“Xavier can I steal you for a moment, I do have something I need to speak to you about,” he said nodding his head to the side.
“Of course,” he looked at the three, and pointed to them, “Play nice.”
Xavier walked into the crowd with Pacer, as Lyons turned to talk to the two others left in the group. Instantly feeling the coldness from Dr. Rove, the President’s attractive secretary in her stunning dress, turned on her heel and scurried off without saying a word.
Leaving the two alone, Rachel slipped out of her shielded exterior put up to scare away the beautiful Kay Lyons, and back into the insecure anxious woman she had been previously. Larynx tapped her elbow and whispered into her ear, “I think we need to talk.” She nodded, and followed him through the crowd. He guided her over and into an elevator, which rapidly climbed up to the third floor. Entering the deserted hallway, silently the two of them cut their way away from the lift into the dimly lit corridor. Turning a bend, Larynx pulling Rachel by the hand, they found themselves at a glass door, leading to a sprawling covered deck beyond. Opening the door, Larynx allowed Rachel to walk out first.
Shocked at its beauty, Rachel turned, “How did you know this was here?”
He laughed, “We do a lot of business with the Virtagwalla World Bank, and I’ve been to this building many, many times,” he scoffed walking over to the sidewall, and railing. Overlooking the circle drive of the bank, they watched from above as limousines and cars dropped off the VIPs below.
Breaking the silence Larynx turned to Rachel, “Why haven’t you called me?”
Rachel dropped her head, having asked herself the same question every day since their run in at his office, “I know, I know. It’s been tough trying to figure out what is going on. What this is,” she looked at him, “I mean, I have been faithful to Xavier for 13 years.”
Larynx turned his head in confusion, “Haven’t you been married for more than thirteen years?”
Rachel smiled timidly, looking away from Larynx.
Silence consumed both of them again, and he seized the opportunity. Grabbing her on the shoulders he pushed himself in between her and the wall so that their faces were simply a few inches apart. He pressed himself against her, and held her tight as she peered into his eyes.
“Dr. Rove, you can’t tell me you don’t feel anything,” he challenged provocatively.
Giggling, and flicking her eyes down then back up, “Oh, I surely feel something.”
Rolling his eyes, “I don’t mean that. I mean in here,” he touched her chest, and she went to grab his hand. Holding it there, she slid it down onto her breast. He looked into her eyes, “And up here,” he grabbed her head, “You are a smart woman, with an intellect that rivals even mine. I find that wildly attractive.”
Lifting his hand off her breast, she covered his lips to silence them. She allowed his hand on her head to pull her face forward to kiss him. The first kiss was not as natural as she remembered, but they quickly turned more passionate. The lioness in her chest, she had felt before, returned and her confusion became clarity. As Larynx’s hands began to explore her fit body, she thought about Xavier, and then the way he looked at Kay Lyons, and it only encouraged her more to dig deeper into Larynx. The mystery and the sense of wrong empowered her. Promiscuity excited her more than she could have imagined. Although her conscience, which had been mauled by the lion within her, lay dying, it was still whispering. She felt a pang of resentment towards Xavier, but quickly disregarded it.
The two of them fell to the floor of the patio, and Rachel allowed Larynx to release her inner lioness.
29
The Virtagwalla World Bank was on the very cusp of the financial district in Ponchertrain. Its backyard reared into the front yard of the University of Virtagwalla’s football stadium, which made it extremely convenient for when the guests of the party had to stumble over to the stadium for the game. As was tradition, Rove, as President of Virtagwalla, and the Governor of Hawaii shook hands on the field before the coin was flipped. Drudging their way through the stadium, Private Harvey silently guided Rove up to the VIP box where he found the Prime Minister sitting next to Sylvester Chamberlain talking quietly. US Senator Charles Teasdale slinked through the door as Rove received his beer from the bartender. Opening the bottle, Teasdale’s lanky frame approached him.
“President Rove,” he commented, moving past Xavier towards an open seat on the other side of Chamberlain.
Rove took a seat just a few behind the gaggle of Zhang and Chamberlain. The game was in full roar by this point. While attempted to focus on the game but found his attention just wasn’t sticking. He even briefly wondered where his wife had wondered off to, however that thought quickly past. The chattering voices in front of him however seemed to hold his attention.
Teasdale leaned over, “Zhang, what’s the progress of that light rail project you were telling me about the last time I was here?”
Boastfully, he smiled, “When Larynx originally came to us he had some half baked plan that would never have gotten approved by the Parliament. I suggested to him to go back, come up with a plan and do some research on the environmental impacts his rail would have on the jungle. The Parliament is naive enough that if you show them some charts and figures and tell them all looks good, they’ll go for it,” he laughed again. Suddenly something positive happened on the field, and Zhang jumped up cheering, “Sorry Charles, I have to support my Dragons.”
Teasdale rolled his eyes, “So they approved it?”
“Oh yes, yes they did,” Zhang said leaning over, clearly not noticing that Rove was overhearing everything, “I’ve got to tell you, Jacqueline almost got in our way and suggest that this would not be a good idea for the island right now but I took care of that. The Larynx Light Rail Corporation was given the green light to begin construction on their light rail as soon as they wish.”
