Eximus by Wearmouth Marcus

Author:Wearmouth, Marcus [Wearmouth, Marcus]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2017-10-04T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

At the head of the oval conference table, Avery sat clenching and unclenching her fists. Her screen lay face down in front of her. The five humorless faces of her command team assembled around the table. Their grim expressions matched her own.

For a full week she had struggled to maintain self control. Preventing sleep for more than two hours to avoid losing consciousness when she awoke. The lack of sleep left her with a dull headache and metallic taste in her mouth. She was forgetting names and had to think carefully in command team meetings. In her quarters she could sit and day dream, outside she was jumpy and anxious.

Below the table, she pulled on her pinkie finger with her right trembling hand. She glanced down at her flexi screen again. Her lifeline. “Before we wrap this up, I want a review.”

“Of what?” Kaya asked.

“Events since lockdown.” Avery replied.

Her brain and mouth seemed out of sync as she spoke. Watching her words float in the air then land on the ears of her team. Even she wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted to discuss.

“I think what the Commander is saying is that we need to review our progress,” Cain added.

“We could bring in more drills?” Daniels said.

“Not more drills,” Avery said, waving his words away like buzzing flies.

“I don’t think this is appropriate,” Cain said.

She was aware her question was a prod but couldn’t help it. The idea had popped into her head and now she couldn’t shake it. There was a mixed reaction around the table. Cain scowling while Daniels and Kaya appeared confused.

“Has anyone checked external weather readings?” Avery asked.

“This really isn’t necessary,” Cain said. “Perhaps we could drill down into this in my lab?”

“My role is to manage the facility and I deem it necessary,” Avery continued.

Although confused herself about the conversation, she was convinced for some reason that her point was an extremely important one.

“That’s quite enough,” Cain said, rising to her feet.

Avery bit back her reply. What were they actually arguing about? Were they arguing? It seemed a very large amount of effort for little reward.

“If there is no other business?” Avery asked, half rising and motioning towards the door. “This meeting is adjourned.”

“Commander-” Cain said.

“Not now.” Avery interrupted. “I’m extremely busy.”

Ringo was waiting outside and detached from the wall like a spy as she walked past. He trotted in front of her to open the staircase door and allow her to walk through the opening. The door closed behind them with a soft click, followed by Ringo’s tapping footsteps on the mezzanine stairs. She half turned to watch him. His movements weren’t mechanical, he wasn’t a robot. He trotted causally down the steps, staring at the smooth grey walls and even touching a seam in the steel sheeting.

Back in her quarters, Avery slumped onto her bed. She set a two hour alarm on the bedside clock then lay back and closed her eyes.

Seemingly moments later, she winced as the alarm woke her. Painful

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