Death and The Divide (17 page)

“I’m sure you have many questions, so I’ll try to fill you in on what has occurred, but it will be brief. Our goal is to make sure you continue your research as quickly as possible. As soon as we have the city secured, you’ll return to that work.”

“Good,” Linc said. “That’s what we want. Fighting this parasite is our only concern.”

Mr. Boston offered a faint smile. “Excellent. Then we’re aligned in our thinking. Everything will be so much easier if that’s true.”

Ria turned her head slightly to direct her gaze at the man.

“This afternoon, I and the forces of the RD took over the capital with the help of the National Security guard, which had been converted to our side over the past few years. The recent statements by the Triumvirate to ease restrictions between the North and South forced us to take action, especially given the unprecedented collegial cooperation over this parasite issue. We felt this crisis, once solved, would pave the way for even more interaction, and that cannot happen.”

“Why do you not want that to happen?” Ria asked.

“A good question, Miss Moralez, and a fair one.” He inclined his head in her direction. “As patriots for the Democracy of America, we, along with many in the military, do not want our people to ever endure another civil war. The loss of life and the devastation of the environment as well as the economy are unconscionable. Keeping the two people apart is the best chance of preserving our peace and the advancements we’ve made to our civilization. We must have no casual interaction with the South.”

He glanced at Linc. “No offense, Dr. Butler. This isn’t personal.”

“Of course,” Linc said in an even voice. “None taken.”

“Good. Then I can assure my leaders that you two are willing to continue your work, and will cause no problems?”

“Yes,” Ria said in a strong voice. “That’s what we want. Stopping the parasite spread is the most important issue right now.”

“Will we continue collaboration with the South?” Linc asked.

Mr. Boston shook his head with a rueful smile. “I’m afraid not. It was always clear that the North would provide the brainpower and technology for solving this problem. If you’re willing to continue in the North, Dr. Butler, we have no problem with your immigration and welcome your help with this task. If you don’t agree, I’m afraid I’ll have to have you detained and eventually returned to the ROA.”

Linc forced a fake smile. “Oh, I’m happy to stay here. Ever since I arrived, I can’t believe how backward and ignorant the South has become. You just handed me my dream. Thank you.”

Ria cut her eyes at him but said nothing.

“Well, this went better than I expected.” Mr. Boston rose, all geniality. “I’ll ask you to allow us the rest of the night to set up security at the lab and university. When that’s complete, someone will contact you in the morning about procedures for using the facility in the future.”

“We’re free to go?” Ria asked.

“Of course. The city is sealed with the force shield. Even if you wanted to leave, you couldn’t without proper ID.”

She turned to Madeline. “Ms. Jinee is our liaison for the group. Can you have her alert the other members of the changes?”

“Don’t worry. They’re all here in separate rooms. After we have a similar discussion, I’m hopeful they’ll also agree to cooperate.”

Linc cast the young woman a sympathetic glance, but she remained stone-faced and unresponsive. At least Ria had tried to help her.

“I’ll have my guards take you home now.” He motioned to the two men at attention by the door.

“I’d like to go to my parents, if that’s okay. I’m sure they’re worried about me,” she said.

“By all means.”

The guards herded them outside and into an air-car. Linc and Ria sat in the back seat as they zipped through the heavily guarded gates and along the streets to her parents. Overhead, unfamiliar drones buzzed, crisscrossing the sky. Linc’s mind raced evaluating their options. Granted they still needed to defeat the parasite, but how would they deal with this coup? The assholes wouldn’t share information with the South, signing their death warrant. He couldn’t allow that to happen.

The roads were empty of civilians, although people peeked out of windows as their car passed. Navy blue uniformed soldiers of the RD patrolled with no sign of civil unrest. Surely they had the populace terrified. A cannibal threat loomed, and now a coup of the government hinted at violence. He’d stay home, too.

Ria slid closer and put her hand on his. The gesture warmed his heart. He nodded and squeezed her hand. They’d get through this somehow. He gazed into her eyes, which sparkled with fear, but underneath that burned something more.

Determination.

Chapter Seventeen

Ria hurried from the R.D.’s air-car, worried sick about her family. Linc followed close behind as she rushed to the lift. She prayed they’d stayed in their apartment and avoided any violence.

Her parents’ apartment was keyed to her thumbprint, so she opened the door and went in. “Mom? Dad?”

The light was dim in the living room. Where were they? Her pulse raced.

“Aunt Ria?” Conner ran in from the kitchen, followed by her parents.

She gulped a cry of relief. “Are you all right? Do you know what’s happened?”

The four met in a group hug, murmuring words of concern. Poor Linc stood by the door, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. She broke away and took his hand. “Linc and I have had quite a day. The city is under martial law by an extreme group, Radical Democracy. They took us from the lab and finally released us when we agreed to continue work on the parasite. The government has collapsed.”

“You weren’t hurt?” her father asked, a fierce look on his face.

“No. But I was scared,” she admitted. She didn’t mention her horror at learning they’d been responsible for Lola’s death. She couldn’t bring herself to talk about that right now.

