People recoiled, jostling as the officer passed, looking distraught, to let him through. Jeanne assumed it must have been the effect of the fitna on them, as the officer was slightly affecting the ambient sembou around him, which was threatening enough to make ordinary people back away. And, when he was close enough to be see, they saw that what he was dragging with him by the collar was… a kid.
_ A kid?
_ A kid?
_ A KID?
Jeanne, Captain Touré, and Captain Ndour simultaneously said the same thing; the only difference was that, unlike Jeanne and Captain Touré's voices, which showed only sincere astonishment, Captain Ndour's voice had turned into an indignant cry. Although Jeanne had predicted a good part of what the ndimbelanes had planned, she didn't really expect to see Officer Nabil dragging a dirty, grimy-headed brat by his dilapidated collar. And clearly, neither did the ndimbelane captain.
_ Sooo, Jeanne said, drawing out the word, ironically tilting her head to contemplate the ndimbelane's stunned profile, that's what you're going to punish?
_ It changes nothing, the ndimbelane captain replied after a few seconds of silence, a message must be sent, and a strong message to subdue them.
_ You know, Captain Gueye finally intervened, stirring the contents of his glass after emptying the last bottle of champagne, I have the very clear impression that you are forgetting that we are talking about Keur Massar here.
_ I know very well where I am, thank you very much, Captain Touré muttered through clenched teeth.
_ Oh yeah? It doesn't look like it, Jeanne asserted.
_ Retreat is not an option, the ndimbelane declared in a dry tone.
_ As long as it's done quickly, I'm fine with it, said the Ngallan captain impatiently, a note of frustration in his voice. I have too many deliveries on standby, and the paperwork won't wait for me.
_ But what are you talking about? exclaimed Captain Ndour with irritation, what do you intend to do to…
Bachir didn't finish his sentence. The child – who must have been 13 or 14 at first glance – had been placed in the middle of the courtyard, right next to the second lieutenant who had his back to them. Officer Nabil, once his task was accomplished, had placed himself just behind his superior, his hands crossed behind his back, waiting for new orders.
Second Lieutenant Ndao let a few seconds of tension pass before speaking.
_ Inhabitants of Keur Massar, the ndimbelane's voice resonated, amplified by the loudspeakers distributed at each corner of the stage, your blatant lack of discipline has reached a level that cannot be ignored. Your actions during the riots and the damage the country has suffered because of you have forced us to take new measures.
Somewhere in the crowd, an indignant voice exclaimed.
_ 12 PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE OF YOU!
_ Silence! Second Lieutenant Ndao immediately yelled to cover the humming of anger that was beginning to take root.
Officer Nabil sent a wave of sembou all around the area, forcing silence in the crowd by imposing his fitna on them. The second lieutenant let a few more seconds pass to ensure complete silence.
_ You mourn your victims, and blindly blame the forces of order. But you seem to forget that no ndimbelane can directly harm a citizen's life without reason because of the oath of the old order – to prove his words, the second lieutenant showed the palm of his right hand where a rune representing two crossed sabers below a baobab shone slightly. And let's not forget that 7 of these victims died accidentally due to the destruction of several infrastructures that you set on fire. It is not us, the ndimbelanes, who are responsible for these deaths, but you.
Jeanne could feel the crowd stirring with anger, but unable to retort because of Officer Nabil's fitna. The second lieutenant's speech was intelligent, a way to temporarily turn all the wrongs of the situation onto the crowd to hold them responsible for what was about to happen.
_ In light of these events, the time for change has come. From now on, the ndimbelanes will enforce order in the country, even if it means punishing troublemakers with the whip and the stick.
The second lieutenant snapped his fingers, and an ndimbelane rushed towards him, bringing with him a rope whip. The reaction, both from the crowd and Captain Ndour, was exactly as Jeanne had imagined.
_ Damn it, Captain Touré, he's just a kid, exclaimed Captain Ndour, completely losing his temper for the first time.
_ Watch your language, Captain, the ndimbelane replied coldly without looking at him. I told you, we are not going to harm his life.
_ Is that supposed to reassure me?
_ Yes, Captain Touré simply replied. We are not crazy enough to damage him too much either.
_ I suppose I'm the one who will have to deal with the result of this punishment, whatever it may be? Bachir asked ironically.
Captain Touré shrugged, indifferent.
_ I wouldn't force you to do anything.
