Chapter 14 Chapter Fourteen

After dinner, Shirley and Mark showed them how to get to the dormitory area, and the young couple hugged and kissed each other.Jans kept watching them.Mark just got off work, and Shirley was going to work, and the two had dinner together, but for Mark, it was dinner, but for Shirley, it was breakfast.Jans thanked them, said the food was delicious, and that she was sorry to have taken them so long.Then, she and Manes walked out of the big restaurant.At this moment, the noise in the restaurant was earth-shattering, comparable to that of a power plant.They walked down winding corridors to where they would spend the night.

Manais was going to the Datong shop and slept with the apprentice workers on the morning shift.They saved a bed for him, but Janss thought to herself, the kind of bed that teenagers sleep on is probably thirty centimeters shorter than Manasi's height, can he sleep in it?What they arranged for Janss was a small house, just in the corridor outside the Datong shop.They decided to sit in her room first, where it was quieter, where they could chat and pass the time, rubbing their sore legs.Chatting and chatting, they all feel that the people here are really different.Not long after, I heard someone knocking on the door.It was Juliet, she opened the door and walked in.

"They want you two to share the same room?" Juliet was a little surprised. Janss laughed: "No, they arranged for the deputy security officer to sleep in the Datong bunk. Actually, I would rather go and squeeze with everyone, it's more lively." "You don't have to be so polite," Juliet said. "Every time newcomers come, or relatives and friends come to visit the class, we will arrange them to sleep here. It's nothing." Then Juliet took out a thin rope, put it in her mouth, and between her teeth, stretched her hand behind her hair, while with the other hand she tied the rope and tied it into a ponytail.Jans kept watching her movements.Her hair was still wet, she had obviously just showered, and she had changed into another overalls.Janss noticed some stains on her clothes and thought that they would never be washed off.Tomorrow she will wear this overalls to work.

"So, when can we declare a 'blackout holiday'?" Juliet asked straight to the point.She had tied a knot in the rope, and her hands were down again, crossed over her chest, and her back was leaning against the wall by the door. "I guess you're going to want to take advantage of that vibe after the camera wash, right?" "When are you going to start?" Janss asked.At that moment, Janss suddenly felt that one of the reasons why she wanted Juliet to be her security officer was that this girl was not something she could get if she wanted it.The more you can't get, the more you want.Janss glanced at Manais, and suddenly thought that many years ago, when she was still young, she married Donald, and Manais still missed her, so maybe he wanted her more because he couldn't get her? Want her?

"I can start work tomorrow," said Juliet. "I can start the backup generator early in the morning, and I can work overnight tonight to check the gaskets and seals—" "You misunderstood." Janss raised her hand, "I'm asking when you can become a security officer?" She reached into her backpack and groped for a while, took out the file folder, spread it out on the bed and tidied it up, looking for the one power of attorney. "I—didn't we discuss it? I'm really not interested in—" "People who aren't interested in doing it—" said Manes, "do it best." He stood opposite Juliet, his back against the wall, his thumbs in his trouser pockets.

"I'm sorry, but the problem is that no one here can take my job." Juliet shook her head, "I don't think you guys understand our side—" "I don't think you have any idea what we're doing up there," Janss said, "and why we need you." Juliet tilted her head and laughed loudly: "Listen, the machines under us don't even—" "Are those machines that important?" Janss asked her back, "What are those machines for?" "What's the use? Let this damn place continue to operate!" Juliet yelled, "Where did you get the oxygen you breathed in? It's recycled from us down here! What about the carbon dioxide you breathe out? We Pour carbon dioxide into the soil. Do you know what oil can be made into? Shall I make a list for you? Every plastic, every rubber, every solvent, every cleaning agent you use , and the electricity you use, all come from oil! There are too many to mention!"

"These things were there before you were born," Jans reminded her. "Hmph, tell you, before I die, these things will be gone. It won't be like this anymore." She folded her hands on her chest again, leaning her back against the wall, "I don't think you can figure it out at all , how miserable we would be without these machines." "I think it's because you don't understand. Without these people, what's the use of these machines?" Juliet turned her head away.Janss noticed that this was the first time she flinched. "Why don't you ever visit your father?"

Juliet turned her head to one side, looked at the other wall, and brushed the hair from her forehead. "Why don't you check my work log?" she said. "Do I have time?" Janss originally wanted to tell her that her father was her family, and no matter what, she should find time to spend with her family.But before she could speak, Juliet turned to look at her. "You think I don't care about other people? Do you? Tell you, you're wrong. I care about everyone in the bunker, and everyone below, men and women. Who cares about the bottom four floors of the bunker, the entire Mechanical and electrical district? They are my family. I am with them every day, share bread for three meals a day, work and live together, and will be buried together when they die." She turned her head to look at Manais, "Am I right? Didn't you see it with your own eyes?"

