Authors: Jeannie van Rompaey
He punched me on the shoulder. ‘I’m saying – so what’s new? Tell you what. You show me yours and I’ll show you mine.’
For a moment I thought he meant he had mutations too; but then he grinned, gave me another friendly punch and said, ‘Lighten up, man. It’s not like you haven’t always been different. I kind of like that about you.’
That’s when I knew that nothing had changed. We were
still friends even though he now knew that I had been born a mutant humanoid.
The tragedy of Athene’s death will never be forgotten on Earth or Oasis, but now there is a new CEO of Worldwideculture, Odysseus, a humanoid I really respect.
In spite of Stella’s appalling treatment of my father and her association with Orlando Wolfe, she did remain clear-headed enough to choose a leader who is knowledgeable, wise and trustworthy.
One thing does concern me. Odysseus has allowed Thor to remain with Heracles. Surely that is a recipe for disaster? Or was that Stella’s decision? Is she even more devious than I think?
Stella and Orlando Wolfe are still together. My father is, naturally, deeply wounded by this fact and finds it impossible to come to terms with her intimacy with Wolfe.
I try to be supportive but his hurt is so deep that there are times when I cannot reach him.
We have not been able to prove that it was Wolfe who had me arrested and interrogated but there is enough circumstantial evidence for us to know that he was indeed the power behind the incident. There is no secret for him to expose any longer, but that doesn’t mean he has given up finding methods to discredit my father. The two men continue to be enemies, politically and personally. That is unlikely to change. Wolfe continues to play dirty, but, for the moment, Father’s career is safe.
Once I become a member of the Symposium I’ll be on Wolfe’s case and will not give up until I’ve exposed all his corrupt ways.
Yes, readers of these chronicles, I have made up my mind to become a politician. I’m determined to get myself elected to the Symposium and systematically get rid of all the
corruption that seems to have crept in there like a sneaky virus. I intend to restore the ideals of the original charter and do my best to make Oasis as close to a Utopian state as possible.
When I tell Jonathan my plan he laughs.
‘You will have to become President to do that,’ he jokes.
‘If that’s what it takes,’ I tell him. ‘Then that’s what I’ll be.’
‘The first hybrid mutant/complete President of Oasis?’ He shrugs. ‘Well, anything is possible.’
‘Would you vote for me?’ I ask him.
‘Oh come on, man. That’s asking too much. Who in his right mind would vote for an oddball like you as President?’
In spite of him baiting me, he has put an idea into my mind that refuses to go away. The best way to get rid of corruption and make sure of good relations between Earth and Oasis is to become President of the Symposium. It may take me years to achieve this position, until I’m quite old in fact, about forty or even fifty. However long it takes I’m determined to do it.
I have another dream. To see Athene’s daughter, Jocasta, grow up to be as wise and beautiful as her mother and inherit her role as Leader of Planet Earth. Not as CEO of Worldwideculture. With a bit of luck the latter organisation will be defunct by then and Stella’s influence no longer in operation.
Sounds far-fetched? Maybe. But I can dream.
The End
I would like to thank the following people for their support during the writing process.
Hedley Alcock, my first reader, for his interest and enthusiasm, as ever.
Maureen Blundell, my editor, for her invaluable advice.
Hayley and Gareth from Authoright for their thoroughness in every aspect of the publishing and marketing process.
My husband, TJ, for his practical and personal support.
Author’s Note:
I’d like to invite you to take a look at my website. If you would like to be informed when my next book comes out please leave your name and email on the Contact Page.
http://jeannievanrompaey.com/
Brought up in a village in Northamptonshire, Jeannie van Rompaey has lived in London, The United States and Spain.
Jeannie considers herself an eternal student. She trained as a teacher at St Gabriel’s College and studied Speech and Drama at Rose Bruford, both London based colleges. She has a BA from the Open University, a Diploma in English as a Foreign Language from the Bell School, Cambridge, and an MA in Modern Literature from the University of Leicester.
Her varied career includes teaching, lecturing and running drama and creative writing workshops. She is also a theatre director, actor and voice-over. As Jeannie Russell she is a senior member of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators and adjudicates drama festivals in the UK and Europe.
Jeannie is married to historian and artist, TJ. They live on the subtropical island of Gran Canaria where she spends much of her time writing and painting. She makes frequent trips to London to see her daughter, Anieka, attend literary events, visit art galleries and go to the theatre.
Novels
Life Drawing
After
Devil Face
Oasis Series, Book One: Ascension
Short Stories
Betrayed
Afternoons on the De Keyserlei
The Idealists
And her mother came too
Anna-Belinda
Swap
Recognition
Published by Clink Street Publishing 2016
Copyright © 2016
First edition.
Jeannie van Rompaey has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior consent of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that with which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
ISBN: 978–1–910782–93–4
E-Book: 978–1–910782–94–1