The Dreams of the Eternal City

by Mark Reece

  It seemed as if he had been forgotten, that he was subject to automated processes that would continue long after civilisation had crumbled. As such, it was a considerable shock when his cell door opened and a man in a black jacket stepped in.

  “Come on,” he said, barely opening his mouth. Ethan switched off the MV and began making the bed before realising that the man was staring at him. Ethan paused and looked over the room with a sense of regret before going outside.

  To Ethan’s surprise, the man did not take hold of him but rather turned his back to shut and lock the door, giving Ethan every opportunity to run, if he had had any inclination to do so. The spotless corridor was as foreign to his imagination as if he had never seen it before. The man made his way along the route they had taken to get there without looking at him, leaving Ethan to follow of his own volition. His actions were so strange that he thought it was a trick. Could they be putting me in a situation where they could say that I was about to escape, to allow them to do something?

  There was a different set of secretaries on the front desk, one of whom glanced up as he passed, only to look away the instant their eyes met, the movement as instinctive as when one pulls one’s fingers from a naked flame.

  It was dark outside, which was a shock to Ethan’s senses. He had only recently slept, meaning that he had become nocturnal during his isolation.

  When they reached the edge of the field where they were hidden from view by trees, the man slowed and Ethan thought that he was about to be killed. But they continued walking until they reached the van that had been used to bring him there.

  He walked to the back of it, remembering the previous journey with equanimity. He did not feel upset about the prospect of being battered again. It seemed an apt punishment, and not humiliating in the way that being beaten would be, when he would be faced by his triumphant attacker.

  “Round here.”

  Ethan had been deep in thought about what was going to happen next, meaning that the man’s voice surprised him and Ethan did not move for several seconds, when he realised that he was telling him to get into the passenger seat. He did not say anything further and Ethan could feel his dislike. The vehicle had no safety monitor or other standard security equipment.

  It was difficult to tell where they were going in the darkness and he only started to recognise some of the landmarks when they had almost reached their destination. They stopped outside the SDMA building. Someone had stuck an advertising poster on the side of it, which showed a bulldozer clearing away a slum. The words ‘Our Development, Our Future’ were printed underneath it, but over them had been written ‘FUCK YOU’ in black marker pen.

  “Inside.”

  He was about to say ‘thanks’, but when seeing the man’s expression, Ethan thought that it was best not to reply. He got out and slowly walked towards the building before resting against the side of a security spike. He gazed at it for some time before suddenly coming to himself when realising that the van was still there. He hurried to the door, and as soon as he was in sight of the guard at the front counter, he heard it drive away.

  “Wait there.”

  The guard picked up a telephone and spoke into it in a low voice while keeping his eyes on him. Ethan had never seen him before. He heard him say “okay” before putting down the receiver.

  “Have a seat.”

  “I’m all right as I am.”

  Coloured dots flickered perfunctorily across his body.

  His legs ached by the time the lip-shaped security barrier opened and Daniel walked through.

  “Thanks,” he said to the security guard, nodding dismissively before turning to Ethan, “Come on.”

  “I’ve not got my ID with me.”

  “Privilege of rank,” Daniel said, waving his pass, then waited until Ethan stood parallel to him before opening the barrier.

  After they had entered the lift, Daniel pressed the button for the top floor and Ethan did not know what to say as they ascended. He should not be there, he should not even be in the building, but it seemed patronising to state that fact to his superior. He felt entirely under his power.

  When the door opened, Daniel let him through another security barrier.

  The fifteenth floor was designed the same as the tenth, with a bare corridor followed by a noticeboard, making Ethan feel disappointed. Daniel led him into the first office they encountered, and he thought that it was not so big, until he realised that it was for a single person. There was a bookcase filled with regulation manuals in one corner, which he paused to look at before Daniel sat behind his desk and gestured for Ethan to sit opposite him.

  “I’ve never been on this floor. It’s not what I was expecting.”

  “What were you expecting?”

  “I don’t know really. Bigger desks?”

  Daniel smiled. “What am I going to do with you?”

  “Did you get me out of there?”

  After being reduced to desperation, Ethan felt a wild sense of freedom.

  “You know that you’re our best agent, don’t you? Don’t answer, you do know. Apart from your talent and how hard you work, what makes you effective is your discretion. It’s hard to believe that so many people lack that quality in an organisation like this one. Accepting the parameters of the possible leads to success.”

  Daniel sighed and leant back in his chair.

  “The Strategic Review Board met last week to discuss your document. You took over the entire agenda. I’ve sat on it on and off for a year and it’s a talking shop. They’ve got a handful of subjects they waffle on about every month, and every month, they set the same actions, none of which ever go anywhere. Last week, they agreed a set of actions that the DIA wants implemented in ten days. I’ve nominated you for commendation, first class.”

  “Thank you… I appreciate that, sir.”

  Ethan felt uncomfortable, as he was unsure what was happening.

  “I’ll see that it goes through. There’ll be no issues. The problem with our organisation is that performance questions are never addressed as they should be. We should reward these kind of achievements, and discipline those who waste our time.”

