AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Is it alright?” she suddenly asked, coming back to her senses. “The... baby?”
“Y-yeah, it is. But it would be better if its mommy didn’t move around!”
She nodded, a bit relieved. Meanwhile, Circé came back already, pushing a wheelchair, and with some people who seemed to be the medical staff behind her. Despite Jack’s protests and best arguments, Eden was cleared to get into the wheelchair and attend the negotiations that were occurring just a block away. Jack insisted on acting as her caretaker, and once she was carefully covered with a blanket and his jacket, he personally took her out of the hospital, the pups on Eden’s lap. They had removed her Parts, but she wasn’t in a hurry to get them back.
While she played with the puppies on her lap, relieved they had both made it, she was taken several floors up into a large room. It seemed to be a regular apartment living room, although quite big for one in the Suburbs. It was visibly used as a temporary HQ for the Zodiac. All of those who had survived the battle were there, plus Nebty, Malieka, and a few unknown faces. Many turned heads when Eden arrived, and either gave her a nod or muttered a greeting. However, no one wanted to interrupt A., who was seated alone in the middle of the large couch, elbows on his knees, fingers crossed, and leaning toward the large screen in front of him with a serious expression.
“...The details of the losses next week. However, I’m sure you’re more than capable of doing the math yourself, considering how your Governor illegally surveyed our neighborhoods.”
“We will be sure all the data that was obtained by illegal means will be destroyed or handed to you,” answered a male voice from the screen.
Eden recognized that voice, and the face on the screen. It was the man who had gotten mad at the Governor back in the Arcadia Tower. He was currently occupying most of the screen, but there were several windows open, with other faces apparently attending the meeting. A woman took over in his stead.
“As soon as we can establish the exact amount of the damages, we will repair the buildings exactly as they were, and transfer the agreed sum to the families as compensation. Regarding the wall...”
“No more wall.”
All eyes turned to Eden. Jack gently pushed her wheelchair so she would face the screen too.
“...Miss Newman,” said the scientist, visibly surprised.
“We don’t need that wall anymore,” continued Eden. “If you truly regret what happened, stop trying to separate the Suburbs from the Core. We don’t need the wall to be rebuilt, we need to destroy what’s left.”
“...Miss Newman,” said the woman, frowning. “I am afraid you don’t quite understand the impact of what would happen if we did.”
“I don’t think you understand it either. Whatever you fear, however, will not happen. Look at the fight that took place. Did any of your civilians get harmed?”
“No, but–”
“Then you know living together is possible.”
“Even if we agree to this, taking down the wall will have too many consequences!”
“If you’re so afraid of taking down one border, you should be more worried about what could happen if you keep it up. In light of what happened, it was the natural response to the Suburbs being choked up. This is bound to happen again if you don’t offer a way out. People will keep getting hungrier, poorer, more desperate.”
“Miss Newman, you don’t understand. If we take down the wall, our citizens will feel threatened. Not physically perhaps, but financially, and on many other levels! What if they get their jobs taken, their houses taken–”
“And you think the people living in the Suburbs moved there of their own free will? I’m not asking you to kick out the Core’s people. Realistically, it will take years for the people in the Suburbs to catch up to the Core. They don’t have the skills to get high-end jobs, and they don’t have the finances to get those properties either. However, taking down the wall and reopening those roads will be the first step in letting them back in.”
“What about the crime rate? If our citizens are harmed because of your decision–”
“You have all the Mafia Leaders in this very room,” said A. “We have always kept the fights between us, and those who don’t belong to our mafia live their lives just fine. Do you think any of us would risk going against the Core again on our own? If there are crimes committed, I promise we will take care of them. We won’t oppose you arresting those who harm your citizens, either.”
“We all lost a lot of people already,” added Thao. “If we can get a chance to not need guns and violence anymore, most of our people will happily take that. We can’t promise you perfect citizens, but if you want the crime to stay between the worst and out of the Core, we can guarantee that.”
All of the present Mafia Leaders nodded in agreement. Eden realized the few unknown faces were replacing the Dragon and the Eagle, and Tanya, who wasn’t there. She spotted Rolf, leaning against the wall too, probably here to represent the Italian Mafia...
“...I see,” said the woman. “This is not a decision we can make right away, but we will consider it and give you an answer in the next forty-eight hours with our own conditions. Anything else?”
“Don’t repair the buildings exactly as they were,” said Eden. “...Build new ones, better ones.”
“Aren’t you pushing it?!”
“Your robots did the damage,” Eden retorted. “None of your citizens were harmed, but for us, many lost their homes they could already barely afford. If you really want to show goodwill, do it right. Don’t put people back into slums, but into proper homes, as any human being deserves.”
“I like the sound of that,” nodded Michael, seated in an armchair. “Don’t pretend you guys don’t have the money for it. It’s about payback too. You can add that to the proper oxygen fans and new roads we agreed on.”
“And, gentle reminder, we still have the codes to destroy those fans if you put the former ones in,” added Nebty with a grin. “I suggest you update your System and don’t leave us out of it this time. Even if you try, it will only give you at best a few years before we take control again. And Pan’s still on our side.”
