Chapter 8: What has Su Li been up to?

Using the security cameras, I could follow the women's trip back to their barracks. When they got there, Lucinda was seated at the "kitchen table" with Su Li. Lucinda made a remark that it was easy to figure out who had just had their nipples pierced. They were the ones walking with their right arm inside their chador to keep the clothing from rubbing against their piercing.

Charlotte closed the barracks door, giving the illusion of shutting out the rest of the world. The new arrivals helped each other remove their outfits, changed to their fatigues, and headed for their cots.

Patty could be heard complaining to Dana: "Damn! I sleep on my stomach. How the hell am I gonna get to sleep with this thing hanging out of my boob? It's sore as hell and I'll be pulling on it every time I move. If I ever get to sleep, that is." Dana's reply was a most disparaging estimate of Dr. Arkan's genealogy. When she got about three generations back, Patty interrupted her with: "That goddam son of a bitch thought he had me scared of him. I was doing fine until he smacked my head while that fucking dildo was down my throat. I started choking on the damned thing and I was afraid if I started to hurl, I would drown in it. Why do men want to stick something down your throat and then expect you to get turned on by it? The dumb shits have absolutely no clue where a clitoris is, but they ought to damn well know it isn't in our throats."

Beth was quietly sobbing in Kristin's arms. Kristin did her best to quiet Beth's protesting that it wasn't fair to lose her virginity that way. It wasn't anything like her fantasies and it hurt like hell. Over and over she insisted that she was in real pain and there was no possible way she could have sex with a man again by tomorrow. Kristin had no idea of what to say, but could only hold her close and try to tell her that somehow it was going to be okay.

Sensing that the complaining could go on for some time, Su Li spoke up loudly: "Charlotte, can you please ask all of us to come to the table? I have very important things to tell you!" Sensing the seriousness in her voice, Charlotte did her best to get them assembled.

I turned up the gain on the microphone over their table to hear Su Li. "I have just come from my countrymen. They can no longer delay their project. It is complete, but the General thinks it will take yet two more weeks. We have decided that there can be no delay. We do not wish the devices we have created to be used by the General or others like him. At midnight, tonight, we will destroy this compound by exploding one of the devices. I am telling you this so you can have time to prepare yourselves to die. I do not know what your god or gods require, but you will go to them in less than an hour now. My husband has assured me he will not fail."

"Oh shit!" was all I could think of. I wasn't ready to die yet. Not only that, but there were way too many blast doors between Chinatown and the other end of the compound. They might explode their device and take as much as half of the place with them, but they would never get it all. Not only that, but the explosion might result in only partial damage to Dr. Arkan's area. The damn bacteria or virus or whatever bug he was working on might be let loose with the only vaccine in the world located down in this hole. I had to stop this. There had to be some way to keep my personal ass from being destroyed in nuclear fire and still frustrate the General's plans. A half-ass plan began to form in my mind as I started the necessary commands to take control of the internal phone system. I only needed a few moments to reconnect a few circuits the General thought shouldn't exist.

The women were still recovering from the shock of Su Li's announcement when I took the camera off automatic sweep. A few more key strokes and I could use a joy stick to waggle the camera. I was probably taking some years off the motor's usable life, but as long as it kept working for the next few minutes, it would add to my usable life considerably. It was Beth who noticed the noise coming from the camera enclosure. "Hey, look up there! I think Mr. Camera Guy is trying to get our attention. Sure, look! He's nodding the camera now."