Reintegration Read online

  “I don’t get upset.” Amity sat as erect as if she were being graded for posture. “I’m only sorry you had to witness that farcical scene between Nikolas and me.”

  “Fuck him.” Lexi took a pair of reading glasses from a shelf. “These yours?”

  “Not everyone can afford vision augmentation. Or even eye surgery.”

  “Talk to Zeke. He’ll fix you up.” Lexi put the glasses on, marveled at the blurry world they revealed and returned them to the shelf. “By the way, is he going to pull through? The guy who got shot?”

  “Yes, he’s fine.” Amity spoke softly, an unexpected change from the clipped, cool delivery Lexi had become used to. “Why did you stand up for me? I’ve done nothing but insult and exploit you.”

  “A whim.” Lexi paused before the mirror and stroked her scalp’s shaved section. Growing back fast. Hopefully Callie had some clippers in her van.

  “I’m sure you didn’t come here to ogle yourself.”

  Lexi pursed her lips, admiring her pout, before turning away from her reflection. “What you said before about Riva. I want to clear that up.”

  Amity lowered her head. “I see.”

  “I’m only here temporarily, so what does it hurt if I spend some time with her? I mean, she likes me. Are you homophobic or something?”

  “Not in the least. You’re simply a bad influence, and I don’t want to see her hurt. I have a duty to everyone in Open Hand.”

  “What makes you think I’d hurt her?”

  “Fine. Do as you please. I’ll just trust she has enough sense and taste to keep you at a tactful distance.”

  It didn’t feel like much of a victory. “Don’t misunderstand me. I don’t need your permission, and I’m not looking for it. I just don’t want any drama.”

  “Well, you came to the wrong revolutionary bunker, didn’t you?”

  A slow smile curved Lexi’s lips. So Amity did have something resembling a sense of humor. “Where’d you learn to fight like that?”

  “Necessity.”

  “You ever killed anyone before tonight?”

  “You know very well that I have.”

  That clipped, cool attitude was starting to get a little sexy. “Am I still an arrogant dyke?”

  “I apologize for that unseemly remark. Though I did mean what I said about you being gang trash. Your gangster friends share responsibility with the Codists for the desecration of Foundation and its people. They’re traitors to humanity.”

  Ouch. Low blow. “I’m not actually in a gang, okay? I just do work for them. Anyone who wants to survive out there has to work with the gangs at some point.”

  “Fine. You’re just ordinary trash, not gang trash.”

  Lexi laughed. “I promise, there’s nothing ordinary about me. How much longer are you going to let Nikolas push you around, anyway?”

  “I don’t want conflict between us.” As if suddenly wearied, Amity cupped her head in her hands and slouched forward. “But he shouldn’t have given that contact of yours a radio phone. He shouldn’t have waved my objections aside.”

  “He was right about the phone, but you were right to be cautious. You’re right about my aug too. It’s dangerous, but there are times to use it. Tonight wasn’t such a bad idea. It wasn’t your fault it all went so wrong.”

  “You could abuse your power in so many ways, yet you don’t seem to be tempted to. I’m not sure I could be so disciplined.”

  “Good thing you aren’t the Chosen One, then.”

  They appraised each other in silence. Amity wasn’t attractive by the standards of preening clubbers, but Lexi had her own tastes, and Amity satisfied them just fine. A stern, athletic older woman who seemed to be perpetually brooding over some perceived insult, took no shit from anyone and could kill on a whim—definite appeal.

  “It can’t be easy,” Lexi said. “Dealing with his crap.”

  “Sometimes I can’t stand the sight of him, yet I need him. I don’t have his charisma or his knack for leadership. But I shouldn’t be telling you this. There’s nothing you can do.”

  Forget the threats, the murder, the politics. This woman needed a lengthy distraction, and so did Lexi. She gave her a crooked smile. “I could take the edge off.”

  “With your implant?”

  “No.” Lexi knelt before Amity, laid both hands on her knees and looked up into her widening eyes. “With my mouth.”

  Amity blushed. “You can’t be serious.”

