He was right. Most people on Earth, myself included, hadn't seen the wreckage. The media tried to stay away from the subject and were too busy shipping the new government as a positive movement. History had a funny way of being easily erased if it wasn't particularly enjoyable or progressive. It also had a way of bringing back painful memories. The world was trying to move on from the war, but it was still happening. The Capitol was something that brought me pain. Although I’d instantly resisted the idea, I had to see it. I knew that. I needed closure on what I remembered, and so did everyone else. We all needed to see something that was once great, to know that our current situation wasn't great at all.
I stood and walked to the front of the plane to visit with Jones, the pilot. When I returned to my seat, Chris gave me a crooked smile. "Glad to see you're not gonna shy away from the hard issues."
"I'm scared." The hushed undertone of my voice caused him to lean in.
"That's okay. Everyone is." He leaned back in his chair and looked out the window. The plane sailed above the clouds in a twilight sky. "I'm scared, too."
I DRIFTED INTO SLEEP during the plane ride and dreamt of terrible things—bombs disintegrated my mom, the Capitol building evaporated, and vehicles melted in the streets. When I woke, sweat covered my entire body. My breathing was heavy, and I felt exhausted. Of course, no one knew what it looked like when the bombs went off, but my imagination easily filled in the blanks. I told myself that as I tried to gather my thoughts, but the dreams haunted the periphery of my mind.
The pilot came over the intercom. "We're approaching D.C. Please buckle up while I try to find a safe landing area."
Jones located a place after an hour or so, and we dipped below the clouds for our descent. Once we were under the cloud barrier, we were able to see ground zero from above. I had no words or emotions other than shock. It was all black and charred with ash everywhere. The massive crater in the center spanned at least ten miles wide, and the obvious expansion of the bomb's terror continued from there. I was amazed by the amount of land it covered. A tear slid down my face as I turned to see Chris looking dumbfounded. "Is this the shock value you were looking for?" I choked out.
He swallowed hard but never turned from the window to answer.
The plane came to a stop after a rough landing down a designated makeshift airstrip. “Everyone stays inside the plane until the guards meet us,” the pilot instructed.
“Guards?” Suddenly, all my fears rushed to the surface. How could this possibly be safe? Chernobyl was still a problem, so why wouldn’t D.C. be dangerous? It didn’t make any sense. Even if it was safe, did I really want to see the devastation? I already had nightmares. Would this make it worse? What if I didn’t want to save humanity after seeing what they did? What if I was traumatized afterward? The thoughts swam in my head like piranhas preying on my insecurities.
Chris caught my eyes and frowned. “Are you okay?”
I stared back at him in fear.
“Listen, the guards aren’t a big deal. They call them guards, but they’re basically like tour guides in a museum, only a little more intense.”
“What do you mean, more intense?”
“They’re veterans who volunteered to do this. They felt as though if people wanted to see what happened, they should, lest we forget. They fought a war they didn’t want to fight, and this is their way of coping with it, I think. Journalists, bloggers, and news stations come here to document, and they lead them through, answering questions as they go.”
This calmed my mind. “They should call them Guardians then, not guards.”
“Maybe you’ll get a chance to tell them that, but first, you have to be brave. You have to go out there, meet them, and see what they want to show you. Okay?”
I nodded, and he touched my hand. I looked up to see his dark brown eyes gazing into mine. They reminded me of Garrett’s. Garrett always had a way of leading me through my fears, and now Chris was here and doing the same. I pulled my hand away and stood. After clearing my throat, I stated, “I’m ready.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
I had thought of a million questions in the small amount of time it took for the guards to reach us. If they were here to share their knowledge, I wanted all of it. When I stepped off the plane, I didn’t have a chance to look around before a hand attached to a man in uniform reached out for a handshake. “Captain Rike, at your service,” he announced.
I shook his firm hand, and looked up to see he had short blonde hair and a sweet smile. He looked to be in his forties, as did the two other uniformed men standing next to him. “Nice to meet you, Captain Rike. I’m Aella Toms. Thank you for doing this.”
“It’s what we do, ma’am.” He spun on his heels to lead us toward ground zero. We quickly followed. He was still talking to us as he walked, and thankfully he was loud enough for us to hear over the wind. “We will take you to the epicenter of the destruction. What you will see will disturb you. Please be prepared, and if you have any questions, please ask. Other than your questions, this will be a silent tour.” He continued walking without looking back to gauge our reactions, and the other officers did the same.
I looked at Chris and Jane striding next to me, and they shrugged. It was strange, but we continued. The farther we went, the grimmer the scenery became. The smell of a burnt-out fire filled the air. I didn’t notice it at first. Then I dismissed it as someone’s home heat or an old fire pit until the aroma became suffocating. By the time I couldn’t decide what the smell was, the black asphalt we followed turned grey and fluffy. It was ash.
“What is all this ash from?” Jane murmured. I didn’t think she meant to say it out loud, more a personal musing, but the captain answered.
“The ash here is from the city’s debris and is considered fallout from the bomb. What you see here is only a fraction of what the bomb created. Most of it went into our atmosphere and contributed to the nuclear winter we’re now experiencing.”
