EMOTION MARKET: the Tailor of Hearts - A gripping psychological thriller

by Dimitris Chasapis

  “Packaging?” Mary Ann asked him to elaborate.

  “Yes. Moral packaging. It’s the most important for EM to sell their product. They address their product to the morality of society. They promote it in such a way that it is almost immoral not to buy emotions if you can.” Nicky gestured with his hands to emphasize his points.

  May Ann gave him one of her classic smiles that thinly veiled her condescension.

  “OK to all that, Nicky Fallows, but there are those who see the EM as their salvation. They find an easy, quick and painless solution to get over their grief, stress, anger, lack of self-respect and so many others. There are people who have already changed their lives for the better just because they went to an EM. What do you have to say to them?” Mary Ann briefly thought of her own recent procedure. This was more than just a little bit personal at this point, but she knew she must maintain her professionalism.

  “I tell them not to deceive themselves. Not to have big expectations, Mary Ann. The results of the clinical trials take a long time and when we have the final findings about the continuous modification of emotions, it will be too late,” Nicky said matter-of-factly as he clasped his hands in front of him.

  “Late for what?” Mary Ann was genuinely interested in his answer.

  “Late to kick the habit. Society doesn’t need one more addiction. The easy solution of the EM is not the answer to the emotional challenges of our times. It takes self-analysis of one’s personality and misdeeds and hard decision-making must be involved. It’s like comparing a self-cooked meal to a frozen one cooked on microwave. I think our society should be way past that.” The supporters Nicky brought with him were all silently but vigorously shaking their heads in agreement off camera.

  “What about remorse? It’s known to be one of the most destructive emotions one can have. In an EM people could get rid of their remorse instantly so they can move forward with their lives.”

  “I don’t believe in instant solutions, Mary Ann. It’s immoral to act without considering the results of your actions to others or yourself. Knowing you can get rid of your remorse with a visit to an EM supports an unethical lifestyle. It defies every lesson on good and evil one has learned the hard way by trying to do the right thing in his life.”

  Mary Ann had to admit to herself that she was impressed with Nicky’s ability to hold his own in the interview…so far. She knew she would need to push harder and she secretly hoped she could break him.

  “I agree with what you just said, but on this show we have also heard the opinion of Dr. Caroline Emerson. She seems to believe, and she knows best, there is unlimited potential resulting from emotional invasive procedures. Of course proof of her goodwill is the fact that she has established the Caroline Emerson Foundation. In my opinion, it is phenomenal that a discovery of this kind pertains to everybody and not just some.”

  “I have nothing against the doctor, Mary Ann. I hope we meet sometime soon and exchange views. However, I must admit I rarely watch her interviews.” Nicky casually placed his hands on his lap, seemingly unaffected by the heat of the lights and the imposition of the cameras.

  “The latest one done live was here on 10 with Mary Ann. Surely you have seen it!” Mary Ann said with more than a hint of self-importance.

  “Of course I did. Allow me to say I found it misleading for the public.”

  “Are you accusing me of something, Nicky Fallows?” the reporter asked astonished. Her tensing body matched the increased intensity in her voice. One of the newer cameramen looked particularly nervous. For the rest of the crew, this was just another interview.

  “No, Mary Ann. I believe everything you said was not planned in advance. I have been watching you for years and that’s a tactic you wouldn’t use. But I read the blogs too and know, as does everybody, about your close friendship with Deidre Walters.” Nicky had been waiting for the opportunity to bring this up. He knew how Mary Ann worked and thought it would be satisfying to beat her at her own game.

  “Is this a personal attack, Nicky Fallows?”

  “Certainly not, Mary Ann. I wouldn’t dream of attacking one of the most influential women in the world. I`m just saying,” Nicky spoke with thinly veiled sarcasm.

  Mary Ann’s face was turning a deep red that showed through even from under all the layers of make-up. She struggled to maintain her composure as she coldly stared into the eyes of the man across from her.

