by Eliza Green
He needed to pay Tanya another visit. And this time, Laura would use her damn abilities to the full.
23
‘I’m coming to get you. Where are you?’
Silence greeted Bill on the other end of the line.
Then Laura answered him. ‘In the office. Why? What happened?’
‘We need to speak with Simon and Tanya again. This situation with the power is getting out of hand. I’ll explain what I just saw when I pick you up.’
Bill hung up while the car drove him away from the dirt road and GS boundary line towards the city and civilisation. He didn’t know how to contact Simon a second time, or what to say to convince Tanya to remove her cable. He should have known; a little power would never be enough for someone like her. She would keep giving him the run around, mining more power until she compromised the power grid operations. And Frank had no way to disconnect the power. The ITF would slip under the old board members’ command, just like the bad old days.
The car pulled up outside the offices, where Laura waited.
She climbed into the front seat beside Bill. ‘So what’s this all about? Why the urgency?’
Bill barked a command to return to the boundary line and the car moved. They would wing it from there like the last time.
Bill told her what had happened with the cable.
She cursed. ‘So Stephen was right about the GS seeking access to the Nexus. The only way they can do that from up here is if they increase the power to their machine.’ Laura stared out at the fast-moving scenery before turning back at Bill. ‘How will we find Simon?’
‘The way we did the last time, by walking into the area their cameras monitor and hoping they come get us.’
‘And if they don’t?’
They would. They’d be too curious not to come.
‘Tanya will want to know why we’re there.’
Laura settled into the front seat. ‘I hope you’re right.’
‘There’s one more thing,’ said Bill.
His voice cracked and he cleared it. She frowned while he fumbled for the right words to ask his next question. He’d no idea how she would reply.
Her frown turned into an impatient stare. ‘What is it? We’re almost there.’
‘I need you to tap into your Indigene skills, the ones I know you have.’
Laura picked at her sleeve. ‘I don’t know, Bill. They’re buried deep. I don’t even know what my skills are.’
‘Bullshit. You fell into silent conversation with Stephen without even blinking.’
Laura levelled a glare at him. ‘Doesn’t mean I know what they are. Some are instinctual, others not. You know I don’t like using them. I’ve told you why.’
‘Have you?’ Bill turned his body. ‘Look, we don’t have many opportunities to speak to Tanya and I’m running out of options to stop them. I want to try one last thing. And I’d like your help with it.’
Bill kept his mouth shut, waiting.
Laura sighed and shrugged. ‘I don’t know how I can help you.’
‘Yes, you do, Laura. You can see when people are lying. You can probably do much more than that. I’ve known Stephen long enough to read his body language. I could guess he wants the same thing I do.’ The car arrived at their destination but Bill wasn’t ready to get out. ‘He told you to embrace your Indigene side, but you refused, didn’t you?’
‘Stop pressuring me, Bill.’ Laura rubbed the back of her neck. ‘If I don’t feel Indigene, I can’t just pretend I am.’
‘You don’t need to pretend. I see the way you slip into it, then pull back out when you think I’ve noticed too much. Love...’ He turned more and grabbed her hands. ‘I don’t want you to be something less than you are. If you feel Indigene, don’t hold back on my account. I don’t want to be the one to hold you back.’
‘You’re not holding me back, Bill. I love you. You’re my husband.’
‘And I love you too, but you need to deal with this. Because if you don’t, it will get between us anyway, and as much as I love secrets and intrigue, this is one secret that we need to talk about.’
Laura pulled her hands out of his. ‘If there was something to talk about, Bill, you’d be the first to know. But there isn’t.’ There was an edge to her voice. ‘If it makes you feel better, I’ll talk to Stephen. He’s worrying over nothing.’
She gave Bill a smile that looked too forced to be genuine. Bill dropped the conversation with a sigh. Whatever his feelings, right now he needed Laura’s skills. Simon might be here shortly, and he wanted to play his lie just right.
