Rightful Owner
Downtown Isfahan - January 5, 8:00 AM
Wilhelmina’s car rolled to a stop in front of a large metal gate. It was adorned with a Faravahar motif. Two lion statues flanked it, while flaming braziers hung from the tops. That, combined with the significant military presence—an entire squad of heavily armed Artesh soldiers who had come with their own armored vehicles—gave Wilhelmina the impression this was either a military base or a government building. But the distant voices of children playing told her otherwise.
“Are we safe here?” Friedrich asked.
The driver showed his credentials to the soldiers. The Artesh then spent a few minutes checking the car for any suspicious items or modifications. One looked underneath, another checked the wheels, another scanned the engine, and another looked in the trunk. When that was done, the gates opened, and they proceeded inside.
Gunduz was never this paranoid back in the day. But then again, I’m not surprised she did this. What with the rumors of Shepherds of the Future abducting Persian children from schools and spiriting them away over the border. As if the committee couldn’t get even more evil, now they’re abducting children. If they’re already pulling this madness in Persia, I can’t imagine what they’re doing in Russia and Yavdi.
“I hope we’re safe,” Wilhelmina said.
“The bunker was like this,” Ilyana said.
Wilhelmina sighed.
You’re not going to let that one go, are you?
“Gunduz would send her grandkids here,” Wilhelmina replied.
If she had any. None of her kids married as young as Joseph did.
They got out of the car. Ilyana jumped out, backpack already prepared, while Friedrich took more time climbing out. His backpack was hastily sling over one shoulder. Wilhelmina held out a hand.
“Safety first,” she said.
Friedrich dutifully took her hand. Ilyana simply struck out on her own and left first. Wilhelmina sighed.
“When will she…never mind. Let’s go.” They entered the school. Children were already lining up in front of classrooms, chatting about all manner of topics in high-pitched voices.
“I haven’t been to school in so long,” Friedrich said.
“I haven’t been to school in a long time too!” Wilhelmina laughed. “It’s going to be okay.”
“You think?”
“New friends, new things to learn, and no more scary people.”
“You sure?”
“I promise, you’ll love school!”
Friedrich’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
“I have a good feeling about it. Now let’s get you to class.”
They soon arrived at Friedrich’s class. Ilyana had already lined up. “Too slow, Ricky!”
“It’s only a minute!”
The other kids looked first at the newcomers and then her. Some of them looked away, moving on to other topics, while others gave her a weird look.
It’s weirder when kids are watching me like that. Can they see my glasses like this? Or would they just think it’s a little dirty? Maybe I should get another pair.
“Well, I suppose I’ll leave you to it,” Wilhelmina said, “I have to get to work.”
“Are you coming back?” Friedrich said.
“Of course I am. But I have to do work first. Promise me you’ll behave?”
“I will.”
“I’m talking to you too, Ilyana.”
They had just caught up with Ilyana, and she apprehensively looked at Wilhelmina. “I will.”
Wilhelmina smiled. “Sounds good. Hope you make some friends!”
Ali Qapu - 9:00 PM
“Okay…so let me get this straight…” Izinchi said. “Ye have…a computer science degree?”
“Technically, yes,” Alexandra said., “My mom, technically also yes.”
“An ye, Thea?”
“Dual major with physics,” Thea said.
“Willie?”
“Honorary,” Wilhelmina said, “My mom had a real one, though. Back then, they considered it a ‘discipline for women’. By my time, that statement became very hard to believe.”
“Alex?”
“Not me, but my mom had something like it,” Alex said.
Okay, how the hell did we end up talking about my college days? I thought this was supposed to be a briefing about Argeiphontes.
“Now can we please get back on—” Wilhelmina began.
Izinchi cut her off. “Oi, why does everyone here have a computer science degree?!”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, Alexandra and her mom have one, you and your mom have one, Alex and his mom have one, and Thea has one too. Why are there so many computer scientists in this group?”
“Maybe because we’re scientists who need ample understanding of computers, among other things, to develop both the betharium reactor and Argeiphontes,” Alexandra said.
“Dinnae explain our lass Willie here.” Izinchi jabbed a thumb at Wilhelmina. “Or her auld ma, bless Lizzie’s heart.”
“I mean, it’s definitely a coincidence,” Thea said.
“A coincidence 60 years in the making,” Wilhelmina said.
“There any other lass here who has a computer science degree or equivalent I dinnae know about?” Izinchi said.
“I’m betting Angelica,” Alex said, “X-Division, and studied under my mom? She probably got the Athanatoi to pay for it too.”
“Nah, Tania’s more likely,” Alexandra said, “Admiral like her probably had to study it, like Higa did.”
“Higa played games and made Internet videos,” Alex said, “We watched his stuff as kids. Doesn’t seem the type to be building websites or writing computer viruses or whatever.”
“Who knows?” Izinchi said. “Maybe our Gunduz’s hiding a talent for computers as well.”
“Gunduz?” Wilhelmina laughed. “Definitely not her. She might like her video games, but she’s always been a writer or drawer first. A creative type.”
The type of person who does art commissions and stuff.
“Yeah, creative in her choice of curses,” Thea said.
But nowadays, she takes commissions for curses.
“Speaking of Gunduz, she’ll heap all sorts of curses on me when she finds out what this briefing’s become,” Wilhelmina said.
