Wes’s eyes light up like its Christmas morning. “There is a reason this has always been on my top five list, Roz. This is so incredible! Where do you think that chute goes? I mean, obviously it goes somewhere the train goes right? Or do you think maybe it goes straight to the Department of Ministry? I mean-”
I put my hand up, cutting him off. “Yes Wes, super exciting, awesome stuff. Please check in so we can go. You don’t want us to be late, do you?” My comment has the exact effect I was hoping, jolting Wes out of his geek love fest. He immediately places his hand on the window and scans in.
Once we were scanned and free of our bags, we took our seats in plush red chairs to wait for the train.
“You see now, Roz, why I prefer technology over people? It’s much more efficient and with far less mindless drivel. They don’t go on and on with needless pleasantries, or tell you all about their five ugly grandchildren while forcing you to pretend you are listening and make eye contact and all that.”
This earns a chuckle from me. “All that mindless drivel and needless pleasantries, as you so graciously put it, Wesley, is called connecting. Most people like to connect with others, form friendships, and bonds; the average person would much rather socialize with a human than a screen you know.”
He thinks on this for a moment and then proudly states, “And this is why they are only average.” This earns a full blown laugh from me. Even though my life may be changing at such a rapid pace, it’s nice to know some things are constant, and that Wesley Sanders most certain is.
“Thank you, Wes.”
“For what?”
“For being here with me. For always being there for me. You are my constant.”
“Well, for what it is worth, you are welcome, but it’s not exactly like I have a choice in this matter now do I?” This is very true, he didn’t, but if he did…
“And if you did, Wes? If you could pick, would you choose to stay with me, or go elsewhere? “He ponders on this for much longer than I’d like.
“The job would be the same; the only variable would be you?” he asks. I just nod.
“Well then, yes. I would pick being with you.” This earns a big smile from me until he adds, “Who else would know to always eat my tomatoes?!” Ever since we were kids Wes couldn't stand tomatoes. He used to freak out anytime there was one on his plate. I just started plucking them off his plate and eating them before a freak out would ensue. In turn he would eat my onions. I know I should let this go, it is Wes I’m dealing with, but as juvenile as it may be, I need to know that he needs me as much as I do him.
“I’m sure there are plenty of people who would eat your tomatoes, Wesley!”
“Yes but then I would have to ask them, and that can lead to all kinds of unpleasantness. This way it’s just a given.”
I huff loudly and turn to him “Just say I’m your best friend and you need me! Is that so hard Wes, to say you are happy we are going to be together because you love me?”
He looks at me like I’ve grown another head. “Of course I need and love you and you are my best friend. All of these things you already know, Roz. Why waste time stating the obvious? Sheesh, it must be a woman thing!” Just then the trained pulled up, saving me from having to respond.
Wes pops up so fast he almost knocks me over. I am half-worried he is going to pee his pants from excitement. “It’s here, it’s here, Roz!” He is literally bouncing up and down like a little kid.
“Yes, I can see that Wesley.” I stand up to join him on the platform.
A beautiful, shiny, silver train comes screaming into the port. The inside has only a very small seating section and I am guessing that only ten people could fit, tops. The chairs are a deep burgundy color, with yellow accents carved into the wood frame. The car is elegant, yet understated, like most things in our country, and you can tell it is well taken care of.
“From the size of the train, I was expecting it to be much bigger.”
“Oh it is, Roz. In fact, it’s pretty massive. But the trains were designed to be functional, remember. Only a few people are required to travel at a time, so they left a very small portion for seating. Everything else is made for cargo. I would love to be able to take a tour of the cargo area. I am already getting a few ideas of improvements that can be easily made.” This makes me laugh internally. Leave it to Wes to already be making changes on something we’ve been in for literally seconds. He hasn’t even seen more of the train and he’s already improving it.
“Well, once we get there maybe you can request a thorough tour,” I say, mostly joking. The teasing, however, was completely lost on Wes.
“Oh you bet I will.” Just then the train comes to a stop and it looks as though we have arrived!
“Wow, that was fast! There’s no way we are here already!” I say in total surprise.
Wes rolls his eyes. “Roz, it’s called a bullet train for a reason.” At my blank look he adds, “It's fast.”
Just then the doors swoosh open and the animated voice calls out: “Please exit the train. Welcome to the Department of Ministry and thank you for riding.”
As soon as we step onto the platform the doors close behind as and the train is off so fast that the wind causes my dress to fly up in a flourish. Oh great, my first day as President and already I’m flashing my panties.
Wes, completely oblivious of my panic to keep my dress down, begins walking with purpose toward...oh great, it looks like the head of the Ministry of Defense: Kevin Masters. His smirk tells me that he was not oblivious to my little panty show. With shoulders squared, and as much fake confidence as I can muster, I marched up to him. “Good morning, sir.”
He nods and gives me what I assume to be his “I-eat-children-for-breakfast look.” I’m hoping he just isn’t a morning person, but I have a feeling that this is his usual sunny disposition. “Everyone calls me Masters.” He says this more as an order than a statement. “If you follow me, we will get started.”
