Flashes Of Light

Overture

"So," the Presenter says. "Logar said those words, that he'd previously said during the... torture you say The Anti's men inflicted on you, and it kickstarted the whole process."

"Yes, we should thank you, in a way," Ane replies. "This interview really helped us put all of the pieces together."

"The things The Anti told us about the climate change or about the Temple, the Dormitory or the air conditioning has never been solved, in those six years," Logar adds. "Because the secrets died, half buried in our memories. Of course sometimes some things would come up, and we never exactly hated the other. Jay did come to visit me in prison, and I'm sure Percie and Ane never hated me, though they didn't come. But it's all in the past now, because we can start our mission from where we left it off."

The Presenter gulps. "I hope you don't mean to start it today, during my transmission."

"Why, this is exactly what we plan to do," Jay says. During the years she's had her doubts that Logar had gone to prison to save her, but the words she heard today only confirmed it. She would like to ask Logar whether it's too late to fix it.

"I'm afraid you decided to start your revolution a little too late," the Presenter replies. "From the moment you admitted on live television that you've killed The Anti, some police officers have already parked their car outside the venue. They will escort the four of you to a prison where you cannot hope to escape, in Iceland..."

The man replies a phone call in that very moment. "Yes? Oh, they're saying that they'd like to execute the four of you."

"Society is a sham! Reality is a joke! Or so dear old Anti would have said," Logar exclaims. "President White is ruling over us with a tight fist and a fake name. There hasn't been an Anti in six years. Who decides that we have to die for our sins? The police, who have always disguised themselves as The Anti's men?"

"Men and women," the Presenter says. "And they're still extremely loyal to Michaim Toutatis' memory. The man left them many of his plans to carry on before he died. They know what to do."

"Well, they tortured us and drugged us not to let any of you say that there is hot air conditioning in all the pipes of the city, better yet, of the whole country!"

"And how can you exactly prove that this is not just madness, Mister Iris?"

"Easy, I am a scientist. Get me out of here, and I think I can find a way to dismantle the air conditioning. There must be an on and off button somewhere, in The Anti's office."

"Mister Iris, you will never get out of here. Not even escorted."

"Well, shit," Jay says. "I didn't want to do it. I liked Ane Dioretsa's polite approach better. But if you're not letting us go without a fight, I can still cause one."

Jay is aware that many people liked either the Grenade or Jonath Cincinnati. No one had ever been truly able to understand what either of them stood for, and she couldn't tell either. But now she can see clearly which are the things worth fighting for, and for once, she's happy she has an explosive temper.

Her therapist had told her that it was something that had to be managed, but now Jay knows enough to know her therapist was one of The Anti's women. Doctor Itokawa.

It is likely that Jay has issues to take care of. A bit of a issue controlling her anger, yes, PTSD and anxiety from her past. But sometimes, rage is all you have, and you can channel it, like a Grenade that goes off for the right cause.

She's been waiting for this moment for six years. "It's over for everyone," she says. "If you don't let us go."

That said, she takes her rifle and shoots at the window behind the Presenter. It's a huge window made of glass that takes up almost the whole wall, and the four of them could never make --- it's too high from the ground.