by Isamu Fukui
“We can’t stay here!” Umasi shouted over the ringing in their ears. “We have to fall back and regroup with reinforcements!”
Takan took heed and retreated. Two years of fighting the Enforcers had taught him to be calm under fire; what he had seen at the docks shook him. He had only half understood Umasi’s hasty explanation of who this new enemy was, but all the warnings had left him unprepared for anything like this.
This Government, whomever they were, had struck with lightning speed and devastating power. The Truancy’s best efforts had been undone in minutes, and as far as Takan could tell they had inflicted minimal casualties on the enemy. If there had been time to prepare they might have held out longer, but there had been no warning, no chance.
Takan pounded his fist against his knee as he paused to reload. Behind him, the renewed roaring of helicopters made him dive for cover alongside Umasi. The two of them looked up grimly as the dark and menacing shapes headed deeper towards the heart of the City.
“This isn’t the end of it!” Takan promised, reaching for his radio. “I’ll make them pay for every block!”
* * *
“General, we just received confirmation,” the Colonel said. “It looks like the Mayor blew himself up with his office. The retrieval team did not survive.”
Iris brushed her forehead with her knuckles in annoyance. The helicopter nearby started its engines, the rotor blades roaring to life.
“I’m surprised he had the guts,” she said, raising her voice over the noise. “No matter, I didn’t expect to learn much from that witless fool. What’s the situation at the landing zones?”
“All resistance has been eliminated. We’re now moving in on schedule,” the colonel replied. “We’ve also secured most of the Educators’ former territory. Even so ma’am, don’t you think it’s a bit premature to go in person?”
“Someone needs to fill the void the Mayor just left,” Iris replied. “If I move quickly, I can assume control of the Enforcers and the Educators without firing a single shot. These people crave authority; they need someone to tell them what to do. With the Mayor gone they are like sheep running loose towards a cliff.”
“But General, the situation is still—”
“I assure you I have no intention of dying, Colonel,” Iris said, twirling her staff. “I will be landing in District 1, one of the most secure. The forward command post is nearly set up. I need the City under control so that we can get on with the search, understand?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
With a curt nod, Iris shrunk her staff and strapped it across her back. She stepped into the waiting helicopter. It took off immediately, joining two others in the sky before flying across the dark river and towards the City. The sun had fully set now, and the fires and flashes of distant explosions were amplified by the darkness.
As she soared into the heart of chaos, Iris smiled in anticipation. She saw herself as an agent of order, here to set things right at last. It would not happen overnight, but Iris was the type of person who truly enjoyed a challenge.
“I’ve waited years for this,” she muttered to herself. “It’s time that I got better acquainted with this City.”
* * *
With the sun gone the new fires sent shadows dancing in the streets. Under a jet-black sky, Cross, his nameless guide, and her son ducked from alley to alley. Summer nights were normally warm in the City, but this one felt hellishly hot, as if the air itself was alive and hostile.
The flames had a way of stoking the imagination. Cross felt like he was reliving that infamous night a year ago when the Truancy had risen up throughout the City. Sweaty clothes clung to his skin, making him feel like he was covered in ooze.
Each time Cross paused, his every instinct told him that he should be out there in the midst of the violence—that he should be part of it. Then the nameless girl would grab his hand to yank him forward and out of his daze, back to lucid reality.
Though her looks still unsettled him, Cross’ initial doubts had faded. The girl was an excellent guide. He wasn’t sure how she did it, but long before he could even glimpse soldiers, she maneuvered out of their path. Young Zen, apparently more familiar with this routine than Cross, never made a sound. He followed his mother like a shadow, only occasionally holding her hand, always looking around curiously.
It took only several hours of swift and stealthy travel to draw within sight of District 2. Cross was disturbed to see smoke rising from the direction of City Hall, but the area seemed mostly intact.
Helicopters filled the air and soldiers swarmed the streets. The last few blocks were the most difficult, and they were nearly caught when Cross absentmindedly knocked over a garbage can in an alley. Zen promptly kicked him in the shin in admonishment, and the albino seized Cross by the arm and pulled him behind a garbage dump. A soldier came to investigate, but left after a cursory sweep of the alley.
“That was bad,” Zen whispered in Cross’ ear.
Cross did not reply; what response could he have made to that? He was extra careful from then on.
Eventually they reached the safety of a dark alley right across from Student Militia Headquarters. A day ago Cross hadn’t expected to see the drab gray concrete building again, so the very sight of it was a relief. But Cross was troubled to find that a number of soldiers in unfamiliar uniform had gathered on the steps outside of the entrance. They were talking with two members of the Student Militia.
“What now?” the albino asked, turning to Cross.
Cross frowned. “I … don’t know.”
“I’m not sure those soldiers are our friends,” she said, shutting her eyes and listening carefully. “But your fellows seem to be getting along with them fine.”
Cross took a closer look at the scene in front of the headquarters. With a jolt he recognized the two students talking with the soldiers. Sepp and Floe. Sepp was laughing and joking, obviously telling some sort of story while Floe looked on disapprovingly.
“I know those students!” Cross said. “They’re part of my team.”
