DECEMBER TWELFTH
RUBEN KING
PLANET EARTH
YEAR 2075
Matteo eyed Bruna carefully as she walked into his office, Ruben behind her.
“King,” Matteo acknowledged Ruben. “And…?”
“Bruna, Bruna King.”
“Oh I see.” Matteo said, with no further explanation. “Sit down, both of you then, I suppose.”
They did.
Bruna was still very, very mad at him. And to be fair, she had all right to be. Ruben despised himself for what he had done to his family.
Gaten was hurt, but wasn’t able to not-forgive someone.
Dana had ignored him since the evening before.
“What brings you here, Bruna? I had been told that this was just going to be between Mr King and I.”
“I want to know what he have been agreed to.”
“Well then. It’s more or less done. The deal is simple: A family died a few days ago. The plague I suppose, poor things didn’t have the time to get treatment. So, There’s 99 places on that ship taken. Four seats empty. I knew how desperate King here was to get away, so I simply offered him and - of course - his family the last place. He said yes.”
“How could you know he wanted to leave the Earth?” Bruna asked, rather sharply.
“I’ve seen what he’s been searching on his Screen.” Matteo said it casually, but something cool rested beneath his polite surface. He continued. “You will have to pay more than the others, since the Kings isn’t part of the 100 richest, but I suppose that won’t come as a shock, will it?”
“No,” Ruben said, before Bruna could open her mouth. “Of course not. And as I said before, money won’t be a problem.”
The same amusement as earlier appeared in Matteo’s face.
“I’m not entirely sure that you’re aware of what you’re saying.”
“What do you mean?” Ruben asked, and then added. because he could hear the other man’s voice losing some of it’s politeness and he wanted to make sure to stay on his good side; “Matteo.”
“I mean,” Matteo leaned in, stared first at Bruna, then back at Ruben. “That I’m afraid I’ll need all of your founds, and possessions. You’ll leave the planet, as promised, and I will get all that’s left.”
