by Roman Shepp
“Right then,” said Frank, “I understand you want to leave but you're torn between your duty to the uniform you wear and the duty to your family. It's not an easy decision, especially with the world in the state it is. But I started to think about the kind of world we want to build together. If things hadn't changed you would of course be allowed to go back to your family for the birth of your child, and do we really want to live in a world that's ruled by fear? I have deliberated on this matter for a few hours and I've come to realize that we must not let our own fear prevent us from living our lives. You should be allowed to go and find your family, if that is what you want. You can leave without guilt.”
Donald looked at Frank, then at his fellow soldiers. A look of disbelief came across his face. Jane only could sigh. This was classic Frank, causing division in those he saw as a threat. It was obvious the soldiers didn't have a high opinion of him. Jane didn't understand why they had spent so long obeying him in the first place, but this was only going to cause dissension in the ranks.
“You can't just dismiss a soldier like that,” Captain Roberts said. “Donald is my man and I'll give him the orders.”
“Are you challenging my authority?” Frank said, smiling, almost as though he wanted exactly that to happen. Roberts bristled, but managed to keep control of his temper.
“It's not safe out there. You've told us about the state of the city. I don't want Donald to risk his own safety.”
“I think that's his decision to make Captain. I don't want to be the person responsible for preventing a father from being at the birth of his child.”
“I don't either, but there has to be another way rather than sending him off by himself.”
“Well, perhaps we should see what the other people think?” Frank said, opening his hands to the rest of the floor.
Megan and Brian were the first to speak up, and unsurprisingly supported Frank's opinion. Captain Roberts was getting more and more agitated, his foot tapping against the floor. Frank then asked the others. Saeed was notable in his silence, as were Martha and Belinda, who had resumed their oath of silence. Tony and Phil glanced at each other, and of course Tony had to put his two cents in. Jane admired Tony for the fact that he always was trying to do the right thing. Although sometimes people were better served by keeping their mouths shut.
“I think everyone should be free to make their own decisions. It's not for us to decide. It's for Donald,” Tony said.
Jane groaned inwardly, and almost facepalmed. That was exactly what Frank wanted to hear. Jane had seen him use this tactic before. He would introduce a controversial argument on the pretense of wanting a civil discussion, when he knew it only would cause dissent. With the arrival of Jane and the others, Frank probably suspected that an alliance could form against him. So, he was doing all he could to stop that before it could begin. Jane didn't have it in her to fight it either. Frank would be able to twist her words no matter what she said.
Frank looked at Donald expectantly. “That's...I mean, I do want to see them, but it's hard, you know? It's not that easy,” he said, looking up at Captain Roberts.
“Do you want to see your son? Do you want to be able to hold him in your arms? It's completely up to you. I just want to give you the opportunity. I remember when my children were born. It was the greatest day of my life. Holding your newborn baby in your arms, looking down at him or her, seeing all the potential he or she holds is just the greatest feeling in the world.” Frank said.
Jane gritted her teeth at hearing him lie. Frank had neglected his children, and he hadn't even been present at their births. For one of them he had been at a conference, and for the other one he had been at a football game. Jane was about to speak up, but Captain Roberts beat her to it.
“That's not fair. I don't know why you're doing this, but emotional blackmail won't work on my soldiers. Don, don't listen to him. For some reason he's just trying to get you to leave. You trust me. I've promised you that you'll see your son and you will. Going out there by yourself is suicide. You don't know what's waiting for you.”
“On the contrary, he does, Captain. He knows that somewhere out there his girl is waiting, hoping and praying that Donald will come to her in her time of need, just like he promised. A child is waiting to be embraced by his father...or perhaps Captain Roberts is right, and those things aren't waiting for you at all. The world is a scary place, now more than ever. I've seen it firsthand. People don't want to be alone, so it wouldn't surprise me if your girl has found comfort in the arms of another. It's just human nature, after all. Nobody really wants to be alone.”