The albino opened her eyes. “Then don’t you want to go talk to them?”
Cross hesitated. It was true that Sepp and Floe seemed at ease, but the soldiers were still an unknown quantity. Then a hand pushed him forward, and he found himself walking towards the entrance. The soldiers were aware of him immediately and raised their guns. Sepp was the next to notice.
“Cross!” he exclaimed. “Hey man, I thought—”
“You’re ALIVE!” Floe shouted. Then she blinked as the albino emerged from the alley behind him. “Who’s that?”
“She, ah, helped me out,” Cross said. “She—”
“Doesn’t go by any name,” the albino interjected. “This is my son, Zen. We happened to run into Cross and he was nice enough to suggest that this place would be safe.”
Zen walked up to Floe and peered at her. “Your face is red. Why?”
Floe’s cheeks, which had been a light pink, now truly did flush red. The soldiers and Sepp laughed.
“She’s embarrassed, dear,” the albino said, placing her hands on Zen’s shoulder. “People blush when they’re embarrassed. With strangers it’s generally polite to pretend not to notice.”
“Oh!” Zen brightened up. “Sorry!”
“Are you all right, ma’am?” one of the soldiers asked, peering at the albino. “Do you need any assistance?”
“No, sir, but thank you for asking,” the girl replied.
“Well, your friend was right; this building, and the whole district, is now under Government protection,” the soldier said. “You won’t find a safer place in the City. If you’ve been invited by the Militia you’re welcome to stay as long as there’s space.”
“That’s very kind of you,” the albino said, turning to Zen. “What do you think?”
“I wanna stay,” Zen replied.
“I think that’s a good idea. This may be the sanctuary we sought after all.” The albino smiled and nodded at C
ross. “Thanks.”
Without another word, the albino and her son vanished like smoke into the building. As they left, the soldiers turned to Cross.
“You must be the Cross that Sepp here was telling us about,” one of them said. “You’re the leader of the Student Militia?”
Suddenly feeling on edge without really knowing why, Cross nodded.
“There’s a new chain of command in place. The Mayor has left the City and yielded control to the Government for the time being,” the soldier explained. “We’re here to secure the City and restore order. Your part in this fight is over now.”
It took Cross several seconds to process those words and their full meaning. He knew that they expected him to be relieved that no more would be asked of him, that he could finally relax. But he didn’t relax. For the past four years his world had revolved around the war, the product of Edward’s ambitions and his own imagination. Without it, he would be lost. He would drift like a leaf on water—aimless, insignificant, lacking even the slightest control over its own destiny.
It would be like his childhood all over again.
Cross felt his hand twitch as though searching for something to pull himself from his growing sense of madness. There was nothing there this time. Not even Floe seemed to notice.
What are you but a reflection of the ambitions of others?
“No.” Cross shook his head to the surprise of everyone present. “The Militia has been fighting this war from the beginning. This is our battle, you can’t just shut us out—”
“Cross,” Floe interrupted. “Don’t you think—”
“If you don’t want to fight I won’t make you,” Cross interrupted harshly. “But the Truancy is still out there, their leader is still out there, and if we back down now and let someone else finish it for us then they’ll think that they were right all along. I’m not okay with that. We believe in this fight just as strongly as they do!”
Cross’ expression was cold and hard. Sepp and Floe took an involuntary step back at the intensity in his eyes.
“Sepp, you said you wanted to protect your family, right?” Cross pressed. “What would it say about our resolve if we packed our bags the moment someone offered to do our job for us?”
Sepp slowly nodded, though he was unusually somber as he eyed Cross with apprehension.
“We’ve got strict orders to keep you guys from reentering the fight,” the soldier said to Cross. “If you’d like to make an appeal, our commanding officer just arrived in the City—”
“Then take me to her.” Cross turned his back to his fellow students. “I’ll talk to your leader.”
“All right.” The soldier shrugged. “Let’s find out if she’ll see you.”
10
FIGHT OR FLIGHT
Takan cursed and ducked behind a parked car as enemy soldiers continued their advance. The battle had now spilled over into the nearby District 16, one of the living districts that had fallen under Truancy control when the Educators had withdrawn. In such places life had managed to regain some semblance of normalcy—with children having both more rights and more responsibility. It hadn’t been perfect, but in some ways it had been Zyid’s dream realized.
Now it had fallen into madness once again.
As Truants and soldiers exchanged fire, civilians ran panicked through the streets. If there was a silver lining to the chaos, it was that the Government seemed reluctant to use airstrikes here. Instead, squads of soldiers filled the streets, backed up by armored vehicles. A gunner protruded from the top of the vehicles, manning a machine gun that forced the Truants to take cover, allowing the soldiers to surge forward.
Across the street from Takan, Umasi took aim with a rocket launcher and fired at one of the vehicles. The hit landed head-on, rocking the vehicle and turning half of it into a smoking wreck. The machine gun fell silent, and Takan sprang from cover, firing a three-round burst at one of the advancing soldiers. The soldier staggered back, then fell, and Takan ducked back behind the car as the other soldiers rained fire down on his position.
