Chereads / A world without love / Chapter 3 - The meeting

Chapter 3 - The meeting

"Efficiency is everything, it is what uphold's our society to such perfection" Dr. Jake Wilson speak's, his voice monotone. Clap's and cheer's erupt's as Jake finish's his speech within the newfound facility as the crowd slowly begin's to disperse with their newfound motivation. Walking away he think's back to his calendar for the day; Head toward's the art bidding in an attempt to meet the artist, compile data and form a theory. "Sir, we will be departing for the art bidding in half an hour and we will be meeting in the reception." Turning around i see my assistant i have been granted, Mrs Smith. "I shall get everything ready then, see you soon" i reply walking towards my room. Moving through the barren hall's everyone is rushing around to ensure they meet their task's for the day, a few minute's pass by and i finally reach my room. Opening the door i am met with the bare minimum, the way everything should be. It ensure's no sense of belonging or emotion, as taught through the generation's any sense of belonging or emotion affect's the entire society in a severe tragedy which is irreversible. This is why the government has been teaching us how to avoid these futile feeling's. Along with education we are to take a pill every morning which make's sure we fulfil our duty for everyone's sake. Grabbing my briefcase i head toward's reception five minute's early to make some new note's. 

After meeting the group we begin to wander toward's the location of the bid. Paying high attention to the town i notice how the street's are laid out in a grid pattern similar to the capital to reduce all traffic congestion, the optimised architecture to maximise functionality and resource's, the monotonous colour palette due to the high cost of colour, few green space's as they distract worker's and finally like everyplace i have been there are high-level's of surveillance leaving no shadow unknown. "Sir, we will be entering the bidding area momentarily, for your safety stay close to us." One of the solider's voiced. Instinctively i move closer as we enter and move through the crowd toward's the front of the crowd. 

In such a world, Dr. Jake Wilson never expected himself to be at an art auction, he alway's saw art through a logical sense, how data can be visualised in a way to represent complex idea's. However, he would never go out of his way to look at art or go to an art auction as he believed it would take time away from his work which was unacceptable in his eye's. But as someone so driven by his dedication to his job even he appreciate's the technical skill and and the logic art can convey. Due to recent event's he has now gained a new-founded interest in what art can do to a human's nature, this interest comparable to another equation to solve. Yet this is only a part of the reason he has came to the art bidding today, the main reason being the fact that it may provide a clue about the decrease in population productivity within the town. And currently stood with his solider's amidst the crowd, his gaze scanning the stage awaiting for the newest piece of artwork to appear. Noticing someone walking up onto the stage he rest's his gaze as the auction presumably begin's, "Welcome to the art auction, as you know it will last for one hour, 5 minute's a piece, we shall begin with the first piece, labelled by the artist Lily may i proudly present Fractal Harmony." As he scan's the artwork whilst it is wheeled onto the stage even he must admit it looked amazing, immediately analysing the art in an attempt to figure out what form of data visualisation it represent's he turn's to someone else within the crowd. "Excuse me ma'am, what do you believe this artwork is meant to show?" Jake politely whisper's monotonously as to keep quiet for the bidding, seemingly startled Jake take's this time to look at the person, female, smaller stature, brown hair and blue eye's. Finally replying in a similar tone yet softer "I believe it is meant to represent mathematical pattern's, if you look closer nearly all strokes go from left to right seemingly using the fibonacci sequence. Truly spectacular however i prefer other style's myself." Taken aback by such a response Jake can only nod and mutter an agreement, time passes by as he is fixated on the artwork coming and going. "Sir, i must ask are you the Dr. Jake Wilson?" Jake hear's from the woman again, turning his head replying "Yes, might i ask your name?" Making eye contact Jake seem's to feel something unknown to him yet feel's so right. "Ah, i knew it, you are very well known for putting down the protestor's in that town near Robotics Central" She uttered but for some reason Jake seemed to believe that her tone of voice seemed out of touch for such a bleak and dull world. "My name is Rose Orion, sadly i have to depart to work, pleasure to meet you Sir" Jake heard as she walked away. Before he could even say bye she had left out by a back alley. 

