Running Dry (15 page)

"What if I can't?" I ask nervously.

"There is someone else down the row who will pick up your slack to a certain extent, but not without some grumbling.  If you get really backed up, you will have to push the emergency shutdown button, here."  She points to a red switch on the side.  "The whole belt will stop, giving you a chance to catch up, but you will get marked.  Too many of those will get you docked.  So don't let that happen."  She glances in the direction of the glass window where the Suits are hovering and watching.

"Docked?"

"Money taken from your pay."  She looks at me quizzically.  "Your first job?"

"Yes."

She nods.  "Well, I'm in the next station over so if you have questions, just let me know."

"Okay, thanks."

Zane

Surprised Alex just let me walk out of there, I make my way home for something to eat.  Reluctantly, I get back into uniform, ready to head back down the tunnel.  It's the last thing I want to do right now, but at least there's no way it can go as bad as last night, so I feel slightly more calm than normal.  I'm glad to have something besides Alex to focus on at least.  I can't tell if the guy just likes to get a rise out of me, or if he really does care about Bek.  Either way, I despise him.  If ever there was a time I would have enjoyed fighting, it might have been tonight.  Still, I'm happy I was able to walk away. 

                     When I get to the access point, I'm a little shocked to see Harlow standing in full gear, ready to go. 

                     "Hi," I say.

                     "Hey.  It's Zane, right?  Didn't I see you at The Tap tonight?"

                     "Yeah."

                     "I've never seen you there before," she says.

                     "First time.  You go there often?"

                     "I go before almost every shift and have a good stiff drink.  It helps relax me down here," she says, getting in and glancing down.

                     "Not a fan?" I ask.

                     "Not even close," she says, disappearing into the abyss.

                     I follow and before long we're walking back through the same route Evy and I did last night.  Probably because the work wasn't accomplished due to the fall.  I note again how much calmer I am myself tonight and realize maybe Harlow is on to something with this drink before tunnel run routine.  We've only just barely gone a short distance when she slows and squeezes along side me.

                     "So, I couldn't help but notice that you seemed to be arguing with that guy at the bar earlier.  It's not my business but I just wanted to say I was impressed."  Her voice is low and soft.

                     "Why?"

                     "Because you walked away.  Do you know how many fights I've seen in that place?" She pauses, then added, "Over a girl, right?  It usually is."

                     I feel myself go hot.  I don't want that to be what it was over, but when you boil it down, it's the truth.  "I guess," I say sheepishly, happy she can’t see me blushing.  "But that guy and I went to school together and we never really got along.  This was just a catalyst for him to start something with me."

                     "I'm so sick of Junkies," Harlow says in disgust.  Taken completely aback by her declaration, I want to talk more about it.  It's almost like she read a line straight out of my journal.  But we arrive at the checkpoint, so instead of any more conversation, I stand in the dark for the next several hours alone with my thoughts.

Chapter 21

Bekka

I set my backpack down on the floor next to the boxes and start pulling the wrapped foodbars,  from the belt and place them one by one as instructed into the carton, seal it, and set the carton on the outgoing belt.  The bars are a plant protein bar which comes in a variety of flavors and colors.  I've seen this brand at the store before, but it's not one we had in the North, so I haven't tried it.  I'm hoping nobody asks me about them.  I make a note to go out and get some tonight so I know what they taste like. 

The scent of cardboard and oil clogs my nose as I work.  Frankie was right, it's pretty simple, but these blasted bars are coming down the line pretty quickly and if you misstep on the sealing, the bars start piling up before you can grab another box from the stack. 

The repetition starts to wear on me after a short time and when I check the clock, I'm shocked to see only an hour has passed.  It's going to be a long day. 

Just when I think I can't take it anymore, my nose still tickling, my ears ringing from the noise, and my arms rubbery, Frankie comes toward me from her work station a few feet away. 

"Break time.  Come on.  I'm supposed to have you fill out some paperwork for Rhonda when we're done too."

"Do we just leave the belt?"

"Yeah, but push this button to divert the product."  She hits the yellow button on the side of the machine and the belt moves slightly, angling the bars toward another station down the line.  I grab my bag from the floor and follow Frankie out.

We head back down the stairs and out the door.  There are several people sitting around in a small outdoor space connected to the building.  There are a couple of rotting picnic tables but they are full already.  Frankie leads us to an open spot of dirt and we sit. 

I take out my own foodbar from my backpack and start nibbling on it.  "I see this in a whole new light," I say, examining the bar. 

"Yeah," Frankie says. "It's a good diet plan."  She sips from her water bottle instead.  "Where'd you go to school?" she asks.   

Rules and protocols scroll through my head.  "Where did you go?" I ask back casually.

"Randolph."

"Ah, no wonder I've never seen you.  I went to Arlington."

"Oh, you're from the West District?"

"Yes," I say. 

"Cool.  That's a nice area.  What do your parents do?"

"They're in medical."

"No wonder."

I think I've passed the test, but I don't want to push my luck, so I change the subject.  "What do people do for fun on this side of town?  I just got my own apartment over here and I want to go out."

"Yeah?  I can show you around some.  This weekend?"

"That would be great!"

