S216

Society Protocol Season 2 16

Lethal Weapon

All the members present watched as Pastor Branson picked up a random box from the display at the SS San Francisco headquarters and took it.

No one knew what he had chosen.

Neither the one who made the choice nor the one watching could know what was inside unless they opened it.

This was because even though they had eaten the fruit of wisdom, they had not gained clairvoyance.

There was also someone present who was not an SS member.

While no one knew his exact identity, everyone knew that he was connected to the most important person.

He had come all the way from Seattle.

He was the one who detected the signal and the one who ordered the messenger to make the call.

He decided that he had to see with his own eyes what was happening and make a judgment.

That is why he rarely revealed himself, but it was an unavoidable choice given how urgent the situation was becoming.

This was because he believed that if an angel entered the body of an SS member, all information might be stolen.

They did not know what would happen if an angel entered a human body. However, they merely speculated that he might be able to know all the information.

So, when they heard he was coming to San Francisco to verify it with his own eyes, they granted permission.

Because it was possible that the situation might become one where they could not subdue him directly with their own strength, they gathered many members.

If even the slightest sign of suspicion appeared, they had to eliminate him with all their might.

However, it did not seem that the angel had directly entered Branson's body.

Then, what on earth had they discussed? Unless he spoke to them himself, it was impossible to know.

The organization managed its members based on trust. They did not engage in any wiretapping or surveillance.

This was because such surveillance would actually backfire.

However, no one asked a direct question.

They were simply watching Pastor Branson's actions.

“What is the reason you need to take that?”

A non-member from Seattle spoke up.

Branson knew who he was.

He tried his best not to reveal that this man was the one who had killed the angel.

This was because even the slightest tremor would cause him to vanish without a trace.

“I don’t know exactly if it was God, an angel, or a hallucination. However, it conveyed a kind of message to me. He knew which organization I belonged to. But they still don’t know what kind of person I am. They probably just think I’m on their side and someone who has shared the same experience.”

Pastor Branson held a box about the size of a rice cooker and handed it to a member standing nearby.

“May I ask you to handle the removal procedures?”

The member took the box to the entrance of the exhibition hall and opened the closet.

Inside was a paper file folder.

He opened the folder, took out a piece of paper, and began writing down the code written on the box.

Pastor Branson continued speaking.

“They said they would give me a chance. They said they would trust me if I brought the item from San Francisco. However, they did not seem to know what kind of item it was. Yet, whatever it was, they seemed to know that the object inside was something extraordinary that did not exist in the world. I surmised that they simply did not know exactly how a man-made object works. And I interpreted the fact that an angel approached me in person as a sign that they were about to begin their activities in earnest. Of course, they may have anticipated that I would be so honest with you all. And if that angel—or rather, some unknown entity—came to find me, going to them would not be a difficult task. Therefore, I believe now is the time to act as quickly as possible. What do you think? Was my judgment wrong?”

Pastor Branson had been with the organization longer than most of the members present here.

And he was dedicated to the progress of humanity.

Although he was a religious leader, all the members knew that he firmly believed that his actions were not for God,

but for humanity.

They could not doubt him.

Because he was the first person to inform the organization of everything that was currently happening.

Without his dedication, the organization might have had to sit idly by and watch, completely unaware of this absurd behavior orchestrated by God.

“Do you know what that item is?”

“No, not at all. I just chose it because it was easy to carry. I thought something too big might be dangerous, and something too small might lose value. That is all.”

The man from Seattle memorized the code written on the export documents.

He did not know all the items, either.

However, he could only tell from the first few digits of the code that they were medical products. It is safe to say that among the items here, there are almost none that are not dangerous.

As technology advanced, the contents of necessary items were opened one by one, and their technologies were revealed.

That is how humanity progressed.

Whenever a special item was discovered by chance somewhere, they acquired the technology and prevented it from spreading to the world.

And even if they tried to spread it, the chances of a product not approved by them being sold and succeeding in the world were slim.

The most dangerous item here was a code that started with T.

The item inside the box started with M.

It was likely one of the items used to cure human illnesses.

There didn't seem to be any major issues.

Even if it fell into their hands, the likelihood of them directly developing the technology was low.

Furthermore, they likely lacked the ability to commercially release it into the world.

However, if they did not take such an item, the value Branson provided to the organization would be offset and vanish.

They had no choice but to trust each other.

Once again, they decided to trust Branson's judgment.

This was not a matter for a non-member to get involved in.

Even if it involved the most important person.

“If there are no problems, I will leave the choice to those present here. Please raise your hand if you agree for me to take this item to them.”

