The Grasshopper Read online

  “You have to leave here, Madam,” said Noah. “This shelter is no longer safe.”

  “Why isn’t it safe?” Manami asked. She walked over to Eir and took her in her arms.

  “The Mayor has not authorized me to give you any information, Madam Manami. He told me to remind you of your agreement, according to which he would not trouble you with information from the outside world.”

  “But that no longer applies,” said Manami. “You are now taking us into the outside world. I have to know what’s going on.”

  “I’m not taking you. You are just relocating to a different shelter. There’s a helicopter waiting for you on the roof of the television station, which will fly you out of the Megapolis region. You will be put up in a hanger that is deep underground.”

  “And what if we don’t want to leave this shelter?” she asked.

  “Madam Manami,” Noah said calmly. “The mayor assumed that you would be scared. That is why I am to tell you that you have nothing to worry about and that everything will be as you wish.”

  Manami looked at Pascal.

  “Does that mean that Mr. Alexander is going with us to the new shelter?” she asked.

  “Of course. The safety of Mr. Alexander is crucial for the future of this planet. People are worshiping and glorifying you as their savior, Mr. Alexander. Didn’t the mayor tell you?”

  Pascal said nothing.

  “No, Noah,” Manami replied instead of him. “That was the agreement. Julius didn’t tell Mr. Alexander anything. We didn’t want to transfer the apprehension to the children. And only now do I see how right we were.”

  “Madam, Mr. Alexander, we really have to leave immediately. Every moment is precious. Leave everything here. I will have your things brought to you later.”

  “Alright, Noah,” Manami agreed. “Eir, the gentleman will carry you,” she handed the girl to Pascal.

  “Mommy…” Eir fought back.

  “Listen to mommy, Eir… Be good…” Manami said.

  “Eir, come to Pascal,” said Pascal while taking the girl.

  “Don’t leave my side!” Manami whispered to Pascal. “Not for a moment!”

  Noah and Peter went down the corridor towards the elevator.

  “Wait!” Manami shouted.

  The two of them stopped and turned towards her.

  “The elevator is very small,” said Manami, when she, Pascal and Eir reached it. “This is how we will go up to Julius. First Peter and I, then you, Noah, and Mr. Alexander and Eir at the end.” She looked at Pascal. “You and Eir at the end, sir.”

  Chapter 151

  The windows in Seneca’s office on the last floor of the television station building were draped. The large aquarelle of Megapolis was shifted to one side, at an angle. The elevator doors opened behind it. When Manami and Peter came out they didn’t see Seneca from the front behind the painting. And he didn’t come to them, but stood in silence at the office door.

  “Dad!” shouted Peter, when he and Manami came out from behind the painting. He ran towards his father and hugged him around the waist.

  Mayor Seneca stroked his son on the head and looked at his wife. And Manami looked breathlessly into his empty eyes.

  “Julius…” she whispered when she approached him.

  “Don’t worry, Manami. Everything will be alright. You’re going to a safe place,” said Seneca quietly. He knelt next to Peter and took his face in his hands. “My son,” he said and kissed his forehead.

  He got up when Noah came out of the elevator and entered the office.

  “There, Mr. Alexander will now come up with Eir,” Noah said.

  “Noah, take Manami and Peter to the roof, and I’ll come with Alexander and Eir.”

  “No!” shouted Manami, squeezing Peter’s hand and stared directly at her husband.

  “Alright, Manami, alright… we’ll all go together,” Seneca said calmly. “We’ll wait for Eir... Noah will provide you with large quantities of food and water… you’ll also have electricity… it will be alright… like here,” said Seneca. “Noah will explain everything to you. Don’t worry about a thing… and you, son,” he looked at Peter, “should study hard…”

  “And you, dad?” Peter asked with a trembling voice, looking at his exhausted, worn out father.

  “I’ll be alright too, Peter. Everything will be alright… Don’t you worry about me. I have Noah to take care of me. You know how he…”

  Seneca rushed to the elevator when he heard the doors open. Pascal stepped out of the elevator with Eir in his arms and stopped in front of Seneca. The two men looked each other in the eye.

  Manami couldn’t see what was happening from the large aquarelle. She let go of Peter’s hand and ran towards them. “Stay there, Peter!” she shouted.

  When she reached the elevator she saw Eir in Pascal’s arms, leaning, towards her father.

  “Daddy, daddy,” she said.

  Knowing that Peter and Noah couldn’t see them, Manami grabbed Eir by the shoulders.

  “No, Eir! Stay with Pascal!” she whispered fervently. And then her arms dropped to her sides when her husband whispered

  “You’ve gained a wonderful family, Alexander. Take good care of them.”

  Mayor Seneca took his daughter’s stretched out hands and kissed them. Then he turned around swiftly and was the first to leave the office.

  Chapter 152

  Seneca stopped when he went out onto the roof.

  “What is this, Noah?” he asked angrily.

  Noah stood next to him and saw what the Mayor meant. In the dark night, next to the aircraft planned to take Seneca’s family and Pascal out of Megapolis, was a silhouette of another helicopter, with a large television screen and powerful speakers attached to its side.