Manes said nothing.Jans wondered, did she deliberately emphasize the "death" thing? "Have you ever asked him why he never came down to see me? He has nothing to do up there, he has plenty of time." "We've already met him. Your father seems to be very busy, and he is very similar to you, very decisive and firm." Juliet turned her head away. "And stubborn. This is similar." Janss threw the letter of appointment on the bed, walked to the door, and stood in front of Juliet, a step away from her.She could smell the soap in the girl's hair and could see the hairs moving in her nostrils.She was breathing so fast.

"Maybe it was just a small decision at the beginning, but as the days passed and countless days piled up, in the end, that decision would become extremely heavy, wouldn't it? At the beginning, you decided not to see your father .Maybe the first few days you don’t feel anything because you’re young and angry. But over time, those days turn into garbage that can’t be cleaned up and squeezes your heart, right?” Juliet waved her hand impatiently: "I don't understand what you're talking about." "I mean, a day goes by, and soon, a week goes by, and then a month, and a year, and many, many years—" she almost blurts out that she's been through it herself, even It's still the same until now, accumulating, accumulating.Although she didn't say it, Manes was also beside her.He could hear it. "After a long, long time, you still refuse to let go of that resentment, because you have to use this method to rationalize the mistakes you made in the past. Later, it will become purely just a game, two people back to back, unwilling to look back at each other, Because they are afraid of becoming the one who looks back first—"

