Dawn of Defiance

by Dempsey, Albert

  "When I worked for the IPCC in 2002, I released a report about the Larsen-B ice-shelf. Can anyone in this room show it to me on this map?" the professor inquired, as if he was lecturing those in his classroom.

  They stared at the current Arctic map on display, not really knowing what they were looking at.

  "No, because it's not there anymore, gentlemen it’s gone, melted, just like that!" he said, sitting down on the sofa, exhausted.

  Vargän also returned to his chair and sank down heavily as his mood reflected his thoughts. It would be another sleepless night for him and his staff. At times, especially of late, he demanded much from them, and he knew it. So many urgent matters to attend to, it never stops.

  "I need to be alone for a while," he said.

  Suddenly, as if a silent order was given, all stood up and made their way down to the far end of the hallway. Outside Vargän's office Lucia gave the two security guards strict orders that no one was to disturb the Chancellor. It was still relatively early to retire, only 1:45 am, but he knew Vargän. He was probably on the sofa with his eyes closed trying to make sense of it all.

  Vargän felt as if he had been out-maneuvered in a chess game to the death. He knew the outcome if he lost; there would be no re-match. Yet, it was not his doing, but decisions made in a corrupt and selfish society that was to blame. For, in less than a century, they had succeeded in creating this mess.

  In his mind he knew greed was ultimately the root cause. Forcing his mind into focus, he began to use all his analytical skills to solve just the one problem, and to find the clearest path to its solution. That was his weakness: thinking like an ordinary man meant you could only make ordinary decisions and in this situation all his decision would ultimately fail! He could not believe these thoughts occupied his mind, but already he had begun to drift, to ascend to the level where decisions became clearer as the veil that clouded his mind finally lifted. This heightened state of focus released something inside him, leaving him feeling as light as a feather and energized.

  As he lay on the couch, he could feel himself floating, drifting higher and higher away from this world. Within a matter of minutes he had already seen what had to be done. His mind was reset and now focused with this new intense sense of being. These decisions were really easy to make, a simple matter of deduction. Even the consequences did not bother him. He had to do what no human was ever asked to do before him. Was it destiny that had shaped him for this exact task?

  Vargän knew it was not about peace and unity anymore. It was about the very survival of all life on the planet, and not just for humanity. For the first time he started to pray. Not to a God, but to a guiding power that would steer him in the right direction, as the road ahead would be a long and difficult one, and he would have to walk it alone. Vargän never really thought of God, but of a force that kept the Universe in check. Was he the instrument that would bring humanity back from the brink? He knew it was ignorant to believe in a mystical God, but not in a force that bound all together. Even scientists agreed that there was an unseen law that connected all matter.

  It was now time to act, and yet Vargän still felt powerless. He always had to seek approval from lawmakers before any resolutions were passed. How easy it would be if he could just pass these laws without the committees. Sovereignty rule was the key to effective government. A new style of government needs to be formed to guarantee the survival of humanity.

  Chapter 9

  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.

  Matthew 24: 6, 7

  This was the first military parade Kate had been to since her childhood years back in London. From her vantage point 30 floors above Adderley Street she watched the troops marching in perfect unison. They numbered thousands, all in distinctive UWN uniforms, carrying the flags from their home nations, and then she saw it, the Union Jack. Even though the British Empire was now long over, it still made her feel very proud to be British, and the long line of soldiers who followed their flag no doubt felt the same.

  A gentle wind began to blow from the south. Weather reports said another cold front was headed towards Cape Town. It would only arrive later that afternoon, yet there was an uneasy feeling flowing through her veins. Perhaps the AKA she had this morning was already losing its strength.

  No, this was something else, she thought to herself.

  She marveled how wonderful men looked in uniform and how much she missed her parents. It had been almost three years to that fateful day. Luckily for her she was away in Thailand when the bombs exploded. Her holiday break was cut short as the world turned upside down. Even looking at photos of the destruction of London and New York was too much to bear. If God did exist then He had a plan for her, Kate felt His hand in her life even though she did not believe in Him.

  Just thinking about the massive destruction and the death of millions, her mother and father included, almost made her give up hope, but that was not the Baxter way and she was now all that remained of her family. Yet she longed to return to England and to be British again.

  Kate relocated to Cape Town after the attacks and enrolled at UCT in a three year course to major in Political Science and IT programming. It was her thesis on political mismanagement that landed her in the hot seat. Her paper highlighted some disturbing facts regarding the then ANC and their redistribution policy, that soon turned out to be just as racist as the white government before, when it deployed a few apartheid regulations to favor their own in their very own black elitist empire.

  Yet these troops below had restored a balance; they were not partial to any ethnic group. That was part of the UWN strategy. Local armies always had a bias approach. This was not an occupying force, but a contingent of international peacekeepers that had been deployed worldwide. Most people welcomed them with open arms. Crime almost instantly stopped as they had a remarkable effect on the local population.