Chris stopped walking. “If this is fallout, is it safe?”
The officers and captain turned to face us when they realized we weren’t following anymore. “When the ash fell, it was extremely radioactive and dangerous. They called it ‘black rain.’ However, most of the radionuclides in the Russian bomb had very brief half-lives. The radioactivity was estimated to have only lasted a few minutes. Long enough to cause damage then, but not sufficient now to harm anything. Many independent scientists have come out with Geiger counters to ensure it’s safe.”
We nodded, and they turned to continue the journey.
Walking down the empty streets of D.C. was eerie. Streets that used to bustle with people and life now appeared dead. The layer of ash over the buildings, houses, and businesses created the appearance that a literal quiet had washed over the city.
The occasional sound of someone crying echoed in the distance. Their voices never matched with a face. "Where did everyone go during the event?" I asked.
The officers slowly turned to face us. "What do you mean?" Captain Rike asked.
"There must have been bomb shelters or something utilized during the attack, right?"
Their faces dropped. "There was no warning. Everyone was so concerned with the first attack that they didn't think there would be another. It wasn't even on our radar."
My thoughts immediately went to my mom. She was in the city when the bomb went off. At first, it made me angry there was no warning, but the more I thought about it, maybe that was better. Perhaps she wasn't scared during her last moments. Then I thought about all the people who could have survived if given a chance, the high death toll, and became irritated again.
"No warning at all?" Jane questioned.
"None," the captain flatly stated. "By the time they knew, a warning wouldn't have done any good."
Silence hung in the air as we thought about it for a moment. Silence has a way of being deafening, and I felt it that day.
THE LONGER WE WALKED, the worse the devastation was. Even Jane, a
previous explosives engineer, was in awe. It was eye-opening, heartbreaking, and motivating, and provided the incentive to demand what we wanted and needed. We didn't want to be a part of the relentless wars the human race was privy to or the tyranny that reigned after. It was time for a change. "I need to contact Casen," I informed Chris.
"Now?"
"Yes, right now. We need to get back on the plane and find him. We have to demand change."
We made our way back, all the while taking in the sights as we went. When we arrived, the plane was waiting for us and Jones stood at attention. Jane and Chris carefully walked up the steps to the hatch. As I took my first step up, I grabbed hold of the railing and looked back. The grey ground and the desolate faces of the captain and his men returned my gaze. I made a mental note to ingrain their faces and the landscape in my mind and never forget. I raised my fist high in the air, revealing the three-circle tattoo on my forearm. The officers saluted me and turned to walk away. I pivoted and finished my ascent into the plane.
I RECLINED MY SEAT and stared up at the ceiling. Trying not to think about what I would say to Axel and the world was difficult. I didn’t want to dwell on it or rehearse anything. That way, whatever I said came straight from the heart. The act of being genuine was more important to people than a well-rehearsed comment. They wanted to know we understood their pain before we asked them for anything. After settling my head more comfortably against the headrest, I let myself drift off to sleep.
When I woke up, the plane had landed, and there were rustling noises in the cabin. It took a little for my eyes to adjust, but when they did, I opened my window blind and looked out. We sat on another road that seemed to have the same terrain as where we had taken off. Where were we?
I turned to see Chris peering out a window near the back. His hands shook, and he kept looking behind him at the pilot. Jones leaned against the door jamb and also looked out the window.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“We’ve been grounded,” Jones replied.
“What’s that mean? Are we at the coordinates Axel sent?”
“It means we had two aircraft from The Divinity flank us while we were in flight and order us down or risk retaliation,” the pilot replied. His voice was monotone and even. “They’ve yet to make contact since then.”
The thought of them demanding we land and threatening to shoot us down if we didn’t comply infuriated me. “Well, let’s go talk to them!” I threw my hands up.
Jane ran up behind me and grabbed my shoulder as I walked down the aisle. “Hey,” she yelled, “you can’t go out there!”
“Why not?” I demanded.
“They’ll shoot you down.”
“Let them. I have unfinished business with them. They won't touch me. Everyone else, stay on the plane." I turned away from Jane and walked down the aisle to the door, then drew a deep breath. I cranked open the latch and watched as the stairs dropped. I put my hands in the air and climbed down to the pavement.
“Stop!” Someone in front of me shouted.
I looked up to see two men in blue camouflage holding semi-automatic rifles pointed at me. The insignia on their left shoulder, a hexagon connected at all corners, represented The Divinity. I kept my hands high in the air as they came closer. “I want to speak to whoever’s in charge here.”
“How many others on the plane?” A man nodded at the aircraft.
“Four. Chris, Jane, our pilot, and a bodyguard.” There was no sense in hiding the truth. If they wanted to know, they would find out.
The man nodded, then moved closer to pat me down. He was thorough but not intrusive. I stood still while he performed his search. He then nodded to the man next to him to indicate I was clean of any weapons or objects. “Come with us,” the man ordered. He took off walking, and I followed. The other officer trailed behind. While we walked, I noticed other men in the same uniforms surround my plane.
