Deliver Us From Evil- Chapter 7
Felix was rifling through the files down in storage. He knew the cylons were keeping records of everyone who was being sent to detention, he’d overheard a Five mention something about it the other day. It wasn’t something he was supposed to have heard, he was sure, but Felix was quickly becoming an expert in eavesdropping. The cylons weren’t saying anything important loud enough for most people to hear. It was funny, for so long it was the humans who were terrified of the cylons, but now the cylons were starting to become afraid of the humans, all because of a few rumors. It made Felix smile.
Unfortunately none of the files down here were of any consequence. It was all just minor stuff, files on food rationing, and how “effective” curfew was, and other useless junk. Apparently the important information was kept elsewhere.
Felix looked off to his left. There was a data bank there. If he used it, he could probably find out more information, at least on where the lists of detainees were being kept. He was afraid to touch it however. If it was anything like resurrection, like being plugged in like an appliance, he wanted nothing to do with it.
Felix looked at the files in his hand again. Junk. ‘Oh frak it,’ he thought. ‘Just this once, just to get what I need. Then I’ll never have to do it again.’ Felix cautiously approached the data bank. He stared at it for a second, then slowly put his hand down into the goo and-
Holy frak. Code. Miles and miles of code. Bits of data, thousands of pieces of information whizzing through his brain. More information than he could ever imagine, all circulating through him. Holy frak, this was better than an orgasm.
“And you wondered why you liked working with computers so much.”
Felix jumped back, taking his hand out of the goo. “Boomer,” he said, startled. He wasn’t expecting anyone to come down here.
“On Galactica I mean. Why you enjoyed working with the computers in CIC. Your model loves to swim in the data stream.”
Felix’s face twisted. His model. It wasn’t part of him, just his programming.
“What were you looking for?” Boomer asked.
“The location of a file,” said Felix. It was the truth, sort of. “Something Baltar needs, but I can’t seem to find.”
“Oh. Well, good luck.” With that, Boomer walked off, picking up a file on the tilium mine on her way out.
Felix put his hand back on the screen. Model quirk or not, this felt fantastic. The things he could do with all this data…
There. There it was. The detainee lists were being kept in the locked depository, near the detention center.
Felix removed his hand from the screen and shook off the goo. He could’ve used a towel at that moment, or at least a sink. That stuff was sticky and disgusting. No matter. He had what he needed. Now he just had to head over there and find those lists.
Felix made his way over to the depository. For once, he was glad that the Centurians paid no attention to him; he was able to pass right in. Felix looked around the room. It was filled with drawers. He hoped they weren’t all full. If they were, that was a lot of information the cylons were hiding, all of it potentially to be used against the humans. Felix tried not to think about it. He couldn’t save this planet all at once, not right now. He could, however, free a few people from detention and that was what he was here to do.
Felix found the data bank and stuck his hand in. Gods that felt good. ‘Don’t lose yourself Felix,’ he thought. ‘You’re just here for the list of detainees.’ List of detainees, list of detainees. Drawer 22.
Felix removed his hand and wiped it on his pants. “Drawer 22,” he said, and the drawer popped open. Felix walked over to the open drawer. Sure enough, there was a stack of lists. There were a lot more sheets of paper there than he’d thought. That wasn’t a good sign.
Felix considered taking the top sheet from the stack and handing it to Eight later that night. But whoever was in here next might notice, and then he’d have to find some explanation for a missing sheet of paper. So instead Felix browsed over the lists, taking note of some of the names on them. When he’d committed enough to memory, he put the stack back down in the drawer and closed it. Then he stuck his hands in his pockets and walked nonchalantly out of the depository.
Felix was on edge for the rest of the work day. All he could think about where those lists, the names he memorized burning in his mind. He knew the people on those lists. He had memories of each one of them, real memories, not like the memories of his family. Many of them he couldn’t imagine doing anything to warrant being locked away. He didn’t want to picture exactly what was going on at the detention center. Felix knew that he had to get them out as soon as possible.
Felix tried not to break into a run as he headed toward his tent that night. He didn’t want to attract attention, not if he wanted to keep doing this on a regular basis. It wouldn’t have done any good anyway. There was nothing Eight could do tonight, since she wasn’t expected back at the detention center until morning.
She was there, as always, and while Felix knew he should have broached the subject cautiously, he couldn’t help but jump right into it. It was the only thing that had been on his mind all day, and trying to talk about anything else would have been impossible.
“I have some names,” blurted Felix.
“Oh. Okay,” said Eight, sounding apprehensive. “The people you think should be out of detention, right?”
“We’re supposed to be living with peace with humanity. We can’t do that if we’re putting innocent people in prison,” said Felix. “You know that.” At least, he hoped she did.
“Of course, Felix,” she said, smiling. Felix inwardly sighed with relief. “I can’t promise anything, but I can try.”
Felix sat down on his cot next to Eight and put his hand on her shoulder. “Whatever you did to get Ishay out, you did great, you can do it again.”
“That was just one person, Felix. Big groups…I don’t know.”
Felix shook his head. He’d been so eager, he hadn’t even thought of that. As much as these people needed to be out, releasing large numbers at one time would look suspicious. And as much as the argument for living in peace had convinced his Eight, he didn’t think it would work with everyone. He’d seen enough Ones, enough Fives, enough Threes, even enough Sevens to know that living in peace with humanity was not what the cylons were after.
Felix took out his pen and a small piece of paper he’d swiped from Colonial One and began writing. “Well, do whatever you can. Even if you can only get a few out, you can get the rest later. These people, they don’t deserve to be in there,” he instructed her as he wrote. “And make sure no one sees this list, you got that? If anyone recognizes my handwriting-“
Eight stopped his hand. “I know. I’ll keep it safe.”
Felix nodded, then frantically went back to writing. He finished the list, 35 names total, folded it in half, then in half again, and handed it to Eight. “Be careful. And good luck,” he told her. She nodded and stuck the list in her jacket pocket.
Eight eased up and put a hand on Felix’s shoulder. “Did you want to get to sleep now? Or maybe do something else?”
Felix brushed her away. “No, I’m not tired and I’m really not in the mood for…other things. I’m going back to Colonial One. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Felix stood up and made his way out the tent. He was too nervous to sleep.
“Felix,” she called after him, but Felix was already out the door. The names were already put to paper, there was nothing more he could do, but he couldn’t stop them from lingering in his mind. And though he wished he could stow them away until morning, he knew they’d probably stay there until he saw their faces on the street again.