  “I thought that they had already taken off, Mr. Mayor,” said Noah. “I’ll tell them to take off immediately.” Noah stepped out onto the roof.

  “Not you!” Seneca shouted and held him back. “You stay here with them. You’re armed. I’ll tell them.”

  The door to the aircraft was open. The pilot was surprised and frightened when he saw Mayor Seneca running towards him from out of the darkness.

  “Mr. Mayor,” he stuttered, nervously unbuckling his belt to get up and salute his commander.

  “Sit!” Seneca shouted. “You are to take off from here immediately!”

  “Yes, yes, Mr. Mayor, just as soon as the technician finishes…” the pilot calmed down when he saw that this was the only problem.

  “What technician?!” Seneca asked. “As soon as he finishes what?”

  “The screen is loose, Mr. Mayor. He’s tightening it.”

  Seneca ran around the aircraft and reached the technician who was standing between the screen and the aircraft fuselage.

  “Leave that now!” Seneca shouted. “The helicopter has to take off immediately!”

  The technician stood in attention.

  “The screen isn’t firmly attached, Mr. Mayor!”

  “That’s not important! You don’t have to go on the mission now. Just get out of here. Land at the airport… down in the square, wherever – just get out of here!”

  “Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor. The arm will hold until the airport. And even if it’s a little loose … the viewing angle isn’t important now…”

  “Come on, come on, less talk!” Seneca was angry. “Get in the chopper!”

  The technician got in and closed the door. The pilot immediately switched on the engine and the helicopter started lifting vertically.

  Seneca ran to the other aircraft, waving to Noah.

  “Bring them! Quickly!” he shouted.

  Manami ran first, because she felt so bad. She felt bad because of the way that she had treated Julius, because of his dignified and painful reaction, because of his parting with the children. “You’re not saying goodbye to your children, Julius,” her thoughts raced while she ran across the roof. “They are your children. You are their father. They love you. You will alwa
ys be with them, Julius! Whenever you want. Just let us leave now! To hide again! To calm down!”

  The second helicopter was still hovering above them. It couldn’t keep its balance and could not fly away, because the arm of the heavy screen was coming off of the fuselage. The next moment the arm detached and the screen fell onto the roof between Seneca, who was already standing next to their helicopter, and Manami, who was still running towards him.

  The impact with the concrete shattered the screen. One shard from its glass surface, in the shape of a very sharp triangle, flew through the air towards Seneca and jammed itself deep into his body, across his stomach. Seneca dropped to his knees, grabbed the glass, cutting his hands, and dropped to his side without a sound.

  Manami was injured by smaller shards of glass. One had cut her forehead, another was stuck in her shoulder, a third in the palm of her hand.

  Noah, Peter, Pascal and Eir were still far enough that none of them were injured.

  Manami ran to Seneca and knelt next to him.

  “Julius!” she grabbed his shoulder and turned him on his back.

  Only then, through the darkness, did she see what had happened. The blood from his gut was gushing all over her.

  “Pascal!” she looked up and shouted. “Get the children out of here!”

  Pascal realized that something horrible had happened. He had to get Peter and Eir away. They had only seen the silhouette of their father go down, but even that was enough. They both screamed, calling out for their father.

  Pascal grabbed Peter around the waist, lifted him and carried him on his hip. He ran towards Seneca’s office, carrying both children.

  Noah rushed over and knelt next to his Mayor, but he didn’t say anything.

  Manami lifted Seneca’s head from the concrete.

  “Julius, Julius…” she wept quietly.

  Seneca opened his eyes for a moment. He saw Manami, covered in his blood.

  “No, Manami, no…” were the last words of the Mayor of Megapolis.

  Chapter 153

  During the war, Seneca had created an improvised hospital on one of the top floors of the television station building, in the administrative offices. Eir and Peter were sleeping, heavily sedated, each in their own bed in a four-bed room at this hospital. The on-call nurse sat on a chair next to them, paying careful attention.

  The cuts that Manami got on the roof were shallow and harmless. The on-call doctor quickly clean and bandaged them. Manami didn’t want to take any sedatives.

  She and Pascal sat next to each other in the conference room of the improvised hospital and listened to Noah explain what was going on.

  “As soon as he finished his call with the Grasshopper, the mayor ordered the helicopter and sent me to get you from the shelter… He wanted you to immediately leave Megapolis. But it’s still not too late. I can call a helicopter this moment…”

  “That hangar, is it deep enough that the Grasshopper’s beams can’t reach it?” Manami asked.

  “No,” answered Noah, after a brief pause. “But it is located near a city that the Grasshopper has already destroyed. This is why the mayor believed that he would not strike there again.”

  “So that would mean,” Manami said calmly “the Grasshopper defeats this Doctor in Russian roulette, destroys Megapolis and continues to destroy the entire world. And the four of us sit there waiting for our end in that basement. In the meantime the electricity generators run dry, we’re left without food and water…” Manami turned to Pascal. “I won’t accept that, Pascal!” she said in a raised voice. “I don’t want that! I won’t watch my children die! We’ll stay in Megapolis, Pascal! In this hospital room, until that roulette game. And if the decision is such, we will all disappear in an instant. My children don’t need the agony! I gave birth to them and I now decide for them! And for you too, Pascal!”