  South Africa had sent their own contribution of 25 000 troops to the UWN for deployment worldwide. It did not take much deduction in realizing the dream that the UWN gave to the masses, was to unite warring factions under one banner; soon they forgot what they were fighting for. But the glue that kept it all together was trade and prosperity, especially for the elite.

  Kate disliked religious fanatics and corrupt politicians. Her studies brought much enlightenment to their strategies and methods of gaining power.

  A shiver went down her spine again as the clouds began rolling over Table Mountain. This was the most beautiful city she had ever lived in. Her time spent traveling abroad was a delight, a year spent in total indulgence. Thailand was thrilling but the Middle East more dramatic, especially Egypt. The pyramids alone laughed at modern man; it was as if they belonged to a different universe, with a society far more developed and often more superior to the current one.

  Accepting the job offer from DGM was a dream come true and she vowed to dedicate herself entirely to her career and under no circumstances to get involved with a local boy, but that rule went out the window the moment she met him. Kate knew Cape Town would always remain in her heart, and with memories of Warren, a profound effect on her soul.

  Weather patterns around the globe had changed so much so that snow had recently fallen on Table Mountain. Yet record highs of over forty seven degrees occurred, which made the City Bowl almost unbearable. Today it was mild, not too warm or cold, just right.

  A high pitched sound erupted from a window across the street, leaving a trail of smoke as the projectile slammed into the column of soldiers below, exploding and sending bodies in all directions. Then a second and third projectile found their way into the column of troops below. Instantly chaos erupted as troops broke rank and took cover, as other projectiles found their targets and turned Adderley Street into a war zone. Bodies and
burning vehicles littered the way as troops and police sprang into action.

  Kate was in a state of shock as she stared at the carnage below. It took her a few seconds before she snapped out of it. Others dived for cover and screamed. Within minutes gunfire was heard and the sound of police helicopters. The terrorists were still trapped in a building, and it seemed with no intention of escape, taking pot shots at anything that moved on the street below. It had been almost a year since the last terrorist attack. Now they had struck again, in the heart of Cape Town and from the building across the road.

  Kate felt like throwing up. She quickly followed her work colleagues away from the windows to the safety inside the building. But she couldn’t turn her back on witnessing the carnage below for much longer. It took her a few minutes to regain her composure, before she ventured to another window to look down. Her urge for enhanced mind control and more AKA was stronger than before, but she fought it. She could still hear the screams of wounded soldiers, trapped and trying to find cover. Just then gunfire engulfed a screaming soldier in a shower of bullets. It was silent for a while then a massive retaliation fire sprayed the terrorists building, who were now firmly entrenched and fortified.

  Down below, the distinctive sound of mechanical grating was heard as a tank made its way into position and maneuvered its barrel at the building. It stayed just out of range in case the terrorists used RPG's, rockets designed to take out armored vehicles. The tank fired with a loud, devastating bang that sent a shock-wave smashing into buildings. Windows shattered and fell to the ground.

  The shells did not contain a high explosive round, but something more sinister, a chemical agent designed to eat into the lungs and moist flesh. It spread through the office floor as the tank fired other gas canisters. Troops below in full chemical gear were preparing to storm the building.

  It was like watching a battle scene unfold in a movie. Kate was in a daze. Yet the smell of gunpowder and chemical agents brought her back to reality. The building she was in had to be evacuated in case of fire so she followed the other staff members from DGM down the corridor and to a more secure place at ground level. After descending the lobby staircase they reached the arcade below Strand Street. Being evacuated in a group had its benefits; more protective security and instant access past security checkpoints.

  The Zone Police ushered them quickly towards the evacuation points where they would wait for transport, but Kate decided to break free and walk up Strand Street towards High Level Road and onwards to her apartment.

  Chaos erupted on the streets as emergency vehicles raced towards the carnage. Kate picked up her pace and soon was making rapid progress up the hill while she analyzed the scene over again in her head. After about a kilometer along High Level Road, a security vehicle from the Zone Police stopped beside her.

  "It’s not safe on the streets, please get inside, we will give you a lift." the officer inside said through the PA system. Without hesitation she accepted and climbed in.

  For the first time Kate got a glimpse of the high tech surveillance systems on display. Any CCTV camera could be remotely accessed to allow officers a better viewpoint. Turning around, the commander of the unit took his mobile scanner and pointed it at Kate's iBand. Suddenly her details appeared on the monitor with a string of information available.

  "27 Canterburg Court, High Level Road, Sea Point," the Commander ordered the driver.

  Within seconds they were on their way, and she felt the thrill of being on the right side of the system. Perhaps in a different world, she would have enjoyed the police force. The GPS monitor had an active street map that moved in real time as they turned corners. Her address flashed in the bottom corner of the screen.

  Kate was slightly shocked. She had always been accustomed to the high level of surveillance. But she quickly realized that her actions with Kazak could be easily monitored. If she was under investigation, she would no doubt be arrested and questioned.

  Please whatever you do, just don't search me, she prayed to herself.

