Sb4b

By V Richardson

SB4B is written in dialogue.

Occasionally, you just need a day off work.
Most people don't break out of protective custody.
Few tell their handler when they're going to return on the way out the door.

• Language: English
• Publisher: V Richardson
• Release date: Feb 27, 2015
• ISBN: 9780994279408

V Richardson

V. Richardson lives in Melbourne, Australia. SB4B is their first novel. It was written serially, Monday through Friday, and released free on the internet. This version contains fewer typos and slightly more information. V. is a collector of outdated technology, books, and single malt scotch. They didn't mean to write a book entirely in dialogue, it just kind of happened.

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SB4B

Copyright 2015 V. Richardson

Published by V. Richardson at Smashwords

Cover Design Copyright 2015 RachaelW

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/.

This ebook may be given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person: do it.

If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only: cool.

Pirate away.

A Day Off |2014-09-15T09:58

Leila: I need a day off.

Reece: You don't get days off.

Leila: Fine. I need a day out of the house.

Reece: This isn't a house.

Leila: I need three anyway, I don't care where you find them or what reserve of days off you steal them from.

Reece: This is protective custody. You've been in it for two years. You can't take a day off.

Leila: I don't want one day. I want three.

Reece: Look, I'll talk to my boss and we'll see. You know you can't get in contact with anyone you knew before.

Leila: Wasn't planning on it.

Reece: Then what are you..?

Leila: Can't talk about it.

Reece: I'm here to protect you.

Leila: Yes, and you're doing such a brilliant job, and if you can wrangle me three days off I'll let you keep doing it.

Reece: And if I don't?

Leila: I'll take the three days off, and you'll get hauled in front your bosses for losing me.

Reece: You're not really asking, are you?

Leila: No.

Reece: Can I come?

Leila: I don't think you want to.

Reece: Are you doing anything illegal?

Leila: Not technically. If you want to keep your job, I'd suggest not asking questions. But I'll return to your little government lab and be a good little drone.

Reece: Do you think that will sway them to let you out?

Leila: Not really. I'm going anyway. This is just a formality.

Reece: You're going to get me fired.

Leila: I'm going to get you a promotion. You'll find me around the corner in three days. Go see to your -

ALARM SYSTEM This is an emergency. This is an emergency. Please go to your designated emergency areas. This is an emergency.

Three Days Later | 2014-09-18T11:47

Duncan: How fucked are you?

Reece: If she doesn't show?

Duncan: Yeah.

Reece: About as hard as dragon fucks a car.

Duncan: Jesus. I didn't think they'd make you go through her history.

Reece: You too?

Duncan: Any links to see where she might have gone. Not sure giving her access to the internet was a great idea.

Reece: Yeah. I'm rethinking that.

Duncan: So why are we sitting here?

Reece: Hunch.

Duncan: You think that she's going to turn up three days later, just around the corner from the building?

Reece: Stranger things have happened.

Duncan: It's unfucking likely.

Reece: You're unfucking likely. Hey - that car's been there for an age.

Duncan: You stay here. I'll go check it out.

Reece: She's my charge.

Duncan: Who you lost.

Reece: Oh, get fucked.

2014-09-18T11:52

Duncan: Can you open the door please?

Leila: I can't seem to move my arm, get Reece?

Duncan: Do you really think -

Leila: Yes.

Duncan: REECE.

Leila: Sure, scream. Let the whole street kno- Don't. Open. The. Door.

Duncan: It's her. She says she can't move her arms?

Leila: Arm.

Reece: Give us a minute?

Duncan: Ugh. I'll be watching.

Leila: While you watch you can grab the bag from the back.

Duncan: Christ, what's in this thing?

Leila: Surprises. Reece, can you open the door?

Reece: You really can't?

Leila: I got a little shot.

Reece: I thought you said you weren't going to do anything illegal.

Duncan: What the fuck! How much is in this?

Leila: A little over a million.

Reece: Oh, this is going to go down well.

