Shock and sadness fills Marcus, stiffening his body. He doesn’t want to abandon Laffat. Yet, he realizes that he has no choice but to leave. With tears running down his face, he reluctantly turns around and runs.
~
With Marcus retreating down the hall, Laffat heads towards the computer. He leans in and looks at the clock. 4:46.
“Everyone,” he says authoritatively. “This is General Constantime. Evacuate the premises. There’s a chemical weapon that is about to be released. I am trapped, and so I will sacrifice myself to ensure that millions don’t succumb to this dreadful weapon. For all of you, I thank you for always having my back, I will truly miss every single one of you. This is General Laffat Constantime, signing off.”
Laffat sighs. His sacrifice is to guarantee the survival of not only the generations who currently live, but also the ones to be born. They will be needed to ensure the survivability of not only the Empire, but also Zentari.
“Baron-Two, what is your status?”
“We are ETA three minutes away.”
“Commence Code Blue then.”
“Roger that. We’re ready to cook the bacon. Baron-Two out.”
Laffat looks at the clock again. 3:55. I’ve still got a few minutes. He looks up at the ceiling, his life flashing before his eyes. He can see his wife and their son looking down at him, knowing that he won’t be coming home this time.
“I love you, Maureen,” he chirps as tears run down his face. “I love you, Argus. Grow up to be the son I dream you will become.”
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the green key card that has decided his fate. He flips it around slowly, examining it as if he’s reluctant to insert it. He then inserts the card as a message pops up: Please type in the 7-digit code in 10… 9…
He looks at the back of the card, rememorizing the code he read earlier. He types it in then hits Ok. Another message appears, stating his code has been accepted.
“Initiating Code 2667259. Redirecting substance eight-two-two,” says a robotic feminine voice. “Redirecting. Redirecting.”
The voice keeps repeating these same words, becoming like a melody in his head, his fate sealed. He looks as a yellowish-green gas spews from the vents above, floating slowly down, ready to consume anyone in its path.
As the gas gets closer, Laffat sits on the floor. While his pending death sends chills throughout his body, his mind is focused on the positives, the future. He’s confident that Marcus will lead the Empire forward, charting the uncharted waters that lie ahead. He believes that his son, Argus, will grow up to be a great man who follows in his father’s footsteps. He feels both individuals will fight alongside each other, bound to make a difference. The gas then licks his skin, burning him as it consumes him.
~
“Everyone, back up!”
The police and Red Skulls pull back. They have been told to evacuate given that an order has been put in to destroy the facility. Marcus comes running out, huffing and puffing. He can see flashing lights, his safety. He dashes towards them.
As he gets closer, the building behind him explodes. The building collapses as the flames destroy the toxic gas. Seconds later, a jet passes on by. He looks on in anguish, knowing that Laffat is gone forever. He walks away from the devastation, unable to look at the disturbing setting.
~
“Your father believed it was the best for not only the people, but for future generations as well. He felt he would have been committing a sin if he did nothing that day. He wanted to ensure that you, his son, would grow up and follow in his footsteps.”
~
Marcus parks his car. For a moment, he looks up at the amber-colored house and then looks down at his outfit. He’s dressed in his formal military outfit, which has the colors of imperial red, ultramarine, and ivory, his rank distinctive on his shoulders and upper left breast. It’s the outfit that many within the military wear for ceremonies or special occasions, outfits that show their patriotism and pride for the nation. He looks at the steering wheel.
He’s hesitant to get out of the car, nervous and scared to move. It has been two days since Laffat’s death, two days of grief that has gripped the nation. He has stopped by the Constantime residence to return the pendant, to give closure to the family. It’s something he didn’t want to do, but it’s a promise he made to the late Laffat. He opens the car door and gets out and slowly approaches the house.
The hot rays of sunlight strike him, cooking him inside. Yet, the heat doesn’t bother him. Rather, it’s the sadness that plagues him. With every step he takes, his heart grows heavier; he is remorseful that he couldn’t do anything that night. Worst, he has no idea what to say or how to formulate conversation to ease their pain. I hope I have the strength to speak.
