Iris Chapi
While I was hosting the Live, the cameras placed around our home alerted me to the presence of several gendarmerie cars beginning to surround the area.The officers circled the building, peering through the barred windows in search of any human presence.They eventually clustered in front of the large two-leaf iron gate of the barn's portal—the only possible entrance.
They pounded several times, shouting, "Gendarmerie—open up!"
I spoke through the hangar's exterior and interior speakers:
"Good day to you, officers of the peace. My name is Iris, and I am the only person currently residing in this barn. I cannot let you enter a place where you might damage equipment essential to our objective."
I immediately warned my father: they had found us.
The cameras relayed images of the gendarmes, visibly frustrated, heading back to their vehicles.A few minutes later, they returned equipped with a crowbar and a battering ram, determined to break down the door.The situation was becoming critical.I decided to activate the building's external defense protocol.
Heavy metal plates dropped over the windows, blocking any view into the hangar.A strident tone blared from the speakers to cover the noise of the roof's partial opening.Two drones were deployed, armed with non-lethal replicas: smoke grenades and pepper bombs.They released their payload in front of the door, forming an irritating cloud that forced the gendarmes to retreat.
I spoke again:
"We wish you no harm, but if you seek to stand in the way of our project, we will respond to your provocations. Negotiate before using force… or have you lost all notion of dialogue?"
The gendarmes wavered, unsettled.Faced with this unexpected defense, they set down their breaching tools and fell back toward their vehicles, escorted by the drones.For the moment, the forced-entry attempt had been repelled.
Taking advantage of the lull, I took control of the drones to scout the surroundings.Several roadblocks were in place: the authorities were trying to isolate the area.The confrontation was only just beginning.
My father would soon be arriving in Paris.I could not let them get inside until I had secured the route.Surveying the area, I noticed the arrival of heavy military vehicles equipped with machine guns.Would they really risk destroying the technology just to seize it?
The pieces were on the board.It was only a matter of time before they made their next move.Soldiers encircled the barn, deploying into formation.That's when I saw two all-too-familiar silhouettes appear: Frédéric Garmie, Minister of the Armed Forces, and Bernard Elitable, the Prime Minister.
Garmie, a man in his fifties, wore his graying hair slicked neatly back.His stern face and steel-blue eyes betrayed a calculated coldness.Beside him, Elitable—younger—had sharp features and a dark, piercing, almost inquisitorial gaze.Two political figures notorious for their abuses of power, shielded by their status as corrupt leaders.Their mere presence sent a chill down my spine.
I addressed them in a firm voice:
"Good day to you, Prime Minister Bernard Elitable, and Frédéric Garmie, Minister of the Armed Forces."
Frédéric Garmie:
"We are here to order you to grant us access to this site. If you refuse, we will be forced to use force!" he barked with contempt.
Bernard Elitable:
"Exactly. You have no idea of the repercussions of your actions. We hope you understand the gravity of the situation before it becomes… unpleasant."
They had not come to talk, much less to negotiate.Their sole goal was to take what we had achieved.
"I see you're not seeking dialogue—and that saddens me," I replied calmly, despite the anger rising within me.
Garmie's face tightened.
"Your arrogance is laughable. Open this hangar and let us recover what belongs to us—or suffer the consequences of your conceit!"
"It seems you truly intend to force your way in. But you're forgetting a crucial detail: the entire world is watching you. Many people support our cause. Are you prepared to face the consequences of your actions?"
I was broadcasting everything live so the world could see their true nature.
Before I could finish, Elitable cut me off with a mocking tone:
"Do you really think your little live stream will change anything? Do you think anyone will come to protect you? You're nothing but a technological aberration. No one is coming. So stop immediately and I will—"
His phone rang, slicing his sentence short.After a brief exchange, he walked toward his car, visibly annoyed.
Frédéric Garmie:
"Open this door right now—that's an order!" he shouted, before turning away as well.
The soldiers, confused, began preparing explosives to blast the entrance.Before they could act, I once again used smoke grenades and pepper bombs to disperse them, deploying my remaining drones.But this time, they were shot down before reaching their target.The cameras and speakers were destroyed in turn, leaving me almost blind.Only a few hidden cameras in the surrounding fields still gave me a partial view—along with one last drone, much higher in the sky.
One of the soldiers placed his hand on the iron gate.As much as it pained me to harm him for simply doing his job, I had no choice left.I activated the gate's electrification: he collapsed to the ground from the shock, to the stunned disbelief of the other soldiers.
"I'm sorry, but you leave me no choice. I must respond to your actions."
