The Controller (The Securus Trilogy Book 2)

by Anthony Maldonado

  After breakfast, Arluin and I return to my old quarters for the first time in a while. This small room had been home for all of my life until recently and now it no longer feels like mine. I look around the undecorated and mostly empty room. There is not much to see in the general quarters of Securus. We are given only the bare minimum needed to be functional. The one thing that immediately catches my attention is there are now only two bunks. Arluin’s old bunk has been removed.

  Once, this small room had four cramped beds inside, filling it to capacity, but not anymore. When a bed is no longer in use, it is transferred to somewhere it is needed. That is the way of Securus. We do not have enough resources to be sentimental or wasteful. Still, it almost feels like my memory has been erased, and that saddens me. Arluin remains quiet, giving me time to reflect before badgering me. After composing myself, I sit on my old bunk and look at him expectantly.

  “I really did have something to tell you,” he says. Arluin was always good at reading people and already figured out what I was thinking about his intentions.

  “Okay, then tell me. What did you find?” I lean over with my elbows resting on my knees, waiting for his explanation.

  “Well, it’s been easier than I thought to learn how to track things through the system. So, in my spare time I started looking for outside connections. There are three.” Arluin holds up three fingers to emphasize his point.

  “Really? Three?” This could be a problem.

  “Well, I haven’t yet found out the origins or content of all of them, but I’ve tracked two of the signals. One of them comes from the control rooms on the upper level. It feeds Caelum continuous data from the energy output of the Solar Panels and the Thermal Vents.” As he explains, disappointment from my lack of surprise covers his face. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”

  “I figured as much. There is an energy gauge labeled Caelum in there.”

  He raises an eyebrow at me. “Well, did you know about the video feeds?”

  “Which video feeds?” I ask while shifting my position on the bed, feeling uneasy.

  “There was no connection at first, but yesterday I noticed a new signal in the system. They started accessing all of the cameras, both inside and on the surface,” he says. “The signal comes and goes so I think they’re only checking in occasionally.”

  In a way, that makes sense. There really is not much to see in here, so I could see how it would feel like a waste of time and resources to have someone continuously monitor all of the video feeds. I am glad Talia has been careful with her announcements.

  “Well, that’s interesting. I didn’t expect you to come up with anything so fast. What about the other signal?” I ask.

  “I haven’t gotten anything on it yet. It took all this time to analyze the first two. I’ll let you know more soon.” The enthusiasm in Arluin’s voice makes it clear he enjoys this. Not only is he able to help out, but he gets to know what is going on even before I do. The purpose of the first two signals is reassuring. I only wish we did not have to wait to find out the third. It would be very useful to know what Caelum is up to so we can be as prepared for tomorrow.

  “Alright, but don’t get over excited though, you need to be careful. We don’t want them to know we’re hacking their signals,” I warn him while walking to the door.

  “Yeah, yeah, I know what’s at stake.”

  He stops me before we leave the room, reminding me he wants an update. After filling him in, he finally follows me out the door. I hurry him as we go through the empty hallways and into the stairwell. Before getting started on my work, I need to accompany him to the Learning Center to make sure he does not get into trouble.

  When we get there, my eyes are drawn to the pictures on the wall. On one side are the images I have seen before, with the founding members of Leadership, the schematics of Securus itself, and an enlarged model of The Agent. On the opposite wall are new additions. There are images of the pools and other notable chambers in The Caves. Just beyond them is a picture I did not expect. It is at least ten years old and shows Mr. Vaden in his uniform posing next to a younger Talia. Even then, at an age when most people are awkward, she was graceful.

  We continue down the hall and around the corner to his small instruction room. Inside, three other teenagers are engaged in their projects for the day. His instructor sits up front, not bothering to see who walked into her classroom. She is about my age with very pale skin and an unusual hair style. Though there are no formal regulations, most people in Securus conform to relatively standard dress. Apparently, that does not suit her. One side of her head is shaved and the top combed over to the opposite side with spiked tips. Her exposed ear is adorned with an old, broken computer chip. I have never seen anyone with this style before, but it fits her well.

