“
I most certainly am not, however, if it comes to that…I will. I suppose I could have made that your third option, however, it is too late for me to corral already released words.
“
Option two, you come with us and hand over all of your research, even the things you have managed to keep hidden. You continue to work with us for as long as we need you. The higher ups were impressed with some of your super soldier ideas and would like to provide you with the materials to expand upon your research. If you choose this option, you will be an employee of the government and we shall free you of your service when it is no longer needed.
“
We know the true purpose of Faraza and that you planned to make an attempt of a coup d
’
état toward us after Synaptix was out of the way. We also know that when things got desperate, you chose to align with Synaptix to proceed with your plan. However, that too failed.
“
A third option is we take you in to custody and make you comply by any means necessary. I mean, you did commit treason. Nobody will question where you went. However, if you put up too much of a fight, I shall resort to option one; my boss would understand. Synaptix, I can safely say, is no longer a threat. All thanks to my people. Your ally is dead. You are here alone in a room with a man more skilled in the art of killing than yourself
,
and need I add that I have a whole squad outside of your office? I think not. Anyhow, my point is this. We know all of your transgressions and are willing to overlook them if you join our cause. It is a most generous offer and that is what I came to extend. So, what do you say?
”
“
The way you said
options
almost led me to believe that I actually had a choice.
”
“
You jest, Mr. Cudrow, but I assure you this is not the time,
”
Reginald said, pointing a gun at Thomas
’
head.
“
Oh, so you did come to kill me,
”
Thomas said, sitting and pouring two shots of tequila.
“
No, I already explained. Now I require a decision of you. Either you stand alone, admitting the defeat
by
your son. At that point I myself put three bullets in your head then set your corpse ablaze. Or you decide to work with us and all of your trespasses are forgiven and you are given a chance to prove you can at the very least…beat your son. However, Mr. Cudrow, I must inform you that the men that control the strongest nation in the remaining world didn
’
t get there by chance, and you can never best them.
”
“
Sit, please,
”
Thomas said, motioning Reginald to take a seat in front of the desk he was sitting behind.
“
It is a mere request, not a command. I wish to talk. You seem to enjoy it quite a lot yourself so, please, sit. Have a drink with me?
”
Reginald sat in the chair in front of Thomas, eyeing him suspiciously with his hand on his gun. Thomas slid one of the previously poured shots over to Reginald as he downed his own and poured another.
“
You had been watching us from the beginning it seems, right?
”
Thomas questioned smugly.
“
Very astute, your point?
”
Reginald asked, eyeing the drink.
“
Don
’
t you find it a bit strange that I would rest all of my dreams of overthrowing the government on my petty guerilla army known as Faraza
?
An army that I had very little direct supervision over?
”
“
I see what you
’
re trying to do. Mr. Cudrow, bluffs will not work at this stage.
”
“
It isn
’
t a bluff,
only
a confession. My goal all along was to grab your attention. Now, where do I sign? With the military
’
s backing, my research shall bring humanity to a level much higher than ever dreamt. We shall all be gods, well…those of us in power anyhow.
”
“
We shall see if that is on the boss
’
agenda. For now, I take it that you aren
’
t going to put up a fight and I can holster my weapon?
”
“
You take the matter correctly. Now
,
have a drink.
”
Reginald downed his shot and slid the glass back over to Thomas. Thomas refilled it as he downed his second and slid the fresh one over to his new ally.
“
I
’
m glad we drank on this like men,
”
Thomas said.
“
Now, let
’
s go meet your boss.
”
*
*
*
*
Zarfa had not even realized that he answered his communicator when it rang. He wasn
’
t even sure if he had heard it ring. The lightning and thunder were dying down but still causing a great deal of noise. Most of the fighting had
ceased
. There were a few straggling raiders left muddling about dismounted, trying to fight for their lives.
The battle lasted less than an hour by the time they were all put down. The storm was
coming to an end
and now Crimson
’
s voice was in his head again.
“
Look, I realize there might be a second wave or some stragglers, but I am withdrawing my support. I need it back here.
”
Her voice sounded frantic.
“
No problem, everything is fine here,
”
Zarfa said.
The communicator went dead and Zarfa got a sinking feeling in his stomach. Remnants of fighting continued for
a while
longer, but finally, all of the Faraza were dead. Zarfa suffered minimal losses on his side and spirits were still high. Everyone was celebrating the victory and ready to head back to Ilyeion.
Those that were loyal to Zarfa planned to follow him to Alexarien to pay back Crimson for what she had done for them. Those who
had only
wanted revenge planned to return to Ilyeion and live the rest of their lives peacefully.
Zarfa could see on the horizon those
who
were getting back within the city limits of Ilyeion before him. He could also see a line of Ilyeion military tanks stretching out for miles. Many were too slow to realize what was going on as the first shots fired into the crowd.