Just then something occurs to me: we had gotten so caught up with the train that I didn’t realize that Molly hasn’t ridden with us. “Has Molly already arrived?” I ask him.
He sighs like my question is putting him out, but answers with a vague “She isn’t scheduled to arrive yet.” His tone tells me that I'm not getting anything else out of him on the subject, or maybe just nothing in general, so I decide to keep my mouth shut and follow in silence.
Wes is completely in awe of everything around us and I doubt he has even realized that we were talking. It is then that I get my first look at the building we are about to enter. It's massive, the biggest building by far that I’ve ever seen in pictures or in person. Not only is it huge, but the aesthetics are simply breath-taking.
The building is made out of the same type of glass that most of the structures in United America are made, utilizing natural light as effectively as possible, but it is the detail in the glass that amazes me. It isn’t just a pane of solid glass; there are cut outs and etchings in every wall, most of which appear to be handmade. Even though the walls and ceiling are made up of clear glass, bits of colored glass scattered throughout make the building come alive. A red rose, a yellow sun, some blue rain drops, both light and dark. It is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen! Even Wes was taken by its beauty, although, it is more likely that his seeming awe is simply him calculating the dimensions of the building in his head.
We walk over to the middle of the room to a glass cylinder. Masters scans his hand and the doors instantly open for us. He gestures for us to enter, and he follows us in. The doors close and we are sucked up several stories. Wes is fascinated, while I most likely just look sick. Masters, on the other hand, remains stoic with his hands crossed in front of him.
As soon as we come to a stop, he scans his hand again and the doors open. Masters walks out with Wes and me trailing slightly behind. I take a deep breath when we walk into a large area, beautiful and calming. Again, it is made from glass, but with a light blue tint to it. I
t looks as though we are in the sea, surrounded by drops of water shining as the light reflects through it. In the middle of the room is a waterfall sculpture. Ornate pieces of glass twist and wrap around each other and the water dances through them. Each room seems to be more beautiful than the last.
Masters stops at the waterfall, not to enjoy the amazing sight before us, but because he is waiting for someone. His eyes don't flick even once toward the magnificent sculpture. No matter how long I work here I think it will always captivate me.
All of a sudden I hear heels clicking on the marble floor. An older woman around 60, with perfectly-styled gray hair and large brown eyes approaches us. She is smiling, but it doesn't reach her eyes. She looks tired, and something more...skeptical, I think. She takes her time eying me, and then Wes. You can tell her inspection is making Wes very uncomfortable, but, to my great relief, he keeps his comments to himself. After several moments she extends her hand to me and then Wes.
“Good morning. I’m glad to see that you both have arrived. My name is Annabelle and I am the representative of the Foundation. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
My mouth goes dry. The Foundation Council is made up of ten members and it is the Council that makes sure that the laws of the founders are being upheld, with no deviation. It is also the Council’s responsibility to approve of and appoint the new President from the candidates presented to them by the Career Board. I remind myself that she must be in my corner and push my nervousness aside. “It’s very nice to meet you, Annabelle.”
“Just one moment and we will get started for the day.” I notice that she is pressing buttons on her watch. Within moments a beautiful girl comes walking towards us. Her age could be anywhere from 18-25. She has long red hair with blonde highlights running throughout, bright hazel eyes, and a very friendly smile that puts me instantly at ease.
“Ah, Aspen, this is Rosaline and Wesley. I’d like you to show Wesley around for a few hours while the Foundation meets with Rosaline, please.” Turning to Wes, Annabelle adds “Aspen is my assistant and will take good care of you.”
Wes is clearly put off and uncomfortable with the idea of leaving me and having to go with a stranger. He looks at me, pleading with his eyes not to make him go.
I turn to Aspen, “It’s very nice to meet you, Aspen. Wes is very interested in the train and would love a tour if all possible.” I am begging her with my eyes to please understand that this isn’t a request and if she doesn’t want him to flip out immediately she will catch on and say yes. Please just say yes.
“Of course! That is a fabulous idea. In fact, one of our scientists is making some adaptations to one of the trains at this very moment and I’m sure Miles would love to have your opinion.” I could just kiss her.
Wes lights up brighter than I have ever seen him. All fear and worry about leaving with a stranger instantly vanish with the promise of seeing the workings of a train and being able to harass one of the scientists.
“That sounds wonderful, Aspen!” Wes turns and walks away with her without another thought of me. As they are walking away I can hear him ask her “What kind of name is Aspen anyway?”
Oh good Lord, that poor girl is going to hate me by the end of the day! Surprisingly, however, she just chuckles and says “What kind of question is that to ask a stranger?”
“I like her.”
“Yes, Aspen is the best! I couldn’t get along without her.” Annabelle is now openly studying me. I stand there trying not to squirm. “I was very impressed with you as well. You handle Wesley perfectly. I was worried for a minute there that we were going to have a meltdown on our hands.” I like her honesty and candidness very much.
