3.4 Invitation

Bill knocked on the door and then entered the hospital room.

“Hey, there, Bill,” Dr. Poll greeted.

“Hi, Stephan. I see Drake is up. How is he?” Bill asked, concerned. He gave Drake a quick wave. Drake smiled and nodded back.

“He’ll be fine, as long as he doesn’t move around much,” the doctor waved off the concern. “Though, in this shape, I don’t think he’ll be active in the Militia for at least a month.” He went to the door. “I’ll leave ya two ‘lone. Got other patients to attend to.” Poll left the room. Drake and his father were now alone in the room.

“Do you two know each other?” Drake asked, observing the casualness between the two.

“Ah, yes,” Bill said, walking over to Drake’s bed. “He’s been in this city since before I came here to construct the Walls. He says he’s fond of this place, for what reason no one knows. It’s led to its fair share of rumors about him,” he chuckled and sat down on the bed, next to Drake.

His smile quickly turned into a frown. “Listen, uh… Drake. I’ve been worried about you since before this whole event happened. Ever since you joined the Militia, I worried something life-threatening would happen to you. And when it did, it broke my heart to hear. I was worried about you. I didn’t know whether you would live. I could only trust Doctor Poll’s skills. I know you must be proud that you saved the city, but in that time, I remembered that you’re the last member of my family I have left…”

Drake listened, unsure of what to say.

“I just wanted to let you know that there are people who worry about and need you. I know I can’t change your mind, but in this time that you have alone in the hospital, recovering, please think about how much this revenge is worth-”

A firm knock on the door interrupted. Before either of them could respond, the door opened, and a woman Drake didn’t know entered. She wore a formal suit and had perfectly straight hair tied back neatly in a bun. Every aspect of her was tidy. She looked like an ideal secretary down to every characteristic, with auburn hair and tawny eyes.

Drake found himself wondering if some people were just born for their job like this.

She looked at Drake with sharp eyes. “You’re Drake, I presume?” she demanded.

“Uh, yes,” Drake responded immediately. For some reason, he felt nervous under her commanding voice, even though she had just interrupted him and his father’s conversation without notice. He was compelled to comply her command.

The fierce lady presented to him a small box. “You’ll find in it, a new smartwatch, courtesy of an anonymous member of the City Authorities.” Drake’s old smartwatch was destroyed in the explosion. “You have the fortune to be invited to Smummr once again. Your watch contains details, as well as a permanent Smummr Pass to allow entry. It seems it will contain some interesting developments, so do attend. That is all.” Without answering any questions or having any consideration, she turned her back and left the room.

Drake and his father stared at the door.

“What was that about?” Drake said, confused.

“Probably a publicity stunt,” his father answered. When Drake’s look of confusion didn’t clear, Bill elaborated. “After you saved the city, you’ve become popular amongst the public. You’re a hero now. The city leaders want to show that they care about the people by recognizing you and allowing a representative of the people and patriot of the human race to take part in decision-making.”

Ah, so people thought I tried to sacrifice myself for the sake of their survival? Drake didn’t want to correct them, but he felt like he was lying about his intentions by not telling them the truth. Once again, he didn’t feel like a hero, so he felt misrepresented. Now, he’d have to take part in an important meeting to represent the best interests of the people of Rencia, who he, of all people, understands least. He wasn’t interested in politics, but if he was invited, he should probably go anyway.

Drake’s father left the room without completing what he was saying earlier, but Drake understood what he meant, and would keep it in mind.

* * *

Drake stood before the government building that he’d been in before. It was where Smummr would take place, once again. He was on crutches now. His father had gone in before him. The guards stationed outside searched him for weapons, and then he was allowed to enter. He noted that the guards now were probably the same as last time he was here; he couldn’t remember the faces exactly. He could now recognize that they were old soldiers of the country, from before the Apocalypse. It explained why they looked experienced.

Inside the building, in the lobby, Drake came across Steve.

“Ah, Steve. Didn’t expect to see you here. So, are you allowed into Smummr for no reason normally, or…?”

