The professor squinted at Indie. “Are you aware that Emma Goldman advocated anarchy?”
“Yes,” Indie pointed a finger at the professor, “She also said, ‘Anarchism, then, really stands for the liberation of the human mind from the domination of religion, the liberation of the human body from the shackles and restraints of government.’”
“Are you advocating that we should’ve let the bubonic plague…”
Indie raised her voice. “Are you aware of the historical foundations of your country? A Senator from George Washington’s time was expelled from the Senate for trying to aid the British takeover of Western Florida.”
Professor Knight glanced helplessly at Amanda, seeking direction.
Amanda spoke out. “It’s clear that Indie wishes to speak. Since Professor Knight has had her opportunity, we’ll let Indie have a turn now.”
Indie smiled at Amanda, and then stood up. “Thank you, Amanda. Let history show that to have a powerful government is to have great shame. In Thomas Jefferson’s time, Aaron Burr used his post of vice president to attempt seizure of most of the Louisiana Purchase to establish his own country. He was arrested for treason.”
“But he was acquitted,” Professor Knight said with a sly smile.
“Right,” Indie said, delighted. “Not only that, but the Governor of the Upper Louisiana Purchase, who was appointed by President Jefferson himself, conspired with Spain to get Kentucky to secede from the Union.”
“What’s your point?” asked an exasperated Knight.
“Then, in 1862, Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary of War resigned due to corruption charges. In 1876, another Secretary of War, under President Grant, resigned just before he was about to be impeached by the House of Representatives on the grounds of bribery.”
Professor Knight stood up. “You want to discuss scandals? Let us then discuss corporate scandals as well.”
The two debaters then started talking on top of each other.
Amanda intervened, spellbound by the passion of the debate. “Professor Knight has the floor now.”
“You go back to the late 1800’s, Indie. I’ll be more recent and brief. We all know the Enron scandal, committed by private businessmen, none of which were agents of government.”
The four wizards all vocalized, but refrained from saying anything.
“Enron was the second largest bankruptcy of its time, which was an astounding $63.4 billion meltdown of capital. Enron had orchestrated a series of duplicitous paper-shuffling transactions with off-balance sheet entities that weren’t real. Several corporate executives, including the chairman, were convicted for widespread fraud. Then, we have WorldCom, a bankruptcy even bigger then Enron, at $107 billion. WorldCom also committed fraudulent accounting practices and eventually paid a civil fine of $2.5 billion.”
She paused, attempting to recollect more. “On the environmental side, we have Union Carbide, which was a chemical manufacturing company. It became infamous for an industrial disaster in Bhopal, India, exposing half a million people to methyl isocyanate gas because of a leak from one of its pesticide plants. Several executives were convicted on criminal charges. Then, we have the British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which was at the time the largest marine oil spill in history.
“I could go on and on. But the fact is, popular opinion in the countries of North America would say that you four are very right-wing.”
Regi finally spoke. “We don’t live by labels, Professor Knight. We only are interested in what advances civilization.”
“Nonetheless,” the professor asserted, “you have to live with your reputation. I can tell you that people see you as extremely libertarian.”
Regi said enthusiastically, “We’re very proud to be libertarians. After all, our name’s the Liberators. We stand up for the individual. We stand for freedom. We stand for progress.”
Amanda quickly glanced at the timer. She said, “All right, this debate is very fascinating. But we need to take a fifteen minute break. We’ll continue afterwards, and hopefully get to the second motion, ‘Be it resolved that that no man shall be forced to pay for the burden of another man.’ I look forward to more of this – excitement.”
Damn it, Amanda thought to herself. I so badly want to be in the debates, too.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
One year, four months post-Liberation
Regi briefed Amanda on the first anniversary update of the bitcoin project. According to Regi, as borne out by the statistical reports, productivity had increased by an astounding thirty-four percent in one year – the biggest jump in statistical history. This was in large measure due to the transparency of the bitcoin economy, which recorded exactly all the value traded by hundreds of millions of people, from Panama to the Arctic. Indeed, by pooling the data from North America with that from the rest of the world, the Liberators had single-handedly developed the world’s most powerful forecasting tool.
“Okay, Regi.” Amanda turned to him, smiling. “Remember we had discussed simulation exercises?”
“Want to do it now?” Regi’s eyes conveyed warmth and boyishness. Amanda felt attracted to him, but she had to remember the purpose – to extract as much information as possible from the wizards about their world. She had a sense Regi was smitten with her, but unlike Demus, he was very protective about it. She had to step carefully. Obtain as many secrets as she could, without triggering suspicion. She didn’t want to lose her job as Supreme Liaison.
“And,” Amanda said, “We agree we’ll keep it quiet for now?”
“Seeing that Demus got into trouble for showing you his past,” Regi agreed, “I think we’d better.”
And, Amanda thought, they don’t even know I’ve been to Emerana, their fortress. I need to be real careful not to blurt it out.
“Shall we proceed?” Amanda asked, holding Regi’s hand.
In an instant, they were hovering above the clouds. Where, exactly over the continent, Amanda didn’t know. And she didn’t care. She walked out above the clouds, fully trusting Regi – and any wizard – to take into account her expectation that she could walk as she wished, without falling to the ground below.
