When Lanada finally returned home, they immediately crashed on the couch, releasing a groan that slowly evolved into nearly a scream. Being with STAR didn’t feel real, and at times their mind managed to convince them it was a dream, that their old life was back and flourishing just as before. They were even more concerned as they remembered how they’d be there every day.
The final straw was leaving Ingalderin though. Lanada had grown up in the city, knowing the streets inside and out. They’d lived in every neighborhood, taken almost every job on offer, and picked the city clean of potential friends or partners. It was their city, despite its entire population not knowing that fact. To be ripped from it so suddenly was heartbreaking.
While they wallowed under their blanket, blasting Love Dove, Gerry plowed in.
“I heard a scream? You okay? First day at STAR go well?”
“They’re making me leave the city. I’m going to be living in the Capitol.”
“What? So they really are taking you away, damn. I mean, I knew it was likely, but still. How soon?”
“A couple days. I have to go back tomorrow for my first operation. After that, I think they’re giving me a day to sort things out here then I’m gone.”
“So I will have to shoot scary dudes then. Okay. That’s fine.”
“Gerry, I’m sorry…”
“Hey, they blackmailed you, not your fault.”
“Yeah, Gerry, but who was hiding that body in the first place? Who was doing just irresponsible shit that made life more dangerous for their friend? If one mistake can fuck over my entire livelihood, was it much of a life to begin with?”
“Whoa Lanada, don’t be so dramatic. I’m your friend and I’ve always known you’re into sketchy shit. It’s as much my fault as yours for getting involved. STAR are the ones who fucked us over. Fucking suits.”
“Thanks Gerry, but I won’t be able to stop worrying about you. I need to be sure you’ll be safe.”
“I will be, don’t worry about me. I’ll manage. I was alone long before I met you, hell I’ve been alone since I was a kid. I’ve been in sketchy situations. You need to worry more about yourself though. Watch your back.”
“Don’t need to tell me. I don’t trust STAR at all. They have advanced weapons, kitted me out with top of the line armor, and that’s not counting the vehicles. Remember us saying they’re planning something big? Sounds like that was right.”
“Wait, they gave you armor? Isn’t that like crazy expensive? Like 10,000 nits?”
“No, that’s cheap armor. It’s closer to 500,000. Wanna see it?”
“Glad they didn’t make you pay for it. But hell yeah, let’s see it!”
Lanada smiled as they grabbed their armor from their room, enjoying Gerry’s awestruck face as they showed it off.
“Wow, let me see! Actually maybe I shouldn’t, I’m worried I’ll stain it or something. Too rich for my blood.”
“Don’t worry about breaking it. It would be funny if STAR ended up breaking their budget just to have me on the force.”
“I feel like you’re going to turn the whole government upside down, being in STAR like this.”
“I’ve already done damage at the Ingalderin office. Sam was PISSED. Also met STAR’s commander, think I annoyed her too. So, I feel very accomplished for my first day. I was three hours late, and when Sam came over I was binging Love Dove!” Lanada cracked up along with Gerry, still humored by messing with Sam.
“Not Love Dove! That’s funny. You should stop jabbering and put on that suit though.”
“Oh. Right.”
Gerry beamed in excitement as Lanada gently slipped the armor on, taking care to close each seal securely. Once the seal was complete the suit powered up, immediately reading off their vitals and providing climate control to cool them down.
“Wow. You were scary before, but now? Yeah, I would shit myself.”
“You think?”
“Yeah, looks good. If I had something like that I’d waste it at a party or something. I would look so hot though.”
“Hah, I get to be the hot one for once!”
“Lanada, we’re both the hot ones.”
“Yeah, we live in a desert.”
“Hah. You’re funny. Wanna test the armor?”
“Oo, yes! Shoot me!”
“You did teach me how to shoot a gun…”
Gerry had a grin as he unholstered his pistol. It had been hanging at his side constantly; Lanada worried he even carried it for all his visitors. He took careful aim, pointing right at the center of Lanada’s chest. The round he shot hit right in their abdomen, forcing Lanada to stumble a couple steps back from the impact. The armor was still in good shape, perfectly absorbing the bullet with only a ripple surrounding it.
“Didn’t hurt a bit. Again!”
