8.3

“Now, back to business, professor. We are here to discuss how much we need, otherwise I wouldn’t be here. I’m very thankful for the wonderful and in-depth explanation you gave to Brother Aidan just now, but we should get to the point of business.” Vitar nudged himself into the conversation and put a document on the table. He shoved the binder across the table to the professor – who seemed to tense at the sight of it. He looked a lot more stressed and stiff now than he did during his explanation, Aidan noticed.
      The greying black hair suddenly didn’t give the intelligent and wise look anymore, but more that of a someone under pressure, of someone being constantly followed and watched closely and needing to perform. His nonchalance and elitist behaviour was gone in an instance. He turned into an obedient servant, an animal listening to its master afraid of getting whipped.
      “Yes, Elder. What are you planning this time?”
      “Well, considering there has been an accident underground, we have moved up the Ascension Rite, first of all. It’s in two weeks. And secondly, we will be taking more than usual. Double to be precise. We have already started sorting through the files of who we want to bring, there’s pictures in the folder of twenty-three of them. The final lucky one will be chosen by Brother Aidan himself when he goes down there, but he hasn’t yet looked through the file of every worker to see if there’s someone he fancies or deems useful.”
      “Very well. So the final dose will be a bit of a gamble? Should we prepare extra just in case?”
      “Hold on,” Aidan interrupted. “You just told me that they scan each worker in the CF to see how much dose they need. So the final dose wouldn’t be a gamble, according to your explanation. Why do you need these worker files already?”
      “Aidan, shut it. Let the grown-ups talk,” Vitar said to him, through his teeth. Only Aidan could properly hear it.
      “No, I want to know. I also need to know things like this, my father said so himself. Not just the basics, I need to know everything for when I become Father. So why do you bring their files to this meeting? What purpose do the first examinations and tests at the Cleaning Facility even serve if you already know everything?” Aidan spat back at him, switching his gaze to the professor quickly.
      Wennot seemed to relax a little bit by Aidan’s slight explosion, for some reason. He cleared his throat before Vitar could spit something vile at Aidan. “My good boy, you are correct. I didn’t mean to deceive you. The explanation I gave you is correct though. This is the official procedure.
      However, Elder Vitar makes sure everything is prepared into great detail and that no amount of the drug goes to waste. He brings the files of the pre-picked workers at the meeting, so we can make sure we have just the right amount of drug at the ready when the time comes.”
      “So everything has already been decided on, without me?” Aidan asked, staring straight at Vitar.
      “Certainly. You have only just started learning about the actual process. This is always decided on directly after the first meeting. Jura and your father go for dinner – but they actually start spitting through the pile of potential candidates. That pile has been made by the rest of the council. We start going through files again after every Rite, making sure that previous candidates still meet our demands. And we go through the other files to see if someone we first passed on stands out now or if new workers made a good impression.
      We decide based on behaviour, possible talents, subordination, work pace, particular notes made by enforcers or other law workers, and sometimes we even pick them based on their looks. The ones picked because of their looks are usually because we get bribes from families. They sometimes rather prefer a good-looking girl they can whip into submission than an obedient slave that doesn’t quite have the wow-factor,” Vitar said unimpressed. Aidan got the impression Vitar hadn’t wanted to give him this information yet. “Anyway, I digress. The servants have already been chosen, except for the one you are obligated to pick. You can ask your father to go through the files of those chosen, to see if there’s anyone you are interested in. Now, back to the matter at hand.”
      “Of course, of course.” The professor quickly pulled himself together again. “We will get started on the preparations for these twenty-three lambs immediately, and will take the extra one into account for the wine already. I shall make the preparations for a standard dose for the second mind-stiller, just in case.
      If you decide on who you are going to bring up, please inform me as soon as possible.”
      “Will do, professor. Do you perhaps have some more information for me to take back home with me? I’d like to go into great detail now that I’m starting to understand it, if possible,” Aidan said in an attempt to distract Wennot from Vitar’s burning gaze.
      “I sadly cannot give you any particular material right now, because it’s strictly confidential. Everything has to stay here, so that no one other than the council and this lab knows what goes on during the Ascension Rites.” He frowned, thinking deeply for a moment. “However, we could make another appointment for when we start the synthesising of the drugs. That way, you can come have a look at the chemical process and we can spend an extra day on the theory, if you’d be interested in that.”
      “I most certainly would be interested in that offer. Sounds wonderful. Please send a formal invitation to my house when you’ve confirmed a date with your employees,” Aidan smiled widely.
      “I will arrange for the invitation to be sent out as soon as possible. Thank you for your visit and for listening, I highly appreciate our next ruler to show such interest in our humble assignments.
      Summer, would you show these fine men the way out?”
      The girl nodded and jumped into action. She clumsily made her way out of the room. As they left, Aidan couldn’t shake the odd feeling he was being watched. Or was it Vitar being watched?
      He dared to take a quick peak behind him – only to find the professor indeed staring at them profusely. Watching their – no, Vitar’s every move. To make sure his employees would be safe from him.
      Perhaps he’d had bad encounters with Vitar before?