The Four Kings (20 page)

“Yes.” Regi held out his hand and pointed at Earth. “Here’s our home planet.”

Jumbled feelings weaved in and out through Amanda. All at once, she was scared, flabbergasted, serene, fascinated, and curious. She felt as if she weighed ten times less. It was like sitting in a waist-deep swimming pool – only that there wasn’t any water anywhere. It felt weird.

She didn’t want to talk. Not now. She only wanted to gaze at Earth as a brilliant blue ball – a sight afforded to very few in Earth’s history. She wanted to consciously savor it, experience it, and relish it. She wondered how she could find the words to describe this astounding experience. Oh, to make the sensation last forever! She was afraid to make a move, even the act of breathing itself, lest she’d somehow zap back to Earth. She should talk to Regi, to thank him, or to acknowledge his presence, but
no
. Her heart told her to gaze as long as she could. To do nothing. She followed her heart.

Regi didn’t make a move either. He gazed out in the same direction as Amanda, spellbound. He showed absolutely no indication of impatience or worry.

For several minutes, they stood as if in a trance, their necks extended, facing toward the only planetary body they called home. Every time Amanda felt an urge to break off her gaze out into space, she brushed it aside.

Finally, she breathed out and said, “This is beautiful.”

“Yeah.” Regi responded in equal awe.

Despite herself, Amanda reached out for Regi’s hand. Surprised, he allowed Amanda to squeeze upon it. She maintained an even grip on him for several more seconds, then let go.

“Have you been here before?”

Regi shrugged, but kept his expression of wonder. “Many times.”

“You’re so lucky.”

“I know.”

Amanda remained transfixed by the surreal atmosphere before her. “So, now I’m the first person on the moon for several decades.”

Regi shook his head. “No, Amanda. You
are
the first Mortal to be on the moon. Ever.”

Amanda stepped back from Regi in shock.
No, he probably didn’t know
. She said, “Regi, humans have commanded a rocket to the moon. We first arrived here in July 1969…”

Regi waved aside her assertion. “I’m very familiar with the official line. Amanda, it was all faked.”

Her face turned ashen. Her senses became dull. She didn’t know what to think. She instinctively tried to reason out Regi’s words.

“You mean man didn’t land on the moon?”

“Nope. You were talking about July 1969. Well, as soon as the wizards heard, I mean our ancestors, they immediately went to the moon to look for the spacecraft. There was nothing.”

“
Nothing?
“

“Nothing. Except for dozens of probes launched from Earth to land on the moon. But none of the Apollo manned missions have been found anywhere on the moon. And certainly no flag.”

Amanda allowed the news to sink in. “Then all the stories of man landing on the moon are not real.”

“No,” Regi grimly said.

Amanda conveyed an expression of incredulity and sadness to Regi. Then she broke away. “I’m very disappointed in humanity. During the past ten years, during the
Great Blight
, they’ve bankrupted themselves and nearly came to war. Before the Liberators came.” She reflected, and then looked at Regi. “And now they’ve lied about the moon landings, too.”

“Amanda,” Regi said softly. “Don’t be so harsh. Mortals have done a lot of good, too.”

She scoffed. “Well, look at you wizards. Everything seems so perfect.”

“I wouldn’t say that. You don’t know everything.”

Silence hung in the air bubble, which protected them from an asphyxiating death on the moon’s surface.

“Time to go back.”

Amanda suddenly remembered her mission to obtain as many secrets as she could from the wizards. She groaned inwardly. Due to the dramatic incursions she had just experienced, there was no opportunity for her to ease into subtle questioning about the world of the wizards. And she didn’t even learn anything about Regi today, other than his home town was Moose Jaw. She frowned. Regi was awfully nice and modest. Yet he’d managed to spend a few hours with her without revealing anything about himself. Clever, or just the way he was?

She’d have to try again with Regi later.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

One year, two months post-Liberation

Amanda was the last to arrive for the council meeting. As she sat, she noticed both Demus and Regi steal glances at her. She felt as if she was going to blush, but didn’t. She’d gotten quite chummy with both Demus and Regi, having spent hours with them during briefings on statistics and reports. She intensely disliked Indie, due to her bossy manner, but thankfully Indie didn’t seem to realize that. Justica was a tough nut to figure out. She was very gracious and polite, but very reserved. It was ironic that Justica had demonstrated the most intimate family background to Amanda during her four “glimpses” into each wizard’s past, but still remained the most aloof.