Umasi gestured to Takan to retreat again. Gritting his teeth, Takan made a run for it. The soldiers tried to pursue, but Umasi fired another rocket that sent two of them flying. It was overkill, but in a battle like this nothing could be taken for granted. The other soldiers sought cover, and Umasi took the opportunity to run after Takan.
“Check with the others, see how the retreat is going!” Umasi shouted.
Takan took cover in a doorway and reached for his radio. After the initial shock and confusion, the Truancy steadily began to organize its desperate retreat. Divisions all over the City either fought off the advancing Government or hid among civilians in the living districts. They had started with twenty divisions, and each time Takan asked for a report, fewer and fewer responded. He assumed that those that didn’t respond had escaped already, or been wiped out. Either way, he didn’t need to worry about them anymore.
This time nine divisions responded. Takan was about to relay the information to Umasi when there was a sudden crash behind them. They spun around, and Takan groaned. A huge hulk of metal on treads was now approaching, crushing everything before it as soldiers followed in its wake.
“They’ve got tanks?” Takan said in disbelief.
Umasi grimaced. “So it would seem.”
For a kid like Takan, who had spent his whole life in the isolated City, such weapons were an abstract concept, something read about in books. They were certainly not something he ever expected to find himself facing in the streets. The tank’s cannon rotated slightly, then fired. The shell slammed into the building next to Takan, exploding and sending debris everywhere. Takan and Umasi ran as the tank adjusted its aim and fired again, blowing up a nearby car.
“How are we supposed to fight—right, we’re not.” Takan shook his head. “If only we’d had time to set up traps. We have enough explosives stored away to blow up dozens of those things.”
“Dozens wouldn’t be enough,” Umasi said as they regrouped with another party of retreating Truants. “This is just the tip of their power. From the beginning this fight was hopeless, but our goal isn’t to win. How goes the retreat?”
“Nine divisions are still active.”
“We need more time,” Umasi said, heaving his rocket launcher over his shoulder. “We have to try to stop that tank. You take it from the right; I’ll take it from the left.”
“Got it.” Takan nodded, turning to the other Truants. “You guys cover us; make those soldiers keep their distance!”
Takan and Umasi darted forward. The tank did not seem to notice. As he ran, Takan drew a firebomb from inside his jacket and lit the cloth using the flames from a burning car. He hurled the bottle at the tank, and it exploded, spraying liquid fire all over it. The fire caused no apparent damage, but it did catch the tank crew’s attention. Its turret began rotating towards Takan.
This gave Umasi a clear shot. He fired a rocket straight at the tank’s side. Takan held his breath as the rocket exploded against the armor. The tank paused for a moment, then began spewing machine gun fire as though nothing had happened. Takan cursed as the soldiers behind the tank began firing. He turned and ran along with Umasi as the other Truants fired at the soldiers.
“That thing is invincible!” Takan said to Umasi. “We can’t even slow it down!”
Umasi grimaced and said nothing.
The tank rolled onwards, crushing a car in its way as though it were made of cardboard. The Truants had no choice but to pull back as it fired again and again, pulverizing their defenses. Takan fired his rifle at the distant soldiers, but they were using the tank as cover in order to advance.
“Are the students and Enforcers fighting these too?” Takan wondered aloud.
Umasi hesitated. A tank mortar landed nearby, literally blowing a Truant away. Having witnessed the unsuccessful attack on the metal monster, the other Truants panicked and began running. Takan didn’t have the heart to stop them—he couldn’t
ask them to fight an impossible battle. Alone now, Takan and Umasi covered the retreat, firing methodically as they withdrew.
“The Government will probably try to seize control of the Militia and the Enforcers,” Umasi said. “For now we’re going to have to assume that they’re all our enemies.”
A familiar roar overhead signaled the arrival of Government attack helicopters. Takan and Umasi broke into a run, darting into a dark alley in order to avoid being spotted. Machine guns snarled as the deadly flying machines hunted down the fleeing Truants.
“So it’s just us against the City, huh?” Takan said, panting as he peered around the corner.
“You against the City, Takan. Nothing new for the Truancy.” Umasi looked up. “I’m glad I was able to fight alongside you for a while. Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s something I have to take care of.”
Takan blinked and turned around. Umasi was still looking upwards intently. Takan craned his neck but couldn’t discern anything up there but a tangled mess of fire escapes and clotheslines. Yet something was clearly bothering Umasi.
“Can’t it wait?” Takan asked.
“Trust me, Takan,” Umasi said. “It’s urgent.”
With that, Umasi sprang up to grasp the bottom rung of a fire escape ladder. With some difficulty he lifted himself up and scrambled onto the fire escape, then out of sight.
“What could be more urgent than this?” Takan muttered.
As the tank rumbled by, Takan ran deeper into the alley. He reached for his radio to coordinate one final line of resistance in the abandoned District 15, the Truancy’s longtime base. Traps and defenses had already been amassed there over the years in case of an Enforcer attack.
Takan knew it wouldn’t be enough to repel the Government, but he hoped it would hold them for a while. When he next asked for a head count, only six divisions replied. All six reported that they were already under attack.
* * *
“Water and power has been restored to all Educator districts except District 3. The engineers say it’ll be another six hours before they can get that fixed.”