Chapter 30: The Children
Later that day, Tiberius was having lunch with Duffo, Miro, Lily, and Hermon in the hotel restaurant.
‘These pesto chips pack a real punch,’ said Hermon energetically as he jabbed his fork into a fat chip.
‘Do you think there’s something missing from this meal?’ asked Tiberius.
‘I think corn-on-the-cob would be a nice addition, but it’s not absolutely necessary,’ replied Hermon.
‘He’s talking about a juicy Sape steak,’ said Duffo as he looked at Tiberius.
‘Son, you read my mind,’ said Tiberius joyfully as he pointed at Duffo.
‘We could have another vote,’ said Miro. ‘Do you think it’s been enough time?’
‘I could change the law with a snap of my fingers,’ said Tiberius as he looked at the others. ‘I won’t do that because I respect my executive council, inner circle, and all of my wonderful subjects.’
‘How democratic of you,’ sighed Lily.
‘I like to think of it as the perfect blend of the old and new practices of this world,’ said Tiberius, grinning slightly.
‘You have done it so well, Your Imperial Majesty,’ said Miro as he raised his glass of juice.
‘Tomorrow we’ll vote on the “Friends Not Food” law once again,’ said Tiberius. ‘There’ll only be eleven of us. So, we’ll get a definitive answer this time.’
‘Who decided to check out?’ chuckled Duffo.
‘Both Eugene and Louis have left the executive council,’ said Tiberius. ‘Head Enforcer is replacing Eugene. I don’t have a replacement for Louis.’
‘I can find a competent replacement for him,’ said Miro, nodding his head.
‘What happened to Louis?’ asked Lily.
‘Let’s just say he bet on the wrong team,’ said Tiberius as he smiled at Lily.
‘Nothing to be ashamed of,’ chuckled Hermon. ‘I lost a small fortune betting on the wrong Pound Ball team. It was as if the Yensid brothers were intentionally trying to steal my money.
Lily frowned at Hermon as she watched him poke his fork into another chip.
‘Oh, Revals is calling,’ said Miro as he looked at his phone.
‘Take it here,’ said Tiberius. ‘Make it a video call. I’d like to see him.’
'Okay, sure,’ said Miro as he pressed the answer button on his phone.
The others moved around the table to peek at Miro’s phone while staying out of the view of the camera.
‘How are you, Revals?’ said Miro. ‘I’m so glad you called.’
‘Everything has gone to shit,’ whispered Revals. ‘The mad Prince Walter has arrived with a dozen Sentray and two weird-looking giants.’
‘More security, that should be a good thing,’ said Miro. ‘You shouldn’t really bad-mouth the Emperor’s favourite son.’
‘They delivered all the food here,’ whispered Revals. ‘The Downs residents are singing and dancing, and then of course, the technicians joined in. It’s one big rowdy party and nobody is doing any work.’
Revals turned his phone around so that Miro could hear the loud singing.
‘You have an army of enforcers at your disposal,’ said Miro angrily. ‘Let them deal with them.’
‘They left this morning,’ whispered Revals. ‘Captain Cecil said they are going out on manoeuvres. I asked him when they’d be back. He responded by showing me his middle finger. This is not a positive development.’
‘Why are you whispering and hiding in a pile of hay?’ asked Miro.
‘I don’t want the monster hearing me talk to you,’ whispered Revals. ‘I think he’s very dangerous.’
‘Okay, let’s have a look at this monster of yours,’ sighed Miro.
Revals raised his phone above his head so the camera on the phone could capture his surrounding area. He turned it until Octavius became visible. Octavius was sitting on four hay bales outside Revals’ former tent. He looked directly at the camera. He smiled and raised his eyebrows up and down.
Revals quickly pulled the phone back down. ‘You see what I mean,’ said Revals in an alarmed tone.
‘I suggest you humour him for now,’ replied Miro, sounding concerned. ‘I will discuss with the Emperor what our next course of action should be.’
‘Hey, Revals!’ shouted Octavius. ‘When you’ve finished talking to your mother, come over here. Rico has saved some mash for you.’
‘At least that’s kind of Rico,’ said Miro.
‘Rico is one of those mad Sapes,’ replied Revals, sounding horrified. ‘He wants me to eat drooled-on mash. He truly is a horrid monster.’
