Decision

The words spoken by Kelis in the meeting room sparked heated discussions among those gathered there. Everyone had to stop the discussion and go for a break.

In one of the corridors of the building, where no one was watching, Rennie argued with Kelis.

- “Don’t you understand what’s at stake?” - Rennie asked angrily.

- “You don’t understand… We are all on the verge of revealing to each other secrets that have been kept for several thousand years. What will happen now?... We will discover the technologies of salvation,… unite,… forget old conflicts, and work towards a common goal. Together we will save humanity… But what will happen next?”

Rennie began to listen in surprise to Kelis' words. And, Kelis continued. – “Next, my friend, we will return to our previous lives. To problems and strife… And this cannot be changed… But, we can use this situation and become an advanced and strong country…”

Rennie looked down.

- "Politics and the pursuit of self-interest have always been and will continue to be... You are here to tell them what our technology is capable of, and I am here to sell it for the highest price possible," Kelis said coldly.

Rennie silently looked away. Kelis confidently went back to the discussion room.

- "If I am wrong, everyone present will now challenge my decision," - Kelis said, walking down the corridor.

And so, they returned to their seats again. One of the representatives at the table took the floor. - "Our country is also ready to share hidden technologies, in exchange for certain agreements."

Rennie saw that Kelis was right. Each country talked about what interests it pursued.

Countries that did not have such technologies could only silently accept the conditions set.

Not all representatives agreed with this development of events. However, to give in to the current and put forward their own demands, or to agree to the demands put forward by someone, was the only choice for them. Although now there was talk of profitable agreements, no one forgot about the approaching Rebirth.

The meeting ended on the announced conditions. All the representatives began to disperse.

On the plane on the way home, Reni stared out the window in silence.

- "We'll have two days and prepare all the papers," Kelis said calmly.

Back at the research center, Rennie sat in his office and silently stared at the ceiling. At some point, Eric came into the room to chat.

Their conversation was about what had happened at the meeting. Eric finished smoking his cigarette.

- "Well, I'm not surprised," Eric said.

- "Do you think... is that right?"

- "I believe in the most logical way. And events where politicians change the fate of the world for profit, it's logical," - Eric laughed lightly. - "I wouldn't even believe it if it turned out that they gave everything away for nothing."

- "I think I'm the only one who believes in humanity," - Rennie said in disappointment.

- "The authorities have been deciding our destinies all their lives. Every decision they make has either given us opportunities or taken them away. Now the stakes are just much higher. That's all."

Eric stubbed out his cigarette and left Rennie's office.

Two days had passed. It was time for the second meeting. Rennie and Kelis were flying again on the plane, arriving at the building for representatives, and taking their seats.

Representatives of the countries that had hidden technologies came to this meeting with folders. In the folders were copies of documents with a list of demands. They opened their folders and handed out copies to the representative of each country.

The representatives began to familiarize themselves with the documents.

Only a few minutes passed, but this was enough for the representatives to start arguing. Many different words and phrases were heard. One phrase can be singled out, which was heard most often.

- "We will not sign this under any circumstances!" - one of the representatives declared discontentedly.

Rennie sighed in disappointment. The representatives dispersed, however, did not leave the city of the meeting. They agreed to revise the requirements in accordance with the comments, and to meet tomorrow.

The next day, the discussions and arguments continued, albeit on a smaller scale.

Rennie continued to sit among the representative's assistants and watched the discussions with disappointment. In front of him sat two assistants just like him. And one of them asked the other, - "Are we really saving the world here?".

Rennie looked at the men from whom he had heard this. He realized that he was not the only one who doubted the path humanity had taken. He plunged into deep thought and ceased to notice what was happening around him.

- " Rennie... Do you hear me?" - asked Kelis, breaking Rennie from his thoughts.

Rennie looked at Kelis.

- "It's time to go," Kelis said.

Rennie looked around. The hall was almost empty. The last representatives and their assistants were leaving the hall.

- "What did you agree on?" - Rennie asked calmly.

- "In two days we plan to discuss the final version of the agreements."

- "Clearly..." - Rennie said calmly.

And so, the two of them returned home again. Back to the research center. However, Rennie did not behave as usual. He walked thoughtfully along the corridors of the building, rummaging through documents and making copies of what he needed.

One of the copies fell to the ground as Rennie was walking away from the copier. Eric picked up the piece of paper. Rennie snatched the piece of paper and silently walked on.

Eric just stared at Rennie in surprise.

In his office, Rennie confidently sorted the papers and folded them into a large envelope. He carefully closed the envelope and left the office with it.

Having descended to the first floor, Rennie began to approach the exit.

- "Will you still come back?" - asked the guard.

- "What?" - stopped and asked Rennie in surprise.

- "You've been spending the night here since the beginning of the Rebirth."

- "Ah... Yes. Today too... I'm spending the night here," - answered Rennie and continued to head towards the exit.

Rennie was walking through the streets of the evening city. A couple who were quarreling passed by him. All that Rennie heard were the words of the girl to the boy, - “So what? Soon everything will end anyway.”

Rennie looked at Rebirth and continued walking.

The guard, at the entrance, was looking boredly at the cameras. And then, he noticed that Rennie had returned. However, he no longer had the envelope in his hands.

Rennie entered the research center, went up to the second-to-last floor, went into his office and sat down in his chair. Finally, peace. He froze in the moment of deciding the future, and a much more important moment than the several-day discussions he had recently attended.

Clearing his head of unnecessary worries, he took out his phone and made a call to Lien.

— “Hello! Hello!” — Lien hurriedly shouted into the phone.

However, Rennie was in no hurry to answer. He wanted to tell him so much. However, all he could do at that moment was to restrain the emotions that were bubbling up inside him.

— “Is that you… right?” — Lien said sadly and calmly.

Rennie finally calmed down. And he was able to answer.

— “Hello… Lien….”

Rennie wanted to say the most important thing at that moment.

— “Listen, Lien. Something will happen soon that will change the world again. No matter they say, everything you hear tomorrow is true.”

— “I don’t understand.”

— “I need to go.”

Rennie hung up the phone.

- “The time will come, and I will tell you everything.”

Rennie couldn’t sleep that night. He was waiting for what would happen next.

When morning came, Rennie heard quarrels in the corridor. The door to his office suddenly opened. Kelis and three other laboratory workers burst into the office, trying to calm him down.

- “Did you do that?” Kelis asked angrily, throwing the newspaper in front of him.

The newspaper headline read „Technologies that are hidden from us can save humanity. “

Rennie was silent.

Kelis got angry and went to Rennie. He angrily grabbed him by the robe and lifted him out of the chair.

- “Do you know what you did? You old fool!”

Rennie didn’t keep quiet. He was filled with rage.

- "Fool? It's all of you fools, since you don't know when to stop playing politics and think about what's really important! You..." - Rennie could not finish. He clutched his heart.

Kelis looked in surprise at Rennie, who was falling on top of him. Rennie reached into his robe pocket with his last strength and pulled out a container of pills. But the container was empty. It was out of pills. Rennie strength left him. He let go of the container and it fell onto the office carpet.