Second Chances (63 page)

Akira sucked in a breath and then quietly pointed out the body the thing was dragging along with one of its six legs. He angled around to see the other side as the thing twisted, slashing its long tail. It sat up then threw something. He dodged the chopper, jinking as it came dangerously close. The chopper was out of control for a bit before it automatically recovered.

He looked back to see what it had thrown, nearly threw up when realized it was a severed arm. The animal beat its chest like a gorilla. They grimly noted another body had two dangling arms but only one leg.

“She's dead,” Bill asked, not quite a question, more of a dreaded statement.

“Definitely.”

“Not just her. There are two arms there. I...god help me I think that's Vanessa. Poor girl. The other arm must have belonged to Sasha,” Bill said. They watched as the thing roared; it's blood jaws and lips were pulled back to show rows of conical teeth. Its big nostrils dilated as it looked for something else to throw. It found a rock and tossed it, then another. Akira kept the chopper moving, circling the beast.

“I think so,” Akira said woodenly.

“So both are dead,” the gunny echoed.

“Damn,” Chief Roberts said quietly. He wished he could go after their killer but knew that was not only stupid but dangerous.

“Now is the time I wish this thing was armed,” Akira said, joggling the flight stick gently. The others growled in agreement.

They returned the chopper to them. Akira landed it on the flatbed carefully, turning it into the wind to accomplish the task. “If it's just the same with you, I'll tag along and ride with you,” Bill said firmly.

“Always willing to take on a hitchhiker,” Mitch said. He sighed at the sight of Bill's face. “Sorry. Glad to have you on board, Bill,” he said. Bill nodded. They secured the chopper and then trundled quietly to Iron Village arriving just after the sun set.

------*------

Sandra found out her husband had taken off while working on Gina's prosthetic hand. Arby and Brian had printed the thing with a 3D printer one piece at a time. This was their third try, the last two had either been too big or had control issues. “I think we're onto something now,” Gina said, flexing the hand carefully. She had scar tissue on the nub of her hand despite the ECM Doc had tried on her. It hadn't done much for the lost limb. She had electrodes along the arm to control the hand. “Cool,” she said. “Like Luke Skywalker. All I need is a light saber.”

“Wrong gender,” Arby muttered, watching the thing move. He wasn't above stopping to tinker with it. Gina, however, had enough.

“This'll work. At least until you figure out how to make a better one or Doc here figures out how to clone me a new hand,” Gina said.

“I'm working on it. One impossible project at a time,” Sandra said.

“You are?” Brian asked, surprised. “Then why...” He indicated the plastic hand.

“Because like I said, impossible project. We don't even begin to have the skills or equipment to clone a limb properly. A hand is one of the hardest things to do. I mean, we're up to growing skin and some stuff but a whole hand?” Sandra shook her head.

In truth she was a bit uncomfortable with the whole project. She was a country doctor, a generalist. To surgically reattach a lost limb? The nerves, vascular connections, tendons...she frowned. That was way over her head.

“Oh.”

“So, do you think they are alive?” Arby asked absently as he pecked at his keyboard, logging the changes to the limb.

“Who?” Sandra asked in confusion as she watched Gina turn the wrist then open and close the hand.

“Vanessa and Sasha. Mitch took a team out to find out them. Mike just...wrote them off.”

“Oh my god,” Dora said from across the room. She froze, startled and clearly dismayed. “It's not true is it?” she demanded. Arby nodded. She put a hand to her mouth and then turned away and left the room. They could hear her feet pick up pace as she broke into a run to get away.

“Yeah, that's like Mike,” Gina growled as Sandra looked to where her student had left in distress.

“Mitch went without telling me?” Sandra demanded. Brian looked up and then shrugged. “Not a peep?” She growled, eyes flashing dangerously. She realized she was fixating on something petty, but he was her husband and whatever took the two girls could theoretically kill him. And if they didn't she just might when he returned she thought darkly.

