Giacomo Mariollo Office Building
June 28, 11:48AM
One of four buildings to house senators and their staff, the Mariollo Office Building was the most recent to be built, having been opened in 2013, yet it was also the best equipped to serve the needs of the Senate in the 21st century. It boasted state of the art technology and facilities, including press briefing rooms and well connected office and session rooms. In addition, its fourth floor was almost entirely devoted to amenities and recreation, featuring a food court, sports facilities and an indoors relaxation garden, among others. It was due to this that only senior senators were given the privilege of working from the Mariollo Office Building, and more junior senators competed for the right to an office there.
As a senior senator from the Merchant Rights Association, Mario Salucci had had his office there from the very beginning, an office that, given his high standing and several committees, was considerably large and well equipped for his entire staff. Yet this meeting was not supposed to be in his office; in truth, he was making the walk to the office of senator Basile, his colleague at the Intelligence Committee, to discuss a concerning fact about the briefing they had received, regarding Operation Silver Horse. He reached the large wooden door and gently pushed it -Basile preferred that as opposed to knocking-, entering the outer office, where the receiving staff worked.
"Martino, how are you?"
"I can't complain sir, though it has been a hectic morning."
"You don't need to tell me about it." Salucci smiled. He was on friendly terms with Basile's staff, who were among the most professional and hard working in the Senate. "Is here in there?"
"Yes, the senator is ready to receive you."
"Fantastic. We'll talk later then, Martino. Enjoy the day."
He entered the inner office, and then gently pushed the door to the senator's actual office. Standing behind his desk, Fabio Basile was reading a newspaper, while holding a red leather-bound file in his hand. He raised his sight when he heard Salucci enter the room, and then Salucci saw him scowl, not at him, but at the reason that had prompted this meeting.
"I'm not pleased, Mario."
"I know."
"This is a red brief, and a heavily redacted one at that. They have redacted identities, financial information, hostage conditions, among a multitude of other things. This is not the kind of brief that is given to the leadership of the Senate Intelligence Committee."
"Have you filed an information request before the Palazzo?"
"I have, earlier this morning." he searched for something in his desk drawer, a piece of paper, which he held in his hand for Salucci to see. "It was denied less than an hour ago. Some nonsense about national security."
"What happened in The Cell?"
"All that we saw in there made its way to the report. It's the rest that's missing. I know for a fact that a Sacuri was apprehended near the end of the operation, I heard the soldiers take them. This report starts to mention that, but the rest is redacted, so we have no clue as to who it was, where they are and what will happen to them. I saw Valerio's face, when he heard that Sacuri's screams; he was pale, as if he was listening to a horror story, and not a minute after, Rinaldi was on his feet, coordinating something that Valerio had asked. I'm telling you, Mario, there is something wrong here, and it's being kept from us."
"What do you plan to do then?"
"I could use your help with this."
Salucci nodded, the implication clear. "We can call a closed session tomorrow, and have a vote to demand the unredacted report. I can whip the votes on my side."