Chamberlain heaved to life, “Oh, Artimus, explicate to Charles what you elucidated to me about our recent employment apprehension.”
Nodding his head, “So Charles, as I am sure Hawaii is facing, Virtagwalla has recently run into a slump in hiring, and an uptick in firings. Creeping unemployment does nothing good for an economy. So, the Parliament and I came up with a great idea. In order for Larynx to have the right to build in the jungle and up into the mounts, we made a stipulation. He may only have a limited frame of time to do so in. We are going to mandate that he finish the entire rail in half the time he had originally estimated he would complete it.”
“Haste makes sense in this situation, in order to get the line done,” Teasdale said completely ignoring the game.
The crowd went wild, as Rove’s stomach continued to rumble listening the unfolding conversation. Zhang smiled, “Oh it will not get done in half the time. I will make sure of that myself.”
Teasdale’s grimace turned over, “I am not following you Artimus.”
“As soon as I can get the Parliament to act, we are going to tell him he has less time to build the track. This will force Larynx and his engineers to hire more laborers in order to move the project along faster – quailing some of our recent concern for the rise in unemployment. Then once he has assembled the work force, we are going to begin imposing obstacles that will prolong the building process. The longer it takes them to build the rail the longer the jobs are in place.”
“What about the financial burden on the company?” Teasdale asked curiously.
“Oh the Larynx Light Rail Corporation is massive and can easily shoulder this burden. They are rolling in the cash down there,” Zhang laughed, cheering again at the end briefly because of a completed pass, “Plus it’s their social obligation to the community of Ponchertrain. Average everyday people spend their hard earned money on those light rails, and in turn, LLR has an obligation to the people to help them when times get challenging.”
“I concur. LLR, grasps amid themselves, a unique compulsion to the populace of our homeland to bare employment even if they mustn�
�t. Sacrifices, we have each made, and now it is their time to do the equivalent,” Chamberlain argued.
Teasdale nodded his head, “Plus the government can tax them, which would surely help you with your revenue issues.”
Zhang smiled, “Exactly. With any hope we can lengthen the LLR project to three or four times it projection to keep people employed, taxes getting paid, and them off of welfare. All the while Larynx is getting what he wants. It’s a win, win,” he hung his head, and shouted at the referee down below, “REF, I control your pay, you better begin making better calls!”
Rove had heard enough. He was disgusted by what he was listening to. Standing up frustrated, the three in front of him only then realizing he had been behind them and could overhear everything they had been saying, Xavier grabbed his beer, and headed for the door. Zhang stood up and growled at Rove to come back, but Xavier pushed through and out the door. Private Harvey had jumped up from his chair, and ran to catch up to Rove.
Cutting across the grassy park separating the stadium and the Virtagwalla World Bank building, Xavier, still frustrated, ran into Larynx and Rachel walking together towards them.
“Where have you been? You’ve missed the almost the entire game,” Xavier remarked as his wife met back up with them, as she was bidding Larynx a farewell.
“See you Thursday,” she said yelling to him. Turning to her husband, “I’m sorry Xavier, what were you saying?”
Confused by her aloofness, “You missed nearly the entire game, where have you been?”
Grabbing his arm, and walking forward, “You know I don’t like football Xavier. Regardless, there was a situation with the rail project thing that Eric wanted me to look at.”
“Eric?” Xavier noticed.
“Yes, we are professionals, and I am working for him now as his chief environmental engineer consultant. I figured I could use some more practical experience for the classroom, and it would keep me a little busier.”
“Gotcha,” Xavier conceded, although he somewhat desired to push forward with the conversation.
They reached the front of the bank, where Private Harvey had pulled up the car and was waiting for the Roves. Just as Rove was climbing into the massive black SUV he noticed the rotund stature of Chamberlain speaking with Artimus Zhang with a look of panic and worry on his face. He felt a sense of tension growing in his neck, imaging only what they could be conspiring now.
30
Kay Lyons was hired and started as the secretary and chief administrative assistant to President Rove on Xavier’s 39th birthday. Hampton Ray had worked through an exhaustive list of individuals recommended to him from all across the island when he stumbled upon Kay, quite literally, at the Street Bean coffee shop. At the time she was attending the University majoring in modern dance, when she accidently spilled her coffee all over the sharply dressed man. Ray began a conversation with the stunningly attractive young lady as they worked together to soak up the spilled coffee with napkins. After hearing enough, he grabbed his coffee and walked out of the shop. Realizing he was walking away from his perfect hire, he dashed back and offered her the position. While taking classes in the evening to finish her degree, she took up the post as Xavier’s chief Administrative Assistant. She was responsible for roughly twenty-five different people that ranged from the President himself, to the President’s event planner, to his chefs, all the way down to college and graduate interns. Although her job wasn’t fabulous, she enjoyed being involved in much of the process.
