A Covenant with Death: The Peacock Trilogy - Book 3 (10 page)

Chapter 14

With her main team busy securing the Global Realm test procedures, Connor traveled in the company of security guards that usually protected the Western Regional Governor. Four sturdy hulks accompanied her and George. They boarded a hovercraft and traveled the 12 miles from the Global Space and Exploration Center to Entertainment Center CA-19. Located closer to the old City of Palmdale, the Entertainment Center sat where the San Gabriel Mountains shielded it from the Pacific Ocean.

Parts of the Los Angeles and San Francisco locations had to be relocated east because of seismic activity, and none too soon. Only three years earlier, a massive earthquake destroyed the Bay Area and flooded the Napa Valley.

CA-19 took up an area of thirty-six square miles. Over 30,000 workers lived permanently in the Center. From the air, the mountains, the valley, and the lights of the Center appeared like a painting by Emo Co, one of the artists who decorated the London Complex.

The hovercraft landed on a pad outside the back entrance. If a guest developed a serious medical condition requiring a major procedure, they were medevac’d out. Everyone else checked in and out at the main gate.

“Right this way.” A lady in her late forties led Connor and her team into the back of the Center and down a hall to the administrative quarter. “Please change into Center attire. You can’t grasp the scope of our capabilities walking through in an official capacity. If you really want to understand what happens here, come as a guest.” She waved her arm. “Vargas, escort the lady. Have your female staffers accompany the men. How long do you need?”

“Why am I accompanied by a man?”

The lady’s head tilted and she scoffed. “You want the real feel. Men’s eyes will be on you 24/7.”

“How long is a complete tour?”

“Three hours to see everything, but no time to taste the life.”

“I don’t need to taste
the life.
My life is full. But I’ll need more time. I’m going to interview people at random.”

“As you wish.” The lady extended her hand. “My name is Jessica Sparks. I’m the Center’s Chief Administrator. Here is a schedule of today’s events.”

Connor perused the sheet. A Global circus troop performed three shows daily. Two magicians held live performances in a ballroom called, “Now You See It. Now You Don’t.” An orchestra would perform an all Bach program that evening in the CA-19 Concert Hall.

“What is The Global Field Football League?” Connor asked, not familiar with team sports.

“Field football is a sport formerly known as soccer. The Realm developed twelve six-team leagues, one league for every Region. At the end of the season, there will be playoffs between the winning teams in each region until we have a Global winner. The Rio Complex plays our team at four p.m. Care to watch?”

Intrigued as Connor was, her interest lay in the process. How were people screened for admission and exit, as well as, the seamy side of life within the Center? “Where do I change?”

“Right this way.” She pointed down a hallway. “Mr. Vargas, please accompany her to the dressing rooms.”

#

“You’re sure these pictures were taken recently?”

“Yes, First Citizen.”

“And you can’t blow them up any larger?”

“Not without distorting them.” The man talking pointed to Peacock’s finger. It may be nothing, but she’s wearing a hotel uniform with a label on it. Her finger seems to be pointing at the label. “The label is solid red, as was the old Dubai Emirates flag. Mr. Van Meer believes she is being held near or in the Dubai Complex.”

Pendleton’s hands trembled. His Lovey looked ghastly, and not from poor photography. The woman in these pictures had endured unimagined suffering. He read the note accompanying the photo. In it, Ammad gloated over his accomplishment in capturing Peacock. He threatened Pendleton not to try to rescue her. But assured him she would be released after a fair vote of the people. He called her his trump card.

Pure bullshit!

“Give Hans my best wishes on his test performance,” he said. “And, thank him for the heads up. We can do nothing until the tests are taken and the election is over.”

Once Pendleton was alone, he made a call. “The First Citizen for Pope Peter. Please let him know I’m on the line.”

#

Dressed in civilian clothes that showed off her figure, Connor left her dressing room and motioned to Vargas who would conduct her tour. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“I tested top in my division.” Vargas strolled at leisure toward the main entrance. “I play the trumpet in the symphony orchestra and assist Jessica as a tour guide.”

Connor’s brother and two of the security people had headed in a different direction. She and two others followed Vargas. Center security personnel armed with stun guns were posted at every aisle and intersection. Connor mused that she could kick their asses, stun guns or not.

“Have you worked at other Entertainment centers?” she asked her guide.

“Four in all,” he said. “This one is the crown jewel.”

“Why so?”

“Offerings—we have more venues for human outlets than most other centers.”

Connor leaned against a pillar and observed the entry procedures. Scanning devises found any item, no matter how small, that a person forgot to check in with security. A piece of chewing gum would not go unnoticed. Satisfied no weapons could be brought in other than those possessed by Center security, she followed Vargas on to the checkout area.

As they ambled long like tourists, her mouth jarred open. The ceilings within the Center glimmered from the beams of light reflexing on their gold plating. The sound of laughter, music, and a din of human noise overwhelmed her mind. She thought she caught a glimpse of her brother ascending a staircase toward the magicians’ venue and wondered whether this might be too much for him, bachelor as he was.

Alcohol, she thought. I smell alcohol.

She and Vargas passed under a large pink sign pointing to the exit. In front of her an area opened up with several lines of people weaving their way toward medical personnel. “My God, this looks like the emergency room of a hospital.”

“Good observation. No one leaves CA-19 until they pass the medical checkout.” He grinned. “These facilities have virtually eliminated a multiple number of infections and sexually transmitted diseases. Plus, the Realm receives an emotionally well-adjusted individual back into society ready to work.”

Hum. Her definition of emotionally well-adjusted differed from his. Why would a happy citizen come to a place like this?

