Dead World 2, page 18
It was the Republic of Missouri leader's turn to frown. "Why's that?"
"Because I think Roark might be angling for your job and then some."
"Oh, that." His shoulders relaxed and he shook his head. "He's been after that for years. Hasn't managed to get it yet."
"He's gaining in popularity," Robert said. "His followers are turning into zealots. You know what happens when that occurs."
"Yes, I know." He sobered. "We'll have a war on our lands. Luckily, he has such wacky agendas that he drives the honest voters away. He'd be a lot better off if he'd stop spouting off about the Others or uniting the republics," Sam said.
"There are some people who'd like to see the republics united," Robert reminded him, without touching on the subject of the Others.
He balked. "Yes, and there are even more people who would fight to keep that from happening. Either way, no one wins."
"You're right. Well, I'd consider it a personal favor if you could get my granddaughter in to see Morgan Hunter. I doubt Roark would accommodate me."
Sam's dark brow rose. "He won't have a choice if I tell him to let her in. I still run this republic. Until I step down or the people decide they don't want me to lead any longer, that will remain the case."
Robert smiled. "I appreciate it, Sam. If I can ever do anything for you, just give me a shout. Next time you're out this way stop by. We can grab a synth-drink and talk about old times."
Sam chortled. "Sounds good to me." He disconnected the call.
Red sat up. "Thank you, Grandpa."
"I hope you know what you're doing, Gina." The concern was evident in his voice. "I don't like you going into that republic without backup."
"I'm not on the team anymore."
"I know, but old habits die hard. Speaking of which..." He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out her old navcom. "I want you to take Rita with you. If you don't have backup, she's the next best thing. She'll make sure to notify me if anything goes wrong."
"I can't, Grandpa." She shook her head and looked at the communication device that had served as a surrogate friend for so many years.
"Yes, you can." He came around the desk and put the navcom on her wrist.
Rita roared to life the second he clasped the band. "Gina, where have you been? My systems have been unable to detect you for months."
Red laughed. "Sorry, Rita. I had to go away for a while."
"Well don't do that again," the navcom scolded in a nasal voice.
Robert laughed. "Just like old times," he said, smiling.
"You really should keep her." Red started to remove Rita. She'd just gotten to the point where she no longer missed the navcom. She didn't want to get reattached and have to give her up again.
He shook his head. "I'd feel better if she was with you. At least that way you'll have a second set of senses helping you scan your environment. Roark isn't going to be happy when he's forced to allow you in to see Morgan. Be careful."
"I always am." She hugged him. Red held on a long time, not wanting to release him. In the end, she knew she had to go. "I'll call after I've seen him."
"Use Rita. I've had her modified to contact me directly."
Red grinned. "So that's why you wanted me to take her with me. You want to keep tabs on me."
"That's only one of the reasons." He grinned. "Here are the coordinates for the facility holding Morgan."
She logged them into Rita. "I better go," she said, looking around his office one more time. She inhaled, trying to hold the memory in her mind.
“Take care, special one. And remember, if he's guilty, then you'll have to let him go."
"I know," she said, knowing that she'd never be able to do so.
The trip to the Republic of New Mexico took four excruciatingly long hours. Red drove straight through without stopping. By the time she reached the facility, the sun was slowly linking below the horizon and she was exhausted.
Anxiety beat inside of her. She didn't know what to expect when she finally got to see Morgan. Would he look the same as the photo or had he been injured? She hadn't actually considered that he might have been hurt in the blast. Red had been too grateful that he was alive.
She parked the shuttle, staring at the electromagnetic fence that surrounded the detention processing center. Smaller than prisons in the twentieth-first century, the detention center acted as a filtering system.
Prisoners were held there before the tribunal met to decide their fate. Depending on the findings, they would be released, executed, sentenced to labor, or sent in for reprogramming.
Red shuddered at the thought of having Morgan reprogrammed. She'd once met a man who'd been reprogrammed. He had no knowledge of his history. They'd changed his face, fingerprints, and erased much of his memory. The scientist who'd performed the procedure had called it a clean slate. Red called it legal mind rape.
She hurried, her booted heels slamming the pavement. She approached the guarded gate and stopped. "Gina Santiago to see detainee Morgan Hunter."
The guard nearest her raised his navcom and hit a button. He scanned what she presumed was a list of names. Red held her breath. Had her grandfather's friend Sam been successful? She'd hate to think she'd come all this way and wouldn't be allowed entry.
"Santiago," he said. "Here it is. A last minute addition." He pressed a button and the gate opened. "Weapons will be collected at the next checkpoint."
Red nodded.
"Walk straight ahead. Guard number 11174 will process you."
She followed the walkway toward an imposing gray building that looked like a grounded storm cloud. There were no bars on the windows because there were no windows. She stepped through a set of doors and nodded to the two guards waiting.
Inside, the building seemed even more immense than it had from the outside. Gray halls led off in four different directions. There were black stairs at the end of each hall that led to goodness only knew where.
Electromagnetic fields crackled, causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end. The lights had been converted to natural light to make up for the lack of windows. It also kept the prisoners calm.
