Lifeline

McLaris stood quiet for a moment, unsure what to say. Things seemed to be moving too fast. After all, it had only been a month since he had left Orbitech 1, since killing Jessie. He had to do his best, to make up for what he had done. He had fled Orbitech 1 because he had known what Brahms would do, and he had turned coward when perhaps he should have stayed and used all his skills to convince Brahms to follow a different course of action. While lying in the infirmary bed feeling the anger of the other people around him, McLaris had sworn never to step aside again when an opportunity presented itself.

“I’ll do it.”

For the first time since the War, McLaris felt as though he had a purpose, a future. And he could sense it in the others, as well.

Chapter 26

ORBITECH 1—Day 35

Curtis Brahms sat up straight behind his desk as Linda Arnando walked in. He had made her wait in the corridor while he combed his hair, dabbed cool water on his red eyes. Now he appeared a model of composure. He brushed his hands across the flat desktop and stared at her.

Linda looked at him, puzzled.

Brahms kept his voice neutral as he spoke to her. He intentionally made no greeting. “Close the door behind you, please. And seal it.”

As the silence lengthened, Linda began to appear actively uncomfortable. “You asked to see me?”

Brahms took no pleasure in watching her squirm. He drummed his fingertips on the desktop, then straightened his eyeglasses. “You’ve been caught. I took Dr. Aiken under restraint an hour ago.”

Her eyes widened.

“You’re just as guilty as he is.” Brahms felt his voice grow heavy. He seemed very tired, without energy, though he had been trying to get enough sleep despite the nightmares that plagued him of the RIF, of obese Tim Drury looking betrayed.

He lurched forward across the desk. “How could you act like this? I trusted you!”

Linda bowed her head. “How did you find out?”

Brahms realized in disgust that the only reason she wanted to know was so she could cover her tracks better the next time. His shoulders slumped, but he saw no reason to keep it to himself.

“You don’t hang around scientists, Linda. We know you better than that. You just don’t. I had Terachyk check Aiken out. Once we looked, we saw what you found—yes, he had manipulated his data and, yes, he had greatly exaggerated his results.

“And then, you know what? I had a strange idea. Call it a hunch—that’s what I’m supposed to be good at. But when we looked into your records, Linda, you know what we found?” He felt hot and feverish with his anger, as if sweat prickled and boiled up under his scalp. “We found out you’ve been using your computer access to increase your own allotment of rations.”

Linda sat up straight, indignant. She brushed her dark hair back. The sparse silver strands seemed to be getting more prominent. “My job is important. I didn’t do it very often, only when I really needed—”

Brahms closed out her words. He felt anger rushing up inside, and he lashed out and slapped her across the face.

Then he strode around the desk. “How dare you! How dare you claim that you’re better than anyone else on this station! How dare you imply that your job is more important than anyone else’s here!”

Linda looked stunned. A red splash of flushed skin showed where he had struck her cheek. Brahms hooked his fingers together and clenched them.

“Four division leaders, and I killed Tim Drury because his score was lowest. It was a show of my faith, of how honest I was trying to be under the circumstances.” Brahms felt the blood pounding in his temples. Fury made it difficult for him to see straight.

“McLaris …” Brahms ground his teeth together. “Stealing our shuttle! You—a traitor!”

He turned away, feeling his face flush. He was losing control. He took a deep breath, let it out slowly. “And Allen—he’s so wrapped up in his own misery he can’t even pay attention to what he’s doing.”

Brahms stood stiffly. He didn’t know what to do. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Curtis Brahms never lost control.

Linda brushed at her uniform, as if trying to regain a semblance of dignity. “It won’t happen again.”

The anger surged back behind his eyes again, making him so outraged he could find no words. He threw his eyeglasses down at the desk; one of the flat lenses shattered. Brahms looked at the glasses as if they were a strange animal, then brushed them onto the floor. He stared at Linda, eyes blazing.

“You’re damn right it won’t happen again!”

She shifted in her chair, avoided his gaze for an instant, then looked back at him, refusing to retreat. But that didn’t make any points with Brahms. He lowered his head as the bright anger backed off a bit. His voice dropped to a sad whisper.

“You really don’t understand, do you? You really don’t get it?” Brahms tapped at the intercom link. “Send Dr. Aiken in.” He pushed another button, which unsealed the door.