in because my advisors said that you were one of the best scientists in the entire Empire, Maverick. If anyone could fix my little problem, it’s you.”
“There wouldn’t be a problem to fix if you hadn’t created Influenza X,” Maverick growled with such intense fury that I almost didn’t realize what he said.
“Wait, you created Influenza X?” I asked in shock. The guard behind me grabbed my shoulder and pulled me tightly against his body, reigning me in. Lackley whirled around and met my terrified stare with a cold and calculating one.
“I don’t normally make it a habit to explain myself to Walkers, but I think today I can make an exception.” He popped his plastic gloves, smiling at me as he walked closer. I heard Josiah cough and was reminded that he was in the room, too.
“A few decades ago, when I was just a young but ambitious congressional seat holder, I overheard a meeting where my predecessor’s advisors said that our current population was unsustainable. Something had to happen, or we would all die,” Lackley said in a matter of fact tone while continuing to pop his gloves.
“So I came up with a solution; I hired some mediocre scientists to create a disease and it's vaccine. It was fairly easy. We simply released the sickness on the deadlands and let it work its way to the center. The elite, or those that could afford my vaccine, survived. Those that couldn’t afford it, died,” emperorLackley said with a shrug. He spoke in such a methodical manner about killing millions that I had to catch my breath.
“The response was phenomenal,” he continued. “Our population leveled. I let society weed out those unworthy. My small circle of colleagues praised me, and within three years I became Emperor. It’s easy to gain power when you can afford it, and even easier to keep it a secret when there aren’t many left to question you. It also helped that the man before me fell ill to Influenza X,” Lackley said with glee.
My jaw dropped, and I gaped at him. Influenza X was a manufactured illness?
“Unfortunately, I’ve recently learned that our vaccine has mutated, causing the vaccine reject phenomenon. It will keep mutating until eventually everyone that received it will endure the rejection,” Lackley sat down in a metal chair beside Maverick.
“But that’s where this ol’ boy comes in! He’s going to fix everything!” Lackley patted Maverick’s stiff shoulder with a grin. His white teeth blended into the brightness of the room.
“I told you, I can’t—" Maverick began before Lackley slapped him across the cheek.
“Don’t tell me you can’t. You can, and you will. If the vaccine doesn’t kill her, I will.”
I sucked in a breath at the severity of emperorLackley’s threat. I was immune, therefore, I never received the vaccine, but I was still very much in danger.
“I’m trying, but your timeline is ridiculous. There is no way I can crack this in the next month,” Maverick said while thrusting his thick hands into his hair.
“You’ll have to,” Lackley said with a smile and a shrug. “The rate of mutations is growing, as is the threat of X. People who received their vaccine ten years ago are dying,” emperorLackley explained. “People are beginning to question me, and the body count is getting . . . tedious.”
“How long have you known about this?” I questioned.
“Why don’t you answer that one, boy?” Lackley said while motioning towards Josiah. Josiah balled his fists and looked at me with desperate, wild eyes.
“We’ve known for a year and a half. ”
My heart thudded at this revelation.
“Josiah here has been instrumental in keeping this little mishap under wraps, haven’t you my boy?” Emperor Lackley said.
“He makes sure no one talks about my faulty vaccine, I make sure no one talks about how he killed his Father. Patricide is punishable by death in our Empire. Josiah is very motivated to do my bidding. It’s a symbiotic relationship!” Emperor Lackley clapped his hands and stood up. I flinched at the sound of it.
Lackley bounced on the balls of his feet and walked with a confident sway towards me. My heart thudded. Surely emperorLackley was wrong. Josiah couldn’t have killed his own Father.
“Ash, I—" Josiah began to explain himself, but emperorLackley cut him off.
“Yes, yes. You killed your father ‘cause I told you to, blah blah blah,” Lackley said with a wave of his hand. “But you wanted to. Didn’t you? You liked being the one that ended his miserable little life.”