Chapter 9
It took the better part of a week for Kylee to have a chance to speak to Officer Menendez. When she returned home that night, Theo saw that she looked happy. “Well?” he asked, “What happened?”
“So, he definitely knew what was going on, and he wasn’t happy about it at all. Most of the people in the Security Force think Tiberius was out of line with his ruling. Of course, most everybody is afraid to say anything. Menendez knows the mayor pretty well and he said he would definitely talk to him about meeting with you. No promises but he’s going to try. I should know something soon.”
It was another week before Theo got the answer that he was waiting for: the mayor would see him that Friday. The day of the appointment, Theo and Kylee walked to Caesar’s Palace, where the self-proclaimed “leadership” had established offices. Theo had not been able to figure out why the government wasn’t operating out of City Hall, but he assumed it had something to do with the opulence of the casino. It truly did resemble a palace, and no casinos were allowed to do business anyway.
“Good luck!” Kylee said as she hugged Theo goodbye. They looked at each other and then kissed for a few seconds before Theo reluctantly broke away. It was time to save his friend.
The level of security at the casino made that of the courthouse seem like a few mall rent-a-cops. Theo passed through five different checkpoints, some more invasive than others, on his way to the mayor’s new office in the largest suite in the casino. Among the many government employees hurrying from place to place was an alarming amount of heavily armed Security Forces.
Theo checked in with the mayor’s assistant and sat in a plush, golden chair. The waiting area had been the living room of the suite and was in the middle of what had been two bedrooms. Now those served as the offices of Mayor Lucas and Deputy Mayor Tiberius. Theo turned and looked out the massive windows that showed a broad expanse of the beach and the ocean beyond. Theo had often sat on the balcony of the penthouse condo, or on the roof of the building and had the same thought that occurred to him now: the water was too clean. Theo had seen water like that on cruises his family had taken to the Caribbean when he was younger.
The assistant startled him out of his contemplation. “Mr. Essex, the mayor will see you now.”
Theo rose from the comfortable chair and followed the assistant as she led him to the dark wooden doors that separated the waiting area from the office. She opened one of the doors and gestured inside. Theo stepped across the threshold. The large bedroom had been transformed into a functional and inviting office space. A heavy oak desk was positioned along the wall directly opposite the doors. Theo was sure that beneath the thick rug underneath the desk the carpet contained the indentations of the king size bed that had once been the centerpiece of this room and had seen its share of high profile visitors and inappropriate behavior.
Across from the desk were two chairs as plush as the ones in the waiting room. It was to one of these that the assistant led Theo. He breathed slowly as he tried to keep his nerves at bay. Seated behind the large desk was Mayor Lucas. He smiled his famous warm smile at Theo and said, “Please, sit down Mr. Essex. Make yourself at home.”
Theo did as he was told. The mayor folded his hands on the sheet of glass that protected the dark leather inlay of the desk. “Mr. Essex, Carlos Menendez said that it was absolutely urgent that you see me. Now I’ve known Carlos a long time, and he is not a man prone to exaggeration and hyperbole. You must have something quite important to say and, by the way, Carlos must like you very much. He wouldn’t do something like this for just anyone. Now then, what can I do for you?”
“Mr. Mayor, sir, I want to talk to you about the ruling the deputy mayor came up with the other day in the trial of the protestors.”
“Ah. Yes.” Lucas rubbed his chin. “I take it you have some connection to the protestors?”
“Not exactly, sir. My friend Bill Mansfield was arrested with the protestors, but he wasn’t one of them. He got involved when the fighting started. He was trying to protect people.”
“I see,” said the mayor. “Mr. Essex…” he looked at a file on his desk. “May I call you Theo?” Theo nodded. “Very well. Theo, I am sure it was not lost on you that this was the first major trial we have had here in Atlantic Island. Deputy Mayor Tiberius has control and authority over the police and judicial proceedings on our island. It would not be right for me to interfere, were I even of a mind to try.”
“But sir,” said Theo, “When you spoke at the arena, you said that the laws of the United States would be what we’d go by here. By those laws, the protestors had a right to protest, didn’t they?”
“They had a right to protest peaceably, Theo. The protestors, and your friend as well, engaged in violence against the officers of the Security Force. You may not want to hear this but they broke the law.”
“I’m not an expert in law, sir, but the one guy, Tom, hit an officer. Then the police started swinging. The others were defending themselves! Bill and I witnessed the whole thing and that’s why he got involved.”
Mayor Lucas raised an eyebrow. “You witnessed the whole altercation?”
“Yes, but nobody ever asked for witnesses. Tiberius just made up his mind to make an example.”
“Deputy Mayor Tiberius, Theo.”
“I’m sorry sir, but it wasn’t a fair trial. And not all the defendants were guilty of the same thing!”
The mayor leaned back in his chair and sighed. “You are an interesting young man, Theo. You are both bold and respectful, a rare combination. I see why Carlos likes you. You also raise an interesting point. I take it you work with the construction crew?”
“Yes, sir,” Theo said. He was curious where this question was leading.
“Do you like it? The work you have been asked to do so far?”
Theo considered this. “I do. It was hard at first, tearing homes apart, even if many of them were damaged, but I understand the situation we are all in, and I know how important the farmland is going to be to our survival.”
The mayor nodded slowly. Theo suddenly recalled sitting in his guidance counselor’s office discussing his post-high school plans. The guidance counselor had not exuded a fraction of the warmth Theo felt in the presence of Sam Lucas.
Mayor Lucas leaned forward again, his hands once again linked on the desk. “You believe in the farming initiative?” he asked.
“Sir, I think it’s a very smart idea. I was thinking that once the construction crew moves on to repairs and whatever on the rest of the island, I might switch to the farm team.”
Mayor Lucas smiled. “Fancy yourself a farmer, do you? Well Theo, what would you think about doing something a little more… cerebral?”
Theo was confused. “I’m not sure I understand what you mean…”
“What I mean is that I am looking to put together a council of advisors representing different groups on the island. I have been wondering if there was anyone with the right aptitude to represent the youth of Atlantic Island, and it occurs to me that you may be the right man for the job.”
Theo had to remind himself to speak. He was thrown off his game. “Sir, I really appreciate the offer, but honestly I’m not sure I’m the best guy for the job. My friend Ryan—”
“Is, I’m sure, a lovely young man,” said Lucas. “Right now we are talking about you. Tell me Theo, you don’t think you’re qualified to be on my council?”
“I don’t know. I guess I’ve never been told I’m qualified to do much of anything.”