Critical Error: Book 3 of the Leaving Earth series Read online

  'We might need to do a better job on that internally. I got the heads up on this from Ben. It sounded like he was worried about it, and I suspect that means his staff are, too. Considering the new direction and what we're having to do to staff, we might be well advised to make sure the people we're letting go aren't joining up with the protests.'

  'The only way to do that is how you're doing it. Using "without prejudice" contracts. But I did not know things were that bad internally.'

  Grum's eyes widened in surprise. 'Something morale oriented and you were not aware?'

  Steve frowned. 'I'm somewhat busy. You are right, though. Current employees should be given the right information. I don't know why it hasn't been done.'

  'Probably, Steve — and I'm speaking frankly, here — because the board are trying to teach me a lesson, and all the Divisional heads are too busy trying to make sure that their staff aren't hurt more than the current direction makes necessary.'

  'You did not just say that.'

  'I bloody did. Look, Steve, it is my firm opinion — based on evidence — that the board are not acting in the company's best interests right now.'

  'You really did not say that!' Steve made warding gestures with his hands.

  Grum sighed. 'Yes, Steve, I did. Maybe it's that rumour that went round a few years ago about me becoming COO, maybe it's something else, but the board are treating me like a bully treats something he fears. By hurting it. If they get some bruised knuckles along the way, so be it, but they'll heal. I don't know if it's because you've been mired in the governmental business and then in this scandal, but you need to take a look at what has been happening and draw your own conclusions. I've drawn mine and am acting accordingly.'

  'What are you doing, exactly?'

  'Exactly? I'm following their orders. Exactly.'

  'Ouch.'

  'It's the only way I can find to slow down the depredations and safeguard as many employees as possible, because this thing has the potential to spin out of control. It means I'm causing some damage of my own, of course. I'm being forced into the role of a bully to a bigger bully, and I don't like it.'

  'So your opinion is that this is another move on their part?'

  'It's… possible. Either that or there is a wider conspiracy. Or there are a bunch of unconnected events which just happen to be causing me headaches.'

  'I remember the last time you sent me down this road with Stew. Turned out you had the answer all along.'

  'Well, yes, but this time I've told you what I think the answer is, even at the risk of prejudicing your judgement.'

  'But you think I'm not as looped-in as I should be?'

  'You think that, you just told me.'

  'Wouldn't the CEO be doing something if there were really any serious trouble?'

  'He might, if he could. The last time I went before the board, there were all kinds of canary feathers around except for Kelvin, Hank and Tabia Barron. There's a commonality, there. I think they have been sidelined. I'm not sure how, but I am sure it's not for the best interests of the company.'

  'OK. That I have to investigate. That allegation I will take seriously. But I warn you, if you turn out to have just made a false accusation, I will also make sure that you are removed as a problem.'

  'Do you think I don't know that, Steve? Do you really think I don't the risks I have brought on myself by telling you all this?'

  'You're playing hardball and you're bringing out the biggest bat you have, right?'

  'Right. This is a balls-out moment, Steve.'

  Steve guffawed. 'That is a phrase I never thought I'd've heard you say.'

  'Now you have.' Grum smiled, only tinged with sourness. 'Please do the best you can. I have to get on and cause more damage to the company in the most damage limiting way I can.'

  Steve left, and Grum knew he had just handed in his notice if it turned out he was wrong.

  Chapter 14

  AS well as the nervous investors, there was other fallout from the bad publicity. Various foreign investors were also dubious about having USSMC involved in their projects. It was only the offer of free IP access that was keeping them in at all, it seemed. In all likelihood, whether the temporary injunctions — which were part of the cases brought against the sites — were granted or not, work would have to cease if there was no funding available.

  That left just the profit-making USSMC business centres — primarily the Nevada Antimatter Power Facility — and UMBRA as "normally" operating parts of the business. Everything else was in some kind of holding pattern.

  And if that were not bad enough…

  State and federal governments were now considering withholding funds until such time as the legal challenges were resolved or dismissed.

