“That’s not much of a choice. I thought you were smarter than that.”
Summer put her hands on her hips, holding back the swell of emotions building inside her chest. “I’m the boss, remember? So pick one already and let’s get moving. We have shit to do.”
“Why are you doing this, Summer?”
Summer could feel her face flushing with blood. It was almost as intense as the beat in her chest. “I don’t know, because I can? Maybe I’m just tired of always having to bend over backwards to get you to agree with me. On anything. It’s exhausting, Krista. It really is.”
“I get that. I’m sorry. I know I can be difficult at times.”
“That’s an understatement.”
“Hey, so can you.”
“Yeah, so what’s your point? We’re both stubborn.”
“Actually, we’re both assholes.”
Summer put her hands on her hips, unable to stop the volume in her voice from escalating. “Which doesn’t change anything, now does it?”
“Damn, it’s like a light switch just went off. Forget to take your meds today?”
Summer threw her hands up when the anger came at her with the force of a tidal wave. “God, you’re a bitch. And here I thought we were making progress just like Stuart wanted. I guess I was wrong. What the hell was I thinking?”
Krista put her hands out in a stop maneuver. “Hold on a second. Let’s just stay calm and take a minute. Talk it through, like civilized human beings. I know you’re upset—”
“Upset? Me? Trust me, this isn’t me upset. You have no idea.”
“Whoa, back up a step. We’re obviously getting way off track here.”
Summer leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, I’m waiting. Pick one.”
Krista stood there blinking. She didn’t respond.
Summer leaned on one leg and tapped her other foot, wondering if she could stop her fists once they started beating on Krista’s face.
Before Summer could decide, Krista spoke. “You know there’s only one choice and it doesn’t provide much of a tactical advantage. You really need to stop here and think.”
Summer released her arms from her chest and stood more erect. “I don’t have to explain every one of my decisions to you. Not anymore. I’m tired of it. I’m in charge, not you.”
“What about our three-way leadership deal with Liz?”
“I guess I’ve changed my mind. Edison picked me and it’s time I step up and take the lead, because this other shit,” Summer said, aiming an index finger at Krista, then at herself, “ain’t working. So I’m gonna make an executive decision.”
“What does that mean? Because I’m not sure I like that tone at all.”
“It means we’re going to take both of them. And that Simms guy, too. Plus whatever security team you want.”
Krista dropped her head and shook it, looking as though all the energy in her shoulders had disappeared in a flash.
Summer, on the other hand, felt energized, maybe for the first time since Edison died. “There, the decision has been made. Let’s get this show on the road already.”
CHAPTER 26
Destiny waited at the end of the access tunnel for Adam Hunt, AKA Asher, to make his appearance. He’d been working down in the central dispersion shaft, trying to solve a critical heat-related issue they’d been dealing with for weeks.
Another minute ticked by until the 71-year-old came into view, his headlamp dancing in a bobbing up-and-down pattern, his feet plowing ahead in a methodical lock-kneed manner.
“Hold on, I’m working on it,” he said after a flash of his hand.
“Did you get the service line fixed?” she asked while he made his way up the incline, wondering how this man kept his motivation, especially after what had happened to the original Blackstone staff.
“Wasn’t working on that,” Asher said, his chest pumping harder than normal.
“Oh, I thought that was on the schedule today.”
“Yours maybe, not mine.”
“There’s a difference?”
“Always. But regardless, I don’t think the water circulation problem is our main concern anymore.”
“Don’t we need to extract the heat?”
“Yes, but things have changed. And not for the better, I’m afraid,” Asher said in a forceful tone when he arrived.
He took off his hardhat, setting his mop of curly hair free in what seemed like all directions at once. He ran his fingers through his locks, then held his hand in front of her eyes, showing her a knot of gray hanging loose.
“Oh my God, Asher,” she said, latching onto his arm and leading him toward the service bench along the wall.
It was hard to focus her thoughts when a series of flashes bombarded her brain, each one showing her a different possible cause for his hair falling out.
She managed to regain control of her mind just as she angled his rear end onto the seat, choosing not to ask any more questions about his obvious sickness. It was up to him to tell her, if he wanted her to know. “Sit down and take a few.”
He put his head back, letting it rest against the rock wall. “It’s got to be a hundred and fifty degrees down there.”
She snatched a bottle of water from the worktable next to the bench and twisted its cap off, then gave it to him. “Here, drink some.”
“Thanks.”
That’s when her curiosity took over, and she decided to prod him along. “You look like hell, my friend.”
“Been through hell.”
“Still rising, I take it.”
“Sure feels like it.”
“Why?”
“Don’t know yet. Really need that equipment to be sure.”
“Working on it.”
“Well, work faster. Time is something we don’t have. Especially me.”
She gulped, knowing what those words meant. “That’s what the meeting was all about, Ash. I wish you had been there.”
“I’m sure you do, but I had more important things to attend to.”
“Like killing yourself down here in some old dispersion shaft.”
“Hey, I built it. I have to deal with it. We all know the deal.”
“I appreciate your dedication, but maybe it’s time for someone else to take over.”
“Who? You? You don’t have the training. Nobody does. Except me.”
“I know you feel responsible for what happened, but that was a long time ago.”
He flared his eyes before offering up a smirk. “You think this is about my former colleagues, don’t you?”
“Yes, but it wasn’t your fault.”
“No, that was all on them. But I’m not innocent either. I was part of the project, too.”
“Except you didn’t know.”
“But I should’ve.”
“Look, they got what was coming to them, those bastards,” she said, remembering the story he’d told her.
“I don’t disagree with you, but that doesn’t change the fact that I can’t slow down. Not for a minute. Not if we want to keep everyone alive. And I mean everyone. Because if this thing goes, we’re all going to die anyway. Either way, my wellbeing matters not.”