The Victor's Heritage by Anthony Caplan

Author:Anthony Caplan [Caplan, Anthony]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hope Mountain Press
Published: 2015-11-14T07:00:00+00:00

Five -- The Battle for Alpha

The streets were thick with sad people carrying the repressed expressions of hidden allegiances and identities. Others looked straight at you as if they knew you even better then you knew yourself. Corrag, Kevin and Cesar dressed as street people with nondescript Huff boots and scuffed canvas flat soles and their black PeopleMart packs on their backs. A close observer would have noticed the way the packs sagged despite the tightness of the straps and the way they leaned forward when they walked. They took care to follow the rush hour crowds on this midday getting on and off the canal porters. The nanowalls on the newsstands were full of stories about the mad Chloe sisters and their escapades in Athens before performing there for the assembled members of the Committee for Growth, the exclusive trillionaires club. Corrag stopped and browsed at a corner shop while Kevin and Cesar reconnoitered the area around the Sandelsky Center. The canal porters belched out their crowds of commuters at the 96th and Broadway jetty. After getting her fill of meaningless but oddly comforting news, Corrag sat on the marble steps and placed her pack beside her and began to panhandle with the aluminum cup that had belonged to Gillema. A policewoman came by and asked her to move. But there were so many people around the plaza it was easy for her to move a few feet before sitting again.

The policewoman had disappeared. Then Kevin and Cesar glanced at her and she stood to follow. They walked along the canal in single file on the backside of the building going west. The sun was shining on the upper glass. Corrag imagined the ignorant conclaves of assembled power, not knowing that forces were gathering at their feet to sweep them into the dustbin of history.

The water was choppy, and Christmas party boats plied their way up the Hudson for dinner cruises. Corrag, Kevin and Cesar sat at the promontory of Morningside Park and watched the boats full of seasonal revelers passing far below.

"It's Christmas tomorrow," said Cesar.

"We never celebrated it in Democravia. We had Academy Night when the students gave concerts and performed in plays."

"No, it's big in Texas," said Cesar. "Lot of believers in the communities there. Whites and Latinos, but the Spanish baby Jesus had a soft spot for parties."

"Oh come on, Cesar," said Corrag.

"No, I'm serious."

Kevin laughed.

"This is a good place. We stay tonight," said Kevin.

"Seems quiet enough. I'd feel better if there were more people," said Corrag.

"Look there," said Cesar, pointing up the hill to a group of what looked like laughing teenagers, pushing and sliding on the snowy ground. Corrag recognized some Korazan fighters among them.

"We're everywhere," she said.

She had an idea of buying Christmas presents before nightfall. It was Christmas and Cesar had inspired her to celebrate. She thought of Beithune and whispered his name to herself, still hoping to hear something inside her head, some response from her cousin. She feared he might be dead; it had been so long since she'd heard from him.

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