His phone was ringing. Jim Douglas was calling him but he didn’t move his muscle to answer the call. He knew that Jim would stop him whatever plan he had.
“Excuse me, sir, we need to see your identification,” said the guards outside the establishment.
Henry let them see his wrist. They verified it using the same machine in the North Gate.
“Confirmed. It’s Priority 1. We’re letting him in,” said the guard over his phone.
He was surprised when he saw nothing but a barren land inside once the gates were opened. Nevertheless, he recognized a man coming to meet him.
“Kramer!” he stated as soon as he recognized the lieutenant. He hopped off his car and approached the man.
“What are you doing here, Henry? I thought I made it clear…”
“You said I mustn’t wander around the Empire but you said nothing about going to IRENE,” he cut.
“Yeah. But this is unexpected. We were all surprised when they told me you’re outside.”
“I was even more shocked when I saw this. I was actually expecting some jaw dropping headquarters for IRENE.”
“Yeah. We have to do this for security purposes. How did you find us?” Kramer asked. IRENE’s location was a top level secret of the Union. It has small agencies around the Acropolis but its main head quarter was made unknown for the entire population.
“GPS. Upgraded level A. I have it installed in my car. And I have to use my identification code to get into your website.”
“I see you have your own resources.”
“It was easy!”
Kramer grinned. “We’re going in,” he said over his phone.
After a few seconds, a platform that was hidden by the soil rose and revealed a large underground passageway.
“Won’t you mind if we use your car? We just can’t walk,” said Kramer.
Henry was bowled over. He couldn’t believe his eyes.
“How did you get out? I didn’t see you coming from there,” he asked Kramer as they walked back to his car.
“An alternative route. There’s many in IRENE,” he boasted.
They drove inside the large passageway.
Henry was impressed. It’s something new—very new and different from the buildings and establishments in Acropolis.
“You know you have to drive ten more miles,” said Kramer.
He replied, “I’m really impressed Kramer. Who would imagine that Novus’ top-secret agency is working underground? I can’t wait for more surprises.”
“You wouldn’t want to hear all those or you’ll be disappointed.”
“What?”
“Joking!”
“About the Empire incident—what’s going on with the investigation?”
“Negative. But we found out something interesting.”
Henry asked, “What do you mean?”
“Director McKinley ordered it not to be disclosed per the Prime Minister’s wish. He said it will alarm the whole Acropolis and would result in chaos. We are going to make an official statement tonight—a false one of course,” Kramer said.
“What is it?”
“An excuse for the incident. Military exercises.”
“What about the message? You cannot hide it anymore.”
“We’ll say that some theater is going to open and they’re going to perform a musical called the ‘Doomsday’. They were sending invitations through a plane when they met the planes doing military exercises, and eventually, one plane crashed because of incompetent pilots,” he responded. “And we’re actually busy building a theater in three days during which we are hiring professionals for the musical.”
“That’s a lame excuse, Kramer! No one’s going to believe it.”
“Well, the Prime Minister said it’s going to work as long as people still believe in him.”
“And what about the deaths?”
“Now, there goes the unfortunate result of the military exercises incident. The families will be compensated.”
“That’s bogus!”
Kramer shouted back, “Now that’s treason!”
“I really hate how he makes lies to the public! And these lies don’t even protect the mob! I can’t wait for the day when Anthony takes over. He’s more sensible than the current man in charge! He would make a great leader!”
“And you?”
Henry fell into silence.
“What’s going to happen to you? What are you going to do to your people?” asked Kramer.
“The same,” he answered bluntly. Henry couldn't see himself doing anything good in the future. The future would always be the same. “You see, I don’t have the same responsibility as Anthony. I will not be like him.”
“Really?” Kramer sounded doubtful. “With the looks of it, it seems that you’re more concerned than your brother.”
He grinned. “No, I am not. I am just protecting his liabilities while he’s away.”
“Now, we stop here.”
Then, their car was levered down by the platform using hydraulics.