Most people exiting passed their tests and left. A few were pulled aside and required to wait before being released. Connor approached a woman sitting alone in a holding area and sat down next to her. “Hi, this is my first time here. How about you?”

The woman, mid-thirties, slender, with a pleasant face, glanced up. “I come here on my time off. I’m not married and it’s dull at home.”

“What do you recommend I see, while I’m here?”

The woman lowered her glasses.

“Why did you come?”

“Curiosity.”

“They have everything. I see you have an event calendar. Try it all.” She looked at Connor’s hand. “Nice ring. Open marriage?”

“My husband’s on an assignment.”

“The Center has anything you desire sexually. Follow the purple signs to Club Fantasy. But don’t drink too much. Dulls the senses.”

“Describe everything.”

The woman laughed. “Are you serious? If you can think of it, it can be arranged. Let your imagination roll.” She touched Connor’s leg. “The personnel here
know
how to please you, if you get my meaning.”

“Thanks,” she said, and moved on following Vargas.

“Make Club Fantasy your last stop. See the more sophisticated sights first. Mary, whom you just spoke with, is a regular. She’s a biochemist. She obtains an escort from the Club, attends the attractions, gets laid, and leaves.”

“What did she mean everything?”

Vargas pointed to a petite woman dressed in a tight fitting outfit. She looked like a fifteen-year old, freckled, blue-eyed, and an innocent smile. “She comes here once a month for the sole purpose of having sex with as many men as time allows. She’s a computer logistics operator, a tense job. Here, she lives out her fantasy. If you’re bent toward women, we have alternate preferences too.”

Working with men all her life, nothing shocked Connor. She pointed to the computer logistic operator. “I suppose she gets to look at their genitals first.”

“No need. Job requirements are sufficient.”

Good God.

After two hours of observing the games, entertainment, restaurants and bars, Connor followed Vargas to Club Fantasy. She was greeted at the entrance by four gorgeous examples of male and female humans. Wearing see-through casual attire, the male on call stepped forward. “Welcome to Club Fantasy, beautiful one. Where did you find her, Vargas? And why have I not seen her here before?”

“Be careful where you put your hand.” She flashed her I.D. card, and the young man turned pale and jumped back.

“I apologize.”

“Don’t. I’d like to speak to you privately.” She turned to a tiny, delicate blonde trying to tiptoe away, and said, “I’ll be interviewing you too, after Romeo and I are done talking.”

Vargas hustled Connor and the young man into one of the private suites down a red hall with psychedelic lights flashing. Once in the room, Connor pointed to a chair. “Have a seat. I don’t bite.”

“You could,” he said, “if you’re gentle.”

“I’m here on realm business.” She pulled a robe off the massive white bed and tossed it at him. “Put this on. You’ll be more comfortable.”

“You’ll be more comfortable. I’m perfectly fine.” He complied. The moment he did he appeared like a sheepish schoolboy caught kissing a girl in the hall.

“What would you like to know?” he asked.

“Tell me about yourself. Where you’re from, and how did you start working in the sex profession.”

“My name’s Hal Perkins from the Tulsa Complex.” He grinned and folded his hands with a relaxing motion. “As a teen, I planned to be a molecular scientist. But I had a hard time with solid geometry. I was the guy who cracked-up my friends with jokes and comic routines. So I switched to the entertainment core studies and flew up the scale.”

“What are your duties here?” Connor asked.

Hal looked away. “I wish you were a client. I would feel more natural talking about this.”

“Like I said, I’m here on realm business and I don’t bite.”

“Twice a week I perform with the main vocal attractions at the Melody Auditorium as a backup singer. Here, with my equipment, the ladies flock to me as an escort.” He laughed. “My ego couldn’t be healthier. All in all, I’m having a ball working here. One day I hope to become a headliner and take a starring role. But I’ll never stop working with the ladies.”

“Do you believe in God?”

He cocked his head. “The State has no business knowing my personal beliefs.”

“I’m curious.”

He moistened his lips. “God created and moved on. Whatever He or She is has nothing to do with how I live my life. I’m composed of matter and an unseen force. I’ll live again somewhere at some other time. That’s what I believe. I won’t change my opinion.”

“So having sex with anyone assigned gives you no cause for shame?”

“Shame? Why? I have fun. They have fun. No one gets hurt. It’s a perfect world.”

“What kind of Global testing did you have for this job?”

“For the Entertainment Career Module, business management, finance, organizational development, and human resources and human behavioral psychology. The musical in-house performances are by audition.” He grinned. “For health purposes, everyone here is screened weekly for STD’s. But with today’s medical advances, there hasn’t been a case in this center in the past six years.”

After nearly an hour with Hal Perkins, Connor released him back to his supervisor and brought in the tiny blonde, who had Aphrodite radiance beaming around her.

“How old are you?” Connor asked.

“Twenty-three,” the girl replied and slid on to the edge of the bed. At least she’d put a robe on to hide her nudity.

“And your name.”

“Lexi Lee.”

“Global Realm name.”

“Lexi Lee. It’s the only name I got.”

Another “Hmm” escaped her mouth. Lexi’s use of the verb
got
said her test scores would be low. “How long have you been here at CA-19?”

“Since the day I turned sixteen.”

Connor’s head jolted back. Then she remembered the realm’s legal age of consent was sixteen. “What Educational Core did you take?”

Lexi looked down at the floor. “I only passed Elementary Basics.”

My God, that was the beginning level children age five took to establish a baseline. “And after that.”

“Ma’am, I have an IQ of 74. I cleaned rooms.” She grinned. “I test each year. I hope the stuff I learn here will help me learn to cook.”