Desmoterion, page 16
The leader’s brow furrowed. “And what exactly is Trent doing?”
“He contemplates suicide.”
“Well, isn’t that interesting?” The leader sat back in his chair. “That’s not quite what I was expecting to hear. Since he’s still alive, it appears he chickens out in the end.”
The phrase somehow cheapened the pain, as though the leader mocked Trent and thought he should go through with it.
“Yes, he stops himself after a few minutes.”
“As he would. Have you learned anything else about Dupont?”
“No, not really. He spends his days in his office typing away on his computer. I can’t see what he’s typing, so it’s just watching him do that.”
The leader nodded slowly, then typed into his keyboard. “Now you’ll be able to see his monitor. It’s locked so people don’t try to access the database to find sensitive data. Anything else you need?”
“Not really. Though lip reading skills would be useful so I could see what Trent is saying to others.”
The leader stared at Girish. “You have no sound on the monitors? That doesn’t sound correct. Samson himself told me he heard about Jaxon’s deal with one of the elimination team members.”
Girish didn’t volunteer that Samson was probably lying to get on the leader’s better side, even if it did prove true in the end. “Well, my monitors don’t have any sound.”
“Show me.”
With a sigh, Girish got up from the chair and headed out of the office with the leader in tow.
They walked down the stairs to the first floor and then into Girish’s office area. Girish pointed at the monitors. “See? No sound on any of them.”
The leader wandered over to the control panel and looked at the options.
Girish glanced up to see Trent talking in his office with the two recruits. Judging by the looks on their faces, they weren’t thrilled with what Trent was telling them. Especially Stevenson, who wore a sneer the whole time.
The leader tapped on a few buttons, but nothing changed. He called out, “Samson, get in here!”
Samson sauntered in. “You called, sir?”
“Where is the volume control on these? Girish should be able to hear them as well.”
“There aren’t any that I’m aware of.”
The leader glared at him. “Then how did you hear Jaxon making a deal with the female elimination member?”
“I guess I was being too literal in that case. I read their lips as they talked,” Samson grinned smugly. “I’ve been getting pretty good at it over the years, if I say so myself.”
“I don’t give a damn about that. Have Kipper’s crew fix it for sound. Reading lips is not what I want Girish to waste his time on.”
Samson shrugged. “As far as I know, there’s no way to switch between the monitors if they had sound. At least that’s what the old supervisor told me when I started.”
The leader shook his head. “I refuse to believe that.” He tapped a button to call through the intercom system. “Renard, get over to the surveillance rooms. I have a job for you.”
Kipper arrived a few minutes later. “What’s the problem?”
The leader pointed at the monitors. “There’s no sound.”
“Yes, that’s how it is with these cameras. They’re not configured to pick up sound.”
“Is there a way to configure them?”
Kipper chewed his bottom lip. “Not that I know of. They were in place way before I came here. I think we’d have to install a new system, but I’d have to look into it. The former head of my department said there was no way to get sound from them, just visual.”
“That’s unacceptable. I want sound with these cameras.”
Girish moved away from them to stand by a monitor that had two people on it. He felt around the outer edges of it.
Samson’s eyebrow rose. “What are you doing, Kannan?”
Girish found an indentation and pressed it. A green bar popped up on the screen as Girish kept pressing it. “Maybe we can just turn the volume up on these monitors. Yeah, it’s not as good as a microphone, but you’d hear some conversations.”
The voices of the two people came out of the small speakers, faint at first and then loud enough for Girish to hear while standing next to it. “See, I can hear something.”
Samson laughed. “You’d have to do that for all of them if you’re following someone around. Never mind the fact that your target doesn’t talk much. What would be the point?”
“Maybe so, but then I don’t have to read lips when he’s talking to someone else, like the recruits or Mike.”
Kipper gaped. “You’re following around Trent?”
Girish opened his mouth to respond, but the leader cut him off.
“That’s irrelevant. This’ll work for now, but I expect it to be overhauled with cameras that pick up sound in the next several months.”
Kipper stared at the leader. “But there are hundreds of cameras in this building.”
“I don’t want excuses, Renard. I want it done.”
“Very well, I’ll set up a team to replace the cameras, but we’re going to need to purchase new cameras that pick up sounds. It’ll cost.”
The leader glanced over at Kipper. “I’ll take care of that part.” He turned to Girish. “This will have to do for now. I expect you to start a transcript log of his conversations. Whether it’s with recruits or other supervisors.”
Girish swallowed hard. He didn’t want to know what Trent said to the recruits to get them to do things. He doubted it was nice in the slightest. “Will do.”
“Send me the log before you go to bed every night so I can review it.”
Girish glanced at Kipper, who was giving him an annoyed look along with Samson. He should have kept his mouth and learned to read lips.
* * *
Trent leaned back in his chair to stare at the ceiling. The meeting had been a pain in the ass, not helping the fact that he had to lie to them. It was part of his job for sure, but it didn’t mean he liked it.