  Manami took Pascal by the hand and placed her head on his shoulder. She looked at Noah, who was seated across from them.

  “Noah, you’ve probably noticed my strange behavior,” she said in a calm tone. “When I was arranging the order in which we would take the elevator, when I insisted that Pascal carry Eir… when I ran after Julius, so that he wouldn’t do anything to Pascal… behind that large painting.”

  Noah was silent.

  “Pascal and I are in love. We love each other, immensely. Julius knew that. I told him, Noah. If we survive, if the Grasshopper loses, we’ll immediately get married. Immediately!” she shouted, then lowered her head and sobbed.

  Pascal put his hand around her. Noah didn’t say anything. He stared at his hands, laid down on the table. When Manami’s moans had calmed down, Pascal asked:

  “Noah, can you tell me, how did the mayor manage to preserve Megapolis? If I understood you correctly, people from all corners have been coming to this city.”

  “Yes, that’s right, Mr. Alexander,” Noah replied. “Because the Grasshopper switched off power to the other cities. When he saw what was happening, that columns of people were moving on Megapolis, the mayor sent helicopters with screens and loudspeakers…” Noah paused.

  “Like the one that caused the accident?” Pascal asked.

  “Yes. Those aircraft were our media. At night they flew over those thirsty, hungry, desperate people. In the silence of the night they could hear and see the screens better. We informed them that we would not allow anyone to enter our region. We openly told those wretches that we would protect our water works, our fields, our food production… at any cost. Whoever tried to enter would be liquidated without warning. In return the citizens of the Megapolis region introduced drastic restrictions. Families received food and water according to their size. In minimal quantities necessary for survival. All surplus was shipped to the people beyond our borders. Medicaments too. We called on them to forget their mutual conflicts, to organize and establish their stations, where we would airlift humanitarian aid.”

  “And did work?” Pascal asked.

  “In the beginning it did. But when the Grasshopper started destroying cities, the situation became unbearable. The number of people around the region increased to such a level that the closest ones were simply being pushed across our borders. The Mayor was in agony for days. He didn’t give us any orders. People surged into our fields, trampling them, destroying them… our wells, irrigation systems… The food and water production and distribution chain started to fall apart. That is when the Mayor decided. He ordered us to save Megapolis, regardless of the cost in casualties. So that at least some people might live, if everyone cannot… and we pushed back this mass of people. We reestablished our borders… at the terrible, terrible cost in casualties, Mr. Alexander. At one moment the Grasshopper switched on the power to the remaining cities. And the pressure on Megapolis lessened. Now these helicopters of ours are flying over the people in the surroundings and showing footage of the Grasshopper speaking about the Russian roulette…”

  “I don’t want to listen to this anymore!” Manami suddenly said loudly. “What can I do? I can’t even save my children! I’m going to lay down next to them and fall asleep, sedated!” She got up and started towards the door. “Pascal, you’re coming with me, too!”

  Pascal got up and turned towards Manami. She opened the door and stepped through it. She then stopped and turned.

  “Noah!” she shouted.

  “Yes, Madam Manami?”

  “”Does that Svetlana still work in Julius’ cabinet?”

  “Yes,” answered Noah. “Svetlana Van Andel.”

  “You’re the mayor of Megapolis now, you say?”

  “That’s what your husband wanted, Madam.”

  “This is the television station!” Manami raised her voice. “City Hall is on the other side of the square. That’s where the Mayor’s office is! That’s your secretariat, Mr. Mayor! I don’t want to see that person in the building that I am in! I don’t want to see her anywhere!” She grabbed Pascal by the hand and pulled him down the corridor. “Come here, Pascal!” />
  After making a few steps towards the hospital room with Pascal, Manami suddenly stopped, let go of Pascal’s hand, and ran up to Noah, who was closing the door on his way out of the conference room. Manami hugged him.

  “Forgive me, Noah!” she said. “Forgive me! I never even told you how sorry I am about your parents! Your mother and father. How much I loved and respected them,” Manami started crying again, stepped back from Noah, held his arms and looked him in the eyes. “How proud they would be of their son right now. Julius couldn’t have had a better successor, Noah. Megapolis couldn’t have a better mayor… Don’t be angry with me… Forgive me…”

  “Thank you, Madam…” answered Noah. “I’m not angry, of course. You’re in shock… These are horrible things that you knew nothing about. And the mayor is gone. Go to your children, please, take something to calm yourself. Its been too much…”

  Pascal came up to Manami. “Come, my love, lay with your children,” he held her to himself and took her down the corridor. “So that you may sleep, my dear…”

  Chapter 154

  The Grasshopper had called the television secretariat the previous day and briefly informed them that he would establish a video connection the following day at 10 o’clock, Megapolis time, and that he would play a game of Russian roulette with Dr. Palladino.

  Manami did not allow for Eir and Peter to wake up during the five days since their father had been killed. She demanded that the doctors keep them sedated because she couldn’t bear to look in their eyes, knowing that they might die soon.