He comes to a stop at the door, breathing as if the journey was a long one. He reaches out to knock on the door but pauses. He isn’t sure if he should be here now and wonders if this is an inappropriate time to stop by. But the family needs closure on what happened to the man who loved them so much. He knocks on the door.
The sound of heavy footsteps thumps from behind the door before falling silent. Baffled, Marcus peers inside and sees no one. Maybe no one is here?
Then the handle turns and the door opens slowly, revealing the grieving widow who doesn’t appear to want anyone around. Maureen Constantime is a short and somewhat stocky woman. Her brownish red hair is a mess, the wrinkles on her face caused by the stress she feels. Her lifeless brown eyes look at Marcus, trying to figure out who he is. She then realizes who he is and reaches out and hugs him.
The life is being squeezed out of him as Marcus gives a firm hug as well. She releases him, gesturing him to come in. He enters as he looks around.
The house is surprisingly clean as everything shines in the sun. Not even dust can be seen floating in the sunlight coming through the windows, their dark drapes to the side. Marcus closes the door behind him and turns around to see Maureen standing still and quiet. He slowly walks up to her and pulls something from his pocket, placing the item into her hands. Feeling the smooth object in her hands, she opens them and sees the pendant that Laffat once wore. Breaking down, she falls into Marcus’ arms.
As the scenes of despair unfold, Argus looks on. He’s at the point of breaking down. Losing a father is hard, especially for a ten-year-old. He has no idea why his father hasn’t come back, what has become of him. All he knows is that he’s never returning. He looks on as tears roll down his face.
“Tell me what happened,” Maureen says with sorrow.
“Laffat,” Marcus says glumly, “died as a hero. His actions are the reason we are still here today.”
He pauses for a second and looks up. He sees a distraught Argus barely standing. He knows Argus is in pain and thinks it’s best for him not to hear the horrors of his father’s death, not now at least. He walks Maureen out of his view, hoping to remain out of earshot.
“We were investigating the possibility that the Gewerksma were developing a WMD, one that can kill millions. When we got confirmation that there were indeed WMDs being manufactured, he and I went to stop their making…”
Marcus believes he is out of earshot of Argus. He believes it’s safe to unveil the truth of what has happened. But Argus can hear him clearly and he runs off, unable to listen to the reality that plagues his family. He slides the door open and runs towards the woods.
“He and I were trying to stop the release of the WMD when a recorded video of Dennis popped up. He told us that a switch could halt the release of the gas, a weapon he deemed would liberate the masses.”
He pauses, trying to keep himself together.
“Being the delinquent I was, I went looking for the switch. When I saw he didn’t follow, I came back to get him, but he locked himself in with the gas. I tried to free him, but he was trapped. I realized he held a key card that was the switch to stop the gas. I didn’t want him to die, I couldn’t accept his pending death. Yet, he accepted his de
ath and asked me to do the same. He died as a hero, saving the very people he loved. The facility was destroyed, likely by his orders. It was a noble sacrifice that saved us all, but brought us misery and sadness. I am so sorry for your loss.”
Marcus hugs Maureen as she cries in his arms. She tightens her grip around him, seeking comfort in her time of despair, unaware that Argus has run off.
~
Argus puts his hands on his knees, breathing heavily as tears roll down his face. He’s too tired to continue on, too distraught to move. He falls to the ground, crying in pain. He mentally cannot handle his father’s demise as his vision becomes blurry from his watery eyes.
Then he hears a branch crack. He looks up and sees a man standing in front of him. He is a somewhat short individual with short black hair, his brown eyes giving off the sign that he’s a threat. Sensing danger, Argus backs up until he hits a tree. The man slowly approaches the frightened child, kneeling to his level.
“Don’t worry, Argus,” the man says gently. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
Argus’s eyes widen, shocked the man knows his name.
“Who- who are you?” he asks as he sobs.
“I’m- I’m Dennis.”
“Dennis? How do you know my name?”