Fuck Stevenson, but Saunders sounded eager to improve in every aspect, even if he was falling behind. Trent hated sending someone like that out to be whored for the rest of his life. He’d rather just send Stevenson out and be done with it.
Maybe Saunders would get an injury or something before they sent him.
Trent was about to contemplate it further when his screen buzzed. He stared down at the file folder floating in the middle of his screen. He clicked on it and it came up with an encryption message asking for the key.
With a shrug, he typed out his security clearance code and waited. It flashed for a moment and then another password prompt came up.
Trent smiled. “I see you’re sending me stuff again, Renard.”
He typed out the password, but a warning message popped up saying invalid. Trent tried another password, and it too was denied. He thought for a moment and then typed in a third password.
The file folder disappeared into a white piece of paper that showed up in email form. All it said was, “They are watching and listening.”
Trent turned to look at the camera. “Well, look at that; little Girish can hear what I say now. Fun.”
* * *
On hearing Trent’s words, Girish groaned. Just what he needed, Kipper spilling the operational details. He should report Kipper to their leader, but Girish didn’t want to face the consequences of being on the wrong side of Kipper who could sabotage his chances of survival on a mission.
Not that he thought Kipper to be petty, though the look of annoyance he shot Girish when he walked out was enough to make him think twice about it. It was the kind of look that could make your life miserable in an instant.
Girish raked his fingers through his hair. He needed allies he could trust to watch his back in the organization, just like Trent did. And it was obvious no one trusted the leader.
Girish stared down at the laptop, wondering if he should note down what Trent just said or not. It would make it sound like Trent had received the heads up and that would mean implicating Kipper in the end.
It had no relevance to the situation. Trent would have figured out the cameras were wired for sound because he was bound to run into one of Kipper’s team while they were hooking them up.
It also meant that Girish wouldn’t get squat from Trent, knowing he was under surveillance.
* * *
A knock sounded on Trent’s door, causing him to glance up from his screen. “Yes? Come in!”
Mike glanced either way along the hallway before entering, as if he didn’t want to be seen. “Can we talk?”
Trent held his hands up high. “We could if Girish wasn’t listening in.”
“What?”
“Yeah, the cameras in my office are wired for sound.” Trent chuckled. “Come in and close the door, for what it’s worth. It’s not a surprise, considering he’s tracking me for whatever reason.”
Mike hesitated outside the room, so Trent stood up. “Okay, how about we go for a walk near the elimination rooms? As long as we’re not in one of them, I doubt they can hear what we’re saying.”
“Fine, let’s head there then. Though you’re not going to like what I’m about to tell you.”
* * *
Girish frowned at Trent’s empty office. He tracked the two men through the open area to another part of the compound with the cameras. The other recruits called this the Area of Death, as none returned from there.
He waited until they stopped near a far room before going over to the monitor that held that camera. With a flick of his fingers, he turned up the volume as loud as it would go.
Trent gave an annoyed look to Mike. “You can’t be serious? Why the hell would he intervene when you’re training a recruit like Stevenson?”
“I don’t know, but I doubt our plan will work any more. If he gets chosen, they won’t take him, thanks to the prison tats.”
“Well, there goes that plan. However, I’m having my doubts about picking Saunders. Despite him being behind in your class, he wants to improve. At least, that’s what I could assume from his eagerness to do whatever was needed.”
Mike tilted his head, and his shoulders seemed to sag a little.
“You know what I mean, Mike. Considering this mission is a suicide run, it doesn’t seem right to pick a kid who is trying, unlike that asshole Stevenson who just talks big. He could get raped to death, and I wouldn’t give a fuck either way.”
Mike laughed callously. “I see your meeting with Stevenson went as predicted. He’s already pissing you off, and you’ve only had to talk to him a few times.”
“Something about that guy rubs me the wrong way. He’s all big talk. Personally, I’d love to see him taken down a peg. Or several if he gets picked by them, since he’ll be enslaved until he dies.”
Girish stared at the monitor. The next mission was a suicide one. He had a feeling neither of the two recruits had any clue. The thought of being sent into slavery for life was sickening. No one deserved such a fate, not even a loud-mouthed Stevenson.
Mike folded his arms across his chest. “So, what now? Do you think we’ll have to pick another recruit instead?”
“No idea, but can we use this to our advantage? Seeing as Sanders is behind in your class, why not get him injured?”
“To prevent him from going on the mission? Would that even fly at this point? They’re already impeding our plan with Stevenson.”
Trent shrugged. “No idea, but at least it would give us an excuse to have someone else go instead.”
“I don’t like this, Trent. I don’t know what other recruits we’d send. But more importantly, if we get caught trying to prevent someone from being taken on a mission, we could lose our positions and our lives. “
Trent glanced away. “I wouldn’t implicate you. In fact, I’d take the blame since it’s my idea, anyway. I mean, it’s not like you’ll put the whole class on him at once. Just pair him with a newbie recruit who doesn’t have his control down yet. He’s bound to take a hit that way. It doesn’t have to be life-threatening, just enough to knock him off the mission.”
Mike shook his head and sighed heavily. “Why? You sent most to their deaths without a care in the past.”