  “Just saying things isn’t good enough for this show, Nicky Fallows. At this point, dear viewers, we’ll take a short break. Stay tuned.”

  The views 10 with Mary Ann usually got would multiply greatly if the video Madeleine tried to shoot during the break made it to the media. Outraged, Mary Ann was screaming at Nicky Fallows that what he had dared to do was unethical.

  “You’ll regret implicating Deidre Walters in our discussion,” she screamed, breaking the vase on the low table in front of their seats.

  “If you are to make idle threats, Mary Ann, I suggest you visit an EM and modify your anger. I was under the impression you claimed that on 10 with Mary Ann the truth prevailed without censorship or filters.”

  At that point a production assistant grabbed the cell phone from Madeleine’s hands and deleted the video she was still shooting. “We can sue you for that, you know,” he said. “You’ll be lucky to get your phone back at the end of the show.”

  Having seen the woman’s attempt to shoot the video, Mary Ann shouted, “Get these people out of the building immediately!”

  The production team had never seen her in such a state before. 10 with Mary Ann could become the laughing stock of every other talk show on the planet, depending on the outcome of the interview. The reporter entered her office, slamming the door behind her. She sat down. Her legs were shaking again and her head was throbbing. She felt a weight on her chest and labored for breath. Nicky Fallows’ accusations meant very little to her. She would show him after the break. Her colleagues had warned her he might play that card. Her personal relationship with Deidre Walters had never stopped her from opposing the Walters Administration or criticizing its actions. Her being so high in ‘The most influential people in the world’ list was the public’s choice. She had earned her place and no Nicky Fallows could change that. It was at this very moment during the break of the interview with Caroline Emerson that she had received the call from Jeffrey’s kidnappers. Her heart skipped a beat when she felt the cell phone she was holding tightly vibrate. She was afraid to check who was calling. That was awful. She couldn’t tell how reducing her fear at the EM two days before had helped. Maybe the Emotion Market were a joke after all.

  She made a video-call home. As soon as she saw Bertha’s name and then Jeffrey’s sweet face, she was suddenly the happiest woman in the world.

  “You show him, Mom,” Jeffrey said and Bertha added, “How dare this buffoon talk to you like that! We demand you put him in his place. Otherwise, everything is fine. Don’t you worry about anything. The lads haven’t moved a muscle. You do realize that at some point you will need to tell me why you brought them into our house.”

  Mary Ann sent Jeffrey kisses and hung up. Her son had called her Mom. It was a very sweet word and suddenly she didn’t feel afraid anymore. The phrase she used to close the show every time came to her mind. Be firm and honest. She had wasted the first half of the interview with Nicky Fallows by allowing him to speak his mind. She needed to stick to the philosophy of the show. She had been honest but not firm with him. She would have to broach subjects that concerned the majority of the viewers, issues for which she felt he would have very weak arguments. Appearing on the show meant he had agreed to a debate, which was uneven for the time being. She would balance things in the second half.

  While in that mood, she hurried towards the set. Things had calmed down and she saw from a distance Nicky on his cell phone. He seemed both apologetic and appeasing. Mary Ann would pay a lot to find out who was on the other end of the line.

  Two production assis
tants approached her to make sure she had calmed down a bit. One of them, Sam Carter, represented the producer and hadn’t been there during her outburst a few minutes before. He had obviously been informed and run up the stairs from the 49th floor to patch things up. “Keep your cool, Mary Ann,” he panted. The successful outcome of the second half of the interview was of paramount importance. She raised her eyebrow in her usual way and with an ironic expression on her face assured him there was nothing for him to fear. It was time to start again.

  A few seconds before they were on the air, Mary Ann sat down and whispered to him, “Sorry about that, my mistake. Shall we?”

  Nicky Fallows nodded he understood.