  Things were devolving fast, and there was only so much damage limitation he could do.

  Grum's phone buzzed. It was a message from Hank. It struck Grum, then, that Hank had not been to see him about any of this business. Had not even been in contact since the video link to the orbital. This message did not help.

  Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 4. Marcellus to Horatio.

  Grum got to his feet. So, something was rotten in the State of Denmark, eh. At least he assumed that's what Hank meant, and not that it was just after twelve.

  Grum was walking out of his office to go to Hank's when the floor itself threw him off his feet as a terrible concussive wave passed through him. On his knees, he could feel the residual tremble in the building and he knew what had happened. Only one thing could cause that kind of explosive force in this building, and it was not going to get better.

  He turned, on shaky feet, and sprinted to the main observation area of the technology centre.

  The main thought running like a band-saw in Grum's brain, even drowning out the potential of mortality for himself, was that today was the tour from the Richard Dean Anderson School – the school to which they had pre-registered Clait – and they were due to finish up in the observation area about now, as usual. It was supposed to be informative and fun.

  Now it looked like it might cost some of them their lives.

  He rounded a corner into one of the short, radial corridors which led directly to the observation lens in time to see a man throw a young girl through one closing blast door as another slammed down in front of him, blocking his path. He was only feet away, but had no way to get to them. A fraction of a second later the rest of the antimatter generators blew. Again Grum was thrown from his feet – this time more violently – his head crashing into a wall.

  He smelled blood, smoke, and burning plastic as darkness overcame his sight.

  Chapter 15

  GRUM woke up surrounded by medical equipment and a rushing busyness. Non-stop sounds of movement caused him to feel both dizzy and nauseated.

  Neither feeling was helped by the fuzzy recollection of events, nor the equally fuzzy recognition of Kelvin Goldstein's aide standing at parade rest by the bed.

  'What do you want?'

  'I am here in several capacities, sir. None of which pertain to any particular desires I might have, save that which is to execute my duty to the best of my ability.'

  'My brain hurts already. I do not need that kind of bullshit!'

  'I am sorry, sir. I do not want anything, I am doing my job.'

  'Thank you. Now, get out.'

  'I'm sorry, sir. I am not able to comply with that order.'

  'I suppose Kelvin has given you orders to stay here?'

  'No, sir. The former CEO has given me no specific orders in this regard. I am, however, following a general order of my position, which has not yet been specifically countermanded.'

  Grum paused. This was far too much to deal with. His head ached, and this immediate and present bastard was making it worse. Added to which he was sure he had just missed something important.

  'Can you get me something for the headache?'

  Mr Grey reached economically to his side and pressed a button. Seconds later a harassed-looking nurs
e poked her head through the curtain, and frowned first at Grum then at the other.

  'Awake is he?' she asked, directing her question to Mr Grey.

  'Yes, he bloody well is,' said Grum.

  'If you would fetch some analgesic medication, nurse?' said Mr Grey, stoically ignoring Grum's outburst.

  'Yes. Sure. Fine. It's not like we've got enough to do.'

  She ducked back out again and returned a few seconds later with a couple of pills in a little paper pot. She popped the pot beside the bed and, with a significant glare at each of the men, left the room.

  'I believe you should take the medication immediately, sir. I shall pour you a measure of water from the jug.'

  'Thanks.'

  Grum slowly sat up, trying to keep the top of his head from exploding by sheer will power. He took the pot with the pills and the small beaker of water.

  The drugs didn't work. Not immediately in any case, but a measure of a placebo effect kicked in enough that Grum remembered the thing that had been said.

  'Former CEO?'

  'Yes, sir. I am sorry to tell you that Mr Goldstein was among those missing-presumed-killed in the accident.'

  Grum closed his eyes in remembrance, replaying that scene of the man and the little girl.

  'How many others?'

  'I believe the casualties are currently twenty one fatalities. Three hundred and nine have varying degrees of non-fatal injury.'

