“How could I forget. Is Mr. Finch still alive? What happened to him? What happened to the Red Skins during the outbreak?”
“Mr. Finch was your coach, correct?”
“He was more than a coach to me. I never had a father in my life, but I guess he was the closest thing I had to one. I should have asked sooner.”
“I did hear news about a Caltron fighting in the riots. I thought it was odd because most Caltrons wouldn’t get involved.”
“So, he’s alive?”
“That report was a year ago. I don’t know about today.”
“What about the Red Skins?”
“The reports said that a lot of them were killed during the first outbreak.”
“Anyone named specifically?”
“They didn’t report too many names, just the number of deaths. The Red Skins gang is large, and their roots against the Blue Skins have become stronger. Gang warfare is occurring now more than ever. Some are even changing colors and killing the other side. Gang members have sworn never to do this before.”
“How many deaths have occurred since my mother was killed?”
“Salan; I think it's better if…”
“HOW MANY!”
“About 90,000 people.”
My eyes opened, and I staggered to my feet to leave. There was no way I would allow this to continue. Tora grabbed me.
“LET GO OF ME! I…”
Tora slapped me across the face.
“JUST WHAT DO YOU PLAN ON DOING WHEN YOU GET THERE? WE CAN’T DO ANYTHING UNTIL OUR TEAM IS READY. YOU’LL DIE FOR NOTHING! DON’T YOU GET THAT?”
I calmed down. He was right, but I still felt useless.
“How many are dying right now? How many per day?” I asked.
“There’s no point in making yourself feel any more guilty. It’s not your fault.”
“My people are dying out there! There are only 100,000 Felis left in the world, and most of them are slaves!”
“They will be free soon. Just wait a little bit longer. I know it’s painful.”
My emotions were getting the better of me. I had to start using my head here, not my heart.
“OK,” I said, as I flopped back into my chair.
We spent the rest of the day tweaking and editing the speech until it was perfect. The sun started to rise, and it was 9 am. Elizabeth came in every so often with beverages while we worked. Seraculus kept her distance. Tora yawned, and Seraculus came in.
“How’s the speech?”
“We’re done editing it. Now Salan just must memorize it,” said Tora.
“Wait! What?” I asked, shocked.
“You can’t walk up there with a sheet of paper. Right now, the people are anti-establishment. They need someone who doesn’t bring out papers or under anyone else’s influence. You need to show that these words are your own.”
“But they aren’t my own.”
“The ideas are, and for people to listen to you, you need to memorize the speech. It doesn't have to be word for word. Just think of the speech we made as a guideline of what to say.”
“After the four minutes…what happens then?”
“Without a doubt, the queen will make an appearance. She will send the royal guard after you. There will be a fight, and we’ll have to move fast. Rumors are spreading about war, and she has a high funding in military. The Faslow economy is poor. War is inevitable. That’s why this speech is so important. Hopefully, by the time you end your speech, the crowd will be on your side, and you can escape.”
“I will not run. I will stand my ground.”
“Salan you can’t. They’ll kill you.”
“I’m not the man I used to be, Tora. If putting my anger aside is for the benefit of my people, I will not kill them.”
“Alright but if it gets too intense, we will have to pull out.”
Tora began to laugh a bit at himself.
“What’s so funny?”
“Oh, nothing. I just remembered a funny joke a friend told me at work.”
I grabbed the paper and began to read it over. I stifled a yawn.
“Take a break Salan.”
“But—”
“We’re not going anywhere for about five more days now. So, take a break and get some sleep.
Seraculus walked into the room, “Come on Salan.”
Tora spent his time in the office as we walked out.
“Wait one more question. When do I get my arm back?”
“Not until we leave for Faslow. The scientists need to copy every bit of the technology. You will get your weapons back when you leave.”
“OK.”
I shut the door to Tora’s office. Seraculus hugged me again.
“You gotta stop hugging me, Seraculus.”
“I heard you every now and then while I was doing homework,” she said.
When she stopped hugging me, Sanoj tackled me to the floor. She licked my face and purred on top of me.
“Come on Salan, I have something to show you,” said Seraculus.
She grabbed my hand, and we all left. We went into the backyard. The tree had branches that not only held up the house but were wide enough to provide 30 meters of space. The bark of the branches was the backyard. There were large gates all around the edges, and a back dome over the top. You could hear the faint buzzing of electricity.
“Why is there a black dome in the backyard?”
“So reporters will give my family some privacy.”
“Ah, I see.”
There were overhanging branches from the trunk of the tree and leaves that hadn’t been cut off. The golden leaves were beautiful. Sanoj started to climb the tree for fun.
“Hey Sanoj, pick off one of the leaves and bring it down,” I said.
Sanoj did as I asked and brought it over. The leaf had gold stems with black on one side and gold on the other. The gold seemed to glow. It was beautiful.
“Remember when you showed me Faslow’s forest. This is more natural for me, unlike those green-leafed trees you have,” said Seraculus.
Seraculus seemed to have a sudden idea and walked back to the house.
