statutes may seem clear to you, but once you’ve worked with them for awhile, you begin to see flexibility in the wording.”
The councillor frowned and shook his head. “The wording is as unambiguous as it can get. There is no room for personal interpretation. You know the Organization forbids it.”
“The statutes would be fine if all of the targets were robots, or computers, but we’re dealing with people here.”
The councillor balled his hands into fists and scowled. “The others don’t have any problem following them.”
Thibideaux took a step forward. His voice climbed up in tone to match his volume. “Compare my success rate to the others. Don’t you suppose there’s a reason? Working in the country isn’t like working in the cities. If you want success out here, then stand back and let me work.”
The councillor held his ground. “I can’t.”
Thibideaux laughed. “Why not?”
“The provosts have given an ultimatum this time. Your entire career will now balance on this one job. You’ll stand review when you’re finished here. I’m instructed to maintain an active oversight of your activities throughout this job.”
“I don’t want anyone looking over my shoulder. I refuse.”
“You can’t refuse.”
Thibideaux looked at the floor and sighed. “Be a nice little boy and stay out of my way. If I’m to stand review at the end of the job, then there’s no need for you to keep watch. I’ll pass or fail on my own performance.”
The councillor folded the paper and shook his head. “I can’t.”
“Why not? Why are you being such a pain in the ass?”
“There’s a second part to the memo.” The councillor’s shoulders slumped. “If you don’t pass the review, you aren’t the only one to go.”
“Heads will roll, huh?”
“No, not heads. Just mine. My future with the Organization is dependent on your performance, too.”
Thibideaux smiled. “And what did you do to deserve this assignment? Have you been a bad little boy, too?”
“You just don’t get it, do you? I’m in this situation because I defended you. Time and again. Without me you would’ve stood review long before now. Because of you, this is my last chance.”
“So, you want me to kiss you or something?”
“No. Just try to think of the rules this time. All of them—as they are written. We’re in this one together.”
Thibideaux turned on his heels and walked over to the fireplace. He poked at the cold ashes with a stick. “You said you’d be brief. You’ve had your say. Now leave. I have work to do. And try to stay out of my way. If I’m going to be successful in this assignment,
I’ll need a free hand.”
The councillor shook his head and started to say something, but Thibideaux interrupted. “Leave! Now!”
Thibideaux turned his back. When he turned around, the councillor was gone. He spoke to the chair. “He’ll be thanking me on this one. We’ll make the target. And we’ve got a good secondary in the works as well, don’t we? Just like the last time we were here. But we won’t let the secondary get away this time, will we?”
CHAPTER
16
J OHN J OHNSON H ATED funerals for the same reason everyone else in the Tri-counties was drawn to them. Everyone wanted to find out what “really happened.” That was his job. Besides, he didn’t like being around the locals when they were in the frenzy of inquiry. In this case, the funeral turnout was unusually large since two families were being eulogized together and the buzz of inquisitiveness was hive-deafening due to the nature of the passings.
John looked up at the sky. The weather was beautiful. It remained that way for both the church and cemetery portions of the service, but it suddenly turned nasty when Press’ party broke for the Herndon’s Edge.
John and Billy rushed in the front door of the Edge as the first raindrops fell. John watched a puddle enlarge in the entryway of the café as the rest of the group filed in. The
The councillor frowned and shook his head. “The wording is as unambiguous as it can get. There is no room for personal interpretation. You know the Organization forbids it.”
“The statutes would be fine if all of the targets were robots, or computers, but we’re dealing with people here.”
The councillor balled his hands into fists and scowled. “The others don’t have any problem following them.”
Thibideaux took a step forward. His voice climbed up in tone to match his volume. “Compare my success rate to the others. Don’t you suppose there’s a reason? Working in the country isn’t like working in the cities. If you want success out here, then stand back and let me work.”
The councillor held his ground. “I can’t.”
Thibideaux laughed. “Why not?”
“The provosts have given an ultimatum this time. Your entire career will now balance on this one job. You’ll stand review when you’re finished here. I’m instructed to maintain an active oversight of your activities throughout this job.”
“I don’t want anyone looking over my shoulder. I refuse.”
“You can’t refuse.”
Thibideaux looked at the floor and sighed. “Be a nice little boy and stay out of my way. If I’m to stand review at the end of the job, then there’s no need for you to keep watch. I’ll pass or fail on my own performance.”
The councillor folded the paper and shook his head. “I can’t.”
“Why not? Why are you being such a pain in the ass?”
“There’s a second part to the memo.” The councillor’s shoulders slumped. “If you don’t pass the review, you aren’t the only one to go.”
“Heads will roll, huh?”
“No, not heads. Just mine. My future with the Organization is dependent on your performance, too.”
Thibideaux smiled. “And what did you do to deserve this assignment? Have you been a bad little boy, too?”
“You just don’t get it, do you? I’m in this situation because I defended you. Time and again. Without me you would’ve stood review long before now. Because of you, this is my last chance.”
“So, you want me to kiss you or something?”
“No. Just try to think of the rules this time. All of them—as they are written. We’re in this one together.”
Thibideaux turned on his heels and walked over to the fireplace. He poked at the cold ashes with a stick. “You said you’d be brief. You’ve had your say. Now leave. I have work to do. And try to stay out of my way. If I’m going to be successful in this assignment,
I’ll need a free hand.”
The councillor shook his head and started to say something, but Thibideaux interrupted. “Leave! Now!”
Thibideaux turned his back. When he turned around, the councillor was gone. He spoke to the chair. “He’ll be thanking me on this one. We’ll make the target. And we’ve got a good secondary in the works as well, don’t we? Just like the last time we were here. But we won’t let the secondary get away this time, will we?”
CHAPTER
16
J OHN J OHNSON H ATED funerals for the same reason everyone else in the Tri-counties was drawn to them. Everyone wanted to find out what “really happened.” That was his job. Besides, he didn’t like being around the locals when they were in the frenzy of inquiry. In this case, the funeral turnout was unusually large since two families were being eulogized together and the buzz of inquisitiveness was hive-deafening due to the nature of the passings.
John looked up at the sky. The weather was beautiful. It remained that way for both the church and cemetery portions of the service, but it suddenly turned nasty when Press’ party broke for the Herndon’s Edge.
John and Billy rushed in the front door of the Edge as the first raindrops fell. John watched a puddle enlarge in the entryway of the café as the rest of the group filed in. The
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