by Trevor Wyatt
“Governor Ojun, I have Secretary Mehidas to see you.”
“Send her in,” he barked. He never bothered to remember his Centralian assistant’s name. He was a young man fresh out of school, and that was all Cassius knew.
Lavinia Mehidas sashayed through the door and sat opposite the desk without being invited. She was in her late thirties, but looked twenty-five. She was used to flaunting her sex appeal and bitchy attitude to get her way.
As Secretary, she ran the Congress Department of Financial Affairs.
“Governor Ojun,” she barely glanced at him, studying her tablet while she talked. “Elban has taken a considerable hit. Where the hell have you been?’ She just gave him the patient school look. Of course, she knew about the outbreak and subsequent events. She just didn’t care. Numbers were her job, and that was all that mattered.
“Don’t blame me. If you want someone, go talk to the Lange Corporation.”
“Funny, they said the same thing about you,” she replied.
“What could I have done? Sneezed in someone’s drink?”
“They said you willfully ignored the signs of outbreak. You covered it up when an old man killed himself.”
“He was already senile and had tried that before. How was I supposed to know?” he hissed.
“That’s not my department, Governor,” Lavinia stood. “Your statements have been noted and you’ll be advised of your review hearing.”
Without so much as a farewell, she waltzed out the door shaking her narcissistic ass.
Cassius was getting a headache. To think he was part of the same bureaucracy he hated so much. He hoped he never acted that arrogantly to the farmers he had grown to consider as friends.
Two weeks passed ever so slowly as he waited for the Governors Congress meeting.
No one would talk to him still. That only meant two things; either they had been paid off, or threatened. He would never understand why life meant so little and profit meant so much.
No one cared when he told the story of how his Franky deteriorated and ultimately killed himself. They only cared that their bribes kept rolling in.
What would Lyla say?
The political wheel is a slow machine. Be patient. Focus on your real life.
Of course. He spent every possible moment with Sienna and Peyton, trying to transform their haunted eyes into the innocent wonder they used to be.
He made them fabulous meals (and some horrible ones that were good for a laugh), and did his best to take one day at a time.
He took them to live shows and the Zero-G Derby. They loved that one. It was nothing but a brawl in a low gravity ring. They both adored music, so concerts were a regularity. Every moment he spent with them, he filled with silliness and fun.
He relished it, knowing it could be taken away any time. They knew it too. Once in a while, the haunted look would return. It vanished just as quickly, and sometimes he wondered if they were trying to comfort him.
Finally, the meeting day arrived, and Cassius found himself dreading it. He had immersed himself wholly into giving the children good memories, and now he had to face reality again.
The kids let him relive the simple life he used to have. They reminded him of the hope that was still left. Life would be so much better if children were in charge, and adults got grounded for being evil.
Faces stared up at Cassius, some in boredom and some in stone-faced defiance. No one wanted to hear what he had to say, but by the time he was through, a few would at least be concerned for their own people.
He took a deep breath.
“By now all of you have heard rumors of the tragedy on Elban,” Cassius started. “They’re true. The outbreak of Crop Fever has devastated the entire planet, and the risk that it could devastate yours is certain.”
That got their attention. Murmurs rippled through the crowd—some in disbelief, some in worry. The people he took note of sat still without a word. It was as if they already knew what he was going to say. He kept a closer eye on them throughout the speech.
He cranked up the volume on the thumbnail-sized mic on his collar.
“That’s right. You’re vulnerable too. If you’re content to sit there and watch everyone you know and love die—then by all means, ignore the problem. But don’t deny that it exists.”
Everyone in the room took a defensive posture in some way. Arms crossed over chests, legs crossed, some leaned forward as if preparing for a fight. Those were the ones that needed watching.
Just the effect Cassius was waiting for. He straightened his back and leaned forward for dramatic flair.
“I’m not speaking here for sympathy. I came to warn you. This pandemic was engineered and distributed by a corporation you all know and trust. The—”
His voice ceased reverberating throughout the auditorium, and he realized someone cut the signal to the microphone.
Determined to keep his temper, he stalked backstage. The governors muttered amongst themselves in confusion while he came face-to-face with the meeting facilitator.
He didn’t slow his pace until he could smell the bald man’s breath.
“I was given twenty minutes,” he said, his voice dangerously quiet.
The facilitator backed up a step. “I’m sorry, Governor. You can’t continue. There’s a legal issue.”
“What legal issue?”
He had been given permission to speak. They knew what he wanted. What the hell was the problem now?
“Um,” he glanced over Cassius’s shoulder. “There’s an attorney here to see you.”
Cassius turned around to see a younger man with platinum blonde hair and a charcoal suit approaching.
He had to admit the contrast was intimidating. He set his jaw and prepared for the worst.
The meeting facilitator took the opportunity to scurry away.
“Governor Ojun, my name is Trom Barrett. I represent Vice-Chancellor Jebediah Lange.”
He tapped his tablet a couple of times.
“You’ve been served.”
