THE FARM!

Chapter 24

"I don't understand!" The man exclaimed. "How can this have happened?" His eyes were fixed in an unblinking, expressionless stare from a pallid face, with the texture and colour of clay. He addressed the young woman of similar complexion and expression who had just entered the room.
Both had the look of blankness about them – featureless, as though selected from a catalogue of idealized youth and beauty on which time had not yet marked the years or stamped a character; thereby undermining the perfection and freshness of the mould.
In both, however, there was something that decried their apparent years and informed that they were not in the first throes of blossoming youth, but like preserved fruit, retained outward appearance, having long lost that delicate freshness and fragrance.
If the young woman was discomforted in any way by the questioning of the man that to her ears sounded more like a demand – then she did not show it. She simply repeated the information that seemed to have so disconcerted her boss. "Fifteen units found trying to escape via the main entrance and picked up by our security teams. It's not clear exactly how they got away."
"How can you be certain that you have them all?" The man demanded.
"We are searching the entire area. No others have been found as yet."
"Where have they escaped from? How did they get out?" The man continued in a steely emotionless voice.
"A truck was found in one of the service tunnels with both the team dead in the cab. Shot in the head at close range. The occupants cut their way out."
"Did they now..." The man muttered, more to himself than to the young woman. Then raising his gaze, demanded in a tense tone, as if to mask an anger bubbling beneath. "How many occupants were there in each truck?"
"We do not know..." She replied, still looking directly into his intense stare. "The trucks can hold up to twenty five, but being the last, it wasn't filled and accurate counts were not kept on the others."
"Then how can you be certain you have them all? I need you to be absolutely clear about this before you answer."
The young woman stood motionless and silent for a few seconds before speaking as if considering the consequences of her answer. "I can't... I can't be sure," she replied in a hesitant manner. "It's these people..." she continued indicating with her hand in an all embracing manner. "They're not careful as we are. They don't do as I bid them." And breaking her gaze, stared down at the floor.
"It is your purpose to make them do our bidding. This should not be difficult. These are simple people." The man walked back and forth staring at the ground as if in deep contemplation. The young woman stood still and silent as if frozen to the spot. The man then suddenly stopped his pacing and looked up, scrutinizing her for a few moments before continuing. "Then you have failed me. Have you not? Do you fully understand what is at stake here? The planning; the effort that has gone into this and the hopes of a civilization depending on what happens here; in this place; at this time."
"Yes," she replied still staring at the floor.
"I placed you in charge of security and you have failed me."
The man turned away and sat down at the oversized oak desk standing ponderously in the middle of the large panelled room. Looking down and without making any further eye contact, he waved her away with a hand gesture. At the same time he muttered something almost as if he were talking to himself.
But the heightened sensibilities of the interrogated woman received the whispered words both loud and clear. They were the words she'd hoped that she would never have to hear. They were words that shattered her inner peace and reverberated around her head. 'Then you know what you have to do?' These same words replayed over and over in her mind.
Still looking at the floor and with no discernible emotion, she turned to leave the room, the click-clack of her heels resounding across the wooden floor, rhythmically fading to silence as she exited the room and descended the stairs.
Had anybody been there to witness her lonely descent, they may not immediately have observed anything untoward. But if they had looked a little more closely they may perhaps have noticed a small watery droplet trickling from the corner of her eye and down her cheek.
Back in the room the man continued to regard the hard, polished surface of his desk. When her footsteps finally died away, he sat for a few seconds in silence before nonchalantly pressing a button set into the wooden surface. Within moments a smartly dressed young man with the same youthful, yet withered countenance, arrived to take his orders.
Standing up from his desk and stretching himself, the man walked a few paces as if to clear his thoughts and then turning to his servant, said slowly and methodically, "It would seem our head of security has had to be retired, which is a shame. She came so very  highly recommended and I had grown rather fond of her. I knew her family you see. Back in the old days you understand. Now let me see – what exactly are we going to do about this? You have been with me for a very long time have you not?"
"Indeed sir – a very long time."
"You have always done my bidding and given me no reason to distrust you. On the contrary. You are probably one of the few that I can trust completely – and your judgment has always proved sound."
"Thank you sir."
"I am aware that this is not the first time that I have asked you what you would do in my situation. It is you see, always interesting to hear the point of view of the lower orders, if you will forgive me for putting it that way."
"Quite so sir."
"Well, that being the case, who would you put in charge of security out of the few we already have here?"
The servant stood inert for a few moments as if he were considering his options, for this was not the first time he had been put on the spot, and he dreaded making a mistake or saying the wrong thing.
"The thing is," he began hesitatingly, "we only have a small contingent. Is there nobody new that we could bring in?" Then he stopped to consider how best to make this work in his own favour. He then continued as if an idea had struck him. "There is one of us already here who could perhaps do the job – ruthless – uncompromising and ambitious, but perhaps...."
"Send him to me. I'm not minded to bring a new one in. Besides the adjustment period is too long and I don't want any further delays."
At which the servant turned and left.