It wasn't supposed to be like this.
"Hang on!" Anjanette Agayari shouted before she turned the police mobile to hard left and into the narrow side alley somewhere in manila. The mobile's side mirror flew into the canals as the car skidded to one side and spark of metal on metal flew everywhere.
She cursed but didn't lose focus as she wrestled the car for control. Sweat and blood poured down her beautiful face and she wiped the sleeves of her uniform to clear it.
Just last night, she promised herself that she will keep the crispiness of her brand new police uniform at least on her first day in the job. All her plans, of course, went down the drain when World War 3 started that morning.
The pickup truck following them stopped at the entrance of the alleyway, surprised by the young cop's maneuver and is unable to follow. She smiled coldly as she watched in the back mirror when the driver of the truck smashed both his hands into the stirring wheel of the truck.
Her smile was premature though as the guy's companion climbed down from the back of the truck and started firing with an assault rifle at the fleeing police mobile.
The back window of the mobile exploded inward and showered the occupants with shards of glass. Isabel, her sister, and her niece Lulu screamed in terror as they buried themselves deeper in the backseat of the car interior. Isabel's husband, Nestor Porre, who is normally this self-confident lawyer working for a premier law firm, has nothing but panic in his face, but still he fired back at his attackers with Anji's government issued 9 mm.
Anji's dad, who is riding shotgun right next to her, actually have a real shotgun and is leaning outside and also firing back.
Anji hit a trashcan and brown milky liquid temporarily covered her front window. She cursed and used the rain wipers to clean it out of the way. The moment her vision cleared she step on the gas and the mobile drove faster amidst the flying bullets all around her.
They burst out of the alley and Anji turned left. It took her a moment to control back the vehicle before she turned to her family. "Are you guys alright?" She asked.
"I'm fine," Her dad Alfonso said grimly. The giant man used to be a union boss for one of the biggest steel manufacturer in the country but now ended up as the city's vice mayor. Behind his gruff and bulldog personality hides a sharp mind and a laser focus will that her youngest daughter inherited.
"Nestor!" screamed Isabel. "You're bleeding!"
Turning white, Nestor held on to his neck as thick blood sips out of his fingers. Alfonso reached back and pried Nestor's hand out of the way. He shined his small flashlight into the wound then without hesitation ripped the sleeve of his shirt and gave it to his son in law. "Hold this tight over your neck and keep the pressure. You got nick but nothing serious. the main problem is that you might bleed to death if you don't cover it. We'll find a pharmacy somewhere and we will stitch you up right proper."
"We need to bring him to a hospital!" Insisted Isabel. Her daughter desperately stayed quiet next to her. Anji knew that she was trying not to be in the way of the grown-ups despite wanting to know what is happening and longing to be comforted herself.
While her dad calmly explained to her oldest daughter that the hospital will be a madhouse right about now, Anji silently reached back and squeeze her favorite niece's shoulder, silently assuring her. Their eyes met in the car mirror and Anji wanted to tell her that everything will be alright. This calmed the little girl somewhat and she weakly smiled back to her aunt gratefully.
"I know a nearby pharmacy!" Anji said loudly that cut the brewing argument that was about to happen when her sister insisted that they go to a hospital or a clinic.
"I'm getting cold..." said Nestor.
"Daddy, do something!" Screeched Isabel.
"Are we all gonna die?"
The little girl's question made everyone quiet for a moment as all the adults watched her.
Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
The escalation of violence around the world was so fast that no pundits or other so-called experts are able to predict what happened. Years of "America first" policy made sure that white Americans became the priority in everything: jobs, bank loans, real estate and other major aspects of the US economy regardless of compatibility or competitiveness. It wouldn't be that bad except for the fact that the white laborer are protected by union protectionism back by an army of lawyers and as a result labor cost skyrocketed while the product and service quality offered drastically went down the drain. Despite remaining a military superpower, North America lost its economic edge.
All this are happening while the rest of the world also retreated into an ethnic protectionism and the world became a den of jackals. Japanese, Koreans, Chinese and Indians created their own communities. The latinos and southeast Asian followed, then the Muslims in the middle east, then the eastern Europeans and then finally Western Europe closed its doors to everyone else.