“No, no. It’s not like that.” Steve put his hands up defensively and looked embarrassed. “I have something important to bring up in the meeting, something I think the city leaders should know. That’s why I came this time.”

“Nice coincidence, then,” Drake winked, and then said, “Relax. I’m joking.”

He and Steve had continued to keep in touch over the past month or two. In that time, they had gotten very close, even to the point where they became best friends.

Drake then bragged, “I was personally invited here by some—probably secretary, of a high ranking official.” A few days had passed, and he still had no idea who that lady was.

“Anyway, what’s the thing you want to bring up? It sounds intriguing if it’s so important.”

“It is. And you’ll find out along with everyone else there, during the meeting.” It was Steve’s turn to brag, about the mysterious topic.

His tone then changed. “That being said, can you give me some advice?”

“Sure, as long as I can help. On what?” Drake had learned not to make promises or assure help without understanding the situation.

“Well, I have to present this thing,” he took out a data cube, presumably containing the information Steve wanted to convey to the leaders at Smummr. “I can’t speak in front of crowds. Or to such important people either. I know you’re pretty confident in front of them. Can you teach me how?”

“It’s not like I look down on them or anything. I just don’t look up at them. I don’t really care if they’re ‘important’ or something. They haven’t earned my respect. Any pressure you feel in facing them was created by our society’s culture and manners, which I don’t really care for either. I just speak my mind.” Drake actually respected Steve for understanding and adhering to these social etiquettes. It seemed like it required great effort to constantly keep this stuff in mind all the time in public.

“I don’t think that I can just temporarily shut off my anxiety or think like that,” Steve said. The two started up the stairs to the floor the meeting would take place.

“It’ll probably be hard at the start, but once you put yourself in the spotlight, you’ll have to continue. Think of it like stepping into cold water. Also, if this information is as important as you’re making it out to be, then the people in that room will need to hear it. You don’t have a choice of backing out and not delivering the speech. You have to do it, so just jump into the water as soon as you can. Take it from me. I learned from experience that postponing or not doing stuff will only hurt more from being lazy.”

“Okay… I’ll try,” Steve took in his words. It felt weird that he was taking advice from someone younger than him.

“By the way, have you never spoken in front of a crowd before?”

“Well… I have, once, but those were completely different circumstances.”

“In what way?”

“For one, they weren’t high-up politicians. And the situation was dire.”

“Direr than this?”

“Well…”

They were now in front of the door to the Smummr room. There was a female guard stationed there, to check for Passes for entry, just like last time.

“You know what, maybe next time,” Steve turned around and tried to sneak away.

“Hold it,” Drake grabbed his shoulder and turned him back around.

“But Drake, I don’t have a pass,” he whispered, “How will I enter?”

“Watch,” Drake said.

He showed his watch to the guard, with the Smummr Pass open. She nodded and then looked at Steve. Steve looked around nervously.

“It’s okay. He’s with me,” he said.

The guard raised an eyebrow.

“He has something important to say in the meeting.”

The guard shrugged and showed them into the meeting room.

“Huh? How’d you know she’d let me in?” Steve asked.

“What do you mean? I just told them that they should,” Drake responded.

“But it doesn’t work that way. In their perspective, what reason do I have for entering? I don’t have a pass.”

“What reason do they have to stop you? It’s not like you’re armed. There’s no harm in asking for something. Worst case scenario, they don’t allow entry, but the best case is better than not trying at all.”

Drake was not familiar with the nuances of conversation or with keeping manners and people’s emotions in mind. He just said what came into his mind, and did what he wanted to do, unless someone stopped him with reason.

“That’s a weird way of thinking, but it seems useful in most circumstances,” Steve commented.

“Is it weird?” Drake asked as he entered the room.

“Yeah, definitely. Your thought process, in general, is different.”

Steve stopped, closed his eyes, and resolved himself, absorbing all the advice from Drake. What he had to deliver was important, so he had to just stand up and start talking, confidently. There was technically nothing stopping him from doing so, other than his own fears and lack of comfort. He could do it. He would do it. He opened his eyes and followed Drake into the meeting room.