CJWrites
Elder Member
The castle was bustling with activity. Many high-level government officials and their families lived in the same government owned buildings surrounding parliament. It was convenient, safe and affordable, not to mention a good way to ensure employees worked all hours. Alexander Wu stretched as he pushed his chair away from the table and closed his laptop. He needed a break. As he made his way outside, he saw a familiar figure round the corner.
"Ruban! How's it been?"
Ruban Kumar had been Alex's best friend since college and was Morgan's secret weapon. He was in charge of all intelligence gathering and the unofficial Minister of War. Usually they'd greet each other with smiles and laughs but this time, Ruban looked grim.
"Al. Listen, something troubling came up. There's a leak in your Ministry."
Alex's face paled but Ruban continued. "And not a low-level leak either. Someone high up. Hell, every Ministry has low-level leaks. But this one came from your office."
"What? No. Nobody who works for me would do that." He thought about the half dozen people who he worked closely with. Then looked at Ruban. "Wait... you don't think it's me do you?"
Ruban sighed. Years of working this job has made him jaded and suspicious of everyone. "This rebel problem is a lot worse than you think. We both know the administration's not all its cracked up to be and that you're driven by ideology rather than power."
"That's why we're working to make it better, crack down on corruption, stop the money flow." Alex retorted. "Violence is not the answer, and neither is getting a new government. Not when we struggled so hard to make this city a better place. I'm not plunging the city back into unrest."
Ruban looked exasperated "Of course I don't think it's you. You're too damn loyal. But you know I have to tell the Chancellor and I know she'll demand you fire all your staff. Just... be prepared"
Alex's face turned grim. He thought of Miya and Tino, his top aide and policy maker respectively. He'd hope one day Tino would take his place. Morgan had gotten increasingly paranoid over the last couple months, sure that someone would overthrow her from within. The Chancellor might do much more than just demand he replace his staff.
He bid Ruban farewell and headed towards the entrance before a hand touched his shoulder.
"Going out at this time, Alexander?"
Alex turned around. "Your Excellency. An afternoon stroll does wonders for your mind."
"I don't know why you insist on calling me that." Chancellor Morgan Bates withdrew her hand. She looked worn and tired, ready for a good night's rest. Lately, the Chancellor had been getting wearier and wearier, the weight of her decisions pressing upon her shoulders. No longer was she the passionate young woman who enraptured him with talk of changing the world.
"Just a habit." He smiled. He admired Morgan. Even now, she was a uniting force to rally behind and a thoughtful ruler.
"Be careful." Morgan looked concerned. "Are you sure you don't need guards?" Alex shook his head. Everyone on the council except himself and Ruban either took with them a vanguard of men or refused to leave the compound altogether. And Ruban wasn't a public figure
Morgan nodded at him, as if to say 'carry on' and walked away, her heels clicking on the tiled floor, no doubt to receive the bad news from Ruban. Alex had no doubt that she was trying to make the city a better place. Still... whenever he heard Morgan talk, Alex couldn't tell whether she wanted to better the city or the bragging rights to it.
--
Alex greeted the guards who tipped their hats at him as he walked through the gate of the compound.
He walked around a bit, first to the market, buying and chatting with the locals, everyone was smiling and happy.
But Alex looked around cautiously, not knowing that someone was following him. He turned into an alley, hopping over the wall. Why would go into that part of town?
"Hey, Lex."
"Candy" A woman dressed in a short cocktail dress, caked in makeup and sporting high heels emerged from the shadows.
Prostitution was illegal in Columbia but nevertheless, Alex made a point to keep in touch with the darker side of the city. Most of these girls were trafficked in from outside the city or turned to prostitution to survive.
Alex moved back. Another person would've stood, waiting for the moment when he moved in lecherously or shy away from the nightwalker. But he didn't look uncomfortable at the attention offered . He spoke to her the exact same way he spoke to the farmers at the market. After a bit of small talk he pulled out a few bills and handed it to her.
Then he leaned in as the taller woman whispered in his ear.
Alex nodded, his face turning more grim as he concentrated. It as more of the same information. Rebels were attempting to recruit the disenfranchised and organized crime ran amock. It was probably what kept the invisible lower class from rising up entirely. A revolt would not only hurt profit margins for legitimate, but illegal business as well.
He thanked her, kissing her on the cheek before starting to head back, the roads empty in this sketchy part of town.
