by Kyle Andrews
“Libby, you can't expect your mother to accept all this right away. It takes time,” Justin told her.
“Amanda doesn't have time. It's now or never.”
“It's a lot to dump on her. You should know that more than anyone.”
Libby started walking down the hall. She didn't know where she was going or what she planned to do when she got there. She just needed to move, and Justin kept up with her.
“Everything I try gets messed up. Everything I do is a mistake,” she told him. He didn't answer, so either he agreed or he was just going to let her ramble for as long as she needed to. “I can't keep doing this.”
“So, what's your plan?”
“Stop trying?” she said, but even she didn't buy into that plan. Lack of effort was what got the world into this mess.
“Amanda is a grown adult. You can't force grown people to open their eyes.”
“Why hasn't she opened them before? Why haven't any of them? How could people allow this to keep going on? We're teenagers. We're hammered with these ideas, day after day, and it makes sense that it would be hard for us to look at the world for what it really is under those circumstances. But going to work in those factories, or being forced to mop floors, drive buses, or whatever they force people to do... People should be screaming. But they're not.”
“Have you seen the TV?”
“That's a fad. It's something that's popping up right now, but who knows how long it will last?”
“I don't know. It's never happened before,” Justin told her. “It's not a fad, Libby. It's an opportunity. Maybe this is what people have been waiting for. Their chance to look at something and hold it in their hands, and have it confirm that they're not crazy for feeling the way they do. And you gave that to them.”
“It's not enough. The government will take people away and shut them up. By next week, all of this will be back to the way it was before. People will go back to their lives, which aren't even really theirs, and they'll keep playing along.”
“You don't know that. And I can't believe it.”
“Why not?”
“Because I have to believe that things can change. I have to believe that we can make them change, or else what are we doing here?”
Libby didn't answer him. She didn't have any way to answer, even if she wanted to. Maybe it was all pointless. Maybe there was no reason for them to be there. Maybe the more they questioned the world, the more they shouldn't want to hear the answers.
But deep down, she didn't buy that. Freedom could be won. They just needed to figure out the right way to go about winning it. They needed to do something that would show the rest of the citizens that this was it. This was their moment to act, and if they chose to simply go back to playing the government's game, they would all suffer and die as nothing more than slaves to the system.
Every ounce of the old Libby died when Amanda woke up. This was her life now. Collin Powers had been sacrificed for her sake. That sacrifice was her responsibility now. She would accept it because she had to. This was the only path open to her.
As they walked, Libby heard the voice of a news anchor echoing through the hallway. It was coming from one of the patient rooms. She couldn't hear what this anchor was saying at first. The sound was muffled. But as Libby listened, she knew that this report was not just the normal nightly news.
Justin stopped walking. Libby didn't notice it for a second or two, but when she did, she stopped walking as well and turned around to face him. Justin was standing at an intersection in the hallway. He turned to look down each hall, and then back to Libby. There was a puzzled expression on his face.
“Something isn't right,” he told her. “Where is everyone?”
Libby looked around the hallways. He was right. She couldn't see a single nurse or patient, and at that intersection, she could hear that same news anchor, coming from at least two different directions.
She started to walk down the hall, listening to the voice and moving toward it. Justin was close behind.
Even before she knew what was happening, Libby could feel a shift in the air. This wasn't just another lockdown or anything that they'd seen before. This was something else.
As they neared one of the patient rooms, where the news anchor's voice was coming from, Libby realized that she was right. This was the time for action by the people. If it didn't happen now, it may never happen at all. This was their crossroads. She knew it, and the authorities had to know it too. They would panic. They would try to stop whatever was about to happen in the city, in an attempt to return things to the status quo. But how?
Entering the room, Libby almost didn't want to know what the answer to that question was going to be. But the days of burying her head in the sand were over. She needed to face this.
The room was packed full of people. Two beds and a cot, where patients were resting in hospital gowns, and at least a dozen other people who were standing around them. All were staring at the TV on the wall, watching the special report. As Libby looked toward the TV, she understood why the halls were empty. In bold text at the bottom of the screen were the words: 'COLLIN POWERS RUMORED TO APPEAR WITH MAYOR NORTHFOLK'
Libby could hear Justin whisper the words, “My God,” under his breath.
“...earlier today, when violent outbursts began causing mayhem throughout the city. Police officials report that over three dozen arrests have been made in regards to the fliers that have begun circulating around the city, with portions of what has been reported as 'militaristic hate speech' printed on them.
“Buildings have been vandalized. Several fires have broken out in apartment buildings in the lower districts. Graffiti has spread throughout the city, often with the phrase 'Freedom Prevails' at the center of its message. All this begs the question, how can we protect ourselves from this epidemic of fear?
