— PANDORA'S COUNCIL? What Pandora's Council? — asked Martin, eager to understand.
— Yes, the Pandora Council... — Robert answered with distressing slowness. — They are the ones in charge. They are everywhere and at all levels of power. They occupy important positions in governments, preside over many countries and dominate that theater we call the UN. They command large conglomerates that support the world economy, they are the largest manufacturers of weapons, technology and medicines, in short, they are the group that won, those who govern everything and everyone with their invisible arm.
— A group that rules over everyone... — Martin spoke softly in a tone of contempt.
— You don't believe it, do you, young man? — Robert teased him.
— It's hard to believe in a conspiracy like that, forgive me.
— That's the best weapon they have!
— My disbelief? — Martin asked, still in disbelief.
— Tell me, how are you going to react to something you don't even believe in? How are you going to fight something you don't even know exists?
— It's certainly the best strategy...
— What do you think globalization is? A mere phenomenon of the information age? Completely different countries and cultures are increasingly spreading among themselves, without realizing the destruction of identities. Identical motivations are emerging in peoples who were once completely different. People are increasingly living within the same mold, consuming and desiring the same products and being encouraged to pursue the same lives, the same values. Think carefully, young man, what is the best form of control?
Martin found himself immersed in a torrent of new questions. Translating all that senseless madness was difficult for him.
What was that strange old man trying to get at?
He just remained silent, staring at him. Robert Payne, noticing his inertia in the face of the question, continued:
— Freedom, little Danny, freedom! The best form of control is the feeling of freedom! Create needs, dress them up as freedom and sell them in the form of liberation, and thus you will have control over people, mastery of their thoughts and love in their hearts. The Pandora Council is largely responsible for this, the great driving force of the last century. It is the force that needs to be stopped, before there is no escape. Surely our friend Greg should have told you about this...
Robert was overcome by a fit of severe coughing, struggling to speak again.
— Greg knows this Council?
— Coming back to the previous questions, and please don't ask them too many at once! About needing Gregory Evans... Well, I did, and if you consider the chain of events, I still do to solve our most pressing problem:
— Kenan Vaine.
At that moment, Martin felt his heart pounding inside his chest.
The President?
The very one he had sworn and sought to protect?