by Gideon Mills
The others were in agreement.
“Looks like you are going to have to earn it,” Marcus said.
Without speaking, both sides sprinted at each other, and chaos ensued. Even with Marcus’s mods, he couldn’t keep up with all the fights going on around him.
Amita was holding her own against two members, using her Krav Maga. Bishop and Nickolas fought even more with their mods and styles.
Even Harry and Anna fought well. The makeshift members didn’t stand a chance against the two. They outmatched and made quick work of them.
The leader of the Security Force team and one of the lackeys circled Marcus. It was tough, but Marcus kept both of them in his vision. He had the blade out on his modified arm.
The lackey lunged at Marcus. Marcus easily sidestepped him and hit with a rib-crushing knee. The man landed on all fours breathing heavily. Marcus would normally finish him off, but the leader attacked and struck a blow on Marcus’s side.
Luckily, it hit a rib that had a mod, and it withstood the blow. The force still sent Marcus reeling back, and he tripped over the man he had knocked down. The leader leaped into the air for a vicious strike. Marcus rolled out of the way and saw Amita kick a man in the balls. The man screamed in agony.
Rolling around, Marcus jumped to his feet. He closed the gap between him and the leader. The style of fighting Marcus was best at required him to be close so he could inflict damage in short tight bursts.
The man punched at Marcus, and he blocked easily with the modified arms. A block with the left and Marcus elbowed with the right. It landed on the man’s face. His head turned with the blow, sending a tooth flying in the air, blood squirting out.
“You little…” the man said. It was slurred, but the anger in the voice was clear.
The area was nothing but a rage-filled mass. A brawl brought all the fear and fury to the front. It enthralled the fighters, each one feeding off the others. Marcus’s heart raced, and his body was hot and pumping. He was on edge, ready for anything and everything.
As the leader turned to Marcus, it was clear he had tunnel vision. All the man saw was Marcus, and that was going to be his downfall. The rest of his troops lay in heaps on the ground. If he weren’t so focused on Marcus, he would see that and know it was over, but he didn’t. The man was livid, and his mouth frothed. Screaming, he lunged at Marcus.
The man didn’t even see Amita and Nickolas on either side of him. They both attacked at the same moment, one high and the other low. The leader dropped to the ground with the rest.
It was over.
Marcus dropped to his knees and breathed deep. He needed to get the fight out, to calm down, and let the post-fight set in. If they had time for that.
Amita walked over to him. She panted as well.
“We did it,” she said. Her words were fast. She was excited too.
Marcus looked at the building. All the people had exited the place. Then, men and women started to cheer. The applause was low at first but grew louder and louder. They had saved the day and protected them. It didn’t matter that they were the reason the SF had arrived. All the people cared about was that Marcus, Amita, and the others had stood up for them.
Melinda joined them. “I think we have our answer. We will help.”
44
A Victory
Amita couldn’t believe what she was hearing. They had gained the support they needed. This was a huge step, but that was the key. It was only a step. More was needed. If they spread word around the New Republic, more fighters might join them. More were needed. Plus training. Fighting wasn’t easy. Preparing an army—because that was what this would be—was difficult.
That was for a later day. For now, it was time to be happy and rejoice in their victory.
Marcus stood next to Amita. Her love was flushed and overwhelmed. As was Amita, and the rest of the people who had fought. It had been an intense attack, and they had thoroughly wiped the floor with them.
They must not have been the best members of the Security Force. Not to say they couldn’t handle the best, but it shouldn’t be that easy.
Marcus put an arm around Amita as they walked to the building. The gesture was comfortable and brought her back to the real world and away from the gore that was here now. The ground was covered in blood and metal. They hadn’t killed any of the members; they lay on the ground knocked out. Some whimpered in their fight-induced comas.
Amita wasn’t sure what they would do with the men. The idea of locking them up didn’t appeal to her. They had just been doing their jobs. It happened that their jobs sucked big time. Yet, it was their job, and they were following orders. It wasn’t like they appeared to be crazy pyschos like Jameson.
“How many people are here?” Amita asked.
Melinda walked next to Amita. “In the city, several million. Those who will actually help us? About a thousand.”
Amita’s jaw dropped in shock. That number sounded like a lot. Maybe they wouldn’t need any more. She turned to Marcus and gave him a hopeful smile.
“It might be,” Marcus said as if he could read Amita’s mind. “My mother or Jonathan will know how many we need and the training they will require.”
Amita nodded. “Okay.”
They spent the day talking to the people and having sign-ups and the like. It was a whirlwind of an afternoon. Amita couldn’t wrap her mind around it all.
By the time they got back, the Resistance had already learned of their fight with the Security Force and that people had agreed to join them.
Samantha and Ihor were the first to greet them.
Sam examined Amita from head to toe. “You appear to be relatively unharmed.”
“I am, Sam. It wasn’t that big of a fight.”
Nickolas walked by. “Don’t let her fool you. It was a big one. We got lucky.”
