The Cimalian Princess: Rebellion
by AJ Marks
Part 22
“You wanted to see me?” Dave asked entering the room.
Greg motioned for him to have a seat watching as he closed the door and sat down. Greg needed to know about the situation of the other groups and if they could help or not.
“I need you to contact the lower resistance groups again. If the Alpha resistance group moves we’ll need the help of the lower groups to do all of this,” Greg said to him.
“So, you think they are going to help?” Dave asked.
“I don’t know, but they are considering it at the moment. If we move quickly it might help, especially considering the Emperor doesn’t know how widespread we are, only about the lower resistance cells. He doesn’t know much about the upper class one,” Greg said to him. “What about the Beta class resistance?”
“I wouldn’t trust them too much,” Dave replied back honestly. “I avoid talking to them too much, as a result I don’t’ know where they stand in this struggle. They might see the alphas as something which stands in their way.”
“Yeah, that’s about what I thought, stupid ideologies,” Greg replied back. The betas wanted to be alphas and he had a feeling that group wouldn’t settle for anything less. He hoped they might be persuaded but heeded Dave’s words. If they ran to the Emperor everything was over before it even began.
“Go and speak with Carl again, once that’s done I should have an answer,” Greg said to him.
Dave nodded and headed back out of the room, both of them hoping they knew what Greg was doing as the stakes were very high.
*****
Ewa glanced up at the buzz of the intercom wanting to rip it off the wall and throw it across the room. She didn’t want to even answer it, but another part of her hoped it was from the resistance, someone she could pound on. No one had stopped her when she left.
“What?” she said listening in for the reply.
“It’s Dave, need to see Carl,” the man relied back to her.
Ewa almost told him to leave and never come back, recalling who Dave was. The man wasn’t part of the resistance, but a group actually trying to do something. It was that difference why she buzzed him in, waiting a few moments until he knocked on the door. She allowed him in and watched as he looked around as she closed the door before looking at her.
“Did I come at a bad time,” he asked.
“You might say that,” Ewa said as recent events came to her. “They killed him, those bastards killed him!”
She sank down into the chair never realizing tears were flowing down her cheeks. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up into sympathetic eyes.
“What happened?” Dave asked.
Ewa quickly gave him an abbreviated version of what happened before waiting for him to say something. She had a hard time believing everything which happened.
”So, we can’t expect help from here either, great,” Dave said sinking into a chair as well. “Greg was so hopeful that the lower resistance groups would help out if the alphas rebelled.”
Ewa glanced up at the statement unsure what he meant.
“The alphas and betas both have resistance groups of their own, as do the Deltas,” Dave said to her. “The gammas and epsilons are the only group that joined together. Seems like it we can’t trust them, and you probably can’t stay here.”
“And where do I go,” Ewa said, looking around her small room.
Dave seemed to consider that for several seconds before replying. “Come on, follow me, I think I can find you a place for a bit.”
Ewa considered if, but knew staying where she was meant even greater danger. She felt sure the resistance would try something, or report her to the enforcers. Heading out they left the apartment complex and ran right into Frank.
She felt a hot white anger rush over her and managed to not beat the man senseless knowing that would only attract attention to them, something she didn’t want at the moment. She watched as he approached her seeing Dave tense slightly.
“Frank don’t come near me if you value your life,” Ewa growled as he stopped in front of her feeling Dave stand beside her.
“Ewa, I-“
“Don’t, you knew what type of people they were, you worked for them, did their dirty deeds. I suggest you stay away from me,” Ewa said cutting Frank off before he could say anything to her. Her anger brewing under the surface.
“Carl was my friend too,” Frank said.
Ewa acted without thought, slapping Frank, watching as his snapped to the left with the force of the hit.
“He was my husband,” she said in an angry whisper.
“Guess I deserved that,” Frank replied rubbing his cheek which started to sport a red handprint on it. “Look, you and Carl left us in chaos, we had no choice in the matter.”
“No choice, perhaps you could have listened and acted instead of working with the Emperor,” Dave said speaking up.
Ewa noticed Frank look over Dave for seconds before answering.
“Great, a beta coming to give us advice. Go back to whatever hole you crawled out of you overblown inflated ego,” Frank snorted.
“I’ll be glad to get out of this stench, but I’m escorting Ewa out of here,” Dave replied.
“She can’t go anywhere, the resistance wants another word with her,” Frank snarled.
“I refuse to go back to those traitors,” Ewa said moving around Frank to continue down the sidewalk. “You go back to them and tell them I’m going to try and improve all of our lives by doing something, not imagining it.”
“Then you’re against us, so be it Ewa, but you were warned,” Frank said to her.
“If I were you I’d seriously consider which side you are on,” Dave said.
“At least I won’t be a lapdog for a beta or alpha,” Frank said.
“You already are,” Dave replied as Ewa continued on down the sidewalk. They each said something else but she was too far away to hear now. Dave joined her a few seconds later.