“Authorities are urging citizens to stay in their homes tonight, and report any unusual activity that they might see. This includes anyone who may sympathize with Hate, or who may harbor its members as they flee from the authorities. Citizens are urged to avoid direct interaction with these terrorists, and leave such matters to the proper officials.”
So far, he wasn't saying anything that was unexpected. Libby knew that as soon as those documents started to make their rounds, the government would have to move to put an end to it. They would be cracking down hard on Freedom. But this wasn't the extent of the news broadcast, and she knew that. When she glanced over at Justin, she could see it in his eyes. He was waiting for the next shoe to drop as well. Everyone in the room was waiting for it.
“The Mayor is going to be addressing the city shortly, from the steps of the HAND building,” the anchor told his audience. “It's rumored that Collin Powers will be in attendance as well, though it remains to be seen why he and the Mayor would be appearing together. If true, this would mark the first public appearance by the infamous terrorist since his arrest...”
“Why there?” Justin mumbled, just barely loud enough for Libby to hear him.
The HAND building was nowhere near city hall, where the Mayor's office was located. He normally gave his speeches from his desk, or from the entrance of that building, beneath the grand arches and pillars. The HAND building was a simple, blocky building. Not a great backdrop for a big announcement.
The anchor continued, “We are joined now by our chief political anchor, Tam Fellows. Tam, thanks for coming in tonight.”
Every news anchor looked the same to Libby. Slick hair. Even slicker grin. But Tam Fellows was an older, heavier, balding man. He looked like he should know what he was talking about—as though he'd seen it all before and knew every trick in the book. Libby had seen him before. If she remembered correctly, he'd worked for Governor Garrison at some point in his career, but she only vaguely remembered even that much.
“Thank you for having me,” Tam replied, without even a faked smile.
“Tell me what you think of recent events.”
Tam shift
ed in his chair and looked very authoritative as he said, “We've seen it all before. Youthful rebellion gone awry. The desperate actions of the crazed few, being forced upon the normal citizens who just want to go on with their lives and not be bothered by any of it.”
“You don't think there's a larger issue here?”
“We've known about Hate for a long time. There's nothing new about that. We need to stop them, but there's nothing new about that either.”
“Why do you think they're suddenly calling themselves 'Freedom?'”
“Because it's an easier sell. But you can dress them up as much as you want and it won't change who they are at their core. They are violent criminals. If Collin Powers does appear tonight, it will only emphasize that point.”
“There you go,” the anchor said, turning toward the camera. “Tam Fellows will be with us after the Mayor's address, which should be taking place in just a few moments.”
The image on the TV changed to a shot of the HAND building. Microphones and lights had been set up at the top of the front steps, creating a stage for the Mayor, though technicians and HAND officials were the only ones walking through the shot at the moment.
The anchor was still talking, saying, “This is a live shot of the HAND building, where the Mayor will be giving his address any moment now. We have not received an advance copy of his speech, but he is expected to talk about the recent Hate activity and the violence that has broken—” the anchor stopped mid-sentence as the front door of the HAND building opened. He said, “And here he is now. We'll be back with commentary after the Mayor speaks.”
Mayor Northfolk walked out of the building, alone. Libby was used to seeing the man either behind a desk or standing behind a podium. She wasn't used to seeing him from head to toe. He looked taller than she expected. Leaner, and with a muscular build. He had short-cropped brown hair which was turning gray on the sides, a square jaw and dark brown eyes that had always given her the creeps.
Seeing his full build made him look more intimidating. Maybe that was why they usually hid him. They wanted to project the image of a good looking everyman, not someone who looked as though he could have been a HAND officer at some point—not that he ever was. Northfolk was of the political class. He might have spent some time in a gym, but he never went to the same type of school as the common citizens. His children never went hungry. He was one of the elite.
Northfolk walked to the microphone and looked at the crowd around him. He smiled to one or two people and waved to someone else. Libby couldn't see who was there, but the crowd cheered as he prepared to speak to them.
He cleared his throat and looked into the camera as he said, “Good evening. As many of you know, today saw the spread of what many in my office refer to as 'militaristic hostile content.' Materials which have been taken out of common circulation due to their history of racism, intolerance and support of violence. As we have seen today, these documents are the gasoline that fuels the fires of hatred, and their discontinuation years ago was carried out in the hopes of building a brighter future. A better future, free of bigotry. Free of suffering. Free of parents, unsure whether their children will eat the next day. Free of children wondering how to care for ailing parents.
“Since the 'Reformation'—as we call it—our system has worked hard to care for the people, while others would choose to divide us. These documents are but the latest in a long line of offenses. For years, Hate has been carrying out acts of terror against our people. Burning down homes. Killing citizens. Threatening our very way of life. Tonight, we draw the line and tell those people that they will not destroy us!”
The crowd started to cheer. It sounded like thousands of people could have been there, supporting the Mayor as he spoke.