Gerry looked nervous, but still wore his smile, taking aim at Lanada again. He unloaded a couple shots, one impacting Lanada’s chest while the other ricocheted into a wall.
“Oh shit. There goes your security deposit.”
“I lost that I think when I let corpses smell up the place.”
“Ew, I’m still not used to that. Do all hit-people clean up bodies?”
“All the good ones do. It’s a relatively new service.”
“You make it sound like a tire change.”
“That’s what it feels like, honestly though.”
“You know how to change a tire?”
“No.”
“What? Even I know! How do you know what changing a tire is like then?”
“I’ve seen it on TV?”
“You can systematically murder people but you can’t change a tire. Shame!”
“What, I’ve always had roadside assistance!”
“Do you call them if your car breaks down with a body inside?”
“Yeah, after I hide the body.”
“Sounds like you’re speaking from experience.”
“I am. They noticed the smell, but I hid the body on the other side of a hill while they were on their way over. I was covered in sand and sweat and I’m sure they were discussing me over dinner that night.”
“Yeah, you just hid a body!”
“They didn’t know that!”
“Lanada, how didn’t they catch you earlier?”
“That’s a funny story actually. This dude, Sam, he’s literally been watching me for years trying to get something. Then STAR wanted me as a recruit, so they gave him everything he needed to catch me, and that’s the ONLY reason he’s ever gotten evidence.”
“I bet he was angry when they told him that. Yeah, keep torturing him.”
“I don’t even have to try. It’s so easy.”
“Just don’t make them too upset. I’m sure they won’t drag things along if you’re more trouble than you’re worth.”
“I don’t know, they’re putting up with a lot of trouble so far. You’re right though. I doubt they’ll let me out when this is all over. I think I’m STAR for life now.”
“I don’t know, maybe in a year they’ll let you go back to murdering people for a living.”
“They’re both the same job, it would make sense. Both employers are seedy assholes who want me to kill people. Rendell even went on about how STAR works towards peace or something. Ridiculous.”
“STAR? Don’t they work with paparazzos sometimes? Pretty sure everything they do is for a made up reason. Have to make shit up when you’re that far down the pipeline. Do you know what they’re wanting you to do?”
“Kill communist terrorists. Apparently they’re stockpiling weapons.”
“Really? That's been our biggest hurdle actually. We've been trying to organize a militia for years. It's weird they'd be able to source guns like that so easily. Is STAR really scared of them?”
“I'd say so, they're bulking up on weapons. The Monarchy has never been challenged openly like this before, seems like they're getting prepared.”
“Well if they're giving the Monarchy a run, maybe I shouldn't be so judgmental, ” Gerry nodded.
“We'll see… I'm all for getting rid of the Monarchy but these guys sound shady. All they've done is make STAR angry. Sounds like they're wasting their chance if you ask me, like they're waiting for STAR to stock up.”
“Could be their numbers holding them back too. They're not connected to the Geldor, so they don't have a lot of power. If they would just wait with us we could actually get rid of King Lactain.”
“Past trying to vote him out?”
“Yeah. At this point we know we've gotta fight. It's just a matter of keeping people safe and organized while we do it. We need to be sure we don't replace Lactain with something worse.”
“Not much could be worse with him. I feel like we'd literally do better by electing just a really down to earth child. It’s a better idea than just shooting them.”
“I’d vote for the child over King Lactain any day, honestly.”
“Our next king: a child. Absolutely stellar work they’ll do.”
“The child could have no idea what's going on too.”
They went silent, both thinking about their shit government officials.
“The Geldor are actually going to be protesting again tomorrow. We’ve been fighting so long though… Not a damn thing has changed. It’s frustrating.”
“What are you guys protesting now?”
“The police beat a homeless woman to death yesterday, Janice Alten. With all these attacks the Monarchy has been overusing its police; monitoring single family neighborhoods excessively, while ignoring the group houses. They've been arresting a bunch of people for bullshit charges, a lot of them are with the Co-op. Ironic, because Lactain said he'd be ending all that.”
“Yeah, all the human Kings have been extreme in some way, Lactain isn’t any different.”
“He only got elected by fear mongering. Easy to get assholes to vote for you when you scare them to death.”
