Ungodly Politics

Mr. Watwell was sitting on a sofa with Mr. Lloyd, who was talking with someone on the phone. Tom looked at Harrington, who was reading a book and was sipping coffee slowly from the cup. Mr. Watwell looked at him and said, "Things have turned very nasty for me. That girl has ruined my reputation and I want it repaired before the elections. Please, Harrington I beg you that you talk with Mr. Gordon and try to discuss the matters without any outside person knowing." Harrington sighed, "Mr. Watwell, you already know very clearly that I'm just a simple advisor of Mr. Gordon. I will, no doubt discuss the matters with him but I cannot convince him to say in your favor. Also, he is quite angry with your delays in the meetings and also the negative publicity is making bad impression on his choice. I don't like to say it, but you might be replaced at the end of the month if things don't go well." Lloyd disconnected his call and said, "I have contacted Barry. He will take care of the girl. He will keep her with him till the election ends and then we can decide what will happen with that girl." Tom asked, "What can Barry do? That girl beated three guys twice her size and then disappeared in thin air. I'm still saying that Alice is not normal."

Lloyd said angrily, "Shut up, Tom. Disappeared in thin air? How can that be even possible? You must have hallucinated. Your age old cannabis problems have always been your weakness." Harrington said, "Well, if Barry can manage the girl till the election, then I can suggest a good plan to keep your hopes still waving." Mr. Watwell said, "Anything to win me the election." Harrington said in a low voice, "Mr. Watwell will call an emergency press meeting and then declare that Alice is a pyschopath and has been a nuisance to all of her colleagues from the beginning and Cindy isn't her first victim. Then, Cindy will show her wounds and injuries to garner sympathy from the audience and then we will play the ultimate card. We will call the police and declare it a criminal offence and we demand immediate arrest of Alice. As expected, the police authorities won't able to find her and after some days, she will be declared fugitive and people will start to think that your claims are right and you will win the election by a fair margin. After, the election ends and you sit on the Mayor seat, you will request Alice to surrender and promise her a safe and effective psychological treatment and will announce your public forgiveness. Then, we will kill her and show it as a suicide which she has done out of remorse and utter shame. With Alice's death we can give an indirect warning to anyone daring to stand against us in the future."

Mr. Watwell said, "The plan is good, but there is a slight problem. The girl, Alice is not some roadside girl that we can kidnap and kill her. She has parents who will ask for her and friends who will not stay silent. Principal Shepherd won't certify her as some mad girl. The best we can do is keep her in prison for a day or two on charges of beating my daughter. Thanks for your advice, Harrington but it looks like I'm fucked up good." Harrington sighed, "Well, I will talk with Mr. Gordon and see what I can do for you." Mr. Watwell rose and said, "Well, I have to go. Cindy must have arrived home from the hospital." Mr. Watwell walked towards the door and went away. Harrington rose and said, "Watwell won't be able to win this time. He is right, he is fucked up good. Mr. Gordon is watching candidates to replace him and I think that Mr. Lloyd can be a name in them." Lloyd smiled, "Happy to hear that, but Mr. Watwell won't give away so easy."

Harrington said, "We all know that how important it is to replace the current Mayor. Assayah has become a pain for all of us with his greedy and unjust policies he is becoming richer day by day. Watwell looked promising but now with all the mess, we have to think a new plan. Another five years of Assayah standing beside Mr. Walschimdt will end our political career for sure." Lloyd and Tom rose and Tom said, "Okay. You talk with Mr. Gordon and try your best to keep all of us in the alliance and if possible discuss the girl problem with him. Gordon is a wise guy, he might provide a good idea." Harrington said, "Assayah and Walschimdt are more expensive enemies than that ordinary girl, but I will try to bring your concern before him." Tom and Lloyd exited the room.

Harrington wore a tuxedo and got into his car and drove towards Gordon Mansion, where Mr. Gordon has conducted a private meeting to discuss matters with his other financers and alliance members regarding Mr. Watwell's recent disastrous days. Mr. Gordon was the son of Richard Gordon, a rich and influential politician who remained the Mayor of the City for three terms undefeated and formed the political party from which Mr. Watwell is planning to win the Mayoral election. Harrington entered the room and saw Mr. Gordon, his brother, Stephen and the influential businessman, Lewis Hamill. Lewis and Stephen looked at Harrington and nodded their heads. Mr. Gordon said, "You are a little late, Harrington. Anyway, we were just talking about you. I heard that Mr. Watwell and his associates were spotted in your house hours ago."