Red looked from hall to hall. Guards patrolled every inch of the facility. She had no idea how many people were being held here. Hadn't bothered to ask. She only cared about one man.
"Place your weapon in here, please," the guard said, indicating to her pistol.
Red pulled the weapon out of the holster and set the gun down in the container he held. The second her hand was clear of the box, it folded in on itself and sealed, securing the weapon.
"You can get the pistol back when you leave," he said. "Now step through the scanner."
She proceeded forward as a bright yellow light engulfed her. After a few seconds, it was too bright to keep her eyes open. She closed them against the glare. The light was warm as it spread over her body in search of hidden weapons and explosives.
"All done," the guard said after a minute. "Follow guard 77737 to cell twenty-two alpha."
Red followed the dark-haired bull of a guard down the middle hall on the left. The cell doors were open by design, only giving off the occasional spark to let the prisoners know they were still locked up.
She was surprised to see that most of the cells were empty. Only a few were occupied. The prisoners stared at her. Whether it was curiosity over her presence or simply wondering whether she was a new resident, she didn't know. Red avoided eye contact.
The guard continued to the end of the hall until they reached a flight of stairs. He looked back at her. "We have to go up another level."
Red motioned for him to continue and climbed after him. They were now on the second level, and from the looks of it, the detention center went up at least another two. She was relieved that they stayed on the second floor.
"This way." The guard stopped three doors down.
Red looked past him. Seated on a small rest pad that had been hastily tossed into a corner sat a man whose back was to them. Despite not being able to see his face, Red recognized Morgan.
He had bandages around his ribs and his hands were covered in a dozen or so cuts. He didn't turn when the guard lowered the power on the door. She stepped inside. The room didn't hold much: a chair, a waste dispensing unit, and the rest pad. Just enough to exist.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice rough. He hadn't turned to look at her, which meant he'd identified her by scent. "You shouldn't have come."
"I came to see how you were holding up." She walked to the only chair in the room. Red sat before her trembling knees gave out.
"I'm great. Can't you tell?" He swung around to face her.
Red gasped.
Morgan’s face was bruised. Blue, black, and purple covered one cheek and eye. Without being able to shift, Morgan hadn't been able to heal himself.
"Is that from the blast?"
Morgan shook his head. "Roark made sure I got here relatively unharmed." He shrugged and looked over her shoulder toward the guard waiting in the hall. "I was given a warm welcome when I arrived. Apparently, a lot of people are pissed off about the lab."
Red glared at the guard. "Can you give us a little privacy? It's not like we can go anywhere."
He scowled, but stepped back a few more feet.
"What happened?" Red lowered her voice.
"I was set up," he said without inflection.
Unable to stand the distance between them, Red walked over to the rest pad and dropped down beside him. Underneath the blood, sweat, and pain, she could smell the man she loved and her heart broke in response.
"Gina, your blood pressure is rising," Rita piped up. "Please do something to stabilize it."
Morgan looked down at her wrist and gave her a small smile. "Well that explains why they let you in. How is your grandfather?"
"He's fine. Worried, but fine."
Morgan's smile faded. "He has reason to worry," he said, all warmth gone from his tone. "You shouldn't be here. Roark might return any minute."
Red ignored his plea. She wasn't concerned about Roark right now. She needed to find out the truth. "What happened at the lab? We heard that it was blown up. It's been all over the viewers."
Morgan scowled. "It wasn't the whole facility, only a section of it. I was there when it happened, but I didn't set the charge. Don't know who did for sure, but I suspect it was the man who hired me."
"What were you doing there?"
"Checking out an incoming shipment and looking for a scientist by the name of Finley. From what I could uncover, he doesn't exist. Neither do any of the other scientists on my list, who were assigned to make the Scarlet vaccine and the clones."
Red frowned. "You mentioned that before, but that doesn't make sense."
"No, it doesn't, but Roark stated that the clones of my wife and child were never there when he had me arrested. With all the other information I've managed to piece together, I believe him." He let out a heavy breath. "I've been such a fool."
"What about the vaccine? They say you destroyed Scarlet." Red looked over her shoulder to check on the guard.
Morgan's head dropped. "I'm sure Roark made sure the news said a lot of things. But as far as I can tell, the vaccine never existed either. It was a ghost, a sham, like the clones of my dead family. He just wanted to get me away from Nuria, away from you." Pain filled his eyes as he met her gaze for the first time. "And he succeeded. Can you ever forgive me?"
Red leaned forward and embraced him, careful not to squeeze too hard. Her lips touched his in a tender kiss. "There's nothing to forgive. When I heard about the explosion, I didn't think I'd ever see you again." She buried her face in the crook of his neck.
He gently stroked her hair. "Shh...it's okay."
A lump formed in her throat. "No, it's not okay. You're being framed and I intend to prove it."
Morgan's eyes chilled. "You will do no such thing. I need you to go back to Nuria. The town is vulnerable without you."
Red laughed before she could stop herself. "Nuria doesn't want me."
Morgan frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"They all but ran me out of town," she said.
He brushed a tear from her face. "Why would they do that?"
