Chapter 22: The Understanding ones

Benton

I waited out the front of the shipping yard, worrying anticipating the pickup John, it had been days since he went missing and I had been rattling my brain on what had happened to him and now I knew, he had been captured, I have no idea why he was being released but I felt an uneasy feeling as if it were a trap, I waited however, alone. Just as he demanded, I had back up forces surrounding the building just in case things went pair shaped. The door to the building rumbled open, and four men walked out with John, they all had him at gunpoint but the thing that shocked me was how clearly armed he was, he had a high-powered sniper rifle and a low-profile SMG, along with a sidearm. Once they made it too me, they lowered their weapons “Here is your man, better than we found him, stay clear of us, understand?” I nodded, they guards then swiftly left. “What the fuck happened to you?” I asked intrigued “New plan, and I’m not going to lie to you, you’re probably going to fucking hate it.” I stood confused “What did you do?” I asked suspiciously “We have to team up with the commander…”

Jade

I had gone home after meeting the leader of the other half of the world, at this point it was all too much for me, I joined battle school with the expectation of growing in maturity and that when it was all said and done I would be ready to join part of the military, but I was the first to admit that I was too young in order to deal with all of this, it was all too intense, so I went home and stayed home, going back to school and living with life there. Benton and Daniel had been keeping in contact informing me that everyone from battle school was for the most part well and good, except for John, apparently, he had been injured many times and went missing. I couldn’t help but be worried, me and John were relatively close despite how little we saw each other after everything went crazy. But despite the circumstances I continued on, the day had just started, and I was in more standard normal class… Math, it was some of the most tedious and repetitive garbage I have ever done since my return, and I kind of forgot just how much it sucked, It was lessons like these that really made me miss battle school and just how new and interesting every new task was. The people were just a simple, there was no bravery or maturity among them, they were all childish idiots, oblivious to what was happening to some people around the world, I had to remain nice however, if I showed my actual opinions people would become resentful and it would make getting through this all the harder.

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After the day was said and done, I was home, I was beat, completely out of energy, I hit my bed after dropping my bag to the floor, I couldn’t even be bothered to remove my shoes. Just as I was about to nod off for my nap my phone buzzed, under normal circumstances I would ignore it considering I was unable to connect my brain to my hand in order to grab it, but I figured I might as well get it out of the way before passing out. It was an email from Benton that read ‘make your way to the city, have news for you.’ I scrunched my face in confusion, what kind of surprise would Benton have for me after all this time? I obliged however, considering the city was only a 30-minute train ride, and I had about 2 hours before dark I would have just enough time for my parents not to get mad at me. Part of me really couldn’t give a damn to go but I figured it was important if he wanted to meet.

I met Benton at the base of one of the skyscrapers in the city he came out looking worn down and battered, after so much fighting his personal morale and physical condition must have been at an all time low. “You look wrecked.” I stated with a smile “You don’t say, things have been hectic since you have been gone, too hectic. There are a lot of things that I need to catch you up on but for now I ask you, how have you been?” I couldn’t help but smile “I have been busy back at school dealing with dumb people shit.” Benton chuckled “bit like that isn’t it?” we then paused awkwardly “What did you need to tell me?” Benton sighed a deep breath it wasn’t one that I liked the sound of. “Well for one, John is alive and we picked him up yesterday, he is currently being medically evaluated. Another piece of big news is that Daniel is dead.” it took me a moment to process it, “Dead?” Benton began to tear “He died holding a flank during a raid, him and John were together, John passed out due to blood loss and during the gunfight Daniel must have been tagged in the head.” For a moment I didn’t believe it, first Emily now Daniel, who would be next if things kept going. “It’s been hard for all of us, John has been in and out of Hospital not only due to his physical wounds but due to lapses in sanity that he has been experiencing, Doctors say he is experiencing moderate PTSD.” This news was a lot to take in, having two of my closest friends die, then having once rendered part insane seemed extreme “So who out of our close friends are left?” Benton didn’t take long to come up with the result “Myself, you, Jack and John, there is more news to deliver too. Were going to war with our own upper government, John learnt some things whilst he was captured, he plans on taking out the high rankings of our government, replacing them with more civilized individuals then he plans on destroying the commander and all of his high ranking staff.” Today was not the day, after all of what had happened, now there was a risk of a world war with John at the centre. If it all went to shit John if he didn’t die would be painted a global terrorist “That sounds like a stupid idea!” I stated, Benton said nothing, he just opted for nodding instead.