AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“There you are,” her words spill out. “We have guests. Where have you been?” She scolds me, as her eyes flit nervously around us.
“Who’s inside?”
“Well, Milly, for one.”
My blood goes cold. I purse my lips, nodding slowly. “So they sent in the cavalry…”
“Doctor Hildenburg is here too,” she whispers.
Fuck me.
“All right, Bets,” I say. “Get those chocolate cookies out. Milly double fists those.”
It’s time to put on full Jackal. So help me, I will play the part of my lifetime.
We step inside and I hear Nordice’s shrill voice. Surprise, surprise—she’s falling all over herself to attend to Milly and the doc.
“Jackal,” Milly looks relieved to see me. She moves toward me, her shrewd eyes assessing.
“Ladies! No one told me we were having a party today.” I lean in and give Milly a kiss on each cheek and turn to the doctor. “Doctor Hilly, you look luscious.” I level my eyes at her chest.
I shrug out of my jacket, tossing it over the back of a chair. The doctor’s color is wan, her cheeks thinner than usual. She rolls her eyes but looks like she has to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. It helps me breathe easier...until I look at Milly again.
“The chef has prepared something for us,” Nordice says, leading us to the table.
She makes to sit down next to me and Milly levels her with a look.
“That will be all, Nordice. Thank you so much.”
Nordice withers away and I decide to grant Milly a smile for that one.
“So ladies…” I pick up my fork when a plate of salad is set in front of me. “Thank you.” I nod at yet another new face. “I’m actually really glad you’re here. As you know, I’ve been trying to have a conversation about all the new staffing going on around here.” My words come faster, as I fight to keep my voice from shaking. “I miss Selfice, something I never thought I’d say. Where is she anyway?”
Milly’s lips disappear as she pinches them together. “Selfice has decided to retire from her handler position. Her time is up, I’m sad to say. But we have more important things to discuss, Jackal...such as, how have you been feeling lately? Have you made significant changes to your lifestyle recently? Drinking too much? Doctor Hildenburg and I need to go through your diet and lifestyle regimen to determine the problem.”
“The problem?” I ask, eyes wide.
“Your numbers have significantly dropped. Surely you recognize that. If this continues, we’ll have to admit you to one of the Genome Y labs…”
“Is that where Marcus and Kasper have disappeared to?”
Milly’s fork clatters next to her plate and we all stare at it for a moment, the room coming to a holy hush. When she glances back up, she gives me a tight smile that looks like it hurts.
“Your job is to focus on you and your production level. Not to think about Marcus or Kasper or anyone else. Just you.”
“That’s kind of hard to do when my friends are dropping right and left,” I tell her—the first honest thing I’ve said since I came in the room. It feels damn good. I decide to shed the act and go for the throat.
Doctor Hildenburg jumps in. “I’d like to take your vitals and get a sperm sample while we’re here. Maybe I can assess something from that, without you having to go anywhere.”
“You know...I’d rather not.” I push my plate back and lean my forearms on the table. “Here’s how it’s going to be. You assure me that Marcus and Kasper are safe and healthy, and I’ll keep the Regions happy. I’ve always been your best party guy, and I can continue playing my part. If not…” I lean forward and look Milly square in the eye. “Maybe it’s time we renegotiate.”
She swallows and looks slightly shaken. She quickly reins it in and comes back with a snap to her words. “You don’t call the shots, Mr. Emerson. We do. And look how well it’s worked out for you all these years. We’re not leaving today without an evaluation...or I could always schedule time with the harvester, get the results that way.”
“You have End Men dropping like flies. You think you’re still in control?” I laugh and her cheeks get splotchy with anger.
She takes a deep breath and when she speaks, she sounds like she’s attempting to keep her voice even as well. “I must say, I’m disappointed with the turn this visit has taken. You’ve always been very...accommodating.” Her eyes sharpen. “My guess is this is Mr. Donahue’s influence. Have you had contact with him? Can you tell us where he is?”
“I haven’t had contact with Folsom, and if I did, you’d be the last people I’d tell.” I glance at my Silverbook. “I have an appointment to get to, ladies. Should I get to it, or should I make a little video of my own for the Regions?”
