Extraordinary Mistakes

21. Ice Queen

The Council gathers on a suite of a four-star hotel, waiting for the president.

Perhaps we should offer her a watch when she gets reelected. Edward shakes his head. One hour and thirty minutes later, she arrives.

"Everyone, take your seats. Let's begin," Edward orders and everyone obeys, "Laurence, go ahead."

"We've run several scenarios and developed a plan to ensure that in November we'll have an increase of 20% in anti-deviant representatives," Laurence explains.

"What do we need to do, then?"

"We need a new massacre in the Ariston community."

The younger people in the room don't understand what Laurence means. They know about the massacre, and that it was the government that carried it. But why would a new massacre change anything?

They are too young to remember that back in 2013, the president faced a steeping decline in popularity, mostly because of how he dealt with the war. People were pushing for reforms, more rights for deviants if that meant ending the suffering. Then, the massacre happened. 

Everyone saw how ruthless deviants can be, even against their own kind. A single deviant killed them all, children even. What would the Angel of Death do against humans if allowed freely? The president responded with more sanctions against deviants and won the next election by a landslide.

"The most likely scenario to turn the tide is a massacre at the Institute," Laurence explains.

How have we come to this point? Saif thinks about the deviants that study and work there.

Jessica and Madeleine know they'll be safe, but that they'll have to deal with the aftermath.

"Done by the terrorist movement?" the president asks.

"We can't blame them for this. They have never hurt deviants before. Every time we've blamed them, only humans died. Most of the population believes that if it were today, if Rachel Moore was in charge instead of her father, there wouldn't have been a massacre. We need a new terrorist movement, one with fewer members, but more extremist," Laurence explains.

"How many deviants would have to die?" Saif straightens his tie. 

"Several, the younger the better, or... we terminate only one, injuring others."

Around the table, all eyes focus on Thomas.

"How much more impactful is killing Emily when compared with the other scenarios? I'm asking because she has brought a lot of precious contributions," Edward asks.

"According to our analysis," Laurence asks his advisor to hand him the calculations, "75% superior."

"Anything that you ask for is yours, Thomas. Anything," Edward looks at him.

"Everything for our nation, sir."

Everything for your own gain. This is a new low, even for you, Thomas. Marianne's fingers curl into a fist, and she hides it.

"Okay, that's fine by me, obviously! But I ask only one thing... please don't make it more bloodier than it has to! I don't want to deal with the parents complaining that their children suffered," Madeleine rolls her eyes.

"Madeleine, you're the president of the Institute, that's literally your job!"

"That's right, Edward, I am!" She claps. "Thank you for reminding me that I can just let the vice president or my secretary deal with it."

Why do I have to deal with this bimbo? Right, her wealth is almost on the same level as her stupidity. Ridiculous, how she spends it on the most useless things. How much did your MBA cost, Madeleine? Not just the tuition, the bribery of course. No one in their right mind would pass you on their classes. Edward smiles back at Madeleine.