Patricians: Power Politics (2 of 9)

Chapter 7: Memorial Service

Over the last few weeks, the Plaza had undergone construction. Snow still covered the ground and frosted the buildings surrounding Central Park. Machines and equipment rested out front. Tarps enwrapped the scaffolding scaling the building's face, but, today there were no workers gathered. Police cars blocked off cities streets to prevent traffic. Residents filed out of their city homes into the streets already filled with a packed crowd. Central Park was filled with a gathering of people attending the Memorial Service for May Myers. Commemorating the ground where the memorial would sit, the service also represented the healing of a wound. The large section in front of the pond had been cordoned off, and a stage built. High above the sun beamed down. Birds soared through the air, filling the world with gentle music. It was a beautiful day juxtaposed against the tragedy that was being mourned.

Network news stations had assembled in the early hours of the morning. Stage hands were doing final checks. Police stood guard, watching over the crowd, but they could feel the hateful gaze from the people. News had cast blame on the police and Muse, and the people followed, blaming them and Muse for the massacre. Still, many people wore blue ribbons over their hearts to show respect and solidarity for the police lives lost that day, and in support of the hard job police do. Journalists chomped at sound bites, and reinforced their view of the Midnight Massacre. The public gorged itself on tragedy with the ferocity of a starved animal, and neither the news organization's leadership, nor journalists, cared about the polarizing effect. Without even knowing it, news agencies had begun to wage a war on the people, and the power politics of profit margins were forcing journalists to extract every tear a tragedy could bring.

Police cordoned a private landing for Henry Williams behind the stage. Muse Security held a perimeter around the landing pad. Outposts towered over the perimeter setup in the buildings overlooking the park. Guards scoured the crowd with magnified vision, uploading video footage to Muse central computers, and then that information was distributed by Muse's neural network. Threat recognition software ran the footage, searching for any threat. Fear of another attack haunted every person gathered here today. Amidst the aura of fear, there was another palatable emotion, and that was defiance. Everyone knew there was a high possibility of another attack. News agencies across the political spectrum agreed on this. Owl News proclaimed it a certainty, and even falsified documents to say the authorities possessed evidence of a threat. To honour those who had fallen, the people gathered despite their fear of another attack.Everyone wanted to reclaim the city from the vice of fear now gripping its heart.

Deputy Chief Wayne watched the scene from the landing pad with Richter standing next to him. James admired the young man's strength. Richter seemed to hold himself together well, and had shown deep appreciation for the public's generosity. Henry Williams' request to meet Richter here today came as no shock to James. Muse had offered to buy the house, fund a foster home for inner city youth, and keep May's dream alive. Henry had paid for the funeral services in person. New stories whirled around Henry and his treatment of the Myer's family.

In the distance, sunlight broke through the grey skies, reflecting off something metallic--the limo and police escort. Sweeping through the sky, the black limo raced over the trees, shaking them from the power of its engines. Streaking across Central Park, the vehicle hovered to a rest on the landing pad. Maj. Lee opened the door and stepped out. Several seconds passed while various Muse Security officials reported all clear, and then Edward stepped out of the way to allow his boss to exit. Stepping out of the limo, Henry glanced around, spotting Deputy Chief Wayne and Richter standing nearby.

Marching across the platform, the Muse CEO came into sight.Richter couldn't help but admire Henry Williams. Dressed in an all-black suit, with a dark blue tie, Henry took on mythical proportions in the young man's mind. Sunlight reflected off Henry's cybernetic eyes. Here was the man that the whole world seemed to revolve around, and the man carried himself in such a way that Richter knew the legends didn't do him justice.