  “Why not? All you have to do is sit back and relax.”

  “That’s ridiculous.” Despite her protests, Amity made no attempt to remove Lexi’s hands from her knees. “Even putting aside that I have no interest in you, just hours ago, you were flirting with Riva.”

  “And now I’m flirting with you. You don’t have to touch me, you don’t even have to look at me. Just let me do what I do best, comrade. You can imagine I’m Lenin for all I care.”

  A long silence ensued. Neither broke eye contact. Finally, Amity turned her head away. “If you tell anyone…”

  “Not a word.”

  Lexi reached into Amity’s lap, popped the button of her trousers and drew down the zipper. She eased off the trousers and took a moment to admire Amity’s bare, unshaven legs. Impressive calf muscles. “Nod once if you’re still with me.”

  Amity gave a barely perceptible nod. Lexi stroked her fingertip up the inside of Amity’s thigh and over the crotch of her panties, and Amity inhaled a quick breath. Encouraged, Lexi hooked a finger around the panties and coaxed them over Amity’s hips.

  “Another chance,” Lexi said. “If you don’t want this, say so now.”

  Amity opened her mouth, bit her lip and looked away again. Lexi pushed apart Amity’s knees and leaned in.

  Amity smelled good and tasted better—the distinctive, aromatic flavor of an active woman who infrequently bathed and never trimmed. When it came to eating pussy, Lexi was an enthusiast for the entire experience: that hint of iron inside the vagina, the tang of sweat outside it, the coarse texture of labia majora sucked between her lips, the smooth skin of a clitoral hood sliding under the tip of her tongue…

  Breathing rapidly, Amity held Lexi’s head and forced her deeper. Lexi obliged, pushing the tip of her tongue further inside, and Amity began to move her hips while issuing soft moans. Lexi glanced up and caught Amity staring back, her eyes dull and her face flushed.

  Amity looked away, but it was too late—her mental wall had fallen, exposing the shivering contents of her mind. Lust, excitement, a hint of delicious disbelief. And a consuming desire to fuck the gorgeous face trapped between her legs.

  Amity’s grinding motions became forceful, as if she were desperate for the pressure of Lexi’s mouth. Lexi gripped Amity’s hips and licked her clit hard. Amity climaxed with a full-body spasm, releasing a startled gasp and twisting her fingers through Lexi’s hair.

  “Oh, God.” Amity stared at the ceiling. “Don’t tell anyone. Promise me.”

  “I promise.”

  “Good. Now go away. I…” Amity closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. “Goodnight.”

  Smirking, Lexi returned to her feet and took in the sight of Amity sitting dazed and blushing, her pussy still wet and parted. “Thank you, comrade.”

  Amity put her hands between her legs. “You’re welcome. Get out.”

  CHAPTER 11

  The children of the elite enjoyed a breakfast menu so extravagant it seemed almost satirical. While the students in the main dormitories feasted on prosaic meals of textured soy protein and legumes, the buffet before Mineko contained such steaming luxuries as Pan-Fried Faux Pork with Cashew and Miniature Leek in Black Bean Sauce. Why a miniature leek? Did it taste any better for being smaller?

  Mineko took a container of edamame, and the kitchen hand gave her a curious look. “I’ve never seen you take the beans before, Ms. Tamura.”

  “I’m trying new things.” Mineko ladled rice onto her plate and covered it with a helping of the mock pork and
sauce. With the bowl in one hand and the plate held precariously in the other, she made her way to a little table in the corner.

  Beyond the nearest window, the morning sky was clear, and the blossom trees were still. She chewed on a soft piece of mock pork while skimming through her study notes. Nothing occupied her thoughts, however, but the cherubic face of Callie Roux.

  A throat cleared, and Mineko looked up. Lachlan stood before her, his face made even more unpleasant by its broad smile.

  “Good morning, Mineko,” he said. “Enjoying your breakfast?”

  Mineko forced herself to swallow. Lachlan never came to campus. Was she in trouble? “My breakfast is fine.”

  “Mind if I sit down?”

  “Not at all,” she said while trying to wish him out of existence.