  “May I have a brief word,” I call to her from the door. She looks annoyed, but when recognizing who is interrupting, she comes over.

  “Kagen, this is Ms. Drok. Ms. Drok, this is my brother, Kagen Meldon,” Arluin says.

  “I apologize for the disruption, Ms. Drok, but Arluin was needed in a Leadership briefing this morning. I promise not to make a habit of disrupting your courses,” I tell her while pushing Arluin into the room. He reluctantly walks over to his work station, looking back the whole way, trying to hear us talking.

  “Call me Seonah,” she says. “Only my students call me Ms. Drok.” She looks back at the students who are watching us. Her stare immediately returns them to their work. “This was about Arluin’s special project wasn’t it?”

  I look over at him. “He told you about that, did he?”

  Arluin reads the expression on my face and turns away, knowing his secret has been revealed.

  “He tried to hide it but with the questions Arluin was asking, I figured out what he was up to. Not to mention I monitor everything they do on these computers,” she says. “When I realized what he was looking for, I decided to help.”

  “Well, Seonah, then I thank you for your service. You do understand the sensitive nature of this, don’t you?” I ask.

  Facing away from her students, she lowers her voice to a whisper. “Of course, I don’t think most people could handle knowing Caelum is watching us anyway,”

  “Talia may want set up a private meeting with you later, is that okay with you?” I ask.

  “Of course, who wouldn’t want to meet the first woman in charge of Securus?”

  I have to suppress grin from Seonah’s response. It is a good thing the general population has not taken to Cale as they have Talia, otherwise all this would be even more challenging.

  “I’ll get out of your way so you can return to your instruction. If Arluin gives you any trouble, let me know.” I turn to leave. Normally I would be upset knowing Seonah found out what we were looking into, but Arluin does not seem to be worried by it, otherwise he would have mentioned it. He has always had good instincts, and if he trusts her, there is no reason for me not to. That does not mean we will not look into her background though.

  I briskly walk back down the hall, eager to get to work. Just before I reach the exit, a faint voice calls out. It takes me a while to realize the voice is calling for me. I turn around to find Abira rushing toward me with a sense of urgency. This is not what I need right now. Forty-five minutes have passed since I left my breakfast hall. It may not be a lot of time, but each minute spent is one taken away from the new Pellagra patient. Time is not something I have to spare today. I hesitantly stop and wait for her to catch up while tapping my foot impatiently. When she does, her amber eyes are full of concern.

  “Hey, Kagen, I need to talk with you,” she says, pushing back the tousled strands of brown hair.

  “Can it wait? I have more than I can handle today already,” I tell her, wanting to make a quick exit.

  “No, it’s really important,” she says.

  “Okay, you have five minutes. I don’t want to sound mean, but I can’t spare any more than that.” I check the time,
making sure my sincerity with the limit is conveyed. “What’s up?”

  “Not here, follow me,” she says, rushing me back down the hall.

  I remember what happened the last time she cornered me in here. It did not end up being the conversation I expected. I hope this conversation is not as eventful as our last one.

  Abira takes me into an empty classroom. The walls inside are adorned with letters and numbers, giving it the appearance of a classroom for our youngest students. Knowing that is who she teaches, this must be Abira’s classroom. It is odd to find the room empty though. I stand near the door, ready to leave as soon as she finishes. Abira leans on the edge of her desk, facing me.

  “Where are all the kids?” I ask.

  “They’re getting a tour of the Electronics Department today. Every now and then I arrange for them to see a different sector in Securus, that way they get exposed to a little of everything,” she says. “But I didn’t bring you here to talk about my curriculum.”

  My eyes widen at her forcefulness. She is usually very mellow, but today something has her agitated.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so harsh,” she says when seeing my reaction to her words.

