Dr Vale does not deny it. I call her from the conference room with Saoirse beside me and Kareem sitting opposite.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“You let me believe the buildings were causing the events.”
“We did not know enough to separate cause from response.”
“That is convenient.”
“It is true.”
“Was the man in Alexandria also confused about cause and response when your predecessors killed him?”
Silence. Kareem looks down. Dr Vale speaks more quietly.
“That event changed the Council.”
“Not enough to keep the file in your records.”
“No.”
At least she admits it. Then she tells us what she has been preparing. A larger controlled alignment. Not hundreds. Twelve. One representative from each major designation category. The purpose is not to see what I can do. It is to teach me how to close a network before Edinburgh produces one I cannot control. Saoirse’s hand tightens around the edge of the table.
“What is my role?”
Dr Vale hesitates. Wrong move.
“Saoirse.”
“You would act as the Bridge anchor.”
“No.”
The word comes out of me before she can answer. Dr Vale continues as though I didn’t speak.
“The connection requires a stable relational point.”
“I said no.”
Saoirse turns toward me.
“Emre.”
“They can test me without using you.”
“No, they can’t.”
I stare at her. She knows. Of course she knows.
“How long?”
“Since Lagos.”
Anger arrives fast.
“You knew they wanted you in the second test.”
“I knew it was possible.”
“And you didn’t tell me.”
“It is my decision.”
“That is not the point.”
“It is exactly the point.”
The room goes quiet. Kareem suddenly finds the old folder fascinating. Saoirse steps closer.
“You made the Council agree that if I say stop, they stop. You did that because you understood I should have a choice.”
“Yes.”
“Then give me one.”
I have no answer that does not make me a hypocrite. I hate that. Saoirse softens slightly.
“I’m not agreeing today.”
I look at her.
“But if I do, it will be because I chose it. Not because they used me. And not because you protected me from myself.”
She picks up her bag and leaves. I sit down. Kareem waits a respectable ten seconds.
“You handled that poorly.”
“Thank you, Idris.”
“You’re welcome.”