Part 6 (1/2)
”Who put up the new curtain over the stage?” Mrs. Jenness whispered.
”Very nice.”
Leon Fortunato, dressed in a sleek, dark suit, slipped in at the last moment with an entourage of bodyguards. The audience t.i.ttered, then broke into wild applause as he was led to a chair on the stage.
He bowed slightly to the crowd, then was seated.
”I can't believe I'm in the same room with him,” Marjorie Amherst gushed.
”He actually works side by side with Nicolae Carpathia! Am I pale, Judd? I might just keel over.”
”Down, girl,” Judd said. ”He's just a man.”
”If I get too nervous, can you take my place?” she whispered.
”I don't know if I can do this.”
”You'll be fine,” Judd said.
”I'm serious, Judd. I think I'm going to be ill.”
”How about I let you go first,” Judd said.
”If you have a problem, I'll come up and help.”
Marjorie squeezed his hand with a look that oozed her thanks.
Judd scratched the plan to Mrs. Jenness on the back of his program and pa.s.sed it to her. Mrs. Jenness frowned and looked at Judd. He stuck his finger in his mouth and pointed at Marjorie. Marjorie weaved in her seat and looked like a ghost. Mrs. Jenness pursed her lips and nodded.
Vicki gave a little wave, but Judd didn't acknowledge her.
He looked toward someone in the graduating cla.s.s, nodded, then sat back. Vicki looked at the row of seniors in front of her and noticed John a few seats away. He had in his hand some kind of a control device with an antenna.
”What's going on?” Vicki mouthed when she caught his eye.
John put a finger to his lips.
Judd tried to calm Marjorie as two students sang an original song about their years atNicolaeCarpathia High School.
Mrs. Jenness beamed as one strummed a guitar and the other sang: Nicolae, you and I have shared so much together. We will sing, we will work to make this world much better. Till the day that I die, I will not forget Nicolae. Nicolae. Nicolae.
Mr. and Mrs. Amherst applauded before the song was over.
They stood, but no one else did until Leon Fortunate also rose. Mrs. Jenness alerted the audience to a change in the program and introduced the valedictorian.
Marjorie was shaky. She made it to the lectern, turned to curtsey to Leon Fortunate, and fell in a heap at his feet. Her mother and father rushed to the stage, but Global Community guards blocked them.
Marjorie was taken backstage. Mrs. Jenness, fl.u.s.tered, introduced Leon Fortunato next instead of Judd.
The man looked at his program, then stood and thanked the audience for a standing ovation.
Vicki saw the frantic look on the reporter's face. ”Give it to us now, he's up,” Mary Lee Manwether told her producer.
”They just went live to another report from New Babylon,” the producer shot back.
”What happened?”
”The program's out the window because the girl flopped,” Mary Lee said.
”Can't somebody get this guy to wait?”
”The tape's rolling,” the producer said.
”We'll be OK.”
Someone shushed the two as Leon Fortunate began. Vicki thought he looked more like a character actor than a politician. He was thick and swarthy with his hair slicked back, and he had the air of someone used to being the center of attention. He had an accent, but Vicki couldn't place it.
”I bring you greetings from New Babylon and the man this school was named for, Global Community Potentate Nicolae Carpathia. ”
The audience applauded.
”Graduates, your parents and teachers have invested countless hours in your education. Today, we salute you all.”
”Slick,” Vicki said.
”Too slick,” Bruce whispered.
Fortunate looked at the graduates.
”I speak for Potentate Carpathia and the entire Global Community when I extend an invitation for you to help us answer the question that has plagued this world since time began.
”In this extraordinary moment in world history, we have within our grasp the opportunity to, as your singers suggested, 'make this world much better.” ”
Mrs. Jenness got Judd's attention. She shrugged and said, ”Be ready.
You're next.”
Judd nodded and glanced toward John in the audience. Judd lowered his head and coughed into his gown. John nodded slightly.
Judd knew he would never have this opportunity again.
”And so I thank the faculty and staff of Nicolae Carpathia High School,” Leon Fortunato said, ”for staying true to the cause Potentate Carpathia and I strive for daily. May your efforts bear fruit for the sake of peace, for the sake of this country, and for the sake of our world.”
As the audience stood in wild applause, Vicki saw a red light on the camera. Mary Lee Manwether said, ”We're ready with a videotape of a speech from Nicolae Carpathia's right-hand man”-As Mrs.
Jenness rose to introduce Judd, the producer gave Mary Lee the ”stretch” sign. Something was wrong.
”All right,” Mary Lee said.
”We'll get to that in just a moment. Meanwhile, let's listen to one of the students of Nicolae Carpathia High, uh ... this is Marjorie ... no I'm sorry, this is Judd Thompson, the salutatorian.”