Hidden in Dreams by Bunn Davis

Author:Bunn, Davis [Bunn, Davis]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Published: 2012-07-03T07:00:00+00:00

15

At a quarter to six in the morning, the Melbourne airport was an island of calm. The wind was still, the air cool enough to be refreshing. Birds chirped from the tall palms forming a border between the parking area and the terminal. The loudest sounds were a taxi’s radio and the rumbling of suitcase wheels across uneven pavement. Elena exchanged good-mornings with another woman headed for the entrance. Then she entered the terminal, and was assaulted by the sight of her own face. Television monitors fronting the café entrance blared the news channel, which played a repeat of the previous evening’s story. The woman who had smiled at her outside glanced at Elena, then back at the monitors. She asked, “Should I cash out my 401K?”

“I have no idea,” Elena replied.

“It’s all my husband and I have.”

“I don’t know more than you do,” Elena replied. “I can’t extrapolate from the dreams.”

The woman’s gaze tightened on Elena. “This isn’t about extrapolation. It’s about our future.”

“Sorry.” Elena turned and walked to the counter.

She checked in, went through security, and found a quiet corner of the waiting area. With the end of the space shuttle program, Melbourne’s airport had become quieter still. Only a handful of flights were arriving and departing. Most of the gates were silent. The empty departures lounge was lined by televisions tuned to the local news channel, which now showed an excited weatherman describing the tropical storm aimed at the Bahamas. The station’s computer tracking models showed the storm gathering force and striking Florida’s Atlantic coast as a category four hurricane.

Elena sat where she could look out over the runway and the sunrise. She opened her laptop, fitted on her headphones, and swiveled the microphone in front of her mouth. She was comfortable with the practice, since a growing number of professional conferences were scheduled online; though she wished she could participate in a more private environment. But Jacob’s concern and tension had offered no alternative.

As the computer booted up, she pulled the handwritten notes from her purse and went through Reginald’s instructions for linking into the company’s secure conference call. The SuenaMed logo filled the screen. A chime sounded, followed by one image after another replacing the logo, like a series of dominos being laid out. Many of the spaces remained blank, filled instead by the same blue backgrounds and city names as during the news conference. Jacob’s appearance in the top right corner filled her with a sudden sense of relief, though the man looked as if he had not slept a wink.

Reginald’s voice asked, “Elena?”

“I’m here.”

“Everyone who is able to join us today has linked in.”

Elena asked, “Rachel?”

There was silence, then, “Yes.”

“You need to turn on your camera and visually participate.”

“I am not a dreamer.”

“You are a primary facilitator,” Elena replied, taking a term from her clinical work. “They need to know who you are.”

The SuenaMed CEO said, “I agree with Dr. Burroughs.”

There was a pause, then the bottom row tightened sufficiently to allow one more image to appear.

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