  The AKA kit was still in her hand bag. For that alone she would get a few years.

  Arriving at her apartment, the police vehicle stopped. They knew exactly where she stayed. The heavy bullet-proof door opened effortlessly on its hydraulic hinges.

  "Thank you very much, officers," she said, leaving her Chanel No 5 to linger in the vehicle as she got out.

  When they had finally driven off, Kate made her way up into the safety of her sanctuary. The apartment cost her a fortune in rent every month. Situated on the 2nd floor, it over-looked Table Bay and the iconic Greenpoint Stadium built especially for the 2010 Soccer World Cup. It was not the white elephant so many predicted it would be, but it did generate high noise levels from time to time. Several groups were always lobbying to have it closed down.

  How stupid. Did they really think a government who spent billions on it would just close it down?

  Kate lived alone except for Tigger, her gray Persian cat. He was almost one year old, a present from Warren, who wrapped him up in a tissue box for her twenty-eighth birthday.

  "This is for you when I cannot keep you warm!" he said. At times she still had strong feelings for him, and then at other times, almost nothing.

  After feeding Tigger, Kate quickly undressed, tossing her clothes into the laundry basket. The safety of her home gave her an instant calm; she would watch the news later but first she had to bathe away the grime and dust from the streets. The extra she paid for her sanctuary was well worth it; privacy and safety came at a high price.

  Kate felt her body was not as trim and firm as it used to be. Long hours in the gym had bored her, now she preferred to walk and think. Perhaps that is why she felt so confused these days.

  What's the matter with me? She thought.

  The scene of explosions and bodies had simply been stored away in her mind to be processed later. She was part of a generation who had witnessed so much destruction and violence that it did not affect her as much as it would older generations.

  It's not a movie - real people died today! She thought.

  Nothing like a hot bath……soaking in the tub was her idea of escape. It always relaxed her, and in extreme cases she even fell asleep in it. Kate was convinced in her previous life she had been a dolphin. Her iBand rested on its cradle to recharge while she also needed to recharge from the warmth of the bath water. When Kate finally got out and dressed, she checked it for any messages.

  Nothing!

  Did anyone truly care for her anymore?

  Warren would always leave little messages to lift her up from her stressful job. That too was now gone, and so with it all the old messages and images. Did she really think deleting them could also erase the ones embedded deep in her mind? If she had died on the streets today, who would know?

  Finally settling down in front of the TV she activated the news channels. BBC News had already picked up on the story and she watched a reporter explain what had happened. Islamic Radicals had launched the attack; the nine terrorists had all been identified as belonging to a group that operated from Lavender Hill. At least thirty-eight troops had been killed from the RPG attacks and another five civilians from sniper fire.

  What is happening to this world?

  It bothered Kate that she was alone in a foreign country and that she could very well die far away from her beloved England and all she held dear.

  I have to get back home, she thought to herself.

  The cravings for tranquility and a safe life pulled heavily on her heartstrings. That was where she grew up, and when it came down to it, she felt more and more alien in South Africa. Activating the ISIS Network on the wall-mounted screen, she accessed her family's website. After the attacks she had left it up and running as a cyber-memorial to her lost parents, with the last updates done fifteen minutes before the nuclear bomb exploded outside Buckingham Palace.

  Tears started to well deep inside Kate, she realized how empty her life had become since the atta
cks and how she had lost all she loved. Her life seemed worthless and without purpose. Feeling totally alone and emotionally drained, she started to cry. The extended use of AKA had been proven to cause emotional instability and in some cases bi-polar disorder. Something Kate would deny, even to herself. But, with her eyes closed, feeling the salty tears flow down her face, she knew it was true.

  I have become weak, Kate thought to herself.

  She was always her worst critic; no one could tear her to pieces as much as she could herself. Tigger then joined her on the sofa and they sat in silence, watching the family photo album scroll through images of happier times. The screen displayed an old photo of herself and Warren together in Namibia. Tears flowed stronger as she wiped them away with her sleeve. He kept her together after the terrorist attacks and the loss of her parents. Returning to London was out of the question, but perhaps Norfolk would be a good choice, as she still had friends who lived there. But until then her home was Cape Town and she would have to make the best of it.

  I miss Warren, Kate thought about him. He's probably already moved on and had sex with another woman! Just the thought of it was strange to Kate as it didn’t upset her. Her emotions and common sense had all been turned upside down.

  She gazed across the lounge and out of the window into nothing; loneliness was an empty place, all cold and meaningless. If she continued going further down the road of self-pity then tonight she would need another hit, and to fall into a stranger's arms. With no other way to gain control again, Kate took out the last of the AKA and prepared the forbidden cocktail.

  In less than a minute she was comfortably numb, feeling as if she was in a surreal heaven without boundaries and consequences void of any social responsibilities, totally free and in charge once more.

  Kate lay on the sofa, tears of joy running down her face as she watched in silence the images of her family play across the screen. Her faithful cat curled up beside her, oblivious to the day's events which paled in comparison to what she had already suffered.