Outside In Part 8

Karla waved her hand as best she could while cuffed to the bench. "Run along to the Committee now and deliver my request like a good little scrub."

I couldn't suppress my grin as I toggled on my b.u.t.ton microphone. Repeating her demands to the Committee, I waited as they discussed them. She rested her hands in her lap in an attempt to disguise the fury pulsing through her body, but her rigid posture betrayed her. I slid back in my chair, relaxing.

As expected the Committee was willing to review each family member's actions prior to the rebellion to determine degree of guilt for each, but they refused to move the brig prisoners. I relayed this to Karla.

"Next?"

She scowled and my heart stuttered for a few beatsa"an automatic response.

"My terms are not negotiable," she said.

My temper flared. This had been a waste of time. "Then we're done." I stood to leave. "You have to fix the Transmission." Karla's voice held a bit of panic. "The survival of our world depends on it."

I pressed a finger to my ear as if listening to a message. "The Committee is willing to include those in the brig in the review process."

"No. We want out of the brig."

Keeping my hand near my ear, I c.o.c.ked my head and furrowed my brow. "Okay, then you'll be taken out of the brig and sent to Chomper."

Shock bleached her face. "That's not what I meant. What about the repairs?"

It was hard not to sn.i.g.g.e.r over her reaction. "I'm sure once the others see how we cleaned out the brig, they'll be more cooperative."

Her hard stare burned like acid on my skin, but I kept my face neutral.

"You're lying," she said.

"Doesn't matter if you believe me or not." I strode toward the door.

"Wait," she said.

I paused but didn't turn around.

"I'll tell you the names if you do a review for all the Travas, including those in the brig."

Glancing over my shoulder, I said, "All right."

I rummaged for a wipe board and marker and returned to Karla. "Don't lie," I said. "If the names are wrong, you'll be the first to be sent to Chomper. I'll do the honors myself."

Karla rattled off three and I wrote them down. I didn't recognize any of them, but I hadn't been expecting to. Without saying goodbye, I left the office. Anne-Jade waited in the hallway.

"Well?" she asked.

I handed her the board.

She whistled. "Last I heard, the Committee was waiting for a counter-offer. What happened?"

"She p.i.s.sed me off."

Feeling rather satisfied over my meeting with Karla, I changed into my climbing clothes and returned to the Expanse. I found the mark I had left on my last trip. The safety equipment hung nearby, so I strapped it on and made another attempt to reach the ceiling.

The new route looked promising and, after finding plenty of handholds, I climbed higher than ever before. I rested at twenty-three meters above level ten. Craning my head back, I shone my light up into the blackness. Still no ceiling. Logan had found a few diagrams in the computer system, and from them he estimated Inside's height to be about seventy-five meters, which would put it about two meters above my head. Either the computer or Logan had been wrong.

I yanked on the safety line and guessed I had another couple meters before I was literally at the end of my rope.

When I felt strong enough, I continued and discovered why meter seventy-five was mentioned in the computer. A bottom rung of a ladder started at that point. I grabbed the wide cold bar, hoping the rung would hold my weight. The smooth and rounded shape fit nicely in my hands. And my light illuminated the ladder which continued up with more rungs disappearing into the darkness.

I climbed on the ladder another meter, confirming the metal hadn't rusted or deteriorated with time. Squinting, I shone my light higher, but the ceiling still remained out of sight. However, I thought I spotted a dim gleam of a reflection. Wishful thinking or my imagination, it didn't matter. It was enough to justify my decision to unhook my harness from the safety line.

Despite the cold, sweat soaked the fabric of my uniform. I rubbed my moist palm on my arm before grasping the next rung. Continuing up the ladder with slow and careful movements, I tested each before allowing it to bear my weight. In the silence of the Expanse, my breath sounded loud and mechanical. My heart thudded with urgency as it reminded me of the danger. One slip, andaI wouldn't think about it.

Instead, I focused on keeping a tight grip and my balance on the rungs. Concentrating so hard on my hands and feet, I b.u.mped my head on the ceiling. I clung to the ladder in surprise, and when my muscles stopped trembling, I scanned the flat expanse of metal over my head. Finally!

I checked the altimeter. Inside was eighty meters high, which meant we could build six more levels for a total of sixteen. Wow. That was mind-numbing. I hoped our systems could service all those levels. And what about keeping them clean and in good condition? And when did I turn into such a worrier?

Eventually, someone would need to explore the entire ceiling. Logan had read about another Outer s.p.a.ce Gateway in the computer files. By the way he described the file system, it had sounded as jumbled as the infirmary's supplies after the explosion. Between the Travas' attempts to erase files and the sheer amount of information, Logan had saida"with his usual glee over a technical challengea"that it was an utter mess.

With one last look upwards, I steeled myself for the descent and stopped. Moving the beam of light slowly, I searched for the almost invisible indentation I thought I spotted from the corner of my eye. I swept the beam back and forth over a square meter-sized section. When I was just about to give up, the light skipped over a line.

