Children's Games: A Story of Modern Punishment

Chapter 18 - Gabriel

~Gabriel~

The conference room in the SunTrust building wasn't as secure as the ones in the warehouse. Anybody walking past could see the ugly green tablecloth over the large conference table or the old maroon rug underneath it all. The walls were wooden-panelled and covered in whiteboards that were empty as per his request. The ceiling had stained from water damage, creating an image that looked like clouds raining down on them. Then finally, the two large windows overlooking the destroyed city weren't blacked out due to the room's rare use, and thus they would be obvious from the outside as well.

The whole idea of them being exposed while supposed to be discussing such secrecy made Gabriel nervous to say the least.

The other people who had just left their meeting about food and resources didn't seem to share the same anxiety. They spoke while moving their hands around gracefully and conversed about supporting the lowest of their community that didn't contribute to society. Their inexperience and lack of care for security disturbed him. It was against everything he'd ever been taught.

The remaining members, spread evenly around the room, matched his concerned expression to a T. They were silent.

He looked over at Agnes. Her blue hair wasn't spiked like it usually was, but instead, it crowned around her brow like a halo, fluffy and resistant to the stereotype that old people's hair grew flat and dry. She was standing near the window, holding her cane dismissively as they sat in silence. She had a certain look in her eye that only they seemed to share and understand; despite their current appearance of safety, there was a debilitating worry that it was all a facade. Perhaps that kind of worry would never go away, especially in people who've lost their entire country.

Jonny on the other side of the table was watching her as well. He still had his coat on, hoping from the start that it would be a quick affair so that he could fuck off and do whatever he did that he didn't tell anyone else about. Drinking, no doubt. But three hours later he finally took it off as the old battery heater cranked into action and took the icy touch out of the empty floor.

Elliot was also supposed to have joined them, but the little Roo had backed out last minute with the excuse to spend time with his sister. Jonny had begun their meeting mumbling to Gabriel about how he knew for a fact that the sister in question was sleeping the morning off after another night shift. Gabriel ignored the rest of his complaints, mumbling to the people next to him and adding a sense of discomfort to the council meeting.

"We haven't gone over how your mission went, Laurent," Agnes said as she turned around.

"I thought you'd never ask." Gabriel eyed the window on the door before getting out the files he brought from the warehouse and laid them out over the table for both Agnes and Jonny to see. Though Jonny remained on his side of the room, eyes on the ceiling in a daydream.

"Me too. We've been so preoccupied with our security after that attack from the red hats and... Elliot's sister," she said as she rubbed her temples and made her way back to the table. Her age lines were more obvious when she wasn't so focused on showing a brave face for the people. She had a brave face anyway, but it was creased and tired, discouraging. "But it has to come out sooner or later. Where are we standing with these ridiculous bastards?"

"As expected," he sighed, handing her their agreement, unsigned. "The Alaskan government body was difficult to get through, but they agreed to take a thousand immigrants to spread over their... settlements." He looked guiltily down at his reports, knowing what he had to offer was far from ideal. "Since we've made contact with them, we knew that they were in a tough situation being under Chinese governmental control, but it's a whole lot worse. They're set up in internment camps, which are well guarded but poorly controlled so smuggling between towns is highly unnoticed and unregulated. Our thousand would need to be split up over hundreds of camps, and in return, we just need to bring all our firearms to help them fight back."