*****
Greg slammed his fist down on the desk, his face red with rage over the answer Terry gave him.
“They pick a poor time to hold a grudge, piss poor time in face,” Greg growled looking at Terry.
”Too many don’t believe you. Many think you’re still, as one put it, a bit wacked out,” Terry replied back to him.
“Our one chance to actually change things and they suddenly decide now is the time to hold that grudge,” Greg said shaking his head sadly, wondering what else could go wrong.
“They fear change,” Terry said.
That caused Greg to chuckle. “Change? Change is coming whether they are on board or not.”
“You really think so?” Terry asked.
“Yes, but if we fail then the change will be for the worse, not better. Imagine what Emperor Henry will do if he wins,” Greg said. “The last big revolt brought about punishments and the elecro-whip, I shudder to think what might come next.”
“All or nothing.”
“So it would seem, and we have nothing to being to the table to help because they are scared or holding a grudge against me,” Greg said in disgust.
“I know a few who are willing to help, nothing official mind you,” Terry finally said after several seconds of silence.
“Any help would be welcome at the moment,” Greg replied.
“There are some in the group who don’t know you and think this is the perfect plan to pursue,” Terry said.
Greg considered this when there was a knock at the study door by Liam. Greg looked over at Terry before back at the door. “Enter.”
His tall servant entered the room followed by Dave and a woman. Greg waited as Liam gave a slight bow and left the room closing the door. Greg looked at Dave hoping for some sort of explanation of what was going on.
“This is Ewa, Carl’s wife and there’s a big problem,” Dave said introducing the woman.
Greg sat calmly listening as Dave and Ewa explained what had happened. Ewa appeared emotional at what happened to Carl and his death but the worse news was the fact the lower resistance appeared to have fallen apart. It made things look bleaker than they appeared only a few minutes before.
“Seems like we’re losing allies rather quickly,” Terry said to them.
“All we have to do is get Meia into position, she can do the rest,” Ewa replied.
“You really believe her story?” Terry asked.
“Yes, I had a friend who knew her mother. She died believing in Meia, I trusted her so I’ll trust Meia. She’s the only one lately who seems to be telling the truth at all, she’s the only one I have left to believe in,” Ewa said quietly.
Greg heard the sorry in Ewa’s voice along with the conviction that he understood at the moment as well. Ewa was a friend of Meia’s mother, he was a friend of her father, perhaps fate was tossing them together.
Of course no he had another problem, as he had almost no one to help out Meia. He hoped at least one of the groups might come together over this bit of news but it seemed everyone too fractured to do anything. Was this part of the plan of the Emperor? Now he had to figure out what their next move was.
“She needs a place to stay for now,” Dave said. Greg could tell from Dave’s voice what he meant. He looked over at Ewa before making up his mind.
“She can stay here for now, as it seems the resistance isn’t keen on any of us right now,” Greg said to them. “Ill have Liam set up an additional room for you.”
He heard her say thanks as he rang for Liam who knocked and entered the room a few minutes later.
“You rang sir?” he asked.
“Yes, make up one the guest rooms for our guest here,” Greg said motioning towards Ewa.
“At once sir,” Liam said with a bow and didn’t ask any questions.
Greg watched him walk out before turning back to the other three. He noticed that Terry seemed hesitant with Ewa in the room causing Greg to sigh and realizing that class prejudices would take time to overcome.
“Any good news that I can give Meia?” Greg finally said looking at each of them hoping for something, anything.
“Just what I told you earlier,” Terry said.
“The resistance isn’t what it was,” Ewa replied. “I don’t even know what they are fighting for anymore. I do know it’s not what I’m fighting for.”
“And what is that?” Terry asked.
Ewa bristled at the question before answering. “Me, I’m fighting to be allowed to work where I please, in what field I want. I hate kids, teaching them a history we all know isn’t right but can’t do anything about without fear of punishments. Not being monitored every second of the day in my class, and people waiting for me to say something wrong. That’s what I’m fighting against, what are you?”
Greg looked at Terry wondering what he might say. His friend opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before saying anything.
“I guess then you don’t know,” Terry said confusing Greg.
“Well, if you’re not going to say anything then it mustn’t be important,” Ewa replied back. Greg had to admit he enjoyed watching Terry struggle against another person.
“No, we’re the ones who have the abilities to create the new government once the revolt finishes, we have the finances to fund it, and the clout to make sure it stays,” Terry replied.
“If you think so, the lower classes are not too fond of the alphas, not as badly as we do betas, but almost as much. What makes you think the lower classes will stand by and allow you to do this,” Ewa asked.
“We’ve always had the good of the people at heart,” Terry replied.
“When why have you allowed things to get to this point,” Ewa asked. “If you really have the good of the people at heart then you wouldn’t have allowed the punishments to continue.”
“Terry,” Greg said diverting attention back to himself. He noticed that Ewa and Terry were both glaring t him as their anger simmer under the surface. “The simple fact is we haven’t done anything.”
End part 22