Chapter Two
A lightly bearded man strained ever closer to the miniature screen of a hand-held computer. It was dark in the large room- the Coalition of Pity's centre of operation- and the image on the screen as of poor quality; dim, grey, chipped.
Finally, his eyes adjusted to the slight glow, he reached out an arm and beckoned.
"Ember. Get Jule over here so he can see this."
The girl, glancing around, spotted her companion spread across a threadbare sofa silently mouthing words as he read them from a thick book. She slid over to him. They clasped hands once again and she led him towards the computer.
"Look at these, Jule. Security footage from under bridge ninety seven on the lower-east tube. There's no way of knowing what they're saying, but see the banners they've got." The man pointed to white blocks evidently being held up by distorted grey, vaguely humanised shapes. Every so often the blocks moved with tiny jerks. Jule shook his head.
"We're not all as short-sighted as you, Marton. Can't you get a close up on the signs?"
"I can try," replied the Coalition's chief technician, off-handedly. He tapped lazily at a key and the image jumped forwards suddenly. The grey shapes now took on more body-like forms and, to the young man's satisfaction, he could see faint slogans stencilled on the banners.
The three read quietly. Breaking the silence, the girl snorted dubiously.
"They just seem like attention-seekers, to me."
"I don't think-" Marton attempted.
"Well, look at them! Dressed all in black and with ribbing in their basques and all that crap. You've seen their sort before at SchoolTM. They probably all have top-price feeds and all the extras!"
The two men glanced at each other. Ember sighed, exhasperated.
"Jule! Am I right this time, or what?!"
After a few moments he nodded slowly. "Yeah, okay. This time you're right." Ignoring the girl's triumphant gesture he rushed on. "But I still think one of the Coalition should go down there to make sure. We need people on our side, Ember! These attention-seekers could be what we need to make a difference."
At his side, Marton nodded. "I think you should go, Ember."
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