Manami took Pascal by the hand and placed her head on his shoulder. She looked at Noah, who was seated across from them.
“Noah, you’ve probably noticed my strange behavior,” she said in a calm tone. “When I was arranging the order in which we would take the elevator, when I insisted that Pascal carry Eir… when I ran after Julius, so that he wouldn’t do anything to Pascal… behind that large painting.”
Noah was silent.
“Pascal and I are in love. We love each other, immensely. Julius knew that. I told him, Noah. If we survive, if the Grasshopper loses, we’ll immediately get married. Immediately!” she shouted, then lowered her head and sobbed.
Pascal put his hand around her. Noah didn’t say anything. He stared at his hands, laid down on the table. When Manami’s moans had calmed down, Pascal asked:
“Noah, can you tell me, how did the mayor manage to preserve Megapolis? If I understood you correctly, people from all corners have been coming to this city.”
“Yes, that’s right, Mr. Alexander,” Noah replied. “Because the Grasshopper switched off power to the other cities. When he saw what was happening, that columns of people were moving on Megapolis, the mayor sent helicopters with screens and loudspeakers…” Noah paused.
“Like the one that caused the accident?” Pascal asked.
“Yes. Those aircraft were our media. At night they flew over those thirsty, hungry, desperate people. In the silence of the night they could hear and see the screens better. We informed them that we would not allow anyone to enter our region. We openly told those wretches that we would protect our water works, our fields, our food production… at any cost. Whoever tried to enter would be liquidated without warning. In return the citizens of the Megapolis region introduced drastic restrictions. Families received food and water according to their size. In minimal quantities necessary for survival. All surplus was shipped to the people beyond our borders. Medicaments too. We called on them to forget their mutual conflicts, to organize and establish their stations, where we would airlift humanitarian aid.”
“And did work?” Pascal asked.
“In the beginning it did. But when the Grasshopper started destroying cities, the situation became unbearable. The number of people around the region increased to such a level that the closest ones were simply being pushed across our borders. The Mayor was in agony for days. He didn’t give us any orders. People surged into our fields, trampling them, destroying them… our wells, irrigation systems… The food and water production and distribution chain started to fall apart. That is when the Mayor decided. He ordered us to save Megapolis, regardless of the cost in casualties. So that at least some people might live, if everyone cannot… and we pushed back this mass of people. We reestablished our borders… at the terrible, terrible cost in casualties, Mr. Alexander. At one moment the Grasshopper switched on the power to the remaining cities. And the pressure on Megapolis lessened. Now these helicopters of ours are flying over the people in the surroundings and showing footage of the Grasshopper speaking about the Russian roulette…”
“I don’t want to listen to this anymore!” Manami suddenly said loudly. “What can I do? I can’t even save my children! I’m going to lay down next to them and fall asleep, sedated!” She got up and started towards the door. “Pascal, you’re coming with me, too!”
Pascal got up and turned towards Manami. She opened the door and stepped through it. She then stopped and turned.
“Noah!” she shouted.
“Yes, Madam Manami?”
“”Does that Svetlana still work in Julius’ cabinet?”
“Yes,” answered Noah. “Svetlana Van Andel.”
“You’re the mayor of Megapolis now, you say?”
“That’s what your husband wanted, Madam.”
“This is the television station!” Manami raised her voice. “City Hall is on the other side of the square. That’s where the Mayor’s office is! That’s your secretariat, Mr. Mayor! I don’t want to see that person in the building that I am in! I don’t want to see her anywhere!” She grabbed Pascal by the hand and pulled him down the corridor. “Come here, Pascal!”
After making a few steps towards the hospital room with Pascal, Manami suddenly stopped, let go of Pascal’s hand, and ran up to Noah, who was closing the door on his way out of the conference room. Manami hugged him.
“Forgive me, Noah!” she said. “Forgive me! I never even told you how sorry I am about your parents! Your mother and father. How much I loved and respected them,” Manami started crying again, stepped back from Noah, held his arms and looked him in the eyes. “How proud they would be of their son right now. Julius couldn’t have had a better successor, Noah. Megapolis couldn’t have a better mayor… Don’t be angry with me… Forgive me…”
“Thank you, Madam…” answered Noah. “I’m not angry, of course. You’re in shock… These are horrible things that you knew nothing about. And the mayor is gone. Go to your children, please, take something to calm yourself. Its been too much…”
Pascal came up to Manami. “Come, my love, lay with your children,” he held her to himself and took her down the corridor. “So that you may sleep, my dear…”
Chapter 154
The Grasshopper had called the television secretariat the previous day and briefly informed them that he would establish a video connection the following day at 10 o’clock, Megapolis time, and that he would play a game of Russian roulette with Dr. Palladino.
Manami did not allow for Eir and Peter to wake up during the five days since their father had been killed. She demanded that the doctors keep them sedated because she couldn’t bear to look in their eyes, knowing that they might die soon.
She also didn’t allow any device for communication with the outside world or accessing the media to be brought into their hospital room. “What will be will be,” she told Pascal. “I won’t watch that.”
Pascal wanted Manami to also be sedated, but she wouldn’t agree to that. “I want to feel you until the very last moment,” she told him.
That morning she said that no one could enter their room anymore.
At half past nine she moved Eir to Peter’s bed and told Pascal to sit on the edge of it. She lay down in his lap and held her children’s hands.
Pascal caressed her back and kissed her hair.
Chapter 155
Dr. Palladino sat alone at a table in the middle of the square. In front of him, installed on a tripod, was a camera that was filming him. He had earphones in his ears and a microphone in front of his mouth. He held his sweaty palms on his knees. Dr. Palladino looked at the small monitor in front of him, next to which lay a revolver and one bullet.
Noah stood behind him. The table, camera, Dr. Palladino and Noah were protected by inspectors, with their bodies. They stood in a perfect circle, with their backs turned towards them.
A huge screen was installed along the entire width of the television station building. The people that had flooded the square watched it in silence.
The Grasshopper placed a revolver and one bullet on the command desk. He watched the satellite image of the square in Megapolis. At precisely ten o’clock he switched on his camera and microphone, and established communication with Dr. Palladino.