“Come on, Willie, lighten up!” Izinchi said. “We’ve got plenty of time to go over Argeiphontes.”
“Izinchi, the Liberation Legion and I are shipping out to Samarkand in two days, and we need the test Argeiphontes ready to go the day after we arrive.”
“Don’t worry, Alex and I are just doing the final test runs,” Thea said, “We should be ready to go tomorrow.”
“Not very reassuring to Gunduz. For her, tomorrow is another way of saying never.”
“Guess they don’t call her the Blunt for a reason,” Alexandra said.
“Now if only she had an actual
blunt to go with that!” Thea said.
Alexandra gritted her teeth. “Thea, what the frak did I say…”
“Only to watch my words. Which I did.”
“And
how did you watch your words?”
“By crafting the most appropriate pun for the occasion.” Thea slyly smirked.
Alexandra facepalmed. “You know what I mean…”
“Oi, I’ve a wee question, Alexandra,” Izinchi said.
“Ask away,” Alexandra said, “Not like I have anything better to do in this frakking disaster of a briefing…”
“Is that an original Walkman you got?”
Alexandra put her Walkman on the table. “I think.”
“Blimey!” Izinchi looked closely at the Walkman. “I can’t believe it! Last time I saw this was when I was a wee lass. Didn’t know blokes still hung onto them.”
“Well, it wasn’t all me,” Alexandra said, “Uh, Wilhelmina?”
“It was my mom’s,” Wilhelmina said, “Grandpa got it for her when they came out, and she passed it on to Alexandra’s mom after they escaped Vienna.”
“She passed it down to me eventually,” Alexandra said, “Actually, about that…”
“What do you mean?” Wilhelmina said.
“Well, I’ve been thinking about this for a while…but since we’ve met up again…” Alexandra pushed the Walkman across the table to Wilhelmina.
Wait, hold on.
“Um…” Wilhelmina said. “This is all so sudden.”
“Yeah, we’re literally halfway through the briefing,” Izinchi said.
“A briefing for you, which you derailed,” Alex said.
“I don’t think there were any rails to begin with,” Thea said, “Or even a train.”
“Anyways, I’ve been thinking that maybe the Walkman deserves to be with its proper owner now,” Alexandra said.
“What are you saying?” Wilhelmina said. “It belongs to you. Your mother gave it to you. It’s yours.”
“Before it was my mother’s, it was your mother’s, though. It’s time it went back to you.”
Wilhelmina shook her head. “Why, though? I don’t know why you’re suddenly doing this.”
“Because I have a feeling you’ll need it more than I do,” Alexandra said, “And in the weeks to come, it would be nice if you had something of your mother’s.”
She pushed it a little further. “Just…take it. Think about it.”
“I don’t think I can,” Wilhelmina said, “It may have belonged to my mom before, but it’s been yours or your mother’s for over fifty years. I never owned it.”
“I’m surprised it still works, too,” Thea said.
“And I insist on it,” Alexandra said, “As a way of repaying everything my family’s done for yours.”
“There is no debt,” Wilhelmina said, “Never has been.”
“I hate to admit this, especially to your face, but I haven’t been listening to it much lately.” Alexandra looked down. “My earliest memory of my mom—my real mom—was her giving me a tape from her Walkman, with all of her favorite songs, then me leaving in my adopted parents’ car. I know I went away for my own safety—X-Division must’ve been dangerous in those early years—but it was…tough for me. Every time I looked at the tape, or listened to a song on it, I remembered her. I remembered how she wasn’t with me. And when I finally met up with her again, when I graduated college, I saw the same Walkman still with her. I noticed she had it with her almost everywhere she went. I associated it with her. It was her. So when she pushed it into my hand and went to her death…it felt horrible for me. It was like I was being taken away from her a second time, this time forever. All those feelings from my childhood came back. Every time I look at the Walkman, I remember that moment, as if it happened yesterday. I remember her death. I remember how I failed her.”
“You didn’t fail her, though,” Wilhelmina said, “She was just trying to save you. That’s what parents do.”
I would know. Three times over. My parents, Franz, and Joseph.
“I know, and I keep trying to tell myself that,” Alexandra said, holding back tears, “But the feeling remains. I don’t think I’m going to use the Walkman much in the coming months. It’ll be better suited for you. My mother and I kept your mother’s original tape, too.”
“I don’t feel comfortable taking something that was never mine,” Wilhelmina said, “And something that only belonged to my mother over fifty years ago.”
“Just think of it as a gift from a friend.” Alexandra smiled. “It’s easier that way.”
Wilhelmina looked at the Walkman, trying not to focus on Alexandra’s expectant gaze. Then she slowly took the Walkman and put it in front of her. Although it had clearly been cleaned, repaired, and even somewhat upgraded over the years (with new features either tacked on or the inner workings made forwards compatible with newer innovations), something about the Walkman felt almost familiar.
Perhaps I listened to the Walkman when I was a baby. Or held it when I was two or three. I may never know now. But something like that leaves a lasting impression, even if I was too young to remember.
“Alright, alright,” she said, “I’ll take it. Thank you, Alexandra.”
Alexandra beamed. “No problem.”
“Okay, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, can we please get on with the briefing?” Alex said.
