CORONAS

32. ULTIMATUM REPLY

Short announcement closed. Redirected from Reporter of the television station broadcasting it. Whether it deserves to be called an announcement or not, all I hear is a one-sided threat. Discriminatory threats to caldier users. In people with diseases that depend on their lives by an active radio wave transmitter. Mind fucked.

 

“How is this? He's threatening, right? Disable the caldier system? He wants to kill us all?” I panicked like a chick looking for its mother's tail.

And only Dawn was trying to stop my panic. The face of Bang Auron, Brother Alma, even Krista who was optimistic turned pale. Without the caldier, we would perish. This is beyond prediction. The announcement was not a solution, it even further cornered us. The principle is like a fugitive who has to give up another fugitive to save himself. That too if it survived. And usually for the rulers, whose name the promise does not need to be kept.

“Even I who am very close to death still feel afraid of death,” said Kak Alma to herself.

Everyone looks panicked. And the panic could not be hidden because it was clearly painted on the faces of each.

“I can understand your fears. Even if you don't think I am. But there are still three days, right? We still have hope to find a solution,” Dawn said.

“You who do not depend your life on this stupid tool know ap-.”

“He was just trying to calm us down,” cut Kak Alma dampened Bang Auron's emotions that suddenly appeared.

“I will continue to monitor the progress of the situation through this media. You guys calm yourself down.”

As Dawn said, he continued to monitor the deteriorating state of the urban environment. It was reported that impromptu demonstrators gathered in front of the medical research office. They regretted the decision taken by the company's leadership unilaterally. They – caldier users who have nothing to do with the criminal act feel disadvantaged. They plead, demand, demand justice. Like screaming in the water. Their voices are not heard. I followed that development with Dawn because I was also frustrated to do something.

It has become a tradition. If the ruler is unjust, then those who feel oppressed will protest. Both the ruler and his people are hard to think. The important thing is to quickly solve the problem with action. Because even with thought, the thoughts of the ruler and his people will never meet. Because each of them only looks at it from their personal point of view.

Then in the midst of the news, suddenly there was a disruption in the broadcast. Sails swaying. Forming vertical-diagonal lines is like being forced to switch to broadcast another broadcast.

“It looks like I've triggered a riot in this city.”

A woman suspected of being the mastermind of a barrage of criminal events appeared on the screen with an arrogant look on her face. My eyeballs are wide. Yuva hacked the tv broadcast. Again my body muscles are made to relax due to his actions. Dawn called the other three to gather, and watched the broadcast together.

“According to the estimation of a person who already has a lot of experience, I miss the start to start this dispute,” Yuva smiled mockingly. “Threatening others to catch me. Ah, the basis of your unchangeable nature. Are all the higher-ups who are there a bunch of lazy people who do not want to try themselves to catch the perpetrator? Then mobilize others by threatening? Well, fine. Neither does it matter. Because actually from far away days I have prepared terror also for you guys.”

My neck's choked. “What will you do Yuva? You're flying the war flag?” my yelling. Dawn calmed me down and told me to listen to Yuva until it ran out.

“You gave a time limit of up to three days? Oh, come on, it's been too long. Because my threat only has a deadline of six in the afternoon. I got information from my colleague who increased his illness that he needed to pay a very expensive fee to still be able to use the caldier without experiencing a life point cut. Doesn't that mean life points can be bought with money, right? Why are you hiding this? If we knew this from the beginning, we would not have to bother to be your modern slaves. Caldier users can focus on working hard and paying a certain amount of money to prolong life. For that, give us a number of life points evenly at least for another thirty years of life. Otherwise, I will spread the virus of various deadly diseases that I have prepared all over the city into the air. So that you yourself know what it is like to be a person with a disease. The deadline is six this afternoon. But if any of you try to get out of this city, I will press the spreader button immediately. Every camera in this corner of town I've mastered. No one can escape my surveillance. And if you're – old sir the company's leader intends to stop the system kaldier-.”

Yuva stopped her words. While opening a little bit the top of his shirt, “Sensor cardiograph. When my heart stops beating, the trigger will scan and work automatically to spread the disease virus that I have prepared. You can't kill me.”

“In this all-around age of scanning is fun huh? Just need a little tinkering, and you can do whatever you want. Ha!” yuva again. With a little bit of a grin on his face.

Positively, this can silence the threat of the higher-ups. And caldier users who are already afraid of the threat of being disabled can breathe a sigh of relief again. Me included.

 

But even if it were like this, innocent people would be victims. It's true, normal people without diseases have a lot of hate caldier users like us. But not all. There are still people who appreciate us. Those who still want to coexist with people with dangerous diseases like us. Although the number is small. I don't get to heart when a small group of them get affected. It's like betraying their trust.

 

For that, I tried to think again. Neither Yuva nor those innocent people should I protect.

“Meet me at the city security surveillance center building. We will make a deal in this place,” closed Yuva who disappeared behind the hacked live broadcast. Then the video ended and the screen turned into a noisy collection of black and white ants.

I haven't had time to release the tension caused by Yuva, the thing I was afraid of materialized in an instant. Justright. Television footage again showed demonstrators who initially shouted for justice, now shouting to complain about Yuva's name. She was like a goddess of salvation.

“There's no time to think, Eldan. We have to act now or it will be too late,” said Dawn who seemed to know by looking at the look on my face.

I think the man who was always worried about me misinterpreted the look on my face. I was trying to think. Nope. I was thinking. But all I thought about was the impact or what would happen to Yuva's actions. Regarding the matter of solving the problem, I haven't been able to get anything since. All I have in my brain right now is fear and worry. Not even knowing what to do, I said things outside my brain's command. “I will come to Yuva alone,”.

The shocked faces of the four of them seemed to gather at one point. Maybe in their minds I've found a way to stop Yuva.

“You already know what you have to do, Eldan?” ask Alma slowly.

I knew someone would ask like that. But I didn't answer. My smile was only to hide my current emptiness. There are no more words I can get out of my lips. Because I also have no idea what to say and I did to Yuva to stop her. All I could bring was this empty thought.

“If you can be that optimistic, we'll leave it to you. But, please contact us immediately if you find any obstacles,” Bang Auron said. His spirit seems to be recovering.

Auron and the rest split the task. Their voices alternately lay out a plan. It was really noisy, and I immediately moved without saying anything with this empty provision of my mind. Suddenly my right wrist was snared by the delicate warm skin. I stopped and looked. Krista's eyes looked at me.

“I will fight with my part,” he said. His eyes are like words. Words that can't confirm their meaning. Or maybe I already knew the meaning but I refused to understand. His hand was getting tighter. As if I didn't want to let go.

Then my memory suddenly caught something. The memory displays a visualization. That memory also carried a voice I had heard before. I can remember clearly at that moment. Last words from someone before he left. My blood is sighing. Maybe this is the answer. I slowly removed Krista's grip from my hand. “I have to see Yuva.” immediately