“Margot…”
“Yes, Raul?” Margot turned around.
“Thank you…”
Margot smiled and continued on her way.
“For everything…” whispered Raul, when Margot had gotten far enough.
“Gloria, do you know that I can’t wait for Tuesdays, which is when I’m assigned to your Secretariat?” said Habib.
“I believe you. Five girls…”
“What five girls? Because of you, Gloria. Only because of you.”
“Why because of me?”
“Because of your eyes, your hair… at least look at me, Gloria,” Habib touched her face.
“Don’t touch me, Habib. OK, I’m looking at you. Are you satisfied?”
“Why shouldn’t I touch you? Remember how we hugged last night.”
“Hugged? I wasn’t hugging. I was just dancing.”
“Well, I was hugging. Do you feel anything for me, Gloria? Anything at all? Please, tell me,” said Habib as he grabbed her hand.
“Let go of my hand, Habib!”
“I won’t.”
“Well then I’m not talking to you anymore,” Gloria said defiantly and looked out the window. But she didn’t move her hand from Habib’s palm. Not a hair.
“Aslan, hello.”
“Oh, it’s you, Raul,” Seneca’s pilot looked over his shoulder, sitting strapped into his seat.
“I’d like to ask you something, Aslan.”
“Go ahead.”
“Can you already now check the weather situation at the airports that we discussed with the Mayor.”
“Here, right away.” Aslan bent forward and touched the commands on one of the screens. “Perhaps at this moment I can’t for all of them…”
Standing behind the pilot, Raul removed the syringe with the tranquilizer from his pocket.
“…but for most of them we will know already now. You’re worried about sandstorms, Raul?” Aslan asked, still leaning over the screen.
“Yes,” answered Raul, while removing the sheath from the needle.
“You’re right. They’re frequent in this part of the world…”
For the second time that day Raul plunged a needle into someone’s body. This time it was into Aslan’s neck.
“Forgive me… if you can…” he said while locking the bulletproof door to the flight deck.
Chapter 70
Mayor Julius Seneca, standing next to the window of his office, appeared on the screens of the people who were watching Megapolis television. He was a man of medium height with wide shoulders, a square face with a strong jaw, hair the color of ripe wheat, neatly trimmed and parted. The gaze of the light brown eyes was once again calm and poised.
The Mayor always dressed elegantly. His suits, shirts, ties and shoes were always in the seasonal colors, but always the lightest available shade.
Even though he did not intend on emphasizing the contrast to Erivan’s black, standing there in front of the cameras in the beige suit, with his physical appearance, it was precisely this impression that he made on the viewers, who he addresses with the following words:
“Dear citizens of Megapolis. I would like to express my deep condolences to the families of all the people who died today.
“The war, which the new president of Earth just declared, does not apply to us, it doesn’t exist. Because Mr. Erivan, appearing as the president of the Consumers, has announced war on the Non-Consumers. We, the citizens of Megapolis, don’t know what this division means. And we don’t want to know. We will defend our city from anyone who dares to attack it.
“The Megapolis region, with the armament, numbers and capabilities of its Inspectorate, represents the largest individual defensive force on Earth. This is why I am deeply convinced that no one will dare come even close to us.
“Dear citizens, I expect you to continue with your daily lives and work. Megapolis, with its water supply, fields of wheat, plantations and farms, with its diverse industry, is completely independent from anyone else. We will survive autonomously for as long as it takes.
“I also want to send a message out to those living among us, and who think that they might take advantage of the moment and impose their ideologies on us, regardless of what they might be — that I will decisively prevent that. Any violence in Megapolis will be stopped and punished.
“And another thing… I’m appealing to the youths, to the pupils and students. Don’t allow anyone to lure you onto the path of hatred and conflict. Continue studying, peacefully as you have so far. That is the only way that you can defend your city.”
Chapter 71
In the cabin of the spaceship the Grasshopper watched Kaella’s interview, the footage from Short Street, Erivan’s declaration of war and Seneca’s announcement of Megapolis’ neutrality. After that he called Erivan, who immediately picked up.
“Grasshopper, is everything alright with you?”
“It is. I just wanted to tell you ‘Bravo! Bravo! Bravo, Mr. President!’”
“I knew that you would immediately recognize my signature,” Erivan was visibly relieved.
“The end of the Kaellas has finally come! This world has finally gained a real ruler! And what a genial strategy with Short Street, Mr. President!” shouted the Grasshopper with excitement.
“Yes. I had to shed a little blood to boost the fighting morale of our Consumers. You know, you can’t expect a Consumer to kill a Non-Consumer just like that. Just because they are wearing last season’s shirt. The Consumer would hesitate, right?”
“Of course, Mr. President. And this with the schoolchildren! That was magnificent!”
“You said it — magnificent! People are somehow especially sensitive to children. There were parents with children and the occasional baby, but not enough. And they were spread out. It could have gone unnoticed. But these pupils, all of them on that fence, they really drew attention. Now they’re all anyone is talking about. Television interviews with the grieving parents are being prepared. It will be a real success. The Consumers will go crazy. They’ll kill Non-Consumers with their bare teeth. You’ll see, Grasshopper.”
“They will, they will. All thanks to you, Mr. President!”
“I must say that I’m relieved now.”
“Why, Mr. President? What was troubling you?”
“I wasn’t sure how you would react to these events. You know what all depends on you.”
“How I would react? How could you doubt my loyalty, Mr. President?”
“Well… I know how loyal you are to me. You’ve proven that countless times… But still, you’re a Doctor of Philosophy, and I’m always suspicious of them,” Erivan laughed.
“You once told me that you had read my PhD thesis, Mr. President.”
“Yes, I did.”
“Well what does it say, Mr. President? Forgive me for asking you like this, but I’m deeply troubled by your lack of confidence in my loyalty.”
“Alright, I’m sorry. Calm down. It says that the purpose of man’s existence is to serve the leader. But to this moment I couldn’t be completely certain which leader you meant. Who do you consider your leader, me or Kaella?”
“Kaella?! That miserable patsy!? You are the only leader! And not only mine. And not only as president. You, Mr. President, are the greatest leader in the history of mankind. I still cannot believe that I have the honor to serve you. This all seems like a magnificent dream. You are the greatest, most grandiose, most magnificent person that this world has ever seen.”
“I too am pleased that there is a man capable of understanding my magnitude, Grasshopper.”