When Jackson and Abe entered Jocelyne's room, she knew exactly who she was without even looking back. "Sorry if I called you on such short notice"

"No problem, miss" Abe promptly replied. "We would be back soon anyway"

"I still gave you some vacation. And you needed it, especially you, Abe. So it's right that I apologize to you" Jocelyne said, then winked at the big man: "How are you with Dariela?"

Abe shrugged. "All right. She is still a little shocked too if she tries to deny it, but she is recovering quickly her... she is a strong woman"

"I'm glad, but I didn't mean it that way" Jocelyne said mischievously.

It was funny to see Abe embarrassed: the huge man two meters tall and with shoulders as broad as a wardrobe who blushed like an elementary school girl was a priceless sight. "With your permission, I am not required to disclose the details of my private life"

"They got together" Jackson revealed point blank, with a wicked grin on his face.

"AH! I knew it" laughed Jocelyne.

Abe turned with a furious look: "Traitor! How could you turn your back on me like that?"

"Sorry, Abe, but it was impossible to resist. You served it to me on a silver plate, or rather on a plate of pure gold studded with diamonds" Jackson laughed, and then winked at Jocelyne: "Anyway, I can guarantee that Abe wastes no time: in two days he reached the third base"

"Rafiki! Don't talk to the young lady like that!" Abe exclaimed more and more embarrassed.

"I am the daughter of a householder, Abe. I learned what sex was at the age of eight" Jocelyne reminded him. "Anyway, jokes aside, I'm happy for you. You both needed a distraction, after everything that has happened... and probably will"

The girl's tone returned to serious, which immediately turned off the hilarity in the room; both men stopped arguing and returned to focus.

"I'll make it short: now that I'm in the process of becoming president, I don't need a personal bodyguard anymore" Jocelyne explained. "What I need are honest men"

"You're not president yet" Jackson reminded her.

"We both know that I will be. I have been preparing for this moment for a long time and I leave with an extreme advantage over the other competitors. I am admired both in Italy and abroad, I am the daughter of the one who APPARENTLY allowed this change, I am young and I have excellent relationships with dinosaurs. As the first president of a newly formed nation, I'm the best choice" the girl pointed out.

Abe and Jackson looked at each other for a moment, then the latter spoke: "Miss, tell us the truth: are you responsible for the death of the heads of the families?"

Jocelyne smiled, not at all intimidated by the accusation: "I can understand the people out there, but you... come on, I thought it was obvious. My father would never have had the courage to do what I did. I can't say I acted very lawfully, but I did what needed to be done"

"So you are behind all the changes that are taking place"

"I saved the nation and now I'm allowing it to rise stronger than before. I created a better country out of nothing. Yes"

"And is that why you sent me and Abe on vacation? To keep us away?"

"Not really. I wasn't lying when I said you all needed it. After all, I care about you, it's impossible not to after all we've been through together. But yes, in part I also sent you away so that you would not be involved in my actions. After all, as I have already said, you are honest men; it was better that you didn't participate. Let's say it wasn't a good show. I preferred that such a burden was only on my conscience"

"I see" Jackson did not look intimidated or saddened: from his face, it seemed that he had only found confirmation of his suspicions. "If you no longer need personal bodyguards, are you firing us?"

"Yes, and I'm offering you another job. You are men in whom I can place my trust and who care about the safety of ordinary people, exactly what the nation absolutely needs at the moment". The girl looked at Abe: "I know I'm asking you a lot, but I think you are the right person for this role: would you like to become my defense minister?"

The big man almost choked on saliva: "Me? But why?"

"Because you are incorruptible, you are loyal to duty and you put the safety of others before your own, all characteristics unfortunately rare in politics. Furthermore, you are intelligent and know how to evaluate every situation well. You also know how to deal with dinosaurs, you have observed them closely and understand their thoughts, and since new deals are coming up with them in the future, I need someone to support me in the negotiations. Not to mention the fact that you are a soldier, you know military discipline, you have faced various challenges in dangerous conditions and, above all, you have a strong ability to get people to listen to you, fundamental qualities for a leader"

"But I have no idea how to be defense minister..."

