Another six corners and twenty minutes later and there’s still no sign of a second exit, but considering the vastness of the hive, there has to be another exit somewhere.
At the next corner Ryan stops. “We should turn around.” He sighs.
“Five more minutes,” I plead. Ryan nods. Ten minutes later I know we should turn back, but I just can’t get my feet to head the other way.
“Hey, what’s that?” Ryan asks.
I strain to hear a rumbling sound up ahead, and I move in its direction. Ryan follows. I see a dull, pink glow emanating from the same direction as the rumbling. As we move forward, I see the pink glow is light filtered through a wall of honey. From this distance, the rumbling sounds more like rushing water. I’m hopeful we’ve found our exit.
We examine the wall which consists of honey columns similar to the ones we’ve seen throughout the hive, just merged together. Ryan carefully hammers the farthest column which collapses, but the rest remain intact. We squeeze our way through the opening he’s made, but instead of seeing daylight, we find a wall of water. We’re behind a waterfall.
Between the lingering honey on my visor and the spray of water, I can barely see. Few bees buzz around us, so I chance taking off my helmet. The rock ceiling and floor of the cave jut out just far enough to create a small ledge between us and the waterfall. I carefully inch toward the side. The rocks are wet and slippery from the spray, but I manage to step sideward, clear of the waterfall, and see we’ve emerged halfway up a cliff that leads to a river, probably the same river that caught us in the flashflood. I try my radio.
“Brett, Ryan. Can you guys hear me?” Andi’s voice sounds hoarse.
“Andi! We’re okay. We got out, but we’re stuck on a cliff by a waterfall.”
“Hold on, Jake and Dean brought climbing gear. We’ll be right there.”
Of course Jake would come. I wonder how he managed to keep Molly from following him. I don’t want anyone to get in trouble, but I’m relieved that Jake and Dean will come for us.
I hear them call from above us as they send down the climbing equipment. When Ryan and I finally climb over the edge of the cliff, we’re greeted with cheers and hugs, soon followed by Andi’s and Jake’s scolding us, me for blindly diving in and Ryan for blindly following.
As we walk back to the field lab, our isolation suits begin to stiffen. The honey coating is crystallizing either from the waterfall’s spray or something in the air. Soon we have no choice except to take off the suits. By the time we get back to the field lab, Ryan and I are half frozen.
Gregg and Molly greet us with strangling hugs. She found a way to escape the hospital after all.
“I’ve had it up to hear with your disappearing acts.” The cross look Molly gives makes me cringe. “Now get your butts inside before you freeze to death.”
As soon as Ryan and I enter the lab, Molly thrusts hot mugs into our hands. She’s coped with her worry by cooking, and the delicious smell of something roasting permeates the air. I hold the mug close to my face and inhale the bittersweet scent of coffee. The steam warms my face, and the mug slowly defrosts my stiff fingers. I slowly sip and allow the heat to spread through me. Everyone watches, probably waiting for my account of what happened. I ignore them and indulge in the moment.
That’s when two soldiers in isolation suits appear in the field lab’s door. One loudly clears his throat.
“What’s going on?” several of us ask in unison.
“We’ve been sent here to ensure that everyone stays here for the remainder of quarantine,” the taller one answers.
I step forward. “On whose authority?” I demand.
“That’s far enough,” warns the tall soldier. “You can keep that pink slime to yourself.”
I’d already dropped my isolation suit in the corner. Confused, I look down and see that I’m still wearing the honey-coated boots. I slide them off and set them with the suits. Walking back over to the soldiers, I calmly say, “We just want an answer.”
“All we know is that the order came down from the field managers. They’re investigating how three of your people ended up in the hospital.” The soldier’s evident distain makes it clear he thinks we’re somehow at fault.
“Oh.” Of course, they’d react this way. As soon as Elliot was brought to the hospital they knew we’d gone back into the field. I’m surprised that they waited and didn’t send anyone into the field after us. I’m just sorry I dragged so many of my friends into the situation.
“Oh well, we knew we’d have to wait out a quarantine anyway. We might as well make the most of it,” Andi announces as she takes a beaker and scrapes it against one of the suits. “Some of this might make a viable sample to study.”