‘I’ll let you get on with it,’ said Miro in a curt tone. ‘We’ll speak tomorrow.’
'Hey, wait…’ said Revals.
Miro hung up the phone.
Tiberius stared blankly at Miro, and Duffo started to chuckle.
‘A small deviation from our plan, but the high morale will yield results,’ said Miro nervously. ‘I have full faith in your son.’
‘Your Imperial Majesty, I thought I would mention that I was born before Prince Walter,’ said Duffo in a cautious tone.
‘I’m sure Walter knows what he’s doing,’ said Tiberius as he turned to look at Duffo. ‘Duffo, let’s take a short walk.’
Hermon energetically raised his thumbs as Tiberius and Duffo walked off together. ‘I have a strong feeling we’re going to hear a game-changing announcement soon,’ said Hermon as his eyes darted between Miro and Lily.
‘You were the first of the new Linap,’ said Tiberius to Duffo as they walked into the lobby. ‘That indeed makes you special.’
‘Then what makes Walter special?’ asked Duffo.
‘The fact that you don’t know highlights your most troubling flaw,’ replied Tiberius. ‘Despite your intelligence, you fail to grasp the most important concepts of leadership.’
‘Teach me,’ replied Duffo. ‘Let me use my intelligence to master these concepts.’
‘It’s not all about intelligence,’ said Tiberius as he turned to look at Duffo. ‘It also has to do with breeding. All great leaders have noble blood.’
‘I’m a Carvaress; I’m the son of Noilemac,’ said Duffo in a slightly offended tone. ‘This is a truly elite and noble family line.’
‘The Alset family members lied to you,’ replied Tiberius as he reached up and placed his hand on Duffo’s shoulder. ‘I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but Noilemac died long before you were born. Your real mother was held captive in their facility in the North. You are not of elite or noble blood.’
Duffo stood back from Tiberius and frowned angrily.
‘Remember, I still named you as my son anyway,’ said Tiberius.
Head Enforcer walked into the lobby.
‘Any sign of the children?’ asked Tiberius as he turned towards Head Enforcer.
‘We searched the entire school and the grounds,’ said Head Enforcer. ‘We couldn’t find any of them.’
‘Now where could someone hide an entire school of children?’ asked Tiberius as he looked at Duffo.
‘I suggest the enforcers search the Downs Agriculture Zone,’ replied Duffo. ‘It is quite large and there are very few cameras.’
‘Do you honestly believe they have been hidden in Agriculture Zone?’ asked Tiberius, frowning as he looked at Duffo.
‘Of course not,’ replied Duffo. ‘We should announce to the Downs Region that the cult, with the help of the traitors, has kidnapped and probably murdered all their children. We’ll tell them that the enforcers are searching the Agriculture Zone for their bodies. The video clips of them doing so will be quite harrowing.’
‘That’ll create quite a stir,’ said Tiberius, grinning slightly.
‘The children are being held somewhere else,’ said Duffo. ‘Somewhere out of sight by someone who has access to somewhere we are unable to thoroughly watch.’
Duffo turned to look at the hotel lounge where Lily was chatting to Hermon and Miro. Tiberius noticed his gaze but did not respond.
An hour later, Tiberius recorded an urgent announcement from his hotel suite. His announcement was broadcast across the Downs Region and was shown on the large screen in the town square.
‘Dear Downs residents, I come to you this afternoon with a very heavy heart,’ sighed Tiberius as he placed his hands on his face. He took a deep breath and continued. ‘Our beautiful children, along with their teachers and carers, have gone missing.’
The Downs residents and technicians, some at their workplace and others in the town square, gazed at the television screens in silent shock.
‘I fear the worst,’ continued Tiberius. ‘The cult and the traitors were furious that we did not fall for their lies. Out of revenge, I’m convinced they have taken our children. I’m terrified to imagine what they might have done to our miracles.’ Tiberius paused. He rubbed his face with his onion-juice-covered hands. He looked up at the camera. His eyes were red and watering. ‘Our enforcers are currently searching the Downs Agriculture Zone for them. Anyone is free to help them.’
After the announcement, Miro approached Tiberius. ‘Your Imperial Majesty,’ said Miro, bowing his head. ‘Most of the parents of these children are fruit pickers. Should I give word to the West and East Camps?’