“What have you heard from the media?” Linc asked.

“We have much to discuss. You and Linc sit, and I’ll bring you something to eat and then we can talk.” Her mother bustled to the kitchen.

Conner hugged her and then Linc, bless his heart. What a sweet kid. “I’m glad you’re okay. I was worried when I saw the soldiers in the street. They even came to our door and told us to stay inside.”

She glanced at Linc over the child’s head. The poor boy had suffered too much lately. She didn’t even know what to say to him to offer comfort.

“Hey, buddy,” Linc said, draping an arm around Conner’s shoulders. “Everything is calm in the streets. I don’t think we have anything to worry about. These people want to keep it peaceful.”

“You think so?” The boy stared up at him with big, hopeful eyes.

“Yeah, that’s what they told us. They took us right to the capital building for a meeting.”

“Oh. Well, that’s good.” Conner sat beside Linc on the sofa and tucked his legs under him, leaning against the man.

“What are they going to do about your research?” her dad asked, taking a chair across from the couch. “We still have a parasite causing cannibalism.”

She sat on the other side of her nephew. “They said they’re securing the lab, and tomorrow we’re supposed to return to the lab and resume our testing.”

“Are they going to let Linc stay?”

Linc laughed. “I kind of exaggerated my love for the North enough that they believe I want to stay.”

“You don’t want to stay?” She wanted to believe what he’d told Mr. Boston. They’d been together so much that she’d come to see him as a part of her life, a friend and colleague. He didn’t seem like a Southerner, anymore.

He shifted in his seat to face her. “For now, yes.”

“We like you, Linc,” Conner said. “You should stay forever.”

“Here’s some nourishment,” her mother said, interrupting. She placed a tray of various dishes on the coffee table and handed them utensils and small plates. “Would you like some wine, Linc? I know Ria would.”

His expression brightened from the strained look brought on by mention of returning to the South. “I’d love some.”

“Is cabmernot okay?”

“My favorite,” he said.

Ria’s stomach growled at the smell of her mother’s cabbage butternut tarts and chicken-soy teriyaki sticks. Hunger overcame her anxiety. Her dad picked up the dish of artichoke cream dip and handed it to her along with some corn nugget patties. She loved these.

“Thanks, Dad.” She spooned the dip onto her plate and handed the bowl to Linc. “This is great.”

“I like this dip, too.” Conner swiped a corn patty into the creamy green mixture.

Her mother returned with the wine in her best crystal glasses. Ria shot a questioning look in her direction. Was her mom hoping to impress Linc?

“Bring some of your chocolate banana brûlée, Gin,” her father said. “I bet Linc would love that.”

“Oh, for sure!” Her mother hurried to the kitchen.

Ria shot a suspicious look at her father. He merely smiled and shrugged. She knew what they were doing. They considered Linc a good person to help protect her, so they wanted to reward him with food. They’d lure him to their side with the pleasures of Tres leche cake and chocolate banana brûlée. Then they’d guilt him into looking after her.

“It’s really good,” Conner said. “Gramma makes it better than anyone.”

Yep, he was in on it, too. Look at those gooey admiring gazes he cast at Linc. He could wrap people around his little finger. Oh, yes. He’d been around enough, dragged from city to city by Lola and dealing with her many boyfriends. That kid was no dummy. He’d have Linc in the palm of his hand in no time.

Her mother returned with two bowls and handed them to her and Linc.

“Wow, this is fantastic,” Linc exclaimed after the first spoonful.

“I think we should get back to the issue of revolution and people dying from cannibalism,” she said, trying to ignore the tongue-gasm from the fabulous dessert. Somebody had to keep this group on track. They had serious issues at hand.

“Of course,” her father said. “I think what’s important is for you two to maintain a facade of cooperation with this new regime. You need to keep working on the parasite, that’s paramount.”

She licked her spoon, savoring the last tiny bite. Good, her father understood.

Linc made a yummy sound. “The problem is that they won’t let us continue our cooperation with the South. This is a problem that has gone international. When a solution is found, it has to be shared. The only way to end this crisis is to wipe the parasite out. Everywhere.”

“Then you have to find a way to bypass the barriers put up by this new political faction. There has to be a way.” Her father leaned forward in his chair. “Is there any hope those loyal to the Triumvirate can rescue them and restore the government?”

“I doubt it,” she said. “They took advantage of the shield isolating the city. They’ve managed to infiltrate the National Security forces that guard Omaha and make them loyal.”

Ria’s wrist-comm beeped and vibrated. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Manson?

“Hello?”

“Ria, are you and Dr. Butler all right?” His gravely voice boomed over the comm.

“Yes. What happened to you? Do you know about the government coup?”

“They learned of the imminent threat just before I arrived to meet with them today. Everything was in an uproar, so they sent me to a secret facility where I could continue research on the parasite, safe from the R.D.”

“Where are you?”

“I can’t tell you over this comm. It could be intercepted. You and Linc have to leave the city. Once you’re outside. Go to Kansas City. I’ll find a way to contact you there.”

