Harsh Lessons Chapter 27 The call tone woke Harmon from a deep sleep, and he rolled over to see Leeth watching him from a chair across the room, her knees tucked under her chin. A brief look at her face was enough to reveal her emotional state – simultaneously sated, pleased, angry, confused, and uncertain: in short, vulnerable.The insistent tone continued, and he angrily answered it. 'What?' Father's face appeared, looking annoyed. 'Please be in my office in five minutes, Doctor. And bring Leeth.''For what purpose?'Father's expression hardened. 'Five minutes.' The image died. Harmon drummed his fingers against the firm mattress, thinking. Father had been angry, at Harmon himself and at Leeth, and did not want to explain or give details. Which suggested he didn't want to allow preparation.Harmon rose, and as he did, a half-remembered image drew him back into the lounge. For long moments he stared across the room to where the chair leg stuck out into space, speared high in the wall above the sofa.Spinning around he stalked back into the bedroom. 'Come,' he snapped as he passed the girl in the chair, and proceeded to the bathroom. He just had time for his ablutions, he decided, eyeing his face in the mirror. Unshaven and pale. How long had it been since he'd seen real sunlight? Would he ever see it again?Leeth had not appeared. He scowled into his reflection. Stepping back to the bedroom he took control of her once more. «Leeth – Mode One.»'Come here,' he ordered, this time loud enough for microphones to overhear as he returned to the bathroom. Ten seconds later, while he shaved – he disdained depilatory creams – he saw her face appear in the doorway, and cast the Mindmeld.So. A hidden camera. In his own quarters. Probably related to Father's summons. A muscle ticked in his cheek. If he'd cast the spell last night instead of just Percepting her aura, he would have known, then. Though given the state of her emotions, perhaps it was just as well he'd not attempted it. But why hadn't the foolish girl told him, herself?As they walked the corridor together, Leeth following obediently behind, Harmon fumed but continued his sub-vocalized instructions. «You will speak only when spoken to. You will agree with any suggestion I make. You will not contradict anything I say. If asked what we were doing, you will merely explain you were being punished. That you deserved it. Understood?» Reading the futilely resisting acceptance in her mind, a brief smile touched his face.He had half-expected Father to make them wait, when they arrived, but the door whisked open while they were still meters away.Father spoke as they entered, staring coldly at them both. 'At 21:32 last night the audio monitors in the hallway outside your quarters registered a heavy impact on the inner walls, Doctor. This was the same time the emergency cam in your room went off-line. The cleaning bot this morning reports a broken chair and an anomaly in one wall.'Explain.'Harmon went straight to the attack. 'I was told, when my ward and I agreed to join this organization, that it was committed to the ideals of democracy and fairness embodied in the once-extant American Constitution. Was that a lie?'Father's eyes narrowed. 'No, Doctor.' For several seconds he was silent. 'How is this relevant?''Because at 9:30 last night, the "emergency" concealed spy camera in my private quarters was activated. A clear betrayal of trust. Is it the practice of the Department to spy on its own people in their private rooms? Because if it is, I dislike the implications. How can you hope to restore America if you resort to methods that betray the very soul of the thing you are trying to heal? What comes next? Secret police? Compulsory lie detector tests?'Father's eyes narrowed. 'The United States is not run like a mega-corporation, Doctor. The room monitors are only for emergency use, and require Eagle's special authorization. These are serious accusations. Can you back them up, or is this merely empty rhetoric to cover some fresh tantrum of Leeth's?' He looked at the girl, but she simply gazed back at him expressionlessly. He turned back to Harmon.'Leeth believes Nelson hacked the system.'Father stilled, then massaged his temples. 'I see. Is this true, Leeth?'At last, a direct question. Her jaws unlocked. 'Yes, Father.''How do you know?'There was a hint of reluctance as she answered. 'I heard the camera's focusing mechanism.'Father was silent for a long time then, staring at her. Absorbing the new information. For some reason, he looked from her to her uncle; and he didn't seem pleased.'Just like it was a minute ago, in this room,' she added.Father's head swung up and around, to stare at the wall behind her, where she'd heard the chirping sounds coming from.In another part of the complex, Nelson swore. She can hear the cameras? Little bitch!Father's hand lifted from his console. Then for perhaps half a minute he watched the security system probes at work. At last he raised his head. 'It seems I owe you both an apology.''More than that. You must re-earn our trust. I demand the "emergency" monitors be removed from Leeth's quarters and my own. As a sign of good faith.'Father inclined his head. 'You are in no position to make demands, Doctor, but I'll pass your request on to Eagle. You realize, though, that in the event of a real emergency-''I believe both Leeth and I are prepared to take that risk. Correct, Leeth?''Sure,' she agreed, bitterly.
