Gideon

Chapter 20

"We lost 18 Androids," Terces said, "and one human. Mishak Tshabala-Maine. The death count on the North-east coast of Africa is four and a half million."

Gideon hung his head. "Our casualties are nothing compared to what happened on the North-east coast of Africa."

"The extent of the damage?"

Tumelo stood and pointed to certain places on a holographic image spread across the table.

"The tsunami swept across Rabat in Morocco, not as powerful though. We are waiting for the numbers from Denizen 5. Western Sahara, Mauritania, Dakar in Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Cote di Ivoire, Ghana, Toga, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea were the worst hit. There is nothing left of Toga, Liberia and Sierra Leone."

Silence filled the room.

"Do we know why this happened in an area not known to have any seismic activity?" Gideon asked.

"It happened the moment the eldest of the children screamed in the tunnel. The frequency spiked on DeniSat," Tumelo said. "I can't help wondering if that has anything to do with it."

"Those children are more than dangerous," Nkoni mumbled.

"Speak out, Patrick," Gideon said.

"Those children. We're playing with death. They're playing with death. Their powers are so extraordinary that not even we can comprehend it. If they can do this, we all are in danger. Maybe Suiderland was right. Get rid of them."

The table sat in shocked silence listening to Nkoni. He looked dead serious about his proposal.

"We don't kill children, Patrick," Gideon said.

"Then we'll all die."

Gideon asked, "The children are in quarantine?"

Kendall nodded. "They're being well looked after."

Nkoni rapped his fingers on the table. "We could have lost more lives out there." He looked directly at Cleo and Callum. "If stupidity is anything to go by. The next time you get an itch up your arse, Callum, ignore it. You could have died out there."

Callum smiled. "It was calculated."

Jack Langley leaped up. "Bullshit! You placed all of our lives in danger, ballsy."

"Be nice, Jack," Gideon said. "The point is we're alive and the kids are safe. Suiderland has more losses. That should mean something."

Cleo asked, "What are we going to do with the children?"

"We need to educate them to use their minds to simulate for the benefit of mankind."

"Further proof that we're in a simulation of a simulation of a simulation into infinity," Nkoni said.

"That remains to be seen. Personally, I don't believe that we're living in a simulation. I do believe that there are people who can create simulations, like we do in our simulation and anti-simulation chamber, but as for our world being a simulation, there is no proof," Gideon said. "All in all, it was a successful gauntlet. I think we should all get some rest."

As the team filed out of the War Room, Gideon said, "Callum."

Callum stopped at the door and turned to face him.

"Stay for a moment."

Callum's heart beat a little faster. Those words could mean a rap over the knuckles, or a pleasantry spoken in earnest.