Tomorrow and Tomorrow

Chapter 20: opposite of progress

Cameron stifled a yawn and listened to her fellow department heads bicker and argue how to proceed. No one had a real plan. No one could believe that an actual murder had occurred. Dashiell listened more than he spoke, a first for him. Cameron wondered what he was thinking and if she should be concerned. He had dealt with more crime than anyone else here; from what she had heard, Earth was full of it.

Sure enough, just as everyone had taken a break about arguing over new security measures, Dashiell spoke up.

"I have a suggestion," he said. "Unfortunately, it seems initially self serving, so hear me out. Titus, my vice president still in cryo, was a lawyer back on earth. He knows laws and regulations that we used back then far better than I do and he is unaffiliated with any group. There is no way that Titus killed anyone as he is in cryo. I know that it would be disorienting for him to wake in this time and immediately have a job to do, but I know that I would have benefitted by having to tackle instead of wandering around in a daze for a week."

"I know Titus's son is still a large concern, and I don't think it would make any sense to wake him right now. Madison and I have been discussing it anyway, and so if it does come up we have a solution then too. Titus could take lead on the investigation; while he didn't work in criminal law, he has more experience than anyone in this room, myself included. I just don't think that sitting here for another couple of hours yelling is going to find Victoria's killer and I don't think we can be unbiased as we search anyway."

"In the meantime, I think congress would be best suited for deciding on a plan of action once the killer has been found. We have no laws in place for such a thing and I don't know if community service is really an appropriate deterrent. I also think that while this issue is on the table, we should make some formal guidelines for community service so that it isn't arbitrary hours that are not consistent with the crimes perpetrated."

He smiled at the room. "Does this seem reasonable?"

Most of congress nodded. Cameron was impressed with the speech and how Dashiell managed to get everyone on his side over an issue he had been fighting for weeks now.

"Good. Then let's meet in two days and discuss our new justice system. In the meantime, Louis and Rainier will wake Titus and his partner. Cameron, do we have a free berth?"

"We do," she replied. "I can send you the location and the codes. Will Titus need assistance? I doubt he knows what a holo-rib is or how to contact other members of the base."

"He will. I'm going to ask Libba to assist him since she knows the base fairly well, and if she has any questions she knows whom to ask. I know that we are all busy with the earthstorm."

Walsh and the others all agreed with this sentiment. It was frustrating being stuck in a meeting all day, but Cameron had chosen this path. At least something was being done.

"Then get out of here," Dashiell told the group. "I'm certain we are all exhausted and hungry by now. We will resolve this situation and no one else will get hurt."

Cameron doubted that. Now that she had collected another gun, she couldn't bear the thought of someone else shooting into a crowd because she thought congress was going to do something about it. What if Julius or Lincoln acted before Titus could do anything?

But she chatted easily with her fellows as they made their way out of the room. Walsh took off down the hall, and Cameron wondered what the rush was.

"You know, there's only a couple of people who could have entered a berth without a code," Anatoly mused, watching Walsh go. "I worry some."

Cameron was at first confused but realized that Anatoly was talking about Levi and Dylan.

She didn't think that their master code was all-powerful, but others did. Many of the Canary thought that Levi had made it himself, rather than inheriting it. She messaged Harper and continued down the corridor. They'd have to act tonight, she decided. Every day that Victoria's murder went unsolved was another day that the remaining three could retaliate. She didn't like to message O'Keefe knowing that if Harper could track messages on his tekcom, then the communications bay could as well. She'd ask Harper, who had a better reason for being in regular contact with the former captain.

Harper was pacing in their living room when she entered, though he paused to stare at Cameron.

"So?" he asked. "How did it go?"

"Fine," she replied. "They're waking Titus from cryo to investigate. They admitted they don't have the infrastructure or the resources. There were some important steps taken today. They're not soon enough, and that doesn't stop someone else from using the guns we now know are out there, but at least there are measures being taken. Can you message O'Keefe to come over for dinner? We needed to plan for tonight."

Harper sagged. "Really? So soon?"

"What would you if your partner in crime was shot in the middle of the night?" she countered. "Would you wait around to be next when you have the means to defend yourself?"

"No," he admitted. "But if congress is coming around, don't you think we have a chance to do this the right way?"

"And let Lincoln take another parent?" Cameron demanded. "What are you talking about, Harper? My plan to let congress handle it vanished the moment we found a firearm."

He took her hands in his. "I know, I know. But you weren't pregnant before. I just worry, I'm allowed to be worried, right?"

Harper managed a smile and Cameron smiled back.

"I'll be fine," she said. "O'Keefe will probably want to handle the gun; I didn't shoot anyone last night either. That way if something happens, he takes the blame."

"And O'Keefe is all right with this?" Harper questioned sharply.

Cameron nodded. "It's his choice. And as you have put it as, I'm pregnant. I'm not going to risk the baby, I promise."

This was the right thing to say as Harper visibly relaxed. She was glad that he cared so much for her and their child.

"Now will you message him?" she asked. "We have planning to do."  

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Dashiell. I personally can't decide if I like him or not. I hated him as a character when he first appeared, but Dashiell's brilliant self-serving ways are growing on me. I'm not sure what that says about me; maybe I have a soft spot in my heart for sociopaths? More research is necessary. Thanks for reading!