Duncan: And a fucking human head.

Leila: Surprises.

Debriefing| 2014-09-18T11:59

Reece: We need an ambulance.

Duncan: No. Call it in. Get someone to drive the car in. We'll handle it ourselves.

Reece: You do it, I'm going to help her get out.

Duncan: This co-dependency isn't going to look great in the report.

Reece: We have a head and a million dollars. How good do you think the report is going to look?

Duncan: I'll pull the car up and we can slide her into the back.

Reece: A head, Leila?

Leila: I told you I'd help you get ahead -be careful when you open the door.

Reece: You said a promotion, not a-fucking-head.

Leila: Oh, shit.

Reece: I've got you. Christ, that's a lot of blood.

Leila: Don't worry. The bleeding stopped a while ago.

Duncan: Alright. The bag's in the car pass her across.

Reece: What are you holding, Lei?

Leila: I got you a present.

Reece: I already own USB drives.

Duncan: Reece! what are you waiting for?

Leila: You hand that in to them. Not Duncan.

Reece: Want to explain?

Leila: Promises.

Duncan: Get her in the car, before I shoot her again and dump her in the back.

Leila: Do you want me to scream on a public street and create a disturbance? No? Then stop being a dick, Duncan.

2014-09-18T12:26

Reece: What the hell happened?

Leila: I had an appointment I had to keep.

Reece: You contacted someone you knew before?

Leila: No. When can I shower?

Reece: As soon as Duncan brings in some new clothes and some evidence bags. You should undress.

Leila: Don't I have a right to have a female present?

Duncan: You have no rights. According to everyone outside of this organisation, you haven't existed for two years.

Leila: Fine. Hand me the clean clothes and I'll change in the bathroom.

Reece: Leila. That's not -

Duncan: Get the fuck on with it. You have a debriefing to get to in thirty minutes.

Leila: Taking my underwear isn't considered a debriefing?

Consequences| 2014-09-18T13:53

Mateo: You found her with what?

Reece: We've still got the bag, Sir. You're welcome to see for yourself.

Mateo: And she's not saying anything about what happened?

Duncan: She refused to talk during the debriefing.

Reece: Probably because you handcuffed her to a chair.

Duncan: She managed to escape a level six containment facility and not be found for three days. I'd say my caution is warranted.

Mateo: What's she currently doing?

Reece: Medical and blood transfusion, Sir.

Mateo: You were lucky to find her, Any word on why she turned back up?

Reece: No, but with those wounds it's not a surprise, Sir. She knew we'd offer her help.

Mateo: Because we're legally obliged. We can't keep her chained forever. Duncan, take her back to her room once she's done. Reece, you're with me.

2014-09-18T18:14

Leila: I'm pretty sure I had belongings.

Duncan: You brought back a head.

Leila: Keen powers of observation.

Duncan: Loss of all privileges.

Leila: How do you expect me to work without a computer?

Duncan: You'll be provided with copies of your files, paper, and a calculator.

Leila: You realise with a TI-83 I could still...

Duncan: Still what?

Leila: Never mind.

Duncan: If it were me, I'd still have you in chains.

Leila: I'm glad it's not you, then.

Duncan: You might have fooled them by coming back, but you're a murderous little bitch.

Leila: Stop. They'll see the bruises.

Duncan: Yeah, but who the fuck's going to care?

Leila: I never said I killed him.

Duncan: I know you didn't kill him, but who the fuck's going to care?

Leila: Have you told them who he is yet?

Duncan: Get some sleep before I have them sedate you.

Sleepless|2014-09-19T04:03

Reece: It's four in the morning, What's with the screaming?

Leila: Side-effect. It'll pass. I thought my room was soundproof?

Reece: Not anymore. Unless you're being supervised by someone, anything over twenty decibels gets transmitted.

Leila: I really am back to the beginning, aren't I?

Reece: You showed us up by practically walking out. They're not going to take the risk again.