Chapter 18
Despite receiving word that Elliot will recover and discovering that the honey possesses some interesting qualities, it’s difficult to enjoy our quarantine week. Andi and Jeremy consistently work to keep everyone in good spirits, but Jeremy and Andi are the only ones with a secure future. Their field manager likes them. Dr. Brant is a different story, and Ryan and I are to meet with her the moment we step foot on base.
Throughout the week, security officers repeatedly interview everyone. I get the distinct impression that they don’t believe my and Ryan’s story. Gabriella, Isaac, and Austin pop in and out of the lab throughout the week unescorted, not a good sign for us that they’re allowed unguarded movement while the soldiers keep us confined to the lab. Never mind the fact that Elliot, Jennifer and Cam don’t reappear at all. They’re spending their quarantine time either in the hospital or in Elliot’s lab. I assume it’s voluntary and can only imagine what they’re telling security. I fear my days as a scientist are limited. I just hope I can keep everyone else from sharing my fate.
When we return to the base our meeting with Dr. Brant confirms my suspicions. At first she asks Ryan and I to recount what happened. She bobs her head in affirmation and periodically says “uh-huh,” as we talk, but I have the distinct feeling she doesn’t hear a word we say. Silence lingers when we finish telling our story, but then Dr. Brant stands up, brushes the wrinkles out of her shirt, and refocuses her attention on us. She’s furious.
She blames us for what happened to Elliot and Jennifer and claims our bad influence is the cause for everyone else’s disobedience. If we weren’t involved, none of them would have dared disobey both security and base protocol. Pointing out the fact that our disobedience saved Elliot doesn’t help matters. Dr. Brant announces that she has locked Ryan and me out of
all
our labs pending a hearing with the council. As I suspected, she wasn’t bluffing about us washing dishes for the rest of our lives. Depending what the council decides, that could be exactly what we end up doing. The only bright side is that she’s focusing her anger on Ryan and me only. Everyone else’s jobs appear safe.
Molly and Jake are consoling us at dinner when Ryan’s eyes go wide. I follow his gaze and see Kelly sauntering her way over to our table. She completely ignores Ryan and slaps my photos down on the table. I quickly pick them up and examine them.
“Don’t worry, there’s not a scratch on them. There are some lines you just don’t cross. By the way, you can tell him—spaghetti, shower and all. I don’t care.” She leans in so her nose almost touches mine, her voice low enough to insure only I hear. “I still hate you, but thanks.” Without any further explanation, Kelly walks off with her signature wiggle back in her walk.
“Do you care explaining what that was all about?” Ryan asks.
“That was Kelly getting over you.” I collect my pictures and tray and leave. I’ve forgiven him, but that doesn’t mean I’m above a little torture. Ryan can wait and wonder a bit before I explain to him everything that happened between Kelly and me.
Two days’ worth of my friends’ good intentions is all I can bear. They must have created a schedule to keep Ryan and me too busy to worry about the hearing. If I’m not rock climbing in the rec hall with Dean, I’m birthing a calf with Troy or upgrading Andi’s robot. Ryan and I haven’t had a minute’s peace.
The next morning I wake up and duck out of the dorm before anyone else is awake. If no one can find me, then they can’t go out of their way to keep me busy. The painful demands of my stomach lead me to the dining hall. At least I’m one of the first people there. If I eat quickly I’ll avoid seeing anyone I know, but I’m not that lucky. As I scoop a pile of eggs onto my plate, Jackson approaches with a tray of pancakes. My nose tells me they’re his delicious apple cinnamon ones. He might not be the right guy for Andi, but he knows how to cook.
“Brett!” He slides the pancake tray into the buffet table and rushes around the counter to smother me with a bacon-scented bear hug.
“A little air,” I plead as I pry his arms from around me.
He releases me but remains too close for my comfort. I have to crane my neck just to see his face. “I was so worried about Andi and you. I heard you were attacked by killer bees out there.”
“Uh, yeah. They weren’t exactly killer bees. We crashed into their hive, but luckily no one died.”
“If anything had happened to her, I don’t know what I would have done.”
“Well, she’s fine, so you don’t need to worry.” I sidestep people trying to get their breakfast. Jackson remains where he is, oblivious to everyone reaching around him to get their food. Finally, I yank on his sleeve to get him to move.