“What game did you want to train for, Amanda?” Regi asked with a grin.
She tried to think. “To be honest, I’m not sure. I don’t know all your games. What do you suggest?”
Regi playfully looked at her. “In your generation, don’t you have these video games, which are awfully popular? We could base a game on that.”
Amanda frowned. “I’m a bit old fashioned. I remember near the campus, we had this classic arcade that was real cheap. It only charged about ten dollars for half an hour of play on whatever you want. No coins needed.”
“Probably runs on bitcoins now,” Regi said, laughing.
“Yeah. So I liked that. Plus, the games were so old, like pinball machines. Nothing beats the feeling of the buttons on the side, and pushing the flippers.”
“Pinball?” Regi asked. “I miss that so much! We had them in Moose Jaw too.”
“I’ll show you,” Amanda said, chuckling. “You could even cheat and shake the machine. To help move a ball in a certain direction. As long as you avoided the tilt warning.”
“That’s cool.”
“Umm, and other video games I loved, like Ms. Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Tetris.”
“Yes – I know of these! Which one was your favorite?”
Amanda thought it over. “I’d have to say Tetris. I remember playing it for hours and hours, when I was supposed to be studying in college, and I kept wasting all that study time on my smartphone, playing Tetris. I got really good at it, too.”
Regi glowed. “Okay, Amanda, you want Tetris, you got it.” He stepped back and conjured up his magic. Immediately, a sunken floor, that looked like huge black marble tiles bordered by white grout, appeared in front of them. Amanda counted carefully; the grid was ten huge tiles by ten, all in the shapes of perfect squares.
“3-D Tet
ris,” Regi said proudly.
Amanda’s eyes widened. “You mean – instead of a flat screen, we have 3-D figures?”
“Yup. I’ll make the shapes come out one by one. You use your hands to twist and rotate them around. It’s just like playing Tetris on a screen. Except this is far more difficult. You now have to think 3-D!”
Amanda marveled at the concept. “That sounds so hard.”
“It is. Are you ready?”
“But I’m not a wizard.”
“You don’t need to be. I’ll set up the shapes to conform to your arm and hand movements, as if you’re right in the grid. You’ll get the hang of it.”
“Wow, cool.”
“Time to practice some very basic maneuvers,” Regi said, releasing his fist.
As if descending from the heavens, a solid L-shaped mass of four dark blue cubes slowly inched down, still far from the landing point – the ten by ten grid. “Use your arms!” Regi cried out.
Amanda, dazed, froze for a moment. Watching the object make its slow but steady descent to the grid, she intensely studied its orientation. The short end was at an angle upward. To maximize the plane of contact with the flat surface – the objective of every Tetris game – she’d be best to lay the longest surface of the object flush against the grid. Thinking ahead consciously, she raised one hand into the air, imagining she was going to grab a corner of the ‘elbow’ end and bring it to a more horizontal plane. Success! She placed her hands on her hips in satisfaction.
“Don’t get too comfortable, Amanda,” Regi said approvingly, “Here comes another one.”
Her eyes darted upward. Now, a yellow Z-shaped piece was falling from the sky, slowly but perceptibly. Accomplishing much more skilled poise, Amanda successfully laid it to rest in the desired location.
And so on it went. Knowing that she had to touch all one hundred squares of the grid in order for the entire set-up to “eliminate” the layer directly resting on the floor, Amanda furiously plotted ahead. Eventually, though, too many shapes had piled up, and she failed to eliminate even one layer yet. She was mentally exhausted. Yet, all this time, she noticed Regi looking at her, not at the descending objects. Moreover, he was dreamily observing her, far off in his thoughts.
Regi laughed as the game ended without a resolution. “Hard enough for you?”
“Yes. This is so different.”
“You like it?”
“It’s awesome. Out of this world.”
He nodded, pleased with his invention.
Amanda’s mind reverted to her mission. She put on a smile, and said, “Regi, can I ask some questions?
“Sure. Anytime.”
“Why do wizards like games so much?”
Regi thought out his answer. “It’s ingrained in our culture. It’s part of The Awakening.”
“The what?”
“The Awakening. It’s considered a vital part of our identity. It’s the moment when we realize, although we’ve all been born as wizards, we truly realize who we are.”
Amanda mentally filed away that information. The Awakening. Remember that.
“So you’re all born as wizards?”
“Yes.”
“Here within the human population? The Mortals?”
Regi appeared reflective, rubbing his chin. “Yes. All wizards are born to human parents.”
Amanda became excited and curious at the same time. “No wizard parents?”
Regi glanced around. “I’m not sure I should be telling you. No Mortal has ever found out about our way of life.”
Amanda was practically bouncing on her toes. “Come on, Regi, you can trust me. I’ve been with the Liberators for one year. I know how to keep secrets.”
Regi sighed. “All right. Wizards, as you said, are born to human parents. That’s the tragedy –”
Tragedy? Amanda wondered.
“– that when they’re born, wizards do not know of their powers. They find out on their own.”
Amanda was intrigued. “You mean they start doing tricks?”
