09-23-2018, 11:34 PM
Thursday 6th September 2018
“Councillor Carmen Robinson has vanished, ma’am,” said the woman.
“What do you mean, ‘vanished’?” demanded Councillor Anita Patel.
“There is no trace of her in any of her residences and the staff know nothing.”
“Bring her daughters here,” ordered Patel.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
“Why not?” Patel spat out, the two words conveying more threats than two words ever should be able to.
“Her entire family has vanished as well.”
“Out,” Patel ordered, her voice quiet, something infinitely more frightening than if she’d yelled. The woman did not have to be told twice, and scurried out of the door. She paused in the corridor, contemplating running much further, lest Patel decide to place blame on her. No, she thought, running would just make me look guilty. She went back to her work.
Anita Patel had been angry ever since her return from Sanctaria the day before. Truthfully, since even before then. She picked up the bundle of papers the rebels had so foolishly sent to everyone. ‘On the orders of Councillor Carmen Robinson’ was stamped all over the contents. And yet Councillor Carmen Robinson was nowhere to be found.
Patel had been furious with the Haven Accords. Not to mention mildly afraid. She was sure that nothing dodgy could be traced back to her, except… well, she wasn’t completely sure after all. She blamed Jennifer Hale. She blamed Carmen Robinson. She blamed everyone else, in fact.
Councillor Patel stood on a balcony at the top of the Council building, looking over the city of Grapevale. All this, and all they got out of it was Jennifer Hale. And if Robinson really had vanished with all her family, then even that could be all in vain. The Council was broken, it seemed. And if November never came, it would be too soon.
*
Jonas Kelley avoided eye contact as he stood in the security queue at Buttercity Airport. It wouldn’t do if someone recognised him. His face wasn’t as publicly known as some of the others who’d worked for Chaher and Clarke. But everyone that did know his face, knew what he had done for a living. He hadn’t tried to keep it quiet.
He regretted boasting about it now. The queue moved forward. He didn’t fear repercussions, he’d done nothing wrong. Except… he knew he’d feel safer once he was over a border somewhere. He passed through security without incident, and proceeded further into the airport.
“Jonas Kelley!” shouted a voice. Jonas froze. Footsteps grew closer. I didn’t do anything, he thought, panicked, they can’t arrest me. The person who’d shouted stopped in front of him. He held his breath.
“You left your passport in the tray,” said a woman, and handed him the document. She walked off. He exhaled, shaking.
Three hours later, he boarded a plane. Jonas Kelley hoped he would never set foot in Lauchenoiria again. He hoped this would be over. Jonas Kelley was a little naïve.
*
“DADDY!” yelled Kelli Moore, jumping into her father’s arms as she spotted him standing under the ‘International Arrivals’ sign. Her brother Jamey followed her eagerly. Her father picked her up and spun her around, then did the same to her brother.
“I missed you,” he said to Jamey in Spanish.
“Where’s mummy?” he asked in English.
“En español?” Felipe prompted. Jamey shrugged in a way that made it clear he wasn’t confident speaking the words in Spanish.
“Has nobody been teaching you Spanish? Well, we’ll have to work on that. Won’t we?”
“¿Donde está mami?” Kelli interrupted, half showing off that she could actually remember Spanish.
“Your mum will be back tomorrow, don’t worry. We’ll all be together again soon,” Felipe assured his daughter.
“Promise neither of you will leave us again?” Kelli said hopefully.
Felipe hugged his two children, avoiding answering the question. He couldn’t make that promise.
*
Keitha Noguera still mourned for her husband. Nevertheless, she was overjoyed at the prospect of a binding referendum, and before leaving for Buttercity, left Nazario Macías, who would succeed her as First Minister of Aeluria with a mountain of advice.
“Remember, our support is strongest in the villages, the problem is in the Liaville suburbs with the large immigrant Lauchenoirian population…”
“I know, Keitha,” sighed Nazario Macías. He’d been having the same conversation ever since the Accords had been signed. “I’ve done this before, you know.”
“I know, but this is our big chance!”
“You know I don’t approve of you going to Buttercity,” Macías stated for what seemed to be the thousandth time.
“I know,” Noguera sighed, “but I know I have to, just… don’t mess up our chance.”
Macías, who knew what she would say, having heard it about eight times in the past three hours, only smiled.
“I won’t. Aeluria will have voted for independence by this time next year. Mark my words.”
