COLOR: BLACK
The fact no one was standing behind him seemed a bit unusual; according to rules bodyguards should wait outside the office of Senato. Same went to weapon.
Ky Kiske looked down at a piece of stamped paper. It was a letter he had got few days ago which directed the king of Illiriya to present himself to Senato with the shortest delay. There weren't any other details, and Ky arrived as soon as his duties of ruler allowed.
The last members of Organization were taking their places, their chairs rustled lightly. Ky surveyed the hall. Organization gathered in its full, so something serious might have happened. But in that case… why is he an only person who was called?
"Before we bring you up to date you should peruse the material."
And Ky got a stack of paper envelopes.
"We insistently recommend you to open them one by one."
Ky nodded and opened the fist.
It was color photography. A bit blurred, not staged. Imaged there young couple was photographed in passing. May be incidentally, but that was unlikely. The person who stood in the left was Ky; another one whose hand he was holding was the girl he had so desperately tried to shelter from the world's eyes.
"What an idiot I was" the thought stirred in Ky's mind.
He was too careless then, year and a half ago, and now this whittled away all other efforts.
With a peripheral vision Ky noticed gazes. They kept vigilant over his reaction. Realization of that cleared his mind and Ky forced himself to put down the photo with no emotions. It was just a photo. It couldn't prove anything; it even couldn't serve as discrediting evidence for the most impudent tabloids.
"May I open the next one?" Ky asked and got an assent.
This time it was much more difficult to keep calm. One more photography. It showed Ky in casual wear with a two years old child in his hands. Right eye of baby who made a sulky face was covered with fabric patch. One may say that photo could look like a placard with the appeal to help orphan children, but details gave away everything. This photo had higher quality and the person who knew what he had been looking for could easily notice alike fair hair and sets of features. Too much alike…
"I never expected that UN would have interest in my private life," Ky screwed his face to hide his anxiety behind the mask of pent in indignation.
They didn't answer and Ky took the next envelope.
Photography. It again imaged him and Sin. But now Sin looked as three years old child. Straw-colored hair, the patch on the same eye. It was impossible not to recognize the same child. And Ky himself didn't change. Not in the least.
"Oh no… Please, no," mentally asked Ky. He pressed his hand against his mouth, because suddenly it became hard to breath. His chest felt like it was compress by iron rings. "My Heavenly Father, please, do not let this happen!"
"Now we would like clarify several things." Previously their tone was calm, but now it became icy.
"Ex facte, , there is nothing out of line in these photos. Your love affairs are your private decision. But second and third photos were taken not with a year interval. The interval between them is four weeks. Your offspring in some "magical way" (these words sounded like underlined and echoed in Ky's mind) appreciably grew up in only month. We can say it was amazing occurrence. But as it was discovered this incident is not unique. After making close study of topic our specialist found out that a very alike situation had place four years ago. That time it was a girl who grew up in a "magical way". By the concurrence of circumstances we have her photography at our disposal…"
Ky wasn't bound to do that, but as if acting in nightmare he stretched his arm for the last envelope.
Blue hair braided in funny ponytails, light-colored child's dress. She looked about ten years old.
It was the last detail and it took the place.
That's enough. Guilty.
Ky was hardly aware of reasoning his actions when his numbed hand turned over the card.
"Object: Dizzy. Height: 1, 38. Weight: 27." was printed there. "Age: about 2 years. Blood group: unknown. Rank: S++".
Ky knew whose terminology it was. P.W.A.B. Did Senato really exchange information with them?
"There is the same girl on the last and on the first photos. She is command-type Gear named Dizzy. And your lover."
One by one they turned their heads and synchronically gazed at Ky.
"Ky Kiske. You are accused of premeditated concealment of biomagical weapon of mass destruction better known by term "Command-Type Gear". The inquiry will reveal whether you purposed to use it for reaching superiority over other countries or not."
"They aren't weapons!" Ky wanted to object. "They are my family. Stop talking about them like they are monstrous instruments! They don't want to kill! I'd never make them play this terrible role!"
"You masqueraded as pious person, Kiske," throwing off his mask of supercilious disdain accuser pulled a face. "Leader of knights, defender of hopes… De facto you managed to get the command-type gear, attach it to yourself by emotional impact, breed from it one more specimen …"
"In God's name, aren't you ashamed?! How dare you to say such things about a child!" Ky exclaimed, but no one paid attention as if he was surrounded by invisible imperturbable barrier.
"At the moment you have two options. First one. You voluntary hand over the gears to us. In this case you will be deprived of the Illiriya crown and committed to prison. With a glance of your co-operation with justice and your former service to the countries your stretch won't go beyond five years. In addition for five more years you will be debarred from public activities. And of course – everything about this affair should shun the publicity. "
Only one sentence described the future of Dizzy and Sin; all others were to characterize his own fate.
"Do you suggest me to hand over them to you in order that you will kill them?"
"As for Dizzy she is adult specimen with established attitude to world. It certainly grieves us, but most probably she will be eliminated to avoid a new war. As to her offspring it's unpractical to kill him. He can be brought up properly and in addition he is of interest for science research. If he doesn't display aggression, he will live in ward of UN. We'd recommend you to stop grimacing – let's behave as reasonable persons. "
Ky clenched his teeth and his fingers turned cold because of shock. He almost hated himself, because he continued to listen instead of revolting against these terrific accusations.
"You said," the voice didn't obey him and seemed strange, "I have two options."
"Second one. You refuse to admit your guilt and the affair goes public. You will be deprived of all your authorities and held to court. At the moment there are already enough evidences to award you a death sentence. As for gears UN will bring its military forces into Illiriya to trace them. After being detected both of them will get a death sentence. And keep in mind, Mr. Kiske. In the event that you make attempt to escape from prison or your gears begin to act against us, we have to use an orbital strike on all their possible whereabouts in Illiriya."
Ky felt like he was suffocating. His shoulders were shivering as if in pain shock. Not in indignation, it was left in past.
"You will have enough time to think over it."
Phantom sound of closing handcuffs involuntary snapped in his mind. It was untimely, but inevitable.
"I do not need a time." Ky rose to his feet. Several figures in camouflage instantly left their posts near the door and directed their steps towards him.
"They are my family. And I will not let hurt them."
They broadly hinted that his imprisonment may last far more than several weeks. Because they understood very well that the reputation of public character can't be demolished in one moment, even after such stroke. It should look like gradual augmenting of suspicions, inquest, chain of shocking facts. You are doomed, they said. You are doomed, because you are guilty. But you can a bit brighten up your last days, if you agree to cooperate. If you behave yourself. We can charge with your crime whole Illiriya and we will do it if you even try to escape. You don't want your people to suffer, do you?
"And what about your intention to execute my family?!" Ky wanted to shout in response. "What if I don't want them to suffer?!"
Ky could hardly contain himself, and that shout sounded in his head, echoing painfully in his temples. He should make semblance of obedience, if he wanted to find a chance to convey a message for Dizzy and little one about the danger which impended over them.
He already overacted during one "voluntary conversation" when he lost his temper and asked if there was the law which prohibited gear to live.
As the result his words were recorded. Just in case they said. It was still unclear how to explain his fall. May be by distemper and further turncoat towards enemies, may be by cynical and hypocritical astuteness.
Nights dragged on, days slipped by. And the walls of prison stood still, cutting off the light and the world.