❂
After falling asleep that night, Lanada was back in the room of infinity, to their disappointment. It looked exactly the same, with the usual bright figure standing in the center, still and statuesque. Lanada kept their mouth shut though, remembering the displeasure of speaking in that atmosphere. Instead they only sat to wait out the dream, refusing to give it their attention. They had far more important things to worry about than some mystical dream figure.
And so they sat with their legs crossed, staring straight ahead. The figure was completely still, stuck in some weird, twisted pose. It was as if it forgot how to stand normally, instead putting on a play to please a person’s eyes. Time blended together as they stared, the only sound the hollow drone of a vast, empty space.
Suddenly, the figure moved. It was quick, twisting and jerking its limbs until it pointed straight at Lanada, its body poised like a cardboard cutout. Two pits of darkness marked its eyes, every other surface glowing with the intensity of a star. Seconds after, it released a slow, buzzing noise. The noise, again, stretched out their name; Lanada.
❂
Lanada awoke the next morning with a frown. They really fucking hated STAR. They released the usual silent scream into their pillow before rising from bed, not even bothering to throw on Love Dove. As much fun as they’d had bothering Sam, they definitely didn’t have the energy to carry on, especially after the previous day’s action.
Sam didn’t even have to call Lanada, they instead chose to take their truck as expected. They weren’t used to being up so early. Oftentimes their jobs were timed at night to make them easier, the day being preserved to prepare or recoup. They were therefore unprepared for Mikoril’s mornings. The usual warmth had gone and a cool mist hung in the air, laughing at the sand in its desert environment.
The pretentious dildo building could barely be seen through the morning fog, relieving Lanada’s eyes. When they finally parked, they just sat in their car with the motors off, staring blankly ahead. They only moved when they got a sudden chill from the morning air, barely working through the new armor they wore. So many thoughts swirled in their head, definitely not the kind they could handle once leaving the small, quiet space.
They were unfortunately interrupted. Sam knocked on their window with a teasing smile, startling Lanada to bump their head.
“Fuck off, I’m here, aren’t I?”
“I’m very surprised. No time to wait around though, let’s go!”
“I’m ten minutes early. I’ve still got a few. I’ll see you at ten.”
“Lanada… Fine, meet me at the office we were in yesterday. Floor 23.”
Lanada said nothing besides rolling up their window. Sam shook his head as he sauntered off, clearly done with them. They didn’t care though, they still needed time to process. And listen to a really good song that had just come on. Lanada didn’t pay much attention to the time, assuming Sam would be more lenient since he knew they were there. He wasn’t.
Not two minutes past ten and he was already back in the parking garage, a cross demeanor to his step. Lanada didn’t notice as they tried to hit a high note in their song, eyes closed to perfectly visualize their stardom. They were stopped when Sam knocked on their window, startling them again.
“Fuck, why won’t you give me a break?! This is a good song!”
“Lanada, what we’re doing today is important. We need you upstairs. Now.”
“The whole tough act really doesn’t work for you. Makes me want to laugh.”
“No, this isn’t an act, Lanada. You’re just frustrating.”
“Aww, really? I’m glad I’m getting under your skin, makes this all worth it somehow.”
“Well get under my skin upstairs. Might as well be annoying while doing our mission.”
“Duly noted.”
Lanada yawned melodramatically and flung their door open, not bothering to warn Sam before bumping him. He managed to dodge and give Lanada a disgruntled look, immediately turning to the elevator.
“So what have you got for me?”
“You’ll be briefed in a moment, sit tight.”
“And you can’t just tell me now?”
“I’d just be quoting the briefing that you’re going to hear regardless. I won’t waste my breath.”
“Already are.”
They were both silent the rest of the elevator ride, both avoiding eye contact. The pressure of silence was too much for Lanada as they started to giggle. Sam only sighed and shifted his weight, clearly troubled by their barely prevented laughter. When they finally reached the floor, Sam took off without a look back, expecting Lanada to follow at his brisk pace. They were tired though, and despite being gay, they decided to walk slowly to hopefully generate some energy.
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
When Sam reached the office, they were still halfway down the hall, moseying around as if they were a tourist at a museum. Sam only waited for a second though before just entering the room without them, leaving the door to slam in Lanada’s face before they caught it. Sam was already at his desk when Lanada finally maneuvered the door, gaining eyes from the other people in the room.
