“Now, the United States and Russia continued to fight one another. There was great combat, but a consensus was reached that the United States must be annexed to compensate for the loss of the Russian cities and populace – based on information given by Jimenez. Jimenez is this nice Mexican fellow I met while watching the president die. We do know that thirteen states in the East remain American. The Russians sent soldiers over, expecting some resistance, obviously, but they expected the United States and its citizens to uphold their side of the deal. WRONG! WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG! Fuck you, Russia!
“Now, I’m sure the United States will resolve its tension with its rival and everything will go back to normal...just like the USA and Japan! But I cannot see the future and will not make judgements. Allow me to continue:
“For both sides, the key to winning the West was retaking cities such as Milwaukee and Chicago. But the Russians were very surprised when Chicago, led by none other than THE Xavier Starr, bit back like a furious hound and injured them greatly. The great city is made great again, yet again!”
Zav stood up and walked over to the kitchen. He grabbed a shining cup and filled it with water. He drank it slowly, feeling the coldness of the liquid run down his throat.
He licked his lips and sat back down. He stared at the paragraphs he had dictated.
His eyes scanned the work in front of him over and over, analyzing every word and space as if it were a piece of art. He admired his personal touch of humor when he repeated “WRONG!” many, many times.
“Wrong!” Zav chuckled to himself, and turned off the computer.
He walked over to the large window and looked out upon the city. There were many cars, especially in the sectors that had been retaken, and many buildings had power and light again. The city was bustling with life, as if they were not in the middle of a crisis. The only question, really, was how long could this utopia last?
It seemed that the Eastern United States had abandoned them. No publicly or privately funded relief efforts had been made. It was not clear what was happening in the rest of the states, or the world, but it surely must have been a better situation than Chicago.
Well, Zav thought to himself, the only thing worse than a city at the end of its lifespan is a city that has already been reduced to a pile of rubble. Zav pressed his index finger against the glass and smudged a drawing of California.
He continued to watch the slow movement of the city. There were no more fires, no more problems to be worried about.
There was no more cry from Zav’s soul for killing. All who opposed the mighty Xavier had been crushed.
There was a slight whistle, then a quick rumble, as fighter jets, exactly five of them, soared over the city. Zav watched as they passed over the buildings.
He raised an eyebrow in confusion as he traced the routes of the jets. They came from the east and headed west.
He shook his head and returned to his bedroom. He fell to the bed and stared at the ceiling until everything was dark, and everything was well.
Chapter 19
Zav woke up in a sweat. His bedsheets and pillows had been thrown off the bed. He sat up, the air cool against his back. He looked behind him and cringed at the soaking puddle he had slept in. He waddled into the kitchen and held his mug under the coffee-maker until it was almost full and then carried it into the living room. His eyes focused on the rim of the mug, carefully watching its movement to prevent it from going over the edge. Stopping in front of the fireplace, he sipped his coffee with his eyes closed to enhance the taste.
His eyes were focused on the rim of the mug, carefully watching the movement of the coffee to prevent it front going over the edge. He was standing next to the fireplace now, sipping his coffee with his eyes closed to enhance the experience.
He opened his eyes wide and looked out the window to enjoy the sunrise.
The mug slipped from his hand and broke at his feet, coffee splattering onto his shoes.
Zav gaped out the window and stopped breathing. His bottom lip trembled as his eyes looked at the inferno beyond.
His legs began to work again and carried him to the window. His face just inches from the glass, he took everything in, looking at the same buildings over and over, the same streets over and over, as if everything in front of him was a fantasy.
Just beyond the New American border laid ruins and fire. There was so much smoke, the light of the sun was barely visible.
Everything – every part of the city beyond the safe zone – had been firebombed. In every direction, there was a canvas of destruction. Amazingly, Zav’s region had been untouched.
Zav bolted from the window and burst into the hallway, sprinting to the elevator. He slammed his fist against the button repeatedly, growing impatient. His arms and torso shook with anxiety as he waited for the familiar creak of the doors.
The doors didn’t open. Zav sprinted to the end of the hallway and shoved the steel door to the staircase open, jogging down the steps as quickly as possible.
He burst into the lobby. It was completely packed with panicked people. Zav shoved people aside as he searched the crowd. His eyes scanned for any soldier. He bumped into one and grabbed the woman by the shoulders. “What the hell happened? Speak!”
The soldier opened her mouth and stared with wide eyes. “I don’t know. But I can take you to someone who does,” she said, and pulled Zav by the hand through the crowd and out of the hotel.
It seemed that everyone outside of the building was part of the military. No one in the area was unarmed. The soldier pulled Zav along to a tan tent erected in the center of the street.
Underneath the tent, directly in the middle, stood a top brass man in green pants. He shifted his attention to Zav as he approached.
“What—” Zav spat.
“Major General Ryker of the United States Army. You are?” spoke the man.
