At the front of the conference room, a buyer’s advocate with a green handkerchief stood before several other men and women in suits. They each had a unique coloured handkerchief displayed proudly from their breast pocket.
“We are gathered here today to discuss our growing doubts regarding the promises made when we came to this underground city. As there may be audio recording devices in this room, we shall be using code names, matching the colours of our handkerchiefs.”
Orange put up her hand, and Green nodded for her to speak. “Won’t they recognise us by our voices?”
“Maybe,” said Green. “Next question.”
It was Red that spoke next. “Hi, I was originally a buyer’s advocate located near Hampton and—”
“No personal details!” said Green. “We can’t let them figure out who we are. Keep your identity anonymous.”
“Right,” said Red. “Okay. Well, I have some concerns about whether the Director can deliver on the promises he made. Accommodation and food while they set the city up, sure. But what about afterwards? Won’t we just be like ordinary people? I became a buyer’s advocate close to Melbourne because I wanted to make lots of money and stand out from everybody else.”
Green nodded. “I think that is something we all, as buyer’s agents, have a concern about. However, the job we once had no longer exists. The property market is not at all what it once was, with the destruction of civilisation. There is perhaps only room for one or two elite buyer’s advocates. Unfortunately, I think we just have to accept the reality of the situation.”
Several of the people in the room seemed uncomfortable with that. Ever since the Collapse, people had wanted the world and society to return to the way it was, but that simply wasn’t a realistic outcome. The sooner these agents understood that, the better.
From all the conversations Iris had heard that day, though, she doubted that day would come in the near future.