Ruby stared at her hands. Geez, what have I done?

"Would you like to tell me about the situation or wait for George?" Mary questioned. "Your choice."

Ruby dropped her head in her hands. "Choices," she moaned. "It's all about choices, isn't it?"

"You might say that." Mary voice calm.

Ruby fished around in her cargo pants and pulled out a handkerchief. She mopped her face, blew her nose and then shoved the swatch back in her pocket. She raised her eyes to meet Mary's poised face, her own feeling blotchy. She took a deep breath and decided this had to be better than facing Mr. George. Deep breath. "Okay...I'll talk."

"Wise." Mary folded her hands in her lap. "Begin when you're ready."

"Well." Ruby rubbed her chin. "It was the last day of her orientation cla.s.s. I was off-duty and went to the library to check on the...on the...." Ruby squirmed.

"On the what, Ruby?"

Ruby coughed and rubbed her mouth, trying to m.u.f.fle her words. "White Sox." She dropped her head.

"Hmm. I see." Mary typed a quick note on her screen pad. "Continue, please."

Ruby's eyes fixated on Mary's clicking fingernails moving swiftly across the screen. "I'm cooked, aren't I?"

Mary shushed her. "Don't be silly. Go on."

Ruby gulped, her eyes frozen on the screen.

"Ru-u-u-by."

Ruby snapped back to attention. "Here's the thing Boss. Quinlan kinda snuck up on me and saw I was on the Earth homepage. She asked a bunch of questions." Ruby fidgeted. "I thought she was just curious...said something about recipes." Ruby scratched her head. "Or crossword puzzles."

Mary nodded, clicking another notation.

"So-o-o-o, I kinda, maybe, showed her how to use her CI card."

"And you explained the rules?"

"Uh-huh."

"All of them?"

Ruby nodded.

"You told her she needed clearance to access the Earth homepage," Mary said flatly.

"Yes ma'am. I did tell her that. Scouts honor." Ruby held up three fingers. "You know ma'am, Quinlan's tricky. Just the other day-"

"So, you granted the clearance." More clicks on the screen. "Thank you for your time, Ruby."

Ruby opened her mouth to say something else.

"That's all." Mary dismissed Ruby as if shooing a fly.

The finality of Mary's words. .h.i.t Ruby like a runner smacking into the catcher at home plate. She stood, shoulders sagging and proceeded to the door.

"Two o'clock," Mary reminded.

"I still have to meet with Mr. George?" Ruby turned her big brown puppy-dog eyes on Mary. "But I thought-"

"She's your a.s.signment, Ruby. You have to be here." Mary touched a b.u.t.ton and the desk screen switched to a silver and gold 3-D hologram, swirling around a pristine white background.

"Yes ma'am." Ruby dropped the blue gla.s.ses onto her nose and opened the door. "I'm cooked."

CHAPTER 18.

RUBY AND MARY.

She checked her watch...1:58. Ruby blew a Juicy Fruit bubble and knocked on the door.

"Come in," Mary said.

Ruby entered to find George, Albert, Maggie and Mary gathered around a small conference table. Panic struck. "Am I late?"

"No dear. You're right on time."

Mary's rea.s.suring smile did zilch for Ruby's nerves.

"Please...." Mary's arm waved to the empty chair between her and George. "Have a seat."

Eying the set-up, Ruby mentally cracked her knuckles, refrained from another Juicy Fruit moment and sat. She looked around the table and greeted the group. "Hey Mr. George, Al, Maggs, ma'am."

Each nodded at their name.

"I asked the others to come so we can gather all the facts," Mary explained. "I've relayed what you shared yesterday. I hope you don't mind."

Ruby dropped her eyes. "No ma'am." Good news: she didn't have to personally spill the beans about the breached protocol in front of Mr. George. Bad news: everyone knew she'd screwed up.

"Very well." Mary turned in her chair. "Albert? Would you care to start?"

Albert squirmed in his chair. "I did the Q & A after her arrival. It was a busy day." Albert paused to clear his throat. "I can't say I noticed much out of the ordinary."

