David turned to him for the first time.
“I hear you heal people for free,” David said.
“I certainly try. Are you in need of medical attention?”
“You arrest me and ask me that?”
The Doctor smiled. “You wouldn’t believe the pieces of shit I’ve helped out. I offer my services impartially.”
“That’s good to hear. No, I’m better than I’ve been in a long time.”
The Doctor leaned forward, his forearms on the table. “Here’s how it works. Apparently you’ve been told this before but I’m going to tell you again and this time you’re going to listen. If you have any medical supplies, I can make an offer on them and you have to trade with me, although I have to give a fair trade. That’s one of the ways I get to keep on helping people. If you have anything else I think New City needs, I can make an offer but you don’t have to trade.”
“I have a few homemade bandages in this pack. Let me get them for you,” David said, putting the pack on the table and opening the drawstrings.
Deputy Andrews moved in. “Let me do that.”
David stepped away, keeping his hands in sight.
Roy studied him. Lots of scavengers were careful about that sort of thing, not wanting to make any sudden moves in case strangers got jumpy. Out in the wildlands it was a good habit to have, and yet there was something about David that was too smooth, too practiced. Most scavengers were loners and didn’t know how to act in a group of people. David had the survival tactics, but also the social skills.
“Did you used to live in a village?” Roy asked.
“I was a fisherman earlier in life before becoming a scavenger.”
A fisherman? Roy wondered about that. David’s spine was far too straight for a fisherman, even an ex-fisherman.
“Why did you change your clothes?” Roy asked.
“Didn’t like the look.”
Roy turned to The Doctor. “Had full camo when he walked into my bar this morning.”
“Did he now?” The Doctor said, his eyes narrowing.
“Also has two AK-47s, a 9mm automatic, and a Bowie knife,” Annette informed him.
Jackson Andrews laid everything from the pack on the table. There was a small tent and groundsheet, a bedroll, a spare set of underclothes, a roll of crude bandages, and some food, including four Blue Cans. Wrapped in the bedroll Jackson found a strange device. Roy stared at it for a moment before recognizing it as a digital camera.
“That’s quite a haul,” Roy said.
Annette nodded. “He claims he got this stuff scavenging off the dead of the Righteous Horde. Says they’re well to the south of here marching south, and leaving lots of dead in their wake.”
“They wouldn’t have ditched that food,” The Doctor said.
“I got those off a bandit I killed, as well as my spare AK and boat.”
The Doctor didn’t look like he bought that story any more than Roy did. Getting the truth, however, would be impossible.
“I make my own bandages, so you can keep these,” The Doctor said. “What will you take for these Blue Cans?”
“I don’t want to trade with you,” David replied.
“We know you don’t,” Annette said. “That’s what got you fined.”
Roy studied the camera. “Does this work? If it does I’d give you a good trade for it. Fatten you up some at my place.”
“I don’t want to trade with you,” David repeated, although he said it in a milder tone when he addressed Roy.
“Just what’s your problem, anyway?” Annette snapped.
David turned to her. “I have no problem with anyone. I have a problem with the fact that the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor. It was injustice that led to the fall of—”
“Careful, brother,” Roy cut in, suddenly nervous. “Blame is a crime here. We don’t lay Blame for who caused the fall of civilization. That’s all in the past.”
David gave him a wry smile. “Really? I thought the destruction of the world was very much in the present. It certainly felt that way when I passed through that storm, and it certainly smells that way now. Can’t we have this conversation inside?”
“Inside the warehouse?” The Doctor asked. “I bet you’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
“You have nothing to fear from me. My killing days are over.”
Well isn’t that an interesting turn of phrase, Roy thought.
“Oh, the destruction of the world sure is still in the present,” Deputy Andrews said with an ironic grin as he pointed to the large “B” that had been branded into his cheek. “It’s just that you can’t talk about it. Upsetting to the powers-that-be.”
Roy had been sick to his stomach after the citizens of New City had tied Jackson to a post and did that to him, and he could never look him in the eye after that day.
“Watch it, Jackson,” The Doctor snapped.
“How about everyone calm down,” Roy said, putting on his best stop-a-bar-fight-before-it-began smile. “The man has paid his fine and says he doesn’t want to trade. That’s his business. Jackson, lead him out. Annette, I needed to talk to you about the upcoming festivities.”
Jackson led David out. Once they were gone, Roy turned to the sheriff.
“Actually we’re all set with security. I really needed to talk to you about him.”
“What do you know?” Annette asked.
“Nothing more than what he said, so I know nothing.”
“Think he’s a spy for the Righteous Horde?”
“Could be.”
“Could be from Weissberg,” The Doctor said.
“Could be, but maybe he’s not from either. Why would he show up in full camo and carrying two guns? Doesn’t make a very good spy that way.”
“Good point,” The Doctor conceded. “So what do you think he is?”
“Couldn’t say, but he’s hiding something, that’s for sure.”
“You think he’s here to stir up trouble for Chinese New Year?” Annette asked. “It’s a big coincidence that he shows up just before it.”