Zav clenched his teeth and ran his eyes from the top of the man to his feet. He was at least fifty, but in very good shape. His face was aged but not wrinkled; his gray eyes were sharp. His cheekbones pointed outwards almost too much, along with his pointed chin. There was a graying stubble along his cheeks. Zav squinted and stepped forward. “Xavier Starr. President of the New United States. I have not seen you here before!”
Major General Ryker tilted his head to his left side and raised the opposite eyebrow. “Well, I should see that being so considering I flew in last night. We received a call that the chaos in the city was spiralling out of control, particularly outside of your region, fear not. I assume there are many questions you have?”
Zav winced at the General’s flip-flopped words. “Yes, there are many questions that I have. I’d like to understand why you fucking firebombed a populated city!”
The General cleared his throat. “President Starr, you are aware that the city was overrun with Russian forces, correct? And that your very scouts reported that there were few civilians here? By the look on your face, I can see you are very confused.”
Zav’s eyes opened wide and he growled. “You mean to say my own soldiers were not functioning under my command?”
The General chuckled and looked down upon Zav. “Son, you do realize there is an entire United States out there that is still functioning? These men are not your soldiers – they are mine. This city still belongs to the United States Federal Government. I can allow you to continue to order around these civilians, but soldiers of the military are strictly off-limits. Am I understood?”
“Absolutely...not! The government has done nothing to assist the city so it is as good as ours!”
The General smiled softly and placed a hand on Zav’s shoulders. “Civilization has not fallen. We are amidst the greatest tragedy in the history of the world, but the strength of the United States is so immensely powerful that we have been able to keep an iron grasp on the country. And keep in mind, Starr, that the strength of my reign and the strength of the military outweighs whatever power you have assumed here. You have
no prestige, no honor, no glory to bask in!”
“You are quite mistaken, General Ryker. I insist: you have no power here. You have done nothing but destroy the foundation for a great society. I demand you leave this place at once before I have you sentenced for your crimes.”
General Ryker smiled again and took his hand off Zav’s shoulder. He shook his head from side to side. “Is this what you’d like it to come to?”
Zav jabbed his finger in the General’s face. “You wipe that bastardly grin off your face. These people would all be dead if it were not for me. You abandoned these civilians and military units and therefore forfeited your power over them.”
The General licked his lips and scowled. “If you and I both ordered the same troops over here, whom would they respond to? Who controls the power here, Xavier?”
Zav lowered his hand and squinted. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. Considering these people adore me, they will swarm to me.”
“Considering I am an actual member of the government, they will realize the world is not as broken as you have made it seem, and they will return to their senses.”
Zav turned around and grabbed the nearest soldier. He wrapped his arm around the man’s shoulder and forcefully yet peacefully nudged him between the two leaders. “Sir, between myself and General Ryker, who would you take orders from?”
The soldier scrunched his face into a confused look and stared at Zav. “I would take orders from my general? And since he’s in your territory I should think he’s then under your power – this is a war zone, obviously.”
A burst of excitement filled Zav’s chest. He turned to General Ryker. “Pawns, knights, king. The American government sits in dust and remains powerless. I demand respect from you,” Zav said, smirking to the general.
General Ryker ran his tongue across his top lip. “You do realize there is already a president? This city still belongs to the United States and the government is doing everything they can to restore order. You are merely a disruption in the peace.”
Zav nodded his head. “Oh, right, right! As if the president was not in this very city, as if he was not already assassinated, as if Russia is not already attempting to annex this land. AS IF THE UNITED STATES STILL EXISTS!” Zav yelled, clenching his jaw and huffing.
General Ryker sniffed and sighed. “You speak as if you understand what you are saying—”
“You son of a bitch. You have no respect – I am not a fool. Now bow before me like the rest of these people and cooperate as I continue to lead us towards the victory I promised. You wield great power, but you are not worth anything here.”
General Ryker’s face became blank. He folded his hands in front of him and lowered his head. “Don’t expect me to call you ‘President’ until you have proven yourself.”
Zav raised his chin and darted his eyes around the tent. “Very well. You caused a great number of casualties outside of my city. You may have fought the enemy, but you halted our progress. We have created a new civilization, a new America. We will speak further on this. Thank you,” Zav said, his voice monotone.
He turned away and returned to the hotel.
Zav rode the elevator to the third floor and walked to his great window. He stared out upon what remained of the city. In the safe zone, everything was shiny and nice. But beyond the walls, ghosts haunted the charred landscape. The contrast between the two sectors was like the contrast between black and white.
The death of a few close friends and millions of unknown people had built the empire that Zav stood on. There was still much to do and many new people to meet – a whole new world to explore.
Zav rubbed his hands together and exhaled, opening his mouth wide to see his own breath. He was reminded that the temperature was slowly decreasing and reaching the point that warmer clothes or better heating would be needed.
Zav continued to watch the streets of the city.
