Starting the Slowpocalypse (Books 1-3 Omnibus)

by James Litherland

  Tony’s jaw set into suspicion again. “That’s not good enough. But if you go in and get a good night’s sleep—better yet, take all of tomorrow to rest up—I might see if you’re up to some light work. But I will not send you out on patrol until I think you’re ready. Got it?”

  “Don’t worry, Tony. It’ll be just like when I was working under you before. I’ll follow your lead, and you’re the boss. Such as right now. You said I need to go get a good night’s sleep, so I’m headed for bed this very moment.”

  To show him how compliant she could be when she wanted, Kat turned and walked across the grass and back into the house. She felt his eyes watching her the whole way. Well, she really did need plenty of rest—tomorrow night would be quite a challenge for her.

  Chapter 19

  Final Arguments

  1:35 p.m. Monday, May 26th

  CAROLINE stood to face her audience. Upset and unreceptive, at least they weren’t as hostile a crowd as the protesters who had tried to attack her house. This was a mixed group, representing each segment of their community. Most of them had seated themselves in the chairs that had been set out for them in the large open space of the main hall—and none appeared to be drunk. It was an auspicious beginning, and it had been her idea.

  To give ordinary residents an opportunity to air their grievances, vent their frustrations, and ask any questions they might have, she’d suggested that the council hold an open session in the great hall on the day before the election. Not only that, but she’d recommended this be a weekly practice, turning one of their meetings over to public participation. Everyone had endorsed her proposal.

  Even Tony had like the idea. He’d said it would give his officers a taste of what they’d face tomorrow when they provided security for the announcement of the election results and the swearing in of the new First Councilor in this very room. What he had not liked was the idea of the chairs. Likely with visions of another mob scene, he had tried to insist they be bolted to the floor, but that would’ve been impractical. Even Sara had voted against it.

  Everybody had agreed to limit the number who would be able to attend in person, probably because nobody wanted things to get out of hand. They had adopted Caroline’s plan to allow each council member a certain number of invitations to extend as they wished, with the remainder of the seats going by lottery to anybody who actually got to the Community Hall before the meeting began. The full council had unanimously supported each one of her suggestions in fact. That had made her suspicious.

  She had sold her rivals Fox and Kittner both on the notion that this would give them a perfect platform for making their final arguments to the public on an equal footing. And they had both eagerly endorsed the arrangement.

  Caroline had expected some resistance, though, if only because it had been her idea. Instead, both of her opponents had accepted far too readily. Clearly they both thought they could use this to their advantage, and as she surveyed the assembled throng, she saw part of their plan. Even among the mixed audience she could pick out partisans who must’ve been recruited by her rivals. Of course, she had expected something of the sort when she’d advanced the plan for each councilor to hand out their own invitations. What she anticipated now was a host of preplanned comments and questions aimed at promoting a particular candidate, or possibly to try and embarrass a rival. But by now they ought to know better than to try to discomfit her.

  She stood there for another minute to reinforce her regal role at the center of the long table set up on the raised platform at the back of the hall—continuing her de facto position as chairwoman, which her fellow council members had continued to accept, at least until after the election. It gave her the appearance of being their leader now. By this time tomorrow, she hoped it would be established reality.

  Glancing down both sides of the table, she evaluated each of them. Dr. Harker sat all the way down on the far right end—so she could make a quick getaway after some opening comments concerning the current public health crisis. Next to her was Verity, calm and collected, and between Ms. Belue and Caroline sat Alvin Fox. On Caroline’s left, Jeffrey Minchin was a welcome buffer between her and Kittner. And at the left end of the table sat Sara.

  Caroline returned her attention to the assembly before her, banged her gavel to get everybody else’s attention, and cleared her throat to make sure their eyes were all on her. “My fellow citizens, before we begin today’s council session, Dr. Harker would like the opportunity to address all of us. And then she’ll need to get back to the clinic to continue her work to contain the flu epidemic that’s causing so much disruption at present. I’m sure you will excuse her absence from the rest of this meeting. And now, since I’m sure we want to hear what she has to say, please be respectful and give her your full attention.”

  The doctor stood up behind the table and pulled the mask down from her face, blinking at the crowd before her. The woman’s horn-rimmed glasses only partially hid the heaviness under her eyes. Nothing could disguise the weariness in her face—but a little makeup would’ve gone a long way. Her hair pulled carelessly back into a ponytail and still wearing her lab coat, she might have been completely lacking in glamor, but she was the very image of a hard working professional. Appropriate in the circumstances, but it probably wasn’t intentional. Dr. Harker likely had just rushed over from the clinic.

  Caroline resumed her seat as Amita coughed into her microphone—that wasn’t terribly reassuring. The woman gazed out across the crowd as if she was thinking of something else. “First, I’d like to assure everyone that the sisters are exerting every effort to treat those stricken by the flu. Unfortunately, we’re beyond our capacity to treat them all at the clinic, so we’re reserving the beds we have for the most needful patients, and those who have to be cared for in a more secure environment.”

