Somewhere in the New Government District's Capital708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAi5O9hW9VL
Texas; Sector 26
(A few days after the Sector 23 Demolition Facility explosion...)
••• ~ ••• ~ ••• ~ ••• ~ •••
The Secretary of the National Security Guard (also known as the NSG) and Vice Councilman of the New Government Order met outside the Head Councilman President's office, looking nervous and jittery, like they had too much coffee that morning.
The president's secretary sat at her desk in front of them, filling out reports and filing NGO documents. She enjoyed her work but had always been wary of her boss. She found him to be a very creepy man—but she would never think to say that to his face lest she might lose her job, or worse.
When the Secretary of NSG and the Vice Councilman arrived, looking a bit nervous, the secretary assistant understood their pain completely and instantly felt sorry for them; facing the leader of the NGO regime was no easy tasks.
A knock sounded from the door behind her. She nodded to the two men. "The New Government President will see you now."
Nodding, they walked in through the huge dark oak doors labeled "NEW GOVERNMENT ORDER" in bold, golden letters.
They walked into the dark, cavernous room with the NGO seal on the carpet in front of them. Shelves of special NGO-approved books, along with maps of the world, were draped across one huge part of the wall off to the side. Across the room from the men stood a large dark oak desk at least three feet tall, making it look like a courtroom where the men felt like they were being judged. The big mahogany armchair behind the desk was turned around, facing the huge glass windows behind it, showing a clear blue sky that hung out over the far away ocean. There was a tv sitting on a corner of the huge wooden desk as well.
"Gentlemen... come in." said a deep voice from behind the tall-backed leather chair.
The Secretary of NSG and the Vice Councilman stepped forward warily onto the NGO's Military seal on the carpet.
With a single snap from behind the chair, huge blinds dropped down from atop the huge windows, draping the huge room in dim light.
When the huge leather armchair swiveled around to face them, there was nothing to see but shadows and inky blackness in the chair; the NGO president rarely ever showed his face.
The only light in the room came from what little light that managed to seep through the sides of the blinds, the miniature desk lamp on one side of the room, and from the small TV on the president's desk, which was turned to the news. It was showing footage of an exploding factory building.
The shadowy figure in the armchair finally spoke again, this time in a more conversational tone. "Secretary. Vice Councilman." he greeted the two men standing before him, and they bowed respectively in turn as he said their names. "I'm sure you've heard about our destroyed bomb manufacturing building." The NGO leader's dark figure gestured to the TV on the desk, where it now showed firefighters in black fireproof gear showering the smoldering building with high-powered water pumps to put out the raging flames.
The Councilman and the Secretary nodded, uncomfortable and uneasy to be in the presence of their formidable leader, who was infamous to execute his victims in many painful ways, which was why everyone was always cautious when around him.
"Did you bring the only surviving guard with you?" asked the President.
"He is right outside in the lobby waiting room. Do you need him now?" The Secretary of NSG asked, turning towards the large oak doors as if in motion to go and get the guard.
"No. You will send him in after you leave. Right now, we have important matters to discuss." replied the dark figure. "Do you have the list of all the employees and the guards? Any footage showing the people responsible for the destruction of that factory building?" he inquired.
The Secretary took the files he had under his arm and held it out. "The names are all right here, down to our custodial staff. We are still searching, going through the security footage of the demolitions factory and we came across something most unusual. I sent you the tape yesterday." The Secretary bravely walked up to the NGO Presidents desk to place the files on top, then walked back to his spot next to the Vice Councilman.
The NGO President sounded pleased. "Good. And yes, I did receive the tape. It was most unusual indeed. Good work." the leader said in a dismissive tone. "You are dismissed. Bring in the survivor on your way out, please."
Bowing, the Secretary and the Vice Councilman exited the dark room. They were both secretly quite eager to finally get out of there, away from the judging eyes of their merciless leader...
Back in his office, the dark figure in the armchair picked up the file given to him by the Secretary of the NSG and looked through it. When a big, muscular figure limped in, he stopped and laid the file back down on his desk.
"Come in, we have a lot to talk about.."
The bulky figure stepped the rest of the way in, closing the massive oak doors behind him. With heavy, awkward footsteps, the burly figure limped up to the middle of the room to the NGO seal. When he stopped, the light from the TV illuminated his torn up and bandaged face. He suffered a few minor burns on his face from the explosion and fire, along with a huge knot on his head where something had hit him. He looked very grumpy, but uneasy, since he was in the eerie presence of the ruthless leader of New America.
"Now, tell me exactly what happened to get that very nasty knot on your head.."