As they cheered, he said, “Tonight, we fight back!” but when he said those words, they echoed. There hadn't been an echo before. Someone was trying to make the crowd sound larger than it was. Libby might have smiled if this weren't such a dangerous speech. What was he going to say next? How were they going to fight back? The Mayor was often unpredictable. He did things or said things that were often embarrassing or unintentionally humorous. Sometimes, he would make an outrageous statement that had to be smoothed over by the political pundits who appeared on TV after his speeches. He was a loose cannon, so as he was giving this carefully-crafted speech, Libby held her breath.
Mayor Northfolk pulled a piece of paper from the inside pocket of his jacket and held it up, so that the camera could see. It was one of the fliers that Freedom had been spreading around town.
He turned the paper away from the crowd and looked it over as the cheers died down. Then, with a fake smile, he said, “We listen when the people speak to us. Even those that we disagree with. We are a fair and honorable system, after all. It is our duty to look over these documents and to try to understand how we can resolve this issue fairly and justly.”
Libby's stomach began to turn. The more he spoke about trying to be fair, the more she felt as though this situation was about to explode in their faces.
The Mayor looked at the paper and read, “'In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him...'”
He then looked up at the camera and raised his eyebrows, taking a deep breath. He said, “We can do that.”
The doors of the HAND building opened once again. Two HAND officers walked out of the building, pulling a man along with them, shackled at the wrists and ankles. His head was covered by a hood, but everyone knew who he was.
The officers walked Collin Powers to where the Mayor was standing, and the Mayor looked him over. He turned to the crowd and pulled the hood off of Powers' head, revealing a thin and pale face, with eyes that struggled to focus on anything around him. The fact that he was alive was of no relief to Libby. There were times when death was preferable. Whatever Collin Powers had endured since his capture was still the result of her own life being saved.
“Collin Powers,” the Mayor said, looking into the camera. “You are accused of committing acts of terror against the people of this city. Of trafficking in hostile content. Of the murder of several police officers, and the assault of others. This is the nature of your accusation. The entire city is the witness. And I am your jury.”
The crowd cheered, while everyone in the room where Libby was standing gasped. She stared at Collin's face, feeling as though the floor was crumbling beneath her.
For a few moments, she had forgotten about all of the other people that were in the room with her. Now, she looked from face to face and saw the fear in their eyes.
“Oh my God,” Justin said, his words dripping with dread.
Condemning Collin Powers to death came as no surprise. Most people had assumed that he was dead already. Instead, the people in that room were reacting to the way that the Mayor was looking directly into the camera as he prepared to condemn Powers to death. No pretending to be civil. No 'man of the people' routine. He was not there to speak soothing words and make people like him. He was there to let the public know that those who spoke out would die. It would be made into a spectacle. It would be crafted to be memorable. And the crowd before the Mayor cheered.
“I am a lenient man!” the Mayor called out, urging the crowd to quiet down. “I am an honorable man! I am willing to work with these people, in order to achieve what we all know is the common goal for us all: Peace.
“With this goal in mind, I offer an olive branch to the people of Hate. I offer you the life of your soldier, Collin Powers. I will allow him to walk out of here tonight, a free man.”
Libby could feel her heart pounding in her chest, so hard that her entire body throbbed with each pulse. The Mayor's attempt to appear kind and reasonable made her feel so much wor
se than she had before.
The crowd in front of the Mayor was booing now. The Mayor raised his hands to quiet them down. He told them, “The end to every war is the coming together of enemies. Both offering and both sacrificing. This is the peace offering that I make to my enemies: I will offer you the life of this man. In exchange, I ask only for one of your soldiers to stand before this crowd and pay for all of your crimes against our society. One life, to save countless others.”
The Mayor paused, looking over the crowd before him. He was as cool and collected as Libby had ever seen any man. She suspected that he enjoyed this.
Finally, he looked back to the camera and said, “Bring me Libby Jacobs, and Collin Powers lives. If you fail to deliver her to me, he will die, live on every TV station. It will be slow. It will be painful. And you will witness every second of it. You have two hours.”
42
For hours that day, Collin had been asked questions about Freedom. He'd been ordered to tell his captors where they could find Freedom bases. He'd been ordered to name members, so they could be picked up and brought in to suffer along with him.
Each time he declined, the pain was unleashed. At first they played games with him. A little pain here. A little there. A surge, and then relief. But the more desperate they got, the higher they turned the dial. He honestly couldn't remember what he'd said to them after that, but judging by their reaction, he hadn't given them anything that they could work with. He was thankful for that.
Then the pain went away, and Collin rested on that table where they'd been keeping him for a month. He was able to feel his hands and legs, without feeling any of the wounds that had been inflicted upon him. His body hummed with the memory of that pain, but it was a relief.
After he had been left alone for a little while, a woman came into the room. He'd never seen her before. She didn't speak to him or even look him in the eye. She just injected him with something, and then the world went dark.