Floor 21- Dark Angel

by Jason Luthor

  Martin interrupts me. “I’m not even sure he’s the one we should be worried about, Mr. President. With all due respect, he seems to be calling very few of the shots. He’s delegated all that down to the councils, which was a bad move in my opinion. I understand he thought you’d be able to strike a balance, but the War Council is using this as an opportunity to bulk up its forces while the Advisory Council lines its pockets.” His eyes go to Tan. “Present company excluded, of course.”

  Tan smiles. “Of course.”

  “If I were going to pin a lot of this, I’d put it on Dravic. Of course, that might be intentional. He might just be soaking up some of the blame to make Yousef’s hands look clean.”

  I lean back in my chair and heave out a breath that feels like it’s been trapped in my chest for too long. “What’s the situation with the militia, colonel? How are they responding to the merger with the soldiers from Fort Silence? Are we losing them?”

  Martin laughs. “You must be joking. They appreciate the additional hardware when they’re out on patrols in the Deadlands, but frankly speaking sir, they hate the way the fort manages its personnel. It’s an example of completely different cultures clashing with each other. In the first place, Fort Silence has a culture of fear that’s hard to describe. The majority of the men and women from there seem scared to defy General Yousef in almost any way. At least our people know they can talk about the problems they have with their superiors.”

  “You seem to have more to say about the issue.”

  “I think it should be obvious what I have to say.” He motions to Michael. “Representative Tan here eluded to it. That incident at the medical depot would have never happened if it had been militia members out there. Maybe we don’t have the most sophisticated force in the Deadlands, but our boys and girls were raised here in the city. They know their neighbors and who they’re fighting for. Hell, that girl, Cynthia? She’s patched up half of our people since she got here and fed the other half through her work at the food center. You think our militia would have ever done to her what a bunch of strangers with rifles from Fort Silence did?”

  I nod at him. “That’s a good point, colonel. In the end, I suppose we can rely on the militia staying loyal to Central, even if the War Council doesn’t.”

  “You ever decide to give the order, our people will pick up their rifles and take it to the soldiers around town.”

  “I believe it, but I also don’t want it to come to that.” I look over at Patel. “I appreciate Colonel Martin’s perspective, but he’s still a highly placed officer. What are things looking like closer to the ground?”

  Patel pats the table with his fingers a few times as his eyes drift to the corner, like he’s looking for something. “The colonel’s right. The militia’s loyal to Central, not Fort Silence, and most of them will fight for their homes and against the War Council if they think that Yousef’s trying to take the city. Things would be a little more confusing if it looked like the Advisory Council was still in control. Most of the guys still think the Advisory Council’s on their side.”

  “I see. Makes sense, since their representatives are voted in.”

  “There’s something else. There’s also been talk. Nothing serious, but the militia’s been talking here and there about what they’d have to do if they had to fight soldiers from Fort Silence. There’s basically already talk about fighting back.”

  “Well, that would be a disaster. Our militia against the military hardware of Fort Silence in an unplanned, uncoordinated attack? We’d lose all of Central. As it stands, Yousef’s got tanks, armored transports, everything imaginable that would give him a hardware advantage. With that said, every residential building in the city has its own storage of weapons lockers. They might not be flashy, but in a pinch, if fighting were to break out? We know these streets. Yousef doesn’t. A few hundred thousand men and women, all fighting for their lives? Even the general knows that we have the numbers advantage. He’s said so himself. I think we’d put up one hell of a fight before we went down. Yousef would have to level the city to get rid of all of us.”

  I pause and wave my hand. “Which is all too premature for us to even discuss. We’re imagining a worst case scenario where Yousef is completely unreasonable. He hasn’t shown himself to be that, at least not yet. So, for now, let’s hope that we can find a diplomatic solution. With that said, I want plans to be in place to keep all of our buildings in contact with one another in a way that Yousef can’t monitor. Find building leaders, people who can rally their buildings in an emergency, that way we can coordinate our efforts if we have to fight back. Make sure everyone knows to be in contact using radio. I’m talking real, old school radio, not the signals we send through Pocket Space. Once we have plans in place, we can distribute them to our building and block leaders. Quietly.”