I found a near-invisible hatch! Pleased over my discovery, it took me a few seconds to understand the full ramifications of my find. Above each of the four levels we have been living in, was a near-invisible hatch to the Gap between levels. This meter and a half s.p.a.ce housed pipes and wires and room for someone like me to move between levels without being seen.

I had thought I reached the ceiling. But the presence of a near-invisible hatch meant there was something on the other side.

6.

SOMETHING ON THE OTHER SIDE. I REPEATED IT IN MY mind in order for the logical side of my brain to catch up. No black rubber ringed the hatch, which meant it wasn't a Gateway to Outer s.p.a.ce. There could be another Expanse and room for additional levels. I laughed, but it sounded strained and metallic as it echoed. I had thought sixteen levels incomprehensible.

Only one way to know for sure, I hooked my legs through the rungs on the ladder to anchor my body. Stretching my hands up, I felt for the release.

The pop-click reverberated through the bones in my arms. I pushed the hatch. The metal groaned and creaked, setting my teeth on edge. A dusty stale smell drifted down.

When the opening was big enough for me to fit through, I shined my light inside. The ladder continued another meter before stopping. Odd shapes decorated the wall. Taking a risk, I climbed into the s.p.a.ce. The floor seemed solid so I stepped down, but still held on to the ladder just in case.

The good newsa"the floor didn't disintegrate under me.

The bada"a strange tingle zipped through my foot and daylights turned on.

Blinded by the bright white light, I squeezed my eyes shut. Even through my eyelids, the harsh brilliance stabbed like a horrible migraine.

It felt like hours before my vision adjusted.

When I could finally see, I saw a giant monster.

I screamed and hopped onto the ladder before logic took control. The huge thing was a thing, not a living breathing creature. It didn't move. No sounds emanated. No lights shone from it. It appeared to be made of an odd black metal without rivets.

Unable to stifle my curiosity, I stepped closer. About nine meters tall and a hundred meters wide, it was too long for me to guess with any accuracy. A colossal sheep without a neck had been my initial impression. Or a long sock filled with round b.a.l.l.s. Or gla.s.s b.a.l.l.s all stuck together in a rectangular shape.

Either way, the whole oddity rested on eight thick metal legs with ma.s.sive wheels. The heada"for lack of a better worda"had two large gla.s.s panes for its eyes, which reflected the daylights set into the ceiling. If the roof above this strange level was indeed the ceiling for Inside. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised to find yet another level and perhaps a whole other society living above us.

I ringed the structure and spotted its tiny twin right next to it. Not as scary as its super-sized brother, the smallerawhat to call it? A lamb? A bubble thing? It appeared to be a conveyance of some type.

Once the shock of my discovery wore off, I realized that the room I stood in was indeed a room. Inside was approximately two thousand meters wide, by two thousand meters long. This area was a fraction of that size. In fact, my body's internal sense of measurement suspected the room's dimensions equaled one Sector or Quadranta"six hundred and sixty-six point seven square meters. One ninth of a level. Or to convert it into Inside's designation system so it matched the levels below, this area would be Quad G17.

Which meant, there was potentially four Sectors and three more Quadrants in this level. Did that mean eight more bubble monsters? I shuddered, sending a horde of goose b.u.mps across my skin. Feeling as if I would float away, I leaned against the b.u.mpy wall.

Remembering the patterns and symbols covering its surface, I straightened to examine them. The pictures and diagrams made as much sense to me as one of Logan's computer screens.

I walked along the walls, seeking a doorway. The strange markings continued, filling every centimeter without a break on three of the four walls. In the middle of the north wall, which would be shared with Sector D17, was a Gateway outlined in the familiar black rubber seal. But this one extended almost to the ceiling and was at least two hundred meters wide. Big enough to fit the bubble monster. In the northwest corner, sheets of the black metal had been stacked. I touched the smooth surface. It felt like gla.s.s, but seemed too thick. Prying the first sheet up, I expected it to be heavy. But it peeled away with a staticky-crackly sound. It weighed nothing compared to metal or gla.s.s. And the edges drooped like cloth, but not cloth. It reminded me of a slice of Outer s.p.a.cea"black, cold and weightless.

The floating dizziness returned full force. I dropped the sheet, and sat on the floor, holding my head in my hands. Discovering the Expanse paled in comparison to this find.

And then a thought stopped my heart. Should I tell the Committee? The rapid pace of changes in our society has been overwhelming to the majority of the people. Some even had trouble accepting the Expanse and new levels. And what about the saboteur or saboteurs? If they were upset over the fact we traveled through Outer s.p.a.ce to an unknown destination, what would they do when faced with this new discovery?

Perhaps we needed to deal with our current problems before I added more to the mix. I returned to the ladder and climbed down below the floor, replacing and resealing the near-invisible hatch. I wondered about the daylights and hoped they would turn off.

