“I’m glad to see that you made it,” Major Richardson— Nicholas— says as we step out into the hallway. “Ms. Mortensen, Ms. Jacobs. I regret that we couldn’t have met in less contentious circumstances, or that we had more time to properly catch up with one another following everything that has transpired with respect to those City Slayers. However, I must, for the sake of urgency, request that we expedite pleasantries and proceed directly into the matters I need to discuss with you.”
He raises his hand. One of the city staff members— a young brunette woman of about thirty— quickly motions for us to follow. We’re led into a small conference chamber, Nicholas taking the seat at the head of the large table, Chloe and I taking seats near the middle. The door is closed and locked behind us, after which Nicholas invokes some sort of Skill whose function I’m having trouble ascertaining.
It’s not affecting me in the slightest. Chloe doesn’t look pained, nor do I detect any discomfort or changes coming through our bond. Satisfied that this isn’t some sort of underhanded tactic to undermine the two of us, I turn to the decorated officer with a stern look.
“I forget that you can sense the flow of [Ether] when I’m using Skills,” he says. “It is merely a [Privacy Veil]. Most useful for discussing classified information or other matters that require discretion. Including from individuals with specific scrying, divination, or intelligence-gathering Skills. More than once, people have thought they were being clever, eavesdropping from what would have been a secure distance, except the individual in question had a [Whispers of the Wind] Skill to listen to said conversation from half a mile away.”
“Understood,” I say. “I’m guessing you know more about the current… situation than the senior brass wants the general public to be aware of. Information which could harm… whatever plans are currently in motion.”
“That is correct. Right now, the President is confirmed to be alive, and is being kept in an isolated command center. The current location is classified TS/SCI. Even I don’t know where, and even if I did, you don’t have a need to know, and this facility, even with my Skills, isn’t authorized for the dissemination of such information.”
“I was under the impression that he was killed in the attacks,” Chloe says. “All the news media were implying as much from the reports.”
“Body double. Military intelligence tipped the White House off to the attack hours before, and a member of the Secret Service stood in as a body double, laying down his life in the line of duty. I have been informed that, for the time being, each functioning local command structure will be operating independently.”
“Because you’re worried that any outgoing signals from the bunker would be triangulated?” I ask.
“Among other reasons. No, I cannot explain further, so please, do not ask.”
“So, why are you telling us all this?” Chloe asks. “Especially as you’ve already acknowledged that we don’t have the appropriate clearances to know about all this.”
“Because we all, collectively, need to know where you two stand on the current situation. Particularly given Ms. Mortensen’s long-standing grievances against the United States and mainstream society more broadly. Normally, as military commander, I would simply order your cooperation as a matter of martial law, or, were I feeling more generous, compel it through judicial warrant. However, I am not blind to the reality that ordering something as a matter of law and effecting that order in practice are two different things, and that petitioning for your voluntary cooperation will be far easier and beneficial for both sides.”
It does feel very nice how the roles have reversed since a few months ago. Before, it was me sitting behind Nicholas’ desk, lacking any real leverage to push my own agenda, having to work under his auspices and direction and command in exchange for the resources and expertise I needed to advance [Glyphcasting] and Ethertech. But now, after months of constant work, of refining Chloe’s and my combat capabilities through repeated dungeon delves and warring on the front lines, defending our home and those we care about from man and monster alike, we’re the ones who finally have autonomy.
Chloe speaks up first. “What can you tell us about this Black Knight, Renault? Do you know anything about his background or where he came from, or what other motives he might have? I would feel a lot better about choosing our course of action if we knew something about what kind of man he is, what his true intentions are, and so forth.”
“Are you sure?”
I message. “I thought for sure you’d be against him. I know how you feel about all of this. How we talked about trying to avoid fighting against other people if we could at all avoid it.”“I’ve seen the devastation on the news and social media. Read more first- and secondhand accounts of the survivors than I want to think about. We got off easy. Our losses to the City Slayer were in the hundreds… But love, entire metropolitan areas, each housing a million people, have been wiped out, with survivor counts in the dozens or hundreds. They lost everything.
“I don’t agree with Renault’s methods but… if you and Mom and Dad all died and I had no one left in my life… I would be devastated, heartbroken. I’d… I don’t know if I’d do what he is, organizing a takeover of the government, killing so many innocents in the process. But I can’t say that I wouldn’t do it either. But I need to know the exact reason. I need to hear it from him. Because–”
“Plenty of people say nice things, talk about justice and righteousness, and it’s all just a veneer for their own personal ambitions and lust for power?”
“Yeah. I– I don’t want to fight him, but more than anything, I’ve come to understand that some things are so important to people, that there is no way to resolve those conflicts without physical confrontation. And sometimes, despite our best efforts, sometimes, that ends in death. I don’t like it, but… I have to accept it. I have to accept that that’s the way the world is, even though I wish it didn’t have to be.”
