The Dog Hole: Chapter 12 -- A Nice Chat
The Dog Hole
Chapter 12: A Nice Chat
"You had...one job," Bosch said in a huff.
Bebe's arms were folded. "Glad to see your priorities are where they should be. An insane employee is hold up in the movie room because he sees things, and you're angry I took issue with it. Why didn't you tell me about him?"
"It definitely wouldn't have hurt, Bosch," Cane agreed.
"Sir, I'm asking you." She pointed a belligerent finger right in his face. "We walked right past him on my first day. Right past him. You said nothing!"
"Watch your tone." Cane corrected as he rose from his place behind his desk. "Despite what you think, not a day goes by that we aren't doing what we can to help him. But we have rules."
"He's afraid to go out in the hallway because of your stupid light rule!"
"The rule is there because of him!"
"What?"
"Cane," Bosch started. "You don't have to explain yourself to her."
Cane waved a hand in Bosch's direction. "Leave us," and, wordlessly, Bosch did as instructed, leaving him to deal with the new blood. Cane leveled his gaze at her. "He's on day sixteen. One more day and he will have fallen asleep on his own. He'll be back to normal then."
"Until another sixteen days pass. No one can go that long without sleeping. Not without damaging something up here." Bebe tapped the side of her head.
Cane sighed. "You said he believed you were real. How'd you manage that?"
"Dessert. He's never had mine before. He was confident his brain couldn't make it up, so he believed I was real."
"Make's sense. He's been here longer than most. He knew everyone pretty well. He's eaten every meal Bosch knows how to make with what we have. There is nothing new for him here to experience except you."
"What's wrong with him?"
"He's...sick. Experience has taught us that it's best to leave him be during the last few days before he resets. Problem is that time doesn't exactly work the same way in his mind than it does for us. Sixteen days for us is weeks, sometimes months for him, making the effects of his lack of sleep seem far more...devastating. The only way he's able to know how long it's been for sure is keeping tabs on the movies he watches. They start. They end. They start. They end. He knows how long it's been, and how much longer it has to be."
"He shouldn't be here if he's this unstable."
"Let me be clear. The outside cannot know about him, Bebe. Should this get out, I will make it my mission to destroy any possible future you thought you had. You're already an ex-con. Don't make things worse for yourself."
Bebe stared at Cane, Speechless.
"Yes, I lied when you first arrived. I actually know all about you and your record. How you ran from military duty, and how you were caught. It's why I hired you. Someone with everything to lose is far more likely to keep in line. They were going to lock you up and throw away the key. They still might if it turns out you're deemed unsuitable for any kind of service." "This base has had the same folks working in it for years. We are men and women of science. Everyone who needs to know what's going on knows what's going on. You? You're just a cook. Your job is to shut up and help serve dinner. Nothing else. Do you understand me? Keep. Your. Nose. Out. Of. It."
Bebe nodded, the anger ready to boil out of her ears. "Do you care?"
"What?"
"I can tell by the way you're talking that, whatever is wrong with him, YOU did it to him. Something at this base went wrong. I'm just curious if you care at all or if you're merely trying to cover your own ass."
Cane had her by the collar of her shirt and slammed her hard again the wall. "Talk like that again, and I'll rip your fucking throat out and toss you to the fucking snow. You can't even begin to know what this has been like for us."
"Let me help him," Bebe choked out. "Please. I don't care if it's a mistake. If you won't tell me what's going on, fine. If you want me to shut up and do my job, fine. I'll visit him on my own spare time. He needs someone."
Cane let her go, straightening himself up as he did so. "What will you do that's better than letting him fall asleep?"
Bebe repeatedly cleared her throat. "Keep him company. Talk to him. Time flies with friends, you know? I can see how that'd be difficult if he didn't know the one next to him is real. But he'll know I'm real. I'm sure that'll mean a lot to him."
"Very well. A face he can trust might help."
"Damn." Bebe's voice was still raspy. "You choked the shit out of me."
"I recall no such thing. I look forward to seeing what's for dinner." He sat back behind his desk as if nothing happened. "Back to your station."
Bebe rubbed her neck. "Yes, sir."