Part 19 (1/2)

”Well, find someone who can,” Rackam said. ”We're in trouble here.”

”Yes,” Columbus said, ”we are.”

She glanced at Nakamura. The two women seemed to understand each other. But he wasn't understanding them.

” I I have no power,” he said. ”I can't make any decisions. We need a meeting of the Dual Governments. The Disty have to tell us what to do.” have no power,” he said. ”I can't make any decisions. We need a meeting of the Dual Governments. The Disty have to tell us what to do.”

”The Disty,” Nakamura said as if she were speaking to a particularly dumb child, ”are unavailable. What Disty we do see on our links-which you seem to be avoiding-are in such a panic that they don't seem to be thinking logically.”

”There is a crisis, and someone has to solve it,” Columbus said.

”Not me,” Rackam said.

Kim stood up. His mouth was set in a thin line. ”We'll figure out what to do and you'll do it. Agreed?”

Rackam wasn't sure he could agree. He didn't have the authority. Was he the only person in the room who understood that? He didn't have any authority at all.

”You're going to close the Domes to all bullet trains,” Columbus said. ”You're going to isolate those trains outside all of the Domes, and you're going to enforce this, with security teams if necessary.”

The breath left Rackam's body. ”We can't attack Disty.”

”We're going to say we're protecting Disty,” Columbus said. Everyone in the room was watching her. ”Either there's some kind of virus going through that affects their mind, or some kind of group hysteria. Wells caught it after the bullet trains went through. The trains didn't even stop. So no Sahara Dome and Wells Disty can get into other Domes. Is that clear?”

No one had used that tone with him in nearly a decade. He bristled. ”They'll shun me, or worse. They'll prosecute me, especially if somebody dies. This decision won't work.”

Her expression, which had been flat, didn't change. ”You'll stop the trains, and if the Disty question you, you'll tell them you were only holding the trains until someone from the Disty High Command got back to you and told you what to do. You could only act on the evidence before you, and the evidence was that something bad was happening to the Disty. You were only concerned for their lives.”

”They won't believe that,” he said. ”They'll know it's not true.”

”Stop worrying about them,” Kim said. ”We have to do something. Do you understand how this will cascade if we don't?”

Rackam was breathing shallowly. Cascade? What did they mean, cascade?

”No,” he whispered.

Nakamura sighed. Columbus shook her head in disgust. Had they always thought of him this way? Had their respect been feigned?

He felt his cheeks heat.

Kim crossed his arms. ”All the Disty from Sahara Dome will spread down southward. Now add the Disty from Wells. They won't go directly south. Some will go east, others west. None will go north because there isn't much beyond Sahara Dome. So let's a.s.sume this is a crazy-making virus. The large group of Disty will get into another Dome, then its Disty will start to flee. The Disty will keep infecting the Domes and moving until the entire planet is filled with Disty running from something none of us understand. They'll run out of places to go.”

Rackam bit his upper lip. ”But close the Domes . . .”

”Yes,” Nakamura said. ”It's our only choice.”

”You should think of closing the ports as well,” Columbus said. ”The Disty need to stay on Mars until we know what's causing this.”

Rackam shook his head. He had finally understood what his team was talking about, and he understood the implications.

”I won't close the ports,” he said, ”but I'll close the Domes to any on-world travel. Right now, all the Domes will be isolated until we hear from the Disty. until we hear from the Disty. Which better be d.a.m.n soon.” Which better be d.a.m.n soon.”

He whirled again, feeling his robe swirl around him.

He could see the team reflected in the windows. He shook a hand at them.

”Go on. Begone. Get out of here. Get this done. And don't bother me until you hear from a Disty.”

He could see the three of them glance at each other. Then they shrugged and left the room. Someone slammed the door.

Rackam sank into his favorite cus.h.i.+on, then placed his face in his hands. He had just ruined his own life. The Disty would never forgive him for this.

He would have to find a way to blame the advisors. Maybe he would find a way to modify the records, or take himself out of the discussion altogether.

I'm firing them, he would say to the Disty High Council. he would say to the Disty High Council. They seemed to believe someone had to act, so they did. Without my permission. Maybe we can bring criminal charges against them for all the deaths. Would that satisfy you? They seemed to believe someone had to act, so they did. Without my permission. Maybe we can bring criminal charges against them for all the deaths. Would that satisfy you?

Because it wasn't satisfying him.

All he'd signed on for was a ceremonial position.

He couldn't handle decisions that resulted in life or death.

Particularly his own.

30.

Flint stood in the lobby of the Domeview Hotel. A different woman paced behind the long desk; otherwise, the lobby was empty. Flint had his back to her as he used the automated network to contact Aisha Costard.

Like before, he couldn't find her listed on any of the internal servers. Unlike before, she didn't answer his page. If she had left within the last few days, the system should have shown her as checked out.

It didn't show her at all.

He wasn't quite sure what to do. He might have to ask for human help.

As he turned toward the woman at the desk, movement caught his eye. Two men in security uniforms headed straight toward him.

Flint tensed.

The men stopped in front of him. Both were larger than he was, and at least one had enhanced muscles. But Flint could outmaneuver them if he had to.

”Excuse me, sir,” said the man with enhanced muscles. He had dark hair and even darker eyes. ”You'll have to come with us.”

”Did I do something wrong?” Flint asked.

”We're under orders to take you with us,” said the man.

Flint stepped back so they weren't quite as close to him. ”Are you police officers?” ”No, sir,” said the guard.