Real problems occur when the negotiation of the expansion of the Panama canal failed. Latino Americans, with years of perceived persecution, both true and false, demanded economic packages that America simply is not able to give anymore. Attempts to relocate and find other suitable places also ended in failure. this was highly significant because all cargo ship at this time could not squeeze themselves in the canal and are forced to voyage south and add 10 to 12 days in their journey. This fact alone started creating major shortage from everyday goods to essential items like oil, magnesium, tungsten, and other raw materials.
Eventually, the US high command decided to invade Panama. It took them only 3 days to occupy the country and work in the expansion of the canal began immediately. But as the years went by, more and more latino sabotage and local attacks became even more bloody. US attempt to create a UN security forced coalition failed, even Britain and Israel did not side with the Americans. After four years of enduring ambush, suicide bombs, roadside bombs, and hatred of an entire continent, The US decided to quit Panama after losing almost a hundred thousand men and women and the canal unfinished.
It was at this time that after completing the chain of armed artificial islands, China decided to close the southeast Asia passage and demanded a toll for everyone who wished to enter what they claim to be sovereign waters. China believed that the modest toll will not make much of a reaction to the rest of the world but they were mistaken. The world panic. With the help of hoarders and speculators, stock market plummets. prices of everything became catastrophically high, and companies closed by the thousands.
The US, who is hit hard by this development, sent a powerful carrier group to force the Chinese to reopen the sea. The Chinese sent their own battlegroup. Taiwan reiterated their independence and Korean and Japanese Navy went to high alert.
Fighters jocks, egg on by prideful admirals, begun to do series of dangerous provocation on each other's fleet by buzzing the other's main ships with low-level flybys. Even until now, No one really knows what happened but the sinking of the USS Donald Trump Carrier is still the hottest news since 9-11.
Three days ago, 4 carrier group in Southeast Asia along with bases in japan and South Korea, launched a massive air sortie that targeted all 12 of the new Chinese artificial island plus coastal installation. Chinese media reported that death toll was in the tens of thousands.
Hours ago, the Chinese retaliated with the most massive cruise missile attack in history, targeting the 2 American carrier groups, Airbases and other military installation in japan, Korea, and Guam, plus limited targets in the Philippines and even Vietnam, who is repairing several US ships in the area.
Almost 400 Chinese cruise missile were allocated to hit the Philippines and almost 50 of them, whether by accident or by design, hit the heart of the capital and Manila reacted badly. Like a spark hitting a gunpowder, looting and riots and general mayhem occurred everywhere and the police force, wherein Anjanette is a part of, was simply overwhelmed. Many of his fellow officers begun to desert their post to go to their families. Criminal elements who always have access to guns now became bold and started walking down the streets looking for trouble.
Anjanette was part of the riot police force blocking a main highway when her dad and her sister with the rest of her family, stop in front of her. They were accompanied by another SUV with 4 bodyguards. "Anji! Let's go!"
"Dad?" Anji asked incredulously, she still has her protective visor on. "What the hell are you doing here?"
Her dad looked at her as if she asked if he has a second nose on his forehead. "Are you not listening to the news?! We don't have a government anymore! The secretary of Agriculture shot and killed the president on live TV! The vice president is nowhere to be seen and we don't have a congress. Everyone ran away. We will be going to my bunker until everything settles down. Let's go!"
Anji hesitated. She wanted to go with her family but she didn't want to run away from her duties as well. This is her first day in the job for crying out loud. A hand touched her shoulder and when she turn around she realized that it was her sergeant. Seargent Herra is a tough 40-year-old policewoman who is been in the police force for the last 15 years. This is the first time the sergeant had ever watch her with soft tender eyes. "It's alright, Anji. Go with your family. Almost 2/3 of my people already left anyway. After you go, I will address the rest and disband the blockade force and tell everyone to go their loved ones. There is nothing we can do here anymore."
And so Anji went with her family. She grabbed her government issued mobile and followed the 2 SUV convoy, but only 2 miles in their journey the lead SUV stop and forced everyone to stop with them. The lead SUV opened its door and dad's 4 man security team came out with assault rifles at the ready. Mogu, dad's head of security for the last two years smiled at Dad when he climbs down his own SUV to confront the man.
"What's the meaning of this?!" Anji's dad Demanded.