  Martins nods. “Understood, sir. I should mention, we do have a real military problem brewing out in the Deadlands.”

  “Well, that’s exactly what we need,” I say as I lean back. “I suppose the only real guess to make is that it’s raiders.”

  “They’ve been mostly quiet since the arrival of the Dark Angel and our partnership with Fort Silence, but they’re definitely planning something. I hate to admit it, but with the help of the fort, we’ve been able to track the source of their activities to a location not far from our Second Freedom colony. It’s only about 70 miles south, in a part of the city that sits against a river. Inside the War Council, they’ve taken to calling it Zone Delaware, after the river.”

  “Zone Delaware. Nothing too intimidating about that.”

  “Except for the fact that it’s twelve square miles of raider controlled territory.”

  “That’s half the size of the island.” I shake my head. “We have any estimates on how many people they’ve got?”

  “No, but if Erin Donoghue’s bragging during his time working with us is any indication, then they have at least as many men and women to go toe to toe with Central.”

  “So, we’re talking about hundreds of thousands of raiders.”

  “That doesn’t mean they’re all mission ready, sir. There could be plenty of women and children in those numbers.”

  “Still, it’s a scary thought.” I look over at Tommy. “You’ve been pretty quiet. I’m almost afraid to ask you about—”

  “About the Dark Angel?”

  I sigh. “About Jackie.”

  He rubs at his forehead. “I don’t know. If you tell her to get into it with the raiders, she will. She still hasn’t shared much about what happened while she was in the Deadlands, but I get the impression that she holds a grudge against them.”

  “And after we put a stop to them? If things broke out between Central and Fort Silence.”

  “I couldn’t tell you at this point. We all know her and Yousef got into it on the roof yesterday.”

  Tan nods. “I’d say they did more than just get into it.”

  “Sure, they blew part of the roof off. She still hasn’t changed positions about staying allied with Fort Silence though. At least, not as far as I know.”

  I tap at the table. “That’s a problem. It might be a long shot, but I could see us managing to push Yousef and his troops off the island with the right kind of coordination and strategy. But, and I hate to say this . . .” I’m forced to take a deep breath as I even consider saying my next words. “But what if Jackie came down on their side? Fought, for Fort Silence?”

  There’s a long quiet at the table when I mention it. Nobody seems to have any answers to that question. Finally, I just nod. “Serious questions we’ll have to discuss in the coming days. Colonel Martin, Representative Tan, Sergeant Patel, thank you all for coming. If you don’t mind, I have something I need to talk to about in private with Captain Jones here.”

  The two of them nod and say their goodbyes as they walk out of the office. Before I’ve even had a chance to say anything, Tommy looks at me. “Sir, I’ll talk to Jackie about—”

  �
�No, Tommy,” I say as I stretch my hand out to pause him. “That’s not what this is about.”

  “Then what, sir?”

  “I told Dodger I wouldn’t talk to you about this, but it’s something I feel like I need to do. Tommy, do you know how bad that girl wants to go back home?”

  Tommy looks at me like he’s been caught with his pants down in the middle of a council meeting. “Uh, she’s mentioned it before, but . . .” He shakes his head. “I guess with everything that’s been going on the last few months, since Jackie got here and everything with Fort Silence, I haven’t really thought about it.”

  “You should. Think about it, I mean, and talk to her about it. Now, I’m not going to tell you how to run your life—”

  “No, please, sir. I’d love to hear what you have to say.”

  Memories of Dodger telling me that Tommy looks at me like a father figure force a sigh out of me. “Tommy, Dodger’s stuck by with you through more than even I know about. She obviously loves you, and nothing replaces the love of a good woman. I wish I could wave my hands and order a hundred militia members to go with you back to the Tower, to help you retake the upper floors from whomever is running things up there. You know how things are now, though. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bring it up with her. She’s been carrying that weight with her for a while now. Honestly, she probably thinks she’s the only one who thinks about going back. You can’t let her bear that sort of burden alone.”