“With what?” Cassius brought out his tablet to look at the documents the lawyer just passed to him.
Jebediah Lange, the official signature on the purchase of the Elban continent.
“A cease-and-desist on all moves against the Lange Corporation, and a gag order for the events on Elban. Violating these will result in prison time.”
“That’s a load of bull,” he said, but it wasn’t. A small time governor wouldn’t win against the palm greasers.
“Need I remind you how the system works? Your child will disappear into it and you’ll never see her again.”
The man was a good two feet shorter, but he still managed to look down at Cassius.
Sienna was his weakness, and they knew it. His shoulders slumped in resignation.
“Although, Lange Corporation is willing to cover the expenses for the relocation of the remaining survivors. Which is what, two hundred?”
“Five hundred sixty-nine. Fine,” he said. With a plan already brewing in his head, he put on his most thoughtful poker face. “I’ll shut up. But first—”
Cassius punched the son of a bitch square in the nose and walked away. It was obvious the man took pride in his appearance, and messing with that felt too good.
He would shut up. Cassius knew how to do that.
But he wouldn’t sit still.
He was beginning to understand that he would have to combine his rough childhood with his bureaucratic adulthood in order to win this race.
Chapter 15
Cassius
Cassius’ fist rapped against the door in front of him.
The last several days were dead end after dead end. This stop was his last—the final member of the Congress who he hadn’t spoken to yet.
The door opened before him, revealing an aging man, appearing to be in his late fifties, sitting behind a desk.
“I hope this is good for you, to come in while I’m doing paperwork,” the man said.
&nbs
p; “Yes, of course, I won’t take too much of your time,” Cassius replied, walking inside to take a seat in front of the desk.
“Oh, don’t worry about it, son,” he said with a light laugh. “It’s just an old man carrying on. Truth be told, you’re saving me from an aneurysm.”
He reached across the desk to shake Cassius’ hand. Cassius reached out his and shook the congressman’s hand.
“So, you’re the man from Elban everyone’s talking about?”
“For better or worse, yes,” Cassius said, now a bit more relaxed than he was when he first entered.
“Well, you’re not going to find any judgment from me,” he said. “I don’t care where you’re from, as long as you’re a good man and a hard worker. Consider this the fresh start you deserve.”
“Thank you. You’re too kind, Mr. Luna,” Cassius said. “But as far as our meeting today goes, I just wanted to discuss a few things with you.”
“No trouble, son. What’s on your mind?” he said as he saved the work on his workstation and closed the programs to minimize distraction.
“Well, I just wanted to talk about what happened on my planet,” Cassius said honestly.
“Yes, of course. What a tragedy,” Luna said, stroking his white beard slowly. “I can’t begin to imagine what that must’ve been like for you.”
“It was...difficult,” Cassius said, feeling his chest tighten as memories of what happened recently flashed through his mind. “It’s still difficult.”
“Oh yes,” Luna said. “Things will heal over time, but the scars will stay for the rest of your life. I know it sounds harsh, but take it from someone who has been around for a long time.”
“I figured as much,” Cassius said. “But yes, I just can’t shake this feeling that there’s more to this than meets the eye.”
Luna raised his eyebrow, shifting to the side in his seat. “What do you mean by that?”
“I can’t help but think that there was an...intervention,” Cassius said.
“Nonsense. It was a plague, and nothing more,” Luna said dismissively. “Things like this happen, and your planet was one of the ones unlucky enough to be struck by it. What happened to Elban is a tragedy, but I have no reason to believe it was anything more than a fluke in the evolution of a terrible virus.”
“You weren’t there. You don’t know the things I saw,” Cassius said.
“I don’t need to have been there to know that there was no foul play,” the congressman said.
“So you don’t have any suspicions about the Lange Corporation, or their involvement in any of this?” he asked.
“I have a suspicion that you’re chasing phantoms. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you’re under a lot of stress right now. People think irrationally when they’re under stress,” the older man said as he stood from his seat.
“That being said, I think it’s time for you to leave. I don’t foresee us getting any further in this conversation. The Lange Corporation has done nothing but good for the people of Centralia and beyond. I won’t have you dragging their name through the mud.”
Cassius stood to his feet and made his way to the door.
“Thank you for your time, Mr. Luna. I’ll be on my way.”
So far, every meeting had ended the same way. He would speak with a member of Congress, things would go well, and then as soon as any hint of corruption or the Lange Corporation was brought up, the conversation would end.
No one wished to speak ill of the company, whether through the use of fear or fortune.
Cassius shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked back down the stairs and through the front door of the office. Dinner time was nearing, and he needed to pick up a few things to make dinner for the girls.
On his way down the street, Cassius’ wrist slipstream device beeped. He looked at it and saw an unfamiliar name on the caller’s information.
Thomas Alver.
He answered it regardless, and a face of an old, postured man appeared before him.
“Cassius Ojun,” the man on the other end of the line said.
“Yes. I believe we haven’t met?”
