Final Target

Chapter 5

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“It’s good to see you again, my old friend,” Leopold said as he sat on the bench, next to Shae. “I apologise for not responding to your invitation sooner. I’ve hardly had a moment to myself since my return.”

Shae knew this, through her research. Leopold had returned to the Council, and had even regained his old office. He’d travelled throughout the Dome, meeting important residents from all walks of life. If his departure from the Dome all those months ago had covered him in notoriety, his return had turned him into a celebrity.

“Then I must thank you for finding the time to meet,” she said. “And I thought you might appreciate this location.”

Leopold looked down to the lake, pleasure and sadness crossing on his face. His skin wasn’t as smooth now, his brow lined, and Shae was certain the close-cropped hair was a way to hide the grey.

“I never did replace Guinevere,” he said. “I enquired, only last week, but the records had been mislaid, and nobody could tell me what had happened to my dear yacht. But maybe that’s for the best. This is hardly the time for such extravagance.”

Shae picked up on his cue. “Indeed there is much to discuss,. I’m working on an extended piece that will, I hope, lay bare our current situation, allowing residents to better understand what we now face.”

He sighed. “So this isn’t a social meeting. I suppose that is to be expected, and any opportunity to talk with you is worth grabbing. I hardly think I can add much to your piece, though.”

Was that false modesty? The old Leopold wouldn’t have taken that tack.

“Yet you speak your thoughts freely in meetings, and you’re in something of a unique position, having been involved in the precedent to our current problems.”

His mouth twitched, and he nodded. “I suppose you’re correct. And I should speak out. In fact, I have been approached by others, and‌…‌yes, I believe I should accept some of these offers now.” He grinned. “Of course, you will get the first exclusive.”

Except for the speeches at all those meetings, Shae thought. It wasn’t as if Leopold’s thoughts and ideas weren’t common knowledge.

He pointed to the screen in her lap. “Are you already recording?”

She shook her head. “I was catching up on some correspondences when you arrived, that’s all.”

“I wouldn’t mind if you did wish to record our conversation. I know you’d treat the recording with the respectful privacy it deserves.”

“Thank you, but I believe I’ll rely on my memory and notes this time. If there’s something you wish quoted verbatim you can prompt me to write it down just so.” She felt the pendant against her neck. There was no reason to tell Leopold that this was already operating. It was for her private records only.

“Of course.” He straightened his back. “So how do you wish to proceed?”

Shae took a moment to study the man. The conflict within was clear to see. Leopold was desperate to talk, yet something held him back. Knowing Shae’s support of his prior ideas on free travel, did he fear her displeasure at his more recent thoughts?

“I suppose we could start with your impressions of the Dome, now that you’re back home.”

She’d chosen the word ‘home’ with purpose, and it was telling that there was no reaction to it from Leopold.

“Are you seeking an outsider’s view, or thoughts on how much has changed in my time away?” He held up a hand and shook his head. “I’m sorry‌—‌you’re the one asking questions. And I doubt I can give you an answer from a single perspective, but I’ll do my best. I see so much as if through fresh eyes, but those visions often conflict with my memories of our Dome. Take the Council gardens, for instance. They still possess the wonderful structure I recall, but seeing them now I feel constrained, and yearn for something wilder. And while these clothes are of a far higher quality than the garb I was forced to don in the districts, I can’t ignore certain impractical elements in their design.” He shook his head. “I’m not certain this is making much sense. Perhaps a few more examples, yes?”

Shae let him talk on, of the Dome’s fine architecture that now contained a cold edge, of his own splendid rooms and how they differed from some of the squalid accommodation he was forced to accept beyond the glass. Yet he thought of those rooms as homes, not so much because of the buildings but because of those around, of how the lack of secure belongings forced a new appreciation of friendship and companionship, a greater understanding of relationships.

“For someone who has never expressed interest in joining another in any permanent fashion,” she said, “it’s strange to hear you speak so strongly of connections to others.”

It was a gentle nudge, but it worked.

“Oh, I don’t talk of cohabiting. Rather, I speak of those around us. You know, even though I met so many residents in the course of my work on the Council, I don’t believe I fully appreciated the importance of others until I found myself in danger. I was forced to trust others, and from that grew strong bonds of companionship.”

“You made friends with those in the districts?”

“Oh, absolutely, despite the dangers, and the abundance of unsavoury characters, I found many fine individuals. A man named Shorack took me in at one point, forging a new image for me when I was still being hunted. The man was the head of a large family, and he‌…‌he would do anything for them.”

“You speak of him in the past tense.”

Leopold nodded and looked over the lake again.

“I apologise,” Shae said. “I shouldn’t pry into painful memories.”

“You have no need to apologise, my dear. The memories, despite their discomfort, are important in honouring the man and his family. I should never forget the sacrifices they made, even to save my own life at times.” His mouth twitched, and he waved a hand. “But there were many other wonderful characters, and I am in debt to them all.”

“You say that many in the districts helped you?”

“Most definitely. Without their help, how would I have survived beyond a day, even a few hours? Ah, the stories I could tell‌—‌violent and disturbing, yes, but also full of loyalty and honour. There was Vanya, and Rodin, names already growing throughout the Dome. Genna is especially important to me, as she was the one who took me under her wing when I otherwise would have surely perished on the streets. And then there are newer friends, such as Lomaz. I see you’re familiar with that name?”

“I’ve heard of him in passing, I believe.”