“The lucky part was us not dying on the way out with your driving.”
Nickolas chortled and winked at Amita. It truly was remarkable, his ability to drive so poorly.
Sam eyed her. “Trust me. You don’t want to get in a car with him. Scary. I’d rather fight ten Security Force members than do that again.”
“I heard that,” Nickolas shouted some ten paces away.
They all laughed. The day was going perfectly in Amita’s mind. Sure, it had taken a bit to get the support, but they got it. That brought her great joy.
Over the next few days, several people from Chicago arrived, and the Resistance started to show them how to fight both hand-to-hand and with weapons. Not that they had many weapons. Just the few that people brought with them. Even though they had weapons, they didn’t know how to use them.
Melinda wouldn’t be going with them, but she visited often. Amita asked her on the second day what they had done with the Security Force members.
“We are holding them,” she said. “We will put them on trial, a fair one, for participating in enslavement, cruelty, and accessory to murder.”
Amita nodded. The people here were at least treating captured members like humans. “Good.”
Melinda smiled. “We are trying to go back to the way it was before, to a fair and just system where people are innocent until proven guilty. Unlike what we have now.”
“I like the sound of that.”
More and more people arrived in their area. Rumors spread around the New Republic of the Resistance building up an army. Knowing that was happening made Amita happy and yet scared. She couldn’t help but worry that Keres would hear the rumors too and send more SF members to stop them. They had to know they were here. What was to stop her from doing that?
Amita was in the command center with Ihor and Sam. Marcus was out helping to teach some new recruits how to use a sword.
“Are you sure that Keres won’t learn of our plan?” Amita asked.
Ihor shrugged. “I can’t be one hundred percent, but I am fairly certain. I’m spreading most of the rumors myself. I’m good.”
Amita smiled and patted
him on the back. He was excellent. “If you say so,” she teased.
“Funny, funny.” Ihor continued his work.
While they trained people Amita wasn’t much use, nor was she helpful with the programming. She aided in some of the practice, but she was still learning a lot herself. The trained fighters called her a natural. That was completely okay with Amita, but it meant she wasn’t the best teacher. As much as Amita tried to provide assistance she got in the way more than she aided.
For the most part, Amita did whatever Cynthia and Jonathan asked her to do. Soon, she was supposed to go meet some of the new arrivals with Sam. They had turned into the official welcoming party. Why or how, Amita didn’t know.
Sam turned to Amita. “You ready to go?”
“Sure.” Amita walked to the door and went outside. A moment later, Sam joined her. “You finally make a real move?”
Sam blushed. “When this is done, we are planning a trip.”
That made Amita’s day. She wanted her friend to be happy, and Amita had grown to call Ihor her friend too. Seeing them together and content was excellent.
“Good for you.”
“Thank you.”
“I told you. You and Ihor make a good pair.”
Sam smiled. “He talks so much and fast. Half the time, I have no idea what Ihor is saying, but the passion he has for his work is intoxicating.”
Amita completely understood what Sam meant. Sometimes there was something about a person that just drew people in. It made them so inviting, so easy to love. Ihor had that for Sam, and Marcus had that for Amita.
Everything about Marcus had an effect on Amita, but the main thing was that he understood her. Marcus accepted her for who she was and didn’t try or want to change her. He just wanted to see Amita happy and healthy. Amita loved that about him.
Sam and Amita walked across the area to the west side, where the people would arrive. The group that was approaching was different than most. At the head of the group were several modified people. Not many of them had joined the Resistance in Chicago. According to Melinda, even though Chicago had a million plus people these days, it only had ten thousand who were modified, and they were mostly light mods. That didn’t help.
The men who appeached were definitely not light mods. They had more than Amita, at least visibly.
Before they approached, Anna arrived. “Good. I got here before they did. This is going to be exciting.”
“What is?” Amita asked.
Anna glanced at her, wide-eyed, apparently surprised that she didn’t know. “They are from Saint Louis.”
“Oh. I hadn’t heard about anyone from another city coming.”
“Really?”
Amita looked at Sam.
She shrugged. “Sorry. Lost in Ihor. I bet he knew and thought he told us.”
Amita sighed. “Ihor probably was supposed to let us know but got lost in the code.”
“Pretty much,” Sam said.
The men and women showed up. It was a group of about forty people, and half of them had mods. They were going to provide a helping hand. Not that the others wouldn’t. Every person mattered and helped them in their cause, but these men and women would be handy if nothing more than to give the Resistance the appearance of more strength.
“Welcome to the Resistance,” Amita said.
“Hello, Amita,” the leader said.
Amita scanned the man.
Charles Snow: Finance Analyst Mara Corp
Stats:
Intelligence: 7
Strength: 7
Cunning: 5
Speed: 56
Modification: both arms, left leg
Amita had gotten used to people knowing who she was. Even the individuals just arriving, but these ones weren’t from Chicago. It was a little unnerving that they recognized her. Learning that men and women from far away knew her name made her anxious. Even though this man might have just done what she did. Amita wasn’t sure.
