The Rogue World by Matthew J. Kirby

Author:Matthew J. Kirby
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2017-03-30T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

14

ELEANOR COULDN’T LET HERSELF THINK ABOUT FINN’S anger at Watkins. She felt it just as strongly as he did, but if she gave in to it, she risked breaking the fragile alliance she had established with their former enemy. It seemed that working with the old man would be the only way she could do what she needed to do to save the world, and to work with him, she would need to find that connection they’d found while battling the Concentrator. If she let herself hate him, that might not be possible.

Instead she focused on Uncle Jack, who rested beside her. He had finally fallen asleep, which was probably for the best. Betty had tried to assure Eleanor his injuries weren’t immediately life-threatening. But that didn’t do much to ease her worry.

“Is there a phone I could use?” Watkins asked. “Most of my transports have sat phones.”

“Why?” Luke asked.

“I need to make sure the G.E.T. is sending a rescue team to the site of the avalanche. Or have you already forgotten about the lives of those men and women, Mr. Fournier?”

Eleanor remembered the conversation she had overheard, the mention of damage control, and wondered if he needed to check on more than that.

“In the cockpit,” Betty called back. “There’s a sat phone up here.”

“Excellent.” Watkins climbed out of his seat and made his way swaying up toward her, his back straight. Eleanor tried to listen to his call, but found it too difficult over the rumble of the engines, and the chewing of the transport’s treads over the snow. A few minutes went by, and Watkins remained in the cockpit.

When Watkins finally returned to his seat, his back appeared hunched and his face pale. He toppled into his seat like a felled tree.

“I can’t believe it,” he whispered.

“What is it?” Luke asked.

“I’ve . . . been removed.”

“What?” Eleanor asked. “What does that mean?”

“The board held a vote of no confidence. I’m—I’m out.”

“Of the G.E.T.?” Eleanor asked.

He nodded.

No one said anything for a long time while the transport bumped and ground along. At any other time, this would have been the best possible news. But right now, Eleanor wondered how it would affect their plan, and who would be put in charge instead of Watkins.

“They fired you?” Luke asked.

Watkins opened his mouth, but nothing came out at first. “Yes. I am to report to the nearest G.E.T. head office for debriefing. After that—”

“What about us?” Finn asked.

Watkins frowned. “They have ordered me to bring you in, after which you will surely be placed under arrest.”

Eleanor felt the plan tipping sideways, threatening to capsize. “You promised me they wouldn’t do that. You promised—”

“I know what I promised,” Watkins said, his words sharp. “But it seems I no longer have the authority to keep that promise.”

“Why did they take this action against you?” Dr. Von Albrecht asked.

Watkins rubbed his forehead, spreading its many wrinkles. “They’d already learned about the avalanche. This makes the second G.E.T. installation lost under my direction, thanks to your efforts in the Arctic.

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