Decimate by Christopher Rice

Author:Christopher Rice [Rice, Christopher]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2022-05-09T16:00:00+00:00

18

Randy had figured the presence of a medical cart and a pallet would have frightened Claire if she’d seen them upon entering Agatha’s cell. So he kept them in the corridor outside, then went to get them the minute Claire inhaled. The first time Agatha managed to cross from the common area of his memory deck into his vault, his physical body had collapsed to the floor of her chamber so hard he’d ended up with a lump on his head. They’ve managed to avoid a repeat with Claire.

Now, Thomas kneels next to Claire’s prone and seemingly lifeless body, checking her vitals, making sure the frenzied movements of her pupils aren’t even more out of whack than they should be.

Footsteps approach down the corridor’s metal floor. It’s Ben. “Sean’s back from LA. He’s in the infirmary with our other guests.”

Randy thought he heard the Kodiak come in for a landing earlier, but he was too distracted monitoring Claire’s vitals, and sounds from above sometimes have trouble making it all the way down to the cellar, which is as it should be.

“So what’s the plan here?” Ben asks.

“Agatha’s giving away the game, it sounds like,” Thomas says.

“It’s not a game. It’s her story. And it’s hers to tell if she wants.”

Thomas nods. “Sorry.”

“It’s been a day,” Randy says. “I get it.”

“Almost morning,” Ben says. “Papa Bear’s stirring.”

“Is he complaining about the service?” Randy asks.

“Doesn’t sound like he’s got the energy to complain about much,” Ben says. “Yet.”

“I’ll go check on him. Radio me if anything goes wrong. And if her vitals go nuts, shoot her up again and bring her back. Don’t give it a second thought. She’s not like us. She’s been exposed, so everything with her will be harder to predict. I’ll explain it to Agatha if I have to.”

Thomas nods, and then Randy’s out the door, up through the floor of the barn, and crossing the icy lawn back to the guesthouse and its subterranean infirmary.

Sean’s standing guard outside the door to Abram’s cell. Whenever he returns to the ranch, Randy’s always a little shocked by his appearance. It’s Sean’s job to blend in with LA crowds, so he always looks like some vaguely stylish corporate supervisor dropping in for a visit from the head office. Formfitting designer jeans, a solid-color dress shirt with some shine to it, tailored to his V-shaped form. Today’s color is dark purple.

“Good flight?” Randy asks.

“Better than some.”

“Hilarious.”

“Sorry. Gallows humor,” Sean says.

“How’s our guest?”

Sean waggles his hand.

“Watch the door,” Randy says. “I’m going in.”

Sean takes a step back. Randy opens the door with his key, pulls it firmly shut behind him.

The room’s much like the one in which they kept Claire, previously used for monitoring their return trips from Agatha’s memory deck. It’s not meant to hold captives, and the sight of Abram Huntley sitting on the edge of the gurney, bent forward with his elbows on his knees, looking like someone’s just whacked him across the back of the head so hard he can’t stand up straight, twists Randy’s gut a little.

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