project?’
Thurman closed his eyes, his head still tilted back. ‘You know why Florida has such pretty sunrises?’
Donald wanted to scream. He wanted to beat on the door until they hauled him out of there in a straightjacket. Instead, he took a sip of water.
Thurman cracked an eye. Studied him again.
‘It’s because the sand from Africa blows clear across the Atlantic.’
Donald nodded. He saw what the Senator was getting at. He’d heard the same fear-mongering on the twenty-four-hour news programs, how toxins and tiny machines can circle the globe, just like seeds and pollens have done for millennia.
‘It’s coming, Donny. I know it is. I’ve got eyes and ears everywhere, even in here. I asked you to meet me here because I want you to have a seat at the after party.’
‘Sir?’
‘You and Helen both.’
Donald scratched his arm and glanced at the door.
‘It’s just a contingency plan for now, you understand? There are plans in place for anything. Mountains for the president to crawl inside of, but we need something else.’
Donald remembered the congressman from Atlanta prattling on about zombies and the CDC. This sounded like more of that nonsense.
‘I’m happy to serve on any committee you think is important—’
‘Good.’ The Senator took the book from his lap and handed it to Donald. ‘Read this,’ Thurman said.
Donald checked the cover. It was familiar, but instead of French script, it read: The Order . He opened the heavy tome to a random page and started skimming.
‘That’s your bible from now on, son. When I was in the war, I met boys no higher than your knee who had the entire Qur’an memorized, every stinkin’ verse. You need to do better.’
‘Memorize?’
‘As near as you can. And don’t worry, you’ve got a couple of years.’
Donald raised his eyebrows in surprise, then shut the book and studied the spine. ‘Good. I’ll need it.’ He wanted to know if there would be a raise involved or a ton of committee meetings. This sounded ludicrous, but he wasn’t about to refuse the old man, not with his re-election coming up every two years.
‘All right. Welcome.’ Thurman leaned forward and held out his hand. Donald tried to get his palm deep into the Senator’s. It made the older man’s grip hurt a lot less. ‘You’re free to go.’
‘Thank you, sir.’
He stood and exhaled in relief. Cradling the book, he moved to the airlock door.
‘Oh, and Donny?’
He turned back. ‘Yessir?’
‘The National Convention is in a couple of years. I want you to go ahead and pencil it into your schedule. And make sure Helen is there.’
Donald felt goosebumps run down his arms. Did that mean a real possibility of promotion? Maybe a speech on the big stage?
‘Absolutely, sir.’ He knew he was smiling.
‘Oh, and I’m afraid I haven’t been completely honest with you about the critters in here.’
‘Sir?’ Donald swallowed. His smile melted. He had one hand on the hatch’s wheel. His mind resumed playing tricks on him, the taste on his tongue metallic, the pricks everywhere on his skin.
‘Some of the buggers in here are very much for you.’
Senator Thurman stared at Donald for a beat, and then he started laughing.
Donald turned, sweat glassy on his brow as he worked the wheel in the door with a free hand. It wasn’t until he secured the airlock, the seals deadening the Senator’s laughter, that he could breathe again.
The air around him buzzed, a jolt of static to kill any strays. Donald blew out his breath, harder than usual, and unsteadily walked away.
14
2110
Silo 1
The shrinks kept Troy’s door locked and delivered his meals while he went through the Silo Twelve reports alone. He spread the pages across his keyboard – safely away from the edge of his desk. This way, when stray tears fell, they didn’t smudge the paper.
For some reason, Troy couldn’t stop crying. The shrinks with the strict meal plans had taken him off his meds for the
Thurman closed his eyes, his head still tilted back. ‘You know why Florida has such pretty sunrises?’
Donald wanted to scream. He wanted to beat on the door until they hauled him out of there in a straightjacket. Instead, he took a sip of water.
Thurman cracked an eye. Studied him again.
‘It’s because the sand from Africa blows clear across the Atlantic.’
Donald nodded. He saw what the Senator was getting at. He’d heard the same fear-mongering on the twenty-four-hour news programs, how toxins and tiny machines can circle the globe, just like seeds and pollens have done for millennia.
‘It’s coming, Donny. I know it is. I’ve got eyes and ears everywhere, even in here. I asked you to meet me here because I want you to have a seat at the after party.’
‘Sir?’
‘You and Helen both.’
Donald scratched his arm and glanced at the door.
‘It’s just a contingency plan for now, you understand? There are plans in place for anything. Mountains for the president to crawl inside of, but we need something else.’
Donald remembered the congressman from Atlanta prattling on about zombies and the CDC. This sounded like more of that nonsense.
‘I’m happy to serve on any committee you think is important—’
‘Good.’ The Senator took the book from his lap and handed it to Donald. ‘Read this,’ Thurman said.
Donald checked the cover. It was familiar, but instead of French script, it read: The Order . He opened the heavy tome to a random page and started skimming.
‘That’s your bible from now on, son. When I was in the war, I met boys no higher than your knee who had the entire Qur’an memorized, every stinkin’ verse. You need to do better.’
‘Memorize?’
‘As near as you can. And don’t worry, you’ve got a couple of years.’
Donald raised his eyebrows in surprise, then shut the book and studied the spine. ‘Good. I’ll need it.’ He wanted to know if there would be a raise involved or a ton of committee meetings. This sounded ludicrous, but he wasn’t about to refuse the old man, not with his re-election coming up every two years.
‘All right. Welcome.’ Thurman leaned forward and held out his hand. Donald tried to get his palm deep into the Senator’s. It made the older man’s grip hurt a lot less. ‘You’re free to go.’
‘Thank you, sir.’
He stood and exhaled in relief. Cradling the book, he moved to the airlock door.
‘Oh, and Donny?’
He turned back. ‘Yessir?’
‘The National Convention is in a couple of years. I want you to go ahead and pencil it into your schedule. And make sure Helen is there.’
Donald felt goosebumps run down his arms. Did that mean a real possibility of promotion? Maybe a speech on the big stage?
‘Absolutely, sir.’ He knew he was smiling.
‘Oh, and I’m afraid I haven’t been completely honest with you about the critters in here.’
‘Sir?’ Donald swallowed. His smile melted. He had one hand on the hatch’s wheel. His mind resumed playing tricks on him, the taste on his tongue metallic, the pricks everywhere on his skin.
‘Some of the buggers in here are very much for you.’
Senator Thurman stared at Donald for a beat, and then he started laughing.
Donald turned, sweat glassy on his brow as he worked the wheel in the door with a free hand. It wasn’t until he secured the airlock, the seals deadening the Senator’s laughter, that he could breathe again.
The air around him buzzed, a jolt of static to kill any strays. Donald blew out his breath, harder than usual, and unsteadily walked away.
14
2110
Silo 1
The shrinks kept Troy’s door locked and delivered his meals while he went through the Silo Twelve reports alone. He spread the pages across his keyboard – safely away from the edge of his desk. This way, when stray tears fell, they didn’t smudge the paper.
For some reason, Troy couldn’t stop crying. The shrinks with the strict meal plans had taken him off his meds for the
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