  “Welcome back to 10 with Mary Ann,” she said with her well-known smile. “We are back for more with Nicky Fallows. First of all, I’d like to make something clear. When I said, ‘Just saying isn’t good enough for this show,’ just before the break, it wasn’t an attempt to censor my guest. On this show we try hard to present things as they are and we welcome every view so long as it is based on substantial arguments. We look down on opinions based on allegations or rumors from untraceable sources.” Mary Ann tried even harder than normal to exude confidence and propriety. Deep down she hoped she wasn’t trying too hard.

  Nicky Fallows tried to intervene to explain what he meant, but all he had time to say was, “It was not my intention to…”

  “Let’s go back to where we left off, Nicky Fallows. We were talking about the foundation Caroline Emerson set up. Would you say there’s any reason to question the goals of the foundation?” Mary Ann hoped to fully assert her control with this question. Surely Nicky wouldn’t dare speak ill of a charity.

  “No, I am not suggesting anything of the kind. I am sure the foundation was established with the best of intentions, but sometimes that is not enough. I imagine Otto Han also had good intensions when he discovered the fission of heavy nuclei. He won the chemistry Nobel prize in 1944.” This was a fact Nicky often liked to mention in his rallies.

  “Your comparing the EM with nuclear fission confuses me, Nicky Fallows. Han’s invention was used as a weapon of mass destruction in a world war. Do you expect a similar destructive use of the EM?” Mary Ann leaned forward intently waiting his answer.

  “That’s right, Mary Ann. If this new technology becomes part of people’s lives, I am afraid there may be even more destructive consequences. An everlasting world war is at the gates. Only this time, due to the EM technology, it won’t be a war among nations, but people. There won’t be any flags, nationalities or races. It will take root deep inside each one of us, whether we belong to those tricked into using the EM or not.” Nicky had thought about this quite a lot and it was the only conclusion he could come to… the Emotion Markets had to be stopped at any cost.

  Mary Ann pasted the condescending smile back on her face before replying.

  “All this is your own version of the future, Nicky Fallows. I will admit for the sake of argument that there may be unforeseen social developments because of this new medical technology. Predicting them is another matter, though. It seems to me the business of telling the future is beyond any specific individual. Can’t society learn to live with Emotion Markets and learn to use them advantageously?” the reporter asked sincerely.

  “I heard Caroline Emerson, sitting in this very armchair, tell you in her interview that she, more than anyone else, had thought of the development her discovery would bring. I would like to point out this is an arrogant statement, which automatically renders the doctor untrustworthy.”

  “Meaning?” Mary Ann tilted her head at him.

  “Meaning that discovering something doesn’t make you a leading authority to assess its long-term value or potential danger. Caroline Emerson is a romantic who chose to see only the possible positive consequences the Emotion Markets might have on society. She completely overlooked the negative ones and pinned her expectations on good faith and hope,” Nicky said with complete confidence as he seemed to sit up even higher in the chair.

  “Looking at the bright side of life is Modus Vivendi for many people, not just the doctor, Nicky Fallows. Perhaps you are being overly judgmental here.” Mary Ann had to be careful not to show her bias too blatantly. The fine didn’t bother her much, but she did have a reputation to protect.

  “I disagree. The doctor, more than anybody else, has seen the potential character corruption brought about by emotional invasive procedures. She has certainly realized the danger, the possible complications or even the emotional cloning of society. She should have had the grit to mention all these and not hide them hoping nobody else would detect them. Her moral responsibility is huge.” Nicky again used his hands to make sharp gestures to drive his point home.

  “So if something goes wrong, you believe she is the one to blame,” Mary Ann said knowing she was stating the obvious.

  The purpose of the question was specific. She had a statistical study on people’s reactions in connection with shaping public opinion. Clear-cut direct threats almost always infuriated the public regardless of their origin. In this particular case, Caroline Emerson, no matter what her ulterior goals were, had established The Caroline Emerson Foundation and according to public opinion she was a scientist working for the general good. She took care of the poor; that always moved people. Nicky Fallows had fallen in the trap.

