Atlantech: The Early Days Volume One

Chapter 10: Dread

As Lynne stood in her office now she glanced over at her wall clock and noticed the captain's meeting with Morane was starting soon. She fidgeted a little, wondering if there was still time to stop him, but she knew he wouldn't listen. He was a stubborn man just like her father had been, though she knew if he were here, he probably would've intervened just the same. Her father hated Morane just as much as she did, but if it weren't for the peace treaty things would be a lot worse right now. After all, it was the people of Atlantis City who elected Morane as their ruler not the AMF.

In fact Lynne didn't even know what those people were thinking when they chose him. They were out of their minds as far as she was concerned. The man pretends to care for them when in truth, he's only out for himself but they're too blind to see it. But if there was one thing she had to give Morane credit for, then it was his ability to brainwash all those civilians into believing the AMF were their enemy when it was far from the truth, but because the AMF decided peace between the humans and Tjatey was the best solution, they were suddenly deemed traitors even though a lot of innocent men and women were being murdered in cold blood at Morane's command. Most of them chosen, simply because he doesn't like them or they disagreed with his views.

"The man is a monster," Lynne growled under her breath as she clenched her fist. "And if he hurts Captain Grant in any shape or form, I will not rest until he is dead. I swear it!"

She suddenly turned around and headed over to the view port window and looked out at the stars, knowing her father and his crew were up there somewhere in search of new resources to help keep the AMF and city going.

"It feels like you're dead," she sighed tiredly. "You've been gone for much too long and with no communication either. What did you find? Did someone find you? What happened to you father? She groaned and closed her eyes. "I know you can't hear me, and I must sound like such a fool talking to myself, but you must know that Captain Grant left a while ago to see Morane. And I know you wouldn't approve, but I couldn't stop him. I'm not you. And no matter what you expected of me, I can't ever take your place. I'm not as strong as you are, and I just wish the captain would come to his senses. He knows he can't take your place either, no one can. That's why you need to come back. Forget about the mission, it's not worth it. Atlantech will keep us going, I know it."

She glanced at the clock obsessively again and panicked. "I should be there right now. He needs my support. How could he say no?"

In the meantime, it was only about five to nine when Abraham's taxi pulled up in front of the City Hall building. It was a fairly new structure, only about ten years old, and it sat on the outskirts of a popular area known as the Gambler's Strip. There were sounds of chaotic shouting nearby and Abraham was suddenly on the lookout for hecklers as he stepped out of the vehicle. He knew if they were indeed hecklers, it wouldn't be the first time he'd been harassed. After all, he was in anti-military territory now, so harassment was bound to happen, but Abraham was not in the mood for any of it. He was still feeling sore over that last argument with Lynne.

She had meant well, he couldn't deny it, but he also knew she wouldn't be able to handle the meeting either. Foul mouth Morane, as he was known, had quite a sexist attitude towards women, and would've of taken pleasure in taunting Lynne's position of power, which would've only provoked her anger and caused more problems between them. Abraham just couldn't have that, and he certainly couldn't bear to listen to Morane talk down to her in front of him as it would only anger himself into doing or saying something as well. She was his god daughter and he'd do anything to keep her safe. He owed that to her father, the Admiral.

But for the moment, Abraham felt very tired, and even more so once he made it to the third floor after climbing the stairs. The conference room doors were wide open when he arrived and he could see the other members of the council walking in and taking their assigned seats. They were all men around the same age as Morane, the oldest had to have been sixty-five as far he knew. The room while spacious, had dim lighting which seemed to illuminate the large round table which was situated in center. Abraham couldn't help but get King Arthur vibes once he saw it, except he wouldn't be sitting with a king and his knights, but a tyrant and his cronies.