"And since that time?" Mary asked.

"I've seen her a couple of times at the library." Albert crossed and uncrossed his arms.

"And was she on-line?" Mary asked.

"Yes ma'am," he said.

"Did you find that odd?"

Albert shrugged. "I figured she had clearance. I try to keep my nose to myself. I mean...mind my own nose. Business!" he spurt forth, tugging at his collar.

George smiled, as did Maggie.

"I see," said Mary. "Anything else?"

Albert's eyes searched the ceiling for answers. "No-o-o-o...oh, wait. I did hold the door for her one time. She had some really big books. I asked if she needed help. She said she could handle it."

"Thank you Albert." Mary nodded, signing Albert off.

"No problem." Albert sunk back in his seat and blew out relief.

"Maggie?" Mary asked. "You a.s.sisted Quinlan through the Veils of Self-Deception procedure?"

"I did." Maggie's English accent drifted through the room like piped-in Muzak.

"And how did that go?" Mary followed.

Maggie shot a brief glance between Ruby and Albert, then George and Mary. "Uh...she appeared rather nervous straight from the get-go. I talked to her a bit before the procedure. You know, to help her relax."

"Did that help?" Mary asked.

Click. Click-click-click. The noise sounded like tap shoes on a stage.

Maggie glanced down. The clicking stopped. She cleared her throat. "Not much."

"After orientation," Mary continued, "she was in your "Bigger Picture" cla.s.s?"

"That she was," Maggie said.

"And?" Mary asked.

Click-click. Click, click, click.

"What is that?" Maggie pushed her chair back to look under the table. Albert and Ruby followed.

The clicking stopped.

Maggie continued. "She seemed to have difficulty staying awake. I wonder if she might have trouble getting proper rest."

Attention shifted to Ruby.

"What?" Ruby tried deflecting the question with some squirming. It didn't work. She popped her gum. Oops. "Sorry."

"Does Quinlan have sleep issues?" Mary asked.

"No...I mean, I don't know. Should I? I just do what I'm told...well, most of the time. I have to keep up with her sleeping too?" Ruby's voice approached panic as she pulled out her psychedelic notebook to scribble a note.

"Calm down. As you know, we don't accuse or judge. We're merely trying to gather facts." Mary paused, Ruby inhaled. "Is there anything else that may be of importance to this matter?"

Once again, all eyes focused on the woman sporting blue-tinted sungla.s.ses.

"No ma'am." Ruby looked down and moved her gum to the other cheek. "I don't think so." She fiddled with the bottom edge of her work shirt. "We talk a couple of times a week, that's all."

"Cell phone?"

"Yeah, mostly." Ruby's eyes moved back to the table.

"And who initiates the calls?" Mary shifted in her chair.

"She does."

"Why does she call?"

"She has questions." Ruby hesitant, fearful something spilling from her mouth could get her in more trouble.

"Such as?" Mary asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Let me think." Ruby ran her fingers across her forehead. She scratched her nose. "Once she asked how we get back. You know...what's the procedure."

Click-click...click, click-click, click.

Mary and George exchanged glances.

Mary leaned forward. "To Earth?"

Ruby rubbed her palms down her pants. "Yes ma'am."

Click. Click-click-click.

Maggie threw her hands up. "What is that b.l.o.o.d.y noise?"

Mary wave-dismissed Maggie. "Workers downstairs. It's nothing." She turned back to Ruby. "Why do you suppose she asked that?"

"She said it was some extra credit for her major." Ruby nearly swallowed her Juicy Fruit, the lameness of Quinlan's excuse registering. Extra credit? Yeah, right.

"Quinlan's major, Where Do We Go From Here," Mary informed the others. "Correct?"

Click. Click. Click.

"Yes ma'am," Ruby answered.

"I see." Mary made a notation on her electronic notebook. "I think that's all. Albert and Ruby, thank you for your time." Mary smiled kindly at the two younger people. "You may go."