Chapter 13:

Another Job Well-Done

Inversion


Since it was her first day back on the job after her accident, Sedona went into the wasteland accompanied by a team. They took three trikes – her own, Merida’s, and a new scout’s. After running the standard tests in the wasteland, they took their trikes right up to the edge of the ruins.

Sedona got off her trike and stood still for a moment. She almost expected to experience fear, or at least some tension at being back at the scene of the accident, and she was aware of the other two scouts watching her carefully. She took a hesitant step forward, only wanting to touch the edge of the rubble, to assure herself that it was real, not something she dreamed up.

As she reached out her hand, she heard a shout behind her. Glancing toward her fellow scouts, she saw Merida and the junior scout racing in the opposite direction, chasing a wastrel!

Turning around to join them in the chase, she stopped when a whispered word came to her from the ruins. She turned back to see a hand extended from within the collapsed building. Sedona took a step forward, picking up the odd-colored stone that was held out to her. She tucked it into her belt pouch, then followed after Merida.

When she caught up to her, Merida had her hand firmly on the arm of a young boy. Yards ahead, the younger scout looked like he was playing chase with another boy. With a few long steps, Sedona reached them. As she came up behind the boy, she pinned his arms behind his back in a tight hold. She smiled over his head at the younger scout, then helped him secure the boy.

They guided both boys to the trikes and helped them climb onto the second seat, strapping them in. They also gave them each a sweet treat to keep them calm. Survival in the wastelands meant living in starvation conditions, so newly captured wastrels responded well to food rewards - standard protocol. 

As Merida and the junior scout pulled away, Sedona called ahead to headquarters that they were bringing in two children and could they have a handler there to process them right away. As she swung her leg up over the trike and reached for the handlebars, she paused. There was an itchy feeling between her shoulder blades. Was she being watched? A quick glance at the ruins showed her nothing unusual. But she was very glad to head toward home.

The scouts had a surprise waiting for them when they got cleaned up and back to the control center at the Scouting Dept. Their Administrator was there waiting for them! Word had already spread throughout the city of the capture of two new wastrels. Lundun and Karachi - why was HE there wondered Sedona - met them with many congratulations. Lundun encouraged them all to keep up the good work, then he turned to speak with Athens, the scouts’ commander. Sedona, standing nearby, was shocked to hear him introduce Karachi as his new assistant. WHAT? When did that happen?

Sedona headed home, upset at the thought of Karachi having such close access to her own mentor. Especially since Karachi had watched her leaving with a gloating expression on his face. What could that look mean? Sedona went right home and gave her cat a big hug as she entered the door. Then she fell back on the cushions with a worried frown. A poke in her side reminded her that she was still carrying that strange stone from the ruins. 

Lifting Snuggles up onto the cushion with her, Sedona examined the stone, enjoying the range of colors in it. She had no concerns about handling it because she had carried 

it into the de-tox chamber when she got back from the patrol. That little rock had the exact same de-tox shower as she did.

Deep in thought, Sedona put the rock down on a table, picking up a message board that sat there. It contained the list of names Lundun wanted her to check out. This entire assignment made her so uneasy – she was no good at lying or acting falsely. She sighed.

So … how could she arrange to get closer to Pariss? Suddenly her eyes landed on one name in particular, Accra. They had been classmates together, but then each had gone into different career sectors. Still, Accra had been fairly friendly and Sedona thought she had noticed her at some sporting events recently. Maybe this could work as a starting point?

Three days later, her guess proved a good one when she casually bumped into Accra at a ball game in a nearby square and they spoke together for several minutes. It was long enough to refresh their acquaintance and to remind Sedona of how much she had enjoyed Accra’s company when they were younger. They arranged to meet again two days later at the next match.

Sedona had a good time hanging out with Accra, surprised to find that Accra had done very well after graduation – she was already an assistant to Tokyo. At the game, Sedona was introduced to some of Accra’s fellow workers from Tower Three and even met two people who worked for Pariss. One of these men seemed to be very chummy with Accra.

During a conversation, he mentioned that Pariss had an impressive rock collection. Sedona held her breath … could this be her way in? It felt almost too good to be true. Before the man left the square, Sedona mentioned she had recently found an unusual rock and had no use for it. Did he think Pariss might like to have it?

“Probably,” he answered. “Why don’t you give it to Accra and she can get it to me. I’ll see that Pariss gets it.”

After the games, Accra walked back with Sedona to her apartment. She admired Sedona’s two landscapes and made a fuss over Snuggles. Sedona leaned down to the table to pick up the rock. As she handed  it to Accra her fingers rubbed across the bottom of the stone. Sedona noticed there was a series of little bumps along the bottom.

“That’s odd,” she thought. But she was distracted from checking it further when Accra got up to leave.

“Do you like music?” asked Accra as she was about to walk out the door. Sedona hesitated. How should she answer this? She really didn’t like the music that was popular in the city. But  Accra said that Tokyo was planning a concert in a few days and it would be fun to see Sedona  there. Certain this was the same concert Pariss had also asked her to, Sedona pretended excitement and they made plans to get together again then.


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