  “Clearly she is the one to blame for almost everything. As I said earlier, good intentions aren’t enough. She should have been more cautious when she decided to go ahead with this discovery of hers. One can’t blame the distribution companies! It’s business as usual for them. It’s all about money…” he replied with an expression of disapproval on his face.

  “No point in commenting further on the subject, Nicky Fallows. I think our viewers have understood your opinion. It seems you are very busy with this campaign to ban the Emotion Markets,” Mary Ann remarked in a calm tone.

  “That’s true. I feel I have a purpose and that satisfies me. I feel I am offering society something in this way.”

  “One might say you are an ‘emotion activist.’” Mary Ann leaned back in her chair, but her eyes were continually locked in on Nicky’s.

  “I imagine you could call me like that, yes.” Nicky had no shame in being associated with the greatest moral fight of his generation.

  “Tell us, Nicky Fallows, who supports the campaign? There must be specific expenses for travel, flyers, banners, renting spaces to congregate…” Mary Ann inquired with a raised eyebrow.

  “Expenses are not a problem, Mary Ann. All those actively participating feel the moral obligation to support the efforts and actions of the Movement.” Nicky had not expected this line of questioning, but he refused to appear bothered by it.

  “So there’s a membership fee of some sort?” Mary Ann pushed further.

  “No, no, don’t get me wrong. The members of the Movement are not obliged to contribute financially. WE are a Movement that promotes the freedom to express one’s emotions in the traditional way. One helps cover expenses only if he wants to.” And Nicky certainly hoped many more would want to contribute after seeing this interview, but he wouldn’t mention that.

  “Are there any sponsors? Do you get funding from some other organization or company?” she inquired without much interest.

  “Not that I know of. The Movement receives anonymous contributions, of course. I suppose they come from citizens who want to support our cause. Like-minders who wish to remain anonymous.” Nicky was not overly concerned with finances. He was focused on the message and he would let others worry about the money.

  “It seems to me you are evading the question,” Mary Ann pushed further.

  “I just don’t have an answer. I am not interested in money as far as the Emotion Markets are concerned. I leave that to the companies that capitalize on them.”

  “Yet you say there’s an influx of funds to the Movement, so there’s a treasury, an accountant or an administrator of its finances?”
Mary Ann wasn’t personally interested in this line of questioning, but she could sense he was out of his element now, so she would press on.

  “Yes, there are comrades who take care of all that, but I’m not one of them.”

  “I see. So, for them to exist someone elected them. And if so, were you elected or are you the self-appointed leader of the Movement?” Mary Ann asked with just a faint whisper of condescension in her voice.

  “It sort of happened. There is no charter for the time being. We are united by our wish to safeguard the emotional rights of society,” Nicky Fallows replied smugly.

  “One might say a creative ambiguity prevails in the way the Movement acts. That by itself lends it a political hue.” Mary Ann hoped that would press his buttons.

  “No, I don’t see it like that. This isn’t a political issue. It’s a social one,” Nicky said annoyed.

  “Don’t all social issues have a political hue? Members of the Opposition have been spotted at your meetings.”

  “I can assure you they came in the capacity of the worried citizen, not as politicians.” Nicky now shifted uncomfortably in his chair. They were straying from the message that was the only reason he was there.

  “And does the same apply to Reverend Winters? Did he escort you to the set of the show as a citizen and not as a representative of the Church?” Mary Ann asked with feigned confusion as she leaned forward.

  “I don’t understand where your mention of Reverend Winters… He’s just a friend.” Nicky was now certainly ready to wrap this interview up.

  “Friends with political or religious office supporting you make it difficult to believe the Movement is not promoted by anyone. And why exactly do the people who aid your Movement’s cause choose to stay in the shadows?”

  “I don’t like what you’re insinuating, Miss West!”

  “Well, I on the other hand don’t like being told half-truths! The viewers should be aware of all angles to a story in order to form an opinion, Nicky Fallows. I’m afraid we must go off the air soon.” Mary Ann had no interest in dragging this interview out any further.