“Thomas Alver, I’m one of the senior members of Congress,” he said. “I’ve heard a lot about you through the grapevine.”
“Nothing good, most likely,” Cassius said, turning the corner to the store. He stood out to the side while speaking with Thomas to avoid eavesdroppers.
“Quite the contrary, friend. I’ve heard many, many things about you that I find interesting. I’ve heard you’ve been going around to my colleagues, prying about the Lange Corporation,” Thomas said. “I know things went about as well as one can expect.”
“It seems like anyone saying anything negative about them is out of the question,” Cassius said in a disgusted tone.
“It is. You know, you remind me of myself when I was a governor. Standing up to corporations and calling them out on their shady dealings. Would you care to meet me for lunch tomorrow? I’d like to discuss this in greater detail in person.”
Cassius thought for a moment. With everyone in the planet dismissing all of his thoughts about the root of the Crop Fever in Elban, having someone interested in talking to him about it became unbelievable.
However, this was also his chance to finally get some answers out of someone willing to speak honestly and openly with him.
“Of course. Time and place?” he asked.
“Around noon at the Moonlight Dream restaurant in the center of town. Don’t worry about the cost because I’m buying. It’s the least I can do,” Thomas said.
“Consider it done, and thank you for your generosity,” Cassius said.
“Oh, the pleasure is all mine,” Thomas said. “Until tomorrow.”
Thomas cut the call, leaving Cassius staring blankly ahead.
He saved the number into his contacts so he would have it in case he needed it before going inside the store to pick up the groceries he needed.
The night came and went, and morning finally broke. Cassius stood waiting outside the Moonlight Dream. It wasn’t the most upscale restaurant he’d ever seen, but it was very pleasing to look at on the inside. The aroma of the food inside wafted out the door and filled Cassius’ nostrils. It all smelled amazing.
“Cassius!” the voice from yesterday called out. He turned to see Thomas approaching him. He reached his hand out and the two firmly shook hands. “Pleasure finally meeting you in person.”
“Likewise, Mr. Alver,” he said.
“Call me Thomas, please. We’re both off the clock,” he said as he patted Cassius on the shoulder. “Come on, I’ve got our table reserved. It’s in the back where we’ll have some privacy.”
The two entered the building and were promptly escorted to the back of the establishment, in a private room that Cassius could gather was usually reserved for parties and meetings. They were seated promptly, and Cassius glanced over the menu.
“So, you said you wanted to discuss things further?” Cassius asked once the waitress had left.
“Yes, I’ve heard you’re on a mission to take on the Lange Corporation,” Thomas said.
“Well, my initial plan is to find out how they brought in the Crop Fever to Elban. But yes, I guess you can put it like that. So you’re going to help me?” Cassius asked expectantly.
“Well, that’s the thing,” Thomas said. He sighed. “Look, I get what you’re trying to do here. Really, I do. I admire it, even. You remind me of when I was your age. But I just wanted to let you know, that you’re going on a fool’s errand.”
“What do you mean?” Cassius asked.
“People have been trying to take down Lange for years, and none of them have even come close to putting a dent in their operations. I’ve seen it happen time and time again, been on that end of it many times myself. But it just won’t work,” he said. “They’re too powerful, and too many people high up stand to lose a lot of money if something happens to them.”
“So we�
��re just expected to let them get away with this? What they did to my people was murder, in cold blood,” he said, hushing his tone in case the walls had eyes and ears. “I can’t just let this go by unpunished.”
“I’m not gonna stop you, I just want you to have some realistic expectations. Even if you make some headway, it’s not going to happen overnight. It probably won’t even happen in your lifetime, if ever,” Thomas said.
“Your concern is touching, but it’s not going to discourage me,” Cassius said.
“Like I said, I’m not out to tell you not to. I just don’t want you to be too disappointed if you end up failing like the rest of us have.”
“Of course,” Cassius said. He was about to continue the thought, when the server returned.
The two gave each other a glance that said it was best to end their conversation for the time being and placed their orders.
Chapter 16
Cassius
Over the next several days, Cassius and Thomas continued to meet and discuss things about what happened with Elban and the Lange Corporation.
With each day, Cassius could tell that Thomas was starting to come around, a spark being reignited in the older man’s eyes that had previously long since been extinguished.
It gave Cassius hope that he would be able to make a difference sooner than later—and if it had to be later, then he would at least set the events in motion that would bring justice to the ones that destroyed his home.
He’d been called for another meeting with Thomas. The man wouldn’t give Cassius any details, but said it was of the utmost importance. Cassius found himself waiting outside the court house for his new found ally.
“Glad you could join me again, friend,” Thomas said as he rounded the corner. He motioned for Cassius to follow him inside. “I’ve got some news for you.”
“Oh really, now?” Cassius asked as they made their way through security and down the halls. “What kind of news?”
“Well, I’ve been looking into some things. As you know, I’m getting older—and honestly, I’m tired of fighting,” he said. “So, I’ve decided that I want to nominate you for my position in the Labor Oversight Committee.”
