Read Online Higher Ground by Becky Black - Free Book Online Page B

day he arrived.”
    “I have the data right here,” Zach snapped, waving his Link. “Dr. Phillips, you must look at the results. You’ll see I’m right.”
    “I’ve been studying this planet’s geology since before you were born, young man.”
    Zach raked a hand through his hair. What the hell did Phillips think that proved? “Of…of course, sir,” he managed diplomatically. “But you must listen to me.”
    “Benesh,” Morrison snapped. “Calm down. Give me the data.” He gestured at the Link, and Zach at once sent the data into the conference room’s computer system. His numbers began to show up on screen. He took a breath to steady himself.
    “I’ve been investigating the earthquake that happened a few months ago,” Zach explained. “Just for personal interest. I believe that event created a new fault line, and the pressures have built to breaking point.”
    Morrison turned from the results scrolling up on screen. Results he probably couldn’t understand, since he was a climatologist, not a geologist.
    “Dr. Benesh, I appreciate you’re excited and alarmed by your results, but I suggest you go back to your lab while we examine the data ourselves.”
    “There’s no time. I’ve run multiple scans and analyzed the results multiple ways; there’s simply no doubt.”
    “But you haven’t had a colleague review the results yet.”
    “I’ve tried! I’ve asked all of them, including Professor Phillips, but everyone is too busy with their damn quarterly reports!” His voice rose, and he took a breath, trying to regain control. “But it doesn’t matter anymore. The results are definitely correct.” This caused another stir around the table. Someone muttered the words “arrogant young pup,” and others murmured in agreement. They had a point. The ink had barely dried yet on Zach’s doctorate. Phillips had been studying the island while Zach was in diapers. Still, it didn’t matter. He knew the results were right. Every way he ran the analysis, it came out the same.
    “The results are correct,” he repeated. “We have to go to the colony council.”
    The Institute might be the local arm of the all-powerful Terraforming Authority, but the colony’s elected council ran everything else. And there was one thing in particular Zach needed them to do.
    “They have to order an evacuation of the island.”
    This time, Morrison had to shout to make himself heard over the reaction. “Dr. Benesh, that’s quite enough. We will look at your results and decide if we need to alert the council. In the meantime, go back to your lab. Now.”
    Zach glanced at Phillips, who was sitting reading the data, the only one in the room not protesting. He could see it, couldn’t he? See what it meant. He should back Zach up. Instead, he looked up and nodded in confirmation of what Morrison had said.
    “Go back to your lab, Benesh. Finish your quarterly report.”
    The chill in his tone implied Zach might not be able to call it his lab much longer, but this implied threat had no effect. In a few days, nobody here would have a lab or an office either. He wanted to tell Phillips to stick his quarterly reports where the sun never shone but managed to at least keep from doing that. Without another word, he spun and ran from the building.
    He found his bike still lying on the ground where he’d left it. If he wanted to keep his job, he would go back to the Physical Sciences building as ordered and wait for his respected superiors—he snorted—to check the data. But he feared he already knew what would happen. They’d argue about the results and decide they needed to run more tests. Zach couldn’t wait around for that, whatever it meant for his job. His job had ceased to have any meaning the moment the full implications of the results became clear to him.
    Zach rode off.
    He didn’t go back to his lab.
    * * * *
    Adam saw him. He’d come out to the test fields to check the growth of a batch of plants and saw Zach