  “Don’t worry about it. What’s on your mind?” My interest is piqued to learn what has her behaving so uncharacteristically.

  “Yesterday, one of the kids said something I think you should know.”

  “One of the kids?” I ask skeptically, taking a step back toward the door.

  “It wasn’t just any kid. It was Cale Lorit’s son,” she says.

  Now she has my full attention. I nod my head, urging her to continue.

  “The kids often tell wild stories, you know, whatever their imaginations conjure. But this seemed different. We were working on learning the alphabet and little Finn became frustrated. He couldn’t remember the order so he stopped trying. When I urged him to try again, he threw a tantrum. He said it didn’t matter since his dad said they were going to Caelum soon and Securus is going to be destroyed anyway.”

  “I assure you there are no plans to send Cale or his family to Caelum. You don’t need to worry about that.” I cannot say more without revealing Talia’s plan. This new information is bothersome, but may play into our hands. Finn’s outburst lets us know Cale is taking Talia’s promise seriously. The problem is Cale’s plan for destroying Securus. I always knew he was likely to betraying us as soon as he gets to Caelum, but hearing his intent aloud is enraging.

  “That wasn’t the only thing bothering me,” she continues, now nervously fidgeting with the Coden on her desktop. “He said his daddy’s friend is going to make sure of it. I’m not sure who Cale’s friend is, but I’ve heard Finn mention Aamon’s name before. That’s what made me really worry.”

  I cross my arms in front of me, squeezing tightly to contain my frustration. Cale believing he is going to Caelum is not a problem, but this ‘friend’ is another matter. It could be Aamon, but what can he really do from the confines of the Detention Center? My bigger worry is what if it is someone else in Securus or even worse, from Caelum? This day is getting troublesome fast, and it is barely past breakfast.

  I walk over and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll definitely look into it.”

  She stops me as I turn to leave. “Kagen, wait. I haven’t seen you in a while. How are you holding up?”

  “As well as can be expected,” I tell her.

  She hesitates for a moment, with something else clearly on her mind.

  “I know where your heart is, but I want you to know if you ever need me, I’m here for you,” she says, giving me a hug.

  “I appreciate that,” I tell her.

  She leaves it at that and I exit the Learning Center. Finally, I am free to see the new patient in the infirmary. She has been held there waiting for me to speak with her. The waiting room is empty as I pass, and the infection control protocol remains inactive. I continue down the hall, stopping in my old exam room where Galen waits for a patient.

  “You’re here enough you may as well be back on the schedule. Then I wouldn’t have to sit here bored,” he says when seeing me.

  “I’m sorry to inconvenience you, but I need to use the communicator, privately,” I say and wait for him to take the not-so-subtle hint. He complains the whole way out.

  We recently installed a communicator with a direct link to Leadership in this office so I could communicate with Talia privately when needed. The communicator has been built into the computer with a direct link to Talia’s office. It does not run on the same system as the rest of the video feeds, making it completely secure. I activate it and wait for an answer. Instead of Talia, Cyrina appears on the other side. She has always been a trusted friend to Talia and is now one of her advisors.

  “Hello, Kagen. What can I do for you?” Cyrina asks in a formal tone that reminds me a lot of Talia.

  “I have some urgent news for Talia,” I say, feeling the weight of this added burden.

  “She’s in a meeting. Would you like me to interrupt or should I have her contact you when she is done?”

  “Who’s she in with?” I ask, gauging how important the meeting is.

  “Danyor and two other Leadership members.” Cyrina speaks with a whisper of irritation in her voice. Danyor has that kind of effect on people.

  “I think we should interrupt. It’s important, after all,” I tell her with a devious smile. My news really is important, but more than that, it is hard to pass up the added benefit of irritating Danyor.

  Cyrina grins as she gets up, more than willing to interrupt Talia’s meeting with Danyor. While she is away, muffled voices come from the background. They do not sound pleased. A door closes, silencing the voices. Soon after, Talia appears on my screen.