They got out of the car and stood at the circle of boulders that encompassed the GS land beyond. He climbed over one and dropped to the other side. Laura took longer and he got the impression she was being slow on purpose. In silence, they made the short trek into the unremarkable, rocky land that held both the environ and the caves.
Laura walked at a normal pace next to Bill. Until his wife figured out what she wanted, nothing between them would be resolved. Bill would try to give her space to make that decision.
Their feet navigated rock-strewn land for half an hour until they reached a flat area close to the edge of the environ. Last time, they’d travelled under the cover of darkness. But it was mid morning and visibility was good.
The sun bounced off the environ, causing Bill to shield his eyes. Laura slipped on a pair of shades to protect hers; they were more sensitive than Bill’s. So many things connected her to the Indigene way of life. He couldn’t understand why she continued to pretend none of it mattered.
They slowed when they got close to the white, tarpaulin-covered dome. Bill saw the caves in the distance, just a dot and at least a couple of miles away.
‘Someone’s coming,’ Laura hissed.
Bill looked around but saw nothing. Then a white object sped towards them and came to a stop.
Bill groped for his Buzz Gun but Simon already had his hand on it. ‘Not a good idea, Bill.’
Bill relaxed his hand enough to appease Simon. His former ITF boss wore a white robe with a hood draped over his head. It was already twenty degrees Celsius out, and Simon’s skin looked similar enough to the Indigenes that he wondered if he could tolerate the sun.
‘We need to talk,’ said Bill. ‘To Tanya.’
Simon frowned. ‘About what?’
‘You know about what. About the extra power you continue to mine from my main feed.’
‘Bill, it’s not enough power to affect your operations,’ said Simon. ‘You still have plenty in reserves. I checked the numbers before I initiated a new draw.’
‘So you designed the cable?’
‘Yes, why?’
‘What the hell is it? It has a life of its own.’
‘It’s an intelligent cable,’ said Simon. ‘Since we can’t be there to monitor it day and night, I designed it to reattach itself in the event of disconnection.’
‘Well, I need you to detach it. Right now.’
Simon shook his head. ‘Tanya won’t agree to it, Bill. The power is helping the Elite to heal. Not by a lot, but enough that it will prolong their life for a few more months. The Elite’s bodies are too fragile to support them for longer than that.’
Laura shook her head. ‘I don’t understand; you said the healing is supposed to fix any issues with their code, to reverse the damage.’
‘Yes, but their bodies weren’t designed to be tested so much then rapidly healed. Their cells are dying.’
‘So what happens when Tanya decides she wants double what you currently have, or triple?’ said Bill.
‘I don’t know,’ said Simon. ‘I didn’t build the machine in the environ to store infinite power. Nor do I know how much it can safely store. Too much healing seems to be counterproductive to them. The healing effects are already reversing. That’s why Tanya didn’t come to meet you herself. She isn’t strong enough.’
‘Reversing? You mean the healing doesn’t work?’ said Laura.
Simon nodded.
‘It would appear so. We tested it with a little power and it gave them back their strength for a day. Then we doubled it and gave each of them two sessions with the machine. But that only healed them for a day like before—three days less than what we expected with a double dose and double the power. Their bodies appear to have a limit to how much healing they accept.’
Bill was confused. ‘So what you’re saying is they no longer have a use for the power?’
‘No, they still need it to heal, no matter how short the benefits. I just don’t think the power will do more than give them back a few days of strength.’
They still wanted the power. That was all Bill needed to hear.
‘Remove the cable, Simon, or I’ll order my men to shut down the power.’
Simon smiled. ‘Didn’t you just hear me? They just want dignity and to feel normal in their twilight years. That’s not too much to ask, is it, Bill?’
Bill wasn’t sure how to answer. What harm was there in helping a group of people to heal for a while who would otherwise die?
‘And what about you? Have you not required healing?’
