that once the construction crew moves on to repairs and whatever on the rest of the island, I might switch to the farm team."
Mayor Lucas smiled. "Fancy yourself a farmer, do you? Well Theo, what would you think about doing something a little more... cerebral?"
Theo was confused. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean..."
"What I mean is that I am looking to put together a council of advisors representing different groups on the island. I have been wondering if there was anyone with the right aptitude to represent the youth of Atlantic Island, and it occurs to me that you may be the right man for the job."
Theo had to remind himself to speak. He was thrown off his game. "Sir, I really appreciate the offer, but honestly I'm not sure I'm the best guy for the job. My friend Ryan—"
"Is, I'm sure, a lovely young man," said Lucas. "Right now we are talking about you. Tell me Theo, you don't think you're qualified to be on my council?"
"I don't know. I guess I've never been told I'm qualified to do much of anything."
The mayor laughed. "I find that fascinating. Have you considered that maybe those who judged you didn't know what they were doing? I like to think I'm a reasonably good authority on character and qualifications. You're hardly the first person I've offered a position, and my selections usually pan out just fine.
"You don't have to decide now," the mayor continued, "just keep doing what you're doing with the construction work for the time being. But there will come a time when I will call on you and I do hope you'll seriously consider my offer. Bare in mind this won't relieve you of your obligation to finish school."
"Thank you sir." Theo paused, deciding whether to get back to the issue at hand, and concluded that he had no choice but to press on. "About my friend…"
Mayor Lucas laughed again. "Yes, yes, not to worry, I haven't forgotten. I may be old but I'm still sharp! I'm also a man who is willing to admit when he's in error. Allowing such an important case to take place without my oversight may have been foolish of me."
"Sir, I didn't mean to say that you were foolish…"
"I know, Theo. I'm simply saying that perhaps until we have a proper judicial system in place our cases, in particular high profile ones, could do with a little…monitoring."
The mayor reached for a speakerphone on his desk and pushed a button. "Amanda, could you tell Deputy Mayor Tiberius to come in here for a minute?"
The voice of the assistant came through the speakerphone. "Yes sir, I'll send him right in."
Theo felt his pulse quicken. He hadn't counted on any interaction with Tiberius. The mayor saw Theo's reaction. "Relax," he said. "You have nothing to fear from the Deputy Mayor. It's the criminal element that needs to watch out for him."
A knock at the door signaled the arrival of the deputy mayor. "Come in," called Lucas. The door flew open and revealed Tiberius, looking menacing in a black suit. Theo always thought of a vampire every time he saw Tiberius, and the deputy mayor's attire only reinforced that image.
"What do you think you're doing, Sam?"
Lucas smiled. "Paul, come take a seat."
Tiberius stood stiff by the open door. "I'll stand, thank you. I'm not accustomed to being called in when we don't have a scheduled appointment."
"I understand," said Lucas. "Paul, this young man came to me to discuss the case of the protestors. He has made a very valid argument that the sentence was...a tad severe."
"You mean the sentence that I made in my authority as head of the Security Force." Tiberius sneered. His penetrating gaze was directed solely at the mayor. It was as if Theo wasn't in the room at all.
"Yes," said Lucas, "but you'll recall that as mayor I have the authority to adjust sentencing."
Tiberius's eyes flashed with anger. "You mean to override my sentence?"
"I believe that in your desire to instill the proper sense of command and control in our country, you may have been slightly overzealous in
Mayor Lucas smiled. "Fancy yourself a farmer, do you? Well Theo, what would you think about doing something a little more... cerebral?"
Theo was confused. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean..."
"What I mean is that I am looking to put together a council of advisors representing different groups on the island. I have been wondering if there was anyone with the right aptitude to represent the youth of Atlantic Island, and it occurs to me that you may be the right man for the job."
Theo had to remind himself to speak. He was thrown off his game. "Sir, I really appreciate the offer, but honestly I'm not sure I'm the best guy for the job. My friend Ryan—"
"Is, I'm sure, a lovely young man," said Lucas. "Right now we are talking about you. Tell me Theo, you don't think you're qualified to be on my council?"
"I don't know. I guess I've never been told I'm qualified to do much of anything."
The mayor laughed. "I find that fascinating. Have you considered that maybe those who judged you didn't know what they were doing? I like to think I'm a reasonably good authority on character and qualifications. You're hardly the first person I've offered a position, and my selections usually pan out just fine.
"You don't have to decide now," the mayor continued, "just keep doing what you're doing with the construction work for the time being. But there will come a time when I will call on you and I do hope you'll seriously consider my offer. Bare in mind this won't relieve you of your obligation to finish school."
"Thank you sir." Theo paused, deciding whether to get back to the issue at hand, and concluded that he had no choice but to press on. "About my friend…"
Mayor Lucas laughed again. "Yes, yes, not to worry, I haven't forgotten. I may be old but I'm still sharp! I'm also a man who is willing to admit when he's in error. Allowing such an important case to take place without my oversight may have been foolish of me."
"Sir, I didn't mean to say that you were foolish…"
"I know, Theo. I'm simply saying that perhaps until we have a proper judicial system in place our cases, in particular high profile ones, could do with a little…monitoring."
The mayor reached for a speakerphone on his desk and pushed a button. "Amanda, could you tell Deputy Mayor Tiberius to come in here for a minute?"
The voice of the assistant came through the speakerphone. "Yes sir, I'll send him right in."
Theo felt his pulse quicken. He hadn't counted on any interaction with Tiberius. The mayor saw Theo's reaction. "Relax," he said. "You have nothing to fear from the Deputy Mayor. It's the criminal element that needs to watch out for him."
A knock at the door signaled the arrival of the deputy mayor. "Come in," called Lucas. The door flew open and revealed Tiberius, looking menacing in a black suit. Theo always thought of a vampire every time he saw Tiberius, and the deputy mayor's attire only reinforced that image.
"What do you think you're doing, Sam?"
Lucas smiled. "Paul, come take a seat."
Tiberius stood stiff by the open door. "I'll stand, thank you. I'm not accustomed to being called in when we don't have a scheduled appointment."
"I understand," said Lucas. "Paul, this young man came to me to discuss the case of the protestors. He has made a very valid argument that the sentence was...a tad severe."
"You mean the sentence that I made in my authority as head of the Security Force." Tiberius sneered. His penetrating gaze was directed solely at the mayor. It was as if Theo wasn't in the room at all.
"Yes," said Lucas, "but you'll recall that as mayor I have the authority to adjust sentencing."
Tiberius's eyes flashed with anger. "You mean to override my sentence?"
"I believe that in your desire to instill the proper sense of command and control in our country, you may have been slightly overzealous in
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