Chapter 8

The missing politicians were finally rounded up over a month. Some were found in municipality trash chutes and garbage dumping grounds while some were found in public areas like city squares and shopping areas. They were found emaciated and catatonic �" clothes ragged, hair unkempt and stinking of a month’s worth of neglect towards hygiene. Yet they did not utter a single word about their condition, leaving the news channels to speculate with ridiculous theories like alien abductions. With many of them handed in their resignations, elections for the vacant seats were in full swing with a new crop of hopefuls throwing their names in the ring. While there were low chances of their success with the outgoing generation fielding their chosen candidates, the media hailed it as a sign of change.

Counselor Mathias resigned from his seat, leaving it open to hopeful candidates like Junpei Honda the real estate and television magnate who campaigned in full steam with his son Jaken Honda. The elections were a talking point in the Helryx home as in every other home in Bantam, with Celia Helryx vowing to vote for ‘anyone that isn’t Honda’. The elections even reached the school corridors where it was rumored that the teachers were cajoled to vote for Honda with free goodies and promises of raises and tax breaks.

One of the very few people who continued to remain active was Ayman Jones. After spending time in hospital recovering and then overseeing Senator Jones who was confined to a sanatorium in the end, he returned to politics with a vengeance, continuing to make brazen hate speeches and implicating the President for the disappearances. However, he refused to give any statement on the disappearance, rendering it an open-and-shut case. The media soon moved on when they found Alexander linked with an actress with an impeccable good-girl-image at a success party for his newly launched designer label.

Back at the Helryx home, Michael was showing rapid improvements with the transfusions and had started going to school as normal. Celia Helryx stayed at the hospital with her son, vacillating between hopefulness and dread. Hiram Helryx was engaged in the preparations for the elections and closing up the investigations for the missing politicians and had taken to spending the nights at the Army quarters near the office. All this meant that Selene Helryx was left to her own devices, free to train till late in the night at Alpha’s base.

Alexander clapped as Selene knocked him down with a swift move from a whip transfigured from her hair and disarmed him after binding his arms and legs with a hastily drawn rune.

“You’re catching up well.” He huffed as she broke the bind.

“Alpha’s a mean teacher. I still have a lot to learn.” She said.

“Run us by the stats again.” Jay told Alexander.

“The mansion is a three floored building with a hexagonal structure and outer perimeter with twelve guards posted on the outer perimeter and twelve around the house, spaced in equal distance. Advanced surveillance cameras cover every inch of the land with 180 degree line of vision monitored round the clock. All the guards are Illyrian combat mercenaries, hand picked relatives and members of Zed Shaw’s organization. Given Illyria’s frosty relations with the Empire for violation of the Alchemist code of conduct by using their Alchemist abilities to fuel wars for the Federation and building labor farms dedicated to transfiguring precious metals and fossil fuels and supplying them to the market, you can be sure some of their representatives would be there today along with Zed’s bookkeeper �" a high class Fed accountant from what I gather. Now I can handle the infiltration part without leaving any trace of you guys on their system. When it comes to getting out after their little party, I have reliable information that they’re using portals to exit. Zed has dedicated portals on the Honda Estate to travel back and forth. Wheeler’s getting a load of infused salt in case you’ll need to draw out salt-circles to break the locks on the portals. Now have you brushed up on your rune-breaking skills, little bird?” Alexander asked Selene.

She nodded. “Alpha approves.” Jay confirmed.

“Okay then. Now we head in as a group of ten �" two guards and eight entertainers, including myself. Alpha and I managed to strike a deal with a couple of the guards and they won’t raise any suspicions if a couple of the performers who went in aren’t the same ones who leave the estate afterwards. Other than our main target, his Illyrian friends and the hosts, the other attendees are Ayman Jones and his eldest son Ardin.”

He looked around to make sure they were all on the same page. “Now the agenda for the meeting happens to be a finalization for their routine supply of weapons and some negotiations on their trafficking contracts. Once the payments are settled, they’ll break for dinner and ‘entertainment’ which is where we step in. All this is happening on the second floor since the rooms are fully soundproof with alert systems for the guards on stand-by at the surveillance area in the ground floor. The estimate for them to reach the area is three to five minutes which should be more than enough for an escape if things go south.”

“So to conclude,” Jay said, “We go in, isolate Zed and…?”

Alexander sighed. “Alpha and President Saini are still working out on the whole ‘dead or alive’ thing.” He glared at Selene.

Jay groaned, exasperated. “Oh, come on! Don’t go all noble and innocent on us now.”

“I said it then and I say it now �" I don’t think killing Zed will be the best course of action. Of course I want him dead for causing the deaths of many innocent people when he bombed the Bantam markets but it doesn’t sit right when we can try him in court by bringing him to the police. I don’t want to break the Code and take a life when there’s an alternative, even if it’s the life of scum like him.” Selene stated, unwavering in her stand.

