Page 34 of Cerulean Truth
"I don't believe there's any merit in those hypotheses. Why would they meet us with hostility? And even if they did—if the humans launched a nuclear attack—we could simply portal away and return to hiding," Maria replied softly, hoping to ease the tension.
"Not if they know about the portals. Their technology is as advanced as you say. If we start sharing information, they’llturn it against us. What if they find a way to prevent us from portaling? If we go back into hiding, as you suggest, but this time they know about us? They’ll find us. Their technological progress is an argument for both sides. You claim it bridges the gap between our species, but on the flip side, the risks for us are far greater than before," George concluded.
“Surely you must hear how absurd you sound. Humans are not interested in the mass destruction of magi!” Maria shook her head.
“No, not now they’re not, because they’re not aware of our existence. Why would you want to change that?” George responded calmly.
“Because we are tired of it! Tired of hiding! We have shared the same planet for over centuries! It’s ridiculous they don’t know about us, because we don’t pose any threat to them! We could peacefully co-exist, there is no reason to assume otherwise!” Maria and I practically shouted in unison, abandoning all decorum.
“Well, I disagree,” George replied dryly.
“Oh well, ifGeorgedisagrees, let’s forget about the rest of the world finally agreeing on something,” I retorted sarcastically.
He turned toward me, his eyes narrowing into a glare that radiated anger. “You might be the next Leader of Cyclos, James, but I’m a war veteran of the Battle of ‘59, you’d do good to show me a little respect.”
“That’s exactly it, George,” I responded, entirely unfazed by his tone. “How canyouof all people, knowing exactly what it was like to fight others of our own kind, resist something most of us want?” I refused to convey any more respect than he deserved.
“Ahem” someone coughed behind us, signaling we’d reached the border of the city. We stopped walking and I turned toward George.
“Look, as opposed as I am to the Great Exposure you all seem so keen on, I’m even more opposed to magi fighting other magi. You might not believe me James, but I did ask Maria to come here with good intentions. We came to Antwerp to see the Board of International Directors and inform the United Chiefs. When you saw us at the station, we were on our way back from them, informing them of the Radicals.
“Radicals?”
“Yeah, you see, as good as our intentions are to resist the consensus peacefully, to not let the exposure happen, some of the Resistants felt a peaceful resistance would be too…weak.”
I clenched my jaw, bracing myself for what he was about to say.
“Radicals have taken up arms and are fighting their way into history. I’m sorry for the part I’ve played in creating them, but it’s not solely my responsibility.” He shrugged. “Anyway, last I’ve heard, there are a few coming your way. Some of them are trying to undo the consensus wherever they can and I think the Collective of Kanata C was next on their target list.”
“Let me get this straight,” I said through gritted teeth. “You’ve initiated a movement, which partly radicalized and is now planning to attack the Collective holding every maga and magus in Canada, and all you have to say about is, ‘I’m sorry’?”
At least George had the decency to look somewhat ashamed, his cheeks coloring slightly red. But apart from that, his shame was utterly useless.
Taking in a deep breath, I made a conscious effort not to punch out a war hero, no matter how cowardly he turned out to be.
"So, this is why you came to Antwerp?" I asked Maria, my tone sharp. "To ensure this intel about the Radicals got to the Board in time?"
She nodded solemnly. "Yes, and to the United Chiefs, but we were almost ambushed by a few Radicals on the way, trying to prevent us from coming here..." Her words trailed off.
"Which is why I created the bubble around Antwerp to ensure no one could interfere with the intel reaching its destination," she finished with a smile.
“And where are those Radicals now?” I demanded angrily. They tried to attack my Leader, I was not letting any of them get away with it.
“Behind you,” George whispered.
I turned around quickly, noticing at least fifty angry looking magi crowding the border on the other side, clearly with every intent to attack us as soon as we left the bubble.
“You lured us here?” I hissed to George, furious with myself for trusting him.
“What? Are you crazy? No!”
“James, George and I escaped these Radicals together, they’ve probably been waiting for us to get back!” Maria shouted outraged.
“Well, that was a brilliant fucking plan,” I muttered under my breath, assuming a fighting stance.
“What do we do?” Maria asked nervously.
My mind raced; starting the fight from the safety of the bubble was a guaranteed failure seeing how our translation would backfire, and we’d all probably end up dead. Lifting the bubble entirely would leave Antwerp wide open to attacks from these hostiles. And if we crossed the border, we’d be immediately confronted by the Radicals, who outnumbered us by far. Unless I could somehow wipe them all out before they had a chance to pounce.
