This time the meeting was much more intense and yet less
filled with drama. Toll apologized to Carter and attempted to apologize to
Rusty but he had dark circles under his eyes and waved him off to scan lines of
code on a tablet. Preach and Third spoke for a while and by the time they were
done Toll was glad he had asked Sharea to come to the meeting. Rusty announced
wearily that he had an plan for turning the rings back on, he just needed to
code and test it. Carter spoke for a while, updating schedules and talking
about the squid, It was during this time that Toll pulled Sharea out in to the
hall.
Once out in the hall she leaned against the wall and slid
down slowly. He tried hard not to laugh but couldn’t help smiling. “That’s
about where I was twenty four hours ago.”
She looked up at him in a daze. “people are going to die.”
Toll nodded. “right now that is our only real weapon. But
it’s also why I brought you here.”
She looked up at him with even more confusion. “what could
including me in, this,” She waved her had at the meeting they had just left.
“do to change any of what’s about to happen?”
Toll sat next to her on the wall. “I taught you how to fly
and fight as a team, and while I look forward to leading you through this,
there will come a point when we’ve done all we can do and it’s time to bug out.
I want to make sure that there’s a pair of eyes and ears focused on the safety
of the unit. From here on out, unless you refuse, I’d like you to be my second
in command.”
Sharea blinked a few times, stood up, and walked over to the
nearest window to look at the fish. “Would I have to move down here?” She
asked.
Toll shrugged “It would make things easier, but it’s not required.”
Sharea smiled “I like it down here, it’s quiet. The city is
nothing but noise all the time.”
Toll squinted at her. “So is that a ‘yes’?
Sharea nodded. “Yes, I’m a citizen of the last
unincorporated territory on earth, citizenship comes with responsibilities,
this one is mine.”
Toll nodded. “You know there’s a pay raise right?”
Sharea smiled “Responsibility is no fun unless it comes with
privileges.”
Toll stood up. “Anything else before we go back in?”
Sharea shook her head but blurted out “What if I screw up?
Toll thought it over for a second. “That’s the eternal
question isn’t it? At least, I’ve been asking myself that every day of my like
as far back as I can remember.”
“Did you ever figure out an answer for yourself? She asked.
Toll nodded “For a long time the answer was ‘run’. An option
you unfortunately do not have.”
Sharea pushed the fear down in anger “I don’t want to run.”
Toll “Then you’re stronger than I used to be.”
Sharea “Used to be?” Toll nodded. “Are you still afraid?”
Toll nodded “All the time.”
