Contributor (Contributor Trilogy, book 1) (30 page)

"Apprentice Morrow, I'm Head Investigator Manning," the woman said, extending a hand to Dara, who automatically shook it.

A small woman with an impressive mane of flaming red hair and soft, hazel eyes, Manning spoke in a warm voice, smiling at Dara as she indicated a chair to her right. Dara knew she would have to be on her guard. The woman's unassuming demeanor was doubtlessly her best weapon.

"Do you know why you're here?" Manning asked. Her tone of voice suggested embarrassment at having to ask such a question.

"No, I don't, but I was told it didn't have anything to do with my father," Dara said, chewing her lip worriedly. This wasn't affected behavior. Anxiety gnawed a hole in her stomach, but she could see Manning light on this gesture as if it proved something.

"It's about your mother."

Dara shot up from her chair, so overcome with fear that she momentarily forgot all about the removal. "What happened? Is she all right? When I left this morning, she was—"

Manning interrupted by putting an arm around Dara's shoulders and gently returning her to her chair. "Unfortunately, I can't answer those questions. We don't know where your mother is."

"What?" Though Dara now understood what was going on, she knew she would have to put on the best performance of her life, and she tried her hardest to sound confused. "She's at home. Where else would she be?"

Though Manning feigned concerned dismay, Dara saw the calculation in the other woman's eyes. "We wondered if you could answer that."

"I-I don't know. She sometimes gets confused, but... Why aren't you out looking for her?" Dara cried. Her anxiety made her edgy, and she channeled her fear, hoping that Manning would misinterpret it.

"We are looking for her," Manning said soothingly. "We just wondered if she had a favorite spot, somewhere she liked to go?"

Dara wondered where her father was, and she realized that they had intentionally been separated.

They want to make sure our stories match.

"She hasn't left the apartment since she got home," Dara said honestly. "Before, she used to like the park, but she's...she hasn't been the same since the accident."

"We'll check the park. Can you think of anywhere else?"

"I can't... Oh, Creators! What if she got confused and wandered off somewhere? What if she's hurt?" Dara's voice rose to a moaning wail, and she could see it had an effect on the Authorities.

"Please, Apprentice Morrow, I assure you we'll do everything possible to get your mother back safely. Is there anything else you can think to tell us that might be helpful?"

"Where's my father?" Dara demanded, ignoring the question. "Does he know?"

"We've informed him, and you'll be able to see him shortly."

Dara rose from the table and began pacing like a caged animal. "I need to be out there looking for my mom! She needs me!"

Her performance must have been convincing, because the Authorities became increasingly anxious to placate her. They tried a few more questions, but Dara answered them with growing distress, and they soon gave up, apparently convinced—at least for the present—of her innocence.

At long last, they took Dara into the conference room where they held her father. As soon as she saw him, she rushed into his arms, and they both burst into tears of genuine fear.

"Do you...do you think she's okay?" Dara sobbed. She knew her father would understand she hadn't asked just for the benefit of the Authorities watching them.

"I don't know. How could this happen? When I left this morning, she seemed better, more lucid."

"But she was so confused last night. Maybe she got confused again?"

"She's been so unpredictable," Joshua moaned, tears rolling down his face.

Despite her terror, some part of Dara could not help but admire the spectacle she and her father were creating. Their performance was masterful—though it wasn't entirely a performance. Gratefully, she thought of what a genius Raj was for ensuring they'd have enough genuine emotion to make their bewilderment convincing.

"Can we go search now? Please, she needs us. You have to let us go!" Dara pleaded.

"You may assist in the search," Manning said. "I'll escort you to Investigator Dabrowski. He's coordinating the search."

"Take us now," Joshua commanded. "We need to find my wife."

The next several hours passed in a confusing blur of fear and worry. Dara and Joshua worked with the Authorities to search the park, the nearby shops, and the entertainment facilities. As shift change approached, the search began to peter out, the Authorities apparently unwilling to let other Contributors know that someone was missing. Dara knew they wanted to keep things as quiet as possible, lest they dull the shiny veneer Magnum had so carefully applied.

However, Dara knew they couldn't possibly keep things under wraps for long. The claustrophobic nature of life in a dome would ensure that. It wouldn't be long before the rumor mill began to churn, and Dara dreaded that even more than she'd dreaded this farce of a search.

"We'll continue searching, but for now it's best that you go home, in case Contributor Morrow returns," Manning said, when she came to collect Dara and Joshua.

"You'll keep us informed if you find anything?" Joshua asked.

"Certainly. And I ask that you do the same."

"We will," Dara promised.

"I suppose you checked the med centers?" Joshua asked.

"Of course," Manning said smoothly, though Dara thought the inspector bristled a bit at the implication of incompetence.

"I'm sorry," Joshua said, and Dara knew he had also sensed it. "I'm just so worried about Leona." His voice broke on the last word, and Manning seemed to ease up a bit.

"As are we all. Contributor Morrow is a valued asset."

"Thank you for all you've done, Head Investigator," Dara said, playing her role as best she could. "We value your Contribution."

"It's my duty and my pleasure," Manning responded.

