening a cupboard that contained his supply of whiskey. His secret from everyone else, boxes of Jack Daniels left by Caspar.
Eximus Page 16