“Yes. Although some don’t realize their powers until their teens.”
Amanda spoke in a whisper. “Do the parents know?”
“Most of them, yes.”
“Then how?”
Regi sighed. “By large, wizards feel alienated from their families. They used to be the same, or so that’s what their families thought. All of a sudden, they’re very different. And they’re powerful. People are very afraid of that power.”
“Oh boy,” Amanda said with a sigh.
“Yes. Wizards then become outcasts. There are a few families who have accepted wizards as their children, or later in life, as their teenage children. But I would say –” Regi appeared sad. “– that most don’t.”
“What about you? What about your family?” Amanda almost dared herself not to ask. She dreaded the answer.
Regi appeared forlorn. “I didn’t find out until my teens. Luckily, I was walking out in the fields with my rifle all by myself, and I saw a prairie dog. I wanted to examine it more closely, and for fun, I pretended I could zap it into the air.” His face brightened. “Imagine my surprise, when I found out that I lifted it ten feet into the air!”
“Oh, my gosh.”
Regi laughed. “I had it zip over to within one foot of my face! Its eyes showed it was in shock. It kept looking at me, then away from me, trying to find an escape. I eventually let it go.”
“Did you tell your parents that day?” Amanda was breathless.
“Of course not. I kept it a very closely guarded secret.”
Amanda immediately thought of Regi’s fame. Surely his family must know now. “Didn’t you ever tell your family?”
“Well, by that point I discovered the wizards. And I knew there was no point in going to college, no point in remaining with the Mortals.”
“You could leave behind your family? Just like that? And the people you’ve known all your life? And your friends?” Amanda was a little angry that Regi seemed to think little of his past life with the Mortals.
“You don’t understand, Amanda,” Regi said. He exhaled deeply. “When you become a wizard, it’s like you’ve lost your human soul, and you’re a new person. For life.” He looked down. “So I told my family I was a wizard, and I wished them well, and that I loved them, but there was no point in me staying. I quit high school.”
“What grade?”
“Grade 11. About halfway. Of course, I told my family and friends I’d be in contact. I’ve seen them a few times since then.”
Her heart beat faster. “What was your name before you became a wizard?”
Regi frowned. Amanda could tell he was deliberating whether to answer or not. Finally, he sighed. “My name as a kid was Joel. Joel Lafrèniere.”
Amanda was thrilled she’d extracted that bit of information. “It sounds French.”
“It is. I’m actually descended from the Métis.”
“Is that a family of wizards?”
Regi laughed at her ignorance. “No. It’s a recognized cultural group of the offspring of First Nations natives and the European settlers from hundreds of years ago. That’s partly why my name is French. Some settled in Saskatchewan.”
Amanda opened her eyes wider. “Fascinating. How did you get the name Regi?”
“The wizards pick your name. You don’t get to pick your own name. Same as among humans.”
“So,” Amanda thought ahead, “during the awakening, whatever you call it, when you pass, you have some sort of ceremony to celebrate that you’re a new wizard and then you’re told your new name?”
“You got it.”
She hesitated, but decided to be bold. “What about Demus?”
He swiftly turned to her. “Demus?”
“What’s his real name?”
Regi appeared troubled. “You promise not to tell anyone?”
Amanda held one hand over her heart. “Promise.” Her adrenalin was now completely out of control.
; Speaking in a hushed tone, he said, “Angus Tucker.”
Amanda had to laugh. “Angus Tucker? That doesn’t sound like Demus, at all.”
Regi gave a thin smile. “No, it doesn’t. But that’s the name he was born under.”
Amanda scrambled to process all that information. She had hundreds of questions. “How did you discover the other wizards?”
He held open his arms. “Here.”
She looked around, gazing at the wispy clouds. “In the sky?”
“Yes. Once you discover you’re a wizard, you long to transcend. It’s a natural instinct that all wizards have. You know, when I was a kid, I’d dream of flying in the clouds.” He chuckled. “I’ve heard the same stories from all the other wizards. You can ask Demus. You can ask Justica. They’ll all say they had visions like these when they were young.”
“So –”
“So the first time I flew up here, I saw two other wizards. I’ll never forget them. They hugged me and introduced themselves. They said I was a wizard and told me to prepare for The Awakening.”
“How does that work?”
“I can’t tell you where they go, but they basically test you with games and stuff. If you’re not ready, they train you some more. After you accomplish the levels required, they declare you a wizard.”
Amanda immediately thought of Emerana. Regi had decided to omit any mention of it. Her pulse raced. “So that’s why games are so important to wizards.”
“That, plus we continue them all the time. We have so much magic, and we don’t have to slave away in menial tasks like humans do.” Regi wrinkled his nose. “Laundry, data entry, and driving… what a waste of time!” He brightened. “So to excite ourselves, and to prove our skills, we hold competitions all the time. The only limit’s our imagination.”
“Incredible,” Amanda said, finally letting out the breath it seemed like she was holding. She pondered some more. “You’ve said wizards are born as wizards and they don’t know it until they perform magic. They’re born to human families. What I don’t understand Regi, is how can they be born to humans? And how come wizards don’t marry each other and have wizard children?”
The Four Kings Page 17