  “I didn’t . . .” His eyes go to the table. “I didn’t mean to. She’s always so good about being there for me, and I’ve been caught up with everything happening in Central . . . I mean, she hasn’t brought it up in a while. But I shouldn’t have forgotten about it.”

  “No, you shouldn’t have, because if there’s anyone in this world she should be able to depend on, it’s you.”

  “You’re right. She’s been there every time I’ve complained about Yousef, or Jackie . . .” He shakes his head, and I can see just the slightest shimmer in his eyes. “Or even complained about my dad. She’s listened to me complain about it all, and I haven’t ever bothered following up with her about her wanting to go home.”

  “And she probably hasn’t brought it up because she knows the stress you’re under. But you’ve got a responsibility to her. Tommy, I don’t know how everything between Fort Silence and Central Freedom is going to shake out. What I know is, if it all went to hell tomorrow, if everything came apart and we only had one day left with each other, I wouldn’t want anything coming between me and the person I loved. I would want to know, when everything was over, that I was on the best of terms with the people I cared about.”

  He takes a deep breath and leans forward, resting his chin on his folded hands while he stares at the ceiling. “Damn it. I’m an idiot.”

  “You’re a man. We tend to drop the ball on things like this from time to time. But things aren’t ending tomorrow, Tommy,” I say as I reach over and squeeze his shoulder. “So, get out of here. Go take care of your life for once instead of always worrying about Central. You can’t take care of a city if you can’t take care of your home, first.”

  “Thanks, sir.” He hesitates for a second. “Gabriel. I’m going to go.”

  “Me too. You’ve got Dodger to talk to. That’s hell of a lot better than the person I have to talk with. Yousef Suliman. Father O’Connor’s going to be pretty upset that I wasn’t able to put in time at the food depot today like I said I would. And for what? A talk with the person I trust least in the world.”

  Excerpt from “On Purity,” by Yousef Suliman 03

  So then, what is the purity? The purity is more than an issue of blood and genetics. Yes, humankind must be preserved free of the Creep’s infection. However, its culture and institutions must also be kept pure. Past societies collapsed under their own weight as decadence and debauchery became normal. They fell apart as people lost sight of the importance of discipline and dedication to the security of the state.

  In the ideal society, every man and woman would serve in the military, learning what it mean to commit their lives to a cause greater than themselves. They would learn the value of putting aside their own personal desires in favor of what’s best for those around them. They would learn the value of restraint. A good work ethic, not indulging too much, dressing modestly. In an ideal society, we would have one set of customs that set our culture apart.

  What happens when a society is too diverse? It fractures and falls apart. Neighbors argue with neighbors. People cannot agree on what’s worth fighting for. Endless debates break out as people argue what is ‘right’ and what is ‘wrong.’ If a society cannot even agree on what is right and what is wrong, then what hope can it have to survive? How can it be so unclear that those who are excessive, those who lack restraint, those who have bizarre habits and ways of behaving are in the wrong? And what should a society do about those people?

  The answer is obvious. A strong order needs to be put into place that ensures safety and order for the future. Within that order, we can all enjoy a common way of living, leaving behind outdated traditions and customs that only divided us in the past. We can truly become one single people, with a stronger hope of surviving the harsh world we’re surrounded by because of the fact that we are unified. The purity, then, is a purity of blood and culture. Anyone that cannot accept the purity has no place in a civilized society, a society that can only be achieved by purging itself of dissenting voices that only threaten the future of mankind.

  Mike’s Recording 17

  I smile as I sit at the table in the one suit I own, Cynthia pressing a cold bag to my face. “The swelling’s going down, right?”

  “Not at all,” she jokes. “Kidding. I’m kidding. It’s gotten so much better that almost nobody stared at you during service today.”

