the people of Tanzania, to harvest these resources and share the wealth.” He’s been coached well, uses all the tricks of nodding, eye contact smiling, touch and strong handshakes. The crowd enjoys him, but some are angered by his presence; they wave thorn tree branches at him in protest and shout. Though, for the most part, they are reserved and peaceful. Guards are in the positions Rhadi and Aliya had gone over with their team, but there are two more that were not in their plan.
Magistrate Luamke shakes Drake’s hand at the close of his speech and thanks him for speaking. Luamke stays at the podium to offer some words of his own. “We are very happy Drake Enterprises is here with us today celebrating our country’s independence!” Luamke takes his hand and raises their arms up as if he was declaring the victor of a boxing title, then the German leaves the stage.
Drake’s mines are in Luamke’s district so it makes sense he’d be here schmoozing, Kennen would say to Aliya, were she at his side. He scours the crowd trying to spot Aliya, but doesn’t see her anywhere.
Luamke is about to start his own speech when, suddenly, there is a rush of movement through the front of the crowd to the stage. A man dressed head-to-toe in white, wearing a white scarf on his face rushes the stage and lures some of the guards to chase him. Five more people dressed in the same white attack the stage. Two of them hold back some of the guards, while three others throw white powder all over Luamke.
The crowd screams and disperses in various directions but away from the source of the hysteria. Armed security guards manage to tackle one of the people in white, but he punches the guard and manages to squirm away. The assailants escape into the crowd, each stripping off white and dropping it to the ground as they flee the scene. One guard shoots after the perpetrators and nicks one in the leg. The person falters but persists in escaping. Blood drips through the white pant leg.
Luamke is whisked away by one of his aides while he tries to wipe the powder from his eyes. They take him to the hospital for testing in case the white substance is lethal.
Kennen can’t find any high ground to better see what’s going on. The momentum of the crowd forces him out to the street at a quick pace. There is no escaping the current of the herd. Once he is a few blocks from the scene, he is able to step aside. Some members of the crowd are restless and inspired. One man throws a bin into a storefront, but it bounces off the metal gate protecting the store for the holiday.
Recognizing that this could escalate into a full riot and that he, especially as a foreigner could be in greater danger, Kennen quickly makes his way back to the hotel.
21
Fugitives
July 7 (later) - 8
The hotel lobby is quiet and reposed compared to the mayhem outside. Kennen runs into their hotel room in search of Aliya. She’s not there. He has a bad feeling that she is involved in this and Rhadi is no doubt the instigator. He clenches his fists at the thought of Rhadi, then a new bigger wave of realization washes over him. Kennen would be implicated, fingers will be pointing at him for the attack. He grabs his bags and as he reaches to turn the knob on the door, he turns back and gathers Aliya’s things too.
The streets are at a halt with traffic. Police are even putting up blockades. He walks for a quarter mile and then he sees Aliya on the street coming toward him. She is wearing the “Skin Deep” t-shirt and shorts she had on under her white costume, her hat swoops a shadow over her face, but he can tell it’s her. She sees him first and looks a little unsure. She waves for him to follow her down a side street, which he does.
“Thank God you’re alright! What happened? What have you done?”
“What was necessary.”
“Necessary!” Kennen’s voice cracks at the suggestion.
“There’s no time to argue about this now.” They hurry a few more
Magistrate Luamke shakes Drake’s hand at the close of his speech and thanks him for speaking. Luamke stays at the podium to offer some words of his own. “We are very happy Drake Enterprises is here with us today celebrating our country’s independence!” Luamke takes his hand and raises their arms up as if he was declaring the victor of a boxing title, then the German leaves the stage.
Drake’s mines are in Luamke’s district so it makes sense he’d be here schmoozing, Kennen would say to Aliya, were she at his side. He scours the crowd trying to spot Aliya, but doesn’t see her anywhere.
Luamke is about to start his own speech when, suddenly, there is a rush of movement through the front of the crowd to the stage. A man dressed head-to-toe in white, wearing a white scarf on his face rushes the stage and lures some of the guards to chase him. Five more people dressed in the same white attack the stage. Two of them hold back some of the guards, while three others throw white powder all over Luamke.
The crowd screams and disperses in various directions but away from the source of the hysteria. Armed security guards manage to tackle one of the people in white, but he punches the guard and manages to squirm away. The assailants escape into the crowd, each stripping off white and dropping it to the ground as they flee the scene. One guard shoots after the perpetrators and nicks one in the leg. The person falters but persists in escaping. Blood drips through the white pant leg.
Luamke is whisked away by one of his aides while he tries to wipe the powder from his eyes. They take him to the hospital for testing in case the white substance is lethal.
Kennen can’t find any high ground to better see what’s going on. The momentum of the crowd forces him out to the street at a quick pace. There is no escaping the current of the herd. Once he is a few blocks from the scene, he is able to step aside. Some members of the crowd are restless and inspired. One man throws a bin into a storefront, but it bounces off the metal gate protecting the store for the holiday.
Recognizing that this could escalate into a full riot and that he, especially as a foreigner could be in greater danger, Kennen quickly makes his way back to the hotel.
21
Fugitives
July 7 (later) - 8
The hotel lobby is quiet and reposed compared to the mayhem outside. Kennen runs into their hotel room in search of Aliya. She’s not there. He has a bad feeling that she is involved in this and Rhadi is no doubt the instigator. He clenches his fists at the thought of Rhadi, then a new bigger wave of realization washes over him. Kennen would be implicated, fingers will be pointing at him for the attack. He grabs his bags and as he reaches to turn the knob on the door, he turns back and gathers Aliya’s things too.
The streets are at a halt with traffic. Police are even putting up blockades. He walks for a quarter mile and then he sees Aliya on the street coming toward him. She is wearing the “Skin Deep” t-shirt and shorts she had on under her white costume, her hat swoops a shadow over her face, but he can tell it’s her. She sees him first and looks a little unsure. She waves for him to follow her down a side street, which he does.
“Thank God you’re alright! What happened? What have you done?”
“What was necessary.”
“Necessary!” Kennen’s voice cracks at the suggestion.
“There’s no time to argue about this now.” They hurry a few more
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