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[[ Just a nice little song by We the Kings in the MEDIA section, in case you haven't noticed it yet. ^^^^^708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxida9fqvKS
It goes pretty well with the theme of this whole story. Hope you like it! (: ]]
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708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqbtxOxcBz
~ ~ 🎶 ~ ~
I'm a soldier, till it's over
you and I fighting for the art of war
I'm a soldier up against the wall708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnaxj891Obe
...
Live and die fighting for the art of war708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kqS1BDHmE
I'm a soldier, I will never fall...708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedsLBwWXrl
I will never fall
~ ~ 🎶 ~ ~
708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVE2goj0Ju
708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBXu0aJ2QP
708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGHVnfFk5Q
What begins with a P, has a huge banquet in honor of a recent great victory, and where everyone's so jolly and merry?? A party, that's what!
Now, all that was missing was the salsa...
"'Where's the salsa party??'" I asked in a very bad impression of an eighty-year-old grandma.
Everyone continues to stare at me like I've sprouted two heads and a tail; in other words, they didn't get my reference.
Real sad.
"Alright, that's enough Mountain Dew for you! I am cutting you off." Rickie said, attempting to steal my green fizzy drink.
I slapped his hand away, frustrated. "Don't tell me you don't remember that old salsa commercial from way back when! There was an old lady at the end, looking for the salsa party, while holding a container in her hand. Remember?" I tried to explain, willing them to understand.
Jane scratched her head and Rickie just continued to give me his dumb, I-don't-get-it-because-I'm-too-lazy-to-figure-it-out look that was normally always on his face.
I threw my hands up in defeat. "Never mind, forget it," I grumbled, focusing on playing with the remnants of food on my makeshift plate.
"I think I know what you're talking about... It's been awhile since I've seen those old commercials." Ella piped up, trying to make me feel better.
But I didn't, so I just dropped the subject altogether. Idiots—I was surrounded by them!
We all sat at one of the many long tables we had set up in the middle of the mall, eating bread and chips. The only large supply of drinks we had was good 'ole fashioned H2O. Since my friends and I had led the bombing mission, we were given what little soda that was available to us.. All there was to find was just Mountain Dew and Dr. Pepper. Rickie had been chugging drink after drink of Dr. Pepper; he was obsessed with the stuff—though, that was a big understatement.
"You wanna know the best part of our whole mission?" Rickie said, bouncing in his seat with excitement as he beamed at us. "Beating the crap outta those dumb security guards. I bet you they're crying to their mommies right now!"
Bailee, who was sitting toward the end of the table, looked to Jackie, who sat next to me. "I still think the CIA should hire you, Jackie. You'd give them a run for their money."
Jackie blushed at the compliment. "No doubt!" Did I mention she was modest? Har-har...
"To be honest, I got most of my moves from old TV shows I used to watch." Rickie boasted through a mouthful of bread and chips.
"Don't tell me you watched Karate Kid... " Bailee rolled her eyes.
"Maybe," Rickie replied smartly, a 'slightly guilty' look on his face.
"More like I Love Lucy," Jackie interjected, grinning at her twin across the table.
"Hey now, that was a good show!" Rickie claimed defensively. " 'Lucy, I'm home!' " he quoted like the total dork he was.
Jackie smiled playfully, playing along. "'When are you getting a girlfriend, Ricky?' " Then she added, no longer quoting the movie. "Isn't it that girl with the tongue?" She winked at her twin.
Remembering the comment he'd made to that mean security guard back at the now-demolished bomb facility, about his girlfriend who was fond of his tongue, Rickie flashed a devilish grin at his twin. He quickly composed his face to be more serious and nonchalant, shrugging with mock guilt.
" 'As soon as Lucy comes home?' " This time, it was Jane—of all people—who finished the quote.
I face-palmed myself in utter embarrassment, groaning. I was friends with idiots and nerds! F.M.L. ...
"You guys, I Love Lucy hasn't been on in, like, years—eons, maybe. Not since the NGO took over." I told them. Now, the only TV we used was made and legalized by them, where they inserted their own programs that showed specific channels that the NGO approved of (which were brainwashing. I tried watching one and it made me feel queasy). There was no doubt that they kept track of every TV set purchased throughout New America. Many electronics from back before all Hell broke loose were now traceable by the NGO.
Eventually, at some point in our celebrations, Sal got up on a chair to make a toast, using his megaphone in order to be heard over the chatters of the celebration. "I'd like to congratulate Roxanne and her team on a job well done. They successfully demolished the NGO's demolition factory. May that will show the NGO leader we're a force to be reckoned with."
The whole mall erupted into cheers for me and my team. Jackie next to me blushed fiercely, while her twin Rickie just stuffed more food into his mouth. I saw Jane practically fall out of her chair in amazement at all the applause we were getting, almost as red as Jackie.
Once the crowd's cheering died down, Sal went on, raising his cup full of water. "To justice, and to the Rebelz!"