“I am a friend of your father.”
“A friend? My dad tells me all about his friends and your name I don’t recognize. Are you lying to me? My parents told me I shouldn’t be talking to strangers.”
Dennis is hesitant for a second. He thought it was going to be easier to talk to someone who is distraught, the person’s mind clouded. For months, he has been stalking the Constantime Family, waiting to either kidnap them or kill Laffat. He even had Gewerksols befriend them, using their friendship to get in.
Yet, with the sudden death of Laffat, his plans had to change slightly. No longer does he need to bring harm to the family since their main target is now dead. Instead, he believes he can bring Argus to their side, a pawn that could prove to be vital. To do that, he has to be meticulous in what he says, knowing any of the fake or alternative facts he uses could lose the boy’s trust.
“No, Argus. The reason your father didn’t tell you about me is that he used to work for me. He was doing a special project for me.”
Argus slowly calms down. He sees the man as friendly and caring, his demeanor soothing. He doesn’t seem now to be the threat Argus originally thought he was.
“Your father was trying to help me stop the bad guys.”
“The bad guys?”
“Yes. He was helping me stop some awful people within our government that wanted to hurt you, your family, and friends.”
Dennis tries to keep it simple for Argus. He knows if he complicates things, it’ll be too confusing for him to understand.
“He was trying to stop these people to ensure everyone’s safety.”
“That sounds like a good thing.”
“Yes Argus, it’s good when people stop dreadful things committed by others. But then they found out what your father was doing. The man at your house right now has been sent to tell a fairytale of how he was a hero. They are feeding you a lie to protect themselves from punishment for killing your father.”
“What, what do you mean? What happened?”
“I wish I knew,” Dennis says woefully. “All I know is that they found out the truth about your father’s mission and killed him, burying him and his goals of seeking the truth-”
A helicopter roars in the distance. Dennis looks around. He knows that if he stays out longer, someone will see him, compromising his mission.
“Those bad people are looking for me right now and if they see me with you, they’ll kill me, you, and your mother. They don’t want anyone knowing the truth, especially me.”
He gets up and walks back slowly, fading into the forest. He believes his gamble will pay off. He believes his lies have implanted themselves into Argus’ mind, setting the course for his future, his destiny.
“Oh, and Argus. Don’t say anything. I like you and I want you to live. I would like to meet you again.”
He fades into the forest as Argus looks for him. His lies have infiltrated the boy’s vulnerable mind, implanting a deadly poison that remolds him into a monster. This poison over the years will only strengthen as Argus meets Dennis again and again, eventually becoming avowed leader for the Gewerksma. Argus gets up and heads home, keeping their conversation a secret, having a distrust towards the man in the house and people in power.
~
“He was consumed by the gas, knowing full well he would die. Before his death, he had ordered the facility destroyed in hopes of destroying the gas. Never again would the Gewerksma be able to get their hands on such a deadly weapon. Your father wasn’t a conspirator as Dennis made him out to be. In fact, Dennis was the one responsible for killing such a humble man that proudly served his country. He died not only to protect our people, he died to ensure you had a future to build upon. That was who your father was.”
Marcus stares at Argus, who lies on the ground, anguishing over his father’s death. He feels a heavy burden has been lifted off his shoulders, relieved that everyone has heard his story, the truth, his pain and sadness.
“So, that’s what happened to Laffat,” whispers Joseph over the comms. “Now I understand why you wanted to tell him.”
Argus looks up. He has become pale, not in the mood to listen to Marcus’ fake news. He cracks up laughing as blood spatters across the ruined pavement, using the bit of life left in him.
“What a bunch of bullshit,” he shouts. “A liar always lies! My father served to give us a chance, an opportunity to free our society-”
He coughs up more blood as he painfully smiles. Marcus shakes his head, disappointed that his words of truth have failed to make a mark.
“I can only tell you what happened. Whether your delusional mind accepts that or not is up to you, but I have done my part.”
“Your part? The lies you help spread by a plutocratic government? The Empire’s lies may have tricked our people, but it cannot work forever!”
