Level Fourteen

Chapter Two: Arkin

"I vote to move that all senators shall be accompanied by a bodyguard at all times."

"But some of the senators disagree; they want to be able to travel in public without a hindrance. Bodyguards would go against their wishes."

"This is their safety, their lives we are talking about. The future of their Levels'! We cannot simply throwaway..."

Arkin's interest once again slipped away from the boring debate his father had forced him to attend. He could literally cry, he was so tired of listening to these people argue about the same things over and over.

People might think life on Level One, was heaven, a dream. Well it wasn't. Being the son of a high ranking Senator, Arkin was one day expected to take his place. He was expected to work diligently on his studies, attend endless meetings and learn all he could ever need to know about politics. Arkin's father's dream was for his son to one day rise to his position and takes his rightful place as Senator of Level One.

Arkin's dream was to go to Level Fourteen. He dreamt of walking the streets, and seeing all the bounty hunters. In fact he, himself would be a bounty hunter, rough and tough. He would be feared and he would be the best.

It was an absurd, ridiculous and childish fantasy really. The words, Level Fourteen, were rarely spoken, as any Level below Seven was considered inhumane and filthy. But everyday Arkin managed to escape his mansion, perched high atop one of the Sky Towers, and walk among the streets of Level One. There he would read every news hologram he could get his hands on. He knew everything that happened down in the crime-infested lower Levels. Arkin knew the best bounty hunters, from the professionals; he knew who did a good job and who didn't. He knew who was successful and who wasn't; in fact he probably knew more than any other citizen inhabiting Level One.

"...Arkin?"

"What? Oh uh, my thoughts on this particular situation are, um..." He stumbled for and answer, desperately wishing he'd heard the question. Now, not only would he humiliate himself, but his father as well. And there was a punishment for that.

"Son, were you even listening?" Arkin's father glared at him.

"Uh, no sir. Sorry sir," He felt like a shamed puppy dog, lowering his head and whimpering.

His father sighed dejectedly and turned to the council.

"I think that will be all for now, thank you." The council members, seeing as they were dismissed, rose from their seats, bowed to Arkin's father and exited the chamber.

Arkin swallowed nervously, wondering how bad the tongue lashing would be this time.

"Arkin, I don't know what to do with you," his father started, "I bring you to my meetings as a special privilege, I give you the best tutors in the Levels to study with. I do everything I possibly can to promote your dream; to make it possible."

"Your dream," Arkin muttered, "Not mine."

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Arkin, I've been thinking maybe life here is a bit too...confined for you. Maybe you'd do better in a different place."

Arkin's ears perked up at this. Maybe his father would finally see he didn't want to become a senator. Maybe he would actually listen to him for once. Maybe-

"So I've found a wonderful academy for you to attend. It is off the planet, but I'm sure you won't exactly miss the Levels." He chuckled like this was the best thing in the world.

"You... want to send me...away?"

"Well yes. It wouldn't be for that long, a couple of years maybe. You would be stu-"

"A couple of years!" Arkin shot to his feet. "No! I don't want to go to some prestigious academy, Father, I don't even want to be a Senator!"

His father looked puzzled for a moment, then his expression changed to anger.

"You are my son. It is a privilege to be in line to be Senator, one many would appreciate and welcome with open arms!"

He pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. Once he had regained his composure, he turned to Arkin. "I have lots of work to catch up on, but this conversation is not over." With that he exited the debate chamber.

Arkin sighed as the room slowly seemed to empty itself of his father's overpowering presence. It was getting late; he looked out the balcony's glass windows. The sun was setting and Level One was powering down.

In Level Fourteen, there was no sun. And that Level never powered down.

Arkin yawned and stretched, rising from his chair and leaving the chamber. He stepped on an air lift, and typed in the coordinates to his sleeping chamber.

Stepping on; the lift whisked him away to his chamber, safe and protected.