“Yes, well we might have. Wes doesn’t like change, and not feeling like he is in control. I learned at a young age that as long as you can redirect him to something he enjoys or distract him with something he finds fascinating, we can avoid meltdowns altogether.” Suddenly I felt like we were talking behind his back and felt bad. She may be my boss more or less, but she needs to know to whom my loyalties belong.
“He may be quirky, but Wes is the most brilliant person I’ve ever known. I get just as much out of our friendship as he does” I state fiercely.
She studies me again, for longer this time, and a huge smile breaks out on her face. “Yes, I can see that. I’m very happy to have you here Rosaline. I think you are going to fit in wonderfully. There is going to be a lot to get used to, but I have a feeling you can handle your own perfectly well. Now, let’s go meet with the rest of the Foundation.” Just as she was making me feel as though I could actually do this she had to bring up the Council. My stomach flips over and I pray they are all as accepting as Annabelle. I have a feeling it isn’t going to be that easy. If I am going to pick someone to represent a group, I would pick the one easiest to get along with as well.
I took another calming breath, something I find myself doing often lately, square my shoulders and look Annabelle in the eye “After you.” And off we go.
Chapter Seven
I followed her, hardly paying attention to where we were going. My only concern at this moment was to make sure I kept breathing. All too quickly we have arrived at a series of doors. I’m pretty sure we took two of those cylinder type tubes to get here but I’m not really sure. Annabelle scanned her hand on one of the doors panels, once her picture appeared on the screen I assumed we would be let in but then I was surprised to see her back up and a body scan came out of nowhere. Once the body scan was finished she stepped aside and gestured for me to do the same. I quickly went through the same ritual and soon the glass doors opened and shut behind us immediately.
Compared to most of the rooms I’ve been in, this one was rather sparse. There was a large picture window overlooking the grounds. A beautiful view, in fact, of the lines of trees and you could just make out the lake in the back ground. Other than a large round glass table in the center, the room was completely void. There were eleven glass seats at the table, which had no head and from what I could tell no leader. “Please have a seat Rosaline.” I did as Annabelle asked and to my relief she took the chair next to me.
“Everyone, as you know, this is Rosaline Thatcher. Please do your best not to scare her off on her first day.” There were a few chuckles around the room and it helped ease some of my fears. Most everyone looked friendly, if anything maybe a little guarded and doubtful which I completely understood; I myself was both.
“Hello, it’s nice to meet you all. I am in fact a bit terrified so I hope you go easy on me.” There, that was polite but also the truth. This earned me several very big smiles from around the table and a few hardy chuckles as well. Annabelle smiled and patted the top of my hand.
“That’s alright dear, it will be painless I promise. I would go around and introduce everyone to you, but I doubt you would remember all of their names so let’s do this the easy way.” She again tapped a few buttons on her wrist watch and all of a sudden the plain glass table was transformed. A blue- like light emerged and small holograms of everyone appeared before them along with their names. “Now that that is done I’m going to turn things over to Seamus for a while so that he can catch you up on a little history.”
“Thank you Annabelle. It is very nice to meet you Rosaline. We know this can be rather overwhelming and a lot to take in, so we are going to take this slow, alright?” I nodded, feeling my nervousness start to abate. Seamus was a sprite of a man. Thin and wiry are the only ways I can think to describe him. He had wire rimmed glasses and a very curly mop of graying red hair that was more gray than red now.
“We are aware that you know your history quite well,” he said with a smirk. “So I will spare you going over the history in detail. If you, at any point, have any questions at all, please stop me and I would be happy to explain in more detail. Before I go into it further, however, we must have you sign a contract of confidentiality. I’m sure you understand that most of what is said in this room is of strict confidence. We pride ou
rselves as being a very honest country and open with the citizens; however, there are some things that in order for our structure to work and flow, need to stay confidential. Do you understand?” I shook my head yes. I was very aware that this was going to be part of my job. in fact I’m sure that was one of the reasons why they chose me for this position, once I was told something I was like a vault, as long as it didn’t go against moral code, bringing me to my question.
“Yes sir, I completely understand having to keep things confidential and I’m fine with doing so, however, as I’m sure everyone must know, I feel very strongly about moral code. If I feel like at any time the Council or anyone else is breaking code, I’m afraid I will not be able to remain silent.” That seemed to have stunned most I’ve them. I’m not sure if it was what I said or the fact that I had the guts to come right out with it; that shocked me as well but I refuse to keep silent on matters I feel are wrong and its best if we are upfront about it now.
One woman chuckled a bit and I turned my gaze in her direction and noticed her name plate said Amira. She is as beautiful and exotic looking as her name. She has rich auburn hair that was long and flowing over the back of her chair. She had a deep caramel colored skin and the brownest eyes I’ve ever seen. Her lips are covered in bright red lipstick that did wonders for her beautiful face. I’m guessing she was older than she looked to be, but she didn’t look a day over 40. “Well done Rosaline. Your morals and character is the reason you are sitting here today. Many people have intelligence, class, leadership. Those aren’t hard to find; but a deep moral foundation, one that doesn’t shift in time or circumstance; that on the other hand is very hard to find.” She says this as though she is amused.
United (The United Trilogy Book 1) Page 6