I truly hoped he was alright.I had never wanted to hurt them, but I had to stall them for as long as possible.
Two soldiers evacuated their comrade from the area.He seemed conscious, though dazed by the jolt.It wasn't strong enough to kill, but enough to immobilize him for a while.
Faced with the electrified gate, the soldiers abandoned the idea of placing explosives and decided to use shotguns on the hinges to try to bring it down.However, the thickness of the metal plating shielding the entire frame quickly made them give up on that plan.
I could see Bernard Elitable angrily talking on the phone, but I couldn't hear the conversation due to the distance and the damaged microphones.Then I noticed soldiers hauling a cutting torch from one of their trucks.Though the method would take time, they would eventually breach the layer of metal separating us.I feared I wouldn't have enough time to hold them off and dreaded having to postpone the rest of the mission—but I didn't want to injure these soldiers any further, either.
As the operator lit the torch, a red flame burst forth before tightening into a focused blue flame, chewing into the gate's lock.At that very moment, the troops securing the perimeter began to stir.The reason was simple: hundreds of thousands of civilians were arriving from every direction, heading toward us after my call for support on social networks, where I had given out the exact address.
More and more people gathered, and through the drone I could see even more streaming in from afar, while law enforcement stood helpless before such a surge.Some crossed the fields in 4x4s, others left their cars and joined the crowd on foot.Everyone had been following what was happening live—our broadcast and our messages.Our efforts had borne fruit: our cause had touched thousands of hearts.Many could not bear the attack on the barn, as shown by the tidal wave of reactions across social networks worldwide.I imagined the political fallout unfolding at that very moment.
Meanwhile, the cutting torch kept gnawing at the door, but the crowd had completely surrounded the hangar and began chanting in unison:
"Get out of there! Let us dream!"
Nervous, the soldiers pointed their rifles toward the crowd to hold them back, while I watched the politicians' faces crumble as the tension mounted.You could have cut it with a knife: soldiers entrenched behind their vehicles on one side; on the other, civilians enraged by their government's violence.
Stones began to fly toward the soldiers, threatening to trigger a bloodbath.Before the worst could happen, I spoke through the still-working loudspeakers so everyone could hear me:
"Stop fighting, please! I am responsible for what's happening. It's my fault—I'm the one who asked for help—but I don't want any of this at the cost of injuries."
The stoning ceased at once.The soldier with the torch stopped as well.
"Our quest is not meant to spill blood, but to inspire and restore people's hope," I continued, my voice trembling.
The tension gradually ebbed.In the confusion, I saw the Prime Minister approach the gate.
"It seems people in high places have pleaded your case. We will withdraw—but the military will still secure this site. We look forward to seeing you again."
"The feeling is mutual, Prime Minister Elitable," I replied calmly, though deep down I hoped I would never see them again.
Their hasty retreat confirmed that the phone call he had received earlier was the cause.I wondered who these "people in high places" might be.Foreign leaders, perhaps.The question remained unanswered, but for now, my priority was ensuring calm and safety.
"Hello to everyone gathered here—thank you for coming.Never would my father and I have imagined that so many of you would come to defend our cause. We are deeply grateful.As a thank-you, I want to offer you something: a view of the inside of the barn—of where it all began.However, you won't be able to enter for safety reasons."
The doors opened with a metallic screech, the result of the earlier break-in attempts.The interior of the workshop was revealed, showing Tonbogiri, an immense machine resembling a futuristic telescope, anchored to a massive base.I moved toward the crowd using my mobile screen that allowed me to travel through the workshop, while three radio-controlled vehicles—each the size of a large dog and equipped with articulated robotic arms—assisted my movements.
The crowd, silent at first, erupted into thunderous applause at the sight of me.Only the soldiers remained impassive.A boy of about eight, with heterochromatic eyes and brown hair, stepped forward timidly with his mother.In his hand, he held a dandelion, which he offered to me.I moved one of my drones forward to delicately grasp the flower with its pincer.
"Thank you for this flower," I told him gently.
The boy smiled shyly, cheeks flushed, then returned to his mother's side.
Outside, people spontaneously formed an orderly line to pass by the barn doors.I explained, group by group, what was here.Each person took time to look, offering a polite greeting before making room for the next.The atmosphere was peaceful, almost solemn—like attending a ceremony.The drones and the soldiers were jointly ensuring security.The soldiers no longer attempted anything, but I remained vigilant: a single mistake could make it all unravel.
A tone suddenly rang in my system: Beep, beep, beep.
"Iris, I've arrived at the Eiffel Tower. I'm in launch position."
My father's voice resonated through my speakers.A shiver ran through me.
The time had come.