‘No. My body is still strong. We Conditioned have not been intensively gene manipulated like the Elite have.’
‘Conditioned?’ said Laura.
‘It’s what the Elite call us. The extensive testing done to our bodies has conditioned them to be harder than the Elite’s.’ Simon shrugged. ‘It’s just a name.’
‘A name like that sticks you on a lower tier to the Elite,’ said Laura.
‘I disagree. We are very important.’
Laura removed her shades and stared at Simon. ‘So why do I see deceit in you? Your heart rate is elevated, and you’re sweating.’
‘I just ran here. And it’s hot out,’ Simon said with a smooth smile. ‘You’re reading too much into this. I’m telling the truth. But you have kept something important from me. You can read me. Tanya would not have agreed to let you inside the caves had she known what you are. She’s unable to read humans or Indigenes. I can sometimes read the latter.’
‘But you didn’t know what I was,’ said Laura.
‘Not until now. I witnessed your initial rapid changes but it didn’t occur to me that you might have held on to your new Indigene skills. Skills you hide from him.’ Simon nodded to Bill. ‘You’re scared to face them, because doing so would mean letting things in your life go. Am I right?’
Simon’s words made Bill squirm. He stared at his wife in an attempt to gauge her thoughts. All he discovered was a poker face wiped clean of emotion—just like an Indigene’s.
Laura folded her arms. ‘I’m not hiding anything, Simon. But you are. The Elite didn’t meet us here for another reason. And I’m sure that if we saw them, we would see the healing worked better than you’ve let on.’
Simon shook his head. ‘Why would I lie to you about that? The Elite are not long for this world. You saw that for yourself. All we’re doing here is giving them some dignity.’
Bill no longer bought the act. ‘The Elite didn’t go through a major genetic alteration to end their lives like a bunch of old people in a home. And when they achieve whatever it is they’ve planned, where will those plans leave you and the other Conditioned?’
Simon shifted his weight from one foot to the other. It was the first reaction Bill had noticed since he’d shown up.
‘You’re mistaken, both of you. This is only about preserving life for as long as possible.’ Simon sighed, as if the conversation bored him. ‘You need to leave our land now. You are no longer welcome here.’
‘What about the power? It doesn’t belong to you.’
‘Sorry, Bill, but I have no control over that.’
‘Well, I do. Expect your power supply to vanish soon.’
He turned away.
‘And I’ll instruct my business associates with access to the base station to turn the power back on.’
Bill turned back. ‘What did you say?’
‘There are other humans happy to do our bidding, for the right price.’
‘This won’t be the end of it, Simon.’
He pulled Laura with him as he walked away. She complied.
‘No, it won’t be. I’m certain of that,’ said Simon.
Bill stopped, but Laura urged him to keep going.
‘Leave it,’ she said.
He couldn’t. He turned to face his old boss—a man he had respected once. ‘What happened to you?’ He pointed at the caves. ‘Those people don’t respect you and never will. This can’t be your life.’
‘It is my life. And I must accept what I cannot change.’
‘Who says you can’t change it?’
Simon smiled. ‘Nice to see you again, Bill.’
He ran off. A blur of white trailed all the way back to the caves.
With a huff, Bill turned back around and walked on. His frayed temper poked at the edges of his nerves. He ignored it long enough to ask Laura what she thought.
He kept his tone cool, businesslike. ‘What did you sense from him?’
‘I saw his lies manifest, especially when he talked about the Elite and their plans for healing. There’s more to this than simply giving the Elite a few more days, or months, of dignity. They’re up to something and they will take more power if it serves their needs. And one other thing.’
‘What?’
‘Simon can’t keep me out of his head. Before, he could protect his thoughts from others and turn off the telepathic connection at will. But I couldn’t feel any shield. I still can’t read his thoughts but his defences are weak. Whatever changes he’s undergone recently have weakened him.’
Bill nodded and kept walking. A new silence mounted between them.
