. Zarah tossed the pictures back onto her desk, leaned back in her
chair, and sighed. She had spent the better part of an hour looking
through the pictures Shallsee and Alia had found in the Centre's
hidden level, SL-27. There was a definite progression to the pictures.
The earlier ones were more subtle, as if the photographer wanted to
imply more in the photos than was seen. But the later shots showed
very graphic scenes between Jacob and Catherine. To the untrained eye,
one might assume that the photographer was becoming more of a voyeur.
But Zarah sensed that the earlier approach was not working, so the
photographer used detail to extort where innuendo would not suffice.
It was just... Zarah stood up and walked to her window. So high
up, she thought. So much space. Why did the photographer take the
pictures? Why had he tried to make something so...so *right*, into
something almost dirty? Pretenders can become their subjects. Even
though Zarah hadn't yet done this with Catherine, as she intended to
do, she could see in the shots the closeness the lovers shared. It was
more than two people meeting for cheap sex. These people needed each
other.
The note Catherine wrote, "I found out we are to go to NY
together. Are they testing us? How can I sit next to you on the plane,
and not be able to touch you? This isn't love. I know that. But this
physical need is dangerous. All I want is you." said it all. They knew
it wasn't love. But the need... That was the one thing Zarah was
having trouble with. How do you pretend when you have no idea what
your subjects are feeling? It was going to be hard. But at least by
reading all of the notes Catherine and Jacob had written each other,
she could get some idea. She walked back to her desk and sat down. So
much work to do before the sim. Preparation was almost as important
as the exercise itself.
*********
Shallsee paused before knocking on Zarah's door. This level of
the Tower always made her nervous. The high-up Tower officials were on
the floor below, and walking above them had somehow seemed wrong. But
Zarah liked to tower above the earth, and what Zarah wanted, Zarah
got. Amazing how a lab rat from the Pretender project had made herself
so indispensable to the Tower. Perhaps she wanted to maintain herself
in the position of power she had garnered. Perhaps she wanted to
protect her sister. Perhaps she liked the view. Getting inside of
Zarah's head was not something Shallsee wanted to do, seeing as she
liked sleeping in the dark.
This was ridiculous, staying here in the hall like some kind of
subordinate. She knocked.
"Yes Shallsee? You know the door isn't locked," Zarah's voice
drifted, muffled, through the door. Shallsee winced. Zarah always knew
who it was. But only a fool would open the door without permission.
Shallsee walked in. Zarah was standing by her desk, directly
opposite the door. She and the desk were the only sources of color in
the room. The desk was a thin, unadorned metal object that reminded
Shallsee of a lead lined glass coffin. And Zarah......
Tall, even more so than Alia, her blonde hair almost to her
waist. It was down now. It usually was, unless she was working. She
normally dressed in long dresses. Today was no exception. It was blue,
and offset the stark whiteness of the room. How anyone could work in a
room so bright, Shallsee had wondered. Then Zarah spoke, and
Shallsee's attention was focused.
"Why didn't you walk in? The door is never locked," Zarah said
softly. Shallsee twisted a smile.
"Only the fool walks into the lion's den unbearded."
"Interesting quotation. Not exactly correct, but anyway," Zarah
replied to Shallsee, walking around the corner of her desk and sat
back down. She held out her hand for the folder Shallsee held. "This
is the medical report on Catherine Parker?" It was more of a statement
than a question. Shallsee rolled her eyes.
"You know it is. And I hope you appreciate the effort it took to
find this. Remember, Catherine officially killed herself. Though how
one could shoot herself six times from a distance of over four meters
is usually enough to penetrate even the thickest mental doctoral
haze."
Zarah shook her head. "We work at the Centre, oui? Anything can
happen here. But this confirms what I was thinking. Thank you," Zarah
placed the folder on the desk and bent her head over it. Shallsee
waited, but Zarah was absorbed in her work. She hesitated to interrupt
her again, but.....
"Zarah? I have to speak with you," Shallsee spoke into the chill
silence. Zarah didn't look up from her work.
"You have spoken. Now begone, before somebody drops a house on
you," mildly came the response. Why do I bother, thought Shallsee. One
more try.
"It's about Alia." This brought a complete halt to Zarah's work.
She looked up.
"What exactly do you have to say to me about my sister?"
"She needs to see you more. Even Miss Parker is spending more
time with her than you. Alia spends more time in her office than ever,
and it is weird how Miss Parker lets her stay."
"Miss Parker is lonely. She latched on to a lonely little girl
and is playing with her delusions of motherhood."
"Uh huh. Ever think that Alia wants to be with someone who likes
her company? Someone who is not interested in her abilities, but in
her personality? Miss Parker may not say it, but she really likes
Alia. And frankly, I think they are good for each other. They both
need a friend."
Zarah let out a loose laugh.
"A friend? That is funny. That spill down the stairs must have
messed up your faculties. Now please leave." Zarah didn't look up
until the door slammed behind Shallsee. Then she let her head fall
onto the desk. It hurt to hear about Alia. She missed her, she really
did. But with this latest research, she had to follow it before the
trail turned cold. Maybe then she could stop feeling so guilty.
***************
She was ready. It was decided on that she would attempt to
recreate one of Catherine and Jacob's last arguments, before he was
injured in the car accident. The surveillance artist had taken
extensive details of their actions and words. The bloodless transcript
and black and white photos gave the stage directions. Zarah's
pretender talents would cause the blood to flow. She nodded to
Shallsee, who was monitoring the simulation from the control booth.
"Let's start this." She closed her eyes. Then she threw herself into
the biggest mess of her life.