“Louis, we can’t leave. The shields are up.”

“Find a way, Ria. I know how resourceful you are. This is important. I think I’ve found a way to defeat this virus, but I need your help. We won’t stop this parasite unless you and Linc escape and join me. This political bullshit is nothing. Find a way out.”

The connection broke, and she sat dumbfounded. Manson wanted her to leave a city taken over by a hostile faction and on lockdown with security shields up? They couldn’t just vanish in thin air and appear somewhere else.

Linc placed his empty bowl on the table. “Do you have any idea how we can leave the city?”

Ria shook her head. “There’s no way out. He’s crazy.”

“You should see Minlo,” Conner said, raking another corn patty through the dip.

She frowned. “What do you mean? Minlo can’t help us.”

“Mom always said Minlo could do anything as long as it involved a computer. He’s hacked into all kinds of sites. He showed me how he changed the credits in his bank account once, and he also got us free lifetime passes to the zoo, the science museum, and the waterpark.”

She shared a look of surprise with Linc. “You know what, Conner? I think you may have a brilliant idea.”

Linc stood and strode to a window facing the street. He parted hanging blinds and peered out. “As I feared, they have guards outside this building. They’re not as trusting as I hoped they’d be.”

“Well, damn. What are we going to do then?” She slapped her hand on her thigh.

“I might be able to help,” her father said.

“Juan…” Her mother sat forward, alarm lighting her face.

He raised a hand. “They have to leave, Gin. If Manson thinks he has a solution, that’s vital.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Ria said. “We can certainly use any ideas you have.” Now to see if her sister’s unconventional boyfriend would help them.

***

Linc ducked under an air-filter conduit in the subbasement of Ria’s parent’s apartment building. Juan motioned him along through a space between two columns of filter frames. If not for the light he held, the darkness would swallow him. Linc hurried to catch up.

“Aww, shit,” Ria hissed.

“What’s wrong?” He looked behind, focusing his portable light on her face.

“I hit my head.” She rubbed her crown, wincing. “Keep going. I’m okay.”

“How much farther?” he asked her father.

“Just ahead.”

He led them through a small room with pipes running at different angles. Metal rungs sunk in the far wall led upward into unfathomable blackness.

“Dad, how do you know about this place?” Ria huffed and climbed over a square structure.

“I used to be in charge of the maintenance here when I first retired. There are passages and sub-basements below most buildings in the city since it was built on the foundations of structures from the past.” He pointed to the embedded steps. “Climb this and you’ll come out in an air duct that leads to the apartments beside ours. It’s the best I can do. At least they won’t be watching that building. From there, you’re on your own. Keep an eye out for drones, and soldiers patrolling the streets. You did turn off your personal tracker, right?”

“I turned that off a long time ago,” she replied.

“Thanks, Juan. This is a huge help.” Linc shook his hand.

Ria hugged her father and kissed his cheek. “Take care of Mom and Conner.”

“I will, sweetheart.” He returned her kiss. “Take care of yourself.”

Juan waited, shining his light on the steps until they passed the edge of its glow. Linc and Ria continued the climb, finally reaching a ledge.

“I never imagined there was all this space under buildings in the city,” Ria said, atop the ledge and crawling along the narrow space a few feet.

The ledge led to a round tunnel about three feet in diameter. Dirt and dust kicked up as they moved. Whatever this was, it hadn’t been in use in quite a while.

Linc followed, handing her their light. The air here smelled stale and felt warm. Sweat formed on his face and ran down his neck. “Can you see ahead?”

She pointed the light forward. “There’s a square opening about two feet wide I can make out.”

When they reached it and peered past the opening, it looked like another sub-basement similar to the one her father had led them through.

“I can drop to the floor. It’s only a few feet down,” Ria said, passing him the light.

“These places are creepy,” he said when he joined her.

“I agree. Let’s hope there’s nothing down here.”

“I wish you hadn’t said that.”

She snickered. “Are you scared?”

“Just keep moving.” He nudged her back.

He hated the dark. He always had since he was a kid. His brother had made fun of him when he wanted to keep a lamp on in their bedroom at night. This subterranean darkness was his nightmare.

They stumbled and scraped against old rusty pipes and skeletons of equipment he couldn’t identify. Dirt made both of them sneeze and cough. Anyone would hear them coming. He tried not to think about that.

“There’s a door,” Ria said in a low voice.

“It looks old.” He examined the frame. He tugged on the handle, and it crumbled in his hand. “Great.”

“Maybe we can find something to pry it open.”

They scoured the area, lights pointed at the floor and moved debris with their feet. Ria found a round circle of metal, but it broke when she tried to push it in the gap between the door and the frame.

“I might be able to fit my fingers under the bottom,” she said, kneeling. “Ouch, nope, that’s not going to happen. It’s too tight.”

“This might work.” He found a thin piece of metal about a foot long. It had worn blue paint at one time but now bore mostly brown rust. He jammed it into the edge of the door and used leverage. It creaked and groaned. Finally, it gave way and inched open.

“You did it!” Ria grabbed the edge and pulled as he pushed.