Rendell shot Lanada a short wave from the end of the room, one that wasn’t returned or even acknowledged. She looked incredibly awkward afterwards, an empty smile trying to determine what to do with her unreciprocated hands.
“Just need to do some paperwork, Lanada. Then we’ll get to the briefing.”
“Ugh, really? You’re going to make me wait? Shouldn’t I know what we’re doing sooner so I can prepare?”
“You’ll have all the time you need. I don’t for this paperwork though, it’s due tomorrow!”
“Does it have anything to do with me?”
“Nope. All personal. Just hang tight. And no Circles in this office, we’re STAR, remember?”
“But I have chores in my game to do. Have to go fishing.”
Lanada had no plans to use their Circle before, but turned it on anyways just to spite him. Instead of grumbling like Lanada expected, Sam grabbed their Circle, putting it in his desk. He said nothing afterwards, ignoring Lanada’s mischievous smile.
Looking around while Sam clattered away at his computer, they quickly realized there was nothing to keep them occupied otherwise. They sat for an uncomfortable few minutes, avoiding eyes from the other agents as well as Rendell. They felt like a child who followed their parent to work. Rather than let Sam get his smug win though, Lanada chose to bide the time in another way: mindless, annoying tapping.
They started by grabbing a pen off Sam’s desk, spinning it dexterously but dropping it a few times. The couple times they bent over to pick it up they made sure to bump the desk, jostling Sam as he mistyped. Their next step was to drum the pen on the desk randomly, without any pattern or rhythm. Even the agents nearby were getting annoyed until he finally yanked the pen from Lanada’s hand.
“Please, Lanada.”
“What, it’s boring here. I would have been here late again if I knew this was what we’d be doing. Are you just trying to annoy me back? Because if you want to fight that way you’ll lose.”
“Somehow I think you’re right, Lanada. Fine though, I’ll ask Rendell to brief you then.”
He stood immediately and flashed Rendell a look, one she seemed to understand as she also stood and made her way over. He did make sure to return the Circle, Lanada practically diving for it before stuffing it away from him.
“Briefing room C, follow me.”
Rendell led the two across the hall and into a small briefing room. It resembled a classroom with several desks and a large vector display at the end. Full length windows offered a view of Ingalderin while they were briefed, affording Lanada a few good distractions.
“This will be your first mission, Lanada. Congratulations. It will serve as a field test as well, Sam will be evaluating you.”
“Greaaat.”
“No complaining. Recently, we’ve been watching groups of anarchists that are armed and dangerous. They’ve been carrying out organized attacks against Monarchy facilities all across Mikoril. This time though, we think we’ve been able to intercept one of these attacks before it happens. There’s a protest at fifth street downtown, and we have intel that suggests the next attack will take place there. Officers are already at the scene, but considering the threat of this assault, we need agents there to cover them and get us more intel.
“You two will report to fifth street and join the officers there. Once joined with their forces, observe the protest for any sign of active assailants and deal with them accordingly. Other STAR agents will be attempting to intercept them before they can reach the protest, but we don’t expect them to succeed. I’ll be honest here, your primary mission is to prevent casualties, especially from civilians.”
“Of course you guys solve it with fucking cops. No wonder they want to shoot you.”
“Lanada… You’re dismissed. Sam, straighten them out, please.”
“Trying to make me straight now too? Damn.”
“Lanada, let’s go.”
“You guys are so serious!”
Both Rendell and Sam looked broken. Lanada got such a kick out of it. They wondered about the mission though; was a team of these people really going to fire on a crowd? Sure the attacks could be considered extreme, but they always at least had some focus on the Monarchy. Lanada couldn’t think why they would attack a group of protestors.
“Wait, is that a bullet in your armor? Already?!” Sam stopped Lanada’s thoughts.
“Yeah, I tested it out a bit.”
“Please don’t tell me you assassinated someone else. You can’t do that on the force.”
“On the force? You sound ridiculous. But no, it was completely safe, controlled, scientific testing.”
“Better be careful, they don’t like just giving these things away.”
“Well they’d better prepare to if they don’t want me dead in the field. I plan on using this armor to its full advantage. I could run through crossfire and not feel a thing.”
