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by azrieljohnson

Heart of Gold by Azriel Johnson

Mall of the World

I stood with Paul. Twenty men and women clad in business suits surrounded us. They politely applauded us. I was usually the speaker, but this time Paul made the words come alive.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the board, Wade-Thomas Enterprises proudly presents the Mall of the World.

"There are two hundred and fifty-six stores combining the best of the best in retail and food service, three fitness centers, with one on each level. Every store is filled and signed for inclusion for ten years. We have stores already clamoring for rental space when we start expansion. We have over 2,500 employees working at least 25% higher than minimum wage.

"The Mall of the World is Wade-Thomas' gift to the world, we are opening multiple locations in every advanced nation and offering a voucher of 'World Bucks' that customers can exchange for their currency to use in any Mall of the World around the globe.

"Unity is our goal, ladies and gentlemen, unity and peace all over the world."

The board of investors clapped again, this time more fervently than before. Had this been Paul's goal all along: to bring the world under his rule? He said when I met him that we would live like kings. I didn't know he'd meant it literally.

"We aren't trying to destroy diversity Gabe," he said to me once. "We only want to encourage acceptance."

I had later used that line when talking to people who were against the creation of the first Mall of the World. People worried that the Mall of the World would ruin tradition and destroy money. Paul's idea had been not to destroy money, but rather make it available to everyone. One of his strategies had been to send fifty World Bucks to every address in the United States. When other locations opened he would do the same in each nation. Paul had devised a fluid exchange rate that fluctuated with the world markets.

Paul had everything charted, down to the last *i* dotted and the last *t* crossed. His plan was sickeningly succinct, frighteningly effective. His enemies and detractors were dealt with efficiently and sometimes brutally.

I was the only member of the Alliance of Education, Indoctrination, Obedience and Unity (AEIOU) that was privy to his thoughts. This made me both an icon and a target.

After Paul finished his speech he took the investors for a tour of the three floors of the Mall. My limp was my latest acquisition from one of our enemies. I could walk with use of a cane, but not fast and not far. And to think, I used to be so agile.

After the tour, Paul gave 100 World Bucks to every member of the board of investors and told them to enjoy the Mall. I had been waiting in one of the food courts' plush seats picking at my Chinese food from an authentic Chinese chain. Paul was schmoozing with one of the male board members. I rose and with my cane hobbled towards them. Paul noticed me and interrupted his conversation in mid-sentence.

"Gabe! I didn't see you there, how has this glorious day been for you?"

"You saw me Paul. I know you. Was that fellow really so boring?"

"Extremely, he was trying to steal me away from you. He is not only gay, but an aspiring entrepreneur. I told him when his business is up and running he can rent a store here, haha."

I laughed a little and asked, "Paul, are we doing what's right here?"

Paul sighed, "Gabe, don't you trust me?"

"Yeah, I mean, yes, I trust you. I trust that you aren't some potential dictator; I trust that you want a legitimate peace with no war and with evolution for everyone. But is this really the way to go?"

"How would you prefer Gabe? Exterminate a race of people? That's been tried. Enslave a race of people? That's been tried too. All we are doing is inspiring and unifying the Human Race under one banner without bloodshed."

"Not entirely without bloodshed. People have died."

"What are the lives of one or two people when you are talking about nine billion all over the planet. What are 100 lives? What are 1,000 lives? What are a million? Humanity is ready to work for a common good. Wade-Thomas is that common good. We aren't even global yet and we are ready to colonize Mars. The atmosphere and electromagnetic shield are almost complete. We are colonizing Mars in the name of Earth and her people, not for my ego or for my sense of self worth. This is good work we are doing, believe me."

I couldn't help, but remember the lives that had been lost, both those taken by him and forfeit on this journey of world unification. Time and time again I had been convinced by his words and in so doing had convinced countless others with mine.

Now, however, I stood in this miracle of modern construction. The sky lights were sensitive to the sun and programmed to let a certain amount of light in at a time, never more, never less. The chandeliers hung every fifty feet along the ceiling as they did on each floor. The ambiance was powerful, a buyer's dream, a merchant's wet dream, an investor's heaven. This could possibly be the greatest achievement in modernity, not the Mall. Peace.

So why was I hesitant?