Roy shook his head. “No, it’s not that. He was defending the Chinese this morning. You need to check him out, though. His boat is beached just south of town. One of Tyler’s kids is watching it. Might want to take a look.”
“I’ll do that,” Annette nodded.
“He also had an argument with the Reverend, might want to check that out too.”
Annette wrinkled her nose. “I’ll bring my gas mask. I don’t like the stink over there.”
“None of us do,” The Doctor said. “Any more trouble from him?”
“No, he’s been real quiet,” the sheriff said. “I don’t like it. You know, a lot of that Burbs militia you broke up went and joined his church.”
“Most of those losers never said a prayer in their life!” Roy scoffed.
“Yeah, well they’re getting religion now.”
“Great,” The Doctor said with a sigh. “That’s just what we need. More stupidity.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
They got a ride back on the Admiral Zeng He, towing the motorboat behind on a line. As the engineers put the engine through its paces, slowly picking up speed as they headed east, Yu-jin got some time with the two sailors named Song. They sat in an isolated cabin sipping tea. Jianfu had to leave after a while to go on duty, but Panpan’s shift didn’t start until the evening.
“When we get back to Jiaonan we will put in a formal request for you to be an honorary member of our same-surname society,” Panpan said. “The elders in the society will be impressed when they hear all you have done in New City.”
Yu-jin wasn’t sure exactly what she had accomplished. It seemed like everything was falling apart all the time. No wonder Reginald lit up every night.
“So what do these organizations do?” Yu-jin asked.
“Well, like I told you last time, they’re for everyone who has the same family name, because if we go back far enough every Song is related, right? W
e’re probably fourth or fifth cousins.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“But with the wars and plagues so many people lost family. Whole extended families were cut down to three people, or two people, or even just one survivor. So everyone with the same family name banded together. When people started making bigger towns again, the societies became a good way for newcomers to find a place in life. If I went from my home town to another town, I could go to the Song Society house and they’d give me a room and food. They would find me a job. You have to pay, of course, but you get out so much more than you put in. Of course you wouldn’t have to pay; you’d be our honored member. Imagine, a Song on the other shore!”
“So how many towns are there in China?”
Panpan looked uncomfortable. Then a sneaky smile spread across her face. She lowered her voice and replied, “We’re not supposed to talk about China because we don’t want foreigners knowing about us and plotting something. But obviously that doesn’t apply to you. Just don’t tell anyone what I tell you, all right?”
“All right.”
“Jiaonan is the biggest city, because it’s a port and there was much more to salvage there than most places along the coast. Large stretches of the coast are still too toxic or radioactive to live in except for a few madmen. In the area around Jiaonan, though, there’s good agricultural land. There are probably seven or eight towns as big or bigger than New City, and Jiaonan is way bigger. You’ll be amazed when you see it all lit up at night. It’s like something from an old movie.”
“Are there more places like that besides in China?”
“Bits of Africa, like where our radio engineer comes from. He says it was one of the most remote places in the world during the wars, and so it never got hit too hard. Once they recovered from the Biowars, which hit everybody, they set themselves up pretty good. We haven’t found much else, though. Just villages here and there. The toxins are bad in some parts. Worse even than your bay.”
“The world couldn’t be that bad. There’s got to be a bigger settlement somewhere.”
“We haven’t found any,” Panpan sighed. She turned and looked at Yu-jin, worried. “You’re not going to tell your boss all this, are you?”
“He’s not my boss.”
Panpan laughed. “Yeah, sure he isn’t! But seriously, don’t tell him. I could get in trouble.”
“I won’t. I promise. It would only give him another thing to worry about.”
Something he would worry about that he couldn’t change. He’d let it gnaw at him. He’s good at that.
After a time, an ensign knocked politely on the door and requested Yu-jin’s presence in the captain’s meeting room. Yu-jin and Panpan said their goodbyes and the ensign led her back to the meeting room. To her surprise, no one but the captain sat there.
The ensign left, shutting the door behind him.
“Initial reports from our engineers are most promising,” Captain Wang said, pouring Yu-jin a cup of tea. She felt honored by the courtesy. The ensign could have done that before he left. “We are most grateful for your assistance. I am sure that The Doctor has instructed you to negotiate on New City’s behalf, so let us speak as if he were here.”
“Thank you, captain. In fact, the mayor of New City wanted me to ask you a question.”
“I will be happy to oblige my good friend,” Captain Wang said, nodding.
“He wants to know why you gave a marine radio to a child instead of him.”
Yu-jin thought this unnecessarily blunt but two hours of arguing hadn’t budged him.
“The Doctor is an intelligent man and I will therefore be candid. I am not authorized to give away or trade away such technology. Therefore, I could not give it to Pablo. I could give it to the orphan Wang Hong-gi, now a serving ensign on this ship and, once we get home, to become legally my stepson. This I did. It was Hong-gi who gave Pablo the radio.”
“And being a minor, safe from prosecution.”
Captain Wang allowed the smallest of smiles.
“Plus the boy was ignorant of our laws. No one can attach any blame on him. And of course Pablo was free to do the right thing and give the radio to your mayor.”