Laura said after a moment, ‘Don’t listen to anything Simon said about me. He’s got it wrong.’
Bill stopped. ‘Has he? You’re hiding things from me.’ He strode away from her, forcing Laura to catch up. ‘I don’t need to be a mind reader to pick up on that.’
‘Come on, Bill. That’s bullshit. This is you and me. Let’s talk about this.’
Bill stopped again and folded his arms. ‘Okay, why are you denying your Indigene side?’
Laura hesitated. ‘I’m not.’
Bill dropped his arms and walked on. ‘Wrong answer.’
‘Come on, Bill. Talk to me.’
The walk back to the car was torturous. Bill kept his stone wall up while Laura pleaded with him.
By the time they reached the car, she had given up. They got in.
‘So what now?’ Laura said, her voice barely above a whisper.
‘Now?’ He turned to her sharply. ‘Pack up your things and go visit Stephen. Deal with this shit you refuse to deal with and don’t come back until you know what you want.’
‘You’re kicking me out of my home?’
He issued a command and the car moved.
‘Damn right I am, starting today.’
‘You can’t do that, Bill. That’s my home.’
‘Stop, Laura.’ He pressed his fingers to his temple. ‘Just fucking stop and deal with it. Please.’
Laura shut her mouth and stared out the window.
He hated the silence more than the secrets, but he refused to hold her back. If he was no longer enough for her, he might as well be an asshole now. It would make the separation easier on them both.
24
Simon returned to the caves after leaving Bill and Laura to find their way out of the flatlands. He walked into the observation room where several Conditioned watched the pair on screen. Simon saw Bill and Laura looking less than pleased with each other. He hadn’t meant to put a wedge between the pair but Tanya had insisted he distract them somehow to take their focus off the power mining.
A noise sounded close by. He turned his head just as one of the Conditioned appeared at the back of the raised platform.
‘Tanya wants to see you now,’ he said.
Simon hopped up on to the platform and followed the Conditioned
through the roughly hewn tunnel behind the partition on the right. The tunnel led to an open area covered in white panels that gave the space a laboratory type feel. Three doors, one to the left and two to the right, led to the staging room and accommodation for Tanya’s assistants. The tunnel carried on straight to a similar open area and the location of the ten Elite’s accommodation. Similar areas accessible through the left partition behind the platform led to the majority of the Conditioned’s accommodation and the laboratories where the Earth doctors carried out their tests on the Elite. It was also the space for Simon’s mind-mapping machine and any inventions he or others created. The staging room to his left acted as the only central space with immediate access to both the left and right tunnels.
Simon sensed Tanya’s excitement but didn’t see her. One of Tanya’s assistants appeared like a ghost from the dark tunnel ahead of him.
‘In here.’ She gestured to the staging room. ‘Elite One wants to show you something.’
Simon opened the door and walked inside alone to see Tanya, dressed in a hooded robe similar to his, stood in the middle of the circle of beds. She had her back to him.
‘Simon,’ she said, her voice barely a whisper.
She could no longer speak telepathically, not since the last, and most aggressive, treatment had stolen it from her. If Bill and the Indigenes knew how vulnerable the Elite really were, they would have taken them down already.
Tanya turned slowly. Simon gasped when he saw her. Elite One smiled and swept her hands down her body. Then she drew a circle around her face with her finger.
‘What do you think?’
Tanya was no longer the withered skin bag he’d seen the day before, but a vibrant woman who looked closer to eighty than one hundred and sixteen. Definitely not the two-hundred-year-old she’d resembled for the past three months.
‘What happened?’
‘The Nexus healing.’
‘But it didn’t work as well as we thought. It only gave you back thirty-six hours.’
Tanya laughed. Her eyes, wide and observant, crinkled slightly at the corners. ‘Turns out the healing needed more time to work from the inside out. The skin ageing reversed itself just an hour ago.’