First Activation

“What happened to the sweet young girl you used to be?” Ron chuckled.

“Stalling for time isn’t going to work, Ron. We can do this the nice way, or the nasty way. You know why we’re here,” Jack replied.

Ron nodded.

“Calm down, boys. The second activation is designed to round up survivors for processing. Genesis Alliance is going to rebuild a better society than you could ever imagine.”

“Do you expect us to believe that after what we’ve seen?” I answered.

“The devices are multi-purpose,” he continued. “They will eventually be used as a sophisticated communication and control network throughout North America. The next activation will lead all survivors to a prison in Michigan. From there, we will process everyone, allocate jobs, titles, and resources, in order to build again.”

“How do you seriously expect to deal with thousands of people all turning up at once? You’re lying,” Jack said.

“That’s a great question. What is your name, by the way?”

“I’m Jack, and that’s Harry.”

“Well, Jack, one of the reasons for the cluster deployment of the North American devices was so that we could handle this part in a phased approach. Activating in different areas at different times avoids the very issue you raise. There’s also geographical distance to factor. Don’t think we haven’t considered every angle.”

“And if it takes more than three days to get to the prison?” I asked.

“My, my, Harry, you have been paying attention. Very good! The effects don’t subside from the next activation. They have to be locally neutralised, we’ll do that once the person is safely under lock and key, and ready to listen to reason.”

“Why would anyone do what you say? You’ve probably killed all of their family and friends,” Jack snapped.

“What choice do they have? I can offer survival and things they have probably never even dreamed of owning — an expensive car, a nice boat, whatever they want. All I expect in return is that they play a part in forming a comfortable new world for us all to live in.”

“And if they say no?”

“Then they will form part of the manual labour force. I have taken into consideration that some people will not be open minded enough to accept reality. They will be de-neutralised.” Ron sighed.

“De-fucking-neutralised? You’re completely mad. I don’t know why I never saw it before,” Lea said.

His friendly expression never wavered, “Careful, Lea, we don’t want Martina thinking you’re a nasty bitch.”

“Where is she? What have you done to her?” she shouted.

Ron looked up at the ceiling, still smiling, I thought telling him about Anthony might wipe the chirpy look off his face, but it was a potentially dangerous move.

”Bravo eight, there’s some trash to take out,” he barked.

Two large, armed men walked into the room and aimed their rifles at us.

Ron pointed in my direction.

“You’ve broken a house rule, Harry. I said no weapons, hand it over.”

He was staring at the hunting knife, hanging from my belt. I paused, reluctant to give away one of our last chances of freedom.

“Just do it, Harry. Do you really think you can get out of here with just a knife?”

A guard stepped forward and cocked his rifle. I didn’t want to put Jack or Lea at risk by trying anything heroically stupid, as the odds were firmly against us. I pulled the knife out slowly, holding it by its blade towards the man. He walked over and snatched it out of my hand.

“There, that’s better,” Ron said, he pointed at Lea, “Handcuff the slut.”

“No, you can’t do this,” she screamed.

As she tried to escape towards the back entrance of the room, one of the men grabbed Lea by the hair and pulled her back towards the couch.

“Stop them, please. Jack! Harry! Stop them!” Lea cried, looking at Jack, and then me.

Ron moved towards our recliners.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. No harm is going to come to her.”

He then gestured the two men to leave.

“She’s okay here for now; wait outside until I call for you.”

Jack looked at me, I didn’t know what to do and it seemed he didn’t either. I was sitting forwards in my chair, but felt completely helpless as Lea was being restrained. One of the guards threw her back onto the couch and they both left the room through the front entrance.

The only way any of us were getting out of this was to hear Ron out. But if he tried a similar thing to us, that’s when I would make my last stand. Jack must have been thinking along the same lines, because he didn’t move either.

“Do you think you’re going to cuff us too?” Jack asked.

Ron shook his head.

“No, not unless you make me!” He then sat back down on the couch and said, “You’re not Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, so listen to me.”

“It doesn’t seem like we’ve much of an option,” I replied.

“I suppose that’s true, but I do have options for you… if you want to hear them?”

“Don’t listen,” shouted Lea.

He patted Lea on the shoulder.

“One more word, missy, and you won’t be seeing my lovely niece again.”