by C. C. Monö
Nicole frowned. God, she was doing it again, thinking about Axel when she should be focusing on more pressing matters.
“Ah-ha,” Master Wú said with amusement playing on his lips. “Are you thinking about Kung Fu or could it be that your mind is elsewhere again?”
Nicole laughed to cover up her embarrassment.
“I guess you’ll have to find out, Master Wú.” She stood up. “Shall we continue our training?
CHAPTER 26
On the surface, Axel remained calm, but inside a storm raged.
It was Monday morning. They were in room “A”, a bright classroom on the twelfth floor. Outside, the citizens of Brussels were waking up to a cold, but beautiful, winter’s morning.
Axel squeezed his hands together, staring at the wall in front of him. The sun fell through the large windows, warming his cheek and lighting up the tiny particles suspended in the air. Around him, the other students sat behind spacious desks, in black chairs that had to be among the most comfortable in the world. Axel could probably get a good night’s sleep on one if he had to.
Above each desk was a 3D hologram of the E.K.A. logo. They were difficult to see in the sunny room, but still they hovered in mid-air, rotating at a slow speed around their own axis.
“Did you see the morning news?” Thabo whispered, handing Axel a newspaper. “All they talk about is the Academy.”
Axel nodded. He’d seen the news. The day before, Principal Cunningham held a press conference in Toronto, Canada, informing the world that the Academy had chosen twelve new students. The news had broken the hearts and hopes of many applicants; there were even reports of a suicide.
“Everyone wants to know who we are,” Thabo continued, and, despite his calm surface, Axel could see the excitement in his eyes. “Did you read about the man in Portugal who has to be force-fed because he refuses to eat until our names are revealed?”
It was the same after each application period. People, especially journalists, were doing all they could to find out any information about the Academy’s new location and novel students. It had turned into a game. An American radio station offered a hundred and fifty thousand dollar reward to anyone who could find out where the Academy was located. A French newspaper had hired two private detectives to identify the name of at least one student. Gambling sites were offering bets on anything related to the Academy. It was one big festival and Axel couldn’t believe he was in the centre of it all.
“Surely there must be more important things to write about,” he said.
Thabo’s brows dipped in confusion.
“More important than us?”
The door to the classroom flung opened and a tall man in his mid-fifties entered. “Good morning!” he snapped in an unmistakeable Irish accent and threw a pile of papers on his desk. The room fell silent while he glared out at the students.
“My name is Professor Jackson and I’m the assistant principal. As such, I’m in charge of your training. If you want to graduate, then I’m the one you need to impress.” He spoke with a sort of brusque efficiency that suggested he had no patience for slow learners. “So how do you impress me, you wonder? By proving that you’re willing to sacrifice everything you hold dear to become a leader. Great leadership demands great sacrifices. Never forget that.”
A profound silence filled the room. The professor’s expression remained rigid, almost aggressive. He was a good-looking man in his impeccable black suit and shoes so polished they could function as mirrors. Clearly, this was a man who valued perfection, and by the way he considered his students, he seemed to expect everyone else to be just as perfect.
The silence seemed to last forever, and when the assistant principal spoke at last, his voice came out in a near roar.
“Very well. I shall be your teacher in the field of Business Leadership. We begin our first official lesson tomorrow. Today I’m merely giving you some general information. But before we do anything else, we must pledge allegiance to the Academy and our roles as E.K.A. leaders. Stand up!”
He waited, tapping his foot against the floor until all the students stood to attention behind their chairs.
“This is something you’ll do at the beginning of every lesson.” He began walking down the rows of desks, inspecting each student. “So I hope you’ve all memorised the words.”
No one replied and, a moment later, it was clear why. Most of the students got as far as “Out of darkness and into light, I come walking without fright”, before they fell silent, leaving Professor Jackson to read the rest of the Leadership Allegiance on his own.
In their defence, no one had told them to learn the allegiance during the weekend. Not that it seemed to matter. Their poor performance left the assistant principal in a foul mood, and by the time they were done, he was glaring at them.
“Unacceptable!” he snarled. “If you can’t memorise a few words, then you don’t belong here.” He stopped and gave Axel a long, unyielding look. Then he snorted and moved on. “Tomorrow, I expect you to know it by heart! Understood?”
“Yes,” a few students replied.
“Yes, sir!” Professor Jackson said with an icy voice. “You shall address me and the other teachers by our role and surname, or by ‘sir’ or ‘ms’, is that clear?”
There was a moment’s confusion when all the students called out either “yes, sir” or “yes, Professor Jackson” at the same time.
“Oh, lord,” the professor moaned, leaning his head back until his perfect nose pointed at the ceiling. “Just say ‘yes, sir’, will you?”
“YES, SIR,” the students replied, sounding more like soldiers during a military training than students in a classroom.