“They don’t share our principles!” Alexander said. “They take our adherence to the Code of Conduct and taunt us, calling it a mistake. You know that he mocks us and calls us freaks and cowards for letting the Mezzalites run over us while he smuggles our women and children to fuel his empire. I can’t believe you’re having second thoughts about this.”

She said nothing as he ranted. Once he was done, she placed her hand over his chest to calm his panting breath. “Right now, I’d say you’re no different than Zed Shaw, Ayman Jones or anyone that we’re standing against.”

Taking her hand back, she sat up straight and said “We’re no different from them if our aim is to deliver vigilante justice. The reason the divide has gone on so long is because the people have been manipulated over the sixty years by politicians who use loopholes by buying out the law enforcement while maintaining the public image of all-round innocence in the eyes of the law. The people have started to lose faith in the law and are scared to ask for help against these people. We need to bring these people in such a bind that no loophole can get them out. If we don’t win people’s trust in the law and that it can bring rightful justice over the criminals and the manipulative hate-mongers who protect them, killing a hundred Zeds won’t make one bit of difference. Zed’s a wanted terrorist. If we can show the people that such a criminal can be tried in court and be sentenced for their crimes in public, that’s when we have a shot at doing something right.”

“I think the little bird has convinced me.” Jay said, getting up. “Hell, if we can show him as the low life scum he is in front of his supporters, it’s what’s going to hit those blood-sucking leeches harder than anything else. The reason Zed can manipulate young children into doing his dirty work is because people like Ayman Jones can sweet-talk their parents and buy the religious and influential figureheads. We need to expose them through people like Zed in public with every dirty little detail on official record.”

“What if Alpha’s decided to have him dead? He never mentioned his side of things when he asked us for our opinion.” Alexander said.

“The President would be against killing Zed. Capturing and trying a wanted terrorist in court would be a big boost for his approval ratings.” Selene countered.

“This is a man who’s out for his life. There’s politics and there’s self-preservation. He’d be a fool if he didn’t see…”

The wisps of the portal opening cut his sentence midway. They saw Alpha and Ol’ Bae walk to the shed and followed them. Ol’ Bae shut the door of the shed when they entered the room. Alpha motioned them to take their seats.

“As you all know, our plans are to capture Zed Shaw alive.” Alpha said as if the days of discussion on the matter had never happened. Alexander glared at him.

Ol’ Bae placed a bundle enclosed in silk and golden rope. Jars with multicolored sand and rectangular pieces of paper tumbled out as she loosened the knot.

“There’s salt for the salt-circles and standard runes to save time for the portals.” He said. After the items were examined and appropriately distributed, the plan was formulated. Alpha, Selene and Alexander would be the frontrunners while Jay would step in as backup and maintain the portals once Selene opened them up. The items would be easily hidden with the make up and costume store of the Maybar entertainers. Alexander had arranged the entire entry through a contact from his Maybar days. They would go in as entertainers with Alpha and Jay as their bodyguards.

“I haven’t played a single instrument in my life, let alone sing and dance.” Selene naively said as they mentioned ‘entertainers’.

“You wouldn’t need to �" following what the other girls do should work just fine.” Alexander said.

“Wheeler will come by soon with the last-minute details. The final date will be called out then.” Alexander and Selene dispersed, collecting their costumes for the act to change back at the house.

As Selene adjusted the shimmering form-fitting dress, she grimaced at the nearly see-through blouse and shimmering pants.

“Stop that!” Alexander said, pulling her arms away from where she had covered them over her visible belly area. “You’re filling out in all the right places. Looks like all that combat practice won’t be such a waste.” He winked, motioning at the hourglass figure as he stood wearing a similar dress with shimmering pants and nothing but a sleeveless jacket, showing off his lean muscles. He turned to admire his reflection in the mirror, running his hands through his blonde hair.

“Vanity isn’t an admirable trait.” She teased.

“Neither is undermining yourself.” He retorted. “You look gorgeous. Those boys don’t know what they’re missing out on back at school.”

“I’d appreciate it if it stays that way.” She said.

Sensing her nervousness, he held her hands away from the fabric. “You’ll be fine, little bird. Think about it �" this one mission and you’ll be free from all obligations.”

She nodded, leaning into his chest. Over the days, they grew close to each other as they discussed how they met Alpha and opened up about their lives. Selene was able to open up about her mother to him and he talked about the dark days at Maybar where he had to sleep with customers to fill his stomach and stay out of the streets. While he was open about his past in the media, there were many secrets he kept to himself.

 

“What convinced you to side with Alpha?” she once asked Alexander. “If this spills out, your life is on the line.”

“Benjamin Evans was very compelling.” He replied.

“You mean the Benjamin Evans �" MNU deputy Benjamin Evans?” she asked, shocked.

He laughed. “He’s the very one! I never thought our mothers shared the same pimp �" not that it’s a link we both want to remind ourselves of, but it’s a small world after all.”

“I can’t believe there are people from the opposition party who would support us.” She said.

“He’s the only one.” He said. “Also, nobody supports us. If we’re caught they maintain complete deniability. So don’t get caught.”