  'Any children?'

  'Yes, sir. Several of the tour group, both children and teachers, were among the casualties.'

  'We'll have to do what we can for them. It's our fault.'

  'It might not be wise to admit that openly, sir.'

  'Fuck that! We screwed up and we're going to pay! Whoever the new CEO is is going to have that on his conscience, even if I have to stand there and repeatedly stamp it into his head. Who is it, by the way?'

  'I cannot say, sir.'

  'Don't know?'

  'Sir, it is not my place as the CEO's bodyguard to divulge such information, directly, sir.'

  Grum blinked. 'If I ask you a single question which does not directly pertain to the identity of the new CEO, but rather to the status of your employment, would you be able to answer me?'

  'Certainly, sir. In those circumstances.'

  Grum took a deep breath. 'Are you my bodyguard?'

  'Yes, sir.'

  Grum took in a long breath and blew it out again, a bit raggedly as the pain in his ribs caught him. Well, I did ask. 'Tell me about my wife and son.'

  'They are both well, sir. The little boy took no more than a surprise, though I believe your wife had a mild abrasion from being thrown into a desk, sir.'

  'Is that it? There's that to be grateful for, at least!'

  'Yes, sir. Both the crèche and the Space Division offices are quite far from the central area where the majority of the damage was contained.'

  'Thank you. Mr Grey. If you could now please go. I wish to be alone, right now.'

  'As you wish, sir. I shall not be far.'

  Grum was just getting over the visit from Mr Grey and the unexpected news when there was a knock at his door, followed by it opening and a hand appearing, waggling a familiar mug.

  Even in the hospital, for crying out loud, thought Grum. 'Come in, but I have no coffee machine.'

  The hand disappeared. There was a rattle and a chink sound of two brittle materials coming into contact, then the hand appeared again, this time waggling a half-full coffee pot.

  That tickled Grum, and he chuckled, painfully. 'Oh, don't. Please stop, it hurts.'

  'Sorry mate.' The pot disappeared. But Stew did not immediately appear. Instead there was a repetition of the rattle and adjustment sounds, then… Legs. And wheels. Stew wheeled himself into the room and laboured to turn the chair. 'I have no idea how these things work. I mean. I do. It's moments and vectors, applied pressure and forces exerted, but…'

  'I get it, mate. No rush. I'm not going anywhere for the minute.'

  'So I see. How're doing?'

  'Oh, splendidly. Never better.'

  'Don't start.'

  'I'm OK. I am H-A-P-P-Y. It only hurts when I laugh.'

  'Now you're reaching. I think I only remember seeing a couple of those waaaay back.'

  'Best I could do in the circumstances.'

  'The families are on their way in. Everyone OK apart from bumps and bruises.'

  So, Mr Grey wasn't lying to me, then. That's good news. 'Thank you. Do you know when?'

  'Well, the nurse let me know, and I said I'd tell you. It's taken me about fifteen minutes to get out of bed and down the hall, so probably any minute now.'

  'Great.' Grum wanted to tell Stew about Mr Grey's visit, and the short time-frame would cut questions down to a minimum. 'You remember the guy I told you about who was Kelvin's personal assistant?'

  'That creepy guy who was in your disciplinary, and came to collect you when you went to see Kelvin that first time? Yes. Er, Mr Grey, wasn't it?'

  'That's the badger. I had a visit from him not long ago, so I knew about Vann and Ju.'

  'Oh, I see. Why was he visiting you?'

  'Because among other things, he is also the personal bodyguard of the CEO of USSMC.'

  'So Kelvin sent him?'

  'No. Kelvin is missing presumed dead.'

  'Then why… Oh. Really?'

  'Apparently so. Although his word hardly constitutes official notice, but it was non-trivial to get the information. I had to logic my way round him.'

  'Very difficult for you to do, I know.'

  'Sod off. Anyway. I just wanted to let you know before the families get here, which…' Grum could hear familiar high-pitched voices coming down the hall. '…they apparently are.'