As he said this he looked directly at Jane, who almost marched out of the room.
“No!” Donald said, rising from his chair. “She never would do that!”
“Stand down, soldier,” Roberts warned, but a red mist passed across Donald's eyes and he launched himself at Frank.
“Don't you dare say that!” he cried as he wrapped his hands around Frank's throat.
Jane shook her head. Roberts and the other soldier, Jane couldn't remember her name, leaped forward and tried pulling Donald off Frank, but he was like a man possessed. Tony rushed forward too. Phil looked like he wanted to but was wary of the damage his arm could cause in such close quarters. He hadn't yet become used to it. Brian also rose to try helping Frank, who suspiciously was letting Donald throttle him. Jane knew that Frank could take care of himself, even against a man who was a couple of decades younger than him. It was clear his plot was to get the soldiers fighting among one another.
Groot barked loudly as Tony helped Roberts pull Donald off the politician. Frank wiped blood off his lips and straightened his clothes. Donald was writhing and flailing about wildly. This was just another example of the chaos Frank could cause with his silver serpent tongue.
“No! You have to let me go! I can't bear the thought of her being with someone else. She couldn't! She wouldn't!” Donald cried, so worked up he couldn't think of anything other than the betrayal.
While all eyes were on him, Jane looked squarely at Frank. He inclined his head to his cohorts and looked smug, dabbing at his busted lip. The injuries he had suffered were a small price to pay for what he had caused, for Donald still was fighting with his friends.
“Stop this!” Tony asked. “This isn't right. What the hell is going on here!? Sit down, all of you,” he said, glaring at the soldiers.
“Frank, I don't know why you wanted to bring this up in front of everyone when it's none of our business, but I want to ask you about something. You've talked about your plan for the city. What is it? What future do you see for everyone?”
Frank rubbed his hands together and glanced at Megan and Brian before he answered Tony's questions. Tony’s questions had drawn everyone’s attention away from the soldiers, and Donald seemed to have calmed down for the moment, awaiting Frank's answer.
“That's a good question, Tony, and we should talk about that. I understand that what I've said so far could be seen as vague,” Frank said, and continued speaking in this way for a few moments more. To others it would come across as thoughtful and polite, but Jane knew it was just a way for him to think of something to say.
“I want us all to work together, to be one country again. The divisions I've seen all across the land have depressed me. I spent my career fighting for unity, and just because the government has been fragmented doesn't mean that goal is not one we should be aiming toward. I want to continue the fight, and I want others to join with me. I know you're frustrated about not being able to help as many people as you want, but unfortunately being a politician means we have to look at the bigger picture. Right now, everyone out there is hurting, and we have to give the world time to settle down. They need to get all the anger and fear out of their system before they can begin to heal. I want to make the world a better place, to fix the mistakes we made before. It will be a long road, but I know if we all walk it together we can bring America back to where it belongs.”
Jane had heard just about enough. She knew that if she didn't say anything, Frank would keep going for hours. Anger boiled inside her. The lies were so transparent, and yet they would seduce everyone if she wasn't careful. So many times she had heard him sweet talk his adversaries and convince them to follow him. Not this time. She wasn't going to let him tempt them into helping him.
“Don't listen to him. He doesn't mean anything he says. He told me the same thing when we first met. Nothing ever changes, though. There's only one thing Frank cares about and that's himself. He'll say anything to get where he wants to be. He'll tell ten different people ten different things and they'll all come back thinking he's the man ready to lead the country. He was scheming to become President, but that's not going to happen now. So, he wants to do the next best thing. Whatever he thinks about the world isn't true. He only cares who has the power, and that person has to be him.”
All eyes turned to her, including Frank's. She wasn't going to let him finish. “You like to think of yourself as a family man, but you weren't even there for the birth of your children. You'll say anything to create a favorable impression of yourself. I'm standing here listening to you and I can't believe that I let this go on for as long as it did. You're leading these people by lies, and I won't stand for it.