Her Virtagwallan born parents raised Kay in Sydney, Australia. Having visited the island multiple times as a child to spend time with her cousins and grandparents, she knew instantly where she wanted to go to college when it came time. When this strange, yet attractive man, offered her an amazing opportunity to work with the President of the island nation, she originally thought he was loony. But after receiving his card, and being invited to meet with Xavier Rove himself, she was sold. Starting on a Wednesday, she was ill informed upon arrival that it was the President’s birthday. Feeling horrible for not having anything prepared, she called a couple of her sorority sisters from school and convinced them to bring a massive cake, balloons, and party features to the tower. Rove was impressed, but Ray expressed his concern for such childish things. Later, Rove wrote Lyons a special note thanking her for not only the cake and festivities but for aggravating Hampton Ray – one of his favorite pastimes.
It had been a year since arriving at her post, and she had loved every moment of it. She had the opportunity to rub elbows with the most powerful people in her world, and to watch from the sidelines as deals were brokered and agreements settled. Xavier Rove, merely a name to her a year before, had quickly become a role model she admired immensely, and her friendship with Hampton Ray surprised both of them, with how close and trusting of each other they had become. Being far more prepared for her one-year, and Rove’s 40th birthday, she had planned a lunch in the largest conference room on their floor, bringing in sweets, food, and decorations. She had made plenty of preparations for the big day, and was very excited.
Rove, who finally arrived at the office, was clearly not feeling well, which instantly depressed Kay since she had put so much time into planning the event. Bearing through it, Rove smiled pleasantly as she welcomed him in the morning with a special doughnut, and fine cup of coffee, already poured and on his desk. His morning had been packed with local officials and citizens inquiring about mounting concerns of financial and social hardship. The Parliament had just passed sweeping legislation limiting the amount of funds contributed the social safety net, lowering payments on social security and unemployment. These actions were taken to keep their budget within the constitutionally mandated “balanced budgeted clause”: the clause that made it illegal for the government to run a deficit larger than half the nation’s GDP. The minister’s realized if they wish to keep to this half century old rule they would need to implement some initial rules of spending austerity. Since then the people’s view of the government was pummeled by critical talking heads on the television and over publicized protestors. Around nine am, a miniature herd of protestors arrived at Capital Tower from Villaggio, chanting and dissenting against the actions of the government. Kay Lyons, never quite having the taste or stomach for politics, found it interesting the way people were reacting to the negative news.
However, Rove, watching all of the unfolding events from his high-perched office, could be seen physically wearing the stress. It was for that reason Kay Lyons went out of her way to prepare a great birthday feast. Hampton Ray had opened time in the President’s schedule such that Xavier could have a fine meal, stress free and with a few of his closest friends. His wife had declined the invitation telling Kay sassily that she, unlike Xavier, had a job she couldn’t simply get out of for trivial celebrations. Rove, Lyons, Ray, and Harvey sat happily munching on the feast.
“I’ve got to give it to you Kay, you have really out done yourself this year,” Rove observed snacking on a cookie, “I mean I miss the sorority girls from last year, they brought with them a certain youth I think our office is surely lacking now that I am over the hill.”
Laughing Kay got up to begin cleaning up, “Well Mr. President you deserve it. It’s been stressful around here recently, so I thought a pain-free lunch was definitely in order. “
Hampton Ray’s cell phone began buzzing, as Rove commented, “Turn that thing off, we still have twenty minutes of peace and quiet around here.”
Standing up, Ray’s face had a look of panic, “Mr. President, something’s come up, we need to go.”
Taking a deep breath, clearly not happy with Ray’s last comment, “Hampton, the world better be ending, or someone better be getting shot. If not, we will attend to it later - sit down and finish you food.”
Hampton grabbed his jacket, “It’s Jacqueline Sensado - the Parliament just opened a special session and moved to Seal Parliament.”
“So, we are the Executive Branch, thus… we need no
t worry about the actions of the Parliament,” Rove rolled his eyes, clearly not as excited as Ray.
“Mr. President, they opened a special session because the Chancellor from the University of Virtagwalla has approached Parliament, claiming the University is teetering on insolvency. And they sealed it, meaning we will never know what’s actually happening if we don’t get access to it.”
Sighing loudly, “What the hell?” slamming his napkin onto the table “I cannot enjoy one pleasant lunch without someone getting killed, or some other business collapsing on this god forsaken island,” he stood up, “Are they in the Grand Hall of the Parliament downstairs?”
“Yes, they are about to seal the doors, I have asked Sensado to keep them open a little longer,” he said pushing his chair in, checking his blackberry, “She says, although they usually lock it, she has organized to have the observation deck’s door unlocked. Nonetheless we wouldn’t be able to have a say anyways. You know the Parliament and their attitudes toward the President dealing with their matters – we would never be approved to enter it legally.”
“Yet its my approval rating that feels its effects,” he said pushing his way out of the room. Noticing the saddened look on Kay’s face, he reversed, grabbed her, and gave her a hug, thanking her for her hard work. “You should come with us. I have a feeling this is going to be interesting.”
Having never been asked to attend anything before, she agreed and dashed to grab a note pad. Bursting out of the conference room, Harvey was to his feet and already on the move. He asked the two men where they were headed, and Ray said sharply, “To the Grand hall. We’re not leaving the building so you don’t have to worry.”
utopia unraveling (The Virtagwala Series Book 1) Page 17