  That makes me laugh. “Pretty sure I saw Father O’Connor staring at me even though I was sitting at the back of the cathedral.”

  Mandy nods. “He was. He saw you the second you tried to sneak into the back pew. I was going to go tell him something afterward, but I didn’t think Cynthia would like that.”

  Cynthia pops her sister across the arm. Not hard. “Amanda Silvera, you shouldn’t even be thinking of doing those kinds of things.”

  “I’m headstrong.”

  “Yes, you are. But who told you that?”

  “Mike said you’re headstrong, and he said I’m like you.”

  Cynthia looks at me. “You called me what now?”

  I laugh, even if it makes my jaw hurt. “I was just telling Mandy that only you would rush a crowd of soldiers without a weapon and think you’d win.”

  “Well, I have a boyfriend who decided to do the same thing.”

  “Never said I wasn’t headstrong too.” My fingers play with the cross Cynthia gave me a few weeks before, feeling the cold metal pressing into my skin. “Hey. Don’t want to make things uncomfortable or anything, but . . .”

  She puts a hand to my mouth. “Then don’t. It’s been a rough week.”

  “I know. I know. Just saying, I was thinking, making we could . . .” I shake my head. “Maybe we could head out to the colonies for a while. Think of it like a vacation. Least until things calm down around here.”

  When the words come out of my mouth, I feel Cynthia pull the cold pack away from my head as she takes a seat next to me. She looks over to her sister. “Mandy, could you let me and Mikey talk for a while?”

  “No.” Mandy says. “That’s not fair.”

  “What’s not fair?”

  She looks away, staring at the floor. “You don’t have to try and protect me from everything, Cindy.”

  Cynthia takes a deep breath and looks over at her sister. “What’s wrong, Mandy?”

  “You always act like I don’t know what’s going on. I do though. I know things are bad in the city. I see the soldiers. I was there when they hit Mikey.” She looks up. “It’s not like I liked it when that one soldier just yanked my by the arm.”
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  “Did he hurt you?”

  “No, but would you like it if somebody was so much stronger than you that they could just pull you off the ground? And it’s not like I liked seeing what they did to you.” She looks over at me. “Or you, Mikey.”

  I can see Cynthia rubbing at her head and trying to figure out what to say. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize how . . . how aware you were of everything happening.”

  “It’s okay. I know why you do it. You love me.” She smiles at her. “I love you too. It’s just that this is my home now, and I’d like it if could at least say something if we’re going to decide on leaving. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”

  “You’re absolutely right.” She looks back at me. “Okay, Mikey. It’s all three of us, then. We’ll have a . . . family discussion?”

  I smile at her and squeeze her hand. “Yeah. Family discussion.”

  “Then, what were you thinking?”

  “Just that we get out of Central for a while. You guys can go ahead to Second Freedom, and I’ll follow just as soon as my reassignment goes through. Then maybe we plan to head out a little further.”

  “I don’t want to leave without you.” She looks over at Mandy. “What do you think?”

  “No way,” she says back. “We’re not leaving you behind, Mikey.”

  My fingers squeeze on Cynthia’s hand a little more. “That’s not what’s going on. Just takes a little while longer to get reassigned. Not like I can just pick up and go. Actually, it’s kind of a military crime to just do that without telling anyone. Me though, I’m part of the militia. I can get out of Central the second I get my approval, and I know Colonel Martin can put a rush on that. You two though? Not so easy. With all the raider sightings, they’re really cracking down on who can come and go off the island. Eventually, they might just close travel out of Central. Guys, I really . . .” Can’t help sucking hard at the air while I try to find the words. “Anything happens to you two, I don’t think I can rebuild. Not again. Did that after the Tower, thanks to you guys. Just, it’d be easier for me, peace of mind and all, if I knew you were safe. Not sure I think that’s in Central anymore. I’d be able to get back with you two in . . . let’s say a few weeks, tops. No lie.”