Yu-jin smiled and nodded. She would let Captain Wang assume that Pablo had done the “right thing.”
“But since Hong-gi was under your responsibility, won’t you be in danger of a reprimand?” she asked.
“A small price to pay. Now there is a more pressing concern that I must speak to you about. You have now seen the source of the toxic rains. That well does not look like it will run out of toxins anytime soon.”
“Why do we still get good rain too?”
“The shifting winds. If the wind passing over this pustule from the Old Times comes to New City, then you get the toxic rain. If it shifts a little to the northeast, a spot north of you will be hit and you’ll get good rain from further south.”
“So our entire coastline is constantly being sprayed with toxins, and this has been going on for at least six months.”
“Longer. At times the wind shifts to the west, as you know. And then it hits our settlements. Both our people are in danger of this.”
Yu-jin remembered the brownish-yellow jet of gas coming out of the old derrick, shooting high in the air and fading out into a sickly haze that shadowed the ocean.
What if there are more of these? What if there are a hundred of these scattered across the sea? They could all be collapsing. This might only be the first.
She shuddered.
“What can we do?” Yu-jin asked. “I don’t see how we could build a concrete cap for the thing. Could anyone survive next to the vent? It’s almost unbearable when it rains down hundreds of kilometers away.”
“The chemicals are highly corrosive, and even with a plastic suit and gas masks, my physician tells me no one could survive more than a couple of days.”
Then who do we get to do it?
“But if we don’t do it, our crops will keep failing, and many more will die,” Yu-jin whispered.
“It is not only a matter of the workers; it is also a matter of the concrete.”
“I’ll ask The Doctor if we have enough.”
The fact was, they hardly had any. If New City had ever had a decent supply of the stuff, they would have capped the leak in the old chemical works that gave Toxic Bay its name.
But she didn’t want to tell the captain this, not yet. No doubt he already had his suspicions. She could only hope that Rachel could figure out some other way to cap the well.
Yu-jin sure hoped she came up with something. In the meantime, a change of subject was in order.
“It is almost New Year. The Chinese community in the Burbs is organizing celebrations. We would be very honored if you would be our guests.”
Captain Wang looked surprised and delighted.
“That is most kind. I look forward to meeting The Doctor again. Thank him for his kind invitation.”
Yu-jin fought back a smile. The invitation had been her idea, thought up on the spur of the moment. Reginald would worry, mostly about what Clyde and the mob would do. And those factors worried her too, but she wanted to extend this goodwill gesture to bring the two cultures a little closer together. New City wasn’t alone in the world anymore and had to make friends, not just suspicious trading partners. She sent up a quick thanks to God for the engine breakdown. What had looked like bad luck for the captain would turn out for the better for everyone.
Underneath this noble purpose, though, Yu-jin knew she had a second motive. The celebrations would almost certainly lead to some incidents. Probably not on the day. Roy and Reginald would both put guards out, and even Clyde could be trusted to keep order in that situation. Now that she had gotten to know him better, she saw that he had a sense of honor and duty even if it was so often misplaced. No, the reprisals would come in the following days—tents set on fire, people attacked walking home at night, targeted thefts, anything the haters could think of. But maybe they’d th
ink twice if they saw the Chinese community had some muscle behind it.
Because muscle was what people understood, and she didn’t feel bad acting independently of Reginald when the result would be in his best interest too. At the same time, she recognized that everyone acting independently to further their own agendas added to the chaos of the world.
She wondered about Captain Wang. He was operating independently too. Alone and far from home with a ship and crew under his command, he could get away with a lot. There would be spies in his crew, of course, but if he took care and kept up appearances, he could bend the rules. Giving away that radio, for example.
What was his game? Why did he want independent contact with New City without his superiors knowing?
It was impossible to know when she knew so little about the situation over there. All she could say for sure was that Captain Wang had revealed his deception with the radio in order to send a signal of collusion to Reginald. She didn’t like that and neither would the mayor of New City. Collude to do what? Collude against whom?
She didn’t want to get involved with politics on the other side of the sea. But how could she avoid it? It was all politics whether Captain Wang exceeded his orders or not.
Ugh. No wonder Reginald is so foul tempered, doing this for forty years.
And now I’ve been dragged into it, with no end in sight.
Captain Wang spoke.
“I will have Hong-gi send a message that we will anchor at the same coordinates as the last time the mayor came aboard.”
Yu-jin tensed, hoping he wouldn’t mention the awkward fact that there had also been a bomb stuck to the hull last time Reginald came on board. Of course, Captain Wang would never be so rude as to bring up an unfortunate event that was already on the foremost of both of their minds.
The captain went on.
“Once we have anchored, we can send your motorboat back to fetch The Doctor and what other representatives he chooses to bring. We must also discuss the current tensions between them and Weissberg. We find these tensions unproductive.”
You and me both.
Reginald had been devastated by Weissman’s betrayal, that and Clyde’s betrayal shortly thereafter, plus the fact that he was stuck working with Clyde, were really beginning to threaten his ability to think clearly.
Emergency Transmission Page 20