With our glasses raised as well, we repeated it back, then took a sip. Immediately, the crowd erupted into excited chatter once again.
After his toast, Sal came up next to Blake and bent over to speak with him for a little bit, standing between him and I. I listened in to their conversation, curious.
"Blake, I've been thinking up ways to help protect and defend ourselves more against the NGO, so I was wondering if you would teach everyone else to defend themselves like you taught Roxy and the gang. It would help tremendously more if everyone knew how to fight back as well, and it would help further increase our chances of survival."
Blake nodded in absolute agreement. "Yes, of course. I'd be more than glad to help."
Sal rested a hand on Blake's left shoulder. "Thank you," he told him reverently. "I greatly appreciate your help. I'm so glad to have you with us." Then he turned to me, eyes twinkling. "Would you help him, Roxy? You're a good fighter as well."
I tried to ignore the uncomfortable way his compliment made me feel. "Yeah, sure." I agreed. Everyone needed all the fighting tips they could get.
Sal's face brightened with humble gratitude. "Great. Thank you so much, you two. This means a lot... Starting tomorrow, I want you two to help out the younger kids and teach them the basics; how to defend themselves, what to do if we were to be invaded, etcetera... That would be great."
"That's no problem," Blake promised.
When Sal left, my friends—who had been eavesdropping on our conversation—spoke up.
"How come you two get to do it? What if I wanted to help!" Bailee wondered, a bit jealous.
"Hey, technically it's Jackie who should be the one to help out of all of us; after all, she is secretly a CIA agent..." Ella pointed out, laughing. Jackie flashed a very modest grin.
"Well, she's not as good as I am." I joked proudly.
Rickie coughed, attempting to hide his laughter.
I gave him a mock version of my trademark Death Look. "Oh, shut up.."
Our table erupted into amused laughter. Rickie smirked.
Jane wasn't his only victim; Rickie liked to pick on every single one of us in our group of friends every once in awhile.
Just then, Jax walked up to our table, interrupting Rickie's torture session. Jackie turned beet red when she saw him there, practically sinking lower into her chair and focused on finishing the food on her plate, trying hard to be invisible. I couldn't stop the smirk that spread across my face at her embarrassment.
Jax, along with the rest of us that had gone on our bombing mission, had cleaned up as well. His unruly dark hair looked shiny and glossy now that he'd cleaned up. He was wearing his usual "cool" dark clothing, looking as cool and detached as ever as his crazy bright eyes turned to Rickie. "Hey, Rick. If you're done harassing everyone on the planet, could you possibly help me reboot that Old World computer in the Tech Room downstairs? I found some spare parts that need to be hooked up. Since you're a whiz at electronics and computers as I am, I figured you'd love this project. I need more hands on deck with this one."
Rickie perked up at the mention of the words "computers" and "electronics" and readily agreed to help Jax in his endeavors. "Totally, man. I'm in!"
Rick was a total computer nerd; he knew everything about them and loved to tinker with them. He also had a knack for a lot of other electronics as well, and he and Jax both shared an interest in repairing and messing with spare parts and creating all sorts of technological things. Like I said before: nerds!
Jax nodded, looking pleased. "Good. Let's get started on it immediately."
Instantly, and with no hesitation, Rickie got to his feet. He nudged Jane with his hand. "Hey, throw my plate away for me? Thanks!" Without waiting for a response, Rickie left, following Jax out of the lobby, leaving Jane sputtering madly after him, glaring.
"Like I'm going to take care of your trash..." She growled.
"Just leave it. Or I could take care of it," Jackie offered. "We can give him all sorts of crap for it later." She smiled and gave Jane a conspiratorial wink.
Jane returned her wink with a grin. "Good plan. I am not his servant, nor will I ever be!"
"You tell 'em, girl!" Jackie praised, high-fiving each other. I'd hate to be on the receiving end of those two...
"Someone needs to teach that boy a lesson. I'm helping, too!" Bailee said adamantly.
"Me, three!" Ella agreed with a raise of her hand.
After we were all finished, we departed and threw our trash away, our bellies full for once. Ella decided to go and take a short nap, and Jane followed suit since those two shared a room—which was disaster central.
Bailee had guard duty at the mall entrance, leaving Jackie, Blake, and I to our own devices. We decided to all chill in our respective quarters on the top floor of the old Macy's department store, undecided on what we were going to do with our time. On the way there, Blake and I discussed what we were going to teach the younger kids. We'd definitely teach them about safety and all that; where to hide if our hideout were to be invaded by NGO soldiers or other local street gangs that wanted this place to themselves, what to do if you were lost with no adult around, and then we'd teach them how they could defend themselves. They were only little kids, after all...
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