Then, suddenly a rough hand moved over his mouth. He tried to scream, to shake the assailant off, but he was woefully outmatched. It had been years since his military service. He felt a fist connect with his stomach and he crumpled. Groaning, he tried to get up but a boot connected with his chest. It knocked the wind out of him and after a few more blows, he started drifting in and out of consciousness before finally blacking out.
"Ruban! How's it been?"
Ruban Kumar had been Alex's best friend since college and was Morgan's secret weapon. He was in charge of all intelligence gathering and the unofficial Minister of War. Usually they'd greet each other with smiles and laughs but this time, Ruban looked grim.
"Al. Listen, something troubling came up. There's a leak in your Ministry."
Alex's face paled but Ruban continued. "And not a low-level leak either. Someone high up. Hell, every Ministry has low-level leaks. But this one came from your office."
"What? No. Nobody who works for me would do that." He thought about the half dozen people who he worked closely with. Then looked at Ruban. "Wait... you don't think it's me do you?"
Ruban sighed. Years of working this job has made him jaded and suspicious of everyone. "This rebel problem is a lot worse than you think. We both know the administration's not all its cracked up to be and that you're driven by ideology rather than power."
"That's why we're working to make it better, crack down on corruption, stop the money flow." Alex retorted. "Violence is not the answer, and neither is getting a new government. Not when we struggled so hard to make this city a better place. I'm not plunging the city back into unrest."
Ruban looked exasperated "Of course I don't think it's you. You're too damn loyal. But you know I have to tell the Chancellor and I know she'll demand you fire all your staff. Just... be prepared"
Alex's face turned grim. He thought of Miya and Tino, his top aide and policy maker respectively. He'd hope one day Tino would take his place. Morgan had gotten increasingly paranoid over the last couple months, sure that someone would overthrow her from within. The Chancellor might do much more than just demand he replace his staff.
He bid Ruban farewell and headed towards the entrance before a hand touched his shoulder.
"Going out at this time, Alexander?"
Alex turned around. "Your Excellency. An afternoon stroll does wonders for your mind."
"I don't know why you insist on calling me that." Chancellor Morgan Bates withdrew her hand. She looked worn and tired, ready for a good night's rest. Lately, the Chancellor had been getting wearier and wearier, the weight of her decisions pressing upon her shoulders. No longer was she the passionate young woman who enraptured him with talk of changing the world.
"Just a habit." He smiled. He admired Morgan. Even now, she was a uniting force to rally behind and a thoughtful ruler.
"Be careful." Morgan looked concerned. "Are you sure you don't need guards?" Alex shook his head. Everyone on the council except himself and Ruban either took with them a vanguard of men or refused to leave the compound altogether. And Ruban wasn't a public figure
Morgan nodded at him, as if to say 'carry on' and walked away, her heels clicking on the tiled floor, no doubt to receive the bad news from Ruban. Alex had no doubt that she was trying to make the city a better place. Still... whenever he heard Morgan talk, Alex couldn't tell whether she wanted to better the city or the bragging rights to it.
--
Alex greeted the guards who tipped their hats at him as he walked through the gate of the compound.
He walked around a bit, first to the market, buying and chatting with the locals, everyone was smiling and happy.
But Alex looked around cautiously, not knowing that someone was following him. He turned into an alley, hopping over the wall. Why would go into that part of town?
"Hey, Lex."
"Candy" A woman dressed in a short cocktail dress, caked in makeup and sporting high heels emerged from the shadows.
Prostitution was illegal in Columbia but nevertheless, Alex made a point to keep in touch with the darker side of the city. Most of these girls were trafficked in from outside the city or turned to prostitution to survive.
Alex moved back. Another person would've stood, waiting for the moment when he moved in lecherously or shy away from the nightwalker. But he didn't look uncomfortable at the attention offered . He spoke to her the exact same way he spoke to the farmers at the market. After a bit of small talk he pulled out a few bills and handed it to her.
Then he leaned in as the taller woman whispered in his ear.
Alex nodded, his face turning more grim as he concentrated. It as more of the same information. Rebels were attempting to recruit the disenfranchised and organized crime ran amock. It was probably what kept the invisible lower class from rising up entirely. A revolt would not only hurt profit margins for legitimate, but illegal business as well.
He thanked her, kissing her on the cheek before starting to head back, the roads empty in this sketchy part of town.
Then, suddenly a rough hand moved over his mouth. He tried to scream, to shake the assailant off, but he was woefully outmatched. It had been years since his military service. He felt a fist connect with his stomach and he crumpled. Groaning, he tried to get up but a boot connected with his chest. It knocked the wind out of him and after a few more blows, he started drifting in and out of consciousness before finally blacking out.