Anomaly (30 page)
The remaining Scientists enter and seat themselves at the round table, all looking expectantly at the wall screen.
“Was all this really necessary?” Dr. Turner says. “My father would have gone gladly. As would the young woman.”
“But we needed Berk and Rhen to go as well. I have been talking to Berk about the possibility of living above for a few weeks, showing him some of the technologies we have been preparing for that,” Dr. Loudin replies.
“Which is how he knew about the suits,” Dr. Grenz says.
“Exactly.” Dr. Loudin’s eyes never leave the screen. “And the food and the transport and the map.”
“They have everything they need?” Dr. Grenz asks.
“Of course. I made sure of it. It was quite a brilliant plan, if I do say so myself. I have watched these two since they were young. I knew there were feelings even then. I had gotten several calls from the Monitors about Thalli, but I kept waiting for the right moment. The Bach piece confirmed my suspicions in a way even I had not expected.”
“And the surgery?” Dr. Grenz asks. “Was it really unsuccessful?”
“Of course not.” Dr. Loudin laughs. “But I needed to see where, exactly, their loyalties lie. I was fairly confident in the young woman’s rebelliousness. But I still wasn’t sure about the young man.”
“Ah.” Dr. Grenz smiles. “So you observed their interactions while she was in Pod C.”
“I observed everything.”
“And the other young woman?”
“Rhen?” Dr. Loudin folds his hands, finally looking away from the screen. “I knew of her illness and I waited with her as well. She is quite brilliant. If this group is to survive, I knew they would need her logic.”
“Very true.” Dr. Williams nods. “With any luck, at least one of this group will survive and find one of the pockets of survivors that remain in North America.”
“I still doubt that the other Scientists made it that far.” Dr. Grenz follows the orange dots with his eyes. “It was over thirty-five years ago, Loudin. They had a crude map and barely enough food. The nearest pocket of survivors is nine hundred miles away.”
“And we don’t know what shape those survivors are in,” Dr. Williams says. “They could have been contaminated.”
“We have discussed this already.” Dr. Loudin slams his hands on the desk. “The State will not survive more than another five years if we do not solve these problems. With Dr. Spires gone, we are shorthanded. And five of our best Scientists are out there.”
“Perhaps they are out there.” Dr. Turner leans forward. “But they chose to leave. They objected to the decisions we were making. They were undermining our authority. Even if they are alive, do we really want them back here?”
“If they are alive”—Dr. Loudin faces Dr. Turner—“they will have been living away from technology and intelligence and innovation for over thirty-five years. They will welcome a return to civilization.”
“So it all rests on these four.” Dr. Williams points to the orange dots, moving farther away from the State. “Don’t you think one of us should have gone?”
Dr. Loudin growls. “Of course not. You know we are all needed here. But I trained Berk personally. And I have been in Thalli’s and Rhen’s brains. If anyone can find our colleagues, it is these three.”
“And if they do?” Dr. Turner asks.
“
When
they do.” Dr. Loudin looks at Dr. Williams.
“Our transports will be ready.”
“And so will we.” Dr. Loudin leans back. “Our lost Scientists will help us get the State functioning at its peak.”
“And the four?” Dr. Turner motions to the map.
“Will be annihilated.”
1. Do you think a worldwide nuclear war is possible? If so, who do you think would survive and what do you think the world would look like afterward?
2. The Scientists argue that the ultimate result of excessive emotion and freedom is conflict. Do you agree?
3. With which character do you most identify? Why?
4. Thalli “hears” God in the music she plays. Do you think music has the ability to communicate truths?
5. John says that God will always leave a remnant, no matter what people on earth try to do. Do you agree?
6. What about the State did you most dislike? What did you like?
7. Imagine you are one of The Ten right after the war occurred. What suggestions would you have made for this “new world”?
8. What do you think happens next? Will Thalli, Berk, Rhen, and John survive? Will they find the other colonies?
I
am incredibly grateful for the team at Thomas Nelson Fiction. They believed I could write this even before I did. I am humbled by your faith in me.
My amazing agent, Jenni Burke, helped me create and tweak the proposal that would outline this trilogy. Throughout the process, Amanda Bostic and Becky Monds were part sounding board, part cheerleader, and all friend as the manuscript went through several changes before I started writing and even more once I was finished. Julee Schwarzburg, as always, saw through my messes into the possibilities and helped me see those possibilities as well. Kristen Vasgaard created the fabulous cover. And Katie Bond, Ruthie Dean, and the whole marketing and sales teams worked so hard to make sure this story got into
the hands of readers all over the world. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Special thanks go to the Citrus Park Christian School class of 2015. This is an extraordinarily creative group of young men and women. I brainstormed with them several times, asking their opinions about the direction of my plot, asking their advice for what else I should add. Their ideas are all throughout this book and the next (and the next!). And all they got for it were just a few days of “rabbit trails” in English class.
I am grateful to Kathy Johnson for talking me through what it’s like to play the violin, to Leann Williams for making sure there wasn’t too much fiction in my science, to Amy Busti for reading the manuscript with a musician’s eye, and to Lauren Webb, proofreader extraordinaire.
My family, as always, is my greatest inspiration and they are my biggest fans. My husband, Dave, is one of the best men to ever walk the face of the earth. Our kids, Emma, Ellie, and Thomas, are the most wonderful gifts God has given us.
A huge thanks to you, my readers. Thank you for your e-mails of encouragement, for “liking” me and “following” me. I am so grateful for you.
But the reason that I write, that I live and breathe, is because of my wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has made each one of us beautiful anomalies. I pray that every person reading this knows how very special you are to the Designer, how unique and precious and valuable you are to him.
W
hen Krista McGee isn’t living in fictional worlds of her own creation, she lives in Tampa and spends her days as a wife, mom, teacher, and coffee snob. She is also the author of
First Date, Starring Me,
and
Right Where I Belong
.