Chapter 6
Confronting the Facade
Agne attempts to get a statement from Jonas Valionis, a high-ranking Sodra official. He skillfully deflects her questions, projecting an image of integrity while subtly threatening her.
The air in the polished corridors of the Ministry of Social Security felt unnaturally still, a stark contrast to the hurried pulse Agnė carried within her. Sunlight, filtered through tall, imposing windows, cast long, geometric shadows across the marble floors, each one seeming to stretch and distort, much like the truth she was chasing. She clutched her worn notebook, its pages filled with hurried scribbles and the faint imprint of yesterday’s coffee stain, a familiar comfort in this alien, opulent landscape. Her target today was Jonas Valionis, a man whose name had become synonymous with the very heart of the proposed pension reforms, a man whose public pronouncements on transparency and public good were as smooth and unblemished as the mahogany desks that likely graced his office.
Agnė had been granted an audience, a small victory in itself. Gintaras, bless his perpetually weary soul, had pulled a few strings, his initial skepticism about her ‘Sodra’ obsession now tinged with a grudging respect for her tenacity. He’d warned her, though, his voice a low rumble over the crackle of the office intercom. “Valionis is a fox, Agnė. Don’t expect him to spill his guts. He’s built a career on looking like a saint.”
Now, standing before the imposing double doors of his office, Agnė felt a flicker of that naiveté Gintaras had alluded to. She was a journalist, after all, armed with questions and a belief in the power of the press. Surely, a man in his position, dedicated to public service, would welcome scrutiny, would be eager to clarify any misunderstandings. The thought was quickly followed by a sharp jolt of her own instinct, the one that had guided her through countless dead ends and whispered truths. Valionis was not just a man; he was a carefully constructed edifice, and she was here to find the cracks.
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