The Variables by Shelbi Wescott Read Free Book Online

forward. “How many people fit the profile?”
    “Roughly one hundred people from every System.”
    “Six hundred people total?” Victor clarified. “And what is their sin? Disagreeing with you?”
    Huck smiled, and tilted his head, every bit the picture of patronization. “Hardly. This is about the greater good.”  
    Victor shrugged. “If the list is supplied with intelligence on their crimes...if we feel these people are a threat to the Islands...”
    “You can’t be serious,” Shay snapped.
    “...we would support Huck’s decision,” Victor finished. “As a voice of my people, I would have to agree...there are people here, in the EUS One, who are problematic to our way of life. Variables, or whatever you would like to call them.”
    “Shall we vote?” Huck asked.
    “This is a sham,” Mueez shouted at his screen. “We will not take the lives of the people we have offered sanctuary. We won’t. Every life here has value, more value than before.”
    “You will follow my lead,” Huck said with deliberate calm.
    “We oppose this new direction. Our disagreement is final.” Mueez lifted his chin in defiance.
    Huck knocked on the boardroom table. “Claude?” Claude looked up and raised his eyebrows. “Make the call to our central command on the Islands, please.”
    “You sure, sir? You don’t want to give them another chance to change their minds?”
    “Make the call,” Huck repeated.
    Claude stood up and left the room again, the door shutting behind him.
    “If you do not abide by the rules, then you do not get to benefit from our protection,” Huck said to the men. “I’m sorry, dear friends. But you leave me with no other choice than to show you what your world would look like without my backing.”
    Before the men could reply, their screens went dark.
    Kazuma nudged Yuri again. Roman sighed. Morowa looked down, pained, but silent.
    “You cut them off,” Victor stated and shook his head. “For how long?”
    “Claude can remotely turn back on their solar power in a few days...when the oxygen depletes enough to make them feel like they are near death.” Someone muttered, and Huck’s eyes flashed. “You are guests in my houses,” he seethed between clenched teeth. “These buildings do not belong to you. Whether your hands toiled to make them or your money went to build them...you are in my home. And only through the grace of me will you continue onward to reside in my mansions .”
    No one dared to comment.
    Huck rose. “Meeting adjourned.” And Gordy swiftly ended the video conference; each screen fading away, leaving only the blank, glassy monitor in front of him, reflecting Scott’s tired, sallow cheeks.
    “Father,” Gordy said as they moved past the side of the table. “Be careful...these men are your alliances in Systems out of reach. They could defect before we would have a chance to respond...if you want to keep the men in line, make them comfortable , not fearful.”
    “Don’t be stupid, Gordy,” Huck replied.
    Claude reentered the room and he paused when he saw the chat had been discontinued. “How long do you want me to keep them in the dark?” he asked Huck. “I have good men there and I’d prefer not to push it.”
    “You will turn back on their power when I say for you to turn back on their power. And we will keep them in the dark as long as it takes,” was Huck’s reply. He started to shuffle out the door, his son on his heels. Blair grimaced and marched out after her dad, calling after him. Huck paused and looked at her with twitchy eyes and an annoyed expression. “Be quick, Blair.”
    “You promised you’d discuss what we talked about,” Blair said, tapping her high-heeled foot for emphasis. “Today, Dad. You promised. Talk to him about the boy. Please?” She shot a brazen look to Scott and lifted her chin, and then when her father didn’t reply, she looked to him, eyes flashing, begging.
    Huck ran his fingers over his head and mumbled under his