Clandestine

six

-julia-

Carlotta and Rosalina finally leave. They stumbles to their cars and I paid the staff extra to drive the two of them home. Hopefully neither of them pukes in their expensive backseats. Perhaps they should and it will teach them a lesson.

They are too rich to care. They'll just buy a whole new car. And they're too bored to consider anything less fun.

I put a light blue dress that reaches my knees. It's fancy enough to pass for the meeting, but not fancy enough to gain any attention. I plan to sit beside my mother and do my best to make it seem like I care. I'll put on my best listening face and hope that nobody asks me any questions.

My mother shouts from downstairs that it's time to go.

I run down the stairs and meet her in our car. The chauffeur starts the car and begins to drive downtown. We pass by the sprawling estates of all the other Assembly members and other rich celebrities that can afford to live here.

We move into the city. Old buildings from the past, brick and steel, clash with the towering glass skyscrapers of today. The olden day skyscrapers were only twenty to fifty, maybe even a hundred levels tall, loud and boasting. Ours are slim and elegant, two hundred, three hundred, four hundred floors high. The tops actually scrape the sky and clouds float around the top. It's rather amusing how the people of the past thought they were ever so advanced in their cities.

The car stops in front of one of the tallest buildings in the city. The Assembly Association. If this were to ever tumble, several thousands were to lose their lives. But the steel inside is supposed to keep that from happening. It does little to keep my fear at rest.

My mom and I enter and people stop to smile or wave or nod. They all want to gain my mother's attention and favor. Everyone knows, though few will say, that my mother holds the most power in the Assembly. The power is supposed to be evenly distributed. But money makes that rather hard to happen.

My mother ignores them all and leads me to the elevator. I suddenly wish I'd spent a little more time on my hair or makeup. Do my shoes even match my dress? I should have had Rosalina help me. Did I actually think I could escape attention today when I'm at my mother's side?

We step into an empty elevator and the glass doors close behind us. I grip the bar behind me as it rockets up into the tower. Through the windows on all the sides of the elevator, I can see the ground disappear beneath. My knees weaken, but I keep the smile plastered to my face for my mother.

It stops only after it's reached the very top. The meeting room is the top floor. Such dignified meetings must be held in a dignified place.

My mother stops in front of the doors leading into the room. "Are you ready for this?"

"Of course."

"You may be able to help with the decision, you know."

"Only the Assembly is allowed to have discussions or make decisions. That's the..."

She laughs, "The rules? No one plays by those anymore, my dear. I thought you knew.

I nod and pretend to smile, as if I actually think that is it funny. My mother laughs some more to herself before opening the doors. The Assembly members stand as she enters, most of their eyes landing on me. I don't know how to act. Do I smile? Keep my face blank? What did I do with my hands before now?

My mother leads me to a chair that I assume is her normal spot. An Assembly member sits in the chair on her right hand side. She nods to him and he bursts to his feet. He scurries to a different side of the room and takes a seat at the far side of the long table.