  Dr. Harker meant some violent offenders who’d been apprehended recently, that the detention center was now too overwhelmed to take in. But as the woman had phrased it, people would probably jump to the conclusion she was talking about VIPs such as the director—which was ironic, since Tony and his helpers had sneaked Miles out of the clinic and back home early on Sunday morning. If he had remained at the hospital, eventually that fact would’ve leaked. That likely would’ve meant a horde of angry demonstrators bothering the sisters, which no one wanted. But now her husband was home.

  Caroline couldn’t discuss these things in public, but she had to remember to think of a way to correct any misapprehension caused by Dr. Harker’s words—it wouldn’t do to let people think the director and other important figures might be at the clinic. That could lead to the very situation they hoped to avoid.

  While Caroline considered this problem, Amita continued with a half-hearted lecture on how everybody should wash their hands often and wear those paper masks, in order to keep from spreading the virus. The woman had to know few people would actually heed her advice.

  Jeffrey tilted forward and looked past Caroline to ask the doctor a question. “Will asking people to stay home when they’re sick really keep the flu from spreading? Wouldn’t it be best to completely isolate everyone who has been infected from the rest of the community?”

  Dr. Harker shook her head and turned to talk to him directly. “It should be alright if people will take proper precautions, the ones I just outlined. When someone feels like they’re coming down with symptoms, they need to contact the clinic and let a sister assess whether they would be better treated at their home or should be brought in for care.”

  The next to ask a question was the deputy director, who looked up at Amita. “Are you confident the sisters can do that in a timely fashion, with patients scattered across the compound?”

  Verity seemed sincere. But that was a question people in the audience would’ve been asking if Verity hadn’t gotten it in first, and they’d want to listen to the answer. The woman must’ve understood that and had subtly aligned the administration with people’s concerns. It was a savvy maneuver,
and Caroline was glad Verity wasn’t one of her opponents in this particular contest.

  Amita’s answer allayed everyone’s concerns. “I know the sisters will be working hard to monitor all those patients, but the FURCSnet will help, and the ambulances will be available, not just for transporting patients to the clinic, but also to make sure that the sisters can respond quickly if they have to go out to visit a patient at home.” The doctor gave the deputy director an uncharacteristically hard look. “I’m sure you won’t object to the use of whatever amount of gasoline might be required.”

  Verity smiled and nodded. “Of course, anything you need is at your disposal.” Having been asked in a public forum, the woman couldn’t have answered any other way. “Thankfully all the rationing that we instituted after the compound was sealed means we have sufficient fuel for you now.” And with that she reminded everyone of how effective the administration’s detailed preparations had been, and how that had helped bring them through a lot already.

  Dr. Harker turned back to the audience. “Most people who catch this flu, though, will be fine if they get plenty of rest and fluids. It may hit people hard, but only those with compromised immune systems are at any real risk. So the sisters will focus on helping those patients.”

  Caroline hoped that had been enough to satisfy her fellow councilors and the citizens present. She stood again and nodded at Amita. “Thank you, Dr. Harker, for taking this time away from your important work to answer our questions.” She hoped the woman wouldn’t be subjected to questions from the crowd. “I’m sure you’d like to get back to it.”

  The doctor didn’t waste words. “Yes,” she said, and nodded brusquely before stepping down off the platform and heading through a back door. Behind that exit surely some Security minion was waiting to escort her back to the clinic. Tony had brought in a number of former safety aides from among the students to help with those smaller tasks.

  During that short interval, the crowd had taken to murmuring among themselves. So Caroline took up her gavel again and banged it before she spoke to them. “Now, I know you’re here to share your comments and ask us questions, and we’ll get to that before long. But first we need to take care of our regular business. I hope you will all be patient while we get this out of the way—it may provide you with the answers you’re looking for or draw your attention to an issue you weren’t already aware of.” She glanced at her fellow councilors on either side. “I’m opening the floor first for old business.”

  As she sat back down, Dean Kittner was already springing to her feet. Thankfully it wasn’t to accuse Miles of getting special treatment from the sisters at the clinic.

  Turning her back to Sara, Alice glared down the table at the rest of the council. “At Friday’s session, I raised the question of whether or not we can trust the integrity of this election—since the votes are being cast and calculated through the FURCSnet, and the administration runs that. You all dismissed my concerns, but this is our last chance to postpone the election until we can have traditional paper ballots. While that may take some time, at least we’d have a record of the real votes cast, and the count could be confirmed independent of the administration.”

  Caroline certainly didn’t want to leap right into this controversy, so she sat and waited. This battle was for the administration to fight, and sure enough Verity leaned forward to respond to Dean Kittner’s challenge.

  The deputy director met Alice’s hard stare with her own. “As I mentioned on Friday, Director Miles didn’t have to relinquish so much of his authority to this council. But he wanted everyone to have a part in the decisions that will have to be made. And you need to believe he’ll honor that commitment, or not trust the administration at all—and where does that get you?”