“Heat of the moment. They wanted to find them,” Arby said. “The longer they waited the less they had of a chance to find them.”

“And did they? It's been hours,” Gina said. “I know they left right after the convoy got in. I wondered what was up. You'd think...I know they know what they are doing. The two are experienced hunters after all...” She searched Arby's face.

“No,” Arby said, shaking his head and looking away. Gina stared at him. “I'm sorry, but they got word back a little while ago. Both are confirmed dead; a big predator got them.”

“Damn,” Gina said, tearing up. She fell into Sandra's arms, crying.

She sniffled, saying she'd miss them when she calmed down and dabbed at her eyes. Sandra nodded, her own eyes moist. She decided not to call Mitch on “abandoning” her.

------*------

Bob looked about and swore softly. “Damn that kid,” he muttered, angry. He felt abandoned and was annoyed. He'd given the kid a good job, something to do. It was simple; all he had to do was spray the base and do his gopher work for him. Be his assistant. Apparently the British brat was like everyone else; he didn't understand a good thing.

That left him doing the job which sucked. Not only did he have to keep an eye on the various plants, run maintenance when it was needed, but he also had to mix up pesticides for not only the base but also the farms. Stuff that wasn't going to make people and animals sick, which was a pain in the ass. Or smell he scowled blackly, getting a little too rough with the door.

“Hey!” Anne said. He looked her way. “Go easy will you? We only have so many doors,” she said shaking her head as she came over.

He frowned, looking away. “Sorry,” he muttered. Anne wasn't much to look at, and with kids he usually steered clear of any entangling females. She fortunately wasn't interested. He'd heard she was some sort of lesbo who'd gotten herself artificially inseminated like her partner. Good for her he thought sarcastically.

“What's the problem?” Anne asked.

“It's just...” Bob sighed and ran a hand through his short buzz cut. “With Mitch gone I'm stuck. Giles took off,” he waved a hand angrily. “And I'm stuck on my own. I can't be everywhere at once. I'm not superman,” he complained. “I'm getting shit on here,” he growled. He bitched up a storm for a few minutes, venting. Finally he sighed. “Sorry,” he said.

“You had to vent. I get that. Everyone does from time to time,” Anne said.

Anne frowned thoughtfully. Finally she pulled him over to a table in the nook and had him sit. “Okay, out with it,” she said as she microwaved some tea. She put a cup down in front of him and then another in front of her seat.

“Don't you have to be somewhere?” Bob asked. He wrinkled his nose at the tea. He wasn't fond of tea, he wanted coffee. He was a coffee fiend; he freely admitted it. He'd come to the base partly because they had coffee, but he'd been duped in how much. He was a bit bitter over that.

“No, the kids are in daycare and I finished the room. We're between meals and the teens are off on chores or assignments,” Anne said. “I don't have a class today so I'm good,” she said.

Bob blinked at her as she took up her cup and took a sip. She put it down looking at him mildly. “What?” she asked, putting her hands together in front of her casually.

“Sorry. I'm just...okay.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

She smiled slightly. “Everyone is overloaded now that it is spring. I can see about assigning you some help.” She held up a restraining hand. “I can't promise much nor a person working with you full time. But a little here and there should lighten the load slightly,” she said.

He exhaled noisily. “Any port in the storm I suppose. I get that no one wants to be around chemicals. It's smelly, dangerous work. But it's necessary,” he said firmly.

She nodded. “That it is. Fortunately Mitch has automated a lot of the plants making it easier. You said you've been running maintenance. I'm assuming on the sections that don't have automatic cleaning? The back flushing and other systems?”

Bob snorted. “Those things,” he said shaking his head. “I've never trusted a computer. I'm not about to start now. I trust what I see right in front of me,” he said, rapping the table with a knuckle.

Anne cocked her head thoughtfully. That explained partly why he was having trouble; he wasn't using a tablet to remotely access the various modules to keep an eye on them or control them. Half his time was probably wasted running from one module to the next. She'd have to do some discrete inquiring about how he was getting about in the yard.