“No, you definitely would feel something and you’d die. The armor is a last resort protection. Otherwise, you should remember to stick to cover and keep out of people’s lines of fire.”
“You act like I’m just going to walk up to some guy and get shot.”
“Honestly, that’s what I’m worried about.”
❂
Sam drove them to the protest, not bothering to act smug about his sleek car. Lanada actually would have liked it if he wasn’t such a prick; it was a comfortable ride. Nevertheless, they arrived in no time, immediately greeted by an enormous crowd blocking the street Sam was trying to turn on. Instead they sat still, waiting for the marchers to pass by. Lanada thought they could even spot Gerry and his buddies in the thick.
“My friend is here. I hope he’ll be okay.”
“Should be if we do our job right.”
They were silent again as the crowd finally passed, Sam finding a nearby place to park. The march would end at fifth street where the cops were stationed, giving them a couple blocks to walk. When they finally emerged to the street, the protestors had arrived too, all shouting showing profanities to the cops lining the street. The cops had guns.
“What the hell, why do they have guns?”
“We’re under threat, they need some protection.”
“I thought STAR was supposed to be the protection? Again, no wonder they want to fucking shoot you!”
Sure enough the police using guns changed the whole dynamic of the protest. People were clearly angry with the already brutal police force; arming them only escalated the already tense atmosphere. While before the demonstrations were peaceful and calm, now it was getting rowdy. Overall every protestor looked scared, even the bravest of them on the front lines.
The police were stoic, the force showing no emotion in front of the crowd. Demonstrators were getting right in their faces, yelling profanities and other demands. Well deserved, but several of the police looked agitated, especially one human after shoving back a couple people. With both the protestors and the cops angry, and the cops with guns, it looked like violence would break out even without the shooting squad STAR went on about.
The protestors were beginning to finish maneuvering around the park, following the two roads to meet at the front, 5th Street. From there a large road separated the park and the courthouse, this time blocked off by police. They had been showing at nearly every organization, claiming to be only monitoring to maintain the peace. Largely though, they were only intimidating, even when they didn’t have weapons before.
“Hey they got you here too then? Yeah, really vague if you’re actually a cop or not.” Lanada surprisingly looked over to find Gerry smiling at them.
“Definitely not. I can’t believe they have guns now.”
“Yeah, none of us were prepared for that.”
“Hi, I’m Sam!” Sam waved enthusiastically.
“FUCK OFF SUIT!” Gerry yelled back, throwing a tomato in Sam’s eye. He held his pose as the tomato slowly rolled off his face.
“They think that group of people are going to shoot up the place, don’t know why though,” Lanada continued as if nothing happened.
“I imagine it’s because the cops have guns. Not all ‘terrorists’ with guns are bad, some of them actually are protecting others.”
“You’re right, but quite frankly nobody needs guns here. Especially not the cops though.”
“Says the person who makes a living off shooting people. Still doing it in STAR too.”
“Yeah, these guys like to act like they’re above it all.”
“Hell Lanada, you gave me a gun, ahah!” Gerry laughed, overcome by his intoxicating giggles.
“I know, I know. I swear even though I’m violent I don’t condone it. Everyone needs to chill the fuck out.”
“Lanada, two o'clock!” Sam blurted in their ear.
“What? It’s 11:13?”
“No! Get Down!”
Sam grabbed Lanada and dove to the ground right as gunshots whizzed above them. They frantically looked to the crowd to see an all out gunfight. The combatants had evidently arrived and were hidden atop and behind buildings and trees, muzzle flashes showing mostly through the foliage in the park, right on the other side of the protesters from the cops. The police line scrambled to ready their guns as a couple died immediately. It was unclear who started the gunfight, but it was clear Lanada and Sam needed to end it.
“Gerry, run!” Lanada screamed at him, watching him barely scramble to his feet as he ran away. The rest of the crowd was running too, adding even more chaos as protestors escaped the crossfire.
Sam guided them both behind a planter as Lanada unholstered their gun, trying to spot their first target. There was no clear shot through the tear gas and bullet smoke, making Lanada pause despite the gunfire and screams. They felt helpless as they watched more unarmed people die; from rounds shot by the police and inside the crowd. It had just begun, yet it was already a blood bath.