Amita rubbed her neck. “We don’t have a lot of places to stay,” she said, “but we will find you a place and food.”
The man smiled. “All we want is a chance to kick some Security Force member butts.”
The group cheered in agreement.
“That I can promise. And soon, very soon.”
What Amita did learn from Jonathan and Cynthia was they would be marching out soon. Well, not really marching, but driving to Detroit to take out the Mara Corp, and Amita couldn’t wait.
45
A night of Bliss
“Jonathan called a meeting,” Marcus said.
They were in their tiny little home later that night, the only place that wasn’t hectic and chaotic.
The time here was both great and terrible. Marcus got to spend the nights with Amita, but the days were so busy they barely got to enjoy each other’s company.
Their place was close to the headquarters or command house. The pair left their home and walked hand in hand. Marcus loved the walks. Just holding her hand made him so happy and relaxed. Nothing was ever going to take these moments from him.
“You know why he wants a meeting?” Amita asked.
Jonathan hadn’t called a meeting since the recruits had started to arrive. He had been busy much like Marcus, training the people and arranging for more to come.
Marcus shrugged. “I have a guess, but it’s just a guess. I’m not telling you.”
Amita hated it when he did that but for only a second. Marcus knew she would never truly hate or despise him. Marcus was teasing her. If Amita persisted, he would tell her, but Amita didn’t force him and let it go.
Instead, she patted his chest. “Jerk,” she teased.
Marcus laughed. “If the shoe fits.”
They got to the house, and inside, Jonathan stood in front of a camera.
Ihor walks over to them. “We are going to broadcast this to everyone here since they can’t all get into the house.”
This must be huge since they wanted everyone to see it. The only thing Marcus didn’t like about it was the flashes of the monitors in Detroit with Keres’s face on them. He worried it would affect Amita, and anger her. He knew she was strong, but that didn’t mean she had to see her home and her mother in ruins.
It wasn’t long before Jonathan started talking. A few more arrived in the house, Sam, Cynthia, and Nickolas. The rest of the Resistance must be watching it on their computers, laptop, tablet, or whatever else they could.
“Resistance, many of you know me. Some might not. I am Jonathan, the leader of the Resistance. I’ve fought long and hard for this. We’ve lost a great many people and have had many setbacks.”
He paused for a moment. Jonathan was in his element. He was a showman and a talker. The leader of the Resistance lived for events like this, a moment to talk to people. Leading people was in his blood.
“We march tomorrow. We will set right what is wrong. Our life isn’t supposed to be this way. The world is a great place. We can make it great again. We can set the people free. Let them see that they don’t have to bow to the Mara Corp. That they can be who they want. What they want.”
Amita leaned against Marcus as Jonathan spoke. The speech sent a chill down Marcus. They were about to fight. About to set it right. This was going to be a great night and tomorrow a great day.
Back in their house, Marcus lay in bed with Amita. He was on his back looking up at the stars. Their home here in Chicago was roofless, and he loved it. Amita’s head rested on his chest. She had an aura that engulfed him, one of both hard work and sweetness. She was his sweetheart in more ways than one.
“I can’t believe we are leaving tomorrow,” Amita said. She was looking up at the stars like he was. Her hand rubbed his chest, and tickled slightly.
Marcus had one of his arms around her. “Neither can I.”
“What do you think will happen?” Amita looked into his eyes.
“I wish I knew.”
“You think we will win?”
“I d
on’t think Jonathan would make a move if he didn’t think so.”
That was true. Both Jonathan and Cynthia were analyzing everything, making plan after plan. They had to know if this was going to work or not. Marcus knew that nothing in life was guaranteed, but they had to believe they stood a chance. That gave him hope.
Sitting up, Amita straddled Marcus. His body was bigger than hers, yet she fit on him perfectly. Amita leaned down and kissed him. Her lips pressed against his. It was a slow and passionate kiss. Her mouth lingered on him as her hand explored his body.
“I love you,” Marcus whispered.
“And I you.”
Marcus liked it when she took control. It engulfed him in bliss. She was adorable when she took the lead. Both were still fully clothed, but that didn’t stop her from rubbing on him. Gyrating her hips on him, and making him hard.
His own hands ran up from her hips to her breasts, and cupped them. They were the perfect size for his hands. Pinching her nipples through her shirt made her squeal.
“Tease,” she said.
“Always.”
The two of both quickly removed their pants, and she slipped right on his dick. She was dripping wet. Always wet for him, and he loved it. Sliding into her was like going home. Being one.
She worked her magic on him. The way she moved as they made love was thrilling. Amita leaned done and nipped on his ears, then moved to his neck. Sucking on him, leaving her mark.
They both were lost in each other.
46
Heading Home
The next day, Marcus drove to Detroit. It was a tedious drive no matter what everyone else said. Just because it was on a highway with smooth roads didn’t mean it was a fun drive. Marcus was ready to be out of the car by the time they arrived on the outskirts of Detroit.