Damned!

Contact with Laura

Twilight found Ein wandering the dirt covered lanes of his hometown. A man with a produce stand, makeshift in its wooden build, was packing up the food at the side of one road. Ein paused with a purchase of pitted pomegranate seeds. He figured he would receive Laura's phone call in the evening, after her work hours. Wanting to be alone while conducting business, he had opted not to visit his grandma's house, instead he stored his belongings at a nearby hostel and purchased a dinner of Gandan fish with a side of rice and legumes for dinner. Finishing his meal, he was surprised to note that the time read 7pm and he became worried that she might choose not to call. Again, he cursed Thomas, who had told him his adventures in relaying to Laura the fabricated attraction story approach in order to deflect suspicion.

"Really? You may work in Homeland Security, but this is why you are the secretary. By no means are you a detective. Just reminding you," Ein had replied with underhanded humor.

Just as he was about to head into his hostel for the night, his burner phone rang. He ducked into the doorway of his room and flipped open the phone. Hearing Laura's voice, he confirmed she was at an outside dining table in a city cafe, apparently on a misty, foggy, cold night. Hopefully, Ein thought, a testament to her interest.

"Okay, what are you calling me about?" the female voice on the other end hissed.

He could tell she sounded slightly irritated. He apologized for Thomas' interesting way of making contact.

"Thomas is an interesting character. He double majored in journalism in college and I think he should have opened his own private detective agency. Interestingly, he actually could have done this. His ex-girlfriend is rumored to be the President of that underground newspaper The Village Voice, you know the one that broke the story of AI facial recognition in the military. If it weren't for the steady pay-check, I jokingly tell him he would be working for her again in a heartbeat."

Sensing that he had Laura at ease finally, he shifted the discussion to his former job duties and her new position.

"Hmm, it looks like President Hoveting separated the old unit and created a new department. My guess, you are working on the Watershed Jungle Project?"

"That's the only project on my desk right now. I'd like to know what happened to the management of city structures and transportation. It sounds as if they are pointing all my efforts towards the creation of something entirely new on the far edge of the country." Laura replied.

Ein paused on the other end of the phone.

"Listen, I know about this project. Mayor Mignon had been trying to twist my arm over it for quite some time. It's not an undoable job. It's just the implications of the change for the people involved and their lifestyle are too much to ignore. Frankly, I feel like this is a rushed job, to be started to score political points within an election year. Oh, and I would appreciate it if you delay the plan."

"I can't just refuse the first assignment that has been given to me!"

"Just push back on them..."

"It seems like you already tried to push back on the plan. How well did that go?"

"If we can just get the right people persuaded, I'm sure we could have a different outcome."

"I'm not sure who you have in mind," Laura responded. "I'm the newest member of Hoveting's circle."

"For starters, hopefully yourself. Did President Hoveting ask you for your advice on any of the details?"

"Negative. I guess you're going to confirm the opposite?"

"Me? I was always asked to give my advice.'

"Why did you quit then, if you felt so appreciated?" Laura threw back at him.

"Laura..."

"Ms Genese to you."

"My apologies. Ms Genese, I have total respect for your work. I was impressed with your college thesis project and would have loved to meet with you before to do a proper handover of the job." He sighed as if in hesitation, "What I want you to know is that your employment was no accident. You were hired in part because of your genius, partly because you fit the criteria of a fresh recruit, fresh out of college, eager to please. However, have you seriously thought about what they are asking you to do or what the destruction of waterways will cause to the population of birds, wild plants, even crops, and the fish? The Gandan people were not even consulted with any of this and they would have wisely objected."

"Ein, I have thought about this and wanted to hire you as my community liaison."

Ein laughed.

"This wouldn't be allowed unfortunately."

Laura sighed in frustration. "What would you do?" she finally asked, "and why is this so important to you?"

"I would secretly enlist the help of someone like myself who knows your bosses' interests and personality and can also speak for the community of Gandan people that will be affected by the Jungle Watershed. Someone who gives you top notch information, who knows the suits, and will help you have a voice during capital meetings."

"If I did have an open job that needs to be filled for community liaison, why should I hire you?"

"Your bosses will never approve the position. They want you to deal directly through the archbishop and the priest on location, their own pre-selected liaisons. I'm asking you to work with me, and I will make it worthwhile. Why should you hire me? Three reasons: 1. I am a quarter Gandan, 2. Medium Cruces is my hometown, and 3. The resident priest is my grandfather."

Laura paused with the weight of his words. This was an interesting development, especially number 3. She could guess at the damage that would be invoked if and when Ein released this type of information.

"So,... this is a revenge mission."

"Not in the least, that unfortunately was my father's agenda. It's complicated. I grew up in Medium Cruces, and my grandfather raised me in the church, tutored me in his spare time. In fact I speak with my grandfather often on matters of business, although I can't call him by his familial name. My grandmother still lives there. Despite what they say in the capitol about my dismissal, I aim for peace. But in order to secure this, we need to give voice to the Gandan people." He paused to see if she was still listening.

"Could I interest you in a trip down here tomorrow? All expenses paid, you would be my guest, colleague to colleague. I could help you get started at your job with a prominent voice, instead of being the capitol's messenger."

The conversation had gone on longer than she expected, Laura was suddenly overcome with all the new information. She shivered in the cold. Tired, wanting more than anything to be in her cozy apartment, streaming a tv show, however, she figured she could get about four times more capital project information from Ein than she could gather or research by herself. Also, the conversation had struck at the core of her subconscious instincts. She wanted to be active, not passive, and certainly not a pawn in any ill-conceived plan that was lacking in forethought.

Laura paused before answering. "Not saying I agree with you on everything, but you have my interest. Text me the time and place and I"ll try to make it on tomorrow morning's train," she heard herself saying, sadly envisioning the loss of what would have been a relaxing work-free weekend.