Amanda smiled back at both Demus and Regi at different times, attempting to appear friendly but not too “buddy-buddy.” This was a business meeting now. It was another Debate Day, and she had meticulously prepared for this meeting.

As usual, the magical meeting was held one kilometer above Earth, this time directly upward from Watertown, New York. The wizards had always changed the location of their skyward meetings to avoid giving advance information to antagonists; so that no improvised missiles from private stockpiles would be aimed their way.

But the cameras – conjured up by magic – followed them wherever they conducted meetings, and gave the Mortals instantaneous access to the photogenic wizards. Amanda had long ago shed any inhibitions of walking in the sky; the wizards always ensured that she had firm grounding beneath her feet, even if she couldn’t see any floor. She no longer bothered to look down, except when she was resting and wanted to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of whatever portion of the continent she was in. She truly enjoyed the meetings that were previously held above the Grand Canyon, the rain forests of Central America, and the tundra of Canada’s north. The wizards had long been jaded by these sheer majestic landscapes, but to Amanda, it was like multiple hot air balloon excursions in selected spots – only better.

Ten a.m. now; the meeting was ready to start. Demus spoke out. “I, Demus…”

He paused, clearly in a more-than-usual jovial mood today. The other four waited patiently for his next words, amused.

“…to be at quorum today.”

The three other wizards laughed. Every wink, chuckle, and inflection was broadcast all over North America, live. Amanda always felt conscious of her moments on live television and Internet streaming, but had also gotten used to throw-away moments.

Amanda said, confused, “What’s so funny?” She also didn’t understand what Demus said. Something about quorum?

Demus flashed a mischievous expression at her. He started again, “I deem us to be in quorum today,” speaking the sentence naturally.

Oh
. Amanda felt stupid. He was using a play on his own name.
Clever.
She had never thought of that before.

“There’s no such thing as quorum,” Amanda snapped. “All four wizards are needed to start the meeting.”

Demus laughed again. “I know, I was just teasing you.”

“Good one, Demus,” Regi said. Apparently struck by a clever idea, he held his hand up, too impatient to be recognized as the next speaker. “I’d like to propose a motion.”

The three other wizards snickered. Amanda got cross. She said, “We’re not yet at that stage of the agenda, Regi…”

He interrupted her, attempting to be silly. “Oh, oh, just wait.” He twirled his index finger, and then all of the participants at the meeting, including Amanda, were shaken about, as if there could possibly be an earthquake up in the wild blue yonder.

Amanda exhaled as the movement stopped jarring her about. Oh… the
motion
…
Geez
.
What a dumb joke.

She was irate now. “Can we start the meeting, please?”

Demus basked in the attention as the cameras zoomed in on his attractive features. He then looked at the first item on the agenda and quickly fell solemn. “The first issue up for debate is: the hostage threat by Patriots Everywhere United.”

The assembly groaned.

Amanda read the briefing. “As you know, Patriots has forcibly kidnapped the head of the Partners with Liberators front, Leslie Bafia, and demanded the Liberators surrender and forsake any claim to governance over the countries of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, and the others. They’re also asking for compensation of two billion dollars to be paid into a trust account, claiming that the Liberators have caused damage to enterprise and to property…”

“We’ve been adding property!” Indie spoke out, angry.

Amanda glanced, and then continued. “Jake Faulkner, the leader of Patriots, has indicated that Ms. Bafia will be executed by twelve noon, Pacific Time, tomorrow if their demands are not met. They further warn if there’s no response, and she is executed, they’ll continue to kidnap and kill more supporters of the Liberators.”

Her hands trembling, Amanda attempted to calm down. “Open the debate.”

The four wizards gazed at each other, all about five hundred feet apart. While they looked small to each other, the cameras everywhere ensured close-ups of each wizard, displaying them on huge screens strategically located for maximum visibility, rendering the physical distances irrelevant.

