Eve In Utopia

Chapter Five

359 reached the caves first and waited impatiently for the others to arrive. It knew the impatience was not totally rational, but knowing that didn't seem to help. There had always been the possibility of her intervention, but 359 found the reality more unsettling than the possibility had been. Finally, the last of the Hunters arrived in their borrowed human disguises and 359 set 702 on lookout duty at the mouth of the cave and activated its communicator.

"Yes, what is it?" asked a female voice in a slightly annoyed tone as if she had been interrupted at something important.

"We have a report to make," replied 359 in an absolutely neutral voice as a Hunter did not exhibit anything showing reproach or disobedience to the owner of that voice, or at least not twice. Besides the abundance of the breeding vats, there was the hungry sucking of the dissolving vats.

"Then report," said the voice sharply.

"We have all assumed human disguises and are searching for the target," replied 359. "So far, that search has proved unsuccessful, but the highest probability targets will only arrive tomorrow."

"I know all that," snapped the voice. "Is there anything else to report, or are you just bothering me for shits and giggles."

359 had absolutely no idea what excrement and laughter had to do with its mission, so it decided this must be another of those human idioms it didn't understand and was probably not important, so it ignored it. "She is here," he said simply.

"Are you certain?" asked the voice and it no longer sounded bored and indifferent. Now it sounded like a Hunter asking about possible prey and 359 felt a brief moment of satisfaction at that. Also, despite the use of only the general pronoun of "she", there had been no doubt in either of their minds as to who "she" was.

"I saw her personally," confirmed 359. "The probability of a match is over 99%. I have made discreet inquiries and she is working as a waitress at the resort."

"Does she suspect you or any of the others?" asked the voice.

"I think she believes there is something amiss, but as of yet has not obtained the certainty of Hunter involvement," replied 359. "I minimized my contact with her until I could report and obtain further instructions about how to deal with her."

"She should be killed immediately," replied the voice and then it paused. "No, cancel that as it would endanger the mission. Continue to avoid contact with her for the moment. Once you have positively identified the target, devise a plan to eliminate both of them as simultaneously as possible. If you require more Hunters, they will be sent."

"Acknowledged," said 359. "Are there any other instructions?"

"Not at the moment," said the voice and the communicator went silent.

"How will we deal with her?" asked 1566, the newest and youngest member of the group of Hunters. "I have heard she is absolutely ruthless and has killed dozens of Hunters."

"She is human and so she can be killed," replied 359 in what it hoped was a reassuring tone. "She has been killed before," he added and that was true enough, but she always came back and even when she had been killed, the death toll among Hunters had often been great, greater even than 1566 had articulated. This was not the time, however, to let its own doubts surface. 359 knew if it did not remain at least outwardly calm, the less experienced members of its group would panic as 1566 appeared on the verge of doing. "She can and will be killed," 359 repeated firmly and loudly enough for all the others to hear, even 702 at the mouth of the cave. "When we do that, we will rejoice in her death and savour the marrow of her bones." 359 saw 1566 and the others all smile in anticipation at this and knew at least for the moment that their uncertainty had passed.