“It’s always been that way, Chloe. It was just kept hidden and away from you.”
Chloe squeezes my hand, Nicholas glances at our held hands for a fraction of a second before looking away, exercising appropriate discretion and looking away as we finish our unspoken conversation. It’s not until the two of us are done that he begins speaking, which surprises and unnerves me.
He must have upgraded his [Strategist] class to some sort of [Analyst] variant, with Skills that allow him to gather and process information more efficiently. That he can use a Skill like [Privacy Veil] is further evidence of that. Scary indeed, and even if I could win a fight against him, I know it would be far from easy, level gap be damned.
“Unfortunately,” Nicholas begins, “we don’t currently have a lot of intelligence about what kind of a man Renault was before the System arrived. What I can say is that there was no known FBI file on him at the time, and he has no arrest or criminal record to speak of. The only court record we have on the man is a marriage to one Jennifer Foster, née Love, back in ‘14. The man had a son and a daughter, twins. They would be seven years old now.”
“How terrible,” Chloe says.
“So, it’s at least plausible that the man’s stated intentions have some truth behind them,” I say.
“Plausible, yes. Although, Seraphina, I doubt I need to remind you about how many military and totalitarian dictatorships brand their states under the veneer of being ‘people’s republics’. The two aren’t incompatible. The man could well be driven by grief and anger over the loss of his family, and also seek power for selfish, self-righteous ends.”
I nod. “So, what do you want us to do? And what is this about a summit supposedly being held? The mayor had mentioned it briefly before the public meeting started.”
“We still don’t know the details, although I imagine they will announce it soon, and I suspect it will be held sometime in the late fall. Perhaps early to mid November, right before Thanksgiving. They will need time to consolidate their power, announce the meeting, and give the assigned delegates a chance to confirm their attendance and head to wherever the summit is going to be held. Right now, central intelligence is thinking it’ll be either Chicago or Kansas City— two relatively central cities who were spared the brunt of the devastation.”
“That seems a bit odd,” I say. “I agree with the idea of it happening in a large, centrally-located city. But if they were trying to make their point about both the failures of the previous regime and the perceived benefits that they’re trying to offer us, wouldn’t it make sense to hold the summit somewhere that was devastated? Showcase how quickly they can rebuild a city from the ground up, and extol their virtues not just with false promises, but with tangible actions.”
“It is… possible, and one I had raised with Colonel Wilson this morning before coming here,” Nicholas says. “We had briefly considered the possibility that they had enough manpower or resources to rebuild an entire city in two months. But several other analysts didn’t believe such a thing was possible on such short notice. Having seen your own capabilities, though, I wouldn’t discount it. It would be the ultimate power play, and I’m sure they’d win over a number of emissaries to their cause.
“As for what I want you to do, I would love for you to serve as our emissaries, and have already formally recommended you two for the position.”
“Why us?” Chloe asks.
“I agree; it doesn’t make any sense whatsoever why you would send us rather than someone under your command and control.”
“I would go myself, were it a possibility. However, this is going to be a gathering of the strongest people throughout the country. I anticipate that there will be no shortage of jockeying for power and influence. Jockeying which will be encouraged, and physical.”
“So why not Lindsey, or Alexey?”
“Lindsey is no longer under my command, and Alexey is needed here… Please keep this part in confidence between the three of us. But I do not believe he would handle a gathering of politicians particularly well, and he is not the most politically adept.”
I furrow my brows. “But I’m not a politician, nor do I have any desire or skill to be involved in politics. Surely that factor should outweigh all other considerations about my physical strength.”
“Yes, that would normally be true. However, whatever government ultimately emerges, whether the American Legion or the United States, will be considerably less centralized, a coalition of city-states allied in mutual defense rather than a central government with sovereignty and control over the entire country. More akin to the structure under the Articles of Confederation, only with city-states instead of the colonies-turned-states.
“The point is, while your loyalty to the United States is… less than ideal, your commitment to your hometown and your actions taken in its defense have been commendable, to say the least. I believe that you will act in a manner consistent with protecting all of us, for reasons of self-interest, if nothing else. Of course, we will also have a political advisor accompany you to assist with the negotiations.”
A bit contrived, but the reasoning does make sense, at least from a certain point of view.
“What about you?” Chloe asks.
“It should go without saying that, regardless of your position on this so-called ‘American’ Legion, I’ve sworn an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, one which I will abide by. As for what I will be doing to that effect, that is being kept strictly need-to-know. And you, Chloe, do not have a need to know.”
The way he says it makes it clear that he’s speaking of special ops, assassination attempts, covert tactics… And no, I don’t want to know what or where.
A moment later, a change in the flow of Ether throughout the room alerts me to the fact that Nicholas’ [Privacy Veil] has been dropped.
“Now then, I believe it is time for you to grit and bear another public speaking affair. Although, after how well the last one went, I know I needn’t worry.”
I sigh and shake my head. Because why would I expect anything less?