Aligned

by Jaci Wheeler

  “I think you’re right. Thank you so much for all of your help, Dex, including joining the Council. I know that wasn’t an easy choice for you to make, and I know you did it mostly to help me.”

  “You’re welcome. Does it at least earn me a kiss?” he asks, only half joking.

  “Once everything is sorted out, maybe.”

  “You do realize this could take years to sort out, right?”

  I smile back in amusement. “Yes, I do.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  It’s hard to run a meeting with the heads of your departments, keeping your confidence up when you have a fail-proof well thought-out and researched plan. It’s close to impossible to keep your confidence with a hopeful idea because it’s only your only option and you pray it’s the right choice. My stomach is in complete knots because in less than an hour I meet with the heads of each department. I’m supposed to present the plan and hope everyone jumps on board. This is a huge undertaking in and of itself, let alone I’m not completely confident it’s even going to work. My game plan is to lay it on the line and let the people know exactly where we stand. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty, but I’m going to get it over with.

  Gah! Who am I kidding? I’m five seconds away from crawling under my desk and hiding right now. I wonder if I can bat my lashes at Dex and get him to do the meeting for me. Yeah right, I’m not Natasha. There’s no way I could pull that off. I let my head fall and right as I am about to bang it on the desk I hear a throat clearing in the doorway. I can’t catch a break today. I groan out loud, which earns me a chuckle.

  “I had a feeling I was going to have to drag you down there today. You’re doing better than I thought though; I was sure I’d have to drag you out from under your desk.”

  “Masters, it’s positively creepy how well you know me. I might have been contemplating doing just that, but I decided to take the mature adult route instead,” I say with mock confidence.

  “Banging your head on the desk is much more mature than hiding. I feel so safe with my future in your hands.”

  “Gah! That’s it, Kevin Masters. As of this minute I am using all the power given to me by United America and the Council to declare you head of the meeting. Don’t back down, be honest, and get it over with quickly. Let me know how it goes.” I wave my hand at him. “You are dismissed.”

  Instead of doing as he is told like a good little minion he laughs in my face.

  “You know, if the people rebel you can always leave the country and find a job as a comedian,” he says, pulling me up and leading me toward the doorway.

  “Don’t even joke about that, you evil man! You don’t think that’s a possibility do you?” Great, now he has me worrying about a rebellion on top of everything else.

  “Suck it up, Roz. If you don’t walk in there with confidence in yourself and especially your plan, they won’t have confidence in you either. It’s a good plan, and it’s in the people’s best interest. Remember that.”

  “And what if everyone hates it?”

  Masters flexes his arms and pops his knuckles, and I must admit it is pretty impressive. “That’s when I step in,” he says with an evil smile.

  “Good Lord, you could give children nightmares,” I say with a shiver.

  His evil smile grows. “I’ve been known to give grown men nightmares.” He says this like it’s something to be proud of.

  “Any words of advice? I could use some right about now. You are intimidating and people follow everything you say. What would you do?”

  Masters thinks about this for a moment then says, “Fold my arms across my chest while flexing a bit, stare them down, and scowl. That usually does the trick.”

  “None of which will help me at all! Besides having you stand next to me doing that, which by the way isn’t a bad idea at all, what should I do?”

  “Picture them naked?”

  “What? That’s horrible advice!”

  “I heard it helps make you less nervous.”

  “Standing in a room full of naked people makes you less nervous?”

  He shrugs.

  “Now I know why you weren’t picked as a Council member. Remind me to tell Natasha when you have kids you are not allowed to give them advice.”

  He grants me his best scowl and I smile up at him.

  “You’re picturing me naked aren’t you?” he asks with a smirk.

  I punch him in the arm. “You wish! Geez, you dirty old man, will you do your job please?”

  We walk through the door to the auditorium. I’m instantly taken aback and have to blink a few times. I can’t believe Andi and Judy pulled this off in only a few days. It’s calm and relaxing and beautiful, exactly what I need. The tables are set up facing the podium with light yellow tablecloths and sunflowers in vases on all the tables. There is a long table in the back full of sandwiches, trays of fruit and nuts, and little cakes and cookies.

  I find them both right away and give them huge hugs. “I can’t believe you two; this is beyond wonderful. You must be magic to pull this off in only a few days. I was expecting some folding chairs and maybe a sandwich or two, but this is so lovely.”

  They both thank me and run off to do the finishing touches.

  Well this is it; no backing out now. People are starting to come through the door. Natasha enters with Ronan. Masters’ eyes light up as soon as he sees her. She comes over and gives me a quick hug.

  “You okay?” she whispers in my ear. I shrug and she understands. “It will be all right, just keep your confidence up.”

  “Masters explained the plan to you?”

  “Yes, and I think a lot of people are going to be caught off guard, especially Ronan. Stand firm, back up your beliefs, and you’ll be fine.”

