Free Dead Mech by Jake Bible Page B

she was told to trust no one, not even
the Commander.
    She had needed to go over the information
yesterday, but the unfortunate death of Stanislaw and the chaotic
arrival, and subsequent medical needs, of the Rookie had put her
behind.
    As she perused the data, her eyes widened
and she instantly knew why her friend was being so paranoid.
    Dear God , she thought. What does
this mean?
    ***
    “What the fuck is this shit made from?!?”
the Rookie yelled. “It ain’t synth. Where’d ya gets the
grains?”
    “Oh, I gots my ways,” Jay answered,
exaggerating a conspiratorial wink. The Rookie furrowed his
brow.
    “Are you hitting on me?” the Rookie
hiccupped.
    “What…? Fuck you. You ain’t pretty enough
for me, bitch!” Jay laughed.
    “I don’t know, Jay. I’ve seen you with
worse,” Mathew joked.
    “Fuck you Jespers! He ain’t got no titties.
No titties, no Jay love.”
    “On that note I’m going to pee,” Rachel
laughed as she got up from the campfire and walked into the
darkness.
    ***
    In twenty years, the nightmare had never
lost its impact.
    Commander Capreze tossed and turned in his
room, sheets tossed aside, the bed protesting his movements.
    He moaned aloud, trying subconsciously to
rouse himself from images and memories he kept buried during the
waking hours.
    Capreze fought his own mind. And as with
every night, he lost that fight. Was it guilt, shame, regret? Or
had his mind been trying to tell him something? Something he
couldn’t grasp when awake.
    He flung out his arms, trying to push the
nightmare away.
    With a cry he awoke to an empty room…
    ***
    Retching sounds came from the darkness.
“What is that?” June asked.
    “That’s Steve puking his guts out,” Rachel
answered, returning to the campfire. “He’s out there somewhere. I
heard him whimpering and then out it came.”
    “What, did you eat one of your own
muffins?!?” Jay shouted into the night. He was answered by more
sounds of throwing up. “That’s right! How’s it feel now?”
    “Hey, leave him alone. Steve doesn’t get out
much,” June got to her feet. “I’m gonna go check on him.”
    “Careful, it’s spooky out there,” Rachel
mocked.
    Mathew elbowed her in the ribs. “Be
nice.”
    ***
    “Nanotech? What is the UDC thinking?”
Themopolous whispered, glancing around her office suddenly aware
she didn’t know how extensive the base surveillance was. She had to
watch what she said aloud.
    She tapped at her tablet, bringing up her
side notes, adding notations as she analyzed the data. By the time
she was finished she was deeply unsettled.
    The UDC had been injecting citizens of Foggy
Bottom under the guise of testing a new retrovirus, hoping to
finally bring the plague to an end. With that cover story it was
easy to find volunteers.
    The truth was far more sinister.
    ***
    “Okay, let me get this straight,” the Rookie
said, leaning dangerously close to the fire, then back out again.
“Whoa.”
    Arms around each other, Mathew and Rachel
grinned at the Rookie. “Careful tough guy,” Rachel smirked.
    “I’m…doing…fine!” the Rookie drunkenly
insisted. “But, wait, I have important shit to ask.”
    “And you’re doing a great job there,” Mathew
chimed in.
    The Rookie jabbed a finger at Mathew. “You
think you’re funny? Screwing the Commander’s daughter make you
think you can say anything? Huh?”
    “Careful,” Mathew growled.
    The Rookie held up his hands. “I’m sorry,
I’m sorry…that was rude…”
    ***
    “Okay, fine,” Capreze said, finally
accepting the inevitable as he got up from the bed and made his way
to his bathroom. He splashed some cold water on his face, trying to
bring himself fully awake.
    Capreze stepped from the bathroom, grabbed
his tablet and sat in the overstuffed chair in the corner of his
room, the one luxury he allowed himself.
    “So, let’s see what the base is up to at”
–he glanced at the time displayed at the top of the tablet- “0130.
Sweet