Under My Skin

Under My Skin - Part 43

By day three of the lockdown, Will was working with Beni and Reese on the outline of Kore's cave. Whenever Zachs saw Will, he flashed a small smile. Will was obliged by politeness sake to wave back.

"That's right," muttered Reese. "Let him think we don't know what he's really after."

"Do we have any current information about Palmer?" asked Will as he dunked a tea bag in his steaming mug.

"I got his file in my desk," said Beni.

"Mind if I look through it?"

"Knock yourself out."

Flipping through the files, Will took a glance at the empty desk cubical across from his. The computer lay dead and the desk was covered with the faint remains of coffee rings. Did Louis never think of coasters? Perhaps Will could buy a few; he knew of a gag shop in the old market that had the perfect kinds. And a new mug too. It had been a while since he had pranked Louis with a mug. It had been hard to top "Kiss me I'm cranky".

But who knew when Louis would return. If he returned.

As if reading his mind, Beni spoke up. "How long do you think it'll take for Louis to get back?"

"Um..."

Reese looked up; going with the story that Louis had been left in the Forest reserve. "Well, how far is it from the reserve to base?"

"About 80 miles," said Beni.

"So four days of walking, maybe less if he hitches a ride."

"Or maybe more if he runs into any bears," added Will.

"Then estimate another day to get to the lockdown checkpoint."

"I guess," said Will. "Why do you ask?"

"Olivia and the rest of Surveillance are taking dollar bets on when the lockdown will be over," said Beni as she marked in another person on the map. "Pick a date and time, all the way to the millisecond. They even have a chart hanging on their wall with all the bets made. And—Are you okay?"

Will was holding his side, his face pulled to a wince. "Yeah, just a twinge now and again." He reached in his desk for a pack of heat wraps Rachel had sent with him when he was discharged from Med Tech. "How big is the betting pool?"

"They had it up to about two hundred and fifty dollars last I checked," said Reese.

Will raised an eyebrow. He was tempted to put in a guess.

***

It was 3 A.M., sixth night of lockdown, and Cetz was jonesing for something other than the fare from the cafeteria. He swirled around the cold coffee in his mug, the crumbs from his PB&J spinning at the bottom. He and Rachel had finished their nightly talk concerning the situation with Zachs and in anther hour he was going to hit the cot in his office.

The headset beeped. Probably Grant again. He tapped the receiver. "Go ahead."

There was the click of phone line relays, and then a faint static sound. The voice that eventually came through was rougher than usual. "There better be a bath and a big carafe of coffee there with my name on it."

Cetz grinned. "Good to hear you too."

After a brief exchange Cetz cut the connection to the Watch Two checkpoint and picked up the intercom on his desk phone to call Rachel up again. Zachs would have to wait.

***

A hand shook Will from his sprawl on the cot and he awoke with his eyes in a squint. After a moment his eyes adjusted to the dim of the room, it was Rachel.

"What is it?" he asked concerned.

Rachel smiled and then whispered, "Watch transport will have Louis here in an hour."

"He will?" Will shot up from the cot, ignoring the faint burn in his side.

Rachel nodded, keeping a finger over her lips. They left the room full of sleeping agents quietly.

"Think I can sneak in a bet in Surveillance?" asked Will.

"That'd be cheating," said Rachel.

"Only if they find out."

From the shadowed corner of the room, one of Zachs' suited men noted something down on his clipboard, and left to follow the two.

***

Will paced on the glass covered stair landing over the secondary entrance to Watch Two, just beyond the main doors that separated the base lobby from the office building built over it. The lighting for this floor was not connected directly to the Watch Two grid feed, and the ambient lighting was still on. Cetz and Zachs were already in an interrogation room awaiting Louis' arrival. Will couldn't talk with his partner until they debriefed him and Zachs had asked his questions. But they had said nothing about looking at him.

The doors opened and Will stood still as a statue.

At first he thought the guards were bringing in a homeless person. The man wore a stained green t-shirt, soiled khaki jeans, and various degrees of filth in his hair. And the clothing fit as if they were too loose.

Then Will noted the shades being worn at night and the stiff, stomping walk of a man who would kill for a cup of java. Will grinned, wishing he could run down those steps. Instead he stood still, softly tapping the glass.

Louis looked up, and for a moment Will could have sworn he saw a relieved smile. Then Louis and the two guards disappeared under the landing.

Perhaps Will still had time to put in that bet.

***

In the interrogation room, Cetz stood before Louis, who sat reeking in a chair. Zachs' nose wrinkled and Cetz was taking pride in dealing with the stench so stoically. Louis had to take his shades off for the inspector, and kept his eyes at a squint. The dark circles under his eyes seemed darker than ever.

"The virus?" asked Cetz.

"Right here." Louis handed over the virus canister, seeming brand new against the blonde's dirt.

Cetz nodded, setting the canister in a padded case to be sent down to the labs. He turned to Zachs. "I suppose you want to question him now."

"Yes, if you don't mind."

Cetz nodded and took a seat next to the inspector, hoping this wouldn't take long.

Thirty minutes later Zachs finished and left the room.

Louis growled. "I've been debriefed and now I want to be de-stinked."

"You know where the showers are," said Cetz, relieved. "I'll have Rachel send some clothing down to you. Expect to be checked over by her once you're done."

After Louis left for the showers, and probably a gallon of coffee, Cetz called on the headset to Grant and asked about Zachs.

"He said he'll authorize the end of lockdown in the next five minutes," said Grant.

"Already?" said Cetz on the way to his office.

"Yep. And he said something to his men about gathering up all his equipment. I think they've finally outstayed their welcome."

"They're leaving already?"

"Yep."

Cetz frowned. "Well that's damn anticlimactic of him."