"Thank you all for joining me today, especially under such short notice. I'm sure it's no surprise to any of you that there have been outlandish claims being made in the media against me. I urge you all to not fall prey to this fake news. I'm standing here today to set a few things straight."
I take a pause and look around the room for an added dramatic effect.
I continue, "There's something that I want to publically say for the record. I will not be making any deals with Mayor Liam Jeffries."
A reporter speaks, "But what about the 10,000 jobs? Are you saying that you won't be backing the five factories that Mayor Jeffries proposes?"
"That's correct," I say. "I care deeply about the people of New Kingston, and I feel that the best way forward is to not repeat the past. We need to think beyond factories."
The reporter asks again, "But if you cared so much about the people, you should care about their jobs, shouldn't you?"
"There will be other jobs," I assure the reporter. "The bottom line is that laws are set in place for our protection."
There are few inaudible mumblings and I continue, "What is law needs to be respected and followed. How do you suppose the world would operate if everyone viewed themselves as rogue cowboys? Well, I'll tell you. It would be chaos. Legislation shields us from that pandemonium. And the environmental legislation was set up to protect not just the current citizens of New Kingston, but all of the people of this state. Because of this undying belief, Mayor Jeffries' factories will not be built."
Just then a voice interrupts me. "That's not the deal we had."
Now everyone is talking and the room is in disarray. Liam Jeffries is approaching the podium and he continues, "Why don't you tell everyone what's really going on?"#p#分页标题#e#
There are audible gasps coming from the audience. The room is now filled with shocked faces, mouths opening and closing like fish caught on a line. What the fuck is Liam doing here? It figures that he'd come here and try to steal the publicity.
"You talk a big game, Mayor," I snap. "It's just too bad that you don't give a shit about this city."
Liam throws his arms up in the air in an exaggerated pose. "Oh come on, Carter. Is that the best you've got? It's amazing how quickly you change face. Publically, you tout the law, but behind closed doors?" He pauses and looks around the audience for emphasis and addresses them now. "Behind closed doors, Governor Andrews was making deals with myself and Senator Hawthorne."
More gasps erupt from the audience. One reporter chimes in, "Governor, is this true?"
"Of course it's true," Liam responds before I can even speak. "Governor Andrews was making deals well before he decided to sabotage me here, in front of all of you."
"Ridiculous!" I shout. Enough is enough. Liam's had his say, and now I'm going to shut him up for good.
"For all of your altruistic talk," I say into the microphone, "You're one of the most anti-humanitarian people I've ever encountered. Here you are, poised to ruin our city with smog and toxic run off, ultimately bringing more harm than good to the people of New Kingston."
With that, Liam's entire body language changes and he charges the podium, running at me full speed. One security guard steps in front of him. "I can't let you go beyond this point," he says, waving one hand up. Liam slaps his hand out of the way and proceeds. A second security guard places his body in front of him, and Liam pushes him. The security guard stumbles back, tripping under his own weight, and just as Liam approaches me, a third security guard gets in between us. "Sir, I have to ask you to step back," the security guard commands. "Step away from the podium."
The guard looks intimidating. His neck is as thick as a fire hydrant, but Liam doesn't give a shit. He barrels through him and gets right in my face. I can practically feel his breath on me.
"Fuck you Carter," he says. Before I can react, he cocks his arms back and releases it into my face, which is the last thing I'm expecting. His fist smashes into my left eye; it leaves a white-hot searing pain, and while I'm shocked, my immediate reaction is to kick his ass. Fuck him. If he thinks he can storm in here and push me around, he's mistaken. Enough is enough.
I don't say another word and I reach back. Now I have momentum and I hit him in his jaw. Maybe that'll shut him up, I think. But he's furious and it only spurs him on. He tries to hit me again, and I dodge him, swinging at him another time, and then another. I feel like I can't stop for a moment. Before I know it, we are a tornado of arms and legs, swirling around the podium. I feel a seam in my coat rip, and that only pisses me off more.