  Lachlan drew out the opposite chair. “How’s the exam preparation?”

  “Fine. Why are you here?”

  “Last night, you and Wren spoke privately.” Lachlan reclined in the chair, and it gave an unhappy creak. It clearly hadn’t been designed with his imposing build in mind. “Did she say anything I ought to know about?”

  “I’m unaware of what you ought to know about, Lachlan.”

  Lachlan took an edamame pod and frowned at it. “These don’t look very appealing.”

  “Please don’t play with my food.”

  Students drifted by, laughing and chatting. Lachlan gave them a quick, suspicious look, as if there might be revolutionaries concealed among them. “You and Dr. Wren,” he said. “Would you say that you got along well?”

  Before answering, Mineko took a quick mouthful of food—no point letting it get cold—and swallowed. “We have similar interests. She’s a neuroscientist, and I study Neuroethics. So we had plenty to talk about.”

  “I’m certain you did. I escorted her home after dinner, and during her nervous conversation, she mentioned how impressed she was with you. ‘A remarkable young woman.’ That was her estimation.” Lachlan popped one of the beans into his mouth. “These are very salty, aren’t they?”

  “I couldn’t say. You interrupted me before I could try any.”

  Lachlan smiled and split another pod between his fingers. “As you’re in a blunt mood this morning, I’ll treat you in kind. I want you to spy on Valerie Wren for us.”

  Mineko stared at him, fork still raised. Of all the reasons Lachlan might have been here, that was one she had never anticipated. “Spy on her?”

  “I was going to sugarcoat it by suggesting you befriend her, but I can see you’re an adult now and deserve adult explanations.” Lachlan leaned closer. “She’s a reclusive woman with no friends or immediate family. That means we have no straightforward way of evaluating her moods and behavior. But perhaps you, with your disarming demeanor, can find a way to uncover her private side.”

  The thought of exploiting Valerie’s friendliness soured the previously pleasant taste in Mineko’s mouth. “I’m not a spy. Is my father aware you’re asking this of me?”

  “He tells me, again and again, that you’re destined to the business and should be involved. I can’t see why he would object.”

  Lachlan’s close proximity was putting Mineko off her food, and she poked her breakfast one last time before putting down her fork. “It’s unethical. You’re asking me to betray her confidence.”

  “That’s an odd comment from an ethics student. I’m asking you to help me support a fellow Codist’s well-being. That kind of solidarity is essential to the functioning of our ordered society. Trust me, you don’t want to get that one wrong on the exam.”

  There was no way out—Lachlan had her comprehensively trapped. If she refused his offer, she would seem disloyal, and the last thing she needed was to raise any suspicions.

  “I just meant that I’d feel bad about it,” Mineko said. “Dr. Wren seems very nice.”

  “Understandable. But you’d be making your parents proud, and you’d be serving the Code. Think of that instead.”

  Easier to think of throttling him. “What exactly would you have me to do?”

  Lachlan took a data drive from his pocket and placed it beside her plate. “Dr. Wren’s security file is on this drive. Look it over and then establish contact. Find a way to secure her confidence, at least to some small extent. I fully expect her to be loyal and dedicated, but she’s leading a very important project. It’s a stressful position. We need to think of her long-term welfare.”

  As she pondered, Mineko chewed on a mouthful of cold rice. This might give her a chance to learn more about Project Sky, and she could choose herself what information to leak to Lachlan. Besides, if he hadn’t picked her, he would have selected someone else. At least this way, she had a chance to protect Valerie if protection were needed.

  She finished her rice. “Thank you, Lachlan, for trusting me with this responsibility. I’ll do what I can.”W

  “Good day, Mineko. And don’t worry if this cuts into your study time.” Lachlan winked. “Exam results can be quite flexible.”

  He departed the dining room while the students around them fixed their eyes on their food. Every Codist, no matter how honest or devoted, knew better than to look too long at someone in a black uniform.

  As she scooped up more rice with her fork, Mineko glanced at her blue sleeve. How long until she too was forced to wear that sinister black?