“Ah. At least I can take comfort in the fact that you seem to be fast learners,” said Professor Jackson, and his lips pulled back into a cold smirk. “That gives us a little hope.”
CHAPTER 27
“As I’ve already mentioned, you won’t become a leader without sacrifices,” Professor Jackson declared as he passed Axel and Thabo’s desk with long, proud strides. “Freedom is one of them. As of today, you are to minimise the time you spend outside the premises. If you want to leave for more than two hours, you must get approval from one of the teachers or the concierge. Mr Nakata, your Security and Defence teacher, will give you further instructions concerning your personal security. Make sure you pay attention to what he says.”
“Security and defence?” Axel mumbled to Thabo. “Why would we need such a class?”
Professor Jackson stopped, his back against his students.
“Do you have a question, Mr Hallman?” he asked with a low, menacing voice.
Around Axel, the other students began fidgeting, making darn sure they looked busy.
“Well, sir…I was wondering why we’re going to study security and defence.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, sir. I don’t understand why such a topic would be important.”
Professor Jackson turned to the other students, his blond hair glowing in the morning light.
“Let me make myself clear. We tolerate nothing less than one hundred per cent effort from all of you. Our sponsors and partners are spending a lot of money on you greenhorns, and they expect a great deal in return. You had better not fail them. You better not fail me!”
“YES, SIR,” the rest of the class answered in chorus.
Axel regarded Professor Jackson with growing dismay. Why was the man not answering his question?
“Sir, I...”
He fell silent as Professor Jackson, looking like the devil in bad mood, turned and leaned forward until his mouth was close to Axel’s ear.
“I’m going to give you some advice,” he whispered. “I’m not a man you want to disappoint.”
“I don’t want to disappoint you, sir. I was just wondering…”
“Don’t.”
“But I…”
“No.”
“But…”
“Shhh.”
The Professor’s warm breath wormed itself into Axel’s ear and the young Swede froze. He tried not to breath, for the professor’s cologne was so strong, it could raise the dead. Instead he stared at a spot on his desk and waited.
After what seemed an eternity, Professor Jackson straightened his back. He glowered at his students with his cold, cold eyes.
“You’re students of the Eagle King’s Academy, and you won’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of graduating unless you get your act together. We will assess everything you say and do. Therefore, don’t take your studies lightly, don’t disrespect your teachers, and don’t ask stupid questions that annoy me. Is that clear?”
“YES, SIR.”
The professor growled, turned on his heels, and marched up to the teacher’s desk, his blond hair glowing in the sunlight.
Axel realised his hands were still clasping the wide armrests with force. He drew a shallow breath and relaxed his grip before daring a quick glance at Thabo. Their eyes met and the young African raised his brows.
I’m doing it for Talk Thirteen, Axel thought, while trying to ignore the chill that swept through his body.
“We have classes from Monday to Saturday,” Professor Jackson continued as he walked up to one of the windows and looked out. “Sundays are yours to do with as you please, although previous students have used this time to catch up with their studies. I suggest you do the same. You’ll be given individualised schedules. And do you know why that is, Mr Hallman?”
Professor Jackson turned and gave Axel a cold and contemptuous smile, a smile so perfectly malicious, it must have taken him years to master it.
Axel was lost for words. Why did the man pick on him? As the seconds ticked on, his cheeks reddened until he knew had to say something; anything at all.
“I don’t know, sir,” he admitted.
Professor Jackson snorted.
“You don’t know.” He shook his head. “Mr Calvo! Leaders refrain from using the words ‘I don’t know’. Do you have any idea why that is the case?”
Federico froze, his lips pressed so hard together they seemed to vanish.
“Because a leader must never show insecurity?” he tried.
“For crying out loud,” the professor groaned. “Is that a question or a statement?”
“A statement, sir!”
“Then why did you make it sound like a question?” He shook his head. “Lesson number two; think like a ruler, not like an idiot. Mr Reed!”
“Yes, sir.”
“Why do you get individualised schedules?”
Edward Reed adjusted his glasses and ran a hand over his trimmed beard. “Because our trainings will differ, sir,” he said with such confidence it almost sounded arrogant.
Professor Jackson held out his hands to his sides, palms towards the ceiling.
“Now that’s embarrassing, isn’t it, Mr Hallman? So easy and you couldn’t figure it out.”
“Yes, sir,” Axel mumbled as he pushed down the anger that was seething within him.
“Every one of you have been chosen with a specific task in mind. By that I mean there are specific problems, threats and challenges in the world that require, or will require, great leaders. Our analysts chose you because they believe you’ll be able to solve these problems. They believe you will make the world a better place.”
At last some good news, Axel thought, still tasting the bitterness of having humiliated himself in front of the class. If all this madness and absurdity led him to do something good in the world, then maybe he could find ways to motivate himself. Too bad Professor Jackson was such an arrogant and loathsome jerk. Of course, what else could one expect? This was the Academy. He glared at the professor who in turn scowled at his students.