“I’ll be right back!”
When she came back, she had a rubber ball for playing catch. It was made of foam so Sanoj wouldn’t break it. We ran around playing for some time, jumping for the ball after Sanoj threw it up. Seraculus fell on top of me, and we both laughed. Suddenly, she seemed nervous.
“Hey, Salan. When this is all over, do you think, you can live with us? I mean it’s not like we don’t have the money…”
I got serious for a moment, “Seraculus, I can’t make such a promise.”
“You’ll think about it, though?”
“Of course. I’ll think about it.”
“I know it’s hard for you to talk about that girl, Cassiella…” Seraculus drifted off.
I knew how she felt about me. I turned my head; this was hard. How could I break my best friend’s heart?
“Seraculus, I can’t be that for you. I know I was only 16 when I met her, but I knew...” I paused. “I knew that I wanted to be with her. We had to grow up fast and were surrounded by death. When you share that kind of childhood, it brings you closer to someone.”
Seraculus looked at me straight in the eyes, blinking back tears. “You loved her, didn’t you?”
“I did.”
Seraculus deserved the truth, no matter how painful.
Three days passed by. Everyone got the day off school to listen to the broadcasts. We stayed at the mansion, working and enjoying each other’s company. The reporters kept getting crazier, wanting answers to a never-ending series of questions. Faslow soldiers were caught on the borders of Atral. We listened intently to the radio.
“This is Wolf news bringing you the latest stories from Faslow. Operatives of the royal guard were captured along the Faslow-Atral border in an apparent infiltration attempt. After interrogation, the Faslow soldiers were released with strict orders to return home. Although no as
sault occurred at any time during this episode, both countries are rushing troops to their borders. Our field correspondent, Fraya, has late-breaking news on this story. Fraya?”
“Thanks, Linda. Council member Tora is currently hosting Salan in his mansion. Tora and Salan recently attended church together. Many in the congregation felt that bringing Salan—a Felis regardless of his political status—was incredibly disrespectful. Brashia, a magician who has healed the minds of Minyades for 25 years, was present during Salan’s visit. He is with us now, and has this to add:
There were muffled noises as a microphone was handed over.
“Thank you, Freya. I saw Salan enter the church and noticed immediately that he did not participate in our customs. He was disruptive, speaking loudly during the services, and he left without a word or an apology. If he is truly the next ruler of Faslow, that boy should learn some manners.”
I stood up from my chair. “That’s not true!”
“We know it isn’t true,” said Tora. “Relax; I can fix this. We should call in this magician, along with the press. People are getting scared. When people get scared, they get desperate, and there’s a fine line between desperation and violence. We don’t need any riots here. You need to talk to him.”
“I want nothing to do with that man!”
“I know you’re angry, but you have to act like a leader. You have to be calm and tell people what’s really going on.”
“But what should I say?”
“Exactly what you said in church.” Tora smiled a bit ruefully before adding, “I know it’s almost unheard of, coming from a politician, but I’m advising you to tell the truth about everything. Everything except the facility. That would only frighten them more.”
“Will that work?”
“It will be enough to buy us two more days, and that’s all that matters. On the last day, a secret meeting of all the council members will be held. Your arm and your weapons will be returned then. That’s when we’ll go. Remember: not a word about this operation! Understood?”
“OK.”
“Good, because this broadcast has been on repeat for two hours now. That’s the reason I called you here while I was working.”
“When do I meet with him?”
“He’ll be coming here at nine.”
“That’s only two hours from now!”
“You’ll be fine. Just remember: the media has probably bought him out. He’s corrupt and has made a living disguising his corruption with religion. Do not react to him; stay calm no matter what he says. He’ll probably mention your mother to get on your nerves.”
“I’m prepared for that. But what about how I got here? Are you sure I can’t mention the facility?”
“If people found out about that, we would have another riot on our hands. Keep it a secret; say you were on the run from Faslow. You stayed undercover in the black forest.”
“And what about Sanoj?”
“Bastils have a history of killing Minyades. They are the most feared creature in the forest. They were once the dominant creature of the Black Forest. You must show that Sanoj will not hurt anyone. And don’t hide Sanoj, because Brashia will only use that against you.”
Seraculus took that opportunity to say, “Salan, you can do this.”
Maybe so, but time was working against me. Those two hours seemed to go by in minutes. Before I knew it, Brashia, in full magician’s regalia, was walking through the front gates. A pack of reporters followed him. All of us stood at the front door to greet Brashia. I had Sanoj by my side with my hand on her head.
As soon as Brashia had entered, the guards blocked anyone else from coming in, and the electric field was reactivated. The magician glanced at Sanoj apprehensively. With no warning, he overreacted.
“WHAT IS THAT THING DOING HERE! IT SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE PRESENT DURING THIS MEETING!”
Tora moved forward. Speaking calmly, he said, “Sanoj is harmless and a friend of Salan’s. I murdered Sanoj’s parents, and she has not hurt me at all. If you want to speak to Salan, you will show this creature respect.”
