Chapter 4
Sulo held Amanda’s hand as the sun set dipped gently in the Indian Ocean. It has been a hectic week of press conferences and interviews in the city and this little Down South gateway was just what both the lovers needed.
Amanda kissed Sulo’s hand and he sighed. It was good to have her by his side. Amanda’s image as ‘Abused Lady Justice’ certainly drove the ratings up.
Sulo’s face was splashed across multiple headlines. People made Instagram reels of his thunderous speeches. He was a bona fide ‘influencer’ now.
The trip was all-expense-paid; thanks to anonymous generous donors that kept pouring the cash into his bank account.
His looks and charisma was no doubt an effective weapon.
“Babe,” Amanda said.
“Babe, I feel like settling down here once everything is over”.
Sulo just nodded.
In fact, he can settle in right now. He had enough money to start a small business here. With the right property he can set up a backpackers hostel and a small vegan kitchen and see the money rolling in.
But this was not the time.
“We have more work to do darling. Besides, the fight is not over yet”.
Amanda turned in her reclining chair.
“But what if you get arrested? Hurt?”
Sulo chuckled. The legal team won’t let that happen to him.
He reached out and caressed Amanda’s cheek.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be super careful,” he said with a smile.
Amanda pouted and sat upright.
“I was just thinking about our future. I know it’s too soon. But don’t you think there is something good going on here?”.
She was right. This is definitely not what he wants to do forever. The secret meetings he had with opposition politicians and union leaders assured his well being after a possible regime change.
“Hey maybe we can fly you out of here. Maybe set you up with a good passport abroad so you can be safe and sound,” he remembered one politician saying.
They needed him. He needed them.
The public everywhere are losing trust in government institutions and the flawed system of representational democracy. The only way the system seems to survive times of upheaval is to hijack popular movements.
It’s a growing trend to use mass protests as third columns to grab power. The Arab Spring was one good example.
But this is exactly what Sulo worried about. He knew he had to strike a balance and push for changes they seek while keeping his new-found allies close.
It wouldn’t certainly lead to a Anarchist-Communist revolution where the proletariat disposes the status-quo and builds an egalitarian society based on the principle of mutual aid.
Sulo chuckled to himself.
The damn leftist fools, he thought; especially Ravi who frequented the protest site with his awful street art.
“What’s so funny,” Amanda said with a smile while removing her sunglasses.
“You know that guy Ravi right?” Sulo asked.
“Yes,” Amanda leaned closer.
“What do you think about him?”
She glanced at the setting sun and shrugged.
“I think he is just weird babe”.
Sulo stared at the setting sun again. He knew he had work to do.