  Alvin Fox nodded at Verity. “I for one trust the administration that far at least, that you won’t tamper with the vote, and with the election scheduled to take place tomorrow morning, it’s a little late to try making changes—without much better reason than we’ve heard so far. All Dean Kittner has mentioned are her vague suspicions, and that’s not enough, not to delay what’s already been a long time coming.”

  Alice snorted. “I can see I’m still in the minority on this.” She looked over her shoulder at Sara. “I’m sure you said you’d looked into whether or not they could fix this election. Well?”

  The girl leaned back in her chair and swung one leg back and forth. “The FURCSnet itself is certainly secure, but there are a few people in Security and the administration who would have the ability to try to tamper with the vote, and there doesn’t appear to be any way to prevent that. But there’s no evidence anyone will try. Or wants to, for that matter.”

  Listening to this, Dean Kittner appeared triumphant until she turned back to face her fellow councilors. It must have been obvious Sara’s speech had not convinced any of them to back Alice’s proposal. After a moment of silence, with nobody speaking up to second the motion, Dean Kittner returned to her seat with a scowl. “It looks like we’re going through with the election as it has been set up. Alright. But I warn you all that everyone will be able to tell by the results if there’s been any fraud. If you think things are bad now, just wait and see.”

  Caroline smiled sweetly at the woman. “Do you mean to say that if you should somehow win, people will think the election was rigged? Just because you have always been a part of the administration?”

  Spluttering, Alice was unable to respond immediately. Of course, if she’d been paying attention to the community, she would know her winning would be a real shock at this point. But she couldn’t admit that publicly. Maybe not even to herself.

  Finally the woman turned to face the crowd before them. “I would think everyone here knows how independent I’ve been from the administration, acting in the best interests of the teachers and students all this time. Caroline Sanderson and Alvin Fox are the ones whose agendas are unknown. But I’m sure you all know I would bring the same commitment to fight for you as I did for FedU—if you should decide to elect me as your leader.”

  As Alice’s address ended, Caroline was thinking that it really hadn’t been too terrible when Mr. Fox stood to talk to the crowd. She supposed that was to be expected. But he wasn’t going to make a speech. After all, the man was a salesman, not an orator.

  With a courtly bow at her and then Alice, he just smiled at the audience and gave them this one brief remark. “I don’t really have anything to add. I only wanted to remind everybody that I’m running in the election. In case anybody forgot.”

  As Fox returned to his seat, Caroline glanced at the rest of them. “If no one has any further remarks to make, let’s open the floor to the residents who’ve given up their valuable time to come here and share their concerns.”

  To a general nodding of heads and a lack of objections, Caroline tapped her gavel once on the table and gazed out at the crowd. “Please try to keep this orderly, and allow one person to stand and speak at a time. Now, who’ll go first?”

  A man in jeans and a denim shirt rose to his feet hesitantly and looked around. When he saw no one else standing, he turned and looked Caroline in the eye. “I work for a subcontractor who works for Mr. Fox’s company, and I’ve seen for myself how well he treats his employees. But all I hear from Ms. Kittner and you is talk. What have you actually done to help any of us regular folk with our problems?”

  Wanting to sigh, Caroline beamed at the man as if he had just asked the million-dollar question. He had to be one of Fox’s plants, and that was a difficult sally to respond to, but she needed to answer. Alice also must’ve laid some of these little landmines out there to try tripping up her rivals. Caroline hadn’t bothered.

  If she couldn’t find a way to turn these things to her advantage, she didn’t deserve to win.

  Chapter 20

  Lone Wolves

  11:55 p.m. Monday, May 26th

  ANTHONY stood silent in the shadows, watching Kat as she deftly dealt with the last of the half-do
zen drunken students who had aimed themselves at the Admin building bent on bedlam. He need not have worried about her—clearly she was more than sufficiently recovered to handle any rabble-rousers that she ran into. In fact, she was handling them far too gently again. He’d assumed the way she had treated the agitators attacking her parents’ house the other evening was because she was still sick. It was something else holding her back apparently.

  Kat knelt to zip-tie the hands of that final malefactor, then glanced over her shoulder and grinned. She was staring straight at him, though he knew she couldn’t see even his silhouette. “Looking for some pointers, Tony? I’m sure there are a few things I can teach you.”

  He shook his head. “I’m just keeping an eye on things, that’s all.”

  Kat left the troublemakers writhing on the grass and walked up to where he was standing. “Keeping your eye on me, you mean.”

  Unsure how she meant that, Anthony answered carefully. “I was patrolling in the area and thought I would see if you’d really fully recovered. It’s gotten rough enough out here. You need to be at a hundred percent if you’re going to work all on your own. But you seem to be doing well.”

  “After sitting around headquarters all last night and coordinating responses—of course I’ve fully recovered. I might as well have been sleeping.”

  He sighed. “I thought you needed to get plenty of rest. And your holding down the fort gave me the whole night to patrol myself.”

  “You were testing me, Tony, to see if I’d behave and follow your orders, however irksome they were. You didn’t trust me to keep my word.”

  “I trusted you to try, Kat, but—” And that was a thought he couldn’t complete, because it would take him down a road he didn’t want to travel. “And you have, kept your promise.” So far.