The Underground Read Online Free

decided to bring the coffee to her morning meeting to see if someone confessed.
    “Good morning,” she said, trying to mask her uneasiness as she entered the meeting. It was the first step to improve working conditions for the men. At least that’s what she hoped.
    “I’ll get right to the point, unless anyone has a pressing issue.” Shayla paused to take a sip of her coffee as she surveyed the crowd.
    “Effective immediately, field workers will have breaks every two-and-a-half-hours,” Shayla declared. “Let them smoke or sit or get a drink or whatever, but make sure they get a ten-minute break. Not six minutes, not eight. Ten full minutes, and they can talk amongst themselves. Any questions?” she said, feeling happy. She waited for expository reactions, but all she saw and heard were gasps as the women shifted in their chairs.
    “Are you lowering our quota requirements?” one brave soul asked.
    “The quota requirements remain. Anyone else?” Shayla said, tersely.
    “It’s going to impact productivity. The men don’t need so many breaks,” said the same spark-plug of a woman.
    “I agree,” said another.
    “Ten full minutes, every two and a half hours,” Shayla repeated. Her voice grew louder as she leaned into the microphone for emphasis. While Shayla’s message was opposite anything the Queen ever declared, Shayla copied her mother’s communication tactics. She spoke forcefully, with confidence.  
    “A little more rest for the men will do the opposite and improve productivity and morale. Respect begets respect,” she said, waiting for some kind of reaction, but the room was silent.
      “Questions? Good.” She left the meeting with her mother’s quick gait and heard the room begin to buzz with discussion. Most likely they were bashing her behind her back. She couldn’t blame them. They were used to getting their way and having full power over men who worked for them.
    Nobody else could get away with the kind of change Shayla made. As the Queen’s daughter, they wouldn’t dare speak against her, at least not right away. Shayla knew that even with her status, her stance was risky, perhaps even treasonous.
    Eventually, her mother would find out, but hopefully not too soon. She hoped her mother wouldn’t publicly denounce her, as that wouldn’t be publicly pretty either. That was just about the only thing she had in her favor.
    As she neared her office, her father’s voice rang in her head. “The balance of equality in the country needs to be restored. Never forget. Promise me that.” He told her this over and over when she visited him at his sick bed. Even as a young girl, she knew the day to turn around the tradition of female intimidation and live out her father’s dream would come.  
    Pleased with herself, she took the last sip of her coffee. She was certain that after the meeting, whichever woman had left it would not do so again.

Chapter 5
      “Can you believe she’s giving us those ten minute breaks?” Nathaniel said to Brigg, before holding up his empty glass and nodding to the bartender. “Another Maker’s, neat and straight up, please.”  
    Nathaniel knew not to drink too much as he still had to get home to take care of Janice, but one more wouldn’t hurt. In fact, it might actually help.  
    “Let’s drink to new policies and Miss Shayla herself,” Brigg said.
    “Here, here,” Nathaniel said. As he clinked his refreshed glass with Brigg’s, he thought of Shayla and smiled.
    “You look like the Cheshire cat with that smile,” Brigg said, laughing.
    Nathaniel’s smile vanished. Despite Nathaniel’s discretion as he left breakfast over the last few weeks, it occurred to Nathanial that Brigg might have seen him, or was he being paranoid?
    “What’s up with you and Janice, anyway.   Things getting better?”
    “No,” Nathaniel said. Just hearing Janice’s name wiped the smile off his face.
      “Things weren’t always so great with Grace when we first got