  “Thanks. Okay, well here goes nothing then. Maybe if I feed them and tell them while their mouths are full there will be less opposition?” I joke. Natasha laughs and tosses me a wink over her shoulder as she finds her place next to Ronan. When everyone who is supposed to be here has finally arrived, I look to the door and motion to Green to lock it. Dex slips in and stands in the shadows to observe. Well there goes a united front. I thought he’d at least stand up here next to me. Oh well, time to get this over with. I stand at the podium and take a deep breath.

  “Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much clearing your schedules for this meeting. I know everyone is busy and I appreciate you fitting me in. First off, I’d like to thank Judy and Andi for putting this fabulous lunch together so quickly. If you will go fill your plates and have a seat we will start.”

  While everyone stands up and gets in line for food, I go over to Dex. “Thanks for showing up. You sure you don’t want to take it from here?”

  He gives me a sly smile. “You are doing wonderfully. I’ll stand here in awe and watch you work your magic on everyone.”

  I roll my eyes. “Seriously, Dex, I think you might do a better job.”

  He looks at me for a moment and then grips my shoulders. “You are really worried about this aren’t you? It will be fine, Roz. They all love and respect you, just tell them what’s going to happen and if I need to I will step in and help, okay?”

  This makes me feel a little better.

  “Will you sit up here next to me in case I need you to jump in?”

  “Of course I will, if that will make you more comfortable.” We walk back over to the podium and he pulls a chair over next to mine. We wait until everyone is seated once more, then I take a deep, calming breath and walk to the podium. When I look down I see a glass of chocolate milk. Oh bless Andi. I take a long drink and look over to see her smiling at me from the back of the room. I mouth “Thank you.” One more calming breath and I’m ready to go.

  “Thank you so much, and I hope you enjoy your lunch. I’m asking that you all listen very closely to what I have to say and hold any questions or comments until the end. I am going to get to everyone’s concerns, of which I’m sure there will be many, but if you could please let me f
inish everything I need to say first I would appreciate it.”

  Several looks of concern flash over their faces, and a few take in the guards at the doors.

  “For those who have been here for many years and have seen a few presidents come and go, you understand that Rules and Acts come and go as well. Changes must be made based on what the president at the time thinks is best. It’s hard to know what the best plan of action for so many people is, but we do our best and learn from our mistakes. As you have figured out by now, I believe in taking action. I believe in the power of change and healing our country. There are some people who like consistency and don’t handle change well. I understand that completely and I’m sorry to say the next few months are probably going to be difficult for many. However, I do believe we will get through this transition together, and if there is a way I can make it easier please let me know.”

  “I know with change comes hardship, but my hope is we can make this go as smoothly as possible, and as the leaders in this Ministry I really count on all of your help and support. Will you stand by me as I attempt to make United America the best country it can possibly be?”

  Several heads nod enthusiastically and there are a great many smiles. Now comes the hard part.

  “When I came into the Ministry I was surprised at how many rules there were I wasn’t aware of. The ins and outs of running a country are important and detailed. I’ve been a little overwhelmed at times but I understand why we do the things we do. I truly believe everything we do here at the Ministry is for the good of our country and the people who live in it. With that said, there are a few things I don’t agree with.”

  I take a deep breath. “Most of you are not aware there was a large group of people who didn’t agree with the Ministry and the rules. The president before me thought it was in the best interest of our country to ban those people to a gated area outside of our Zones, to be cut off from the Ministry.” I pause while several gasps and comments come from around the room. I hold my hand up. “I, on the other hand, do not feel the same way. I have met all of those people, spent time with them, lived and worked beside them and they are extremely loving and compassionate people. I feel keeping them banned is the wrong thing to do, so the ban has been lifted. Most of the people still choose to live in that community, which is fine. They grow their own food, take care of their own, everything is self-sufficient, but the gates are now open so they can see loved ones in the Zones and get medical care if needed. This, however, has brought up a huge question of how many people in the Zones are unhappy with the Ministry. I know I’m going to upset many of you when I bring this up but I’m sorry, it must be done.” I look directly at Ronan for a minute and smile, he smiles back and nods as if he understands he’s not going to like what I have to say, but to go ahead and say it.

  “I understand monitoring is a huge part of why our country is so successful. We are able to prevent crimes and help guide people in the right direction. While it has worked very well for a hundred years, it is starting to become a problem. More and more people feel their freedoms are being taken away, and I don’t want anyone in my country to feel that way if I can help it. After much consideration amongst the Council and myself, we think the best way to approach this situation is with full honesty. I was shocked when I discovered exactly how much I, personally, am monitored, and I don’t want anyone to feel their privacy is being taken from them without a choice. Nothing will change with the monitoring or your jobs, except people will now be aware of how much they are, in fact, being monitored.”

  There is a lot of talking now, hushed whispers, and upset expressions. I wait a beat until people give me their attention once again.

  “As I said, I know this isn’t ideal for the monitoring but I really believe it is necessary to keep another uprising from occurring. The reason I am meeting with you leaders now is to get your concerns and questions so we can figure out the best way to implement these changes. Then we can inform the rest of the Ministry, and then the people.”