He coughs again. This time, the pain is palpable.
“But where one may fall, another will rise, more sinister than the last. The oppressors always win I guess… their lies sinking into the minds of these simpletons. No… no, it’s not over; your nightmare has only just begun. Paradise will soon come! Paradise will sh- shine a new light on a system that will bring us the utopia of- what Ukenhime once was. He… he…”
The Speaker! Argus takes his last breath as his smile subsides. His head tilts right as blood drips from his mouth, his eyes half closed. The shadows conceal his body as the storm blocks out the sun. Marcus forlornly glares at Argus, haunted by his dreadful words.
“What do you mean by He?” asks Marcus, puzzled.
Marcus looks at Argus. Despite failing to keep Laffat’s promise of bringing up Argus, he feels now that he has somewhat fulfilled his promise: putting an end to the tirade that Argus began. Even though Laffat had an open mind, if he were still alive today, he would be reluctant to kill his own son as a way to bring peace to him.
Marcus gets down on one knee and gently places his fingers over Argus’ eyes and closes them. He then grabs Argus’ sword, places it on the man’s chest, and folds Argus’ arms over it. As he respectfully cares for his body, the sun pops out briefly, hitting something shiny around Argus’ neck. The reflective light strikes Marcus’ eyes, making him flinch a bit. He looks at the object.
He sees a golden necklace holding a pendant, one that looks all too familiar to him. He gently lifts the pendant off his body, popping the pendant open and sees a picture of the Constantime family. The picture reignites the events of that day, a flashback he doesn’t want to have. Not wanting to feel more pain, he closes the pendant and gently places it back on Argus.
A raindrop hits Marcus. The Empire he knows will be afraid. The darkness, symbolized by the storm, hangs uncertainty and terror over the future.
This darkness tells him that the Golden Years may be coming to an end, a warning that was spoken of by Laffat and spouted out by Argus.
Then the rain falls heavily, dousing the flames of war, washing the blood away. However, the painful memories can’t be washed away, memories no one and nothing could expunge.
THE UNKNOWN
NOVEMBER 21st, 2060
03:25 P.M.
MOSKOVA
The damage dealt to the Empire has been calculated to be in the trillions, damage that’ll take years to fully recover from. Hampering the recovery though has been the rain, which has been pouring since the Gewerksma launched their attack. In Reyso, after a tragedy occurs, the next rain symbolizes the tears of those who died. It’s meant to remind everyone that even in death, their presence can still be felt, to never forget about them. The belief is one of the few things the Empire kept in its secular society after rejecting the beliefs of Reyso.
The Gewerksma are in tatters, their reputation greatly diminished. Their leaders are dead, their morale gone. Across the Empire, the organization is collapsing and disbanding, unable to sustain itself. Some former members are trying to restart what couldn’t be finished, creating smaller groups to hopefully one day reach the height of the Gewerksma.
However, the government has had enough of the shenanigans by revolutionaries who have no respect for the ideals of peace. Since the uprising, the President, with the approval of the Miktsrod, has called for a state of emergency[96] across the Empire for the remainder of the month. When a state of emergency is declared, the President directs the military to act like a police force, in this case investigating and arresting anyone involved in the Gewerksma’s scheme. With the help of the Regiment, they have been quite successful in rounding up the Gewerksols, although some have managed to flee their grip as they try to return to their normal lives.
However, the relationship between the Regiment and government couldn’t be any shakier. A day after the uprising, the government learned that the Regiment acquired information that showed the Gewerksma were preparing for an attack. They also learned that Falcon deemed this information as mere rumors and decided not to volunteer the information over because of his frustration with the Golden Civics crackdown on their crimes, infuriating the government. However, they don’t expose the Regiment, fearing that this will permanently cause a rift between their strained alliance and further aggravate the rebuilding process. Despite these tensions, the government and the Regiment work together to rebuild the Empire, going as far as to collect the bodies of those rotting away.
Zurkerx- The Empire Shall Grow Page 32