Harrington said, "He wants to have a second chance and has asked for your cordial support and faith." Mr. Gordon laughed, "My cordiality won't erase the mess he has created with his daughter. Everyone is talking about the incident that how a common girl has beat our representative's daughter and also accused him of corruption and stealing his workers's wages. I cannot keep putting my trust in him if he doesn't clean the stains on his reputation before the election." Harrington said, "I want to suggest a candidate name. He is good and also clear of any grave accusations. He has the qualities to be a competent rival of Walschimdt." Lewis looked at Harrington and said, "If you talking about Lloyd, forget it. He has already been seen meeting Assayah on multiple occasions and we are planning of throwing him out of the party." Stephen said, "Assayah is a very clever man. Walschimdt maybe the Mayor, but Assayah is the one pulling strings for him. We need to do something of him." Harrington said, "I have a plan. Can I say?" Mr. Gordon said, "Always. I have hired you for your brilliant ideas." Harrington narrated the whole plan regarding Alice and then said, "If we put our cards right, Walschimdt will have no other way but to resign silently."

Mr. Gordon smiled, "Brilliant. Just brilliant. We need people like you. I'm thinking of making you our representative as you have all the qualities for it." Harrington smiled, "It will be pleasure, sir." Mr. Gordon said, "Okay. If you can execute your plan without fault, your Mayoral seat is confirmed." Harrington said, "I will be on it from right on." He rushed outside of the room, beaming with happiness.

Assayah was standing near a bonsai plant and was carefully chopping the leaves, when a man in his early forties came inside and said in a coarse voice, "Mr. Gordon and his associates are planning something big. My informants told me that Harrington was also there and Mr. Watwell, Mr. Lloyd and Tom Dicky were also spotted coming out of Harrington's house this morning." Assayah turned and looked at him and said, "You look tired, Mr. Walschimdt. Sit down and have some tea." He prepared some tea and gave a cup to Walschimdt and sat beside him. He said in a low and sweet voice, "If you keep focusing too much on other people's lives, then your own life will turn into a mess. Mr. Gordon won't find a stable candidate so soon and Mr. Watwell's positions is still quite unstable. Even if he manages to get his name on the candidate's list, people are going to vote for you only, as no one will trust a man who cannot even protect his daughter from getting beaten twice. As for Lloyd and Tom, they are greedy and disloyal and with a good price, we can easily buy them. Don't worry, Peter, as long as I'm with you no one can usurp you from the Mayor's seat."

Walschimdt said, "But, I still need guarantees both for me and my associates. They already don't trust you very much because of your shady past. I want that girl. She can be a good guarantee for all of us." Assayah said, "I have to disagree with you on this matter. Too much dirty politics is the least thing required in the current situation. I will only advise you to be upright and calm in the current situation and try to be pragmatic with your associates." Walschimdt rose and said, "Okay, I will talk with my associates and prepare for tomorrow's speech at the Country Hall." He waved goodbye and went away.

"Watching you deal with these morons everyday makes my heart weep for you, Assayah." Assayah turned around and saw Kayuba was standing behind him, drinking whiskey from the bottle. Assayah smiled, "It's still better than eating them. Humans will always be trapped in the circles of greed and corruption and will make the way for demons like us to rule over them." Kayuba said, "I just hate this smarty talks. My life is simple. Eat till the stomach full and drink till the heart full. But, I can tolerate you very much in compared to Kenchi who is always plotting to subdue me." Assayah said grimly, "He has his reasons. Anyway, why are you here, today?" Kayuba replied grimly, "Yesterday when I was sitting in a restaurant drinking coffee, I saw an energy ball flying in the air. Though it was invisible to any mortal's eyes, but my demonic eyes could clearly see it. It flew into some hospital where I saw that idiot you always keeps blabbering about."

Assayah asked, "Mr. Watwell?" Kayuba replied, "Yeah." Assayah took a long breath and said, "The inevitable war is drawing closer day by day and if we don't have the spear in our hands soon, all of us will perish. I don't want to repeat the mistakes that happened centuries ago and hope you won't too." Kayuba asked, "Are you going to send Phantom on this search mission?" Assayah replied, "Ralph won't be able to control whoever Manacan Goddess has chosen alone. A powerful ghost like Phantom can atleast give her a tough fight." Kayuba sighed, "After what happened with Phantom last time, his every step startles me." Assayah smiled, "He is your student after all. Being reckless and romantic is in his teachings." Kayuba said, "Keep an eye on him for me. Kenchi is definitely plotting something very big and disastrous." Assayah smiled, "Don't worry, friend. Keeping people in control is my forte." Kayuba smiled and vanished in red mist. Assayah sighed, "Why does every headache falls on my head? Sad thing, there's no retirement scheme in this line of duty." He turned into red mist and soon flew away out of the window...