Neon District: Redux

Chapter 7

       It took longer than Eiji had hoped for Manzo Ogawa to be sitting in front of him in his office, but it seemed like after the raid at the UniCode ceremony Manzo decided to relocate. Too bad for Eiji as he spent a good amount of resources and money in order to find him in the first place.

Nobody can run from Mr. Propaganda.

Now, Manzo sat in a plush leather seat with wooden arm rests and wearing what seems to be a knock off of a luxurious tailored suit and an uneven shave. Eiji was slightly disgusted Manzo would appear before him in such attire but considering the position he was in right now he gave Manzo the benefit of the doubt and applauded him for trying hard to look presentable.

"You have guts showing your face again after what happened after the last election," Eiji began, with a smirk, "considering where you ended up afterward."

"You were the one who put me down there, on the streets, with the rest of all the candidates." Manzo replied simply, standing up from his spot on the chair and surveying the office. His sharp eyes latching onto a cabinet with a bottle of whiskey on top.

"None of the candidates had any idea on how to run this district, but you did." Eiji put in, watching as Manzo poured both himself and Eiji a glass of whiskey.

"So then why send me away when you won? Wouldn't I have been a good addition to your team?" Manzo asked, placing Eiji's glass on the polished desk. 

"You know damn well why I didn't."

"That's true, but that still doesn't answer my-"

"Your plan for this district would have left it in shambles."

"Isn't it already?"

"Not since you decided to reappear again with your cult."

Manzo only shrugged and downed his whiskey, gently placing the empty glass on the desk. "I am only doing what my followers, the people, want."

"That goes to my main question for you," Eiji said, listening to the soft pitter patter of the rain against the blinded windows, "why did you decide to come back and run in this election?"

Manzo sighed and began walking towards a part of the window that Eiji always kept with the blinds down and brought them up. The view from that part of the window shows a part of the District with shipping containers and swamp all throughout it with only a highway overpass lurking over it.

Ashtown.

"I'm simply doing it for the people that had no other choice and I am doing it so that one day this district can hopefully be reversed." Manzo began, "you left the people in disarray wondering what's the truth and what is simply propaganda. You left those that needed you the most and vanished."

"I know. But what do you plan on doing about it if you were to win?"

"I'll simply flip this district upside down and have the people that have nothing start to take from those that have everything. I believe it is time for the roles to be reversed."

"Do you have any idea how that would not only ruin this district but every single district in this region? We have some of the most powerful and wealthy companies stationed in this district and if that goes away you are screwing over not only our economy but the other district's."

"That won't happen unless they agree to everything I propose."

"What do you mean by-"

"We are a like, you and I." Manzo said, interrupting Eiji, "we are two sides of the same coin with you as the head and me as the tail. But after this election I won't be surprised if you end up as the tail."