  'Good timing.'

  'Thanks.'

  There was unbridled joy in the room shortly after. Everyone was safe, as well as could be expected, and confirming the knowledge with their own eyes.

  Chapter 16

  THE next morning Hank called. Vann had told Grum that Hank was was of the few who had been still with it enough to keep the company going after the disaster.

  'Hey, boss,' said Hank in apparent good humour, though to Grum's ear it sounded like it might be a little forced.

  'Oh, you've heard have you?'

  'It's partly my fault, partly Kelvin's. As the current Acting-Acting-Chair for the Board of Directors and Chief Everything Officer, it was my duty to tell the board of the recommendation which Kelvin had left in case he was unable to perform his duties. A recommendation, I heartily agree with and endorsed for the board. I don't think anyone was in the mood to argue over-much.'

  'Gee, thanks, Hank.'

  'Hey, look, man, it was you or me. And I like me.'

  Grum laughed and regretted it. 'Ouch,' he said, responding to both Hank's words and the pain from laughing.

  'Just you get better, and then you can come back and take over from me. I'll hold down the fort until, then.'

  'How bad is it?'

  'We lost a few.' Hank sobered, instantly. 'We lost more visitors. Including children. Quite a few more are badly hurt.'

  'I gave Mr Grey orders regarding my wishes on that front.'

  'And he passed them along. We'll be doing that, at least. Don't you doubt.'

  Grum had one more unexpected visitor. A USAF Major arrived one afternoon, and Grum was quite proud of himself for recognising immediately what the gold oak leaf meant.

  The Major came in, sat down, took off his hat and stuck it under one arm, all before speaking.

  'Good afternoon, Dr Hewson. I would like to talk with you, if you have the time.'

  That threw him for a second… no-one had called him doctor in ages. Since… Well, probably since before MITAMP. He had taken to using Mr Hewson PhD. 'And what does the air-force want with me, Major…?'

  'Brown, Dr Hewson. We would like you to tell us where Kelvin Goldstein is.'

  Well, that's straight to the point. 'As far as I know, Major, Kelvin
Goldstein is missing, pres-'

  'Yes, Dr Hewson. We know the official status. But what we would like you to tell us, now, is where he is.'

  'I'm sorry. I don't understand. Do you think that I know where the body is?'

  'No, Dr Hewson,' the Major continued in a patient near-monotone. 'We do not think there is a body to find. We think you know where he has gone.'

  'Look, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I don't know anything. Until you suggested it, I did not even consider that he might still be alive. To me "missing, presumed dead" in these circumstances, simply means "dead, but we can't find the body under all this rubble".'

  'You know that we have taken a close look at your company, Dr Hewson?'

  I'm pretty sure that you had influence over – and information from – several of the board members, yes, thought Grum. 'How so, and for what purpose?'

  'We… Had concerns over the use to which you would put such munitions as you were developing in Nevada, especially when you started developing possible small-arms sizes.'

  'You what?'

  'Certainly. And capable of producing millions of them per month. That's a lot of weaponry.'

  'It's lot of batteries!'

  'That's what we wanted to find out.'

  'Not too bright, you lot, are you?'

  'We have some exceptional scientists and engineers.'

  Grum snorted, and winced. 'Then they need to do a refresher course in matter-antimatter annihilation physics.' Grum paused for a moment, analysing the words. 'But you did not say that any of your exceptional scientists and engineers had anything to do with your investigation, did you? You just said that you had some. That's not the same thing. In fact, I suspect that whichever idiotic informant you had, told you some cock-and-bull story about bombs, and millions of bullets, and you lapped it up. You may even have gone to your exceptional people, and they probably told you just how idiotic the idea was, but you lot would not listen, would you?'

  'Oh, we listened, Dr Hewson. And then your sub-basement exploded.'

  'And you, because you understand exactly jack about physics or engineering, think it was because we were unsafely storing antimatter weaponry. down there.'