“And I’m sure you’ll hear more in the near future. He’s a hard worker, now assisting our new Head-of-Council in matters of tech. For a man from the districts, he is easy company, and possesses an incredibly sharp mind. He’s one of the few people from beyond the glass who can play chess. He not only already knew the game when I first suggested we play, but also proved a tough opponent.”

“I’m intrigued‌—‌you play regularly? I’d be interested to hear who wins.”

“Oh, it’s become a most pleasing ritual, to meet up every days or so and relax over the board for a few hours. He wins on occasions, but I believe I’m more often victorious.”

“So rather than being a friend through your fight against adversity, this man is a friend through shared interests, yes?”

Leopold beamed. “An excellent observation. I believe our personalities compliment too. I feel no need for pretence when we talk.”

“It must be good to have a person like that in your life. But if I may, I’d like to return to someone you mentioned earlier. What are your thoughts on our new Head’s proxy?”

If possible, Leopold’s smile grew larger. “Ah, the intriguing, wonderful creature that is Genna. As I mentioned, it was Genna who took me in and kept me safe, and who instructed me in the ways of the districts. She showed me their beauty as well as their ugliness, and she opened my eyes to their possibilities. And, like the districts themselves, the woman herself is multi-faceted. She can be as supple as a fern or as steadfast as rock. Being in her presence can be relaxing, joyful even, but at other times it can be tense and fraught with danger. She cares deeply about those close to her, and through wanting the best for them she won’t hesitate to use violence when she deems it necessary.”

“So I’ve heard.” Shae leaned in, tilting her head. “And this is something I know perplexes many people. It is known that the woman has shed the blood of others and ended lives. Can such transgressions be forgiven? Can someone who had killed ever be trusted?”

Leopold had hinted at these matters in their communications, but as he’d talked of Genna she’d sensed a hesitation, as if he was saying only what he wanted her to hear, not what he truly thought.

He sighed, and absently brushed one hand over his knee.

“You have to understand that life beyond the glass is very different to what we are accustomed to. Here, we might be slapped by harsh words, but out in the districts fists and weapons are never hidden for long. It’s nowhere near as bad as the stories say, but there is a minority who use violence as their primary weapon. Such people cannot be swayed by diplomacy, unfortunately. Genna always aims for peaceful resolutions, but there are times when‌…‌when her only recourse is to use force, fatal if necessary. Those who follow her‌—‌those who are protected by her‌—‌would say that this is a good thing, that Genna has the inner strength to use violence when it is required.”

Shae frowned again, needing to draw more out of the Councillor. “Many would say that true strength is shown in avoiding violence, and that lashing out indicates a loss of control.”

Leopold took a moment to consider that, as Shae had suspected. She thought of a recent conversation with Erinya, who had indicated that Genna needed all the help she could get. The Councillor said that her arguments were sound, and her presence was imposing and strong, but she didn’t come across as a true Councillor. Many, Erinya said, refused to listen to her words at all.

“Nobody’s perfect,” Leopold eventually said. “We all make mistakes, and Genna is no exception. At times, our strengths can become our weaknesses. In Genna’s case, her determination could, potentially, tip into obstinacy.”

That was interesting‌—‌and not what Shae was expecting. She waited, using her silence to urge Leopold on.

“I cannot fault her beliefs in herself,” he said. “And it should be remembered that she had suffered a great deal, and has been through a cavalcade of traumatic events, even in the short time I’ve known her. She’s lost almost everything to‌…‌to those who now surround our Dome, and‌…‌and I believe this has clouded her judgement. She cannot see them as anything but monsters, and so she dismisses any notion of dialogue with them.”

“But she speaks for the Head-of-Council in this, surely. It is not her ultimate decision.”

Shae spoke quickly, not too sure what she was saying, unclear in her mind how Kharem felt in this matter. He saw those across the glass as the enemy, and she knew he had no love for Authority. But he’d worked with them in the past, for personal gain. Was there any reason to assume he wouldn’t do the same again?

Leopold nodded. “Yes, but her influence is strong. Even though many on the Council don’t want to listen to her, she has a certain notoriety across the general population. Her views can be persuasive. But in this instance I believe her to be totally wrong. We cannot engage in physical combat with those on the far side of the glass. Don’t you see this, Shae?” He leaned closer, arms waving, eyes wide. “If we choose to fight with force, then our opponents will overcome that force with ease. Refusal to even consider dialogue will condemn us, which is why we must talk to them. Our only hope lies in appealing to their humanity, in striking some kind of a deal with them.”

He took a long breath, and swallowed. Shae didn’t interrupt.

“As much as I admire Genna as a person, I must speak out. As a Councillor and a resident of this Dome, to remain silent would be a dereliction of my civic duty. I have no option but to explain myself, and let the people know that there is an alternative to fighting those beyond the glass. We need to see them not as the enemy, but as‌…‌adversaries who are not so unlike ourselves. They seek a peaceful solution to our current situation, and I truly believe that this can only be achieved through open discussion with them.”

Shae recognised the fire in his eyes, that idealistic yearning she’d seen so often in the Councillor over the last few years, and she knew he spoke from the heart. She also knew that he wouldn’t baulk at telling others, that he’d do everything he could to spread his message.

And then she realised he’d never once mentioned Authority by name, and she wondered if that was important. At one point, they’d wanted him dead, and had even hunted him down in the districts. Yet now, he wanted to make a deal with them.

Her hand rose to her chest, and she ran a finger across the pendant, dreading what would happen once his words spread.