“You gotta help me,” he pleads. “I don’t know what went wrong. Tell me how to fix it. Tell me how I can get her back.”
“I’m sorry Jackson, I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t think the two of you are really meant for each other. You’re just too different?”
“Please. I’m begging you. I’m lost without her.” He actually drops to his knees and clasps his hands.
Mortified, I look around at the group of people trickling in. “Please Jackson, get up.”
“Only if you help me.”
Having a sobbing guy kneeling at my feet quickly gathers a crowd of rubberneckers. I wish he continued sleeping upside down in his pod as Andi originally asked him.
“Fine.” I sigh. “You need to show that you’re part of her world. You can start by helping me with my pod research. My short-term study is finished, but you can be part of my long-term one. You need to sleep upside down in your pod for the next six months. If you do that I can put in a good word with Andi.”
“Oh, okay.” He seems disappointed, but then his face brightens. “How about I join you two at dinner tonight? I’m sure I can get someone to cover for me.”
I suppress a frustrated groan and explain, “No Jackson, not tonight. It’s going to take some time and I’m not promising anything. I’m just going to talk to her, okay?”
“Fine.” He mopes as he lumbers back into the kitchen.
Thanks to Jackson, my eggs are cold, and the dining hall is half full by the time I sit down. At least I’m in a far corner in one of the more secluded areas. My seclusion quickly gets old, and my mind wanders to the pending hearing. I am anxious and need to talk to someone, or at least be distracted. I guess my friends had the right idea after all. I quickly scrape my plate and return my tray. Lost in thought, I run straight into Ryan. He catches me by the arm and steadies me.
“Hey, it’s nice to see you without an entourage of our friends keeping you busy.”
I grab him by the waist, but not for balance. “Yeah, they’ve seem intent on killing us with kindness.”
The mischievous glint in his eye brightens his entire face. “How about we sneak away for a bit, just the two of us?”
I curl into his arm, and we walk to the astronomy tower. A morning hidden away sounds perfect. We haven’t had any time alone since before the bees. I like being in his arms and lazily gazing at the stars projected onto the ceiling, but then he brings up the hearing.
“You know, there’s no need for both of us to lose our jobs.”
I prop myself on an elbow and turn toward him. “What are you talking about?”
Ryan lightly runs a hand along my side. “If I take all the blame they’ll have no reason to fire you.”
“No. I can’t let you do that. Besides, you know perfectly well that Dr. Brant’s going to listen to whatever Elliot says. I doubt he’s willing to blame only you.”
He brushes a strand of hair from the side of my face and twirls it around his finger. “He won’t, but I can spin whatever he says to focus the blame on me.”
His pigheaded stubbornness is infuriating. “No. I already told you. We didn’t do anything wrong. We’ll tell the truth and face the consequences together.”
“But you love being a biologist.”
“And you love being a botanist,” I reply. “Well, at least you did before Dr. Brant made us Elliot’s servants. Besides, there’s more to me and you than being scientists.”
He smiles, but his eyes seem sad, defeated. “Yeah, you got a point. Whatever job they reassign us to can’t be as bad as cleaning up after Elliot all the time.”
“No matter what they assign us to, we’ll still have our friends and we’ll still have each other.” I brush a kiss onto his cheek and his eyes join his smile.
Chapter 19
The morning of the hearing finally arrives. Sitting in front of a group of field managers as they questioned me about the flood was nothing compared to this. The room they lead us to is a large auditorium. Ryan and I sit at a small table at the bottom of the room and stare up at the tiered semicircle of field managers who glare down at us. In the very center of the first tier sits probably the only gray-haired man on the planet. Everyone refers to him as the chairman. To his left and slightly lower sits a podium of sorts. I assume it’s a witness stand. As the chairman peers down with a look of contempt, I wonder if he’s both our judge and jury and has already made up his mind. Perhaps the hearing is merely for show.
Dr. Brant enters with the lead security officer, and the two of them sit at the small table on our right. The rest of the security officers, witnesses and our friends sit directly behind us, also at ground level.
The sound of the chairman’s gavel echoes through the room. Everyone quickly falls silent. “Dr. Brant, please call your first witness,” he says.