Will exchanged a wild look of surprise with Lois, Emily and Finley.
“We believe this indicates that the younger Vacuous are less able to control their murderous urges, making them easier to identify,” Alfie continued. “The Captains of the other spacecrafts have also been informed of everything we know so far, and we will be taking a number of steps to ensure the safety of their citizens. Our priority is to maintain the integrity of humanity’s mission to Novum and to ensure our safe passage to the planet remains guaranteed.
“Unfortunately, before Allance could be stopped he claimed the life of one victim, whose body was retrieved from the lake at The Space Academy about a week ago. I can now reveal the identity of this victim as Mr. Jarvis Holt, a dear friend of mine and the CEO of the Interactive-Tech company. Mr. Holt was an incredibly intelligent man and a deeply valued passenger on the Mayfly. His death comes as a severe blow to both his friends and family and to the innovation of our future technology. A memorial will be held for him in the Commiserations Hall next Monday to celebrate his life’s achievements and to give his body a safe and dignified send-off.
“For those who are wondering what Allance’s motives were for Mr Holt’s murder, I can inform you that an extensive search of his office revealed plans to gain access to some experimental technology I-Tech had been developing. He intended to use the technology on the children at the school, essentially turning them into robots he could use to take over the Mayfly. He knew the higher officials on board would not shoot at their own children and had he not been discovered, his plan may well have been unstoppable.”
A gasp of horror rang around the lobby as parents clasped their children tightly.
“It is thought that he lured Mr. Holt to the school with the objective of offering him a significant amount of credits taken from the school budget in exchange for use of the technology. When Mr. Holt refused, he was murdered. It is therefore paramount that Jarvis is remembered as the hero that he truly was, protecting that which we find most precious even at the cost of his own life.
“Now, despite the dark circumstances that have surrounded the school this year, the board of Governors and I have decided that The Academy should remain open and that term will resume as normal in September. We feel it would be unjust to allow the actions of one twisted individual to ruin the chance the more- abled children to experience the excellent education the school provides. I have appointed Miss. Fortem as Headmistress, a position which she will formally accept following a thorough check on her person, and have set up regular inspections at the school to guarantee its pupil’s safety in the future.
“Continuing on a positive note, it is now that I would like to give a special thanks to my daughter, Lois Sommers and her friends, William James, Emilia Pannell and Finley Campbell. In case you were not aware, it was these four students who unravelled Allance’s true identity, and it was only through their bravery and initiative that he was stopped before he could put his terrible plan into action. It is remarkable that these young teenagers could face down such an incredible adversary and win at their tender age. More impressive than this is that they all managed to pass their academic year, with Mr. Campbell achieving one of the highest grades in the entire year group. As special congratulations and as a show of our gratitude, I have decided to elevate the Campbell family to Floor Two, offering Finley’s father the prestigious position of Governor of Maintenance.”
Will looked over with jubilance at Finley, who was staring open-mouthed at the screen, unable to believe what he was hearing. His mother and father were crying with happiness, while his younger sister shrieked and hugged her stunned older siblings.
“I conclude my address today by making a promise to you all that we will go above and beyond to ensure the safety of every innocent passenger aboard this ship. Any and all Vacuous found hiding amongst our population will be punished with the severest consequences and we will not rest until we are certain they have all been discovered. In the meantime, I urge my citizens to be vigilant, and to immediately report anything suspicious to a member of Security, no matter how small it may seem. We are only powerful when we work together. Thank you for your time.”
The screen turned to black and the lobby erupted into a roar of loud discussion about the announcement. Passers-by stopped on their way towards the lifts to point and stare at Will and his friends, causing a number of Guards to rush over and form a wall around them, urging the spectators to move on. The four of them converged into a huddle, congratulating a shell-shocked Finley on his promising new status.
“I don’t feel like I deserve it,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “Lois, please thank your father for me. I don’t know how I can ever repay him.”
“You don’t need to repay him, you earnt it!” Lois replied. “You’re the one who went to see Allance and worked the whole thing out.”
“Well, only because he basically told me he was an alien. If you hadn’t all showed up, I’d be dead. Besides, Will’s really the one who stopped him,” Finley blushed.
“Me? No way!” Will argued. “All I did was chase him through Space and shout at him a bit. I wouldn’t have been able to do anything without all your help, especially Emily fixing that radio.”
“It wasn’t that hard,” Emily said bashfully, though she looked extremely pleased to have been complimented.
“You all did brilliantly,” Lois told them sincerely. “Who knows what would have happened if Allance wasn’t stopped.”
“You were brilliant too, Lois,” Finley reminded her. “Streaming Allance’s confession to your dad was a fantastic idea.”
“We make a good team,” Will concluded and the four of them smiled warmly at each other, lost in a moment of silent comradery.
“I can’t believe Holt is dead…” Emily said, turning the tone of the conversation sour.
“I know,” Lois said forlornly. “He was such a kind man.”
The four of them bowed their heads as they reflected on the hideous crime Allance had committed.
“Do you think I’ll still get my work experience at I-Tech?” Emily wondered.
“Emily!” Will scolded her.
“What?” she replied indignantly. “I was just asking…”
“We’ll still see each other over the holidays, wont we?” Lois implored. “No matter what happens?”
“Of course,” Finley beamed.
“Promise?” Lois pressed them.
“Promise,” they all agreed in unison.
“Now Finley,” Will said, placing an arm around his shoulders. “Let’s go and have a look at your new apartment. I have to tell you though, if it’s nicer than mine I’ll have no choice but to hate you for the rest of my life.”
“I understand,” Finley laughed and the four of them walked off together, united in a bond they felt absolutely certain would last forever.
****
The Split Page 24