Ivory waited for Icarus to begin speaking with anticipation.
She turned toward Abigail whose eyes were glued to the front of the room.
Faye exhaled slowly with a subtle undertone that screamed she had a bad premonition about what would be discussed during this meeting.
Icarus says, "I would like to begin by addressing the latest incident."
Icarus plays a news broadcast on several widescreen tvs around the room presenting a news reporter interviewing councilor J.
Icarus with one of his long fingers points towards the screen, "This broadcast is what caused public approval to rise."
Sam mutters under his breath, "It was because of… mutation."
Icarus lowers his gaze toward Sam with his head resting on top of the table, "That is an interesting argument but you're unfortunately wrong Sam."
The wide screen tvs turn to a different image showcasing a series of green bar graphs representing different trends across the years.
Icarus points higher weakly, desperately trying to stand straight, "These bar graphs represent different percentages of public approval rising over the years with the labels on the bottom representing what events caused them."
Icarus shifts his stance, "Let's start with number one. The beginning of the shift in the year 2060. Why would public approval rise by 100 percent?"
Ivory raises her hand.
Icarus asks, "Yes, Ivory?"
Ivory says with robotic memorization, "The initial shift caused the public to feel helpless. Ultimately these individuals wanted to feel like they were in control of their lives by choosing to believe in a higher power."
Icarus says, "Correct."
The young woman felt a bitter taste enter her mouth after answering Icarus's question. All of this reminded her of when she was in that disgusting school.
Ivory shook her head and tried to bring herself back to the present.
Icarus points to the middle of the graph next, "Why might public approval have risen in 2065 by twenty five percent during the adaptation period?"
Ivory's right hand shoots up in the air. The crowd watched as she desperately tried to pull her right hand back down.
The young woman after a few seconds of repeated effort decided she was unable to bring her hand down.
Fighting against an invisible force was impossible.
Ivory's right hand froze in the air and felt like it was being manipulated by a puppet master she could not perceive.
Ivory's right hand remained in the air and a solemn expression spread on her face.
Icarus turns and notices Ivory, "Yes, Ivory?"
Ivory says with dissatisfaction, "The adaptation period was a milestone that praised the system. The councilors certainly benefited from the improvements to the system they added themselves."
Icarus says, "Correct."
Ivory felt her vision start to blur. It was at this moment her environment started to become hazy.
Ivory wiped her eyes and opened them to be met with a classroom.
The teacher's face was blurred out and so were all the other classmates around her.
Ivory closed her eyes trying to forget the terrible memory being spun around in her mind. No child should've been made to believe they could accomplish nothing. No human deserved that treatment.
Ivory opened her eyes and was relieved to be back in the diner.
Icarus continues, "These events that led up to today demonstrate how the councilors have always had an advantage surrounding the rise of public approval. These individuals have always positioned themselves to be the public's saviors."
Icarus pauses before slamming his fist onto the table causing it to crumble and reform instantly.
Sam rose from resting on the table with a confused expression on his face.
Icarus says with conviction, "These humans that claim to be our saviors and the many ordinary citizens that can live outside freely. Aren't you all tired of living in their shadow?"
The crowd was seemingly taken aback even Ivory and Abigail. What the hell was Icarus getting at?
Icarus laughs aloud, "Is that proposition so ridiculous to you or have you grown accustomed to living this life? I ask all of you to think about that for a moment."
Faye leans back in her booth raising her hand.
Icarus asks, "Yes, Faye?"
Faye says sarcastically, "How do you plan for all of us to escape their shadows?"
The faceless wobbles slightly, holding himself steady with his right hand resting atop of the table.
Icarus says, "A war against the council must begin. This is the only way."
The crowd screamed in outrage.
Ivory felt her lips quiver. A war was not a simple thing. She didn't want any part in it.
One person hidden in the crowd screamed, "You want us to give up our simple lives here for your blood thirstiness for power. No thank you Icarus."
Icarus raised both of his hands with open palms in the air, "Let me explain then you'll be given a choice to reject or accept my proposition."
The crowd's rage simmered down for the faceless to speak.
The faceless scratched under his smiley face mask, "You all are quite reasonable. I shall remember that."
Icarus pauses before saying, "Might I remind you of the warriors of the old age."
The crowd gasped.
Ivory was perplexed. Who were the warriors of the old age?
Icarus shook his head, "The name is quite inaccurate. I must admit. The old age wasn't thousands of years ago but a nickname for the beginning of the shift."
Icarus continues, "The warriors of the old age were those who inherited the sunburn first. Do you all remember what their goals were?"
The crowd was silent.
Icarus's laughter booms throughout the room, "These warriors were made up of several different small groups to attempt to dismantle the current government."
Icarus scratches his chin, "Why might they want to do this… because even they knew the risk of keeping the council in control of our world."
Sam slurs his speech, "No. We're going to end up just like them. Buried in soil and surrounded by comrades who are gone for good. It ain't worth it Icarus."
Sam started to bash his head on the table, "It ain't worth it. It ain't worth it."
Icarus gently stops him with one of his long fingers with a miniscule amount of force.
Sam sits up straight with drops of blood running down his face.
Icarus pats Sam on the back, "All of you are aware that this underground city will not be a safe haven forever. We need to take back our place in the world before that happens."
The crowd remained silent with mixed opinions but the room was starting to fall for the ideas of freedom, control, and violence.
Sam smiles with a drop of blood falling off of his chin, "Any of you try to fight a faceless and you'll die. One of them alone has the potential to kill everyone in this room. This is a suicide mission."
The crowd begins to roar, "We deserve a future just like anyone else. We will survive through any means necessary."
The old man gets up and wipes the blood off his forehead. The cuts on his head were healed instantly.
Sam moves toward the exit and mumbles, "Don't say I didn't warn you."
Icarus shifts side to side happily, "I'm glad to see you all regained your spark. Some will go and that's fine but those who will stay, pave the way for the sunburn users of the future."
Abigail shouts across the room, "What's the next step forward?"
Ivory looked taken aback. Her friend had no reason to join this cause. It didn't concern both of them. Why was she so curious?
The two made eye contact for a brief second but it appeared Abigail had a strange amount of determination held in her eyes.
Did Abigail believe that Ivory wanted to fight in this blood lusted war?
Icarus adjusts his smiley face mask, "I will begin a training camp starting tomorrow to assess sunburn user's skills and place them into classes that are led by those with an elite aptitude of the sunburn's abilities."
Icarus points toward Lyra standing at the opposite side of the room and points one long finger toward himself.
Icarus says, "Verbally confirm your identity to either of us to join the training camp. This will be the beginning of the end for all of those oppressed by the council."