Sixteen years had passed since Ryan’s death. Duffo and Marlon were now considered to have come of age. Tiberius had made them both his understudies. He wanted to promote them to high positions within his government. Tiberius invited both of them to the palace, where he would discuss their future with them.
Duffo and Marlon entered Tiberius’ grand office. Tiberius was sitting behind his grand desk in his new comfort chair. He gestured to Duffo and Marlon to take a seat on the opposite side of his desk.
‘Congratulations!’ said Tiberius in a gleeful tone. ‘You’re the first new Linap to come of age. You are proof the future is now.’
‘We are honoured to have had the privilege of your guidance for all these years,’ replied Duffo. ‘We would be nothing without your wisdom.’
‘The next stage of your journey is about to begin,’ said Tiberius. ‘You were born to be leaders. Now tell me. Where would you like to grow your potential?’
‘I desire to follow in your great footsteps,’ said Duffo confidently. ‘I want to be Head Enforcer.’
‘Hahaha,’ chuckled Tiberius. ‘All in good time. Head Enforcer is one of the most important jobs in the country. It needs more than intelligence. It needs wisdom. I will grant you that path by making you Deputy Head Enforcer.’
‘I am most honoured by this appointment,’ replied Duffo.
Tiberius turned to Marlon.
‘I would like to head the Economic Institute,’ said Marlon. ‘I feel it’s ideal for my mathematical prowess.’
‘I love your ambition,’ said Tiberius with a big grin. ‘One day soon, you will be the head of the Economic Institute. For now, you will work directly under Twaldi as his highest deputy and number one understudy.’
‘I’m truly honoured,’ replied Marlon as he bowed his head.
‘Marvellous, that’ll be all,’ said Tiberius as he rose to his feet. ‘You’ll start your new appointments tomorrow.’
Duffo and Marlon stood up and nodded. Tiberius walked them to the door. He stood at the doorway and watched them leave. Then he closed the door. He turned around. Sanguine entered the office from another door. He had been listening from the next room.
‘You see no problems!’ claimed Tiberius.
‘We have now entered unknown territory,’ replied Sanguine. ‘I strongly advise caution.’
‘They adore me,’ said Tiberius firmly. ‘Your paranoia is clouding your judgement. You really don’t want to outlive your usefulness.’
Sanguine frowned as he nodded.
That night at Ginger’s estate, Duffo and Marlon were enjoying their dinner together.
Ginger had made such an enormous profit from the entertainment industry that she was able to afford a large plot of land at the edge of the city. She built an enormous modern mansion on this land.
‘Today went incredibly well,’ said Marlon. ‘Real power is at our fingertips.’
‘I do not like how he refers to us as the new Linap,’ retorted Duffo. ‘We are “the Linap”. We are the future of our species and soon to be the present of our species.’
‘You just need to be patient,’ said Marlon, sounding relaxed. ‘For now, we worship him like he is our better. We let him continue to deplete his own kind while ours grows.’
‘Melinda, Melinda!’ shouted Duffo.
Melinda was formerly an employee of Ginger. She was now a slave, as she had not given birth to a new Linap. She was to be sent to Cellrebrum, which had become the second prison city, but Ginger pleaded with Tiberius for her to remain with her family. Tiberius allowed this on the basis that she would be a slave rather than a prisoner. Ginger continued to treat her with respect, but Duffo and Marlon treated her badly.
Melinda scurried over to Duffo.
‘My glass is empty, and I am thirsty,’ said Duffo angrily.
‘I’m so sorry, master,’ replied Melinda as she began to fill his glass with fruit juice.
‘Get me my dessert,’ demanded Marlon. ‘Stop keeping us waiting.’
Melinda was about to run off to collect the boys’ desserts.
‘What are you?’ shouted Duffo. ‘Remove our dinner plates first. How stupid are you?’
Melinda quickly grabbed the plates and then ran off towards the kitchen.
Marlon and Duffo began to chuckle as they watched her panicking.
Ginger entered the dining room. She heard Duffo shouting at Melinda.
‘Duffo, where are your manners?’ asked Ginger angrily. ‘There is no shouting at the dining table.’
‘Things are about to change around here,’ retorted Duffo in an arrogant tone. ‘I’m the new Deputy Head Enforcer.’
‘I am well aware of that,’ replied Ginger. ‘Your job will be to protect and serve.’
‘My job will be to maintain order and enforce the law,’ shouted Duffo as he stood up. He towered above Ginger.
‘Why are you filled with so much anger?’ asked Ginger. ‘You have been given everything you ever wanted.’
‘I have to put up with lesser beings such as yourself telling me what to do,’ retorted Duffo.
‘How dare you speak to me like that!’ said Ginger angrily. ‘I am your mother.’
‘I am the first of my kind,’ shouted Duffo. ‘I have no mother.’ Duffo stormed out of the dining room.
Ginger turned to Marlon. ‘Is that how you feel too?’ asked Ginger forcefully.
‘No, of course not,’ replied Marlon, sounding slightly nervous. ‘He doesn’t either. He’s just a little stressed about tomorrow.’
Ginger sat down next to Marlon. She looked at him and shook her head. ‘I know of the nonsense they are teaching you at the House of Divine Knowledge schools,’ she said to Marlon sternly. ‘You know better, don’t you?’
Marlon nodded.
‘Make sure your brother does too,’ continued Ginger. ‘It is very easy to walk a path too dangerous. Trust me.’
‘I’ll talk to him,’ replied Marlon.
Ginger got up from her chair. She kissed Marlon on the head.
Another four years passed. Tiberius won another election, but by a very narrow margin. The House of the Divine Knowledge had the strongest showing so far. They won four districts, and the Capital District candidate was only ten percentage points behind Tiberius. Tiberius was furious about the result. Sanguine blamed Ginger. He believed she was not fully utilising the entertainment industry to promote Tiberius.
There were many in the population that felt Tiberius had become too authoritarian. His imprisonment and enslavement of anyone who was not in a family with new Linap children had grown more unpopular.
Duffo was promoted to Head Enforcer. Percival was reassigned as Tiberius’ advisor. He was to help Sanguine, who was beginning to show his age. Marlon was promoted to the head of the Economic Institute. Twaldi retired and had decided to move back to the cottage. Tiberius hoped promoting Duffo and Marlon would increase his popularity with the new Linap.
As Head Enforcer, Duffo recruited and rapidly promoted new Linap to high positions in the Enforcer Department. He planned to sway the loyalty of the enforcers away from Tiberius and towards himself. Marlon was greatly concerned about his brother’s ambitions. He confronted him on the grounds of Ginger’s estate.
‘I know you want to govern Sapey, but you must be patient,’ demanded Marlon as he approached Duffo in the garden.
‘We are the ones who should be running this world,’ said Duffo firmly. ‘It doesn’t matter how much blue juice runs through his veins. He is not one of us.’
‘Without him, there would not be an “us”,’ said Marlon. 'We must respect that, brother.’
‘What are you suggesting?’ asked Duffo angrily. ‘We just sit back and contently play in his band.’
‘His popularity is falling,’ said Marlon. ‘Some of the Linap voted for the first time in the previous election. I’m guessing most did not vote for him. He’ll be voted out at the next election. Then we’ll have our chance to take power.’
‘Fine, I’ll wait,’ said Duffo. ‘In the meantime, I’ll build loyalty among the enforcers. They will play an important role.’
‘I’m sure they will,’ said Marlon. ‘Thank you for your patience. I promise you we will come out on top.’
Sapien Loop: Frozen in Time is the sequel to the book Sapien Loop: End of an Era. Sapien Loop: End of an Era is available on Amazon, in collection series on my 