  More talking starts and I hold my hand up again.

  “Please, I’m almost done, but there is one more thing. The Council and I believe it is only fair for the people to have a choice. Being monitored has proven to work the best for our society; however, the people living in the free compound have proven to be successful as well without monitoring. If the people don’t want to follow the Ministry’s rules, we will give them the option to have a place in each region where they can go and build their own homes, work the land, and make a life for themselves. This way of life is much harder than living in the Zones. While the conditions aren’t perfect, it has been proven to work. Living in the Zones, we have more benefits and more access to a broader variety of things. It is our hope that the people see the benefits of the rules we have to enforce, but if they don’t, I want them to feel free to live how they chose without it seeming like a punishment.”

  Several people are nodding their heads.

  “To recap, we have lifted the ban from those people who were secluded. We will inform the people of the full scope of monitoring and the reasons behind doing so. We will also offer them another option if they choose to take it, but not encourage them to do so. I am going to have several Ministry members as well as the compound members trained and available for questions from the people. Right now you have one of each as well. I am here for questions, and Dexter is here from the compound. He spent nearly two years there and now is back at the Ministry. I want to be clear there isn’t any bad blood between the compound and myself. I love those people and admire how they live. Also, most of you know Annabelle who was the Counsel Rep; you met with her for any concerns you may have had. Annabelle has given that role over to Dexter, the newest Council member.” I motion for Dex to stand and he does, smiling widely and no doubt trying not to freak people out with that unnerving stare he gives out of habit.

  “Now I’m going to take a few general questions and then Dexter and I will go from table to table to talk with everyone personally. Mr. Ronan, I guess you will have the most concerns. If you’d like to share them now, I’m sure other people would appreciate the answers as well.”

  Although he doesn’t look happy, he looks like he understands. “Yes, President Thatcher, in fact I do. I understand the lifting of the ban and I agree with you completely on that. I obviously agree wholeheartedly in what we do and why we have the rules we do. I also understand not everyone feels the same way, so having another option is good. However, I do not think telling the public about observation is a good decision.”

  I knew he would feel this way, and he is more understanding than I expected.

  “It is a proven fact our system works. You are the perfect example of a product of monitoring at its finest,” he says with a proud grin. “Once you start telling people how much they are monitored they aren’t going to be their true selves. It is going to drastically change the effectiveness of the data and therefore the entire system.”

  “I understand your concerns and they are valid. People might be a little more guarded, but I really believe it is their right to be. Some people are private by nature and that should be allowed. How are we to give them the option of leaving the rules and monitoring if they aren’t aware it is taking place? I know it isn’t ideal to inform the people and it’s going to open up a huge can of worms, but I believe it is necessary. Also, there are some things we don’t have to disclose. We don’t have to tell the people anything about presidential selection or criminal profiling. It is to our benefit for them not to know how we go about that, though I do want them to know they are being monitored. After many meetings with Mr. Masters, he assures me if a criminal has the mindset, it isn’t going to matter if they know they are monitored or not. I think the same thing goes with the president. You knew at a young age with me; I don’t think it would have been different if I had been aware. You were right when you said your system was proven to work with me, so now is your chance to back that up by supporting me. I stand firm on
this.”

  He doesn’t look happy about it but he nods.

  “Also, because your department is going to be taking the biggest hit in this I am going to assign you several more people. Masters has agreed to give you a few of his men as long as you need them, as has I.T. Wesley Sanders also volunteered his services.” At the mention of Wes he perks up immediately.

  “While it is not my desire to make things harder on anyone—it’s always easier to hide your head in the sand—the downfall it brings is harder in the long run. I say it’s time to confront our problems head on and be ready to deal with the backlash. I can’t go forward without all of your support. Every one of you has a whole department that looks up to you and goes to you for answers. If you aren’t on board they won’t be either, so if you are ready for the next step and have no concerns or questions you are free to leave. Otherwise, I am going to ask you to stay and encourage you to ask questions, voice concerns, and help me work out the details. I don’t want anyone leaving here upset or thinking this won’t work, because then it won’t. We need to have a ‘can do’ attitude and go after this problem and attack it head on. I hope you are all with me. Please help yourself to more food and I will be making my way around the tables. Thank you for your time.”

  It’s after 8:00 p.m. when Dex and I finally leave. I want to cry from sheer exhaustion and my throbbing head. My feet hurt so bad I take off my shoes and walk barefoot. After the third time I step on something sharp and stop to check my foot, Dex picks me up like it’s nothing and carries me home, with me protesting the whole way. Once we get home everyone is in bed for the night so Dex and I heat up some leftovers.

  “Well, how do you think it went?” I ask, wanting his opinion. I am happy with it, even though it took much longer than I thought it would.

  He smiles. “I think it went well; you were magic.”

  “If I was magic we would have been out of there by five o’clock.”