Extraordinary Mistakes II - Blood Ties

Be smart

In a four-star hotel downtown, the Council and its advisors gather after dinner on the main suite, waiting for the President of the United States.

"What do you think, Paddy? Isn't the best view in town?" Aymee Ortiz goes near Padma, who admires the city. "What about this room? I decorated the entire building. It's exactly like I imagined it. Beautiful!"

Padma turns her face to her left, noticing the proudness in Aymee's eyes.

"I didn't think you were coming to the meeting. You have so much work."

"Ugh, don't remind me of that, please," she smiles. "Ikubor is quite pretty, too pretty, not exactly my type, but pretty. Isn't he? What do you think, Paddy?"

Padma rolls her eyes and turns toward the view again.

"Too pretty," Aymee comes closer and whispers, "he keeps acting out. Weird. You should do something about it, Paddy. Marianne and Saif aren't pleased with the results so far. Two days of fieldwork and the outlook is grim. If things don't work out, my head won't roll. That's for sure. But his..."

"Your head won't roll?" Padma whispers too.

"Look around. Around the room and over the city as well. My back is safe. If my work isn't enough, I'll still be an advisor. I'll still be on Marianne's team. Ikubor... and you, I worry about you, Padma."

"I don't need you worrying about me. Surely you have more to concern yourself with."

"Padma, please be smart. That's all I'm saying."

The President of the United States finally arrives, and they all take their seats.

"Everyone, I want a full report on the operation, how the protests are shaping the election, the searching for the terrorists, everything. Tonight, we'll stay here until morning if we have to!" Edward says.

"I'll start," Laurence Pierce asks for permission, "the protests have shown a slight increase on pressure for the next election, we see that a lot of people have been calling their representatives and asking to push back the introduction of university that was supposed to be voted next year."

"University... we want the bracelet approved wide..." the President of the United States sighs.

"One thing," Madeleine says, "some of the protests are outside the Institute. This isn't okay!"

"Why?" Edward asks.

"Because if people destroy things, we'll have to spend money rebuilding it..."

"Money that we have."

Out of my donations. Madeleine picks one of her fingernails.

"If the Institute becomes unsafe, people will take their kids out of there. How will we justify keeping it open? I'm just saying, Jessica, you are the one organizing the protests. Stick it to the Congress and whatever else, please."

Jessica Miller shrugs and types on her laptop.

"About the operation, all that I can say is that the department handed Marianne and Saif the areas in which its most likely they are gathering. Still, it's a big area to search through," Laurence Pierce concludes.

"Status on the operation, Marianne?" Edward asks.

"The mental controller, Aymee Ortiz," she sits behind Marianne and smiles widely, "and the amplifier, Aminu Ikubor, have started the operation. The van with the machine has been on the streets for two days. All the other workers are working non-stop analyzing the data that the machine sends us. There have been some references to the terrorist movement, but when Aymee focused on the person, it was nothing."