“Can’t get a visual here! Go! Follow me!”
Sam sprinted through the crowded street, ducking behind a concrete wall lining the park. Lanada tried to find their targets, but could barely see past the people running away. Just in their peripheral were more flashes of light, matching the glitter past the moving crowd. The police were shooting back with intensity, not stopping
“Who are we shooting? They’re both killing civilians!”
“The protesters, Lanada! Shoot the protesters!”
“I—I…”
Lanada was always calm around violence, but this time was different. Each shot Sam made shook their whole body, wondering if he’d hit a target or an innocent person. If Lanada wanted to protect those people, he’d be the one they’d shoot. Or the police, who were also actively firing into the crowd. The unaffiliated militia were also dropping bodies; it was clear they weren’t there to protect anyone. Lanada’s orders were so simple, yet impossible to carry out. The feeling of helplessness laid in contrast with what Rendell had said about peace and protection, those thoughts swimming in Lanada’s head.
They stood still, only having seconds to view the scene before canistered smoke filled the streets. Protestors that hadn't evacuated yet were lost in it, wandering straight into more crossfire between the police and shooters. Sam luckily stopped firing, unable to see, excusing Lanada's inaction. They only watched with their back to a planter tier for cover, watching people of all species dying in the street before the police. They were only relieved by the occasional passing of more fog.
Although it felt like eternity, it was only a few seconds before the smoke cleared, allowing each side their final shots. It seemed all the shooters were either dead or had retreated; the police were still remaining. There were very few however, only around ten compared to the district's entire force.
Piles of corpses were spread across the street, their figures barely recognizable through the blood and gore. A flowing stream of blood made its way to the gutters, glittering in the desert sunshine. A wall of even more bodies lay among the living police, their purple uniforms absorbing the color of blood, again blending them into a single mound.
Screaming could be heard in a distant street along with sirens, but no gunfire sounded again. Lanada climbed to their feet, using the planter for support. Beyond the shredded blue bushes were even more corpses and destruction. The small pond in the center had its water turned red, the color supplied by the few bodies littering the side. Many were armored; they must have been the shooters. Given the shredded trees nearby, it seemed they had mostly hidden behind them.
Just as Lanada observed the trees, their trunks a shiny purple that shot into the sky, they noticed one of the more roughed up trees begin to shift. It was going to fall over.
"Hey, that tree. It's going to fall over," Lanada pointed.
"Fuck." Sam stared back at the tree, his body stiff.
"We're… uh… not going to do anything?"
"Yeah, I'll go get squished under it or something. That would help."
They were both quiet as they watched the tree slowly shift even more. Wide blue leaves rustled about the trunk on the way up, meeting in a plume at the top, shaped like a rose. As it moved across the skyline, the tree picked up speed, pushing others out of its way while it aimed at a nearby building. It finally collided into the neighboring skyscraper, sending an explosion of glass and dust out over the street.
People underneath screamed as they quickly moved, but none seemed harmed. The tree simply stood wedged in the building, barely holding on at the base. Everyone still alive noticed the tree as well after the hit, turning to watch. The base then slowly gave out, sending the tree to finally lay on the ground, crushing a couple cars in the process.
To break the silence, Sam's Circle lit up, bringing his hand down to retrieve it.
"The hell happened down there?! Status report! Now!" It was Rendell, obviously panicked.
"The um, the protestors got here. Opened fire on the police, it was an all out battle. Some civilians got caught in it, I haven't been able to count casualties yet though. Eight officers are alive, they appear uninjured. Also, a tree fell over."
"The shooters, what happened to them? Any still there?"
"Not any alive, far as I can tell. If any survived they retreated. They should be wearing cheap black armor though, but they probably changed out by now."
"I'll get a search organized. Thanks Sam."
Sam was stoic as he returned the Circle to his belt, still looking over the scene.
"Why'd you say the protestors opened fire?”
“The gunners were planted behind the crowd, didn’t you see?”
“They weren’t part of the group though! We don’t even know if they started the shooting!”
“Who else would you expect it to be?"
"Um, the police that literally had their guns ready seconds before? Known for their shit anger management?"
"Lanada, please. Please don't be difficult right now. Not after all that."
