Avatar: The New World

Chapter 11: To Make Me Feel Weak

Lula

"This is big, Lu, real big!" Vince was pacing in Lula's office, flipping through a folder that had been delivered earlier that day. "Look at these numbers! Have you seen these numbers?"

"Yes, I've seen them." Lula got up from her desk, making sure to keep a tight grip on her drink. "We don't need to talk about them, not now."

"Right, of course, we can put it away." Vince closed up the folder and dropped it on Lula's desk. "It's just, I think we're gonna win this!"

"We?" Lula turned to Vince with cold eyes and she saw him shrink back into himself a little. She didn't really want to do it, she couldn't help but stab at people with her words lately.

"Right, you! You're gonna win this."
Lula threw back the rest of her drink and held out the empty glass. Jing stepped forward and filled it without question.

"So, if you didn't wanna talk about the campaign why'd you call me in?"

"I have a meeting with Mariella today."

"What freaky thing is she working on now?"

"I don't know, something about a task force. It all sounds terribly boring."

"So what's she need you for?"

Lula finished her drink and held the glass out again. Without even pausing to consult with her, Jing took the glass and Lula moved to sit on a sofa along the back wall of the room. She patted the seat next to her and Vince sat down too. "There's something going on at ToCo, I can feel it. Something I'm not sure I wanna be messed up in."

"What is it? Lu, you can tell me anything, you know that."

"Mariella keeps telling me she's just trying to help people but I think she's only helping herself."

"We're all just helping ourselves, doll."

"I'm not." Lula turned her head to glance out the window. From her new office she could see the construction overtaking the portion of Capital City that had been lost by the inferno. "I'm helping Capital City. That's why the people love me, that's why I'll be mayor come election day."

"Hell of a rise, I'd say. From small town girl, to holostar, to mayor of the biggest and best city in the god damned world! I always told you you'd be big, didn't I?"

"Oh, please, remove your lips from my butt for a second so we can have a real conversation."

Vince stuttered but when he recovered he flashed Lula an uncomfortable smile. "Right, got it. So what makes you think the doctor's up to no good?"

"I talked to one of her patients. Nari, the one who saved me that night at the lake house. She seemed very unstable."

"Isn't that the problem with all this super power business? It turns people crazy."

"I'm not sure if that's how it works though." Lula moved closer to Vince and put her head on his shoulder. "I think Mariella's the one who's making them crazy."

"What?" Vince snorted. "That doesn't make sense."

"I mean, she started as a psychologist. She understands people's minds, she can bend them to her will if she wants to. I think she's probing these people too deeply, I think she's breaking them."

"Why would she do that?"

"I think it has to do with this task force she wants to talk to me about."

"Wait, just what are you saying?"

"I'm saying I think she's controlling these people, not helping them. Probably in order to create some kind of weapon."