“Six months from now, you’ll be assigned a mentor. He or she will prepare you for your intended field. What it is, you won’t know until right before your graduation. If you graduate, that is. Nothing will please me more than to kick you out if I have to. In fact, I’ll take any opportunity I can to do so.” He paused, letting his students reflect on what he’d just said. Seeing their worried faces, he added, “And if you think that’s unfair, let me remind you; we only accept the best of the best. If it turns out you can’t deliver what we expect, then you don’t belong here. It’s that simple. Understood?”
“YES, SIR!”
Professor Jackson nodded to himself. Maybe he was pleased with their answer or perhaps it was just his way of affirming his own words. Either way he decided to move on.
“A year from now, you’ll face what we call ‘The Challenge’. It is part of your final exam where we look for practical evidence that you know how to lead. Well, that sums it up. Any questions?” The twelve stunned faces in front of him remained quiet. No one moved. “Good. At the moment, you’re a sorry-looking bunch, but don’t worry. We’ll transform every one of you from an ordinary bore, to men and women with power. It will be tough, so prepare yourselves for a lot of blood, sweat, and tears.”
The door opened and a woman in her late fifties entered with a small cardboard box in her arms. Professor Jackson eyed the woman as she crossed the room with confidence. She placed the box on the teacher’s desk with a cheerful expression, giving the assistant principal a tiny nod, and he turned back to his class.
“Starting at two o’clock this afternoon, our tailor will be taking your measurements for your new suits. Once you get them, you shall wear them to class unless instructed otherwise.”
Thabo couldn’t hide his surprise.
“They’re giving us a uniform?”
“So it seems,” Axel whispered.
“You’ll find the time for your individual appointments posted on your personal e-calendar. There you’ll also find your schedule, which is updated every hour.” He paused. “Unless there are any other questions, I’ll leave you with Professor Evans.”
Professor Jackson looked around the room and when no one said anything, he turned, nodded to Professor Evans and left the room.
“I have just come to the conclusion that I don’t like the man,” Thabo said in a low voice.
“You’re not alone, mate,” Paul answered from behind. “You’re definitely not alone.”
CHAPTER 28
Professor Evans had a wonderful laugh; warm, honest, and rich.
“You might as well get used to it,” she said, pulling at the bright orange scarf that stood out against her pale face and dark hair. “I know Professor Jackson comes across as rough, but his intentions are well meant. You may not believe it, but by the end of their studies, all our previous students have come to adore the man.”
“She’s right,” Axel whispered, “I find that hard to believe.”
Thabo gave him a quick smile.
“I’m your communications teacher,” Professor Evans continued. “A topic I’ve been engaged in for forty years. I’ve written several books and trained some of the world’s greatest speakers. It’s a fascinating subject, and do you know why? Because a single word can give you more power than any army in the world.” She paused, giving them a moment to consider her words. “Of course, a single word can also destroy you in an instance. It can strip you of your powers, and leave you without followers and a future. So learn how to communicate well and the world is yours.”
Axel watched Professor Evans with curiosity. There was such passion in her eyes it was contagious.
She motioned them to stand up.
“Before we continue, let’s pledge the E.K.A. Leadership Allegiance together.”
Axel got up and placed his right hand over his heart for the second time in under an hour. This is ridiculous, he thought, as he began to mumble the words. At least Professor Evans was better than the sourpuss, Professor Jackson, and her subject seemed interesting.
“How do you perceive a person who uses foul language, slang, and incorrect grammar?” Professor Evans asked, when Axel and his fellow students had taken their seats again.
Edward raised his hand.
/> “Yes, Mr Reed?”
“He or she would come across as being of lower class, less educated, and not of importance.”
“I’d be careful and not use the words ‘not of importance’,” Professor Evans said with a grave expression on her face, “but other than that I agree. What we say, and how we say it, will define how others perceive us. The same goes for what we wear or how we act. For example, why do you think we want you to wear tailored suits and expensive accessories? Because they signal power and sophistication.” The Professor clasped her hands in front of her. “The Academy will perfect your communication skills. We shall examine the way you talk, what words to use and when to use them. Of course, communication isn’t only about words; in fact, about seventy per cent or more of all communication is non-verbal. Great leaders are great communicators, so a large part of your training will focus on reading and mastering non-verbal messages.” She turned and walked over to her desk. “Most people dread speaking in public. Some studies indicate that, as one comedian put it, ‘at a funeral, the average person would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy’.”
The students all laughed and Professor Evans pulled out twelve copies of a book she’d written called Introduction to Communication.
“This book will be our starting point,” she explained, while handing out the books. “We will begin by focusing on body language, micro expressions, and the power of intonation. We will also work on your public-speaking skills. It won’t be easy, but by the time we’re done, you’ll be able to talk a blind man into seeing.”