"No. You're being difficult Sam. Trying to put your own spin on this. Fuck!"
They grabbed their own Circle and found Rendell's contact, calling her quickly.
"Lanada, what are yo— no, stop. Don't waste her time."
"Lanada? What?" Rendell answered, perturbed.
"Sam was uh, he left out a few details he didn't see."
"What is it?"
"Gunfire came from the other side of the protesters, not from their crowd. And he didn't see who shot first, shooting started from both sides around the same time."
"And you did see the first shot fired?"
"No, I just wanted to specify that it was unclear to us, therefore it should be regarded by everyone at the moment that it was unclear because I think that paints an unfair bias quite frankly."
"Lanada… You're right, actually. Thanks for letting me know."
Rendell cut off immediately, surprising Lanada. Their face showed it too, a smug grin following. Sam rolled his eyes and looked away, tapping his fingers on his crossed arm.
"At least she's got some decency. Glad I'm here to check you."
"I bet you are. You look happy enough."
"No, just satisfied. I don't think I could be happy right now."
"Right. Well… let's get counting."
❂
Sam let Lanada head home after they finished counting, racking up casualties to 18 combatants, 37 civilians, 22 cops. According to a quick debrief as Sam returned them to their truck, a couple of the shooters had been found and detained, while another was shot trying to flee. Sam looked disheveled after dropping off Lanada, leaving the parking garage for a likely hectic STAR office. They were grateful they wouldn’t be returning so soon.
They took a few minutes sitting in their truck before even starting it. The garage had kept the inside cool despite the hot desert climate. Their head was too busy to think though, and they only stared at the steering wheel in shock. Their subconscious started and finished the drive home eventually, but Lanada was never present.
Their only relief would be seeing Gerry when they returned. They had called while counting bodies to make sure he was okay, but seeing him in person would still make them feel better. His car was there when they turned the street, but it seemed he was already inside. He took a few moments to answer the door after Lanada knocked, opening it slowly, a depressed look on his face.
“Hey.” He motioned them in without another word, silently closing the door behind them.
“I’m glad you made it out alright. How are you doing?”
“Not good, that’s for sure. I—I’ve…”
“Let’s sit down…” Lanada noticed Gerry was very wobbly.
“Yeah, yeah, come here.”
He seemed out of breath as he was led to the sofa, immediately cuddling under a cozy knit blanket. Lanada sat right next to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. He prepared a small roll of weed on his lap, wordless as he brought it to his lips. They passed it back and forth, Gerry taking a little spoon position after a while. His face still looked shocked.
“I know you’re used to all the killing and stuff, but I’ve never even seen a body before. I cry every time I see roadkill.”
“I thought you got away pretty quick, what did you see?”
“Yeah, I was running, getting out of there. Once I got down the street though, I looked back and… uh…” His face grew even more tense.
“Gerry… I’m sorry.”
“Those people… I saw them in the trees. They put the crowd between them and the cops on purpose. It’s like they wanted all those people to die.”
“Yeah… I think that was the point.”
“We didn't know they would be there. We were completely unprepared. I don't even know if my friends are still alive after that, oh gods…”
“So these guys definitely aren't on your side then.”
“No. They're not. Can’t wait to see how the Monarchy retaliates.”
Gerry’s lips were quivering, but he forced his face to stay together. Lanada wasn’t even sure if he would start crying. He looked less emotional than he did sad, finding the strength to inhale from his roll. Lanada felt a pang of pity, knowing that death had been so normalized for themself.
“Do you want to put on a show or something? Love Dove?” Lanada noticed the TV was uncomfortably off.
“Yeah, but please not Love Dove. I don’t get your obsession with that show.”
“It’s good!”
“Come on, it’s average at best!”
“Heathen, shut up. It has a very strong cult following.”
“Cult is definitely the word for it.”
Gerry let off a momentary smile, quickly fading as his mind returned to its thoughts. Lanada chose a calm documentary, detailing Mikoril flora that carried them through a few silent hours. Lanada only took a break to remove their armor, quickly returning to the warmth of the blanket with Gerry.
“Damn Lanada, you really are grizzled up,” Gerry commented on their body, acknowledging the many scars and scrapes.
“People think it’s hot, I don’t mind.”
