Black Rust by Bobby Adair

Author:Bobby Adair [Adair, Bobby]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Publisher: Beezle Media
Published: 2016-06-18T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 35

Inspector Doggett, a chinless man with sagging gray skin and thinning hair, was pedantic about sticking to the agenda, which consisted of topics that were no more than a list of forms Blue Bean was mandated by the state to provide. Being a corporate farm that serviced many state contracts and utilized degenerate labor as well as labor from a penal system work camp, Blue Bean Farms was required to submit a daunting list of forms, some monthly, many quarterly, and even more annually. And they submitted them to Inspector Doggett in a series of meetings with various department heads according to Inspector Doggett’s agenda.

The meetings proceeded according to the same script each month, and the meeting with Sienna started going off the rails at about the same point every time they arrived at a particular agenda item—the review of reports on the methods spelled out in Blue Bean’s operations manual for training and disciplining degenerates, and the curricula Sienna had developed for educating the staff on those methods. Sienna took to pointing out that having the materials in place and filling out the form—hence compliance, as defined by the law—was pointless. Documentation was worthless if none of the procedures listed in the documents were being put into practice.

The first time Sienna voiced her concerns, Keith Workman’s face turned red under his generous coif of silver hair, and she thought he might be having a stroke. That fear vanished when he let loose a tirade that embarrassed her but was ignored by both Inspector Doggett and his assistant, Mike Rafferty, both of whom looked at the papers on the conference table in front of them and pretended like nothing had occurred.

That had happened months and months ago.

Now it all proceeded according to a memorized script: Sienna told them the documents asked the wrong questions. Keith Workman insisted Sienna’s concerns were good-hearted but founded in idealism rather than practicalities. Blue Bean Farms did its utmost to meet all the aspirations listed in its official procedures. Doggett always followed Workman with an admonishment directed at Sienna for trying to create the illusion of impropriety where none existed. Blue Bean was in compliance with the law, and Sienna’s signatures on the documents proved it.

Sienna’s protests grew weaker with each passing item on the agenda, each form submitted, each pointless meeting, until they got to the kill list. That’s where Sienna made her stand.

“That brings us to the last item on the agenda, The Defect Retirement List.” Mike Rafferty said it as he flinched at the words.

“I have it,” said Inspector Doggett, dragging his bored gaze up and down a few of the sheets lying on the table in front of him. “All seems to be—”

“No,” Sienna told him. “It’s not in order.”

Mike Rafferty deflated. He knew what was coming.

Keith Workman glared silent threats at Sienna, and Inspector Doggett heaved a great sigh. “Oh, good God. Do we have to do this today?”

Into Doggett’s disrespect, Sienna pointed at the papers and said, “That Defect Retirement List is not—”

“Every month it’s something with you,” Workman spat.

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