The journalists eyed the priest. A Wolf News reporter bent over and whispered something in Brashia’s ear. Brashia cracked an evil smile, pointed to Sanoj, and said, “Let the record show that I agreed to continue, but I refuse to accept the bastil.”
“Noted. Are you coming inside? Would you like something to drink?”
“Yes,” said Brashia, who strode into the mansion and was led into Tora’s office.
Microphones were set up around us so that we could all speak freely while sitting down. Sanoj stayed by my side while Seraculus and Elizabeth stayed outside.
“So, what questions do you have for us today?” asked Tora.
“Many. As do the people of Atral. Why has Salan sided with a Bastil?”
The journalists were scribbling frantically as we talked.
“I do not side with all bastil.”
“Yet you have one staying here illegally?” asked Brashia.
“Sanoj has every legal right to be here. Eleven council members agreed, and Sanoj has hurt no one,” said Tora.
“Did bastils not kill some of your crew during the skirmish with Sanoj’s parents?” asked Brashia.
“That was a misunderstanding on both sides. I regret killing them,” said Tora.
“You sympathize with the Anti-being’s creation?!” shouted Brashia.
“No, I never said that. All I’m saying is that whenever conflict can be prevented, we need to take the proper steps. That’s why Mendaxia sacrificed himself for our sins, is it not?”
“I suppose so,” said Brashia, frustrated.
I enjoyed watching Brashia getting a taste of his own medicine. He knew he would lose this debate, so he moved on to other issues. I had no doubt he would come prepared.
“The people want to know what this leader will do now that he can overthrow the current government.” Turning to me, he added, “So, what will you do, Salan?”
“Salan will…” began Tora.
“I was asking the new leader,” said Brashia.
I cannot reveal anything that might make it harder for technicians to hack the Faslow’s radio lines. That would destroy the whole operation, so I had to lie. I had rehearsed some of this with Tora beforehand.
“The queen is the leader now, although I have the right to ascend to the throne. Right now, I am unprepared to be a leader. But there will be a time when I will step up.”
“And when will that be Salan? People are dying out there, and you sit here twiddling your thumbs. Not surprising coming from a Felis. Not only that, but you have aligned yourself with a bastil. You are a heretic controlled by the Anti-being!”
Tora jumped in as the journalists began to murmur among themselves.
“Salan should be treated with equality, as Mendaxia has stated. Children are not accountable for the sins of their father.”
“Interesting how you keep putting words in the boy’s mouth. Let him speak for himself!”
“Of course. Go ahead, Salan. Speak your mind.”
I stared icily at Brashia and paused a moment.
“People are preparing for war. We do not need such a rebellion. People are dying in Faslow. The world needs peace now more than ever.”
“And will you take over the first government? Will you heed the words of Mendaxia? Will you be the savior that the people need? Or will you let others die?” asked Brashia.
I wanted to punch him. I wanted to rip him apart. How dare he judge me? As if he knew what I had been through.
Instead, I responded, “Without doubt, the people of Faslow deserve a good leader. They deserve a world in which political murder is not an ever-present reality. Today, I cannot be the man to guarantee this, but I promise you, I will be one day.”
“When will you be ready, Salan?” asked Brashia.
“I can’t answer that question.”
“Then there is nothing more to discuss,” said Brashia, who abruptly left.
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Tora saw everyone out. I felt useless and stared bleakly at Tora when he returned and sat down.
“That was pretty good, Salan. Well done!” said Tora.
“What do you mean? That was terrible. I didn’t answer any of his questions!”
“Exactly! It’s enough to make people question your intentions. If the media is still indecisive, the people will be too. That’s enough for two days, and that’s all we need.”
“I hate that man. I wanted to hit him so badly.”
“I know, Salan. But violence isn’t always the answer. Your heart is in the right place. When you are in power, you will always be dealing with someone like Brashia, someone who jumps to conclusions and sells their opinions to the highest bidder. Did you see that reporter whispering to Brashia at the start? No doubt, Brashia is receiving money from Wolf News under the table. Don’t listen to the radio until after your speech; they will try to throw you off.”
The two days went by in a blur, and before I knew it, I was back with the 12 council members. The upcoming mission filled the room with tension.
“Are you ready Salan?” asked Tora from his far-left seat.
“Yes, I’m ready,” I replied with Sanoj at my side.
19- A House Divided
The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things."
― Ronald Reagan
A group of scientists wearing lab coats walked into the room. In a matter of moments, they reattached my arm. I moved the hand around to make sure everything was working.
Another group of men entered the room with my weapons. I tied all the straps back on. I had my regular knife, Mr. Finch’s knife, and throwing knives. Then I noticed an extra pouch on the pile of weapons.
“What’s this?”
“That is a military smoke grenade. If things get too intense, please use it to escape,” said a Minyades’ officer.
“What about my katana?”
“Too obvious. It would raise too many questions for border patrol,” said the officer.
They put on black armor over top of my clothes. It was durable yet very light.
“What material is this?” I asked one of the officers helping me.
Untold Deception Page 25
