Extraordinary Mistakes

19. A new world

March 2013

"Here is all the information, Edward. I hope the generals find it useful." Thomas hands it over in Edward's office.

Edward carefully looks it over, ignoring Thomas' eyes glancing over.

"This is all about the Ariston community? What about the Five?"

"I couldn't find anything. This is some years of work already; it was extremely difficult to find the community. I'm sure that this'll be enough to end the war."

"Thank you, Thomas. How's Emily?" he asks while looking around the room.

"Doing great! She controls her ability beautifully, Edward. You should come by and see it yourself."

"Sure," he smiles. What a waste of time. Emily's levels stagnated. She'll be useful whenever she turns 18 for the war, but nothing more.

"Have a good one!" Thomas leaves with a victorious smile.

Edward takes the papers to the generals, and they all meet up with the president of the United States of America. A few days later, he schedules a get together with his colleagues. In an empty room, with some celling lights and a tiny table, Marianne Olsen, Edward Hall, Saif Ahktar, and one other gather.

"Thank you for your availability. The leader of the Ariston community has surrendered. He won't give us the location of the Five, but they will stop fighting in exchange for us leaving them be," Edward tells them.

Everyone's expressions change. Their eyes lit up and smiles show.

"The president only pretended to accept, naturally. He and the generals decided to attack the community instead. We have their location. Marianne, the specimen is to carry it. It's almost turning 16, it's time for the fatal flaw."

The hope their eyes held begins to crumble.

Not the fatal flaw... no. Marianne avoids meeting Edward's glance.

"Edward, I don't understand," the head of strategy and damage control says.

"Which part? The president wants the community to be wiped clean."

"They surrendered. There's no need to kill them. We're talking about children here!"

"Deviants aren't children, Peter!"

"Not to you! Not to the president! But children are children, innocent people are innocent people. One thing is shooting an enemy. One thing is doing the necessary scientific testing to ensure we win. Another is killing children only because they are in the wrong place. I will not participate in this and if you have any conscience, you won't as well! We have been friends for many years. Don't do this, Edward."

"It's already done, friend."

He prepares to leave, and Edward grabs a gun and shoots him, first on the chest and then on the head.

"Anyone else feeling moral all of the sudden?"

Saif hasn't closed his mouth yet and Marianne focuses on the body lying on the floor, bleeding out.

"It's a shame. I'll have to kill his family."

"Don't," Marianne says calmly, "they have nothing to do with it. Let them mourn him in peace."

Saif holds his breath.

"No one will ever find his body. They'll have nothing to mourn."

"Don't kill them."

Edward raises the gun and points it to Marianne's forehead.

"Any change of heart now? What a tragedy that it'd be."