Leila: What about when your pass shows that you're in the room?

Reece: Anything over ninety decibels will alert the next person.

Leila: So I can be discretely tortured without it going on the record.

Reece: Lei?

Leila: Just working out what I can get up to in here without setting off alarms.

Reece: What happened, Leila? You got shot.

Leila: Admittedly, that wasn't part of the plan.

Reece: There was a plan?

Leila: Despite what I'd like you to believe about your security, it took actual planning and preparation to get out. Did you get a look at that drive?

Reece: I haven't had the time - official reprimand and all.

Leila: Sorry-ish. Look at it. It'll explain some things.

Reece: I'm sure you had your reasons, I just wish you'd share them so you didn't have to have someone assigned to you twenty-four hours a day.

Leila: I knew it would have consequences.

Reece: What was with the screaming, Lei?

Leila: I had a nightmare.

Reece: Do you need something to help you sleep?

Leila: No. I just didn't realise how much I was missing. It was so loud. Outside. There were people everywhere and they all had these complex lives. Families and homes. Friends. I'm never going to be one of them again.

Reece: Come on, Lei. I may not understand, but I've seen your work. Were you ever really one of them?

Leila: It was easier to pretend. It's alright, Reece. You don't have to stay. I'm sorry I woke you.

Reece: I can stay for a while. Go back to sleep. I'll turn the lights off.

Beige|2014-09-19T09:00

Mateo: Hello, Leila.

Leila: Mateo. Did you bring me breakfast?

Mateo: I brought you a nutrient drink. You can have it after you answer some questions for me.

Leila: It's beige. This is punishment, isn't it?

Mateo: Yes. The psych team also thinks that by putting you on a bland food diet it'll break down your defences and make you more compliant.

Leila: Doesn't telling me make it less effective?

Mateo: Answer my questions and after that you might get your fridge and hotplate back.

Leila: So I can have hot or cold beige nutrient drink?

Mateo: It's better than room temperature three times a day.

Leila: Not by much. Is this what I get for bringing back presents?

Mateo: About those.

Leila: Question time?

Mateo: Where did you get the head?

Leila: From the body.

Mateo: Why?

Leila: His family should have something to bury. Can you see that they get it?

Mateo: Why wouldn't they get access to his body?

Leila: Just a guess, but probably because the they were dousing the room with bleach and laying explosives when I left.

Mateo: Who?

Leila: I didn't stop to ask. They had guns. Have I answered enough questions to get a nutrient drink?

Mateo: Give me his name, I'll see they get the head.

Leila: I don't know it.

2014-09-19T09:15

Reece: How did you go?

Mateo: She answered three questions, probably honestly, as vaguely as she possibly could without outrightly refusing.

Reece: And then?

Mateo: Outrightly refusing. I still gave her the drink, it'll wear her down eventually.

Reece: She gave me this when I pulled her out of the car.

Mateo: What's on it?

Reece: A detailed plan of how she escaped and a list of security upgrades we need to make to stop it from happening again.

Mateo: Is it accurate?

Reece: It seems to be, though you're not going to like it. Halfway though it mentions that Some of this is moot if you have someone on the inside willing to help.

Mateo: It had crossed my mind.

(in)Security|2014-09-19T09:21

Duncan: Hey, Reece. She talking?

Reece: She answered a few questions and started stonewalling Mateo. Coffee?

Duncan: Yeah, thanks. I heard she woke you up last night.

Reece: Heads and shootings. I'd be surprised if she slept well.

Duncan: I don't envy you. Night duty is horrible.

Reece: I managed to sleep through most of it last night. She'll calm down in a few days.

Duncan: Muffin?

Reece: Yeah. Thanks. Hey, did you notice how bruised she is?

Duncan: Nope. Too busy looking at the head in the bag, and wondering how she got a hold of it. Why, worried?

Reece: No, just wondering how the fuck I missed it.

Duncan: Probably because she was covered in blood.

Reece: Yeah, probably. Is that