Within the Brass Web. by Brian Moon
Chapter 19:
June started with Helena announcing to Lukas and her Great Uncle that she was pregnant. Lukas quickly got up and hugged his wife and Lord Nemesis grinned from ear to ear. It was the first time he had seen the man smile since the closing of the company’s ruined metal works. It wasn’t possible to move the workload to the other plants, so the contracts had been sold off to other bidders. This news however brought that old sparkle into his leader’s eyes. The rest of the evening was just about family and family history.
It seemed that the rest of the month was determined to ruin his mood. The foundry was only the first of the attacks on Southern United. Although Lukas filed complaints with the Mayor, without eyewitness proof, there was nothing that anyone could do. As the heroes stopped more and more of everyday crime, most of which was caused by the Kings, the public began to support the heroes and what they were doing. Everyone was supportive of them cleaning up the streets and bringing order to Paragon. Something the police department seemed incapable of doing themselves.
Soon the public outcry for justice was growing out of hand and local papers thrilled to have something to write about that didn’t involve how desperately bad the times actually were, started running full page stories on the new crime fighters on Paragon City. The people needed someone to look up to in these dark times and The Statesman suddenly was elevated to being that beacon of hope. Of course the newspapers also felt the need to name that which was responsible for the bad things in the city. For that they blamed the organized crime groups for everything wrong. Of course smart editors would remove the actual mention of names, no one wanted to be directly in the line of fire.
Lukas couldn’t believe the latest round of public outcry for getting rid of any city officials found to be “on the take” as they referred to it. It was becoming increasingly harder to do regular business, as people would refuse to see him or his representatives. Most sighting the fear of being found out by someone for taking bribes, or giving contracts to Southern United. Just whom do these people think were keeping the construction and manufacturing industries alive with jobs? Did they complain when he gave money to the hospitals to keep them open? Once Southern United was a welcome member of society, now, society seemed to distancing themselves from it. And this was only from those who knew what was going on, heavens forbid if the general public found out about everything that went on.
Lukas stepped into Lord Nemesis’ library. All of the shelves were empty of books and journals, as well as the corkboards. Lord Nemesis sat at his desk reading the day’s Paragon Times.
“Not writing in your journal tonight sir?”
“No not tonight. I have a feeling that I’ll have no more need to do so from this point forward. The rest will be stored in my head easily enough, I think.” He said laying the paper on the desk. It was the first time Lukas noticed Lord Nemesis having to use reading glasses. The older man smiled as his shaking hands took them off. “It is amazing how a single pebble dropped into still water can create ripples that cross the pond. This is what is happening with us today. A single word in print has the entire city in an uproar. Always remember Lukas, a single man is smart, but a group of men are like sheep. They will follow the one man with enough charisma to lead them. Does this sound familiar my friend? That which I have planned has come back to haunt me it seems. But it doesn’t matter, not really when you consider time itself.”
“So are we giving up here, sir? I mean will we move on to other parts of the country to continue?”
“Give up? No my General. In my younger days I would have had you shot for even mentioning those two words together. There is no need to move on, the sheep are merely confused as to whose hand is actually protecting them. The Statesman gives them hope, but I provide them with food and shelter and honest work. The difference is they have yet to meet their true Shepherd. We will have to introduce them to the real reason they have prosperity when others starve.”
“Have you decided on a time frame sir? Perhaps I can start preparing the men, and laying a battle plan.”
“I do my good General, but it isn’t the time for you to know. I have something that must be completed first. Another plan that needs a little more time to mature and grow, only when I’m sure it will survive in the world on its own, then we will deal with these heroes that would rule my world.”
“Sir I mean no disrespect, but are you feeling well? You seem to be…” Lukas hesitated as he searched for the right way to say what was on his mind.
“I seem to be getting old? My mind is still fine general, but yes, my body has suddenly seemed to want to give up the ghost as the saying goes. Will you do as well when you get to be my age, I wonder? Why does this concern you now? We have talked about my dying for awhile now, every body must die.”
“Yes sir, but the concern is what happens after you die. You haven’t explained what has to be done after that fact. Who will carry on what you have started?” Lukas asked.
“Is that a position you yourself wish?” A sparkle crossed the old man’s eyes, but Lukas didn’t notice.
“No sir, I will retire to my home in the south with my wife and child. I would not presume to be able to understand what you have been creating here.”
“To true… to true… No, rest assured when I have finished with this next phase of my plan the future will all be revealed, just a few more weeks my friend. So now tell me, what is that wife of yours making for dinner this weekend?
Lukas dismissed himself and left Lord Nemesis to his newspaper and a promise to pick him up for Sunday dinner. He wandered through the underground complex just taking in everything. There was a sense of tension in the air, as if time was on hold and would let loose like a spring when the time was right. He remembered the feeling, one he hadn’t felt since his first battle during the war. He walked to his private room here, took his gun out of his locker and sat at a table and began to dismantle, oil and clean it. He did his best not to think about what Lord Nemesis meant by no longer needing to write his thoughts down and what that implication might mean.