All the members present raised their hands.

This was partly because there was absolutely no justification for opposition, and partly because of the trust Branson had built up within the organization over the years, there was no reason to doubt him.

However, since he had direct contact with what appeared to be gods and angels, they also felt that he was someone beyond the realm they could judge.

And they could not be certain that opposing him would necessarily benefit them. They just had to watch.

“Let someone make a declaration.”

The member who had drafted the export documents made a declaration in front of everyone.

“Since everyone has agreed, please proceed as planned.”

Even the one from Seattle no longer had grounds to object.

And on the other hand, he was also curious.

He wondered how those duplicitous humans lived in the igloo-like buildings they had built in Nevada, cultivating the very crops they had criticized.

If they showed even the slightest sign of foolishness, they would break the rule of not directly interfering in human affairs,

and simply reduce them to ashes in an instant with their most powerful weapon.

This was because the place was a desolate wasteland, meaning no one other than themselves would suffer direct harm.

They thought they were digging their own graves.

If they had been part of society and the public, they would not have even considered the idea of annihilating them.

Because the society they had created and the civilization they had built would not have simply stood by and watched such cruel acts.

However, if they were gathered among themselves in a desert-like wilderness, they could deal with them at any time.

Once their thoughts reached that point, there was no longer any reason to object or question them.

“I hope you stay healthy.”

The member from Seattle greeted them and stepped out of his seat. It was because he judged that leaving the Seattle headquarters unattended for too long might actually be more dangerous.

It was because he no longer had any reason to control or question this place.

Branson watched the back of the man leaving the room, and once he was gone, he looked at the members and spoke.

“It’s been a while, so I’d like to talk more, but I’m a bit busy. Also, I didn’t bring my car, so could I possibly borrow one here?”

Since all the members gathered here had flown in by plane at the same time, it was a kind of joke, and they began to laugh, perhaps because their tension had finally released.

Perhaps because he was a star pastor who traveled with Hollywood actors, he had an exceptional talent for speaking.

A member of the San Francisco branch stood up from his seat.

“Shall I give you a ride? Or would you prefer me to just lend you a car?”

“Please just call a taxi to take you to San Francisco Airport. Oh, and this is an item I can take on a plane, right? I’d like to open it up and check, but it feels a bit awkward to look at it here beforehand. I’d like to open it in front of them.”

“It shouldn’t be a problem. Just say it’s a medical device and get on. I’ll make the call in advance.”

“Thank you. I’m always indebted to you.”

“It is an honor to have you here, Pastor.”

Pastor Branson arrived at San Francisco Airport in a taxi provided by a member, clutching a box in his hand that looked like it might contain a basketball. He placed the box into a shopping bag bearing the logo of the headquarters shopping center he had just left and carried it onto the plane.

There were no major issues with passing through the X-ray. To anyone looking at it, it resembled a small oven or a humidifier, and it even had an electrical cord attached.

Before boarding the plane, Pastor Branson called Jackson.

“Pastor, what brings you here? I heard about you from your wife. Where are you?”

“I am currently on a flight from San Francisco. I will arrive at Reno Tahoe Airport in about an hour. Would it be possible to pick you up?”

“Of course, Pastor. I will come out to meet you myself.”

“Thank you. I’ll see you later.”

Pastor Branson boarded the plane carrying a box of rice cookers.

He desperately wanted to open it, but he felt he shouldn't.

He briefly saw it on the X-ray at the security checkpoint, but it looked like some kind of helmet.

He couldn't tell if it was the item the angel had told him to take.

Did the angel know something and ask him to make a choice?

Or had it simply appeared to test him?

The passenger plane Branson was on began to fly slowly and leisurely.

There was no need to gasp for breath like on the reconnaissance plane he had just arrived in.

Nor was it a distance where an in-flight meal would be served. He asked the cabin crew for a snack to chew on, took out a cookie, and started chewing.

[As soon as the angel arrived, they located my position and contacted me. This is not a skill a human could perform.]

Reverend Branson thought to himself while chewing on a cookie.

Come to think of it, if humans hundreds of years ago had seen what he was doing now, they would not have believed it.

He was flying through the sky and talking on a wireless phone.

And he was chewing on a cookie high up in the sky.

Isn't all of this not something God gave to humans, but rather a wondrous, magical object created by humans themselves in a world made by God, in a place consisting only of grass, trees, stones, and earth?

Reverend Branson was wavering.

If he had lived according to God's will, humans would still be living in caves, painting murals.

Branson realized to himself that his mind was not yet firmly made up.