But the small flame inside him was renewed by the General. It was a surprise that he had won that argument – a child against a fighting man! But he continued to trounce over his opponents countlessly as if he were an unstoppable force.
The door to the room creaked and pulled Zav out of his gaze. He blinked twice to regain his focus and turned around. He smiled when he saw it was Jaiyana.
“Oh, hello there,” he said, his voice as gentle as he could make.
“Good afternoon Xavier. I hope I was not disturbing you,” she responded. She crossed the room in a slow, swing-step.
Zav stepped towards her and opened his arms for a hug. She accepted, and they stood there embraced in each other for just a few seconds before Zav stepped back. “I have business inquiries that I think you could help with.”
“And what might that be?” she whispered, lifting her chin ever so slightly and holding eye contact.
“I have actual work to attend to for once. Sorry if that was not on your agenda. But I plead: there is so much going on in the city and today has been extremely burdensome so I must seek assistance in making some choices. I can always ask my political advisors if you decline,” he offered.
Jaiyana stood dumbfounded for a moment but shook her head. “Yes, I can help. What is it?”
Zav placed his arms behind his back and folded his fingers. “You witnessed what happened outside of the city. This causes huge difficulties in our plans for expansions. You should know, as you were probably planning on moving north or west. But your problems are not mine and thus I am not worried about that.
“I am anxious to see what will happen when our city approaches two obstacles: the pursuit of progress and the conduct of the population. Does that make sense? We cannot sit here in muddy technology while the rest of the world continues to advance. It will surely take a decade if we are on our own to create new technology, as we must first have a stable economy and then begin growing our society. I believe we can do that – but how long until the people grow restless and cause more problems? That is my biggest fear!”
“So you fear that humans will destroy human progress for no purpose?” Jaiyana asked.
“Incorrect. At this point in time, because of the circumstances, we have no choice but to be extremely strict. You know it yourself: the main goal of a socialist society is to have progress and continuity. But someone must lay that unfortunately strict foundation, and the people will not like who lays it. And this is exactly why I see fault in your district. Eventually there will be riots. People will be extraordinarily upset by the precautions we must take or, in your case, the economic order necessary for keeping people well fed. In some scenarios, feeding everyone might keep them happy but it will decrease production and efficiency. Alongside that, we have to mix the lack of opportunities and development of new ideas. That’s mostly why communism fails.”
“But people know they must work hard or else we will lose this war, so I once again disagree with your statement.”
“False! Everyone in your district is well fed from the food bank, but not everyone works as hard to make sure there is food there! That is only draining our resources. People will work harder if they can get more for what they work for: profit. Regardless, we are not here to discuss whether or not your people are working hard. Tough laws create tough rebels. It is only a matter of time before a young vigilante attempts to liberate the people. We can only plummet into anarchy from there.”
“You’re implying that everyone in your dreamy capitalist society is working extremely hard. You can’t make sound political arguments based on generalizations of what you’d like to see. I’d like to pull your attention to the Cold War, Xavier. The United States found matched power in the USSR – not that I’m truly a communist. But it’s not about the best of your numbers, on a day when everyone felt good and you saw good results. It’s the mean.”
“So you’re all about efficiency, hm? When you have thousands of people standing in line for public services to make sure everyone gets exactly their fair share?” Zav said, brushing the corners of his mouth wit
h his thumb.
“I understand that you base your politics on theory. But when you look at the realism of the situation, you realize that there isn’t just one giant line that everyone hops into and hopes they can pick up some food before dusk. We have an organized process in which we deliver rations to every house just like the trashmen might pick up a bin. We just make sure that every living quarter has food, regardless if it is their best day,” Jaiyana responded.
Zav exhaled and stared at Jaiyana. He straightened his back and puffed out his chest as much as he could without making it look foolish. “I only expect the best of my people. But as we speak, I have new ideas that are flooding my brain...come to the window, Jaiyana. Let me show you something.”
Zav took Jaiyana by the hand and they stood at the great window together. Zav placed his unoccupied hand against the pane, suctioning the air out between his palm and the glass.
“Show me, Xavier.”
Zav hallucinated a magnificent empire before him. “We can be royals. Emperor and Empress. This building can be our great golden capital. Before us, streets lined with royal guards, standing under large, green trees, contrasting the white buildings. It’ll be Heaven-like! Strong families and perfect order.”
“Were you a nerd for Ancient Rome, Xavier?” Jaiyana laughed, holding his hand tight.
“We can be divine leaders. We can have guards dressed in the finest gear with the most advanced weapons. They will protect us at all costs. We will expand the reaches of our territory a great distance and rule over the lands as if we’ve always been the chosen ones. We have been bestowed with a great opportunity! Don’t you see?”
Jaiyana released the pressure in her fingertips and turned to Zav. “You’re not serious about all that...are you? You must be exaggerating.”
Zav released her fingers and turned to her. “We are already at the top of the food chain. We can build a utopia! What is to disagree with about this?”
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