The shells fired would bounce off of the ground and burst into thousands of searing balls of burning shrapnel. The first battery of shots fired killed several thousand before anyone realized what was going on. Zarfa had imagined a celebration host by the grateful populace of Ilyeion, yet he was greeted with violence from their military.
Screams of fear and crippling agony filled the battlefield as bodies dropped lifeless to the ground.
They fought like cowards, seeking to eradicate this militia that had protected them from the Faraza when the government was too weak or cowardly to do so itself. Now, they were the very ones destroying the unlikely rebellion that had brought them salvation from oppression.
“
Run! To the caverns underground!
”
Zarfa exclaimed, checking to be sure Zajifa and Sarah were close by.
“
Why are they attacking?
”
asked Sarah as she followed Zarfa and headed for the entrance to the Faraza base.
“
I don
’
t know! Maybe…
”
He trailed off as his mind wandered to the thought of Crimson double
-
crossing him.
He quickly dialed the number for her communicator on his wristband and eagerly awaited her answer. There were shouts of terror and agony behind him as he and a scattered crowd ran toward the caverns for salvation. The communicator rang and rang, but there was never an answer.
Max, Bloodshed
Max had somehow managed to get in an hour of sleep before he got ready for his day. Only minutes remained until he would be making his way to Synaptix to end them once and for all. Crimson was directing storms toward Zarfa to act as a weapon of destruction and wouldn
’
t have answered him even if he spoke to her, so he didn
’
t bother with any parting words.
Max was wearing full body armor, some of the best that money could buy. He even donned a helmet that covered his whole face, complete with a rebreather that would negate almost any kind of anti-riot gas he may encounter. His goal was simple, travel sixteen miles west of the
apartment
to Synaptix Co. Ltd. Headquarters, located in the trade district of west Alexa
nd
ri
a
. From there, he, along with any members supporting Crimson
’
s cause, would storm the building.
He planned to catch the ones in control of the corporation off guard in their offices and kill them. Following that, he would make his way to the exit, clear the building, and set charges to topple it. After he had destroyed Synaptix, he would start his journey to the Polyhelix headquarters.
Polyhelix was located ten miles north east of Synaptix in the eastern corporate district of Alexarien. By this point, Max imagined he would have a large crowd following with him, but that military and police would already be on defense with a counter attack. He had no idea how many supporters he would have, or if they would scatter upon meeting opposition, so he made a contingency plan in his mind to travel in the sewers if things got too hot above ground.
He mulled the plan in his mind over and over until he was resolute. He finished gathering anything he thought he might need. Grenades, charges, plasma blades, a gauss pistol as a side arm, plenty of ammo, and his trusty sniper rifle that had served him well in a previous battle.
Max waved at Crimson engrossed in controlling the storms. She was now reassuring Zarfa over a com-link conversation. He blew her a kiss that he doubted she saw as he turned and left.
When Max made his way to the street, he found a hovercraft that Crimson owned. He got in and started it up. The radio was blasting her message to attack on every station. Max knew that the video feeds were also broadcasting her message. He could see smoke from fires that raged all over town and didn
’
t know if this was a good sign or not.
He was driving quickly toward the Synaptix headquarters and everything was going smooth so far. He was roughly six miles from Synaptix when he saw a mob of people rampaging in his same direction.
As he
looked closely, most of them had a red
“
C
”
tattooed somewhere on their body. They were his allies, yet they were acting in a manner not befitting trained
soldiers
. They were setting fire to buildings, striking innocents in the streets, even killing them.
Those inspired by Crimson came in every size, shape, color, gender, age, occupation
,
and creed. They all believed in her ideal of change, but had no one to take the reins and show them how to accomplish their goal. They had a final destination, destruction of Alexarien
’
s government.
Unfortunately, what that government was represented something different to each person in the crusade. Some understood it was a militant government and that was what they should strike. Others were less educated and saw anyone not on their side directly as their enemy. Quickly, this idea of a cause for change and a rebellion to get the power back into the people
’
s hands had turned into a violent mob.
The mob was like a disease traveling quickly through the city, destroying everything in its wake. Even some groups supposedly fighting for the same purpose would stumble upon each other
,
and instead of embracing one another as brethren of the same intent, they would open fire on one another.
The whole thing was a disaster. Crimson wanted to generate more than chaos in Alexarien, but unfortunately, that was all she succeeded in doing. Max
was driving
quickly toward Synaptix when he came to this realization. He also realized he was not branded with the mark, and even if he were, it probably wouldn
’
t help him.
Those he expected to be his supporters were nothing more than a lot of angry, violent, bloodthirsty cowards. Prone to mob violence and vigilantism.
This is hopeless. We won
’
t take down the government,
Max thought over and over in his head.
But I can destroy these corporations.