Chapter 6: Who’s Number Two?

Chapter 6: Who’s Number Two?

“Can we just plug in a transportation order for Dawn and Jane to be shipped back here?”

Rene was asking Tom the next morning over coffee.

“Maybe, but I’m pretty sure there would be checks on any such order. If I issue it in the Bishop’s name, the transportation office may just check with her office. They get to be paranoid at times.”

“So we’ve got two people we want to rescue but don’t even know where they are?”

“Pretty much.”

Rene sipped the coffee, made a face at the taste, and continued. “So, who would know where this Saint Susan’s is?”

“Only a few.” He frowned then added, “Well, I guess more than a few. Transportation would have to know. The Bishop knows. Probably a few on her staff would know. Others must know. I mean, you can’t run a facility without supplies, electric power, personnel, etc.”

“So who would know and also be a person we could grab?”

“The Bishop herself is too well guarded, especially after what Jane pulled. Most of the transport department are male Guards, but someone high enough up on the chain of command would know.”

“Who is number two in the Bishop’s chain of command?” she asked.

Tom opened a laptop and began poking at the keys. A few moments later he came up with a flowchart showing personnel assignments. “Hmmm… I guess that would be Natasha Crosby. Kinda of a strange name.”

“We know anything about her?”

“Not really. Let me do a little browsing. It’s a lot nicer since Matt set up this data link to where we tapped into their comm. Personnel files… Management level… Ah, here it is. Not much. Natasha Crosby, age 33, unmarried, graduate of Hormel University, awarded Order of the Cross, Silver Star twice, and several commendations for excellent service. Here’s an interesting note: she served on the staff of Saint Dorina’s for three years. Expert pistol shot, qualified with the assault rifle and hand to hand combat. I’ll bet she’s one tough cookie.”

“Think we can take her?”

“Take who?” Matt had just come up and was pouring coffee into a cracked cup. “Who are we taking?” he repeated.

“Natasha Crosby,” said Tom with a grin.

“Who the hell is Natasha Crosby?” he asked as he poured sugar in.

Rene cut in with, “She’s Bishop Crofton’s right hand girl. We figure she should know where Saint Susan’s is. And we need to know that, if we’re going to try to save Dawn and Jane.”

Matt frowned. “Maybe we should think about this.” He sat down. “I would like to save them as much as any of you, but it might well be impossible. Perhaps we should be devoting our efforts to the original task: over throwing the Church and One World.”

His words were met with silence.

“Well, isn’t that what we started out to do?”

“Yeah, sure…” Tom did not sound too enthusiastic.

“We owe Dawn. And Jane helped get Dawn out of Dorina’s,” Rene added.

“Yeah, we owe her,” Matt agreed. “But what can we do? We are very few against a government that rules the world! Look at us! We’re hiding in the sewers and scared to even go out onto the streets. The Resistance is a farce.” He took in a deep breath and repeated, “What can we do?”

No one answered, until Rene spoke up. “You can sit here and feel sorry for yourself. I’m going to do something. Tom, get me all the information you can about that Natasha Crosby.” Then she turned back to Matt and told him firmly, “I am going to grab her and make her tell us where Dawn is.”

Matt stared at her determination for a while, and then sighed. “Okay, okay. So we grab the second in command of the Church in this city. That is really going to stir up a hornet’s nest of trouble.”

“Good. Let’s give them something to think about,” Rene stated.