They said their good-byes to Manning and waited for the last of the Authorities to leave the apartment. Raj had warned them that the Authorities would probably plant listening devices in their apartment, just to ensure they weren't involved in anything subversive. He had promised he would keep them apprised of any chatter concerning them, and that he'd get a message to them once the coast was clear.

As she looked around the apartment, Dara felt a yawning sense of emptiness. Though it made her tense to think of Magnum listening in on them, she knew that it wouldn't be hard to feign grief. Her mother's absence pressed on her like a lead weight.

"I can't believe she's gone," she whispered to her father.

Joshua glanced around the room a few times, his expression betraying his nervousness about listening devices. They had already agreed that it would be best to keep the talk strictly business as much as possible, but they also needed to mention Leona enough to make things seem legitimate.

"Neither can I," he said, his voice breaking with genuine grief.

He put his arms around her and the two of them cried for a bit. Dara wondered whose job it was to listen to the recordings from their apartment. What was it like to spy on the private grief of other Contributors? Did the Listeners laugh, did they cry? Did they even think of those on whom they spied as humans, or had they been reduced to subjects to be examined?

Or do they think we got rid of Mom, and they're admiring our performance?

Chapter 38

Andersen began to favor Dara more and more obviously, to the point that Dara actually felt badly for Javier, despite the anger she still felt towards him. Walters began to fade into the background, just as Chen had, and soon it seemed that the engineering department had been reduced to the trio of Letizia, Dara, and Andersen.

Though it was a relief to know that she had successfully deceived Andersen, being his new favorite made Dara uncomfortable. It engendered some whispering behind her back, as well as some suspicious looks from the engineering staff. Dara wondered if the rest of them were so concerned with staying on his good side because they respected him or because they feared him.

"I'm very pleased with your work as of late," Andersen commented to her one day. He had invited her and Letizia to join him for lunch, an occasion that Dara supposed he meant as a big honor, but it only made her feel even more tightly wound. She actively disliked being anywhere near him, a fact that she recognized would pose some serious problems.

"Thank you, sir," she answered, in a groveling tone. She knew he it was one of his particular favorites.

"I had some concerns at the beginning of your apprenticeship. Your work was acceptable, but rather lacking," he continued conversationally. Dara wanted to smash her sandwich square into his smug face.

"I'm sorry to have disappointed you." She gritted her teeth but, fortunately, her voice came out sounding normal, and she carefully kept her head ducked so that he couldn't see her expression.

"The vast improvement in your work surprised me. It seemed strange that your talents had been hidden for so long. But then I discovered the root of the problem."

Dara's palms began to sweat, and time seemed to slow as she waited for his attack.

Whatever he says, you cannot react. No matter how bad it is, you can betray nothing, or you'll lose everything.

Andersen let the silence stretch longer than necessary, and Dara forced herself to chew while she waited for his next words. She looked up at him, meeting the gleam of malice in his eyes.

"Your mother's disappearance and your breakup with Apprentice Canterly were both extremely unfortunate." Andersen's voice dripped with false sympathy. "But the lack of...distractions in your life has enabled you to devote your full attention to your work. I expect nothing less from now on."

Keep chewing. Keep chewing, and then swallow.

Letizia froze, sitting as perfectly still as a statue, her face a blank mask.

Burning, crimson hatred surged through Dara's veins, and unspeakable thoughts of what she would like to do to Andersen played in her head. It took an enormous force of will, but Dara locked her fury away.

"Yes, sir. I was distracted, but now I'm eager to prove to you my devotion to Magnum," she said, speaking as if chastened. Reaching deeply within herself, she conjured up an expression of perfect earnestness.

Her performance was so convincing that she saw Letizia give the tiniest of starts. Andersen stared at Dara with such an avid expression that she understood perfectly just how much he was enjoying this moment. As his features relaxed, she knew she had passed the test, though she had the distinct impression this disappointed him.

The things she had heard about Andersen hadn't been an exaggeration. He was easily the most dangerous man she had ever met, and now he had her squarely in his sights.

"Then I hope you'll seize your opportunity to prove it to me, as my assistant," Andersen said. "Now, Letizia and Dara, I'm sorry to have to break up our enjoyable luncheon, but I have a meeting in ten minutes."

"Of course, sir," Letizia said, in her usual icy tone.

"Sir, it's such an honor to be chosen as your assistant. I'm eager to serve both you and Magnum," Dara said with false eagerness.

"I expect to have a very fruitful relationship," Andersen said, his voice rapacious. "But I must ask that you say nothing of this to Apprentice Gutierrez. I'm bending the rules a bit by telling you in advance of the Assignment Ceremony."

"Oh, no, sir. I won't say anything to him," Dara said, slipping one of her hands under the table so that she could ball it into a fist, her nails digging into her flesh.

"Very good. I'll be back in two hours, and I trust you'll have your assignment completed by then."

"Yes, sir." That meant she would have to stop eating now, head to her station, and work furiously without taking a break.

"Letizia, please make sure your schedule is open for this evening. You and I have much to discuss."

"I'm available whenever it's most convenient for you," Letizia replied.

As soon as Andersen left the room, Dara let out the breath she'd been holding. The explosive sound of it caused Letizia to jump, and Dara realized just how frayed her master's nerves must be.