After the break is over, I head back to Rhonda's office and fill out the paperwork while she sits eating lunch at her desk.  Every once in a while she looks down on the papers I'm filling out, which makes me even more nervous than I already am.  The fact that I'm breaking a lot of laws is constantly on my mind.  It doesn't help that I understand from my notes that South Sacto's army is created from its prison population.  If I'm caught as a spy, I would be sent straight to the front lines, fighting against my own people. 

I shudder at the possibility, but I hand the completed forms back to Rhonda anyway.  She scans them over and I stand trying to act casual.  She looks up finally and smiles.  "Okay.  First day going okay?"

"Yes," I say.

"Good.  Well, welcome aboard, Tyler.  Now get back on the line."

"Okay.  Thanks."

I take my position again, dropping my pack on the floor and I push the button to fire the conveyor back up.  Soon, I'm packing protein bars in rows and there is no end in sight.  I realize as I try to relax that I have to go to the restroom, but I'm not sure if I can divert the belt again and I don't even know where the restroom is located.  I glance over at Frankie's station, but she has big earmuffs on and isn't looking in my direction. 

I decide to hold it and soon the uncomfortable feeling subsides.  I work faster to catch up from the distraction but soon my arms and shoulders are aching.  I've never worked out my upper body this much before in my life.  My legs are used to doing the brunt of the work, but here they are just standing still while my arms do the heavy lifting.  Life feels pretty unfair to me suddenly. 

Zane

The thought of going back underground doesn't make me happy, but at least I'm headed to a meeting instead of work tonight.  Since I've never been to this meeting location before, I decide to go a little early to give myself some extra time to find it.  I check the map one last time, shove it in my pocket and head down.  It's actually starting to feel more and more normal to be weaving inside these mucky ratholes, and I'm shocked how accustom I’m becoming to being surrounded by total blackness. 

                     I'm in a tunnel I've never been in before and it feels like I've gone a pretty good distance when I come to the ladder.  I climb out and find that I'm in a rocky area.  Big boulders are spiking out all around me.  The rush of the river is louder than I've heard it.  I carefully maneuver around the rocks, which are slightly damp from spray.  When I come to a clearing, I see Frankie sitting with her back propped up against a large rock.  I see lights twinkling in the other direction.  South Sacto.  My mind immediately pictures Bekka somewhere over there.

                     "Hi.  Not sure if you remember me.  I'm Zane.  I guess I'm a bit early."

                     "Hi, Zane.  Of course I remember you.  Have a seat."

                     "Thanks.  So, that's your city over there, huh?"

                     "Yep.  Home sweet home," she says sarcastically.

                     "What's it like?"

                     "I have nothing to compare it to but from what I've heard from your Northern friends, it sounds like they are pretty similar."

                     "Seems weird then, doesn't it?" I say.

                     "What's that?"

                     "That we should be separated."

                     "Yeah, I have often wondered what happened to cause our ancestors to divide us.  Trapping us inside high fences."

                      "Maybe the war isn’t really about the water, maybe it’s about keeping us in?" I say, sort of startled that this is the first time the question has entered my brain.

                     "We were taught in school that if you leave, the dry earth will zap you dead before you get twenty miles away.  Probably a safeguard.  Chain-link fences aren’t gonna keep people in if they really want out, but that first thing might." Frankie says with a rough edge to her voice.

                     "I suppose maybe we would see people wandering around outside the fences if it weren't true," I say.

                     "The guards out there could stop people who got close enough," she says quickly.

                     I laugh. "I guess you've given this some thought." 

                     "Just a little," then she laughs too.

                     Fulton appears from behind the same rocks I did a few minutes earlier.

                     "Hey," he says.

                     I nod at him as he plunks himself down on a mid-sized rock. 

                     "How ya doing, Frankie?" he asks.

                     "I'm alright," she says, but I hear sadness in her voice.

                     "I'm sure this guy being here doesn't help any," he says, nudging me with his foot.

                     "No, it's okay," she replies.

                     I'm lost but before I can ask for clarification, Pete arrives with another member and the conversation switches quickly. 

                     Once everyone else shows and people all get comfortable, Pete starts the meeting.

                     "So, we've been talking about what our next initiative will be and we haven't been able to come to any agreements.  Does anyone have thoughts on this?"

                     Eddie, a huge guy who usually speaks in choppy phrases, says, "I wanna go ahead with the sand idea."

                     A few people murmur in agreement, including Frankie. 

                     Fulton speaks and his voice is direct and forceful, like when he is running a training session.  "I'd like to come up with something else."

                     "Did you have another initiative to introduce?" Pete says thoughtfully.

                     "I was thinking maybe we should see if we could pull in some of our espionage contacts.  I may have a lead."  I understand immediately where he's going with this and I get a little burst of excitement at the prospect.

                     Pete replies, "that sounds like a good plan," but Frankie sighs. 

                     "What?" he says, looking at her.

                      Frankie stands up.  "I’m just sick and tired of talking.  Dumping sand in both of the main water supply valves is a really strong idea.  It will make people start to question things.  I really like this plan.  I think we should vote on it."

                     Pete says, "Okay, does anyone have anything else to say for or against it before we vote on it?"