"Nothing," said Juliet. "I don't want to be your security officer. And I'm sure you have plenty in your pocket." "I only trust you. If you don't, I really don't know who else I can trust. The other person, I can't trust anymore." "Since there are still candidates, then you can find her, the other girl." She said with a smile. "It's not her, it's him. The problem is, he may be more inclined to accept the command of the 30th floor instead of following my orders, and he may not necessarily abide by the 'Convention'." Hearing the last sentence, Juliet seemed to react.She slowly lowered her folded hands, then turned to look Jans in the eye.Manes stood across the room watching them. "Hoston, the former security officer, what happened to him?" "He was sent out to have the lens cleaned," Janss said. "He did it voluntarily," Manes added. "I know that, but why?" She frowned, "I heard that it has something to do with his wife." "That's pure speculation—" "That time you two came down to investigate Rick's death case, I remember hearing him mention her. At first he kept pestering me, I thought he was interested in me, but I didn't expect him to talk about his wife .” "When we came down that time, he and his wife had just drawn a lottery and were going to have a baby." Manais reminded her. "Yes, that's right." She looked at the bed.Papers strewn all over the bed. "I don't know how to be a security officer. I can only fix machines." "Repairing a machine is the same as being a security officer." Manais said to her, "When we came down to handle the case, you helped a lot. You can see the whole story and have a way to figure it out. Others ignore it Even the smallest clues can't escape your eyes." "At that time, I just sorted out some problems with the machine. I understand the machine." She said. "A human being is like a machine," Manes said. "I think you must understand this truth." Janss said, "You have unique insights and judgments about people and things, as well as your natural personality. The whole bunker is like a huge machine, intricate, once it goes out The problem, you have to figure out the structure of the parts before you can fix it. The job of a security officer is to figure out the relationship between people. Only after you figure it out can you solve the problem. I think you are very good at dealing with this kind of thing .” Juliet shook her head and turned to look at Manais: "So, that's why you recommended me, isn't it? I still wonder why you suddenly and inexplicably asked me to be a security officer." "You're going to do a good job," Manes told her. "I think that whatever you do, once you put your mind to it, you're going to be top-notch, first-rate. And how much work is there to be a security officer?" It's more important than you can imagine." "So, do I have to move to the top floor?" "Your office is on the first floor. It's next to the airlock." Juliet seemed to be thinking about it.Although she was only asking tentatively, Janss was already beginning to feel excited. "And the treatment is very good, much better than your current one. Even if you work overtime every day, you don't have that much." "Have you investigated my current treatment?" Janss nodded: "Before I came down, I did a little homework." "Such as looking for my father?" "Yes. You know what, he's dying to see you. You can see him if you'll go up with us." Juliet looked down at her shoes: "Let's talk." "One more thing." Maneth winked at Janss, then glanced at the papers on the bed.Peter Berning's consent form was neatly folded on top. "Information area." He reminded her. Janss knew immediately what he meant. "Before you accept the appointment, there is something we must ask first." "I haven't decided whether to accept the appointment. For now, I want to talk about the power ratio first, and first arrange the following shifts—" "According to tradition, no matter what position I nominate, I must first obtain the consent of the information area—" Juliet rolled her eyes and let out a sigh of relief: "It's the information area again." "That's right. Moreover, when we went downstairs, we had already visited them on the way to say hello. Things will be easier to handle." "Try to know," said Juliet. "They mentioned the transfer of materials," Manes interrupted suddenly. Juliet turned immediately to look at him. "I know it's probably not a big deal, but they're bound to come—" "Wait a minute, are they talking about heat-resistant tape?" "Heat-resistant tape?" "That's right." Juliet frowned and shook her head, "Those bastards." Janss raised her hand and used two fingers to measure the width of five centimeters: "They showed me a file, which is about this thick. They said you stole their materials." "That's strange. The thief shouted, "Stop the thief." She pointed at the door angrily, "We haven't been able to get the materials we need, and it's all their fault. A few months ago, our heat exchanger leaked air, and we needed high-temperature-resistant tape Repair, but we can't get it at all, because the supplies area says that the lining material for making that high temperature resistant tape is all ordered. The problem is, we have ordered the tape from them a long time ago, and then, I told a delivery I only found out that the tape had been sent to the information area after inquiring by the staff. They used high temperature resistant tape to test the protective clothing, and the tape on their side was already so much that it could be piled up into a mountain." Juliet said this in one breath, and stopped to take a big breath. "So, I intercepted a batch." She admitted herself, and at the same time glanced at Manais, "Listen to me, if it weren't for our maintenance of power supply here, how could they have a way to deal with those who have something? But we can't get the basic materials. And, even if we do get them sometimes, the quality is so bad, it's almost like garbage. What happened to the material area? Could it be because the production quota was set too exaggerated, and the production line was rushed Get over your head—" "If you really need these things—" Janss interrupted her suddenly, "then you must have no other choice, I understand." Then she looked at Manais, and found that he was smiling, with a smug expression on his face, as if to say, look, I was right, this girl is born to be a security officer. Janss ignored him. "I'm glad to hear what you said," she said to Juliet, "and, unfortunately, my legs are useless, and I haven't found the opportunity to come down a few times before. Up here, we would think that many things are Of course, this is mainly because we lacked information and didn’t figure it out. Now, I finally understand that I should keep in touch with other departments as much as possible, especially the information area, and I should keep an eye on it.” "I've been complaining to people for nearly twenty years. That's what I'm talking about," Juliet said. "Here down here, we used to joke that the department was stuffed at the bottom of the bunker so we wouldn't get in the way." The way to someone's house. Sometimes, it really feels like that." "Well, if you are willing to come up, if you are willing to take over as the security officer, then your words will not be listened to. In the food chain of the entire power structure of the bunker, you will become the top one giving orders." "What about the information area?" "They'll resist, but that's normal. I used to deal with them a lot. I'd send emails to my office and ask them to temporarily open a waiver-like document in the name of the Information District, and it would be retroactive. In this way, the materials you took away from the information area last time will become legal." Speaking of this, Janss stared at the girl, "The premise is that you must guarantee that the materials you took away are Absolutely indispensable." Juliet is unflinching in the face of challenges. "It was indispensable," she said, "but the funny thing is, it's useless if you get it. That batch of tape is rubbish. I don't know who is the genius who designed that tape. It doesn't take long for it to rot, like It's designed to rot. To tell you something, the supplies section finally delivered our custom tape with an extra quantity attached. When we go up together, I'll be sure to drop by Say thank you to them. That's tape of our own design, much better than theirs-" "When we go up together?" Janss suddenly interrupted Juliet and asked her.That sentence was just said by Juliet, so, does she mean that she has agreed to take over as security officer?Janss must ask clearly to avoid misunderstanding. Juliet turned to look at the two of them, then nodded. "You have to give me a week first, I have to fix the generator first. Also, the reason I agreed to take over as security officer is that you will keep your promise to announce power cuts, so you have to understand that in my mind , I will always be a member of the mechanical and electrical department, and I agreed to take over, partly because I have understood the consequences of ignoring the problem. All I have done desperately below is a preventive measure, a maintenance. I I don't want to wait for a disaster to fix it. I want to take care of the machine while it's still running and keep it in a stable state forever. We ignore a lot of problems and it just keeps getting worse. So I thought, if the whole The bunker is regarded as a huge engine, so our electromechanical area is like an oil pan, so we can’t ignore it.” After speaking, she extended her hand to Janss, “You declare a ‘power cut holiday’, and I will take over as the security officer.” Janss smiled and took her hand.The girl's palms were warm, and the handshake was strong, showing a kind of absolute confidence.Jans secretly admired. "I'll announce a blackout early tomorrow morning," she said, "Also, thank you, and welcome to join." Manes came from the other side of the room and shook hands with Juliet: "You are welcome to join, sir." Juliet shook his hand and showed a mischievous smile: "Well, don't reverse the order, I still have a lot to learn from you before I am qualified to be your officer, right?"