Chapter 667 - Human Avatar (1/2)
Quicksilver's pretty face wore a happy smile when she used her back to nudge open the door to Dex's place. The smile faded only slightly when she noticed both Thumper and Stiletto sleeping on his couch. The coffee table was littered with dozens of images taken by the off-site team. She could hear the low voices of Mongoose and Gadget conversing in the kitchen, but she ignored it and headed upstairs to the loft.
Dex was sprawled diagonally across the bed, his long frame stretched out while sleeping peacefully on one side. Being tired herself, she slid in front of him and then eased backward until her back touched his chest.
”Darsi?” Dex's voice accompanied the opening of one eye. Then, by instinct, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer. ”Just get back?”
”Yep. The Bottom Feeders are still here. You should lock your doors.”
Dex chuckled sleepily. ”We were studying the initial images from the off-site location.”
The incessant buzzing of the bedroom's only stationary hud made both of the bed's occupants sit up.
Dex eyed the hud warily. ”Isn't that the...”
”Yep. Any world alert event activates the room huds.” Darsi kissed the side of his face before leaning over him to activate it.
No video or audio feed accompanied the alert. Instead, a single line of text moved across the bottom of the screen.
[World Alert]
IAW UN Mandate 343-11, the Candian Province of Quebec, has seceded from Canada.
”The hell?” Darsi combed her slender fingers through her blond hair, effectively pulling it out of her face. Then, reluctantly she climbed out of bed, pulling her bedmate with her. ”This is too big to ignore.”
Dex groaned and pulled back. ”I disagree... Few things are too big to ignore. I just went to sleep an hour ago.”
Instead of arguing, she stepped close and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly.
Dex smiled and rested his chin on top of her head. They stood like that for a handful of seconds before curiosity got the better of him. ”What's your play here?”
”No play, partner. I missed you.” His chest muffled Darsi's words.
”Sneaky...” Dex pulled away but maintained a grip on her hand when she headed down the stairs.
The rest of the Bottom Feeders were already sitting on the sofa; both Stiletto and Thumper looked exhausted. Thankfully, Mongoose was pouring coffee for everyone by the time the two stragglers arrived.
”Thanks!” Darsi returned Mongoose's smile with one of her own before picking up two cups and handing Dex one. ”Anyone know what this is about?”
Gadget shook his head slightly. ”I can tell you about UN Mandate 343-11, but as far as Quebec seceding, I don't think anyone saw that coming.”
Dex seated himself on one of the chairs that faced the sofa while Mongoose pulled up a news feed on the coffee table's hud. As expected, the sudden departure of Quebec was the focus.
Gadget turned down the volume on the hud so they could talk. ”343-11 was passed by the UN nearly a year ago.”
Unexpectedly, Stiletto interrupted the brief. ”I remember, the conspiracy forums had a field day with it.” Her duo-colored eyes darted between Dex and Darsi as if trying to decide who to focus on. Then, after settling on Darsi, she continued. ”They said it was a trap to break up North Korea.”
If Gadget was bothered by the interruption, his calm face didn't show it. Instead, he nodded slightly, agreeing with the comment. The situation in North Korea hadn't changed much in fifty years, despite the virtual world movement. For the most part, they remained a closed-off regime with a single dictator running the country. ”For once, those forums may have been onto something. Since being invited into the UN, North Korea has improved its relations with the other world powers. The delegate signed the Mandate without protest.”
Darsi sipped her coffee, her blue eyes studying the hud while Gadget spoke. ”I'm jetlagged; give us the Cliff notes.”
”The Mandate is a path to secession. A territory within a nation has the right to secede if certain criteria are met.” Gadget sent a quick file to everyone so they could read the brief. ”Summing up, the secession has to be voted on by both a popular and legislative vote. If the popular approval vote reaches eighty percent, the governing legislature will make the decision. The legislative must reach unanimous consent.”
Dex whistled softly. ”Seems unlikely that either of those should have happened, especially in Quebec.”
Gadget was about to continue his brief when the hud changed again.