"And do you think I know how to be president? We will have to deal with a newly formed nation that is currently suspended over a precipice, as we are literally in the midst of a crossfire and I don't know how far the NMWA will go. None of the future elect will really know how to do his job, but if we have good will we will learn on the spot"

Those words shook Abe: "Miss, do you think the NMWA could go so far as to declare war on us?"

"It is not to be excluded. When you put an enemy in a corner, he doesn't hesitate to use any means to defeat you" Jocelyne explained. "The NMWA and the rest of the world want war at all costs, and it is likely that they will be ready to make false papers to obtain it. And we are in the midst of their plans. They will not stand still and watch, this is little but sure. Do you understand now why I need a defense minister who knows the facts about him?"

Abe swallowed. The prospect of the NMWA trying to attack the newly founded Great Republic of Beleriard was frightening. It would have been in fact an illegal action... but if there was one thing Abe had learned about humans it was that they didn't give a damn about the law when they really wanted something. If the NMWA had gotten the support of the people, they could have invaded them at any time, ignoring international agreements. What face could he stand by? "Okay, I'm in. I will be your defense minister"

"Splendid!" Jocelyne was over the moon: she assumed that Abe would be persuaded, she had too big a heart to hold back, but until she had said the fateful 'yes' she had been worried that she would refuse. She looked at Jackson: "As for you..."

"Let me guess: you want me to be your foreign minister" said the former foreman.

Jackson's power of intuition impressed Jocelyne. "How did you understand that?" she couldn't help but ask him.

"Easy: I read the newspapers. I know that the foreign minister will also be the nation's official representative to the NMWA. And since you are so concerned about what foreign nations might do, you clearly want someone you can trust to represent you" Jackson explained. "Furthermore, I already have connections within the NMWA thanks to Chloe, I am the son of Robert Oz who at the moment is practically the head of the world scientific community, and thanks to you I also have contacts with John Hammond. Basically, I'm the best person of your choices. From what I understand, what you want is to avoid war as much as possible, so you need a strong voice in the NMWA, and there is no one better than me, both for the contacts I have and for my temperament"

"Yeah… but not for your ego" Jocelyne snorted, even though she smiled slightly. "So you accept?"

"Only if the pay is good" Jackson replied with a grin.

"Admit it, you'd even accept it for a loaf of bread. You just want to have your chance to see Chloe again" Abe said with an evil smile, obviously intent on getting revenge first.

The two were about to start arguing again, but Jocelyne stopped them: "Abe, there is one last thing I would like to ask you. I would need you to contact an old friend of yours..."

*******

After the events in Cartago, Malcolm and his family moved to Taimir, a town on the coast. After what happened they all needed a change of scenery. Malcolm had also considered the idea of moving to another country, but his finances would not allow him, so he had limited himself to finding a new house with a sea view.

He and Ellie were finally officially married and Alexander accepted it very well. He was now almost a man and often helped his father at work. Malcolm would have preferred his son to concentrate on his studies, but after all Alexander was a boy with his head on his shoulders and he knew when it was time to be distracted and when not, so he didn't blame him. Within a year Alexander would officially enter the art school, thus fulfilling his dream of becoming an artist.

Yes, many things had changed in the last year. So Malcolm wasn't a little surprised when he saw a well-known face knock on his door. "Abe... Abe, old man!" he greeted him as soon as he saw him, patting him hard on the shoulder. "Come inside, come on! Ellie, Alexander, come and see who came to visit us!"

Malcolm had never forgotten all the work Abe had done to protect his family while they were in Cartago. Even though they hadn't contacted each other after that, he still regarded Abe as a friend. His house would always be open for that big man and such a good heart.

Abe entered the house. It wasn't very big, but it still had two floors and, at first glance, at least four rooms not including the living room. It was certainly suitable for a family of three.

Ellie ran to hug him as soon as she saw him. A year had passed, but she had remained the same warm, loving woman she once was.

Alexander, on the other hand, was very different. He was taller, heavier, and slightly more slender than the shoulders; his beard had grown more pronounced and his hair was now kept shorter. His face had taken on harsher characters, like an adult man, and his gaze seemed to have deepened too. Certainly he was no longer the boy of a year ago: when he greeted him, Abe immediately noticed that he had become more mature and accommodating.