“I'll see if Brian can drop in with you.”

“Him? He's a kid,” Bob said, shaking his head in dismissal. He knocked the cup of tea back then swallowed. He put it down with a clink. Anne pursed her lips in annoyance but didn't say anything. “He's got a good head on his shoulders mind you, he's not like some vapid teens I've seen. And he's not hiding in some hole here,” Bob said, waving a hand. “But let's face it, he's a kid. He doesn't have the experience I do,” he said.

“Oh, you'd be surprised,” Anne said, smiling politely. “He's studied under Mitch; he knows most of the systems here inside and out. He's taken college courses, and he's taught a few too. He's also trained in security, so he can shoot if needed. Don't just think of him as a teenager. Far from it,” Anne said in the young man's defense.

“Oh one of those. A college know-it-all. Book knowledge,” Bob snorted, getting to his feet.

“It takes all kinds to make the world go around,” Anne said, realizing Bob wasn't interested in solutions just venting. She picked up her cup and took another sip then set it down gently. “Where will you be later today?”

“Well, Giles was
supposed
to be spraying the lower floors. I'll be there for a couple hours, then I'll head back out to check the systems again I suppose. I never get a day off, but I flat-out refuse to work all damn night,” he grumbled. “After dinner is it, I shut it all down for the night,” he said, shaking his head vehemently. “That vet lady wanted me to look over the dairy too,” he said grimacing in annoyance. “That's technically a chemical works but it's organic. Not really my thing at all,” he said.

“So, tell her that. Look it over, if you spot something obvious point it out. But if you can't then wait until Mitch comes back and he'll handle it,” Anne replied.

“Whatever,” Bob muttered, turning away.

“Bob, keep your chin up. We're all working together. We all have our part to play like I said,” Anne said as Bob moved off. Bob paused for a moment, gave a choppy nod and then left.

She continued to sip her tea, thinking. Bob was a bit of a whiner but he had a point. They needed someone else studying the chemical works. Someone who could take his place in case something happened to him. An understudy, she thought, nodding. Brian or Mitch knew it, but both men were busy with other tasks. Both trusted the computers, which Bob obviously didn't. She pulled her tablet out and frowned as another thought occurred to her. Bob said he shut down the chemical works at night. Between that, his inefficiency and running maintenance weekly by hand, it was no surprise Candy was beginning to mutter about the lack of plastics and other material. She sighed.

Jack and Axel wanted to ship in a half a dozen kids who wanted to go to school and college. She wasn't happy about it; that was more mouths to feed. She'd have to look into what they wanted to learn. She smiled briefly as she tapped at the tablet, checking on the chemical works. Everything looked right to her, no red or flashing lights. She shrugged and then went to the schedule. If she did some tweaking, she could put together a chemistry class.

She nodded, sitting back and crossing her legs. “Yes,” she murmured thoughtfully to herself, tapping her chin with a finger. She stopped and picked up the tea to take another sip. Most of the chemistry class would be basics, but she could tap Bob to teach some of it when he had free time. She'd get Brian to look into the chemical works, but she'd caution him not to get on Bob's case about using the computer network. She frowned thoughtfully as her plan formed.

Part of Bob's problem was he felt neglected. She couldn't help it that Giles took off; he was a teen. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do with his life. Flying was exciting, it was fun, and yes necessary. They needed all the trained pilots and mechanics they could get their hands on. No, what Bob wanted was attention. Someone to lord it over, someone to maybe pass the shit jobs onto. That was why Giles had gotten sick of the job.

Well, technically they should have made Giles stick it out for a while longer. They were really in an apprentice sort of training here. Or kind of sort of, she thought with a twist of her lips. Somewhere in between an apprentice outfit and a classroom. Apprentices learned on the job; they learned by doing shitty jobs to build up their muscles and to allow their masters to focus their energies on the harder tasks. They learned by osmosis, by observing the master at work and under his or her direction.