Trent turned back to look at Mike square in the eyes. “Maybe I’m getting old or weary of sending young recruits to their death, but this kid doesn’t deserve the fate he’ll get on this mission. Not even a swift death. No one deserves it, except perhaps Stevenson.”
Girish moved away from the monitor with a frown. That didn’t sound like uncaring Trent at all. He never gave a fuck about any of the other recruits that never came back, but now he cares about someone so useless, like Saunders. “What are you playing at, Dupont?” Girish said to the screen.
He was so distracted that he didn’t see someone move away from his doorway.
CHAPTER TEN
Trent encountered an irate Kipper, supervising one of his team members installing a new camera. “What’s with you?”
Kipper turned to glare at Trent. “Girish had to open his big mouth, and now my team has to install cameras that pick up sound everywhere. Do you know how many cameras there are?”
“You’re installing them everywhere? I thought it was just my office.”
“You’re so important that we have to do it with all of them because Girish is tracking you.”
Trent frowned at that statement. “If you’re starting here, then it means you haven’t done the cameras near the elimination rooms yet.”
“Those have always had sound. Mostly because of foolish recruits trying to meet there for clandestine meetings and hookups. That’s how Jaxon was caught.”
Trent’s body stiffened.
“What?” Kipper cocked his head.
Trent swore under his breath and walked past Kipper, who shrugged, without another word.
* * *
Trent headed for Mike to update him with news about the cameras, but he found Mike standing in the middle of two angry recruits. “What the hell is going on here?”
The two recruits turned to glare at Trent and then realized who they were looking at and backed away from Mike.
“You two will be paired together today. Both of you have things to work out.” Snapped at them, adding, “Just try not to kill each other, as we need to send you on missions.”
The two young recruits glared at each other from across the area.
Trent moved over to Mike, pulling him to the side. “We have a problem.”
Mike glanced around the area for Girish, who was standing in his usual place. “I assume it has something to do with Girish.”
“I have a feeling Girish heard us last night. No one bothered to tell me those cameras have always had sound.”
“I fucking knew it!” Mike shook his fist angrily. “Dammit, Trent, you’re playing with fire, and now I’m going to get dragged into it.”
“I will take the blame if it comes to that. I don’t sell my friends down the river to make myself look good, unlike other people here.”
Mike looked at his recruits. “Where is Saunders?”
Rowland moved forward. “He was taken away this morning. We all assumed he was being eliminated.”
Mike turned to Trent. “They work fast, don’t they?”
Trent moved away from Mike to stand in front of Girish. “Is it worth it? Is it worth ruining everyone’s life?”
Girish shook his head. “I didn’t do anything. Hell, I’ve been falsifying my logs to keep it quiet.”
“Kannan, to my office now.”
Girish glared at Trent. “You knew he was above me, just waiting to implicate me. Fuck you.”
Trent looked up at their leader, who stared down at him with intimidating eyes. He turned and left the area, ignoring their leader calling him.
* * *
Girish stood in front of their leader’s desk.
“Sit down, Kannan.”
Girish sat on the hard plastic chair. “Look, Trent isn’t doing anything weird. I know you might think that after my statement, but half of the stuff he says is missed because I can’t type that fast. I grew up poor and didn’t have access to stuff like computers. It’s not like I got any training from Kipper or anyone else, so I’m trying to keep up. Some stuff does get missed.”
The leader sat back in his chair. “Do you know why I gave you this assignment?”
Girish swallowed hard at the penetrating stare. “To see if Trent was doing anything weird, which he isn’t.”
“No, it’s completing something I’ve wanted to do for a while — get rid of Trent. He’s becoming unstable, and I don’t want it to go any further. He’s recruiting supporters as he tries to take over this division, but it will not happen.”
Girish shook his head. “Trent couldn’t give a damn about that taking over. I’ve watched him for almost a week now, and he’s shown no signs of caring enough about anything. If he was gathering others up and plotting a revolution, I don’t know how. He’s not popular. He’s not meeting with others and nor is he doing it via his computer. Most times, he’s typing up mission logs. He’s incredibly boring. I’ve seen no sign that he wants or even desires that power. If anything, I’d see him trying to escape from here, but I don’t know where he’d go.”
“Well, he will in a matter of words, and you’ll be the one who will take care of it. I expect you to eliminate him on the next mission. I don’t care how you do it, but you will kill Trent Dupont.”
Girish sat back in the chair, stunned by this command.
“Your surveillance on him is over for now. However, if you still need access to it, use it. I’ll set you up on a computer station in Kipper’s area to draw up your mission to kill him. Feel free to ask Kipper or his team for help to build a mission profile, but do not mention it’s for Trent. If they tell you it needs to go through Trent for approval, tell them I permitted you to create it.”
Girish shook his head. “I can’t do this. I know I’ve said that I hated Trent in the past, but I can’t plan to kill someone known to me. It was bad enough last time when the target was a stranger and a complete fucking embodiment of evil by all accounts. And anyway, he has way more training than I do, and every time I’ve sparred with him, he’s always beaten me.”