  Dan rested his head in his hands, as if having forgotten that Ethan was there. “What have you got to say?”

  “I don’t know, sir. It’s hard to say what happened. It just got out of control one day and… I didn’t know what to do. Do you need the details?”

  Dan waved a hand. “No. Your problem, Ethan, is that you’ve become a fanatic. You don’t see that there are occasions when we share interests with our enemies. There are fanatics on the other side too and what all fanatics don’t understand is that to destroy one’s enemy is to destroy oneself. Our purpose, Ethan, is to curb excess, it is not to change the nature of things. That’s why you’re here, because you haven’t understood that. Our leaders want efficiency, but only within the proper limits. Too much efficiency will destroy the system. You don’t want to end up like Max. Of course, you’ll not have read the papers recently…” Daniel shook his head. “The thing that’s saved you is that you’re an organisational man. There are few people today who’ll put the organisation before their self-interest, and you’re one of them. Loyalty is an old-fashioned virtue. I’m returning the favour.”

  “Was it you or the Iklonians who gave me the file about the Professor?”

  “Only fanatics draw too strong a distinction between us and the Iklonians. Ultimately, everyone is DIA. Everyone. You haven’t made a habit of asking dangerous questions before. Don’t start now. I’m not going to allow our more… short-sighted colleagues to take advantage of the situation.”

  His voice had become sharp and Ethan looked at the floor.

  “Dan… I’m grateful for how you’ve helped me… not just now but before as well…”

  “Next week, Peter is going to be offered a redundancy pac
kage based on certain medical evidence that has recently come to light. He’ll accept what’s offered then you will apply for the vacancy. The following month, you’ll be interviewed, then you’ll become the Chief Agent of the Investigative Section. There’s no need for me to say this but I’ll tell you what I’d tell anyone: that I expect you to maintain the high standards that you’ve shown throughout your career hitherto. I’ll be your line manager, so when you get news of your promotion, please report to me for further instructions.”

  Ethan nodded.

  “Go home now, it’s late.”

  “Sir, what day is it?”

  “Friday. Don’t worry about tonight, you’ll be able to have four hours and revert to your proper pattern tomorrow…” Daniel gave him a significant look, “… Aislin went into a panic about you, she rang everyone she could think of and wouldn’t stop until I arranged for someone to give her a limited explanation. She broke two security guard’s noses. God, that was a long day. The organisation values stable relationships, Ethan. The organisation values those who take what it provides.”

  Daniel stood and it was obvious from his tone that he wanted Ethan to leave.

  “How can I go back to the office when I’ve been away for so long? What will I say to everyone?”

  “You’ve been away three weeks. You’ll say that you’ve been away. This conversation is over. There’s one final thing you’ve got to learn, Ethan, which is that in the running of an organisation, there are no conversations. Information is always implicit, never imparted. That’s it, here are your things, go.”

  While he was talking, Daniel had placed the items that were taken from Ethan by the DIA agents on his desk, including his security pass. Ethan put them in his pockets and hurried away, turning back after a few steps to see Daniel giving his computer a blood sample.

  He paused with trepidation when hovering his pass over the lip-shaped security barrier near the lift, but it opened. When inside, he switched on his mobile to see that he had had two hundred and thirteen missed calls, and when he unlocked it, most of them were from Aislin, with a few from his parents and Terry. There were also five automated messages from the SDMA, detailing the jail terms handed out to a gang who had manufactured fake alarm clocks, shift licences, and SDMA identity cards. Fifteen years each. It was only seven o’clock, so there was no excuse not to see her that evening. He waited until getting outside the building before calling her.

  “Ethan, is that you?”

  “Ash, I’ve got to see you tonight to tell you what’s going on.”

  “What the hell’s happened? You disappear for weeks then call me out the blue? Why the fuck couldn’t you ring before?”

  “They took my phone away. Will you see me so I can explain?”

  The phone went silent.

  “Where are you?”

  “I’m outside work. It’ll take me a few hours to get to you.”

  “I’ll drive to your house, it’ll be quicker. Whatever you’ve got, it’d better be good.”

  “I’ll see you there.”

  Ethan walked to the car park, and as he went, he saw that the jewellery shop was open, despite it being outside the opening times printed on the door.

  As he turned a corner, a swarm of coppery butterflies arose from a nearby wall and fluttered in the direction of the field leading to the train station. He paused for a moment to watch, unsure whether he was more real than them.

  As he drove home, the night had a new meaning for him. When previously looking into the darkness, Ethan had seen the smallness of the world and it had made him weary and frustrated. Now, he saw the unchanging nature of things.

  When he got home, he parked beside Aislin’s car and clutched the steering wheel tightly, steeling himself.

  He unlocked the door and Aislin was standing in the hallway, looking at him. She looked very beautiful in her blue dress and did not say anything. She folded her arms.

  “Aislin, listen to me. I’m going to tell you everything that’s happened, but first, I want you to know how much I love you. I’ve made a lot of mistakes but I know what’s important now. That’s why before anything else, I’m going to ask you this.”

  He bent on one knee and presented her with the ring he had been given at the jewellery shop. “Will you marry me?”