They were silent again, still wrapping their heads. Their only interruption was Lanada’s Circle, a silly picture of Sam they’d taken in secret filling the screen.
“Fuck. What could he want.”
They left Gerry to stare vaguely at the TV, switching eyes to his Circle every few seconds.
“What is it?” Lanada answered.
“Need you back at the office, soon as you can. You need a few updates on the situation.”
“Can it wait?”
“No, tomorrow I’ll be busy. It won’t be long.”
“You can’t just tell me now?”
“Not secure. Better in person.”
He hung up without another word, leaving Lanada with their mouth agape.
“Ughh, sorry Gerry. I’ll be back soon if you need company.” Lanada suited back up.
“Keep giving the suits a hard time,” Gerry rolled another joint.
It was dark outside when they left, the air still warm on their skin. They had a quiet drive back to the STAR office, not even bothering to play music as to save energy. When they reached the garage, it was nearly full still. It seemed STAR really was scrambling after the gunfight.
They led themself to the elevator, garnering a few odd looks from busy agents, like usual. Nobody was even there to greet them when they got off, the hallways eerily empty. The large glass windows only showed the night sky, casting the room in darkness.
When Lanada opened the office door, they were greeted by a roar of commotion, agents inside clacking at their computers and chatting over radios, any stragglers running around for their errands. Sam was tucked away at his desk, a stressed look in his eyes. When he spotted Lanada, he motioned them over frantically, returning to his computer right after.
“Shit’s a mess right now. We finally got a count on the shooters, there were around thirty of them, enough to overpower the police stationed there. Got eighteen of them dead, five detained, and the rest are still on the run.”
“The detainees say anything?”
“Not really. All they've done is pass over a statement from their leaders, they won't say anything else.”
“What, death rip tear kill?”
“No, basically the same though. Let me see…
‘The Geldor will uplift the people of Mikoril, and impose our righteous free will upon this planet. For centuries we have seen the truth, and been proven in our struggles; we will no longer suffer for the Monarchy’s selfish ambitions. Our final chance for peace has been squandered; all that has built this nation is for us to conquer.”
“We’ve been looking into the name, and a bunch of other people have taken allegiance to the organization. Whether they were actually connected before we can’t be sure of, but right now, we know the Geldor has been behind all this.”
“They're not. I know one of the founders, they literally had no idea this would happen.”
“Ah yeah, your friend we saw? And he's the kind of guy they'd let in on that info?”
“What? Yeah of course! He's the main writer for their demands and reforms and shit! He's literally been holding off on fighting you assholes to do things right, and you're just going to undermine everything he did?? Fuck you!”
“Whoa, okay Lanada. Just making sure. The Geldor have been a pain in our side for a while, it naturally makes sense they'd escalate like this. Especially under the same name.”
“Whatever, it's not them. I don't know who these guys are, but they're not the Geldor!”
“Well, connected or not, that's the name they chose. But I believe you. This isn't the kind of play the Geldor would have gone for. They have a way of acting, they'd never shoot their own people. I'm inclined to agree with you.”
“Well you'd better. The Geldor have been a large organization for a while, they should get dibs on the name. How many of these new guys even are there?”
“That’s what we’re figuring out. We have scouts everywhere trying to assess the situation, it’ll be a couple days until we can make a move. We need to intercept any shootings before they happen again though, that’s our main priority.”
“Fuck Sam… What have you got me wrapped into?”
“Nothing worse than what you were already doing. You think you could have stayed out of this any longer? That’s all though. Tomorrow, take a break, get some rest. We’ll be leaving for the Capitol the next day, so get everything you need in order as well. I’ll pick you up in the morning.”
“I drove all the way here for that?”
“It’s pretty important information.”
“I guess. Bye.”
Lanada wanted to sass him around some more, but their spirit wasn’t in it anymore. Not only did they have the stress of their life before weighing on their mind, but now they had to worry about the Geldor and whatever other targets STAR had in mind. With their head clouded, they climbed into their truck in a daze. They only heard a small movement of fabric as a warning.
Their arms shot up before their attacker could wrap theirs around Lanada’s neck. But from their position, it was hopeless as a chemical was sprayed in their face. While they struggled, their energy slowly left their body, their strength falling as they lost consciousness.