Tape #23 - The Chancellor's Move

Down in Level 1, unaware of what happened in the lab, Chancellor Vance walked back and forth on the fake grass carpeting the floor of her artificial garden. The rustling of her boots against the synthetic blades added to the tension of the otherwise quiet space as Blake, her sharp and stoic secretary, stood solemnly in a corner, his eyes fixed on her every move as if awaiting instructions from his superior.

-"This... Thing, it needs to be stopped, Blake,"- She spits out, her voice laced with icy disapproval. -"The integrity of my leadership hinges on the swift eradication of this... Pest."-

As the woman walked, her eyes downcast in deep thought, an idea suddenly ignited in her mind. She came to a sudden halt in her tracks and turned to Blake, her eyes piercing and intense, fixing him with a stare that caused him to stiffen up. -" Come with me, we're contacting James. And stop staring at me."-

- - -

Seated comfortably in a spacious office that was part of his private quarters, Chancellor James savored a cup of hot tea as he immersed himself in the pages of a captivating book. The serene ambiance was momentarily interrupted by a chime from the door, signaling an unexpected visitor. Chancellor James took a deliberate sip of his tea, carefully marked his page, and set his glasses aside before rising to his feet to answer the door.

The man towered over the younger woman who stood before him, and even over her stoic secretary, as he opened the door to greet them. -"Vance, how are..."-

-"James,"- she interrupted, shoving past him into the house. -"Quit the pleasantries. We have matters to attend to, and you know it."-

Her secretary gave an apologetic bow and followed closely behind her.

Immediately upon entering, Chancellor Vance headed straight for the living room and collapsed on an elongated couch with an annoyed sigh. -"While you're sitting on your arse reading your Chinese poetry or whatever you do in your spare time, I've already called upon one of our researchers to solve the bloody issue. A geneticist, I reckon."- She draws a long breath and steadies herself before continuing. -"How have you contributed to the solving of the issue?"-

Chancellor James' lips curled into a smile, but not a kind one. -"You did? That's interesting... I distinctly recall having said..."-

-"I don't care, James!"- Vance spits, her tone urgent. -"The situation is dire, and I'm not messing about."-

With a low chuckle, the man standing before her shook his head in a dismissive manner, causing a few locks of shiny silver hair to fall over his forehead. -"Vance, my dear Vance. Must you always rush things?"-

Chancellor Vance was about to retort, but held her breath when the man held his hand up. -"I specifically asked you not to summon anyone because I have already taken care of it myself. And the person I have summoned is likely more equipped to deal with this situation than whoever your little pawn is."-

The tension crackled in the air as the woman shot upright, her face going red. -"This... This isn't the time for reckless gambles!"- Her words come in a harsh tone, yet James remains unruffled, his movements slow and deliberate as he straightens his clothes. His unwavering gaze never leaves her, as if he's studying her every move and word. -"You'll come to see, eventually, that this is in our best interests. I'll see this resolved personally if needed."-

Vance scoffs, then slumps back into the couch. -"You better, James. You better. Bring me pen and paper."-

The man stood still for a minute, an amused grin playing on his face. After a moment, Vance rolled her eyes. -"...Please..."- She draws out the words sarcastically. This seems to please James, who with confident strides, exits the living room and returns holding a notebook and a ballpoint pen.

Chancellor Vance accepts the offered items from James and begins to write with a feverish intensity. She pauses occasionally to scoff at herself and make corrections, her brow furrowed in concentration. After a few minutes of intense focus, Chancellor Vance rips out the page and hands it to her secretary, clearly satisfied with her work.

-"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Blake. Now go deliver this message to the people."-