|
Dump Miner
- Chapter Twenty Three
The hostile takeover of the Americo.
The high Reagan Walker enters the Cardinal’s library. The walls are completely covered from floor to ceiling with volumes of cloth-bound books. At one end, there is a spiral staircase that leads to the open second floor, for easy access to the more rare editions. Some of the Cardinals are seen already enjoying their glasses of wine, while others are coming down from the spiral staircase. They greet the Reagan with the accolades of his position as he enters.
Cardinal Gula:
Here is the man of the hour. Would you like some wine, is it delicious.
Cardinal Luxuria (offers his goblet):
Take this goblet, please, I just filled it.
Reagan Walker:
Thank you.
He takes the goblet and sips some of the wine.
Reagan Walker:
Very good, thank you.
Cardinal Superbia:
Yes, very good.
Reagan Walker:
May I ask why you requested my presence, is this a social visit?
Cardinal Ira:
We need to talk to you about your sins.
The president pauses, there are many sins they could be talking about, and he does not want to give himself away.
Reagan Walker:
What sins?
Cardinal Ira:
Don’t play with us. Your sins are so monumental that there is rumor of a second coming in the dumps.
The president pauses and takes a breath.
Reagan Walker:
I can’t be linked to that.
Cardinal Acedia:
It is true? You are linked to the rumors.
Reagan Walker:
I am taking the fifth commandment, sub section 35c ladies, and there is nothing you can do about it.
The Reagan finishes his wine. The Cardinals quickly start to encircle the Reagan, badgering him for what he knows. They have plotted for this moment. The Cardinals know that they poisoned the Reagan’s wine and the drug will take effect in a matter of minutes. They need to extract the information with haste.
Cardinal Superbia:
How are you involved?
Cardinal Ira smacks the president.
Cardinal Ira:
Tell us how you are linked to this.
Reagan Walker (taken by surprise by the Cardinal’s behavior):
What is going on here?
The poisoned wine starts to take affect and he stumbles a bit, dropping the glass to the carpeted floor.
Cardinal Superbia:
What did you do?
Reagan Walker (raises his voice):
What did I do?!? What the fuck did you freaks do!
Cardinal Acedia:
It is the poison taking effect?
Reagan Walker:
What!
Cardinal Superbia:
We are exacting a 10th Commandant subsection 91.6as
The Reagan Walker looks at the Cardinals with a blank stare; he is all two familiar with this law.
Cardinal Gula:
Hostile takeover. So just tell use what you know and we will absolve you of your sins before you pass to a better place.
Cardinal Superbia:
You will be with your son and your wife.
Reagan Walker shouts at the Cardinals:
This doesn’t have to happen! I am asking for the review from The Church.
Cardinal Luxuria:
It is too late for that.
Cardinal Ira:
Shout all you want. The volumes of books surrounding us make this room quite soundproof.
Reagan Walker:
I sacrificed my only son to appease your god! You were going to send a Census Taker because his sins where so monumental!
Cardinal Invidia:
That was your decision, we just asked you to get him under control. Murder is a great burden; we would never ask you to kill. That was a decision you made.
Cardinal Luxuria:
Have more wine, your passing will be less traumatic.
The Reagan looks at the glass of wine in his hand, starts to laugh, and then throws it at the Cardinals. The Cardinals jump back, but some are splashed on their faces.
Cardinal Acedia:
I think some went in my mouth.
Cardinal Acedia spits several times and frantically wipes his face with his robe as the other Cardinals look on equally frightened for him.
Reagan Walker:
You screwed yourselves, your new messiah is my grandchild; it is my heir. This is too sweet; all right, here is my last confession. I found out that my son fucked that dump miner, she got pregnant, and that piece of shit Bishop Lamb, blackmailed me out of a ticket to Heaven.
Cardinal Luxuria (startled at what he hears):
You were the benefactor; we assumed he had a lover in the New Vatican.
Reagan Walker:
So now when I drop dead, my medic-alert implant is going to go off and a call will go out to refresh the DNA pool. This is too rich!
Cardinal Acedia:
What have we done?
Cardinal Superbia:
God is our only witness. We will answer to him for is our sins and no other.
The Reagan falls to his knee and then slumps to the floor dead. All the Cardinals look at the dead Reagan with pause.
Cardinal Acedia:
Oh, this is not good at all.
A loud alarm goes off and several guards run in to the room. This is the same alarm that is going off all over Americo to let its citizens know that the Reagan has passed on and the DNA pool needs to be refreshed. The Cardinals and the guards look down the ex-Reagan lying on the floor.
At Resource and Welfare Facility 4499, the same alarm causes a slow confusion and raises heads from the miners. They stop what they are doing and look to the P.A. sirens. They are familiar with the sound; they are being called to confession. A reminder of who they are, the wretches that they are, dump miners. The miners put their tools down and start to move towards the facility’s confessionals, they do not question that the alarm has rung several days too early. No one questions why, the miners just get in line and wait for their diuretics.
Bishop Magnus hurries to put on his robes and prepare for confession while an altar boy assists him. Suddenly, a call comes on his office phone. It rings several times; the altar boy just stands there ignoring it. The phone continues to ring. The ringing starts to annoy Bishop Magnus.
Bishop Magnus (indirectly to the altar boy):
Answer that now. Put it on intercom please.
altar boy:
Yes, your holiness.
The altar boy walks to desk and hits the intercom. Cardinal Ira comes on screen.
Cardinal Ira:
Where is Magnus!
altar boy:
He is preparing for confession, your holiness.
Cardinal Ira:
Get him.
altar boy:
Yes holi…
Cardinal Ira:
Now!
The altar boy turns and runs.
altar boy:
Your holiness, Cardinal Ira requests to see you immediately, he is waiting online.
Bishop Magnus turns and huffs loudly, calms himself before he replies.
Bishop Magnus:
Thank you, Andy. Meet me at the confessional; this should not take too long.
The Bishop turns and enters the office.
Bishop Magnus:
Holiness.
Cardinal Ira:
Your Church needs you to make a cooperate decision. Under the 9th commandment subsection 15.c article 12, because of a mix up in the life record sort last Thursday at central processing, you are going to show a, sort of, false positive today.
Bishop Magnus:
I will bring it to your attention immediately.
Cardinal Ira:
No! You will ignore it!
Bishop Magnus:
I don’t understand?
Cardinal Ira:
You don’t have to understand, this falls under The Blind Faith act of 115 GR. So just be aware, we would like to keep this quite. Do you understand?
Bishop Magnus:
Your holiness, I am sure I can just draw from the archive to show the proper DNA match.
Cardinal Ira:
No! Just ignore it or I will have the IRS crucify you! Do you understand!
Bishop Magnus just stands shaking his head slow and confused.
Cardinal Ira:
Do! You! Understand!
Bishop Magnus looks to the sky as for guidance then answers.
Bishop Magnus:
Yes.
The screen goes blank.
|