“We’re entering the lobby, Henry. It’s where the Prime Minister is received by the IRENE agents.”
When they were down, Henry saw rows of IRENE agents standing to welcome him. He whispered to Kramer, “Did you tell them that the Prime Minister is coming?”
“You’re Priority 1, Henry, remember that.” He added, “We just passed through Route 1. Other routes, 2, 3 and 4 are for planes, and 5, 6 and 7 are for land vehicles.”
“Don’t tell me, you also manufacture military artillery here?”
“I’m afraid we do. IRENE is not just some intelligence agency or security unit, but the most versatile defense department of the Union. We are the most trusted!”
“Henry!” called a plump man with a beard similar the one Jim Douglas had.
“It’s the IRENE Director.” Kramer murmured.
“What a surprise you came!” he said happily.
“Director McKinley, right?” He received his hand for a shake.
“I am. I believe it’s the first time we meet.”
“Yes, but I always see you in the Pyramid with my father since I was little. I didn’t know you work in IRENE.”
Director McKinley smirked. He seemed a little uptight.
“I came here to talk to you,” Henry said.
“You should have just made an appointment and I could have visited you in the Pyramid. You didn't have to drive all the way here.”
“That’s impossible. Now, where can we talk alone?”
The Director was bewildered by Henry’s bluntness. He now believed what the newspapers had to say about the Prime Minister’s youngest son. Henry is bold, harsh and impulsive. He’s very different from the eldest who is rational, wise and sensible—this was what the writers put down in print. The Director thought that Henry was a perfect copy of the Prime Minister. Although Henry looks more like his mother, his character reflected the Prime Minister’s.
Director McKinley brought him to his office. Kramer told Henry to be a little cautious with McKinley because of his known temperament.
“What do you want to talk about, Henry?” McKinley asked.
“What do you know about the gas released this morning by the hijackers?”
McKinley looked at Henry in the eye and waited for Henry to yield. He swore he would not disclose any important information about the gas.
“It’s the same gas which people from the past used to depopulate the world,” Henry added.
“Who told you that?”
“History!”
“Now, Henry, it’s not your problem anymore. It’s our job to handle this situation.”
“I heard that you also synthesized this gas in your laboratory for the Union, which means you have used it before as well.”
McKinley’s face went pink.
“How did you use it, Director? How did the Prime Minister dictate you to use it?” He was enraged. “And now, what are you going to do to stop those insurgents from rel
easing those chemicals into Acropolis?”
“I don't know how you found that out but I don’t have any idea about those gases. There were no hijackers, Henry! We were having military exercises this morning when…”
“When one of your planes crashed the Empire Reserve Bank because of incompetent pilots and the messages were invitations from an opening theater? Now, you must make your lies credible next time, Director!” He snatched McKinley’s collar and pushed him against the wall.
McKinley was speechless.
“The gas is very lethal. It will kill us all!” Henry warned.
“It won’t!” he interrupted. “It won’t affect us. Ten years ago, we found its antidote and everyone’s given a vaccine.”
“Everyone? You mean everyone in Novus?”
McKinley trembled. His face was pale now and he was sweating badly. He never thought Henry could frighten him to this extent.
“Answer me!”
“No! Not everyone—only people in Acropolis and selected few in other states,” he replied.
“Selected? Why? Why didn’t you make it available for everyone?” He was angry—really angry. He just felt it was unfair.
“I don’t know! It was the Prime Minister’s order. It was part of the operation!”
“What operation?”
“I don’t know! Only those in the Union know it!”
He threw McKinley’s body to one corner and paced back and forth.
What operation was this? It must involve dispersing the gases to some place for an objective—top secret objective, and dispersing its antidote to selected few.
He walked out of McKinley’s office when he saw General Watson coming.
The General was surprised due to Henry’s presence and its very unusual affect.
“Henry, what are you doing here?”
Henry composed himself. He thought that Director McKinley would not dare tell the General the content of the conversation because it would destroy his