Genesis Code, (Book 1, Genesis Series)

Chapter 22

A low murmur ran around the Gathering Room, the meeting place for the Central Council and the Indigene representatives. Constructed out of omicron rock, the room's natural sound-insulating properties kept the discussion private.

Fifty concerned representatives stood inside the room. From his elevated platform position, Stephen watched their concern shift to anger and fear as he relayed the information from the child, Ben Watson.

He struggled to keep calm as he recited their conversation. The atmosphere shifted again, this time to shock, when he revealed that the Surface Creatures were human.

Stephen searched the sea of faces and found a wide-eyed Anton staring back at him. He snatched his eyes away and focused on the group.

'Please. Everybody needs to calm down,' said Pierre, as the agitation increased.

Pierre and Elise, the Central Council elders, stood alongside Stephen. Two elders presided over each district. Pierre and Elise, both one hundred and twenty years old, were in charge of District Three.

Elise leaned in closer to her husband and whispered something. As an empath, she could read the emotions in a room. She had her work cut out for her that evening. Questions soon hit the raised platform.

'What does this mean for us?'

'What are we going to do now?'

'What will happen to us if they discover our districts?'

Pierre fanned his hands. 'Please, we won't help matters by panicking. We will arrive at a solution together, I promise you. We aren't in any immediate danger and I urge you all to calm down.'

Elise added. 'We have an advantage. They have no idea what we are so they won't be looking for us straight away. That gives us time to discuss a strategy.'

'Stephen,' whispered Pierre. 'Elise and I need to speak with you and Anton privately. I will ask Leon to join us.'

Stephen sensed what Pierre would suggest: for the first time, Central Council would forego democracy and keep information back from the representative group and the other districts. But Stephen understood his reasons. To avoid a potential vigilante response, Pierre had to keep control.

Pierre addressed the room again. 'I urge you not to act alone or divulge the information to the others until we've come up with a collective strategy. We need to protect ourselves. Currently, we have the upper hand.' The group agreed. 'I assure you that we will keep all representatives informed throughout this challenging process.'

The reps appeared to buy Pierre's lie.

Fifteen minutes later, Pierre and Elise gathered in Council Chambers along with Anton, Stephen and Leon. The large rectangular space contained a bookcase filled with Indigene and human literature. Behind the bookcase that divided the room in half was a bed that Pierre sometimes used when he worked late. Stephen observed the room beside Elise while Anton paced the room. Leon, a long-time friend of the elders and Anton's father, looked calm as he stood with his hands behind his back.

They discussed the other information that Stephen had deliberately held back from the representatives, at Pierre's request.

'What do they call it?' said Leon.

'Earth.'

'And this is the human's home planet, where they originate from?'

'As I understand it,' said Stephen.

'Why do we have the same name? What are we to them?' said Elise.

Stephen had no clue. 'I don't know. Distant cousins?'