“You're the man who blackmailed a journalist into leaking a story about your rival so nobody would vote for him, ruining his career. You're the man who promised a career to a student who hacked into secure computer systems to give you a leg up over your competition. Then you threw him away like a used toy and told him he had broken the law, and that if he went to the police he'd be in danger of being locked up for most of his life. Do I even need to talk about the other petty offenses you've bribed your way out of over the years? Or the fact that a man who professed his love for family values continually cheated on his wife?”
“With you,” Frank said in a low voice. He had taken all of Jane's barrage standing, listening to every word, but he was not going to back down without a fight.
“You can fling mud at me if you want, but don't pretend you're a paragon of virtue. You're an opportunistic bitch who jumped into bed with the first man who could give you a good job. It just so happened that our relationship was mutually beneficial to us over the years. You think yourself an angel when you're just as bad as I am, if not worse. At least I know my faults, you're still deluding yourself into thinking that you're a good person.”
Incensed, Jane argued back, and the entire bunker was alive with hostility. Donald's nerves still were frayed, and he pulled a gun, making everyone gasp. Tony was standing in the middle of the room, looking forlorn at how quickly everything had degraded. The other soldiers quickly turned their attention to Donald, trying to talk him down. Saeed grabbed Tara and tried to protect her.
“Don't do this, Donald,” Captain Roberts said.
“I need to, Steven. I can't take this anymore. What if he's right? What if she's with someone else? I can't have my son calling another man ’Daddy. I just can't. Just let me go,” he said, holding the gun upright as he circled around the room toward the door. Nobody could do anything for fear of getting shot. It was a silly thing to lose one's life over.
Donald walked out of the room and up the slope, moving toward the exit. Everyone else followed, piling into the narrow corridor. Everyone pleaded with him to stay, telling him that it wasn't safe out there. Jane still was glaring at Frank. His words had stung. She wasn't finished with him yet. By the end she wanted everyone to see him for the fraud that he was.
Groot was barking, and Jane was unable to concentrate on even her own thoughts, such was the cacophony around her. At this point she was willing just to let the man go if that was what he really wanted, although he only had been spurred on by Frank. If the man got killed, it all would be Frank's fault, another soul left on the pile.
“Donald, please don't do this. Just stay. You still have time. You don't know what's out there. We can work through this together if you just give us a chance,” Captain Roberts said, holding out his hands, begging Donald to come back, but it was clear Donald already had made up his mind.
“I'm sorry, Steven, but this isn't where I need to be. I need to be with my family.” With that, he took the final steps up to the door and opened it. Sunlight poured in, as did a rush of air, but so too did a looming shadow. Everyone gasped, for the tall masked man was standing in the doorway, and there was nowhere to run.
Chapter Nine
Quentin had been lurking outside the bunker for a while, trying to find a way in, but there was none. Seeing the bunker reminded him of his own time in the military; a fragment of a forgotten life. The people inside needed to be punished, just as the rest of the army needed to be punished. They were supposed to be his brotherhood, but in the end they had forsaken him. They were supposed to take care of him, but they had left him alone. He had given his life and his sanity to his country, and in return it had cast him aside and offered him no support. All his brothers had been claimed by a violent life, yet the country continued on. Still, people vowed to fight, sacrificing their lives, and for what? There was no greater purpose. There was only chaos. There was only Quentin.
After having searched for an entrance, and testing the strength of the door, he decided to wait. Eventually, someone would have to come out. Since he had no idea who was in the bunker he was not going to hammer on the door, in case he was outnumbered.
Distracted by a noise, he turned and heard the sounds of chatter. Walking away from the bunker, he saw two young girls sauntering through the woods, chattering away like two birds. How foolish they were to wander these woods alone. Their laughter was like fingernails on a chalkboard and it only served to enrage him. All these people, why were they happy when there was such misery in the world? Stalking after the girls, his long strides caught up with them quickly. Given how they were such easy prey Quentin didn't even bother trying to mask his pursuit. They soon realized he was behind them.