I had no memory of the rest of my descent other than the tricky maneuver of reattaching my harness to the safety line.

By the time I returned to the storeroom, it was hour thirty. Only two hours had pa.s.sed since I had left Karla and gone exploring. It seemed as if weeks had come and gone.

I perched on the edge of the couch's cushion and tried to decide between showering and sleeping. But each time I forced my thoughts to the matter at hand, the image of the Bubble Monster reclaimed all of my attention.

When Riley arrived an hour later, I hadn't moved. He sat next to me and I collapsed against him. Should I tell him?

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, supporting me. "You look like you had a close encounter with Chomper. What happened?" he asked.

I opened my mouth, but the words jammed in my throat.

"Logan told me you talked to Karla Trava. If she upset you, I'lla"

Wrenching my thoughts away from my discovery, I focused on Riley, looking up at him. A hard stubbornness radiated from his blue eyes and the muscles in his neck strained.

"You'll what?" I asked.

"I'll put her in the same cell with Vinco and smuggle a knife to him."

"Although she tried, she failed to unnerve me. But it's so sweet of you." I tapped my chest. "Nothing says you care for me better than offering to torture my enemies."

He grinned. "No sense doing things halfhearted. And to think, some girls have to endure listening to poetry."

"Poor things." I tsked, but couldn't stop a smile.

Riley stroked my cheek with his fingers. "That's better. Now you have some color in your face. Did something go wrong with searching for the bomber?"

Glad to have a topic I could handle, I said, "No. Jacy sent me to a guy named Bubba Boom." I held up a hand to stop his snort of disbelief. "Just wait, the story gets better." Telling him about the stink bombers, I filled him in on what I had learned.

He fiddled with a piece of ripped fabric on the couch's arm. "Not much to go on. You can use the computer in my rooms to research the names Bubba Boom gave you. Logan a.s.signed you a ten-degree security clearance so you can access the entire network."

"Why would he do that? I barely know how to use the computer."

"You're kidding, right?" Riley stared at me as if I had told him Sheepy could talk.

I ignored his question. "Your computer is fine. I also need a shower. Is your dad working? I don't want to bother him."

This time Riley gave me a slow conspiratorial leer. "What a coincidence. I need a shower as well. Good thing my father's busy for the next couple of hours and you have a promise to keep."

Taking different routes to Riley's rooms in Sector E4, I figured my path through the air ducts would be quicker than his through the corridors. But when I reached the vent for suite number three-six-nine-five, he waited below, standing on the table.

I opened the cover and dangled my legs. Riley caught me around my waist and I slid down him the rest of the way. He didn't let go when my feet touched the table. Dipping his head closer to mine, he kissed me for a long time.

When he tugged at my uniform, I pulled away. Breathless for a moment, I sucked in a few deep breaths.

"Are you sure your father won't be back soon?" I asked.

He answered with the metallic trill of my zipper unzipping. Cool air caressed my sweaty back. A nervous shiver raced over my skin. His lips found mine and his hands stroked my exposed back. Heat from his touch burned all the doubts away.

When he began to pull the fabric of my jumpsuit down, he paused. "Shower?"

A big step, but my heart beat its approval. And the desire to see him naked and soapy overrode all logic. I imagined cold reason melting and steaming away in a puffy cloud.

We left a trail of clothes to the washroom. Warm water, the scent of soap and slippery skin made for an exhilarating combination. I worried about the ugly scars crisscrossing my torso, arms and legs, but no hint of disgust or pity darkened his expression.

He wiped the water from my eyes. "You're beautiful. Ia""

I covered his mouth with mine, afraid to hear him utter words I couldn't repeat back to him. Grabbing the soap, I worked it into a frothy lather. I explored the hard ridges of his stomach, the smooth lines of his back and his nice grab-able b.u.t.t as we kissed under the spray of hot water.

His hands were equally busy and quite distracting. And when his lips moved to my neck, I lost all track of time and location. However, Riley kept an eye on the clock in the washroom, and he stopped way too soon with a sigh.

"Dad's due in a few minutes. Althougha" He trailed a finger along my ribs. "He wouldn't just barge in here. He'd think I was alone in the shower so we could continue."

"And what happens when we both come out?"

"He would grin like an idiot, beaming with happiness."

I pushed Riley's hand away before it could move any lower. "No. I'm not ready for your father to get any ideas."

"Too late. He's been full of ideas ever since I started talking about an intern named Ella." Riley pulled me close. "The rebellion distracted him, but he's back to being way too nosy about our relationship."

"He needs one of his own."

Riley dropped his arms and turned off the water. "It would be nice, but he says my mother was the only one for him, and he hasn't met anyone who drove him as crazy as she did." He grabbed a couple of towels and handed one to me.

"Drove him crazy in a good way or bad?" I dried my body and wrapped the towel around my torso.