Ready Player None

Chapter 12.4 - Samantha "Let The Bodies Hit The Floor (alternate mix)"

"What did you say?" Jen asked, thinking she had misheard me.

"I said, you aren't staying here. You're leaving Community One, today, and it's not negotiable."

Finally, the fake agreeableness began to drop away, and I could actually see honest emotion. It was refreshing, in a way. "I'm not going anywhere," Jen said dismissively. "I haven't done anything wrong."

"I've had some recent conversations that lead me to believe otherwise."

"Lies. Some members of my staff resent me, and preferred Wyett as Director, because it was like not having a boss at all. They've probably told you some wild tales just to get you to fire me, and bring him back."

"No. That's not it. Do you remember when I specifically instructed you to resolve the situation with Alex and Kate Petryavich, before anything bad happened to them?"

She relaxed a bit, thinking she could talk her way out of this one. "Well, of course, and I did everything I could do for them at the time. If something went wrong, I'm sure I can find out which of my assistants failed in carrying out our request."

"I know exactly who failed to carry out my request. Your little girl Erin told me everything, and I have every reason to believe her."

"Erin Renee." The fury was immediate, as all pretense dropped away. It was as though Jen's face had been possessed by something demonic. "Erin Renee, that lying little whore."

"Did you just call your own daughter, who is 8 years old and is the sweetest child I've ever had the pleasure to meet, a 'whore'? By the way, Jennifer Michelle, she really doesn't deserve to be called by her full name every time you speak to her, as though she is doing something wrong just by existing. There *are* people, Jennifer Michelle, who *do* deserve that, though."

Jen was off in her own world, and wasn't paying attention to me closely enough to get my point. Pity. I really meant it to sting. "She's lying. She's always lying to everyone. You can't believe a thing she says."

I stood. Standing was my cue to Security to enter and detain her. They did so silently enough that they were able to catch her arms at her sides before she noticed their entry. These were the same two officers that had been watching over the two children while they were otherwise unattended, and had personally requested this assignment. "Her brother backs up her story to the letter. Did you know he can be quite talkative in a safe environment?"

She tried to shake away the pair from Security, without luck. "That's ridiculous," she said, voice rising in fear. "He's retarded." The grip on her arms tightened considerably at that, quite painfully, I'm sure.

"No, he's just quiet. You only had to say 'Children should be seen, and not heard' once for him to remember. He has the most amazing memory for conversations, especially when people think they don't need to guard their tongue around him."

She sputtered, finally speechless.

"So, again, what are we to do with you?" I paced for effect. I already had put the plans in motion, requesting that a pulse-fusion boat wait for an extra day before heading up the coast. Let her think her fate was decided by me on a whim. "I know. Alaska. We'll send you to Alaska. That entire area has turned into a temperate zone, and may one day make a great place for Community reassignment. Years from now, most likely, but one day. Maybe you can help speed up that process."

She seemed confused, undecided if this was actually good news, possibly a promotion. Let me help her with that.

"The winter months have fairly pleasant temperatures, but those extra hours of night certainly do play havoc with the growing season. It will take all their efforts to develop a consistent food supply, and I expect it might be many decades before they are able to even think about luxuries, like clothing that isn't homemade, decent Italian food, or even something as simple as growing grapes for wine."

Yea, though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for I have seen the horror in Jen's eyes at this moment, when she was given a glimpse of her own personal hell. "Erin helped me with that part. Such a thoughtful little girl. Just in case you get to Alaska and decide to have another child, or, God forbid, have one even without intending to, let me give you one simple piece of advice on being a parent.

I moved closer to her. "When you have kids," I began, leaning in, barely inches away from her face, making sure she heard every word.

"Sometimes you have to get down on the floor and play."