"Forgive me if I came without warning" Abe apologized. "I will try to disturb as little as possible"

"It doesn't matter, my friend. You are always welcome. Tell me, why are you here?"

"I can't find any other way to say it than to just say it: as you well know, Malcolm, there will be an election soon. Others and I are forming a party and we would like you to join us"

"Join you? And how?"

"As interior minister"

Malcolm stiffened, shocked by that proposal. "Is this a joke by any chance?"

"You know I can play better jokes. No, I'm seriously proposing you to join us" Abe replied. "And for your information, this one is preparing to become the Minister of Defense"

Malcolm realized that Abe was not joking. He was shocked by the situation, but he could still think straight. "The candidate for president will be Jocelyne Jersey, right?" he asked himself, even though the answer was quite obvious.

"Guessed it. That's why I'm here"

"I'm afraid I don't understand"

"Very simple: even if thanks to the new Constitution most of the country's problems will be solved, many others are on the horizon. The nation is still going through a difficult period of crisis. At this juncture, Jocelyne needs capable, honest people she can trust to keep the country from crumbling on itself or being annihilated by the crossfire between dinosaurs and humans. I know you, Malcolm, and I know that you are not only a righteous man, but you also know how to deal with the masses and how to speak in front of the public, as well as having an excellent knowledge of business and economics. An element like you would be very useful to the nation right now. Jocelyne trusts me, and I trust you, so she trusts you too. And trust is difficult to find in this period"

Malcolm rubbed his chin. The idea of becoming minister of the interior did not appeal to him, but it did not disgust him either: after all, he was pretty sure he would be able to fulfill that office in the right way thanks to his abilities. Rather, Malcolm had never been a person who liked to get involved in politics, because he knew she was dominated by sharks.

However, times were changing. Within a very short time, the nation was undergoing one transformation after another. Perhaps the time had finally come for even a commoner like him to enter the Perpetual Palace.

But there were still some details on which he wanted clarification. "Abe, tell me the truth: the real culprit of all these changes is the scion of the Jersey, right?"

The big man didn't seem surprised. "I figured you'd get there too"

"The whole nation got there, I think. Except nobody talks about it" Malcolm said. "What did that girl do?"

"Do you want the truth? I have no idea, and personally I prefer not to know. I just need to know that everything that girl does for the nation, and for peace. And that I can say for sure, because I know her well" Abe replied confidently. Not a single hint of doubt permeated his face as he spoke those words.

Malcolm nodded. He knew Abe didn't trust him for no reason, so he trusted his judgment. If he thought so about the Jersey scion, then he must have his reasons for her. "I understand. Do you mind if I think about it a little?"

"Go ahead. If you want to join the team, you know how to contact me" Abe replied. "There is another favor that I would like to ask you though. I would like you to try to convince Dreyfus to attempt the competition for the position of Judge of the Judiciary"

Malcolm was surprised. After the events in Cartago Dreyfus, like him, had changed his life and moved. The two still kept in touch, and Malcolm knew that Dreyfus had officially dropped out of any political office. His responsibilities in the Cartago disaster still weighed on his old shoulders. "Not that you think he's not up to par, but... why Dreyfus?"

"Because he is the best candidate on the market. We both know he would easily pass that test, his legal background is exceptional" Abe explained. "He would certainly enter the judiciary and with his skills and his leadership he would in all likelihood be elected as Supreme Judge. His experience would be very useful in this period. Dreyfus may be a slightly grumpy old man, but he is a good person and is faithful to the law; with him to check that the principles of the Constitution are respected we would sleep more peacefully"

"I understand. You want it in the judiciary because it would guarantee the stability of the nation"

"Exactly. Since we have just completed unification, maintaining stability is imperative. We can't risk our first Supreme Judge getting involved in scandals or getting bribed, and we both know that Dreyfus is not that kind of person"

Malcolm thought, then simply said: "I'll talk to him, but I don't promise you anything"

"I just need to try. Everything else is his choice" Abe replied. "Thank you, Malcolm"

Malcolm smiled: "All for an old friend"