  * * *

  Back in the familiar isolation of her room, Mineko inserted the drive into her tablet. It contained a single document. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen a security file—sometimes her father left them open on his computer—but it was the first time she’d known the person in question.

  The attached photo showed Valerie frowning at the camera from beneath blunt bangs, looking every bit as nervous as she had at dinner. She was forty-three years old, had been born in Foundation Hospital Three and her parents had both been scientists. One a physicist, one a biochemist. That was to be expected. Codist children usually followed the career paths of their parents, graduating with the same degrees and working in the same departments. A fact Mineko was acutely aware of.

  The file listed every detail of Valerie’s career and education, including her grades, which put Mineko’s to shame. Intriguingly, Valerie had worked in Reintegration for two years as a chief technical advisor; the job had ended with her resignation, after which she had moved to a less-prestigious position as a scientific advisor for Hospital Two’s neurosurgery ward.

  Project Sky appeared as the final note on her career timeline, accompanied by the title of her new role: Project Supervisor. Mineko prodded for further details, and a message flashed.

  Subject offered position due to excellent qualifications, deep knowledge of relevant field and lack of close social ties.

  Lack of social ties? A reference to the secret nature of the Project? Or, as Valerie had feared, had she been selected because her isolation made it easier to eliminate her if necessary?

  The final section, Security Concerns, was blank. Of course. Nobody with a questionable history would have been assigned to a project of such importance. No, Code Intel would endorse someone like Valerie Wren: a brilliant scientist with a clean record, no close friends and a career that, until now, had been less impressive than her credentials, save for a brief stint in Reintegration.

  Mineko gave her nose a thoughtful rub. How was she supposed to find enough common ground to befriend a reclusive woman twice her age? Even though she and Valerie had spoken candidly the night before, Mineko was Gaspar Tamura’s daughter.

  Still, there was no harm in trying.

  The file included Valerie’s personal number. Mineko navigated to her comm client and added Valerie as a new contact, prodding each digit in. Two more quick taps began the dialing process. It was probably the wrong time to call, but if she didn’t do it now, it would be on her mind all day.

  As the sixth beep chimed, it occurred to Mineko that she hadn’t prepared anything to say. Maybe it wasn’t too late to—

 
; Click. “Hello?”

  “Um, hello, Dr. Wren. It’s Mineko Tamura. I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

  “Oh! Mineko! I’m just on the train now, going to work… I, uh, how did you find my number?” Her skittishness was still endearing.

  “It’s in the directory. Do you mind me calling you?”

  “No, not at all. Is there something I can help you with?”

  “Well, it’s exam time…”

  “Oh, is it? You poor thing. I remember how much stress I went through with my exams.” Valerie gave a brittle laugh. “Of course, that was me. You’re a very clever girl, and I’m sure you’re quite confident.”

  “Actually, I’m a little apprehensive. There’s a section on Reintegration in the exam, and I don’t feel ready for it.”

  “Oh, Reintegration. I remember you and I talked about that briefly. As it happens, I know quite a bit about it.”

  Mineko shook her head silently. This woman was so leadable. “I hoped that might be the case. I was wondering if you’d help me study. If I could just discuss the material with you, I’m sure I’d learn a lot.”

  “Oh, absolutely, I’d be—”

  The calm voice of the train interrupted her: “Five minutes until arrival at Laboratory Two.”

  “Sorry,” said Valerie, followed by a breathless, nervous giggle. “I’m almost there. No, I’d be happy to. Would you like to talk by message or in person?”

  This had been too easy. Maybe Mineko really was destined for Code Intel. “I find it easier talking face-to-face.”

  “In that case, you could come over for dinner. Whenever you like. It won’t be fancy, and my place is a little messy, but…” Valerie gave another of her odd, skittish laughs. “Well, there’s a nice view from the balcony.”

  “Is tonight okay? The exam is next week.”

  “Yes, yes, tonight would be fine. I’m quite looking forward to it. It’s nice to be remembered. Um.” Valerie cleared her throat. “Well, I have to disembark soon, so I’d better say goodbye. But how lovely to hear from you.”