Everybody Wants to Rule the World

53

Trigger Warning(s): none

Goodbye My Lover by James Blunt (Boyce Avenue Acoustic Cover)

~ Emira's Point of View ~

8:47 AM, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2028. SOUTH JEOLLA PROVINCE, SOUTH KOREA.

"So, I'm just a figurehead? And then we're all working behind the scenes to dismantle the Jade Phoenix?" Jimin's tone sounded surprisingly bitter.

"Right. You claim leadership of this movement and pretend that your goal is to create a resurgence of power. But really, we're destroying it." Zavis sighed and gestured to the map on the displayed screen. "Each bright dot" – there seemed to be thousands of them – "signifies what the media has labeled as 'terrorist attacks from an unknown group.' More restrictive nations call it 'accidents' to prevent an outbreak of fear. It's all the Jade Phoenix."

"We need to consolidate our power, then," Jimin said. "Bring them back to Busan."

"Bring one million Alters back to Busan? I agree with consolidation, but they can't all end up here."

"Then, we scatter them throughout Korea. But we need to create the façade of a resurgence before destroying it all."

"Why?" Arlie asked bluntly. Jimin whirled on her, and I couldn't see his expression, but I could see his fists tightening in his lap. "Dude, why are you glaring at me? I just don't understand why we would wait."

"I'm not ordering a mass suicide until it's absolutely necessary."

"It's absolutely necessary right now."

"Hold on, you're planning on ordering everyone to... to kill themselves?" Suddenly, everyone became very interested in their hands or the floor, refusing to meet my gaze. "There has to be a better way."

"Overflowing the prisons with psychotic murderers isn't an option," Aaliya noted. "They would break out in the blink of an eye."

"But they don't have to die, do they? Maybe we could remove the chip." I tapped my head, indicating where Jimin's chip had been.

"It won't work for everyone. Jimin's an exceptional case. His chip was already struggling to work properly, probably due to him being an early test subject. There was so much going on in his brain that the chip was barely contributing to the problem. But the others don't have the same issue. A mass suicide really is the only way."

Before I could continue to protest, Arlie said, "You wouldn't understand, Mirie. When you're in our business, you get used to doing not-so-nice things for the greater good."

"That brings up another question." Without looking at me, Jimin pointed a finger in my direction.

"What, me?"

He continued to ignore me and looked at Zavis. "What are we going to do with her?"

"What do you mean, what are we going to do with me? I'm staying! We already established that it was too dangerous for me to leave."

"It was dangerous while Anesa was in power," Arlie explained. "Now that Jimin's the figurehead and the Alters defer to him... you're no longer in danger."

"No! No way in heck am I leaving!"

"Kira, think about this," Jimin pleaded, finally acknowledging me. "You have a chance to live a normal life, away from all this mess. You can... go back to London! You can go back to London, work for Kim & Kim under a non-evil boss. You could even go back to Texas and see your family again. There, the possibilities are limitless. Here, you..." He swallowed hard. "You might die. I might not be able to protect you. Why wouldn't you leave?"

"I-it's dangerous."

Their argument was making sense, and it was infuriating me. A few days ago, I would have done anything to be with Jimin, but this was becoming too much to handle. If I couldn't put my trust in Jimin... what was I staying for?

"It's not dangerous," Arlie sighed. "You're safer away from us. We can get the job done, save the world... and then we can all be together again."

"After a mass suicide."

"...yeah. But that's going to happen anyway. The only question is whether you want to be here to see it."

"I'm not going to change your minds?"

Everyone simultaneously shook their heads.

"And you all want me to go home?"

Everyone simultaneously nodded.

"Well, then." I tried to summon a smile, but I'm sure it looked more like a grimace. "My decision is made for me, I guess."

"Good," Jimin said, but it didn't sound like it was good. "We'll send out a message to the other Alters, make sure everyone knows I'm in charge... then you're good to go."

From there, everything moved like a blur. Jimin got a new chip placed in his temporal lobe, which would only send a wireless signal to the other Alters without impacting his thoughts or perception. He also recorded a video, sent to every ally's location, that confirmed Jimin was the new leadership of the Jade Phoenix. They would all defer to him.

And once that was over, my excuses to stay had run out. I wasn't sure I wanted to stay, anyway. Jimin and Arlie had both become distant. Oddly enough, it felt like Zavis was the only one that wanted me to be there.

On the day that I was sent to the airport, I was given half-hearted hugs by everyone but Zavis. Jimin was so excited for the future that he barely cared I was leaving.

~ ~ ~

A/N: kind of a filler chapter, sorry :/ the next one will be more engaging lol (double update)

Published May 14, 2021.