Sighing i look at my watch to see there are 3 more art piece's left with the penultimate one being sold by the unknown artist with the mask. Recollecting there hasn't been many art piece's i specifically prefer yet some did properly convey different logical function's. "Sold to number 17." The announcer shout's over the crowd, gazing around it seem's many people have left to return to work in order to ensure a continuous work output for the machine to work properly at the utmost efficiency. "May i bring onto the stage the artwork with the name of libertas and created by the unknown artist of Bleakstone" Looking ahead i see a person in full black with a mask pushing an art piece onto stage, reaching the epicentre the artist turn's it around. A few gasp's echo through the crowd at the sight of it, murmuring around me at the painting, even i must admit it look's good yet i cannot find any form of pattern within it leading me to think it is rather unconventional. "May the starting bid begin at 150" Sign's threw up around me indicating to raise the bid, minute's pass, nearing the end of the time slot, with a minute left the bid rise's to 1500. How unsurprising from an upcoming artist even if their work is hard to decipher. "With few bidder's left every rising sign will increase by 250, now let us begin for the remaining time." Sign's shot up everywhere, an additional 250 now 500 now another 1500 i can only wonder if it truly can cost so much. Finally the number of people raising sign's decrease dramatically leaving only two people. With little time remaining i can only wonder what price it will go up-to. "With two bidder's remaining at the price of 5750, the two bidder's will write down how high they will go and the highest win's the bid." The announcer bellow's over the crowd. As the bidder's write down their number's i look at them, their attire seem's rather eloquent for such a place leading me to believe they are an assistant working for a business owner or rich man or woman elsewhere. I look as the crowd part's allowing them to give their note to the announcer as he open's them. "The winner of the bid is number 3, congratulations." Applauding like everyone else i take notice of the other bidder making a hasty get away to the airfield, another piece of notable evidence making me think they are an assistant. However, i cannot forget about my mission here, my attention immediately back onto the stage where i try and find the unknown artist only to see them wander away into a nearby apartment building. "Solider's, let us head to that building where the artist just entered, i need to seek an audience in order to gain more insight for the investigation." Starting my walk over to the building they all reply "Aye, Sir." Moving through the crowd we reach the entrance and looking up it remind's me of the facility, sharp edge's, neutral colour's and few window's to ensure minimal distraction's in resting. "Sir, some of us will wait out here and some will go in and secure an area, please wait for our signal." The squat captain command's walking into the building, stood waiting for a minute or two i finally get the signal, walking in i head toward's the reception desk. "Hello Sir, how may i help you today?" the receptionist inquire's, "I was just wandering if you know the whereabout's of the masked artist that came in here mere minute's ago?" I reply hastily not wanting to waste any time. "The masked artist entered the library, down the hall on the left through the double door's." Nodding in appreciation i begin my way as i signal toward's one of the solider's to follow me, passing few people i hear them whisper my name, something i have grown accustomed too. "Wait here solider, i will not be long" i mutter entering the library. Glancing around i take note of all important detail's finally seeing the person i am here for, walking toward's the table the artist is sat at i rest my hand upon a chair "May i take a seat here?" Glancing at the mask i see a nod and glide the chair from under the table and sit down, peering at the cloak still wrapped around their entire body. Taking my seat i notice a book, quickly hidden by the cloak yet i do not question it. "I am here to ask a few question's, i heard about you back in the capital and was wandering if you knew anything about colour and human nature and if they correlate in any way?" I ask, the artist seem's to ponder for a while then reply's in an impassive tone "Yes, i am aware of some correlation yet i do not think it would be useful for any work you could be conducting Dr." Sighing in disappointment i begin to stand up thinking how i wasted all of this time for nothing, i truly have became a fool. "Thank you for the time, good luck with your work." i utter walking away seemingly in defeat. Looking back one last time i see the artist reading the book again yet i continue my path out of the library. 

Half an hour has passed since the meeting in the library and all i am doing is compiling theory's. There isn't any substantial evidence pointing to one thing, there has to be something i am missing in the equation yet i cannot find it. Grabbing my note's i put them in a draw by the side of my desk and go to sleep.