The Loucar captain burst into incredulous laughter, his gaze sweeping across the table in search of support. Seeing that no one reacted, he sat down, dejected.
Officer Nabil approached the child who was trembling and curling up on himself, like a cat protecting itself from immediate danger. Now that Jeanne thought about it, this poor kid must have been subjected to a stronger fitna than the crowd, given that he was very close to the one generating it. In any case, he still managed to move slightly, which was a small feat. It didn't stop him from ending up on his knees, his back bare and exposed to the whip's blows.
A sharp whistle sounded followed by a painful crack. The young boy let out a slight whimper already muffled by another blow. And everyone watched, stunned, lost, frozen before a spectacle that seemed illogical in many ways. The only one who still had the energy to move after the 3rd blow was Captain Ndour.
_ I beg you, Captain Touré, stop this madness, he pleaded in a desperate tone. I think the message has been more than conveyed.
_ By the djinns, Captain Ndour, stop dramatizing! Officer Nabil is greatly holding back his blows; I'm sure he'll only have a few scars left, nothing a Loucar can't erase.
_ A person's well-being does not depend only on their physical state, especially after living such an experience, Bachir pleaded, shivering when another whip sound was heard. Please…
His gaze once again swept across the head table. Captain Gueye gently raised his hands in a sign of helplessness when his eyes met his.
_ Sorry, Bachir, he said in a soft voice despite his eyes that seemed to burn with an icy fire. You know I'm the one with the least authority in this area here. Maybe if Captain Bass wants to…
_ As long as this story ends quickly, I'm fine with it, the Ngallan captain cut in, his eyes fixed on his phone rather than the spectacle.
He mumbled something else into his beard about labor payment before returning to a grumpy silence. Perhaps feeling that it was useless to argue with him, the Loucar's eyes turned to the only person left.
Oh no no no, Jeanne thought, her eyes going to her left where the man in black was, I can't make too many waves here.
_ Oh look, she exclaimed as a small relief relaxed her stomach, it looks like the punishment is over.
Indeed, after the 7th blow, Officer Nabil had moved away, leaving the boy's trembling back covered with light reddish streaks.
_ Hold your horses now, Captain Gueye advised Bachir as Second Lieutenant Ndao spoke again to the crowd, sit down and wait a bit. At the end of that idiot's speech you can help the child.
_ Okay… Okay…
Captain Ndour almost threw himself into his chair, breathing heavily. It looked like he was the one who had taken the blows instead of the child. Such a level of empathy truly amazed Jeanne. In the background, the crowd, probably because of their anger, began to protest indignantly again with the second lieutenant who responded like a father punishing his children.
In any case, it suits me, Jeanne thought. If it had continued, I would have been forced to intervene and I don't want to attract more attention than necessary. With a bit of luck, we'll leave it at that and…
_ Officer Nabil, whip this delinquent one last time and take him away until further notice.
How did we get here, goddamn it?
Jeanne inwardly cursed this whole bunch of idiots, already wondering how to solve the problem when her senses went on alert for the first time of the day… No… It would be more accurate to say that Jeanne hadn't felt such a thing for almost 2 years. Her gaze fell just above the crowd, a few meters above the ground; she could see this strange ardent energy radiating like a star about to explode in this short, abstract fragment of time that seemed almost instantaneous before she moved with a speed far exceeding that of Officer Nabil.
The barrier instantly gave way, almost comically on contact, and this something that the young girl couldn't define landed in the middle of the courtyard, near the two ndimbelanes and the boy, with force but also, strangely, a certain almost supernatural gentleness. A cloud of dust rose, immediately chased away by a puff of ardent breaths, finally allowing the cause of all this to be seen.
A young boy stood, surrounded by small tongues of fire, between Officer Nabil and his victim, his hand stopping the ndimbelane's arm holding the whip. His clothes were torn and blackened, and his body seemed to suffer the effects of this technique used, yet Jeanne couldn't take her eyes off the boy.
It was a bizarre, sickening mixture. Curiosity, excitement, but also, strangely, repulsion. Something, deep within her, despised what she saw in front of her while another seemed to push her towards the young boy.
No… It wasn't contempt, but fear.
Somewhere, in a universe of shadows navigating endless vicinities, an entity trembled at the sight of this boy who seemed infinitely weaker than Jeanne. And it was this fact, particularly, that made the young girl smile, her expression almost diabolical.
She was sure of it now, she was witnessing something that shouldn't have existed…