"I told you why. It's because I'm a stranger. The second you left everyone closed ranks, keeping me out. Maggie, Jim, just about the whole damn town turned on me. While you've been chasing your tail at the lab, I've been getting framed for murder."
He searched her face. "Roark said something about that, when he put me in the shuttle. That doesn't explain what's happening in Nuria. I know these people. They protect their own."
"I felt the same way, until the two men came into town. Both hassled me and later ended up dead. The last one had time to file a formal complaint against me,” she said. “Maggie personally called in IPTT to investigate. Claimed it was in my best interest to cooperate. Do you have any idea how humiliating it is to have your grandfather, your former commander, receive a brutality complaint?" She growled in frustration. "I know Roark is behind their arrival, but I can't fight him and the town at the same time."
"So the killer is still on the loose?" he asked.
"Yes. Like you, I've been led on a merry chase that's ended up coming full circle. Recruits are quitting. Maggie's on a power trip. The town doesn't trust me. Most of them are afraid of me because of my—" She stopped short and looked at the guard. He was staring down at his boots, but she had no doubt he was listening intently to their conversation. "My lack of control."
"I can't believe Maggie would do such a thing," Morgan said.
Red gave him a sad smile. "I knew you were going to say that."
"It just doesn't sound like her. She cares about you."
Red snorted. "Maggie and the others cared about me as long as you were around. The second you left, they accused me of running you off. As if that wasn't bad enough, they insinuated that I was sleeping with Raphael and the new tactical team members. The final blow came when they added murder to the already full stack of accusations leveled against me."
Morgan sat in shocked silence, digesting her words. He couldn't believe Nuria would abandon Gina the moment his back was turned. He'd done everything for that town. Protected them. Lied for them. Killed his own cousin for them. And this was the gratitude he got?
"I'll talk to them," he said, before cutting himself off. He'd been about to say when he got back, but Morgan knew there was a very good chance he'd never see Nuria again.
Gina must have realized it, too, because she looked away. Before she did, he saw tears glistening in her eyes.
"I need you to be strong. We both knew going in this might be a one-way trip for me, but I had to try anyway. I couldn't allow them to hurt my family." He choked on the last word. Why hadn't he just let the past remain buried? Why had he run off, when the present needed him so much?
"I know, but it doesn't make it any easier."
He squeezed her hand. "I've missed you so much," he whispered, brushing her lips reverently with his fingertips.
Tears slipped down her cheeks and she quickly wiped them away. "It's not fair," she said. "We just found each other and now this."
"I'll figure something out. I always do." The lies slipped easily from his mouth because Morgan knew how much she needed to hear them.
"Maybe my grandfather can help. He's friends with the republic leader in charge of corrections. He can put in a good word for you."
Morgan's head jerked vehemently. "I don't want him involved. What if that's what Roark was after all along?"
"I don't follow." She frowned.
"Roark told me he was after us, but what if that was another lie? What if he really wants your grandfather? If the commander steps in, Roark could question his loyalties and claim he's unfit to lead the tactical team."
She paled, making her seem more fragile than a synth-egg. Her hands started to shake.
"Look what he's accomplished thus far. I'm in detention and you're about to lose the only thing you ever loved—your job."
“That's not the only thing I ever loved," she murmured.
His grip on her tightened. "Promise me when you leave here that you'll go into hiding until this mess blows over."
Their gazes met and locked. "You know I can't make that promise," Gina said softly.
Morgan pulled her close as fear threatened to rip his heart from his chest. He had no idea how he'd get out of this mess. No idea how he'd prove his innocence.
He couldn't protect Gina from in here and Morgan had no doubt she was in danger. He'd been a fool to chase the past. A fool to leave the one thing that meant more to him than anything else in this crazy world. And he was about to lose it all.
21
Roark fumed as he sat behind his desk. How dare the leader of the Republic of Missouri force him to drop off his detainee at the Taos detention center? How had Sam even known Morgan Hunter was in his custody? Roark grimaced as he recalled the news report he'd arranged.
Of course Sam knew that he had Morgan. The whole world knew. Thanks to his associate's premature announcement, it had cost Roark a fortune in credits to ensure he'd regain custody. He slammed his fist down on his desk, causing the nearby items to jump and tumble onto their sides.
His vidcom buzzed, interrupting his tirade.
"Roark here," he said, his tone clipped.
"The woman has arrived," the voice said, before cutting off.
Roark smiled. The fact that Gina Santiago was visiting Morgan meant she'd gone to IPTT headquarters for help. Technically, they hadn't done anything wrong by getting her in to see the detainee. But if they inserted their power any farther over the line, Roark would have cause to ask for Robert Santiago's resignation. And he knew just how he'd make sure that happened.
He glanced out his office window as workers inside the biodome hustled to their jobs. He had one more thing to take care of before he could put his plan into action. Roark pressed a button on his desk.
"Michael, I need you to come in here," he said. Just the thought of being in the same room as his assistant set his heart racing. His disgust over what he was, and the fact that Roark had allowed the man to work so closely with him, still left him shaken. Well he wasn't about to have an Other running around the office unless he could control him. And there was only one way to do that.