Indie began the debate. “My position is simple. Do not negotiate with terrorists.”

Immediately, the small gathering began murmuring audibly.

Demus said, “Indie’s right. You give them one concession, they want more. You give them another; they are rewarded for their demands. I say no.” He sat back, detaching himself.

Justica said, “I agree. However, we must consider the fate of Ms. Bafia. She has now found herself in the position where she’s risking her life for supporting us. How do we deal with this?”

Indie scoffed. “We didn’t ask for the Partners with Liberators.”

The group started talking over one another.

“That’s right!” said Demus. “How can it be our fault? We didn’t ask for volunteers. All we need is the goodwill of the Mortals. We’ve already made tremendous contributions to their society.”

“I hate to say this,” Regi added. “If Ms. Bafia dies, her blood will be spilled by the Patriots group. They alone must bear the responsibility.”

Justica gazed into the screens. “Remember, Mortals, we have no information where Ms. Bafia is detained. If we knew where she was, we could use our magic to free her. But we don’t know. Just wanted you to know that.” She wiped one eye.

“It seems to be all agreed,” Indie said. “We have consensus. We’re not to deal with murderous thugs who wish nothing better than to disrupt the progress of mankind.” There were cheers from the other three wizards, while Amanda sat stone-faced.

Demus glared at the camera, and giant images of his stern, impetuous face filled screens everywhere. “Mortals,” he commanded, “you have before you the despicable, cowardly actions of Patriots Everywhere United, who are holding a defenseless, helpless woman hostage. Jake Faulkner, wherever you are, you are not only holding Leslie Bafia hostage, but also her husband, her children, her friends, and her neighbors.” He nearly lost his cool. “You realize, Mr. Faulkner, this spineless action of yours doesn’t harm any single wizard, but rather, a member of your own race, which you falsely – very falsely – claim to protect.”

“Scumbag!” Regi snarled, unable to restrain himself.

Demus spoke again. “Do what you will. It serves no purpose, benefits no one, and is an act of blatant violation against dignity. Nothing will come of it. We will not yield.”

Justica weighed in. “As you know, we’ve said we’ll end our rule within three years from Liberation Day. I don’t understand what the problem is. In less than two years from now, you’ll be ‘free’ as you claim, but this honorable woman will be dead. Do you really want that?” She crossed her arms and muttered to herself, speaking in Spanish.

Eyes wide, Amanda knew that the next item on the agenda was about to commence. In her head, she said a prayer for Leslie Bafia.

“Next up on the agenda,” Amanda announced in a clear voice, “We have a formal debate proposition.”

“Oh, I like this!” Demus said, rubbing his hands.

Relieved to move on from the prospect of a political assassination, Amanda said, “There are two motions on the floor. They’ll be debated concurrently, as they’re very much intertwined.”

The wizards sat spellbound, eagerly anticipating the excitement.

“The wizards are to adopt the two motions, the first is ‘Be it resolved that an ideal society does not require any government,’ and second, ‘Be it resolved that no man shall be forced to pay for the burden of another man.’”

The wizard whooped at hearing of the selected topics.

Amanda added drily, “The second, of course, is code for ‘Should we pay any taxes?’ But it was important to frame it in a clear manner.” She paused. “All four Liberators will argue for the two motions. To oppose the two motions will be the Dean of the School of Political Science of my alma mater, Berkeley University, Professor Emily Knight.”

The four wizards applauded.

Amanda said, “Indie, make it so.”

Indie nodded.

Instantaneously, Professor Emily Knight appeared, sitting on a chair. Dressed like a tenured academician, she sported curly red hair, speckled horn-rimmed glasses, a beige suit jacket, a simple white blouse, and plaid maroon-and-beige cotton pants. A slim belt adorned her waist. Her face betrayed her hundreds of hours lecturing in front of graduate school classrooms.

With one hand, she held papers in front of her, and with the other, she firmly grasped the seat of her chair. When she looked down, she gave a startled gasp and shrank back into her chair.

Amanda sympathized. “It does take getting used to, but I assure you, the wizards will never let you fall to Earth.”