WnW 7.6

And more importantly, a way to neutralize them?

The words from the silhouette of the man seated above us sent a shiver down my spine. Did this man realize how violent he sounded? He wanted a solution and thought the best thing would be some sort of figurative pesticide for Shapers.

“I will get to that in a moment,” the Director responded evenly. “First, I would like to give some concrete answers about Shaping to those who were not privy to this information previously.”

They gestured to Nell, Graham, and I as they spoke. “As I warned you ahead of time, the three people with me here are Shapers. My team and I have vetted them thoroughly. They are not a threat to you. That being said, these are people with abilities most unusual.” 

They turned to me. “Nick, if you would, a small example.”

I swallowed and stood from my seat. Even with my view of the leaders being only torsos and faces hidden behind screens, I could tell they were agitated, afraid, all crossed arms and postures that leaned away from me. I extended a finger, pointing it upward, then I projected a small antler from the tip. 

The tribunal reacted, muttering to each other with one person shouting an expletive at the sight. I formed a small wicker basket sphere at the top, then retracted the whole thing and sat back down, heart pounding.

“This is an abomination in God’s eyes,” the deep-voiced man said.

Graham stifled a reaction, grumbling into his fist.

“Let’s not speak for higher beings just yet,” the Director said, smiling softly.

“Do we know why they can do this?” a feminine voice asked.

A dry, nasal voice responded from the far right seat, “I haven’t finished reading all of the reports, but it is clear our scientists don’t have an answer to that query. Only theories and speculation.”

“I’ve read them too, Doctor,” the deep-voiced man replied. “And because I read them, I know how dangerous the girl is. She could kill all of us in this room if she wanted to, with just a thought.”

This set off the leaders again into low conversation and various outcries about how unnatural it was. The Director leaned in and whispered something to Nell. She reacted, leaning away from the Director and staring at them incredulously. Then the Director stepped forward.

“Ah yes, I was getting to that, Chief,” the Director’s voice cut through the noise easily, not with volume but with calm confidence. They gestured with their palm held upwards. “This lovely woman, Nell, has the ability to change the very nature of matter with only her mind. Nell, if you please.”

Nell hesitated, then she stretched out her hand towards the Director, a gesture for our audience only. The Director’s composure didn’t break as a small tulip bloomed at the center of their palm. Its petals unfurled and once again the room was in an uproar.

This time it was the woman who had spoken earlier that regained control. “Director, how long has the department of H.E.S.P. existed?”

“H.E.S.P. has existed for six years. Before that, there were various small divisions in other departments that had some minor knowledge of Shapers and were involved in investigating incidents. If you’re going to ask how long we have known, I’m afraid I can’t give you a good answer. The records of such things would have become scattered and classified before I was ever hired into this position.”

“Would it be accurate to say that your department is the sole keeper of the classified information that led up to the tragedy of Sillwood?”

“It is,” the Director answered swiftly, without a defense or excuse.

“The people demand an answer to that tragedy. Are you prepared to give us one? Perhaps it would be best if such an incompetent structure be dismantled if it cannot prevent or even give warning to the disaster that was its sole responsibility to assess and prevent?”

The Doctor sighed. “As much as I loathe to admit it, this is not incompetency, Minister. The results of H.E.S.P. speaks for itself. We have gained much vital information and made so much progress in understanding in the past few years, such strides would make any specialist in their field salivate.”

The Chief whose title I assumed was military, given his opinions, spoke, “When you speak of progress, I hope you don’t mean the word as a scholar would mean it. We need practical answers, for the people and for the threats posed against them. What sort of countermeasures can I take should my men encounter such threats?”

The Doctor replied, “Bullets will do just fine. If you want more, I can send you my paper Classifying Regenerators. I’ve been told it was useful to the H.E.S.P. field operatives.”

A voice who had not spoken yet raised their voice, “We will not be deploying regular military where we can help it. They lack the training or experience to deal with Shapers. We don’t want to massacre these people. They are our own citizens after all.”

“Sillwood has very painfully demonstrated the result of that stance,” the Chief retorted. “We need a harsher hand if we are to avoid a greater loss of life like that again.”

“Leaders, please withhold your judgments for now,” the Director said. “I have a proposal in mind. But before that, Graham here is a living example of a person who is experienced in both observing and being among Shapers. I would be interested in hearing his opinion on the matter.”

Graham stood and stepped forward, hands clasped nervously in front of himself. He took a moment to collect his thoughts before he spoke, “I am not a policy maker, so I am not qualified to make these decisions, but I do think the discussion is being influenced by the recent tragedy. Something that I haven’t heard discussed here is the emotional aspect of Shaping. The ability is inherently linked with the experience of emotions. Anger, sadness, fear; these things drive change on all levels of human structure: societal, social, interpersonal. Shapers are experiencing emotion differently than any human has before. Their feelings translate directly to change, in a way that makes me suspect that they are more predisposed to violence and crime, simply because these powerful emotions can spur drastic action before the Shaper can truly process them. But that is not how it has to be.”

I had expected the leaders to have interrupted Graham by now, but they seemed to be actually listening. Graham’s eyes shone with excitement as he spoke, “These abilities could unlock a new age of humanity. Literally all possible fields could change: medicine, art, even something like space travel could be drastically impacted. Imagine curing cancer or even old age. These things are now more possible than ever. Shaping has opened a door to a future where humankind could prosper and come to understand itself more deeply than ever before in history. But we must try to see beyond our hurt and fear, otherwise the opposite could be true. An age of paranoia and darkness for humanity, one where we allow our selfish impulses to run rampant. That world would become so unrecognizable to current day humanity that we would view it as a hell full of monsters.”

The room was quiet as Graham finished his speech. 