My armed escort directed me to a large hangar several yards away. The wind was blustery and made it difficult to hear any noise coming from the hangar or the two-way radios each Divinity soldier wore. The man in front of me opened a small access door into the building and held it for me and the uniform behind me to walk in. Although the hangar was dimly lit, I instantly spotted who wanted to see me. Christina Gibbins.
“Hello, Aella. What are you doing here?”
My eyes rolled. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”
“About why I’m here, or why you’re here?”
I scoffed. “Both, I guess.”
“I’m here because you are. You’re here because I caught you flying through and wanted to investigate what you’re doing.” She used her fingers to emphasize fake points on a non-existent map in front of her. “So, what were you doing?”
I shrugged and pursed my lips. “Sightseeing.”
She glared at me, obviously unamused. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Oh! I mean that we’ve gone around to all the people you guys have pissed off or that the war ruined and videotaped it,” I said enthusiastically. “There’s a lot to see.”
Gibbins let out a low growl. “Are you trying to raise a rebellion against us?”
I thought for a second, but then the words tumbled out of my mouth. “Why would I need to raise a rebellion?” I felt my eyes widen and my head tilt to the side, silently daring her to ask why I wouldn’t. I had the god rod in my pocket and could end the whole thing right now if I wanted. I wished she would tempt me. I wouldn’t hesitate to take away her power.
Instead, she turned to the two men who had escorted me into the hanger. “Go check the plane. If there are any guns or other weapons, confiscate them.”
It caught me off guard. “Are you scared of me?” I was genuinely curious.
“No, of course not. It’s one of the first rules of negotiation I learned. If your opponent has any type of power over you, take it away. Simple as that.” She smiled at me as if trained to do so.
My brain felt rattled. The thought of her taking away any option I had and then talking to or negotiating with me was sickening. How could anyone have an honest conversation that way? How could she be sure of my intentions after doing that? Whatever I said next would be at her mercy since she made every effort to render me powerless. It was at that moment that I knew I couldn’t threaten her with the god rod. Not ever. Not if I wanted to have a clear conscience or a truthful answer that I could trust for that matter. This changed everything.
She waved her hand in my face to get my attention since I had apparently been staring off into space. “Hello...Aella?” She sounded annoyed.
“Yeah, sorry.” I forced myself back to the matter at hand—this time, with a different attitude. I didn’t know what the plan was, but I wanted to have an open conversation with her, without threats. “What were you saying?”
“I asked if you were going to lead a rebellion against The Divinity.”
“Right. I don’t know,” I sighed in relief.
“You don’t know?” she sneered. “You don’t know... You don’t know. Ha! So what does this decision of yours depend upon?”
“You.”
She looked taken aback. “Me?”
“Yeah. It depends on you and The Divinity. I don’t have a problem with The Divinity being our governing body. Not at all. I think you’re going about it wrong, though I don’t know. I’m not a ruler so I don’t know what’s right or wrong, but I know there are a lot of people who are unhappy about how you’re handling things right now.”
“So what do you suggest?” she asked.
“Democracy? Everybody wins? I like the idea of the world having one governing body. Maybe we’ll have less war that way! Who knows? What I do know is that if you keep trying to control a mass of people oppressively without their input, it’s going to backfire. History has seen it time and time again.” I sat quietly for a moment, then pressed, “Do you agree?”
Gibbins sat back in her seat and let out a long sigh. “
You really don’t understand, do you?” Her voice seemed more tempered now.
“Understand what?”
“How this works. You’re from the States, correct?”
“I like to say I’m from Circadia, but before Circadia, yes. I lived in Chicago.”
“Then I’m sure you’ve heard of and possibly experienced martial law. They used it in states of emergency. They took away the citizen’s rights and enforced whatever law they considered necessary. It worked, right?”
I shrugged.
“It did,” she insisted, smug with her self-answered question. “The US government used it for emergencies only, but now the entire world is in a constant state of emergency. People may not be able to see it, but we’re doing what’s right for them.”
I took in what she said and thought for a moment. Was I incorrect to think they were doing wrong simply because I disagreed with their methods? Was I too close to it, just like the people here, to see that The Divinity was doing good?
Then I thought about what I’d seen out there. I’d seen firsthand how The Divinity was selfish and took any progress people had made for themselves, and knew that her words were pure deception. And most of all, wrong. I sighed and looked at her. “I can see I won’t be able to change your mind or reason with you.”
Her eyes squinted down on me. “So what will you do? Why do you care about all this anyway? I thought your heart was in Circadia?”
“You’re right. It still is. I want nothing more than to live out the rest of my days on Circadia in peace, but I can’t. Maybe there won’t ever be peace, but it can’t be like this.” My head lowered, and I felt tears stream down my cheek. They were silent, but I couldn’t stop the unrelenting water from running. “You’re right,” I repeated as I looked up through the tears. “I didn’t understand, but I do now. I’ve been going about this the wrong way.”
“What?” Her eyes went wide with shock. “Really?”
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