Descension

CHAPTER 15

"He is a traitor," Tiberius speaks from a tall podium before a crowd of thousands.

Behind him, Liam shifts his weight awkwardly from foot to foot. He knows that eyes gravitate to him just as much as they do Tiberius. It's no secret that Ben is his brother. He'll snap out of this. He'll realize that the Ordership is just trying to do good. Liam's eyes sting with tears. Though, he'd be a prisoner.

Tiberius continues, "I am remorseful to tell you that I did not see it coming. Allowing Dr. Anderson to stay in power of Omnicore was a remiss decision, and my only regret is not removing him sooner." He steps to the side, allowing Antonov space, "I will now invite the Vice to make his speech."

Antonov steps up to the podium after Tiberius takes his place on the side.

Antonov clears his throat and places his holopad onto the sleek porcelain lectern, then raises his eye to the crowd before him, "Citizens of Genesis, and to the world beyond... as Vice of the council, and leader of our Militia, I find myself weary as I watch our people come down with a sickness. It is a plague that has become a pandemic."

The crowd goes silent, awaiting him to continue. Their eyes are transfixed as their mouths hang agape, hooked on every word.

"It is a lack of faith," Antonov states. He grabs the microphone and leans into it, spitting against it, "What does it tell you that the people siding with him are those that mutilate themselves with machinery? Act against God and act against our righteous society? They disrupt the socialist equilibrium that we, the hardworking people in this audience, have established!"

The crowd resounds with a deafening wave of cheers. The sound startles Liam and makes him flinch, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. He breathes in deeply to soothe his racing heart.

"It is the criminals that weaponize the technology created for our disabled! The technology created so that our wounded may be able to labor alongside the able-bodied!" Antonov pulls back and pants for breath before leaning back in with a calmer demeanor, "Dr. Anderson is now one of these criminals. He may look like you and I... talk like you and I... but his goal is just the same as theirs... to twist the benefits bestowed onto our great society for a nefarious purpose." His shoulders hunch as he riles himself up once again, "And so that is why I tell you all that the time to act is now! The actions of Bennett Anderson are nothing short of evil! He is a corporate conglomerate and a killer consumed by greed!"

Liam's stomach twists with nausea. His stance weakens as he becomes light-headed, his expression twisting from the feeling. He bites his tongue as he fights the urge to clutch his stomach. He becomes dizzy as his gaze turns to a blur, like a reflection in water distorts. He can vaguely process Antonov calling Zeline up to the podium for praise, though his thoughts soon consume him entirely. My brother... most wanted man in the entire world... How could it come to this? These people don't even know about the integrity of the core's shell. Maybe once he comes to his senses he'll accept the punishment and help fix the core.

"Liam?" Antonov beckons.

Liam hesitates, "Uh..."

Antonov rolls his eye and gestures to the microphone. Liam perks up and strides up quickly to the podium, his forehead drenched with sweat as he fumbles to pull together a string of words. He hesitates as he stands there, eyes stabbing into his entire form, scrutinizing. Liam gulps and turns around to look at the council behind him. He nearly jumps as he meets Tiberius' piercing hazel-blue irises, staring into him with a blazing fury. Don't fuck this up. Liam bites his lip and turns around, forcing himself to pull on a mask of security in what he's about to say.

"I am ashamed to call Ben my brother."