The Decision by Michael Komeshak

Author:Michael Komeshak [Komeshak, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: X20
Published: 2019-08-26T04:00:00+00:00

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Claire kept sneaking looks at the other groups, but most of her spying was reserved for Jason, who would sometimes catch her gaze before she had time to turn her head away. At such moments, they would both blush a little, feeling silly for such grade-school antics.

Everyone in the room could hear each other speaking—they just couldn’t make out what anyone was saying, akin to loud chatter in a packed bar. The group leader, Indu Patel, kept wandering from table to table to check in on the sub-groups, at times asking questions to see how their discussions were going. When Indu stepped up to Molly Beauchard’s group, with Claire, Chao Ming, and Sada Yousef, she asked, “So how are you doing?”

Molly replied, “Pretty good, I think. We’ve been looking at a few different options, and we all seem open to compromise.”

“What kind of options?” asked Indu.

“Well, I’ll just let everyone speak for themselves.” Molly faced the Chinese ambassador. “Mr. Chao?”

“Oh, yes … thank you,” Ming said. His charming smile belied the grimness of the business at hand. “Well, I believe there are a few things going on here. Based on what just occurred yesterday, I think we all agree that Micah is more than capable of doing what we ask of him. Personally, I am still hazy on his methodology, and on the scientific principles he is using, but … if he is able to wipe out the planet’s pollution in less than a day, then I am fairly certain he could do the same with human beings. So I say … why not? Let him rid our planet of the most vile elements of our society.”

“And who would that be?” Indu asked.

Ming replied, “Terrorists, murderers, rapists, pedophiles, and maybe a few others.”

Indu didn’t give them any hints on how she was leaning. She’d heard the same thing from Vadik’s group. And even though Yoshiko’s group was dead set against killing anyone, even they had brought up the same types of criminals during their talks, mostly from Maria.

Indu asked, “And how about you, Ms. Yousef?”

“I agree with Mr. Chao,” she answered. “If it were up to me, I would love to see every terrorist just simply disappear. Living in Egypt, I’ve seen firsthand the senseless killings they’ve done. One of my uncles was even killed two years ago in a suicide bombing.”

Indu gave her a sympathetic face. “I’m sorry to hear that. And is there anyone else besides terrorists, Ms. Yousef? Mr. Chao mentioned a few others.” Indu was probing Sada, trying to draw out her innermost feelings. She knew there was a deep-rooted anger stirring within the young lady—hatred toward militaristic regimes and dislike for anyone who called themselves an atheist.

But Sada wasn’t taking the bait. She cagily replied, “Like Mr. Chao said, I am also willing to include others.”

Indu didn’t push it. She went next to Claire. “And where do you stand, Ms. Monsera?”

“Well, as much as I don’t like the thought of being responsible for another person’s death, I think I’m now open to possibly agreeing with everyone here.

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