Page 72 of The Champion
While the reporter asked more questions, I raised an eyebrow and looked to Celeste. “Is he talking about Wisdomia?”
“Sounds like it.”
“I’m surprised people know about that.”
“You shouldn’t be. This country has always been like a small village. Remember when we worked on Nuclea version 3.7 and we didn’t get to share our good news about the increased productivity because some idiot had already bragged about it. Classified information means delayed information, but it always gets out.”
“It’s sounds like they think Wisdomia is a fully formed country and not a project to be created.”
“That’s the thing about rumors, isn’t it? They morph and grow for every person who spreads the word.”
My concern grew as I stood with the others watching our normally orderly country in complete chaos. “Let’s hope that fire doesn’t kill anyone and that they can contain it before it spreads.”
When Zola arrived, she asked for us to talk in private. Nudging me down the hallway, she led me to my old office, which now had Cameron’s name on the door.
“This isn’t my office anymore,” I pointed out, but Zola gave a dismissive wave of her hand.
“Of course it’s your office, Victor. Cameron is nothing but a puppet filling your place until you comply and follow orders.”
I didn’t answer her but leaned against the wall and looked around. Everything was the same except for Cameron’s bag on the floor, his yellow running shoes, and a mattress that stood by the bookshelf. I wondered if Celeste’s complaints about his having sex in the lab had made him bring a mattress to his office.
“We need to talk, Victor.”
“Then talk.”
“Joseph asked me to appeal to you. If you could speak to the nation and tell them that all the conspiracy theories are wrong… The mob is out there destroying everything. We need you to help us calm things down.”
I scoffed. “What makes Joseph think that they would listen to me? I’m not the leading scientist anymore and this morning one of them shoved me in the back.”
Zola’s arms fell to her side, and she looked down with a sigh. “Maybe it was an accident. You’ve always been the hope of this country, Victor. People might be disappointed in your actions, but they trusted you for decades. All of this chaos, it’s a symptom of how lost we feel without you delivering results to bring us hope. As a member of parliament, I live in the Blue Tower and have a lot more influence than the people out in the streets, but I feel as lost as they do.”
I crossed my arms. “Stop, Zola. Don’t put this on me. They aren’t out there because I want to leave France. They want social justice, and that fight has been simmering for centuries.”
“But at least when you were still you, we all had good news to celebrate. Every time you produced some new brilliant result, you provided hope that soon everyone would be living above ground.”
“I assure you that I’m still me. Just a smarter version who is less blinded by our cultural norms. Either way, you must be desperate if I’m your best plan.”
Zola swung a hand to the window. “Our country has never seen anything like it. It’s carnage out there and we’re all scared.”
“What is it exactly that you want me to tell them?”
Zola moved closer to me. Leaning her head back to look into my eyes, she pleaded. “We need you to go on the News and explain to people that if they calm down everything will be okay.”
Her closeness made me cross my arms. “That would be a lie, Zola. They’ll still be living underground for decades to come, and they’ll still chase a fleeting feeling of connection by fucking a new person every week. Cameron might have my office, but he doesn’t have my brain and from what I’ve heard, he’s not moving us forward.”
“Please, Victor, would you at least try to appease the population?”
“Why would I do that after everything you’ve done to me? I offered to keep helping France, but you would rather bury me in a rotten hole than see me pursue my happiness abroad. Did you know that I was reduced to a level 2 status, Zola? That’s lower than when I finished school.”
She wrung her hands. “It wasn’t my choice. Joseph was so angry after our meeting. He said that you had been brainwashed by the Northlanders and that we needed to make sure you couldn’t leave the country. I never thought that you would try. Not until he showed us the surveillance vids with you and Freya attempting to flee.”
“He made sure the whole country saw that clip. That’s all they talked about for weeks.”
“Oui.” Zola looked down to her folded hands. “Is it true? The part about you falling in love with her?”
“Yes.”
When she raised her gaze to meet my eyes, there was such longing in Zola’s expression that I leaned back a little. “How does it feel? And how do you know that she loves you too?”