  “You planned that, didn’t you?”

  “Of course not,” I say with a look of confused innocence. “It was simply an added benefit.” With Talia now here, I am hesitant to speak. She needs to know what Abira said, but given the source, it is hard to tell how seriously she will take the information. Abira is not exactly Talia’s favorite person.

  “Are you gonna tell me what’s going on, or are you gonna just sit there looking cute?” Talia asks me.

  “There’s a couple things you need to know. Arluin got a little help with his assignment and they found a signal from Caelum monitoring the video feeds. There’s another one they’re working on as well,” I tell her.

  “I figured they would do that eventually. What’s the other thing?” she asks.

  “When I was leaving the Learning Center, Abira pulled me aside to tell me something.” I involuntarily pause seeing the same irritated wrinkle in her nose Talia gets every time she hears Abira’s name. Talia was never fond of her in the first place. Even less so after she found out Abira was spying on me for Aamon. “She teaches the younger kids, including Cale’s son, Finn. He said something very interesting in class.”

  The mention of Cale’s name removes the annoyance from Talia’s face. She leans forward, waiting for me to continue.

  “He said his daddy’s friend was going to make sure he gets to Caelum and that Securus is destroyed.”

  “Did he mention who this friend was?” As Talia speaks I can see her thoughts racing, analyzing the possibilities.

  “No, but Abira thinks it could be Aamon.”

  “We can only hope that’s who it is,” she says, already getting up. “I’m gonna get back to my meeting and see if Danyor’s hiding anything.”

  After a brief goodbye, the computer screen goes dark. I force my mind away from the disturbing possibilities this new twist brings and return my focus to the Pellagra cases. With the review rapidly approaching, I need to figure this out now. Even if we hide the known patients from the Controller, what if a new person becomes ill and crosses his path?

  I head to the infirmary, not allowing any further distractions. Nothing stops me until I reach the intensive care unit. Inside, the ne
west patient waits for me, resting on a gurney.

  Chapter 16

  Adara comes over to introduce me to the patient. The woman sits up when we approach. She is quite thin. Of all the patients to have come down with this disease, she is the only one who could actually be suffering from malnutrition. From here I notice she has the same rash on her arms as the other patients.

  “Kagen, this is Warra. She’s a worker in the General Maintenance Department,” Adara says before leaving. She does not bother introducing me. Warra must have already been told to expect my arrival.

  “Hello, Warra. How are you feeling this morning,” I ask her, sitting down on the edge of the gurney.

  “Better than yesterday. The fluids helped a lot.” Warra manages a meek smile. Despite the dehydration, her eyes are bright, showing her inner strength.

  I go through the usual questions of her work habits and exposures. Nothing seems out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, she shares no real connection with any of the other patients.

  “What about your diet, anything different about that lately?” With my question, her relaxed demeanor is broken, leaving behind slight agitation.

  “I haven’t eaten anything unusual,” she responds elusively.

  “What have you been eating, specifically?” I ask sternly.

  “Whatever they serve in the halls.” Warra no longer looks me in the eye as she answers. “Just not all of it.”

  As I continue to question her it becomes clear that unlike the others, her malnutrition was earned. She recently lost her husband and is now raising their ten year old son alone. When finding out who her husband was, my own emotional reaction is difficult to hide. He was a member of the Leadership Guard named Leland. He was also the first person to die from the viral outbreak Trent and Aamon instigated. When he came to the infirmary he tried to tell me the truth, but delirium kept him from it.

  Ever since Leland succumbed to the virus, Warra has noticed their son always seems to be hungry. She has been giving him significant portions of her own food to quench his increasingly voracious appetite. She knew malnutrition would catch up to her eventually, but comforting her son was the main priority. As an outside observer, the coping mechanisms are easy to see. Her son deals with his grief by eating and Warra deals with hers by focusing all her energy on her son. Their sorrow is difficult to talk about.