Vigo's Lament: A Dystopian Thriller (Age of End Book 3) Read Online Free PDF

Warren.”
    “That’s my man,” Dana said. “He may be getting old, but his cooking only gets better.”
    “Who’s getting old?” Warren said jokingly.
    “Oh come on, honey. You’re not fooling anyone. Those hairs are turning gray whether you like it or not.”
    They laughed before digging into the food, piling large servings onto individual plates. They were so hungry that they took a break from conversation to enjoy the food.
    A few bites in, Trish sipped some water and turned to Warren. “So what were you going on about this morning? You said something about a ceremony.”
    “Ah yes. The ceremony. In light of everything that’s happened recently, I think it’s a good idea to have a gathering. A way to honor those that we’ve lost the day the Spire fell. A way to honor Victor Greene.”
    “It’s a good idea,” Dana said, taking Warren’s hand in hers. “These last few days have been rough. Many have lost people close to them. They need a way to mourn. This will be a good way for people to support each other.”
    “Right,” Warren said. “And it will give us a chance to acknowledge Victor Greene as the great man he was. He helped so many people. He made the City a better place. You of all people should know. You worked closely with him every day. That’s why I want you to speak at the ceremony.”
    “Speak?”
    “Yes. Nothing too complicated. Say something inspiring. They need to hear from someone who truly knew the man. They need words of hope.”
    Trish considered his request. The ceremony was a good idea, but she was not much of a public speaker. “How many people will there be?”
    “It’s hard to say, but there’s been a lot of initial interest.”
    Trish peered out the window, watching the people wander the streets. “Hmm.”
    “It will be easy. Your words don’t need to be life changing. Just say something upbeat. Some of these people are at their worst, and you worked so closely with Mr. Greene. Anything coming from your mouth will cheer them up.”
    After some thought, Trish nodded. “Okay. I think I can do that.”
    “Great,” Warren said, jumping out of his seat with excitement. “The people really need this ceremony. The City is at its lowest. The Spire falling was the worst thing that could have happened. Simon’s too crazy to be in charge.”
    “I blame Vincent Vigo and Saul Shepherd,” Trish said. “Heroes of the Spire? They’re not heroes. They’re traitors. Greene gave them everything. He trusted them, and they stabbed him in the back. It puzzles me why they would ever choose to work with Simon.”
    “Because that’s what traitors do,” Dana said. “It’s impossible to pick their minds. Some people just do bad things.”
    “That’s right,” Warren said. “And we can’t change what they did to Greene, or what Simon did to the Spire, but we can change the future of the City.”
    Trish squinted. “Oh, so that’s really why you’re holding this ceremony.”
    “Correct. Don’t get me wrong, we will honor Mr. Greene. We will give him the respect he deserves. But this is the perfect opportunity to fire up the people. You’ll get up there and say whatever you have to say. They’ll be so inspired that they’ll want to rip Simon from his throne. Once you’re done speaking, I’ll take a list of recruits. Volunteers to join me in storming the Spire. With enough people, I know we can take it back.”
    “How? Do you have a plan?”
    “We’ll come up with something. The walls are already down, so it should be as easy as walking through the front doors.”
    “It can’t possibly be that easy. He’ll have guards everywhere.”
    “True, but not as many as you would think. You’ve seen the news. He’s got his forces sweeping the Eastern District and they only seem to be expanding. I’m willing to bet his guards in the Spire are limited.”
    Trish scooped up the last bits of veggies from her plate and popped them in her mouth. “That’s one hell of a chance