The Minister was first to respond, “That is a fine sentiment, but the department of H.E.S.P. exists to both learn about and control Shapers. We cannot sit on our hands and allow Shaping to take whatever course it may. That would lead to the destruction of Canada.”

Graham stiffened, his fists clenched. My stomach felt sick in a way it hadn’t in a long time.

The Chief spoke and there was a dangerous hint of anger in his tone, “It is pretty rich to hear that utopian thinking when you’re standing next to the girl who is to blame for Sillwood’s destruction.”

A single sentence that struck like a hammer blow, sending Nell plunging to new chilling depths. For a moment, I was lost, unable to see reality while submerged in a despair that said it was always going to end this way. Nell sat very still and her expression was unreadable, but I knew it was just a facade. 

I had to fight back. So I mustered up every ounce of anger and shouted, “I’ve had quite enough of that bullshit take!”

The Director shot me a look. “Nick,” they said warningly.

I fed the flame, keeping my anger bright. “No,” I said. “Why are we still saying this was Nell’s fault? What about Organ? Nell didn’t make either of the Beacons on her own. There is an organization here that orchestrated this tragedy and we’re asking like they don’t exist!”

I found myself breathing heavily as the words sank into the silent room.

Another voice spoke, quiet and somber, “Organ is a known entity. Alek was Russian, correct?”

“A citizen. He immigrated as a child,” the Director supplied calmly. 

I stared daggers at them. “Him being Russian has nothing to do with it! He was being used, coerced. Just like Nell.”

The Chief scoffed. “He was a madman.”

“Why not just ask her? She’s right here! But no, that’s already out of the question. You just want control. You’re acting just like Organ. If you all can’t recognize that, then why are we even-”

“That’s quite enough, Nick,” the Director cut in firmly. “Any more and I will have you removed from the room.”

Bitterness rose in my throat. Why had I ever thought that maybe at least some of the people in this room would be on my side?

“The boy is too emotional to see the big picture but at least he recognizes the global stage we play on. We know that Russia had a hand here. We should be sure that our statement to the world does not give them more information about the results of their work,” the Chief said.

“So, my proposal,” the Director said to leaders. “I would have Nick and Nell join a special squad in H.E.S.P. This would allow us to prevent any further abuse of Nell’s powers.”

Work for you? Never.

“The squad would consist of Shapers that we have recruited. It would be our answer to the criminal rings who are already employing Shapers to their ends. We would show the world that we understand and want to work with Shapers, while also addressing concerns that we have a weakness when it comes to Shapers that could be exploited by other world powers. This both embraces this new frontier and shows control. As far as the public goes, they will be upset, grieving. We will grieve with them while showing them that they should not give in to paranoia about Shapers. We can come out stronger from this grief.”

“Will this new operation be effective?” the Chief asked skeptically.

“As the Doctor said before, the benefits of this declassification is that the results of my H.E.S.P. units speak for their efficacy. We have powerful countermeasures and with the addition of Shaper units we will effectively put a stop to rising criminal Shaper organizations locally and on the global stage.”

The solemn voice spoke authoritatively, “We will consider the proposal. For now, I am adjourning this tribunal. Much remains to be discussed, Director. For now you and your associates may leave. We will be in touch.”

The Director nodded and stepped away from the stage. I seethed as we followed the Director out of the room. Nell wasn’t communicating with me. She just walked behind me like a zombie.

Once we were outside, the Director stopped and gave us an amiable smile.
“You’re upset. I don’t need to be your Witch to see that,” they said with some chagrin.

“No shit,” I said through clenched teeth. “That was a farce. I can’t believe I went along with this. We’re a step away from a literal witch hunt.”

“They didn’t care to hear your description of Organ’s motives and movements in the background of the Sillwood incident.”

“And you did nothing except reassure that warmonger that we would be useful weapons.”

The Director tilted their head. “Do you not want to be a weapon, Nick? I would have thought that, given your actions, you were fine with fighting.”

Branches coiled at my shoulders, ripping through my shirt. “Are you seriously being so brazen right now? Do you think I’ll just agree to be pointed at whatever target you see fit to destroy? A loyal dog to sic on your enemies?”

The Director looked around and then leaned in like they had a secret to tell. “Actually, I was hoping that you would be quite the untamed dog. A loose cannon, so to speak, at least by outward appearances.”

Their words caught me off guard and I felt some of my anger drain away. “What?”

“Do you not find it strange that the leaders would be so dismissive of Organ? Would outing the extent of this shadowy organization’s involvement not do them favours in the eyes of the people? An easy bogeyman to use to garner control out of fear?”

I stared at them. The Director smiled connivingly.

“H.E.S.P. has been recording evidence of Organ’s machinations for years. They’ve only been getting more brazen as we draw closer to finding out what they’re after. Why?” 

They held up a finger. “I believe it is because they are rushing to accomplish something. Because of some unknown time limit, or perhaps they are not as united as we would like to think. And,” they held up a second finger, “because they don’t fear us stopping them. I suspect their influence reaches even into our organization and so every step I take must dance the line between obediently following directions from the higher ups and finding a way to truly meddle.”

I shook my head, “I don’t understand what that has to do with us.”

“You’ve presented an interesting opportunity for me. As you so clearly demonstrated in the tribunal by speaking out of turn, you are roguish. I can brush off your insubordination as me trying to control what has been previously unrestrained. I can point you adjacent to Organ and if it just so happens that this loose cannon finds targets that I wasn’t allowed to shoot at directly? Well, mistakes happen.”

The Director stepped closer, eyes ablaze with a fervor they hadn’t shown before. “Doesn’t it make you sick? Those who grandstand about the people and yet they only want to cover their own asses. Let’s find ourselves an Organ, Nick. And then let’s cut it out.”