John got up and kissed his mother’s cheeks and they left.
They reached the main entrance of the hospital and as he exited he waved to the crowd waiting for him, smiling as best as he could. The crowd cheered their support. Richard touched John’s shoulder and said, “See, there’s nothing to worry about. The people are with you!”
John and Richard got up onto the podium. John bowed in thanks to the people for their support and patience. As expected, the crowd went wild. Justice Nyazika held up his palm for silence. He opened his mouth to speak. “Let us begin with the ceremony of the Vice-Chancellor.” Richard went to the podium and listened. “Put your hands on this,” said Nyazika, “and repeat after me.” As Richard was a practicing Hindu, he was given the Bhagavad-Gita to swear upon. “Now, repeat these words:
“I, Richard Quentin Gregory Bacon II, do solemnly swear...”
He repeated it.
“...to uphold the principles of the Constitution of the Year 3333... to protect the inhabitants of the Regnum at all times, in word, action, and thought...to defend the rights, liberties, and safety of the people... and to lead the Human Race to absolute self-determination...on its own God-given home-world, the planet Earth. So help me God.”
The people applauded and cheered on as Bacon and Nyazika embraced each other.
There were too many distractions. To listen to the sound of the universe and to feel that ever-existing flow was something that Alex seemed to have lost now. He had been trying to meditate for the last hour but every fifteen minutes or so, he had the urge to open his eyes. He attempted to calm himself by taking deep breaths, but each time he failed to reach a higher level. He sighed and said, “I’m never going to get this right.” He had another two hours or so before his uncle would get back. He hoped to achieve something by then.
But that was just it; he was expecting too much too soon. He was looking for results instead of going with the flow, as he should have. Now he realized he was always doing the exact opposite. Was this why many saw him as an arrogant, imperial brat? Was it because of the way he spoke, acted, and thought? Was that why Angel behaved the way she did at the Café? Would she forgive him for it? But then again, was he really arrogant? Maybe he was afraid to admit it. He didn’t know for sure, and as he tried to delve deeper, he felt increasingly out of touch with the people. He had thought something completely different about himself.
None of this was making any sense. He knew he had to be humble now; he knew he had to keep what he knew about himself a secret. If it got out, the results would bring disaster. “Concentrate, you idiot!” he said to himself. He tried once again.
The ceremony continued and after taking the same oath as Richard, John cleared his throat to give his speech:
“What has occurred today, my dear people of the Earth, will not be forgotten for many years to come. I promise you that. History, the great critic, may look upon me as another Hitler, a man driven mad by his ambitions; it will say that I used the government for my own selfish purposes. Let it say so, for I don’t care.
“Naturally, I have some of my own interests at heart, but above all I am here for the good of everyone. I will not stand down until my last breath. I will not give up until we are free!” He paused for the crowds who started hailing him as their new Supreme Leader. He continued:
“Democracy has stood for many years during the course of our history. But there were times when it failed, and a plan of decisive action had to be taken, for the good of all. A leader, a single man, who could be trusted by the people, to give them what they wanted, and above all, what they needed. I assure you, the trust that you have given me will not be betrayed. I will not bow down to anyone. Every decision of mine will be thought out with the good of the people always at the forefront of my mind. As I have promised, I will make sure our race returns to the Earth and achieve complete autonomy. We will take it by force. We must take it by force, for these vampiric vermin are nothing but invaders, conquerors, literally thirsty for blood. They have nothing better to do but keep the underdog below them, begging and depending on them. I say that’s enough! I say we should have done it a long time ago, and I’m sorry we didn’t! We will crush them and force them back to their former stronghold in the valleys and mountains of Antarctica. We will send them a message. And that message is that we are free!”
The crowds applauded John’s determination. The plight of his mother still weighed heavily on his mind, but the sound of the crowd was like sweet music that pumped him full of excitement and helped him postpone his worries.
He raised a hand for some silence and the noise died down. “My mother had a stroke and now she is in a coma,” he said. He paused and saw the somber faces of the crowd. “But let me swear to you that this incident has not left me defeated; it has only made my resolve stronger. My hatred for the vampires is immense and so is my desire for vengeance. Only with our united anger and hate can we dissolve that race. We must do it together, or not at all.
“In the next nine hours,” he said checking his watch; it was five to eleven, “our troops will be down there for two reasons. The first is to get Alexander back and along with him our strongest allies, the Rebels. The second reason is to locate the Vatican Library and burn the place, so that their knowledge will be lost. But before doing so, we will record their information for our own use.
“Now, I know you want to know the whole truth. There,” he breathed in and exhaled slowly, “was a prophecy made by the vampires that a man from their race known as the Falsifier will come. He will be like them, but he will be against them. He will be a hybrid, a damphir. His real name is Alexandros Nyrax III and he is the son of my sister Miriam and Aidan Nyrax, the prophet who led the Rebellion. He is my nephew. I know it might be hard to swallow right now, but the truth is that he is our only hope. He is one of them, but to have him on our side will be very beneficial. He is more powerful than them, and with the help of the Rebels and their leader Nikolas, we will be invincible. We will avenge the deaths of our soldiers, who died for us so many years ago.” He paused to complete silence and wondered how he would continue. “Believe... trust me that I have no other intentions than to see us all on the Earth. I have already sworn that if any harm comes to anyone of us, the vampires, along with my nephew will be exiled to Antarctica.
“In the coming months, I will set up a War Council. I would also like to add that I am ready to pardon the Council for whatever happened yesterday. I have decided to have all of them as a part of this new council. This includes Jarad Hameed, a superb general and much respected for his strategic prowess. I also have a new project for this coming war, which will begin once this mission is through. It is top secret as of now. But believe me: once it is out in the public, it will amaze you and give you hope. I have no idea how long this war will last, but I know for certain that we will win this time and that we will never have to fight it again.
“The coming months may bring many hardships and angst. But now is the time for us to stand up, unite and face those challenges as we always have. I know there has been talk of rations. That doesn’t mean that we will starve. Look at it as a sacrifice for life and freedom. With courage we will be victorious and attain our independence!”
The crowds cheered again and a great thunderous applause shook the streets of the Square. He went on:
“After this ceremony, I will hold a meeting with five of our best generals. Already I have spoken to Kurt J. Lord and we have decided on the basic strategy for the Rescue. These five generals are Generals Ranjit Singh, Lao Chang, George Hopkinson, Sergei Romsky, and Michio Nakashima. Mind you, the diversity of the group is of symbolic significance.
“I know that the vampires believe they know our weaknesses, one of which is indeed a shameful and scarring one in our history. That weakness is racial prejudice. But we have learned from our mistakes and have come together in brotherhood, especially during times of war, when the vampires invaded. Let’s take this war as a test of our solidarity and our resolve; let’s show history that regardless of the past, we have conquered ourselves and we have learned!” Again, the people cheered. John smiled and stood silent, looking around him, as everyone behind him clapped.