When the participants in the Russian roulette appeared on the big screen, split into two halves, the entire square gasped.
“Good day, Dr. Palladino,” said the Grasshopper.
“Good day, Mr. Grasshopper.”
“Dr. Palladino do you see my revolver lying on the command desk?”
“Yes, I do.”
“That means that the command desk is locked. In the event that I lose this game of ours and if my head hits the desk, it won’t cause any change in the energy system.”
“I understand,” said Dr. Palladino.
“In that case, the shields from all the platforms and the Command will be automatically lowered at noon exactly, your time. This means that specialists will be able to enter this room and take over control of the energy system.”
“I understand,” Dr. Palladino repeated.
The Grasshopper took the bullet, placed it in the revolver and spun the barrel. Dr. Palladino did the same.
“Who will go first, Doctor?” the Grasshopper asked.
“You.”
“No, I won’t. We’ll flip a coin. Tails — I go first, heads — you go first.”
“Alright,” said Dr. Palladino. He pulled out a coin from his shirt pocket, spun it in the air, caught it with one hand and placed it on the table. “Heads. I go first,” he said quietly.
At that moment the Grasshopper noticed something unusual on the satellite image of the square full of people. Near the television station building, under the large screen with his and Dr. Palladino’s images, was an empty space, with a colorful border.
He zoomed in.
The border was made up of children dressed in shirts of different colors, holding hands.
He zoomed in.
They stood around a funny gray-haired old man, whose colors were even more vivid than theirs.
He zoomed in.
The old man was holding a dog in his hands. And the dog was crying.
Dr. Palladino raised his revolver. At that moment he saw the Grasshopper place his right hand under the desk.
“Why are you putting away your revolver?! Where is your revolver, Mr. Grasshopper?!” shouted Dr. Palladino in panic.
“I’m changing the rules of the game, Doctor,” said the Grasshopper, returning the revolver to the holster on his right thigh.
“What do you mean?! You can’t do that! The game has started! We had an agreement, Mr. Grasshopper!”
“I’m going first, Doctor.”
Dr. Palladino couldn’t see what the Grasshopper was doing under the command desk. But he saw Grasshopper’s shoulder drop slightly when he took the revolver from the holster on his left thigh.
“You took the revolver with the full cylinder?” Dr. Palladino asked quietly, having realized what the Grasshopper had done.
“Goodbye, Dr. Palladino.” The Grasshopper placed the barrel of the full revolver against his temple. “It’s been a pleasure,” he said and pulled the trigger.
When the Grasshopper’s head fell on the command desk, everyone sighed in relief. And then nothing. They just stood in silence. All as one.
Dr. Palladino took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his jacket pocket. He tried to open the pack, but his trembling hands wouldn’t obey him. Noah walked up to him, took out a cigarette, lit it, and placed it between the Doctor’s lips. Dr. Palladino closed his eyes and took a deep drag.
Chapter 156
“We’re saved! We’re alive! The Grasshopper killed himself!” shouted a nurse running into the room. “I have to get out into the square! I have to!” she turned, ran out of the room and slammed the door.
Manami got up from Pascal’s lap, bent over and kissed the sleeping Eir and Peter on the cheek, straightened up, offered Pascal her hand and pulled him towards her.
“Kiss me! Kiss me!” she cried out.
When their lips separated, she shouted out in joy:
“My darling, my president!” She bent over again and loudly kissed Eir and Peter, stood up, and took Pascal’s hands in hers.
“My love… my wonderful love,” Pascal whispered.
“I apologize, Mr. President,” Manami smiled, “for taking up your precious time…”
“What president, Manami…”
“The best! Smartest! Handsomest! My President! Only mine!” Manami shouted.
“Let it be, darling. We’ll see. What’s important now…”
“What’s important now, Mr. President is that you address these people, who have suffered so much. The people, for whom you were the only hope. Not only their hope — you were their faith. People believe in you, Pascal!”
“Alright, alright… there’s time…”
“There’s no time! The people need you immediately, now! Go to the studio and address them. No, no… find… have them bring Noah to you. He knows the situation best. Discuss with him what you should say first, for the people to calm down, to organize food and water… Primarily for the children, Pascal! Come on, there’s no time to waste! Go to the studio, have them dress you, put on makeup. You’re all wrinkled and pale. You must listen to your wife, Mr. President!”
When Pascal heard her words he hugged her tightly.
“My wife! My wife!” he shouted and kissed her.
“Come on, come on…” Manami laughed, gleaming with joy. “Why are you getting all soft? I’ll wait for my children to wake up… their mommy will explain everything to them. They will always love and respect their father, but they will live normally. They will be mommy’s happy children. And yours, Pascal. You are to love them and cuddle them like you did in our shelter! Do you hear?”
“Yes, my love! I will, darling, I will!”
“And we have to hurry up with our baby, Pascal! It’s your own fault! Why did you fall in love with an old woman, and now you have to hurry!”
“We will, my love, we’ll hurry it up. Already today. Now! Let’s go to a room, while the children are still asleep!”
“You really want me very much, sir?”
“Very much! Very much!”
“Well nothing before marriage, sir,” Manami smiled. “As soon as Peter and Eir wake up, we’ll take them to our house. And you and I will get married. You will marry me already today! Is that clear, sir?”
“Clear, clear! Today, immediately, my wife! My wife!” Pascal shouted.
Manami kissed him. After that she stepped back and said in a serious tone.
“Pascal, I really want to get married today. As soon as possible. Please, find Noah, address the people… so that they see that you’re alive, that you’re here, that you are thinking of them, that you love them… do you understand?
“And then we’ll get married in secret. Noah will be our witness. No one else will know. We mustn’t even burden the children with that. Peter and Eir have to have time to mourn the death of their father, to get used to their house again, to normal life…” Manami paused and thought. “The only this is that you have to come with us immediately… to live with us.
“I’ll tell Peter that you have nowhere to go. That you will be with us for a while. We’ll think of something. And I cannot… I won’t allow you, Pascal, to be gone all day long!” she raised her voice. “That you are at some presidential office!
“You will do everything from our house. We’ll make you an office there.
“That’s it! We’ll say that its for your safety. So that its easier for the inspectors to protect you. There, that’s what Noah will say as the official explanation. That he, who is responsible for your safety, demands that.