Shattered Sky Read Online Free PDF Page A

mattered, and now the military saw fit to turn her into a chambermaid?
    Bussard droned on as if reading her Miranda rights. “You will wear gloves at all times in this room, and dispose of them immediately after each use. You will find a detailed description of your duties in your quarters. Is there any part of your assignment you do not understand?”
    â€œNo, sir. Permission to speak freely, sir.”
    â€œPermission denied.” He escorted her out of the chamber, and once they were back in the expansive void of the dead plant, he turned to her again. “There are only six people in the world with security clearance to be in that room—including the two of us. Consider yourself honored.”
    â€œI’ll remember that, sir, while I’m cleaning the toilet.”
    â€œI ’VE BEEN HERE SINCE the beginning, and Bussard hasn’t seen fit to tell me anything,” Lt. Gerritson told Maddy over a cafeteria pot roast filled with more salt than meat. The cafeteria, like the plant itself, was a dinosaur that never saw the light of day. It was designed to seat about 100 employees of Michigan Power, but now there were never more than ten military personnel at peak hours. By Maddy’s second week, a meal with Lt. Vince Gerritson was a welcome relief to the oppressiveness of a large table and a solitary dinner. Maddy was quick to discover that Gerritson was the only person bold enough to discuss what little he knew about their shadowy purpose there.
    â€œIt’s the lack of oversight that scares me,” Gerritson said. “They let Bussard run this place any way he sees fit. Tessic’s the only one Bussard doesn’t control.”
    â€œThey let civilians from Tessitech in this place?”
    â€œNo,” Gerritson said. “I mean Tessic, himself.”
    â€œReally!”
    â€œHe had something to do with the design of the vault. Butnow I think he pops in every once in a while just to piss off Bussard.”
    Tessic was a name well known in the military ever since Tessitech beat out every competitor for a dozen military contracts over the past five years. His name was synonymous with cutting-edge technology; a former wunderkind who, now in his fifties, was on his way to being the richest man in the world. Maddy judged that his presence here was an exception to protocol and not to be taken lightly.
    â€œWhen did this whole operation start?” Maddy asked.
    Before answering, Gerritson glanced around to scan their present company. A few tables away were three men in lab coats discussing sports scores. Maddy didn’t know them, but had seen them at meals. The plant had a contingent of about ten Coats, as Gerritson had called them. Scientists, or technicians, or physicians—no one seemed to have a clue what their profession actually was. They didn’t associate with military personnel, undoubtedly by Bussard’s order.
    â€œThe plant was retrofitted for Project Lockdown about eight months ago,” Gerritson told her. “I was about to get a disability discharge, but instead they assigned me here.”
    â€œDisability?”
    â€œLong story.” Gerritson shoved a piece of grizzly meat in his mouth, and worked his jaws like it was an oversized piece of chewing gum. Maddy hoped he might elaborate, but no dice. Whatever the story, he wasn’t telling it.
    â€œAnd exactly how do you fit into all of this? What’s your job here?”
    Gerritson smirked. “Now, come on, Lieutenant Haas. That kind of information is on a need-to-know basis.”
    Maddy volleyed back that smirk. “I need to know.”
    â€œWell, why didn’t you say so?” Gerritson glanced aroundagain. It was almost a tick. A habit developed from being too long under Bussard’s scrutiny. He leaned over his plate, confidingly. “Security detail,” he whispered. “Right wing of team zero.”
    â€œOkay. Now in English.”
    â€œThere are