“I understand. In fact, if my plan doesn’t work, I’ll hand you the gun and step aside.”
“Fair enough. I’ll be watching.”
Krista walked into the cafeteria, taking a hard right toward the table in the back, where she saw Summer sitting with Nick Simms—aka Simmer.
When Krista arrived, Summer brought her head up. “There you are.”
“You wanted to see me?”
Summer pointed at the nice-looking blonde kid. “You remember Nick.”
Krista nodded at him. “Yeah, one of my new guys.”
“Not any more. I’ve just promoted him to administrative assistant. We need to start cross-training.”
“Cross-training?”
“You know, in case something happens to me.”
“Ah, well, I’m not sure he’s the best choice,” Krista said, turning her eyes to the boy. “No offense.”
Simms shrugged. “None taken. I was shocked, too.”
Summer continued, “Like you and Liz said, we need an entirely new direction with Edison and Morse gone. I thought it would be good to start with a cross-training program, where everyone mentors an assistant to take over in case something happens to them. You never know with what’s going on out there. Or in here, for that matter.”
“Not a bad idea,” Krista said, wondering how this greenhorn leader came up with such a plan. Perhaps it was Simms, batting his pretty blue eyes at her and working himself a new job. “Just curious, Summer, how did you come up with this?”
“Read it in one of my books. Something about prepping for the worst-case scenario. As in total government collapse.”
“I might have to read this book.”
“That would be a little tough to do. It’s in a secret library on Frost’s side of the line.”
Krista took the girl’s words in and let them percolate for a few beats. That was when her mind latched onto a new revelation. “So that’s where you went all those times.”
“Yes. My little home away from home.”
“Did this book suggest anything else?”
“Yeah, lots of stuff. But I think we should start with this first, until we deal with that other thing.”
“What other thing?” Krista asked, her mind conjuring a list of items needing their attention.
“The EOD thing in Morse’s lab.”
“Right. Right,” Krista said. “In fact, that’s what I thought you wanted to speak to me about.”
“I do, but first, I want you to start training a new assistant, too. Do you have anyone in mind?”
Krista held for a few beats, searching the names on her list of guards. “Wicks is the obvious choice.”
“The Neanderthal?”
“He’s the most senior.”
“A bit of a ‘shoot first and ask questions later’ type, don’t you think?”
“On the surface, yes. But I can work with him.”
“I don’t know about that one.”
“Is it my choice as a member of the new Ruling Triad, or are you making all the decisions now?”
Summer hesitated, bringing her eyes to Simms.
The kid shrugged, then nodded.
Summer did as well before focusing her eyes on Krista once again. “It’s your choice.”
“Then he’s my pick.”
“Okay then, it’s settled. We go with Wicks—for now. But he really needs to think before he acts. I don’t want any more situations like what happened with me and him.”
“No offense, boss, but some of that was you, too. Not just Wicks.”
“I admit I played my part in it. That’s why I’m letting you choose him. A second chance type thing.”
Krista held back a roll of her eyes after the comment about Summer letting her choose. “I appreciate the support, boss.”
Summer looked at Simms. “Why don’t you go check on the dog for me? Take him for a walk to get his legs moving. Otherwise, he won’t get stronger. I need to speak to Krista for a moment. In private.”
Simms stood from his chair. “All right, later.”
When he left the room, Krista took his seat. “Walk the dog? That’s your idea of cross-training?”
“He’s got to start somewhere,” Summer said, her face flushing red.
“I’ll admit, he’s damn cute. I can see why you chose him.”
“That’s not it at all,” Summer shot back.
“Well, it’s not up to me. He’s your assistant,” Krista replied, pausing. “But we do need to deal with that other thing.”
“What do you think about Lipton?”
“He seems capable.”
“I guess it’s time to find out if he’s as good as he says he is.”
“If not, then we’re screwed.”
Summer smiled, looking proud of herself. “Good thing we didn’t leave them out there, back on that road.”
“Roger that,” Krista said, wishing she didn’t have to agree, but she couldn’t deny it. “Sometimes we get lucky, even if the decision is tactically wrong.”
“Nothing wrong with a little good luck now and then.”
“No, there’s not. But the problem with relying on luck is that the luck always runs out, eventually.”
“Then we’d better make this one count.”
CHAPTER 33
Nathan Wicks escorted Doc Lipton into what used to be Morse’s lab with Krista leading the way, while their new boss, Summer, brought up the rear.
There was a strong vibe in the room, one Wicks could only describe as impending doom. The hairs on the back of his neck sprang to attention, putting his situational awareness skills on high alert. He could feel Summer’s eyes focused on him from behind. It was almost as if her thoughts had tunneled a hole into his skull, burrowing their way to the center of his brain.
He couldn’t shake the sensation, wondering if she would soon take revenge for what happened earlier in the brig, when he’d gotten rough with her. Perhaps she had already taken out a blade and was about to jam it into the back of his neck.
Wicks spun his head, peering back at Summer.
“Something wrong?” she asked after a casual smile.
Wicks stuttered through a few mumbles, trying to corral the words on his tongue. “Well, uh, no ma’am. Just making sure you’re okay back there.”
“All good here. Thanks for the concern. Just keep an eye on Lipton.”
Wicks brought his eyes forward, pretending to study the body language of the prisoner. Even though the sense of peril still lingered across his skin, he decided to let it go and trust that Summer was not trying to gut him.
Summer moved ahead and took the lead from Krista as the group neared the worktable in the lab. Krista took a position next to her, the pair bracketing the radio in the middle.
Summer held out a hand, pointing to the device. “Here it is, Doc. Same place as before.”
Lipton came forward and activated the power switch on the radio. The unit roared to life, its cooling fan whirling and lights flashing.
After the speaker crackled with static, Lipton took what looked like a measured path around the back side of the table, stopping at the rear of the transmitter. He remained there for at least ten seconds, his eyes scanning the back of the case before he continued on, stopping again at the cardboard box holding a stack of electronic parts.
Krista was the closest to the man, leaning in and holding her gaze as his hands went into the fray and sifted around.
Lipton pulled out a green-colored circuit board with a smattering of raised parts across its surface—most of them black. Wicks wasn’t familiar with them, each about three times the size of the normal diodes and capacitors he’d expected to see.
Wicks took a step forward to better observe the box and its contents. The other boards didn’t appear to have the same distinctive look as the one Lipton grabbed, making him think the sheer oddity of its components was the reason Lipton had selected it.