They screamed loudly and started running. Quentin increased his pace and grew so close that his fingertips brushed strands of hair. They were so frightened that they even promised him their bodies if he left them alone, which only angered him more. Everything was so cheap to these people. They tarnished Carol's memory.
Quentin winced when he thought of her.
These things were sacred, cherished. Why had Carol died when these girls had lived? It wasn't fair. Quentin had to right the wrongs.
But still they ran, and as they ran they drew him farther away from the bunker. They were surprisingly fast and agile, keeping up the chase for longer than Quentin would have thought. His pace slowed, and he looked behind him. What was more important? He could chase the girls, but the farther he ran from the bunker the more likely it was he would miss his opportunity to get inside. The people inside already had escaped him, almost unmasking him in the process. That, coupled with the fact that soldiers could be inside, drove him back to the bunker. The girls were fortunate on this occasion, but Quentin was sure they would meet their end soon.
He heard them voice their relief as he retreated and returned to the bunker, where he waited, sitting outside with his legs crossed. Time was just about the only thing he had left in abundance. So, there he waited, sure that a way in would be presented to him. This was his righteous cause, and nothing would sway him from it.
This isn't you. Carol said inside his head. Quentin flinched and shook his head, trying to ignore the voice. When he was in the middle of a hunt everything was quiet. His mind was focused. But now, with nothing to occupy his time, the voice was free to come back. He knew it was an impostor. Carol would understand what he was trying to do. She loved him. She always understood. She knew things nobody else knew, things that nobody else would ever know, so it had to be something else trying to get him to stop. He had to be strong. He couldn't stop. This was what he should be doing. This was his destiny.
No, you're better than this, the voice said. Quentin knew
he wasn't. Everything he'd been through in his life had left him scarred and tattered. The only thing that remained was the mask. Burying the voice deep down inside, he breathed deeply in and out, embracing the monster inside him. The righteous fury flowed through his body, ready to be unleashed.
Quentin had no idea how much time had passed. Time had no meaning for him any longer. He simply existed, and every moment that passed was just another moment that took him to where he needed to be.
Having fallen into a trance, Quentin felt at one with nature. Like a tree, he sank into the ground and felt the vibrancy of the woods. The warmth filled him up, the songs of birds lifted his spirits, and for a few blissful moments he could almost remember what it was like to be happy and content again.
Then the memories returned. All the blood and fire and ash swept through him, burning everything else away, suffocating the harmony.
Quentin heard shouting beyond the door. His eyes shot open and he rose to his feet. His mind was clear, pure. He knew his place in the world. Knew what he had to do, and nothing was going to keep him from his grand purpose.
Before the door finished opening Quentin was there, ready to seize his opportunity. The door opened to a dark cavern and there was a man standing there. A man who was almost the reflection of Quentin, wearing the same uniform Quentin used to wear. When he saw it, Quentin was filled with rage. All he could think about was the betrayal he felt when they all turned his back on him. All he had done was survive a trap, but everyone branded him a coward. All his friends had died, and nobody had offered him any comfort. The brotherhood was nothing but a clique and all its members needed to be killed. Without any hesitation Quentin grabbed the man's head and twisted his neck, feeling the bones snap. Without a sound, the soldier dropped to the floor.
But that's what soldiers did. It was a soldier's place to die. They fought for nothing. Quentin was going to show them that. The flag that was stitched into their uniforms didn't stand for liberty and justice. It stood for betrayal and mistrust. Quentin grabbed the man's gun and fired blindly into the passageway. He was met with screams, yells, and barks. Before he went in he threw the gun to the side. It was much more satisfying to kill with the weapons he had been given naturally. Guns were another product of the army. Never again would he use anything they had made.