“Councillor Carmen Robinson has vanished, ma’am,” said the woman.
“What do you mean, ‘vanished’?” demanded Councillor Anita Patel.
“There is no trace of her in any of her residences and the staff know nothing.”
“Bring her daughters here,” ordered Patel.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
“Why not?” Patel spat out, the two words conveying more threats than two words ever should be able to.
“Her entire family has vanished as well.”
“Out,” Patel ordered, her voice quiet, something infinitely more frightening than if she’d yelled. The woman did not have to be told twice, and scurried out of the door. She paused in the corridor, contemplating running much further, lest Patel decide to place blame on her. No, she thought, running would just make me look guilty. She went back to her work.
Anita Patel had been angry ever since her return from Sanctaria the day before. Truthfully, since even before then. She picked up the bundle of papers the rebels had so foolishly sent to everyone. ‘On the orders of Councillor Carmen Robinson’ was stamped all over the contents. And yet Councillor Carmen Robinson was nowhere to be found.
Patel had been furious with the Haven Accords. Not to mention mildly afraid. She was sure that nothing dodgy could be traced back to her, except… well, she wasn’t completely sure after all. She blamed Jennifer Hale. She blamed Carmen Robinson. She blamed everyone else, in fact.
Councillor Patel stood on a balcony at the top of the Council building, looking over the city of Grapevale. All this, and all they got out of it was Jennifer Hale. And if Robinson really had vanished with all her family, then even that could be all in vain. The Council was broken, it seemed. And if November never came, it would be too soon.
*
Jonas Kelley avoided eye contact as he stood in the security queue at Buttercity Airport. It wouldn’t do if someone recognised him. His face wasn’t as publicly known as some of the others who’d worked for Chaher and Clarke. But everyone that did know his face, knew what he had done for a living. He hadn’t tried to keep it quiet.
He regretted boasting about it now. The queue moved forward. He didn’t fear repercussions, he’d done nothing wrong. Except… he knew he’d feel safer once he was over a border somewhere. He passed through security without incident, and proceeded further into the airport.
“Jonas Kelley!” shouted a voice. Jonas froze. Footsteps grew closer. I didn’t do anything, he thought, panicked, they can’t arrest me. The person who’d shouted stopped in front of him. He held his breath.
“You left your passport in the tray,” said a woman, and handed him the document. She walked off. He exhaled, shaking.
Three hours later, he boarded a plane. Jonas Kelley hoped he would never set foot in Lauchenoiria again. He hoped this would be over. Jonas Kelley was a little naïve.
*
“DADDY!” yelled Kelli Moore, jumping into her father’s arms as she spotted him standing under the ‘International Arrivals’ sign. Her brother Jamey followed her eagerly. Her father picked her up and spun her around, then did the same to her brother.
“I missed you,” he said to Jamey in Spanish.
“Where’s mummy?” he asked in English.
“En español?” Felipe prompted. Jamey shrugged in a way that made it clear he wasn’t confident speaking the words in Spanish.
“Has nobody been teaching you Spanish? Well, we’ll have to work on that. Won’t we?”
“¿Donde está mami?” Kelli interrupted, half showing off that she could actually remember Spanish.
“Your mum will be back tomorrow, don’t worry. We’ll all be together again soon,” Felipe assured his daughter.
“Promise neither of you will leave us again?” Kelli said hopefully.
Felipe hugged his two children, avoiding answering the question. He couldn’t make that promise.
*
Keitha Noguera still mourned for her husband. Nevertheless, she was overjoyed at the prospect of a binding referendum, and before leaving for Buttercity, left Nazario Macías, who would succeed her as First Minister of Aeluria with a mountain of advice.
“Remember, our support is strongest in the villages, the problem is in the Liaville suburbs with the large immigrant Lauchenoirian population…”
“I know, Keitha,” sighed Nazario Macías. He’d been having the same conversation ever since the Accords had been signed. “I’ve done this before, you know.”
“I know, but this is our big chance!”
“You know I don’t approve of you going to Buttercity,” Macías stated for what seemed to be the thousandth time.
“I know,” Noguera sighed, “but I know I have to, just… don’t mess up our chance.”
Macías, who knew what she would say, having heard it about eight times in the past three hours, only smiled.
“I won’t. Aeluria will have voted for independence by this time next year. Mark my words.”
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