‘I feel it is better to wait until we know more,’ replied Tiberius while shivering slightly. ‘I don’t want to cause them stress, and I don’t want to delay the construction of your settlements.’
‘I promise you we will catch the traitors, draw out the cult, and eliminate every one of them,’ said Miro firmly.
‘Thank you,’ replied Tiberius in a croaky voice. ‘I have full faith in your ability and fortitude.’
Many of the Downs residents and technicians joined the enforcers in sweeping the Downs Agriculture Zone for the children. Several others entered the surrounding Central Agriculture Zone to search for them.
They walked in lines holding hands. One group near the north section of the Downs Agriculture Zone heard some Sapes onking. They slowly approached the Sapes. A small child emerged from behind a Sape.
‘Hey, I see one,’ called out a technician. ‘I see one.’
The group jogged over to the child and the Sape. Sitting in the grass next to the other Sapes were the rest of the children.
A technician grabbed his radio to inform Commander Eric that they had found the children. The technicians and Downs residents helped the children to their feet. They were a little shaken, but unharmed.
The technicians and Downs residents held the children’s hands as they walked through the Agriculture Zone back towards the town centre. The Downs residents shouted, ‘We found them as they walked along.’ Other groups who were searching in the area joined them. They became louder and more jubilant.
Commander Eric called Tiberius, who was sitting in the hotel lounge with Miro, Duffo, and Lily, to inform him that the children had been found.
‘They found them,’ said Tiberius with a slight smile on his face as he looked at the others.
‘Well done, Duffo,’ said Lily, clapping. ‘Your intuition was spot on.’
Duffo chuckled slightly as he looked at Lily. Miro patted Duffo on the back and smiled at Lily.
Ten minutes later, Tiberius, Miro, Duffo, and Lily gathered in the town square. A large crowd had gathered to meet the children.
Two minutes later, there was a roar of excitement. Hundreds of technicians and dozens of Downs residents had joined the children on their walk to the town centre.
‘You really are the miracle children,’ called out Tiberius in delight as he walked towards the children. ‘You managed to escape the evil traitors. All of you will be honoured.’
The crowd cheered for joy. Then, the large television screen in the town square turned on. The footage of Sophie being attacked by the imperial guards in the school began to play.
The Downs residents gasped in shock as they watched it play.
An enforcer quickly cut the power to the television.
‘More tricks, lies, and deceit!’ shouted Tiberius to the crowd. ‘They impersonate my imperial guards to attack our children. This is a false flag designed to create division so that the cult can weaken us before they attack.’
The crowd booed in anger.
‘This is complete madness,’ said Duffo, shaking his head.
‘Get me out of here!’ demanded Tiberius as he looked at Head Enforcer.
Imperial guards surrounded Tiberius and escorted him back to the hotel. The crowds continued to boo loudly at him and the guards.
A slight smile came over Lily’s face as she watched Tiberius escorted away to the boos of the crowd.
Meanwhile, under the House of Divine Knowledge temple, the Hat Lady entered the room from the crypt. Everyone smiled and nodded at her.
‘You returned the children to safety, and you completely turned Tiberius’ propaganda against him,’ said Denise as the boos could be heard faintly from above. ‘You truly are amazing.’
‘We’ve weakened him and made him more desperate,’ replied the Hat Lady as she walked to the centre of the room. ‘He’s more likely to make mistakes, but he’s going to be more aggressive. We need to be very careful.’
Sophie stood up. She had a bandage on her head from the earlier attack. She was badly bruised but had not sustained any serious injuries. ‘I’m worried about Arthur,’ she said. ‘They might come for him.’
‘He needs help, friend,’ added Eugene. ‘He doesn’t have the skills to survive on his own.’
‘I’m afraid they will use him to bait us,’ replied the Hat Lady.
‘I’ll leave then,’ said Sophie. ‘I can’t bear the thought of him being in danger.’
‘No!’ said the Hat Lady. ‘I’ll find a way to bring him here safely.’
Sapien Loop: Worlds Collide
Sapien Loop: Worlds Collide is the final book in the Sapien Loop trilogy. It continues directly after the events of the second book. The world above and the world below merge into one world. The conflicts in the underground world are brought to the surface. The new ruling elite attempt to crush any resistance from above and below in an attempt to create a new global empire.
Currently, three books from the series have been published on Amazon; see the links below:
All individual chapters can be found on my @captainhive account.
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